Abuse of Youtube. You do have to wait for the top octave though.
Month: October 2009
FAQ
Here are some questions that I am often asked with, I hope, some helpful answers….
What do you do?
As a producer, I help the artist or songwriter decide how to record a performance of a song in a way that best fits their vision of what the song should be. This ranges from helping to choose which songs to perform or in what style to do a particular song, to hiring the best musicians and studio for the particular job. I book studio time, musicians, and engineers (if not myself), rehearse the band if needed, and guide the vocalists and instrumentalists through their performances to make professional recordings.
Drum!Magazine article
Last spring I hosted a producer’s round table discussion about drum recording for Drum magazine. The feature article, written by Glen Caruba, is in the July 2009 edition (with Chad Smith on the cover). Richard Dodd, Reid Shippen, Denny Jiosa and myself answered Glen’s questions about our drum session experiences, recording techniques and trade secrets.
If you have the chance to see it, it’s a fun read. Along with the brilliance of Richard, Reid and Denny, Glen really captured the spirit of the discussion (including us frequently interrupting each other) here at my studio. Check it out!
Radio Airplay
For as long as I can remember, being signed to a major label was the only way to get good, high-profile commercial radio play. For indie artists the quest for radio airplay often still leads them backwards toward the broken model of “the major label deal”, thinking that this is their only path to big time recognition.
I’ve had a lot of conversations with friends and clients about this (I think it’s an important subject for anyone trying to keep a career in music) and was putting some ideas together for a post, when I came across this excellent blog post on cdbaby (their new site looks great, by the way) about this very thing, and I think it’s full of great insights. This is a must-read for anyone trying to be heard.
diymusician.cdbaby.com/2009/07/radio-promotion-why-you-wont-get-commercial-airplay/
Why I love Pomplamoose Music
Well, if you don’t know who they are then please watch this video before we go further… go ahead, I’ll wait
Killer huh?
There are so many incredibly talented people out there making amazing art, and I think that these two from california epitomize the music revolution that the internet has spawned.
Getting to hear two people performing (very well) honest, quirky renditions of songs new and old is a treat. They seem to hide nothing in their craft…. it’s like being invited home to meet their families. The arrangements are great, the singing is captivating, and THEN, they make these great videos! Have you ever tried to make a good video? I have and it’s hard. Forget the fact that they are cute as hell, they make really well crafted videos. There are a bunch on youtube; check them all out.
More on pomplamoose at www.myspace.com/pomplamoosemusic
Are you yourself or have you found someone doing something really fresh as well? Let me know, I’d love to hear it!
Neurosonics video-very cool!
Found this while surfing…. unbelievably cool
Neurosonics Audiomedical Labs Inc. from Chris Cairns on Vimeo.
Advice for new recording engineers (part 1)
How to get an internship that becomes a job offer
Each week, I get dozens of emails from people who are starting a career as an audio engineer. Most have just finished a school program and are looking for entry level jobs or internships; some haven’t gone to school and are just looking for an opportunity to be in a studio and learn what they can. Here are some thoughts on making that first step painless and successful.