From demo to hit single: Owner of a Lonely Heart
Here’s the story of how an unlikely collaboration met with a massive riff, memorable chorus, groundbreaking samples, and an in-your-face solo to produce a surprise hit single in 1983. Read the post.
music producer
Constructing a song from a melody
When you’re constructing a song, think of it in relation to the human body. You build the skeleton first, which can be a melody, and develop your song from there. Read the post.
Songwriting tips to help you stay creative
Not all these songwriting tips deal with the minutes and hours you’ll spend with your instrument in your hand, but that’s partly the point… your life outside your music studio should be rich and inspiring so that the music you create is too. Read the post.
How The Beatles changed music and the world (or at least got credit for it)
We all know The Beatles were a massively influential band who contributed to changes in music and culture in countless ways. Here are four concrete examples of how The Beatles changed music and the world. Read the post.
Five tips for hiring musicians online
If you have an instrument and an original idea, you can write a great song. Producing a great song is another thing. Songwriters can connect with a network of collaborators to boost the professionalism of their recordings — here are tips when hiring musicians online. Read the post.
Finding your place in the music industry: The M3 podcast interviews Keith Hatschek
The “Mentoring for the Modern Musician” podcast interviewed Keith Hatschek, author of How to Get a Job in the Music Industry. Hatcheck connects his own career path to how he teaches students, encouraging them to hone a variety of skills as they find their place in the music industry. Read More.
Scott McCormick discusses Brian Wilson’s production and arrangements with the M3 podcast
“Mentoring for the Modern Musician” podcast producers Adam and Michael Scharff caught up with musician/author/Disc Makers Blog contributor Scott McCormick to dig deeper into Scott’s three-part DM Blog series on the inimitable Brian Wilson. Here’s an excerpt from the conversation. Read More.
Commit important choices to audio: Prepping for an audio mix, Part II
There’s plenty you can do to set your mixing engineer up for success. Ken Lewis recommends committing important production choices to audio before sending your tracks off for an audio mix. Read More.
Prepping for an audio mix: Get your session, tracks, and notes in order
Here are some tips for prepping for an audio mix from multi-Grammy Award winner and Audio School Online creator, Ken Lewis. Read More.
“Good Vibrations” and Smile: A complex album built on a song
Not only does “Good Vibrations” provide a structural template for Smile, it also gives the album its tonal language. Nearly every song or song section is written in one of “Good Vibrations” chords. Read More.
Vocal recording advice for the experimental at heart
Want to launch a counterattack against homogenous music? This vocal recording advice can be the place to start, as the lead vocal is usually the lynchpin of the song. Read More.
Combining organic and electronic sounds in your recordings
Blending acoustic and electronic sounds can open musical doors and take your songwriting and production in unexpected and adventurous directions. Read More.
Seven things to consider when shopping recording studios
This post will help you with the task of shopping recording studios and avoiding the “studio car wash” syndrome where artists get the same artistic whitewash. Read More.
Mantras for audio mixing engineers
If you’re an audio mixing engineer who keeps second-guessing, can’t stop adjusting, or has a hard time walking away from a mix, you’ll benefit from the simple mixing mantras included here. Read More.
Producing music with loops? Find a way to make them your own.
When creating music with loops from libraries, taking the time to customize and personalize will make your music more your own. Read More.