From the category archives:

Fast Forward

The Companies That Make Up The Music Biz

by Moses Avalon September 2, 2010

ConfessionSo one afternoon you sat down and wrote a simple four-chord song and made a rough recording on your home hard-disk multi-track. You sent it to a friend who liked it, and the next thing you know, a top artist heard it and fell in love. They want it for their next album. A few months later, the song is on the radio and it’s a hit. You’ve won the jackpot.

Suddenly, as if from nowhere, your mailbox is being stuffed with large, thick envelopes from various companies. Who are they? What do they want? There seem to be hundreds of them and they all have thick forms and legal documents for you to fill out. Read more…

0 comments

Sampling Safely – A Primer to Avoiding Lawsuits

by Keith Hatschek August 9, 2010

The use of samples is a staple of many genres of music. With the advent of sampling technology in the 1980s, musicians, producers and recording engineers began to experiment with incorporating clips of historical and/or significant audio recordings as an element in new records. Read more…

19 comments

10 Practical Tips For Recording Amazing Guitars

by Shane O'Connor June 3, 2010

GuitarsAmazing guitar tones start with the player. Recording a great song with a good player is always key. Beyond the player, the instrument must be in top shape as well. Sending your guitar to be professionally set up is a great way to ensure your guitar tracks are properly in tune and there are no buzzes, squeaks, or hums coming from the instrument. A professional set up will also allow the guitar to play easier and feel better, which will help to create a better performance. Read more…

18 comments

Using Video as a Learning Tool

by Bobby Owsinski May 24, 2010

Just as audio recording yourself as much as possible is a valuable way to analyze and critique songs, parts, and performances, making video recordings should also be standard procedure. It’s like looking in a mirror. You’re able to step back, free from the distractions of playing, singing, and putting on a show, and actually see yourself the way the audience sees you. But be cautioned; sometimes it won’t look pretty, especially in the beginning. Read more…

6 comments

Putting Apple’s GarageBand to the Test

by Keith Hatschek May 17, 2010

GarageBand is a music creation software application that is part of Apple’s iLife suite (GarageBand, iMovie and iPhoto) and ships on all new Macintosh computers. For this column, I jumped into learning how well GarageBand might work as a musical sketchpad to rough out a basic song demo. I enlisted the help of two friends, vocalist Josh Washington and songwriter/percussionist Dan Faughnder, for the home sessions. In the process, we recorded live vocals and electric guitar to go along with the software-based instruments and loops found in the program’s library. We wondered just how good a song demo could be created in a couple of hours by GarageBand rookies. Read more…

79 comments

Rest Is the Best Medicine, Says “Liverpool Beat” Doc

by Leah R. Garnett February 22, 2010

Stephen L. Cash lives a double-life: Chief hand surgeon at Lankenau Hospital outside of Philadelphia and “George” in the Beatles tribute band “Liverpool Beat.” Dr. Cash graciously agreed to be interviewed by Music After 50 on aches and pains of older musicians. Read more…

3 comments

Behind the Glass with Joe Chiccarelli

by Howard Massey January 22, 2010

Joe ChiccarelliAs the producer of classics from Frank Zappa, The White Stripes, and Kurt Elling – Joe Chiccarelli draws inspiration from a variety of sources.

Unlike many producers whose sonic stamp is immediately recognizable (a Roy Thomas Baker or a JohnShanks, for example), you’d be hard-pressed to identify a Joe Chiccarelli “sound.” It’s hard to believe that the same individual who produced the rough-and-ready White Stripes’ Icky Thump was also responsible for the ephemeral, moody ambience of the Shins’ Wincing the Night Away or the smooth, slick jazz tones of Kurt Elling’s Night Moves. Read more…

11 comments

Holiday Gear Guide

by Keith Hatschek December 7, 2009

NightTrainEach year our Pro Studio expert seeks out a range of products which might make for a welcome addition to your music-making or home studio recording in the new year. This year is no exception, as he spoke with a pro audio expert to learn about some great additions to your home recording rig, and also visited a local music store to try out some new music-making toys that deliver outstanding results. Read more…

4 comments

Pre-Production and Your Recording

by Andre Calilhanna December 7, 2009

Whether you’re entering the studio for the first or fiftieth time, embarking on a full-length album or a soundtrack one-off, successful recordings start with some form of pre-production. It could be as simple as a one-time conversation with the studio manager to go over the studio’s etiquette, layout, fees, and the specifics of how your time in the facility will play out. But for most projects, pre-production is a much more involved process that allows the artists and production team to define things like which songs will be recorded, the key of each song, and their tempos. Read more…

1 comment

How To Break Into the (Lucrative) College Market

by Jeri Goldstein December 2, 2009

crowd-smallSchool’s in session, and here are some insights into playing the college market as you begin the fall touring season. Many acts successfully use colleges as a point from which to launch their careers, while others have found it leading to a dead end. As we explore both ends of the spectrum, keep an open mind about how this market might fit into your booking plans. Read more…

10 comments

Indie Resolutions

by Jesse Gray November 23, 2009

10 ways to stay focused and build your independent music empire.

As we roll into the New Year it’s time to make those ever-famous (or infamous) New Year’s resolutions. But have no fear; our list doesn’t require cutting out chocolate or getting up at 5AM to run. We want to help you where it really counts – your music career.

So how did we come up with this master list of goodness? We asked. We solicited answers from working musicians far and wide, as well as tapping into our own staff (we have a few hundred active musicians working here). After we sifted through the rubble we found ten diamonds that kept getting mentioned over and over. And now, here for your career-enhancing pleasure are the best of the best. Read more…

15 comments

Home Project Studio: Parts 3 & 4

by Disc Makers November 16, 2009

Half-round Geometrix sound absorbersPart 3: The truth about isolation booths
We find ourselves immersed in the building of the isolation booth, after a slight delay caused by unforeseen delays.

The room is coming along well. Two dedicated 20-amp circuits have been installed for audio power. Lines have been run for lighting. The ceiling has been insulated and the outer walls are ready to be prepped for paint and wall treatments. Now that the main part of the room is taking shape, it is time to look at the ISO booth design and construction.

I had just ordered industrial felt to “float” the inner framing of the booth when I spoke to Nick Collerian at Acoustics First. Read more…

3 comments

The $999 Home Studio

by Keith Hatschek November 16, 2009

A pair of VLA-4 powered monitors makes it easy to mix your project. As the cost of home recording technology has continued to fall, the list of products and their available features continues to grow. So it seems timely to ask the question, “Can you put together a viable home recording set up for less than $1000?” To help answer this question, we turned to pro audio veteran, Richie DeCarlo at Philadelphia’s music superstore, 8th Street Music. Let’s see what gear goes into a prototypical home studio rig and how much bang for the buck can you get with a grand. Read more…

40 comments

iTunes Success in 12 Steps

by Ariel Hyatt October 29, 2009

How indie artist Making April went from 0 to 1,000 sales a week on iTunes in one year.
I recently was having lunch with my dear friend, music attorney extraordinaire Dan Friedman, who was in town to showcase a band he represents who he mentioned was selling 1,000 singles a week on iTunes. Read more…

10 comments

Open Mic Performance Tips

by Marc-Alan Barnette October 21, 2009

In the back of most everyone’s mind who has ever picked up a guitar, manned a keyboard, or stepped behind the microphone on one of those open mic nights, there is always that dream of performing for thousands of people on stage or television. For those of us that are actually attempting to make those dreams realities, from New York to California, and all over the world, one of the physical manifestations of this dream is the songwriter’s night. Read more…

10 comments