News

The latest information about Sonoma Wire Works


2010 - News and Reviews

KPFK 90.7FM
Review by:
Sam Brown,
Barry Rudolph,
Jace Nuzback &
Dave Banta
12/30/10

KPFK FM Radio (Los Angeles - Santa Barbara): For The Record With Sam Brown featuring Barry Rudolph, Jace Nuzback and Dave Banta
Both RiffWorks and GuitarJack were praised on a KPFK FM radio program discussing jpgts under $200: "Live collaboration, playing together over the web...Fender has a system they've been trying to get off the ground. RiffWorks has that! RiffWorks online collaboration, where up to 4 people can collaborate together online in real time. [Sonoma Wire Works] has been doing it for 2 years!" and "The third [iOS accessory], the Cadillac, is the GuitarJack from Sonoma Wire Works. Not only can you get your guitar sounds, you can also throw a vocal on there or whatever. There's a FourTrack recorder. Sonoma Wire Works is a great company. They're the same ones that do RiffWorks with the online collaboration, where 4 people can log on and record together, write together and jam together."


Beat Magazine
12/28/10

Beat Magazine December 2011 StudioTrack Review
"Mit acht Spuren inklusive Equalizer und Kompressor sowie durchdachten Master- und Trackeffekten ist StudioTrack aber nicht nur ein vollständiges Taschenstudio und somit bestens zum mobilen Aufnehmen akustischer Instrumente oder Vocals geeignet, sondern die mit Abstand vollständigste und professionelleste Recording-App, die es derzeit zu kaufen jpgt. Zu den Effekten zählen neben Equalizer auch Kompressor und Reverb. Dazu werden alle DAW-Funktionen wie Mix, Bounce, Export und sogar WiFi-Sync geboten."

English Translation: "With eight tracks, including EQ and compressor and thoughtful master and track effects, StudioTrack is not only a full pocket studio, and therefore ideal for mobile recording acoustic instruments or vocals, but by far the most complete and professional recording app available. Among the effects are in addition to EQ and compressor and reverb. StudioTrack includes DAW functions like Mix, Bounce, Export, and even Wi-Fi Sync."


Engadget
Review by:
Paul Miller
12/27/10

Just Got an iPad? The Best Apps, Accessories, and Tips
"There are plenty of ways to make music with the iPad, but you can record music as well. StudioTrack is a full-on multitrack recorder with a price to match, complete with effects chains and in-depth mixing. It's perfect for "sketching" out song ideas -- with instruments you play on your iPhone, naturally."


Evolver.fm
Review by:
Eliot Van Buskirk
12/16/10

iPad, iPhone Mature as Recording Studios with AudioCopy/Paste
"Sonoma Wire Works has been quite busy of late; in addition to rolling this program out, the company announced a new version of StudioTrack on Thursday with support for both AudioCopy and AudioPaste. So far, over 40 mobile apps for Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad have been released with support for Sonoma's AudioCopy/AudioPaste feature. The protocol appears to be spreading rapidly, in part because it lets users know which other programs they can use with it from right within the app."


Sonoma Wire Works
12/16/10

Billy Martin: Loops from the Underground DrummerPack for DrumCore Released
Billy Martin: Loops from the Underground DrummerPack for DrumCore has been launched by Sonoma Wire Works in conjunction with Submersible Music. Billy Martin is an internationally acclaimed drummer/multi percussionist for Medeski, Martin and Wood. This DrummerPack features 13 original Billy Martin Groovesets that include audio loops, MIDI grooves and fills. The live audio drum loops by Billy cover a vast range of styles, and are presented in stretchable REX format for ease of tempo selection. Groove variations, fills, intros, stops, and endings are all included for virtually infinite drum track creations in your DAW. Also included are 12 Multi-Velocity layered MIDI Kits for programming MIDI grooves with Billy's kit sounds, as well as MIDI file versions of Billy's grooves and fills. Single hit Kit sounds are also readily available for easy addition to your audio loops.


Teh Loft
Review by:
YK Teng
11/24/10

GuitarJack, the Promising Contender to the AmpKit LiNK and iRig
"I can safely say that there is no way you can cause any unwanted feedback on the GuitarJack. On the AmpKit LiNK, I could still cause it to oscillate at some extreme settings, but on the GuitarJack, I absolutely could not...You cannot cause the output to oscillate even on extreme gain and volume, simply by design...What I hear with the GuitarJack is a more open, less compressed sound, compared to the AmpKit LiNK. There is also more low end. So much more low end. Have a listen for yourself (AmpKit LINK vs. GuitarJack). To my ears, GuitarJack does sound quite a lot better."


Recording Magazine
Review by:
Fernando Curiel
11/19/10

GuitarJack Review - Recording Magazine (December 2010, pg. 62)
"GuitarJack is the best sounding device I've heard in its class, and the additional apps from the same manufacturer are ideal complements...This hardware/software system is worthy of applause for the creative possibilities it offers and for its high quality." - by Fernando Curiel in Recording Magazine (December 2010, pg. 62): Sonoma Wire Works GuitarJack Model 1 & FourTrack 4.0.1, and in Musico Pro Magazine in Spanish


Sonoma Wire Works
11/20/10

Discrete Drums Heavy Mental 2 Library Released
The Heavy Mental 2 drum loop collection is now available! This is the second collection in the Heavy Mental Drum Recording Library Series, and was also recorded in the legendary "Big Boy" room at the Sound Kitchen in Nashville. This amazing sounding room can be read about in the "Making of Discrete Heavy Mental" in EQ magazine! Heavy Mental 2 consists of 13 tracks of HUGE pounding drums - kick, snare, hat, stereo toms, stereo overheads, stereo room, stereo BIG room, stereo "gak" track. 15 projects with 50 or more segments (choruses, verses, fills, intros, solos, etc - one project has over 100!) Segments within each project range from straight up simple rock beats, to flailing metal double kick, bashed out, kick-butt mayhem. Drummer Tony Morra puts his heart and soul into this collection. It must be experienced to be believed! This content is now available for DrumCore 4.


EQ Magazine
Review by:
Craig Anderton
11/09/10

GuitarJack Review (December 2010 Issue)
"GuitarJack is ideal for musicians on the go. But it's also a clean, clear, robust audio interface that far outpaces the audio capabilities of the iPhone/iPod Touch itself - if you're into listening to music on the road, plugging your phones into GuitarJack beats plugging directly into the host... this is a durable, hi-fi winner."


Big-geek.com
Review by:
Sean Burgess
11/08/10

GuitarJack vs. Ampkit LiNK
"There's a dramatic difference in sound quality between the GuitarJack and AmpKit LiNK iPhone interfaces... with the GuitarJack sample and you'll hear a much deeper, more resonant guitar tone that isn't competing at all with the background hiss present in the AmpKit sample... Listen to the samples though and I'm sure you'll hear there is a clear difference."


Musikemagasinet
10/26/10

iPad for Musiker (November 2010 Issue)
"Detta är den enda seriösa må ngkanaliga ljudinspelningsapp jag har hittat." Translated from Swedish: "This (StudioTrack) is the only serious multi-channel audio recording app I have found."


Sharemyguitar.com
Review by:
Dan Coplan
10/25/10

Sonoma Wire Works' GuitarJack Interface and FourTrack App
"As a package, GuitarJack and FourTrack provide a solid way for guitarists to easily lay down multiple track recordings via the convenience and portability of an iPhone."


Audio Tuts
Review by:
Bjorgvin Benediktsson
10/20/10

GuitarJack - Get Audio In and Out of Your iPhone
"It's a great sounding little device and it's built to last. The sound quality is much better than if you were to plug your guitar directly into your phone, since the engineering of the device is built around maximizing sound quality as well as being able to communicate efficiently with the software you are using. For iPhone and iPod users that are in need of a great little pocket recorder to record their ideas on the fly, I would definitely recommend the GuitarJack along with their FourTrack software. You can take your guitar anywhere and record your inspirations on the spot without having to drag a laptop or a microphone with you."


MusicTech Magazine
10/20/10

GuitarJack (November 2010 Issue)
"Sonoma has done a lot for the mobile tech movement, devising a well thought-out standard called AudioCopy/AudioPaste which is currently supported by 34 apps for copy/paste audio transfers. It also created the FourTrack app, which we gave 9/10 in Issue 87 for its great performance as a standard multitrack recorder. Now Sonoma brings us the GuitarJack interface for high quality connectivity... This is the best iOS audio device we've heard..."


iPad Creative
10/19/10

StudioTrack for iPad - Should You Buy It?
"As it is at the moment, we have to say we would highly recommend StudioTrack to those who are after the nearest thing to a professional solution for the iPad and who can afford it." -


Stephen Poff
Review by:
Stephen Poff
10/06/10

Stephen Poff's GuitarJack Video Review
"Using the GuitarJack and FourTrack for the iPhone. Stephen Poff takes some backing tracks on the road to the local Guitar Center." "Why would you use GuitarJack over something like the iRig, iLink, .. The big reason is that you can control the inputs. The GuitarJack, because it goes through the dock connector, is a much cleaner signal than trying to go through the headphone jack. Also you have control over the volume. One of the other things I really like about the FourTrack update is the audio monitoring."


App Minute
Review by:
Sam Levin
10/04/10

AppMinute Podcast 20: Interview with Douglas Wright of Sonoma Wire Works
RiffWorks looped recording software (Mac/Win) helps guitar players get their ideas down quickly. "RiffWorks has an enthusiastic user base with a song sharing community called RiffWorld ... FourTrack on the iPhone was a runaway success. We followed it up with StudioTrack for the iPad. Now the GuitarJack hardware interface for plugging your guitar, line input or a microphone into the iPhone 3G, 3GS or iPod touch (2nd or 3rd gen.)...I use a stereo XY pattern mic from Rode that sounds amazing and gives me stereo."


Stuff.tv
09/24/10

10 Music Apps to Download this Weekend
"As the name suggests, this is a four-track recording app for laying down some serious sounds. As well as some powerful editing features, there's the ability to whizz your recordings over Wi-Fi to a computer."


Cnet
Review by:
Donald Bell
09/24/10

GuitarJack Unboxing
"Unlike some of the guitar-specific or mic-specific accessories we've tested in the past, GuitarJack Model 2 distinguishes itself with a uniquely durable aluminum construction and the ability to accept both 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch inputs simultaneously."


Cnet
Review by:
Jim Dalrymple
09/22/10

Review: GuitarJack, FourTrack, and TaylorEQ for iPhone
"Sonoma Wire Works is one of those companies that you know is going to release quality, innovative products every single time they put something out. The latest hardware and software releases for the iPhone are no exception."


Music Connection Magazine
Review by:
Barry Rudolph
09/17/10

Sonoma Wire Works GuitarJack Review
"GuitarJack works with Sonoma's FourTrack iOS recording app ($9.95) and is also compatible with other audio-based iPhone OS Apps--I have three guitar amp/stomp pedal modelers/tuners and they all work and sound great using GuitarJack...I especially liked the TaylorEQ app. For each track I recorded, I could carve the sound wonderfully with this six-band, semi-parametric equalizer--you just drag around the overlapping band faders until it sounds good. Sonoma Wire Works puts is all together with GuitarJack: solid hardware, rock steady software and great sound."


Premier Guitar
Review by:
Jordan Wagner
09/01/10

Plugging Into the Palm of Your Hand: iPhone and iPod Guitar Interface Roundup
"GuitarJack is in a functional category of its own. The weighty gadget plugs directly into the data jack on the bottom portion of the iPhone - or iPod Touch - to provide the highest quality recorded sound (in stereo) and lowest latency possible...Because the GuitarJack doesn't have to rely on the iPhone's conventional headphone/mic input jack, it's capable of commanding its software with more precision and features. The 1/4" instrument input can be switched to either Hi-Z or Lo-Z modes, and also sports a pad feature for guitars with hotter output signals that would normally clip the device's input, which kept clipping to a minimum...The GuitarJack's dual inputs (1/4" and 1/8") mean that you can record both your guitar and vocals to separate tracks."


Rolling Stone Magazine
Review by:
Mike Kobrin
08/20/10

Home Studios to Go (September 2, 2010 Issue)
"Transform your iPad into an eight-track recorder with StudioTrack, packed with features like multiple effects, wireless syncing, and beats by Death Cab for Cutie drummer Jason McGerr."


Sonoma Wire Works
08/19/10

Terence Higgins' HigginsPack DrummerPack for DrumCore Released
Sonoma Wire Works has launched the HigginsPack DrummerPack for DrumCore. Terence Higgins, drummer for The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, brings DrumCore users unique New Orleans marching style drum loops, variations, fills and drumkit sounds with a dash of hip hop, funk, R&B, and soul. Higgins says this DrummerPack is "guaranteed to add a little grease to your tracks. HigginsPack includes 3.5 GB of content including 7 DrumKits (24 pads each) that match 7 GrooveSets (360 audio loops, 427 audio fills, 97 MIDI loops and 41 MIDI fills). More about Terence Higgins on the DrumCore 4 Bios Page.


GRAMMY.com
Review by:
Dan Daley
07/28/10

iRecord
"Smartphone music apps seem to be catching on with both artists and producers in the studio. While making Leticia Wolf's debut EP in Nashville in 2008, producer/engineer Mark Hornsby used Sonoma Wire Works' FourTrack, a 4-channel multitrack app containing a hardware interface. Wolf quickly recorded and e-mailed Hornsby a small vocal part to replace a Pro Tools session file that had become corrupted in his studio computer."


Adam Curry's Big App Show
Review by:
Adam Curry
07/24/10

FourTrack Demo
"Whip up a real song with multitracks right on your iPhone or iPod touch. It's really quite affordable when it comes to having a multitrack recording machine in your pocket."


Beat Magazine
07/01/10

StudioTrack
"StudioTrack ist das "musikalische Notizbuch" für das iPad: ein Achtspur-Harddiskrekorder mit eingebautem Mischpult und 44.1-kHz-Unterstützung."


Sound on Sound
Review by:
Paul White
06/20/10

Sound on Sound Interviews Sonoma Wire Works about GuitarJack Model 2 at SummerNAMM 2010
"We've been working on GuitarJack to go with FourTrack on the iPhone. Both of the inputs have 60dB of gain control, controllable via software, that can be used simultaneously to record on two seperate tracks, or individually the mini can be used in stereo, mono, or dual mono modes. Be spontaneous at the beach, on a mountain, or wherever, and record without having to haul around all your gear."


Sound on Sound
Review by:
Paul White
06/20/10

Sound on Sound Interviews Sonoma Wire Works about StudioTrack for iPad at SummerNAMM 2010
"An iPad is a cool device, but wouldn't it be cooler if you could use it as an 8 track recording studio? StudioTrack! That looks like a really tasty piece of kit."


Premier Guitar
Review by:
Jordan Wagner
06/20/10

Premier Guitar Interviews Sonoma Wire Works at Summer NAMM 2010
"The GuitarJack connects instruments, stereo line inputs and microphones to the iPhone 3G, 3GS and iPod Touch (2nd and 3rd generation) via 1/4 inch instrument and 1/8 inch stereo mic/line inputs. GuitarJack makes both level control and input monitoring possible when using a GuitarJack enhanced app like FourTrack."


Premier Guitar
Review by:
Jordan Wagner
06/18/10

GuitarJack: Summer NAMM 2010 New Gear - Editors' Pick Day 1
"This pocket-sized GuitarJack plugs directly into the docking jack of either the iPhone or iPod Touch, and provides extremely high recording quality."


Cnet
Review by:
Donald Bell
06/18/10

GuitarJack Puts Studio in Your Pocket
"GuitarJack looks to be one of the highest-quality solutions for recording instruments with your iPhone or iPod Touch. The GuitarJack offers a 1/4-inch instrument input, stereo line input, and headphone output, all in an adapter that fits in you palm. More importantly, the line and instrument inputs offer selectable gain pads, 60dB of continuous analog level control, and can be separately assigned for simultaneous dual-mono recording. Construction quality is above and beyond any iPhone recording accessory we've seen, including a casing made from anodized aluminum, and a 1/4-inch input from Switchcraft made from a nickel-plated brass."


MusicTech Magazine
05/20/10

FourTrack Review (Issue 87)
"All FourTrack functions worked flawlessly as we sketched out a four-track song idea all the way through to exporting the project. To take your projects a step further, the RiffWorks T4 program for PC/Mac lets you import and mix your projects. Verdict: 9 out of 10 stars."


Sonoma Wire Works
05/13/10

Discrete Drums Products Launched as Bundle
Discrete Drums products that were previously only available as large CD collections have been repackaged as convenient DVD products. Many Discrete Drums Pro Sets are available at a lower price of $199, and now include formats such as multitrack WAV files, Pro Tools Sessions, stereo WAV files, one shot samples, and REX and/or Apple Loops. Discrete Drums Stereo Sets have also been repackaged and relaunched on DVD, and are now available at a lower price of $99. All six Pro Sets are available as a bundle at the promotional price of $599 for a limited time.


Sonoma Wire Works
05/13/10

Discrete Drum Kickin' Country Library Released
Sonoma Wire Works added Kickin' Country to the world renowned Discrete Drums multitrack drum recording library. Kickin' Country features the legendary drummer Tony Morra recorded at Downtown Batterie in Nashville, Tennessee. The Kickin' Country Pro Set (9GB) includes multitrack WAV files with Pro Tools sessions, stereo REX and WAV files, and one shot samples for $199. The Kickin' Country Stereo Set (3GB) includes stereo REX and WAV files for $99. Styles included are brushes, ballads, waltz, train, pop and more. The 19 sessions included in Kickin' Country are organized into song parts including verse, chorus, bridge, intros, outros, fills, solos, breaks, and more, making it easy to build great sounding arrangements.


The iPad Critic
04/23/10

StudioTrack: Beautifully Presented Multi-Track Recorder
"Imagine the beauty of Pro-Tools and the functionality/portability of a four track recorder (not just prohibited to 4 tracks), stuff it in your iPad, pepper in a bunch of incredible options/features/effects, and StudioTrack is your new multitrack recording friend."


Rolling Stone Magazine
Review by:
Trey Anastasio of Phish
04/19/10

What I'm Excited About - Trey Anastasio
"I'm obsessed with this recording app on my iPhone - the Sonoma Wire Works FourTrack. It's like you have a superpowerful studio in your pocket. I can record basically anywhere."


Engadget
Review by:
Paul Miller
04/07/10

iPad Apps: Creativity Unleashed
"We were frankly impressed with how good looking, responsive, and intuitive the app is (StudioTrack) -- GarageBand could really learn a thing or two -- and we multitracked our first session in minutes. $39.99 sounds like a lot, but when it bests anything on your laptop for "jotting down" song ideas, it's probably worth taking note of."


For Dummies Books
Review by:
Bob LeVitus
02/02/10

Incredible iPhone Apps for Dummies
"As a wannabe singer/songwriter, I am in love with FourTrack, an app that turns your iPhone into a genuine four-track audio recorder for less than ten bucks. The sound quality of FourTrack is excellent, and you can make it even better if you use a decent headset or external microphone (such as the Blue Mikey) instead of the built-in iPhone mic. A band called The 88 recorded an entire song called "Love is the Thing" using an iPhone running FourTrack. Links to The 88's song and other recordings made by FourTrack users. FourTrack's audio quality and feature set blow me away."


Sound on Sound
Review by:
Tom Flint
02/01/10

DrumCore 3 Review
"DrumCore's come a long way, and version 3 makes it easier than ever to use pro drummer performances on your tracks...Drumcore offers an attractive way of assembling a great-sounding rhythm track in a short time. Personally, I love the elegant simplicity."


Mix Magazine
Review by:
Sarah Benzuly
02/01/10

iPhone Apps | The New Assistant Engineer
"Offering pan controls, FourTrack lets you upload tracks to your computer as WAV files (or directly to the company's RiffWorks software for Mac and Windows) using Wi-Fi sync. Recording at 16-bit/44.1kHz, a clip light ensures that input levels do not cause distortion while calibrated meters monitor record and playback level. A Slide to Record feature prevents overwriting of tracks; track length is unlimited. Other features include an "onboard" compressor/limiter and the ability to bounce tracks, duplicate songs, internal metronome and packaged sounds, including three beats by drummer Jason McGerr (of Death Cab for Cutie) on his signature Ludwig kit recorded in his Seattle-based studio, Two Sticks Audio."


TapeOp Magazine
Review by:
Schott McChane
01/01/10

DrumCore 3 Review (Issue 75)
"As anticipated, I was definitely ‘wowed’ by DrumCore's workflow, but what really won me over was the natural, uncolored quality of the recorded audio files (24-bit/48k). In addition to the great selection of drum kit and percussion libraries included with the factory install, Submersible has complied an impressive catalog of ‘GrooveSets’ in ‘DrummerPack’ expansion libraries. All of Drumcore’s libraries, including both the factory and expansion packs, feature many drummers you’re sure to recognize… like Alan White, Bill Bruford, Luis Conte and more. Drumcore shuns the toy-like look and clunky functionality of many virtual instruments, instead focusing on servicing the needs of songwriters and composers. Now you can concentrate your efforts on the creative process of making music… and the drummer never shows up late!"


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"DrumCore is so handy and so very easy to use! It's very close to having a live drummer with you."

Learn more about DrumCore
M83
Anthony Gonzalez of M83

"I'm obsessed with this recording app on my iPhone- the Sonoma Wire Works FourTrack. It's like you have a superpowerful studio in your pocket."

Learn more about FourTrack
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Trey Anastasio of Phish

"Just tried out Sonoma Wire Works GuitarJack plus the new upgraded FourTrack app. Beautiful crystal clear sparkling audio in iOS!"

Learn more about GuitarJack
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Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater

"RiffWorks is an incredible tool to get songs done stupid fast!"

Learn more about RiffWorks
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Johnny "Juice" Rosado of Public Enemy