Orange Amplifiers announce the launch of the revolutionary all-in-one Computer Amplifier Speaker – The OPC, and we want one!
A fully fledged computer, the OPC has 4GB DDR2 RAM, 500GB Hard Drive, Intel chips, Windows 7 x64 home premium, 8 x USB2.0 ports, is Wi-Fi enabled and has an integrated GeForce 9300 graphics card with an optional dedicated ATI 5670 512MB card for those who may want to play a few games while they put their guitars down. The first models will include modelling software incorporating computer samples of vintage and current Orange amps and cabinets as well as free branded recording software package. Once plugged in, you can then use the software included to create music or choose your guitar sound and then play, record and hear your guitar through the computer!
June 2010 $TBA orangeamps.com
We agree with Jeff in the video below in the fact that we all love the sound of big amps, but sometimes you have to make sacrifices. If you live in an apartment/townhouse or simply can’t haul around that Marshall stack then you may want to look into the Roland Micro Cube.
Posted by MgMt. in Guitar
Progressive’s Billy Cuthrell with Gene Simmons
Alicia Keys andKeyboard Magazine Eds…
Progressive’s Dexter Horton & Iron Maiden’s Niko McBrain
Carmine Appice at the dDrum booth
GWAR
Lacy from VH1′s Rock Of Love
She digs GWAR 
Kyle
Posted by MgMt. in Guitar
2008 is outta’ here and we’re looking forward to all the cool stuff coming up in the new year.
We kick off 2009 with a trip to California to attend the
NAMM show January 15 – 18. Progressive instructors Dexter Horton, Chuck Barchuk and Kyle Long will be roaming the NAMM floors checking out new gear and attending meetings over the 4 day event. Look for cool new gear showing up in our retail shop from this trip and look for pictures and entries of the show here and on our
website.
In 2009 our Raleigh, NC location will move into a bigger and better space at Briar Creek (70 & TW Alexander) that will offer some very cool features and amenities for our students. We are pushing for a late March/early April opening, but we’ll have more details, a sneak peak at our floor plan and teaching room layouts and grand opening info. as we move along in our build out. The transition will be seamless and our teachers are very excited about the new space!
As always, please have a safe New Years Eve celebration and we look forward to a great 2009!
Where can you find all the latest music gear, see and hang with legendary performers like Steve Earl, Marcus Miller and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter of Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers? NAMM, of course! That’s Steve Earl in the picture to the right hanging out at the Martin Guitar booth performing on his new signature Martin.
We returned to Progressive right in the middle of summer camp craziness, so once we catch our breath a little we’ll download all the pics and get them posted.
Posted by MgMt. in Guitar
It’s been a long week and a long day. I have about three hundred pictures from Friday and today (Saturday) that I need to download and post at some point. I’ll have to get to that later and post some news too…but before I retire for the evening one of the best NAMM show moments happened this afternoon in the technology wing of the show floor. Stevie Wonder walked in to a booth where I was checking out some recording software. His assistant was very pleasant and introduced me and a few others that were in the booth to Stevie (he does this since Stevie can not read names on badges). Stevie says without hesitation, “I dig your
shirt, the color looks great on you”. Oh yeah, Mick Mars looked frail over at the Marshall booth…
It’s 1:30 here & I have just a few minutes to get an update in before I head off to the NAMM President’s Council meeting @ 2. The day has been packed with mostly meetings since 8 am Pacific time, and everyone’s running around setting up exhibits for the show opener tomorrow (Thursday).
Things kicked off this morning at the Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA) meeting.
GAMA is an organisation that works to implement guitar programs in schools offering seminars to train music teachers around the country to develop programs in their schools. The overview of 2007 and the organizations accomplishments were interesting, however the highlight of the meeting had to be the address by Guitar Center mastermind and CEO, Marty Albertson.
During his talk Albertson touched on several key aspects of the guitar market and the issues we face in the upcoming year and what it may hold for the music industry. Alberston’s thoughts on recognizing music education and music teachers in the country were refreshing, since the 214 store Guitar Center chain does not have any music education programs, outside of it’s Music and Arts Center chain, to speak of. Albertson pointed out that more emphasis needs to be placed on music education while teachers need greater funding and resources if music stores such as Guitar Center, and others were to survive and grow.
Moreover, Albertsom believes we are moving into some economic headwinds for 2008 that may slow the growth of the music industry, but he remains convinced that the guitar segment of the music industry will continue to grow with the help of the video game, Guitar Hero III. Another surprise was Albertson’s admittance that Guitar Hero III was the music chains number one best selling item for the 2007 holiday period.
In 2008, Guitar Center has invested into www.tunecorp.com, which allows anyone to post an album to iTunes or any music hosting company on the internet. It’s part of what Albertson thinks is a shift in the paradigm that is leaning towards a Do It Yourself movement for musicians.
Another note before I wrap this up – rumor has it around the show that electronics giant Best Buy will remodel 600 of their stores to add full scale music stores. Stat tuned…
Progressive Music Center heads to Anaheim, California for the Winter
NAMM show January 15 – 21!
NAMM is the place to see all the latest musical products from around the world and
experience the latest trends in the music instrument world.
Never experienced a NAMM show? Tune in right here for daily updates from the show floor!
