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Songs for Sale: How the Music Industry Creates Pop Stars From Thin Air
This isn't news to the old-timers. We remember the days when artists all covered each other's songs and wrote for one another. The thing is, they were all capable and proved it time and again. That's not the case today. And it seems the big wigs would like to sweep that little secret under the rug. People are becoming wise to the game though. There's […]
How Do Analog Stereo Compressors Work?
I've over simplified the question in the title above about stereo compressors, but that gets to the essence of the discussion between myself and a smart gentleman, who I thank for sending in such a high quality set of questions. Thanks to all of the people writing in. We can't get back to everyone, but we're doing our best. We're performing triage over here, so […]
What is Dithering in Audio & What Does it Do? (An Easy Explanation!)
My goal here is to cut through the fog and give it to you plain. We're going to define dither, talk about what it actually is in the context of digital audio (as opposed to printing images or processing video, though we'll mention this), and tell you when and how to use it. What's funny is we've all seen and heard this technique applied in […]
Guitar Amp Mic Post-Processing During Mixing?
We received a very insightful question recently that requires some critical thinking to explain the answer. You'll enjoy this guitar amp mic one if you like puzzles, especially as a studio engineer and/or guitarist. As always, let me thank a couple readers for their help. Frederick notified us of an error in our mp3 compression article and Pepsy supplied us with a picture we needed […]
How Major Labels are Using Small Music Blogs
The nerve of these people to try to convince us that THEY are the victims here... God forbid musicians find a way to reach their own fans. The State of Youtube's Claim System As everyone knows, Youtube's claim system is severely broken when it comes to music. Not a day goes by when a creator on the video streaming site isn't essentially unfairly robbed of […]
Katy Perry & Juicy J Lose Copyright Lawsuit to Christian Rapper Flame
This one has been cooking for years in the background. I caught wind of it years ago and forgot about it, only to see it finally come to a head in the courts. The Background of the Dark Horse Saga In 2013, Katy Perry releases a song "Dark Horse" that features an instrumental and a rap verse by Juicy J, where the final touches were […]
Can I Use Direct Monitoring With an Audio Interface?
A friendly fellow sent in a wonderful pre-purchase question about direct monitoring that I'm sure many other newcomers to the audio interface world are curious about too. It's a fun ride, so please read along as we learn about... Before you even read this, you can rest easy knowing it had a happy ending: "I purchased the unit. Aside from an issue where I had […]
The Best Harmonizer Pedals to Turn Your Guitar & Vocals Into a Lush Choir
The best harmonizer pedal will intelligently stack intervals onto your melody strictly in your key, transforming your single-player sound into a beautiful harmony of two guitarists playing in perfect unison. Thicken your tone and become a one-man ensemble with this must-have effect… The following review may contain affiliate links which may earn us a small commission when you click on them, at no extra cost […]
The Best Wah Pedals to Wail Like a Cry Baby or Neigh Like a Bad Horsie in 2023
The best wah pedal gives you access to the same effect that helped launch and keep famous guitarists like Jimi Hendrix and Steve Vai at the top. By accentuating certain frequencies or sweeping the band-pass filter up and down, you can create an otherworldly sound that the crowd will find impossible not to focus on and cheer for once your solo is over… The spectral […]
Beyonce's Drummer Quits & Files Restraining Order Over "Extreme Witchcraft"
In today's weird but true news, Beyoncé's ex-drummer Kimberly Thompson has filed a restraining order against the singer over allegations of "extreme witchcraft" and even the death of her baby kitten on tour. The Background Development: Extreme Witchcraft Beyoncé, who in her early days with Destiny's Child was a devout Christian who refused to compromise her morals, but we saw a steady decline in that […]
The Music Modernization Act is One Step Closer to Paying Us Fair Streaming Royalties
Music licensing laws have been screwed up for a long time now... on the order of decades. So many people get their flat fees when an album is recorded, pressed, and sold. The mixing, mastering, and recording engineers, the record executives, the marketing team, video directors and editors... even the roadies on tour are on salaries. So why is it that the songwriters and recording […]
Autechre's Flutter Vs. The Criminal Justice & Public Order Act of 1994
In the United Kingdom, circa the late 1980's and early 1990's, the rave culture had grown to its peak manifestation. From the party-goers' perspective, ravers were mostly young people having a good time. But from the viewpoint of the local and national governments it wasn't quite such a simple picture. The Rave Problem of the 80's & 90's UK To the law enforcement officers, politicians, […]
The Eagles Soar Past Michael Jackson's Thriller for Best-Selling Album
It was only a few days ago when I mentioned once again that Michael Jackson's Thriller album was the best-selling album of all time. Things can change seemingly fast, but it was a long road for The Eagles before they finally usurped the King of Pop's number one spot. The Eagles Dethrone Thriller as Best-Selling Album Today is August 20th, 2018, the fateful Monday when […]
Childish Gambino Accused of Copyright Infringement in 'This is America'
Life comes at you fast. And we all know what they say about Karma. (She's a female dog, apparently.) This is America's Success Childish Gambino experienced a tremendous success with his recent outrage-baiting single and music video entitled 'This is America,' in which he repeats a lot of nonsensical phrases paired with imagery that insinuates the worst about the United States, allowing the listener to […]
Clarinet Student Awarded $350,000 After Girlfriend Sabotages His Career
Get ready to take an emotional rollercoaster. There are some real despicable people out there doing horrible things for selfish reasons, but in the end justice can prevail when given the opportunity. The Context - Mastering the Clarinet That's how it went down for Eric Abramovitz. From the early age of seven he'd already earned the privilege of studying under Canada's most elite clarinet teachers. […]
How to Create a Music Marketing Plan Like a Pro
I won't sugarcoat it, not even a little bit: the music business is hard. Exceptionally hard. But since the rewards for those who make it to the top are stupendous, it's only fitting that climb itself be difficult. This, of course, isn't news to you. Even the most starry-eyed musicians understand that making it as a professional artist requires talent, dedication, and more than a […]
Guitar Pedal Order Matters! - The Signal Chain & Effects Loop Guide
This nightmare question gets asked once per musician, they spend a couple days tormenting themselves over it, then it finally all clicks into place. That question? "What's the best order for my guitar pedals?" The problem arises from realizing you may be using as many as six or even 12 pedals, and even more on a pedalboard. The number of various ways you can mix […]
Should I Upgrade My Mastering Equalizer?
A fun question came in yesterday regarding upgrading a mastering equalizer. EQ's are always used in mastering, and while this question asked about specific models, I couldn't help myself but offer my opinion on EQ's in this capacity in general. Special thanks to the readers who have emailed in with corrections and suggestions regarding ways to expand older articles. Although I failed to take note […]
Microphone Basics: The Beginner's Guide Stuff You Need to Know
Let me give you the low down. You can read some really in-depth information about microphones on the internet that's simply not reality based. You don't need to know how every piece of an engine works to be able to drive a car. Even seasoned recording studio engineers couldn't reel off a list of all the types of microphones, because we don't use or even […]
Kendrick Lamar's Pulitzer Prize Makes History for Rappers
History was made today as it was announced that Kendrick Lamar, an intellectual rapper from Compton, California who made his rise through the ranks a reality around 2014, won the first ever Pulitzer Prize awarded to a rapper. Kendrick Lamar's Pulitzer Prize As a matter of fact, he's the first musician to win that wasn't a jazz or classical act. The award was offered to […]
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