Yorkville PGM and VGM Series Mixers - A Review

Yorkville PGM 8

Modern PA systems are going more and more to a passive mixing board combined with powered speakers, and there are a lot of small mixing boards on the market. 

The biggest determining factor of the type mixing board you will need is going to be how many actual mics you will need to plug into the board.

One thing to understand is that all boards on the market today count their stereo channels as separate channels, so a board with 4 mic channels and 4 stereo channels would be a 12 channel board. It is important to find out how many actual mic inputs come on any board.

This is one reason why I really like the Yorkville PGM8 and VGM14 mixers; the PGM8 board has six actual mic inputs, the VGM14 has 12 actual mic inputs. Both of these are higher than average mic inputs for 8 and 14 channel boards.

Yorkville PGM8 includes 6 actual mic inputs

The boards do share some similarities, but the VGM14 has some extra features we will get into!

The PGM8 by Yorkville 

The PGM8 by Yorkville, as mentioned above, has 6 dedicated mic inputs, a 7 band graphic EQ, built in effects and very good 3 band EQ on each channel. it also features a record in and out section with separate record out levels (a feature almost unheard of on this type of board). The PGM8 also has dedicated faders for the main Monitor volume, the internal FX return, and the Stereo return for outboard effects or other stereo source signals, such as CD players, etc.

The most useful of these is the master volume fader for the monitor mix. The PGM8 also features XLR outputs on the back of the board for easy connection to powered speakers or power amps. Many boards this size are limited to 1/4" outputs, which are also available on the PGM and VGM mixers.

Both mixers also feature a tough as nails construction with metal runners down the sides and curving around the front of the board.

(see pics below)

Note the Aluminum bracing and all metal construction - this is the same on the VGM and PGM mixers!

You can see the Aluminum bracing wraps around the front, giving the board excellent protection!

Faders, Buttons and Knobs oh My! 

The faders, buttons and knobs on these mixers have a durable, silky feel to them - the faders in particular have a nice long throw with good resistance, and the knobs and buttons both have a very robust feel and good build quality.

The VGM14 - What's the Difference?

The VGM14 is very similar to the PGM8, but it does have a few key advantages. The biggest is the number of mic inputs. At 12 actual mic inputs this board has enough capacity for most bands and church applications, but it does have some big advantages over the PGM8 besides the number of inputs!

Like the PGM8, the VGM14 has main XLR outputs on the back of the board, mirrored by 1/4" inputs on the front of the board, and of course the RCA record outputs. 

It also has several other very important features though!

The first is the swept mid EQ on the main mic channels - if you are not aware of swept mid EQ, it allows you to pick the frequency of the mid band EQ. The frequency sweep goes from 100Hz to 5K, giving you a broad range of frequencies for tonal shaping or feedback elimination.

The other main difference in the VGM14 mixing Board is that it has a 9 band graphic EQ, and the EQ can be selected to run either the mains or the monitor system. This is important as most feedback occurs on the monitor system, and this is a feature that is rarely seen on boards in this size and price range. 

The VGM14 also has slightly longer faders, but the board is just as robust, with the same Aluminum side rails for protection, and the same rock solid feel on the faders and the buttons and knobs!

If you are looking for small but extremely capable mixing boards, consider the Yorkville PGM8 and VGM14 for your mixing needs. Call one of the best music stores in Lincolnton for the best prices on these boards, and when you are looking for the PA Gear Lincolnton players need come to James House of Deals & Pawn to see what is available, and what the best system for your band or venue is!

Harmonicas - What You Need To Know to Play For Fun and Profit!

Harmonicas - What's The Deal!

Harmonicas have a reputation of being one of the easiest instruments to play, and that reputation is deserved. The way most harmonicas are built, each harp that you get will be for a specific key. This means that the notes are laid out for that key, so if you have the right harp, it is almost impossible to play anything out of tune.

This is also why when you are playing a harmonica by itself it has a very musical sound and is easy to get good sounding licks and melodies out of the instrument (with a little bit of practice, of course). 

Harmonicas and Cross Harping

It makes sense - if the song is in C, then you should play a C harp. Unfortunately, that is not always the way it is - fortunately, we are here to help explain it to you! 

Most harmonicas are what they call Diatonic, which means that the harmonica has the keys of the scale for whatever key harp it is - the C harp contains the C Major scale, so the first note on this harp is C, the D Harp contains the notes for the D Major scale, the first hole is a D note. 

But many styles of popular music, including blues, do not sound right when you are the playing the harmonica that is the key of the song. 

Cross Harping, or as some people call it playing in the Second Position takes care of that problem. This means that you will pick the key of the harmonica you are using so that it is a fourth below the key of the song.

If you are playing a song which is in the key of C, a fourth below that will mean that you want a Harmonica in the key of F. Check out the simple table below:

Song Key       Harp Key
A                     D
B                     E
C                      F
D                     G
E                      A
F                      B
G                      C

This C harp, using the above guide, would be used for a lot of songs in the key of G. Some songs will work by playing the harp that matches the song key, but for most popular songs you will want to use the cross harp/Second Position chart above to determine the right key for your harp. Flats stay the same, so a song in B Flat would take an E Flat harp.

If you are just learning, however, you will usually want to start out with a harp in C as most of the harmonica lessons out there are done in C. As you progress and start playing with other people find out what key the songs are in before you jam, and make sure you have the right harmonica to match the song you are playing to!

You can get the Old standby Harmonica at James House of Deals,one of the newest music stores in Lincolnton as well as a large variety of accessories. We also have the biggest selection of used and new guitars in Lincolnton!

NC Registration Fees And The Grace Period

The Grace Period

As many people know, in NC there is a 15 day grace period for registering your vehicle after your registration/tag have expired - this has come in very handy for me a number of times!

The grace period is still there, but starting in July of this year, the NC Legislature and Governor McCrory signed into law the 'Grace Period Late Fee' (I actually just made that name up, but it does have a certain ring to it).

The Grace Period Late Fee

Now, if you go into the grace period, even by a day, there will be an additional $15.00 late fee applied to the normal cost of renewing your tag and registration, which is normally $25 for most vehicles. This is not a lot, but sometimes budgets are tight, so if you are coming up on your actual renewal date for your vehicle be sure to get it done before the actual expiration! 

If you don't, you will be helping NC get its budget under control, but you will also be giving away an extra $15 bucks.

As always, if you need used or new tires in Lincolnton, oil changes, brake jobs and more! Waycaster Tire & Auto will also soon be doing NC Vehicle Inspections in Lincolnton for just $25 for OBD inspections (not all vehicles require emissions inspections).

To avoid the $15 late fee, get your registration renewed BEFORE the actual expiration date!

NC Registration Fees And The Grace Period

The Grace Period

As many people know, in NC there is a 15 day grace period for registering your vehicle after your registration/tag have expired - this has come in very handy for me a number of times!

The grace period is still there, but starting in July of this year, the NC Legislature and Governor McCrory signed into law the 'Grace Period Late Fee' (I actually just made that name up, but it does have a certain ring to it).

The Grace Period Late Fee

Now, if you go into the grace period, even by a day, there will be an additional $15.00 late fee applied to the normal cost of renewing your tag and registration, which is normally $25 for most vehicles. This is not a lot, but sometimes budgets are tight, so if you are coming up on your actual renewal date for your vehicle be sure to get it done before the actual expiration! 

If you don't, you will be helping NC get its budget under control, but you will also be giving away an extra $15 bucks.

As always, if you need used or new tires in Lincolnton, oil changes, brake jobs and more! Waycaster Tire & Auto will also soon be doing NC Vehicle Inspections in Lincolnton for just $25 for OBD inspections (not all vehicles require emissions inspections).

To avoid the $15 late fee, get your registration renewed BEFORE the actual expiration date!

Karaoke - Fun For The Family Or At The Bar!

Karaoke - The New System

Karaoke has been a favorite activity of people for a long time, though it has declined a bit from its peak in the 1990's. While there are still some all in one karaoke systems out there, the modern way of running a system delivers a much better sound for the same or less money than the all in one systems many people are used to!

No More Karaoke CD's!

Karaoke CD's are now pretty much a thing of the past - yet one more thing that the modern communication system that has developed excels at is delivering on demand content, and Karaoke songs are no different. There are huge amounts of variety on YouTube, but most online sources such as Apple and Google Play also offer huge amounts of karaoke material.

With your laptop or a tablet it is easy to stream the song in, and send the audio to a dedicated sound system while displaying the lyrics either on the laptop display or a TV set up as a second display.

 

There are several different considerations when it comes to Karaoke - the first, which we talked about above, is getting the song and video files.

The second is sending the music to your speakers, and mixing the microphones into the music so everything is coming out at the same levels!

Most home stereo equipment will not do this - home stereos are almost always limited to a single source, so either you would be amplifying the music or your voice, but not both at the same time.

This is where a mixer comes in handy - using a modern mixer, like the Yorkville VGM14 pictured above, allows you to mix the music signal (from the headphone output of your computer or tablet into an input channel on the mixer) and the microphones. With even a small board, running the music source and 2 - 3 microphones is easily accomplished.

Most modern boards also have build in digital effects and many offer both EQ on each individual channel and a main graphic EQ. 

If you are using a mixing board like the one above, getting powered speakers like the Yorkville YX15PC Powered Speakers pictured below is ideal - these are 15" powered speakers, which make a lot of very clean, pristine sound. They are perfect for professional applications or in your house, and have enough thump to keep the party hoppin'!

Of course, it is all a matter of size and budget - if you have a smaller area or do not need as much volume, a small powered mixer and several passive speakers will allow you to mix the mics and music together. 

The Yorkville MM5D with a pair of Yorkville CX80 8" speakers can supply a very good, full sound for less than $500!

So relax - it is easier than ever to build a small karaoke system, and the sound quality of the systems that are in use today are much, much better than the all in one karaoke systems of the past!

For more information, visit one of the music stores in Lincolnton James House of Deals & Pawn, and when you need the PA Gear Lincolnton players require, James House of Deals can make sure you get the right system for your needs!

Are You Getting Your Child a Guitar? What to do to Maximize Their Potential

Get The Right Guitar For Your Kid (Or Anyone Else You Are buying A Guitar For)

It is an old conundrum - you want your child to play the guitar, and it seems like that is what they want also, but until you spend the money there is no way to know whether they will take off on this hobby.

You can save money and get a better guitar by buying used, like this Epiphone acoustic guitar in Lincolnton

So, the rightful instinct is to not spend much money - the problem with this is, if you get a guitar that is difficult to play or that does not ignite the potential player's imagination you are actually decreasing the chances that the student will stick with it - and this is true of students of all ages!

The first step is to find out what kind of music your child (or friend/spouse/loved one) wants. If they enjoy playing traditional country or folk music, an acoustic guitar is ideal, but if they get into rock or metal, or even some more modern country, an electric guitar may be the best way to go. Remember, there is no 'right' first guitar, despite what some teachers say. 

If your potential player dreams of power chords and singing solos, an electric is the way to go. This is one of many used guitars in Lincolnton that make a great starter pack!

The best first guitar is one that will give the person learning the best chance of making this a lasting hobby - if the potential player hears screaming solos and power chords, an acoustic guitar is like throwing a wet blanket on their dreams - not that they can't succeed, but the chances are less.

However, if that person wants to be a singer songwriter like James Taylor (yes, I am showing my age) a good acoustic guitar is probably the best choice.

BUYING USED GUITARS CAN GET MORE QUALITY FOR YOUR MONEY

One thing that is true across the board is that by buying used guitars you can sometimes get more bang for your buck - a lot more! Whether you are buying used guitars in Lincolnton or anywhere else, make sure the guitar has a warranty, and site along the neck to make sure the neck is nice and straight - we will be doing a post in the near future on exactly what to look for in a used guitar, but you can get a better guitar for your money than buying new!

Go onto Craigslist, or find your local music store in Lincolnton or where ever you live to see what your market has in the way of good used guitars.

Remember, the best guitar you can get for your potential player is the kind that they really want to play - match the guitar up with the music they hear in their heads and maximize the chances of them playing for longer than a month or two!