We have just had the pleasure of completing an EP for a talented young songwriter with a lot of promise in his future. Still a high school student, Conor Matthews writes with a maturity way beyond his age. You can hear his influences of Jason Mraz, John Mayer and Rascal Flatts in his carefree style and sincere lyrics. It’s no wonder since he’s been writing, singing, playing piano and guitar from the young age of 9 years old.
Recording Your Productions Step By Step
Being an active high school student, Conor didn’t have the time to spend long hours in the studio. After searching online and speaking with our head producer, Kati O’Toole, Conor found that Studio Pros had everything he needed. Working online was simple for Conor. “I loved the step-by-step approach to recording so that I could determine if each instrument matched both the notes and the feel I had in mind. Working online made the whole thing really easy for me”, he says. “It allowed me to give my input and reactions at a time that was good for me.”
We started with a simple guitar/vocal demo of Conor playing his song, and then went more deeply into the production process layering each instrument step by step. Our guitarist laid down a basic sketch of his song to a click track which laid down the solid foundation track for the rest of the musicians to build off of. We worked with Conor to tweak the previews until he was pleased with the first sketch layer. Next, we moved on to live drums, and after his suggestions and our changes, we moved on to bass, guitars, keyboards, vocal tuning, backing vocals and finally mixing & mastering. He was involved every step of the way and provided guidance and feedback throughout the process so we were sure we were producing in the direction he envisioned.
Check out Conor’s songs here:
Rockin’ One Seat Over:
Let It Bleed:
Searchin’ For You:
Recording Your EP Online
Besides the ease of working online, the help of the producers and the access to our staff of professional Los Angeles based studio musicianswas really beneficial to Conor. “They had fantastic musicians available for every instrument and this was especially helpful when I was looking for a certain sound but didn’t know how to play that instrument”. A great moment in production was when we were working on backing vocals for “Searchin’ For You”, a light hearted pop tune. Something was missing. Conor suggested a “call and response” section at the end, but didn’t know exactly what he wanted. With the help of the producers and the vocalist, we all developed a really wonderful backing vocal that added layering and depth to build the dynamics of the music.
What’s next for Conor?
Using the songs he recorded with Studio Pros, Conor has put together a portfolio and is now applying to music colleges. He is looking forward to studying various aspects of the music industry, and continuing to grow as a songwriter.
Until then, Conor is working to finish up high school and playing gigs around town to promote his songs, all which are available on itunes.
We are always so inspired to work with such fresh talent as Conor and how he’s just begun his career in songwriting. I can see a promising future ahead for this talented artist!
Producing your EP with StudioPros production team.
Charlie Barclay is an upcoming Dallas, TX based alternative/pop singer/songwriter who we’ve just had the honor of producing. Barclay draws inspiration from current artists such as John Mayer, Ben Rector and Steve Moakler as well as classic artists such as Led Zeppelin, Jim Croce, and Jackson Browne. His songs have infectious melodies and lyrics that stay with you far beyond your first listen of the song. Charlie has used Studio Pros to release his first single off his debut EP “Shallow Hearts” as well as his second EP “The Love You Give” which we have just wrapped up production on. This is a great example of how artists can access professional musicians as independent musicians and focus on their talent as songwriters and let the pros do the rest.
Taking your songs from basic demos to broadcast quality recordings.
Charlie originally found Studio Pros while doing a google search looking for a studio drummer. He says of that experience, “It didn’t take me long to realize I was going about the recording process all wrong and StudioPros was my answer to getting a professional sound at an affordable price.” A common problem that our clients face is finding the right team to help them realize the productions from demo form to radio ready, broadcast quality finished full band productions. In the case of Charlie, his talents lie in his songwriting and singing. He can get a basic guitar/vocal demo down, but organizing the production of an EP that will consist of a full band can be overwhelming without outside help.
When asked about his experience working with Studio Pros, Charlie responds, “It was quick and easy. I will continue to work with StudioPros for all of my future projects. To start, the production is incredible. Kati knew exactly what my songs should sound like even when I didn’t have the words to express my vision. Then, the guitarist brought my songs to life with breathtaking riffs and the other instruments each added their own dynamic. I can’t say enough good things about StudioPros. It’s hard not to be skeptical of an online service creating your songs without you in the room, but they really listen to your vision and capture it perfectly. I’ve produced five songs through StudioPros and they are all exceptional. My single “Shallow Hearts” charted at #43 on the iTunes singer/songwriter charts and I have similar hopes for my EP release “The Love You Give” which will be digitally released on iTunes April 26th.”
Check out Charlie Barclay’s “The Love You Give” EP
Now that Charlie has completed the hardest steps of writing, producing, then organizing his digital release to iTunes for late April; his next step is to spread the word. Some think that the work is done once the songs have been finally mastered, but that’s not the case. An equal amount of promotion, performance and publicity has to come into the process if you want to create a fan base and have people listen to your release. “I work every day to spread my music to new ears. My plan is to make a living playing music. Whether that means living in a van eating peanut butter sandwiches for 300 days of the year or signed to a major label, I don’t care. Whatever it takes as long as I’m doing what I love.”
We wish you the best of luck with promoting your EP Charlie, and are honored to have produced The Love You Give EP!
If you are interested in getting your songs professionally produced with our production team, contact one of our available producers at: 1-310-928-7776 or email us at: info@studiopros.com.
Studio Pros helps songwriters develop their sound.
I first met Bill Simon in May of 2012. He was contacting me about general information on collaborating with Studio Pros and exactly how it works. Little did I know at the time, that we would continue a very strong production collaboration together throughout the year and he would prove to be the prolific songwriter that he is!
Now with 23 full music productions complete with the Studio Pros team, Bill has proven to be a talent with lyrics, formulating strong song ideas, and an upcoming songwriter to keep an eye on.
Collaborating with Studio Pros vs. your local studio.
“When I made the decision to record some songs, I had no idea what to look for or where to begin. So I went online. Initially, I looked at several local studios and then I came across Studio Pros. What was most intriguing was the idea that I didn’t have to be in a studio as I have a full time job and a fairly active schedule outside of work. I decided at that point that I would have two songs produced by a local recording studio and also by Studio Pros and then compare the two.
While both were enjoyable experiences, it was very evident that Studio Pros had access to a wider variety of musicians and vocalists, as well as a process that was extremely easy to work with given my weekly schedule. Another big plus was the fact that I had never done this before and wasn’t familiar with the recording industry or production and was able to get incredible help and guidance from producer Kati O’Toole. Every song has come out the way I wanted even though in many cases I wasn’t sure of the direction we would go in terms of production. She has a great knack of understanding your sound and style and then building the song around that,” Simon says.
Check out some of Bill Simon’s Productions:
It’s Gonna Be Different:
Forget You:
Hey Bartender:
Bill comes to us with lyrics, a rough guitar/vocal demo and song ideas. Together we’ve formulated the sound that he’s going for on a song by song basis, recording the instrumentation step by step so he can be involved 100% in the production process. Our production team has come to know his taste in music, which include reference artists like Tom Petty, Lucinda Williams and more recent artists Dawes and Stephen Kellogg. We have helped him develop his own personal style using his influences and helped him choose the instrumentation to achieve that sound in his recordings.
Simon has done a combination of using his own vocals on the majority of productions, as well as hired Studio Pros session vocalists to do session versions of the songs so he has a strong recording to pitch for publishing opportunities. “I began writing songs in 2012, so I had very little knowledge or understanding of what it took to take a song from beginning to end. Studio Pros has taken the time to help me understand how to produce and really get the most out of a song. They help to keep each song original and unique by adding different instruments that I never would have thought of.”
Simon- a sucessful business man, family man (with a great family including 3 kids), and active sportsman, proves you can balance your life with your every day commitments and still have time to make music. We are so glad you found us Bill, and look forward to many more collaborations in the near future!
Get Your Songs Produced With Studio Pros
To find out more about how to get your songs produced with Studio Pros, contact our team of producers: Kati O’Toole, Keeley Bumford or Natalie Smith at: info@studiopros.com or by phone: 1-310-928-7776.
Meet Sophie Morgan. She is a young UK based singer songwriter with talent well beyond her late teen years. With influences ranging from Frank Sinatra to My Chemical Romance, she is a rising star to watch. Sophie contacted Studio Pros with an interest to record one of her more country/folk influenced songs and the results were outstanding.
We took Sophie’s original piano vocal demo and transformed it into a pop-country hit. Incorporating her influences of pop country artists Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum, the Studio Pros team produced Sophie’s original song through our step by step recording process.
We chose the perfect combination of country instrumentation including: country guitars, country fiddle, drums, bass, pedal steel, vocal tuning and backing vocals to support Sophie’s vocals.
Check out Sophie’s recording of Just The Way It Goes:
Before (Just The Way It Goes- Sophie Piano/Vocal Demo)
After (Just The Way It Goes- Studio Pros Production)
“Things are really starting to happen for me now with the help of some very talented musicians, including the Studio Pros team. I found Studio Pros in an advertisement online when I was recruiting musicians for my band. It has been truly incredible. I was concerned that it would be too clinical and the song may lose the atmosphere that you get from been actually in the studio with the musicians. In reality it feels like I am actually in the studio as I got to input at every stage.”
What’s next for Sophie?
“This recording will become part of my portfolio when we start to approach the record labels next summer. I leave school next year and I have been building a body of work, assembling my band, gigging and establishing my demographics with a strong on line fan base. I want to be in the strongest possible position when I start to chase a major record deal.”
We wish Sophie the best and look forward to seeing her grow as a songwriter and performing artist! To read more about Sophie, check her out at www.sophiemorganmusic.com
Get Your Songs Produced With Studio Pros
To find out more about how to get your songs produced with the Studio Pros team, contact our producers Kati O’Toole and Keeley Bumford at: info@studiopros.com or by phone: 1-310-928-7776.
How to avoid the pitfalls of your previous studio experiences—and vastly improve your chances to get your song published with major A&R representatives.
Stephen McElligott reminisces about a recording he made of one of his songs in a local studio. “I wasn’t happy with that production, really,” he recalls. “I thought, ‘Oh gosh, how am I gonna save this?’ I basically turned around and found Studio Pros and thought, ‘Brilliant, they’re my savior.’”
McElligott has been playing music since he was seven years old. He wrote his first song at 16 and soon began playing in clubs and venues around Ireland and Scotland. His music is influenced by music that spans many decades, from The Beatles to Glen Hansard. But after years of writing and performing, McElligott still hadn’t achieved a major goal: recording a professional sounding, radio-quality version of his songs. “I’ve worked with musicians before, and it’s like wearing a blindfold when you take them into the studio because you’ve gotta pay them, and you don’t know how good they are, you haven’t really heard their stuff,” he explains.
Recording A Song Professionally Without Breaking The Bank
The Irish guitarist/singer/songwriter had been in need of a polished, professional recording solution that wouldn’t break the bank. Plus, he was hoping to have better luck submitting his music to TAXI to get song placements and licensing opportunities. He stumbled upon Studio Pros while searching online for recording studios and decided to learn more. “I clicked on it and thought, this is cool, and it’s affordable,” he says. “I had a listen to some samples and thought it was brilliant. I really needed this with the budget I’m on. I would spend 250 Euros on a musician for a day in the studio, whereas Studio Pros is only $150. I thought it was fantastic—it’s not often that you get to work with really good professional musicians, you know?”
Listen to Stephen’s track “She Blew Me Away,” produced by Studio Pros:
“With Studio Pros, they give you a listen to the musicians’ capabilities, what they’re able to do, and the versatility that the musicians there have. And that really was the winner for me. It was the overall sound even more than the price.” (more…)
Thinking his music career was over, Arizona-based artist Tony Perre used Studio Pros to get back in the game.
“My experience with Studio Pros has allowed me to dream a little bit more about what I can actually accomplish as a musician,” says Tony Perre. “Studio Pros has allowed me to take all of my musical ideas and songs and get them out there. To me, having a very simple process with great musicians who basically do exactly as I ask them to do, with their quality of musicianship, it’s just such a winning formula to me that I can actually dream again from a musical standpoint.”
Perre had all but given up on music after a wakeboarding accident left him with limited mobility in his left arm, effectively minimizing his ability to play guitar. But after adjusting his playing style by relying on the use of a capo, he got the chance to play live music again with some friends in a local band. Knowing he could play again—and realizing he still had good ideas for songs and lyrics—Perre credits Studio Pros with providing the tools he needed to get back to making the music he loved so much. “I found out really quickly how badly I missed playing out, and I found out I could still play,” he explains. “If I could sum everything up in one sentence, it would be that there’s no expiration date for musical and lyrical inspiration.”
Studio Pros first came into the picture when Perre took the advice of a friend who knew he was looking to record an album. “He recommended that I check out the Studio Pros online method of getting my record produced,” he remembers. “When I went on the website and I saw all that Studio Pros had to offer, I was absolutely blown away. I thought I’d give it a try with one of my nine songs, and I quickly realized during my first song that this is no joke, this is world class.”
Perre soon realized that Studio Pros was the best possible route to take for his music. “I honestly felt that, as a business guy, I don’t have a heck of a lot of time to do what I used to do: cross my fingers and hope that all my band members would have some time to spend in the studio. It was just a really long, very difficult process to get everyone together at one time.” He began comparing his Studio Pros experience to past attempts in recording studios and the choice became clear. “I checked out some local studios here in [Arizona] and it just became very apparent that, because I work a day job, it would be impossible to get something together in a short period of time with the quality of musicians that Studio Pros has.” (more…)
Using Studio Pros to breathe new life into some old songs, English Earl successfully proved to himself that he had what it takes to make great music.
English Earl suspected he had some good songs on his hands, but he knew his productions just weren’t going to cut it against the high-quality recordings of today’s music industry. “I kind of wanted to resurrect my old pop songs and write a few new ones, I thought it would be a great opportunity to prove to myself that some of my pop music wasn’t so bad,” Earl says with a laugh. This “resurrection” refers to the fact that he has been writing pop music since he was a 15-year-old in a garage band, but formally Earl was classically trained on piano and violin. After getting degrees in music theory and composition from the Conservatory of Music in Kansas City, he had established his classical chops. But Earl wanted to see how his pop and rock writing had evolved.
In order to really see what he could do, Earl knew he had to graduate from his local Charleston, South Carolina music scene; he needed to hire some real professionals. In the process of working with Studio Pros, he realized that their world-class session musicians weren’t just good for laying down polished sounding tracks… They could also give him valuable input and musical insight to improve the production of his songs.
“I think the main reason I chose Studio Pros was because I knew they had some very good musicians and vocalists there,” Earl explains. “I knew that the people I’ve worked with before in the studio who were just local musicians, they were there to make a living but were not really there to put too much into a song or its production. I felt that the quality of the studio musicians at Studio Pros might be higher.”
Logistics also played a part in Earl’s decision. Most of the musicians he knew were in Virginia (where he used to live), making the price of recording a little too steep. “Living in Charleston made it impossible for me to go back and forth to record there, so I would have to drop all those musicians and start all over again, anyway,” he says. “And my schedule’s so busy, I couldn’t go in and teach everyone a song. Instead I could start recording with Studio Pros and not actually have to be in a studio.” Earl calculated the costs of recording an album the traditional way and decided Studio Pros was the way to go. “It was way too expensive for me to continue [the old way]. By the time you pay for studio costs, the musicians, the time you spent traveling, the CDs themselves and the artwork and everything, I felt like I was spending a lot more money than I needed to.”
Studio Pros artist Eliza Kelley has been a professional musician for years, but not of the rock variety. With a master’s degree in French Horn performance from Boston University, she has been playing and teaching classical music for a living in her hometown of Atlanta, GA. “I play with the Greenville Symphony, and I play in Atlanta with the Atlanta Pops and the ballet and the opera,” she says. “Those gigs are very fun, but they’re also very serious, very focused and high-pressure.”
Looking to enjoy the lighter side of music, Kelley took up a hobby as a singer/songwriter, a decision she’s glad she made. “I’ve been totally having a ball with it,” she says. But she didn’t initially intend on playing the indie-rock that now defines her sound until she began collaborating with Studio Pros. Originally writing pop songs with cello and percussion arrangements, it was a conversation with Studio Pros’ head engineer Kati O’Toole that convinced Kelley to go the rock band route. “When I talked to Kati the first time, she told me about the full production,” she remembers. “I thought I’d try it. I’m really happy with the direction it’s taken with Studio Pros. It does make me want to find a guitarist and bassist that I can go out and gig with.”
Kelley found Studio Pros while searching for ways to get professional recordings of her songs. “I was trying to record my own stuff. I have plenty of friends that are musicians, but getting a good recording, I mean I’m not a sound engineer,” she admits. “I could use some help with it, and I loved that Studio Pros was a great package. You get musicians and pretty much everything’s done for you. I didn’t have to rely on lining people up and doing all of that. I really loved the way that Studio Pros was all-inclusive.”
With an upbringing that included classical Indian poetry and Eastern mysticism, it’s no surprise that Dimple Sharma’s music is infused with the sounds of music heard on the other side of the globe. Born in India, her parents passed on their love of the local culture. “My father’s side in India descended from a long line of meditators,” she says. “Thus, the mysticism of the East was ever present in my upbringing.”
Sharma has since moved to Toronto, Canada, but the Eastern inspirations of her childhood remain in her music. Combining a love of singing and writing songs with her seven years of experience studying ancient esoteric texts, she managed to develop a unique style that’s as much spiritual as it is musical. “The music became a mix of my east Indian origins and western sounds akin to Delerium or Tangerine Dream,” she says, referring to her use of instruments such as sitar and tabala on many of her songs. “The lyrics were written for the urban monk–the individual adapting to the ever-changing, modern paradigm, yet still upholding traditional values and principles.”
When she was having trouble finding reliable musicians to record her projects, Sharma turned to Studio Pros to get Los Angeles session players to quickly record professional tracks for her songs. “I had read positive things about Studio Pros in music magazines years back, and I decided to contact them,” she remembers. “In the past, it was not easy to find musicians that had the technical expertise in addition to a high level of professionalism and ability to follow through on a timely basis.”
EDGE is a Studio Pros artist with a very unique sound. “My musical style is a mix of all the influences I had from my work and personal life,” says the French-born musician. “It’s also a mix of all the different periods I went through with music styles.” Some of these musical phases included The Beatles, Erasure and The Cure. He’s also been influenced by Brit pop like Pulp and the Manic Street Preachers, French music and American bands like Smashing Pumpkins and System of a Down. The result is a sound that touches on each of his international inspirations and keeps the listener wondering what to expect from the next song.
Currently residing in Switzerland (after some time living in London and Madrid), EDGE came to Studio Pros after several disappointing experiences working with various sound engineers. “I was looking for people who could understand what I wanted to reach in terms of production,” he explains. “I found Studio Pros on the web and listened to the previews on the website. I found them just amazing, and decided to try.”
We have just had the pleasure of completing an EP for a talented young songwriter with a lot of promise in his future. Still a high school student, Conor Matthews writes with a maturity way beyond his age. You can hear his influences of Jason Mraz, John Mayer and Rascal Flatts in his carefree style and sincere lyrics. It’s no wonder since he’s been writing, singing, playing piano and guitar from the young age of 9 years old.
What’s next for Conor?
“My experience with Studio Pros has allowed me to dream a little bit more about what I can actually accomplish as a musician,” says Tony Perre. “Studio Pros has allowed me to take all of my musical ideas and songs and get them out there. To me, having a very simple process with great musicians who basically do exactly as I ask them to do, with their quality of musicianship, it’s just such a winning formula to me that I can actually dream again from a musical standpoint.”
With an upbringing that included classical Indian poetry and Eastern mysticism, it’s no surprise that Dimple Sharma’s music is infused with the sounds of music heard on the other side of the globe. Born in India, her parents passed on their love of the local culture. “My father’s side in India descended from a long line of meditators,” she says. “Thus, the mysticism of the East was ever present in my upbringing.”
EDGE is a Studio Pros artist with a very unique sound. “My musical style is a mix of all the influences I had from my work and personal life,” says the French-born musician. “It’s also a mix of all the different periods I went through with music styles.” Some of these musical phases included The Beatles, Erasure and The Cure. He’s also been influenced by Brit pop like Pulp and the Manic Street Preachers, French music and American bands like Smashing Pumpkins and System of a Down. The result is a sound that touches on each of his international inspirations and keeps the listener wondering what to expect from the next song.