Breaking down two iconic songs from the Rolling Stones
In part two of our series, we break down two more iconic songs from the Rolling Stones’ library: 1966’s “Under My Thumb” and “Ruby Tuesday.” Read the post.
recording
Guitar riffs, sonic hooks, and the Rolling Stones’ iconic sound
With guitar riffs like the one in “The Last Time,” the Rolling Stones established their musical signature on the way to becoming songwriting legends. Read the post.
The essential studio gear for your home studio
If you’ve outfitted space in your home for the purpose of recording music, step two is amassing the gear for the task at hand. Here’s a checklist for things you might already have, need immediately, and can put off until later. Read the post.
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.
Budgeting for your recording session
Dealing with money may be the most unexciting aspect of tracking your project in a studio, but budgeting for your recording session can go a long way to achieving success. 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.
Three easy fixes to improve your guitar tone when recording
There are several spots on a guitar that resonate and produce unpleasant ringing overtones. These tricks will stop these unwanted vibrations from sabotaging your guitar tone. Read the post.
Analog synthesizers expand your musical horizons
From mood-setting ambient tones to raucous synth-pop, analog synthesizers have made a mark on music in various genres – and they’re not just for keyboards! 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.