A week or 2 ago I went to an IK Multimedia demo of Stomp I/O at Guitar Center in NYC, featuring TM Stevens and his band Shaka Zulu, with Mike Carrasquillo. TM and his guitar player Mike were playing through the Stomp I/O, and sounded awesome. After the demo TM let me and Mike use his bass to play with the system. The product is basically a pedal board controller for the IK Multimedia line of Amplitube plug-ins crossed with a USB 2 Audio Interface. You can use the pedal board to control the suite of plug-ins, and even mix and match between plug-in sets, “without looking at the computer.” This thing is GTR on crack. And, just like GTR, you need to have the computer if you want to use it in a live setting.
The Stomp I/O sells for about $800 and comes with all the plug-ins, which is an excellent deal. But add the computer – they recommend a Mac Mini – for an additional $500 and you’ll have a crazy live rig. Although I am deeply entrenched in the world of DAWs and digital recording on computers, I really have no desire to bring a delicate item like a Mac Mini to gigs, especially on tour. Hell, I’m not Thomas Dolby or Howard Jones. I mainly play with heavy metal and industrial bands! I do have to replace my ART Nightbass since it is on it’s way out, but this may not be the solution. I’ll be checking out the Boss GT-10 and the GT-10B when it comes out.
Anyway, after GC started to kick everyone out, TM came over and congratulated Mike on some good bass playing, and points to me and said, “but he gots da funk!” and that he was “gonna have to call the po-po” (whatever that means). So, I gots da funk. Look out Boosty!