StudioPros

When I record a song, I have a tendency to layer many instruments on top of one another. Like, millions of instruments. OK, so maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but I do tend to get carried away. Sometimes I’ll program a drum part that I think sounds pretty cool, but to beef it up I’ll double it on another kit. And then another. And maybe even a fourth.

Then I’ll play a guitar part. And maybe I’ll add a lead guitar line. I might even want to add a third guitar to harmonize. And of course, guitars always sound better doubled, right? So I’ll double the parts, lay down a bass, and think “hey, this song would sound great with a keyboard!” So off I go, recording a Rhodes and then laying down an organ bed to fill out the holes.

Finally it’ll be ready for my vocals. Maybe I’ll double the lead vocal because my voice isn’t super powerful. Then I’ll add a harmony part or two, and some four-part background “oohs” to take it all up one more notch.

Before I know it, I have 21 tracks of audio adding up to one huge wall of sound.

It sort of sounds cool sometimes, but mostly it just sounds a little confusing. With all these sounds, which is the one I’m supposed to be listening to at any given time? With the whole frequency spectrum being filled up by instruments, how can any guitar tone, kick drum, or vocal melody stand out amongst the blurry mess of sound that is my mix? (more…)

This is a pretty amazing time in the music industry. Sure, you might be hearing a lot about how the business is suffering, records aren’t selling, and all sorts of other stories of doom and gloom. But what you may not be hearing about is how exciting it is for independent artists at the moment.

Yes, big record companies are suffering at the hands of the Internet and file sharing. But there’s something else going on that you may also have noticed… Artists are finding success in unorthodox ways. Look at Justin Bieber: you may not like his music, but he’s nothing short of a sensation at the moment. And how did he start out? With a YouTube video. Soulja Boy got a number one hit song, and his career was launched by Myspace.

And they’re not the only ones, either. Lots of musicians are going from unknowns to having international followings because of social networking, viral videos, and other modern ways of reaching fans. Remember when OK Go came out with their “treadmill video?” Suddenly they became a household name. And if it weren’t for the wonders of the world wide web, these artists may never have gotten their big break!

But what does this mean for you?

It means that you could be the next overnight Internet success story. Thanks to modern technology, just about anyone has the chance of making it these days. But there is still one key aspect that you must have, and that’s a professional quality, radio-ready recording. Because if you get half a million views on YouTube but don’t have a recording that radio stations can play along with their usual playlists, they won’t play it.

In today’s music business, record companies demand that artists have done most of the work already—they have a fan base, and they have a recording that’s ready to go. The less investment necessary for them, the better.

So the solution is simple:
1. Write an incredible song that will be worthy of a million YouTube hits.
2. Record a radio-ready version of it that will be ready to hand to radio stations after your overnight success.

We want you to have that professional recording, so we’ve got our own state-of-the-art technology to get it to you fast. Click here to start a production today so you can be ready for success tomorrow.

Wouldn’t it be great if you got a huge, international hit with the first song you ever wrote?

Wouldn’t it feel good if the first album you recorded sold a million copies?

Most of us musicians picture scenarios like this. We write and record a great piece of music and think, “this deserves to be heard by millions and touch countless lives.”

We’re not wrong. It’s perfectly acceptable to shoot for the stars. Actually, if you don’t set your sights extremely high, you might not get as far as those who have loftier, more “unrealistic” goals. And who knows, maybe your first record will go platinum and launch you into superstardom. It’s not impossible.

But most of the time, it takes a few tries to get that big hit. It takes a little elbow grease and hard-earned experience. With each new song, we grow as artists and as people and get one step closer to that ultimate goal. Knowing this, it’s important to take note of why you didn’t have a crazy hit on your first try. Write down what you think the reasons are so you can learn from them for your next project. With each mistake you make, become aware of them so you don’t make the same mistakes on your next song.

It’s all a learning process, and you’ll only get better. Don’t get discouraged when things don’t instantly go your way, and remember that failure is in the eye of the beholder.

Just think of it like taking up a new hobby. Very few of us are great at something new the moment we try it. Most of us don’t bowl a 300 in our first game or hit the bullseye with our first archery lesson. You have to acquire a new skill set… Here at Studio Pros, one of our hobbies is remote control airplanes. We didn’t get to be great RC pilots without crashing a few trainer planes, but after learning from many mistakes, we finally gained the confidence to upgrade to our new corporate airplane:

Sure, it’s not as flashy as some other corporate jets, and it doesn’t actually fit a full-size human inside, but it’s still the result of hours of learning experiences!

One thing you can be sure of with your next project is that it can be a top quality, professional recording.  Get started on a project with Studio Pros today!

Have you ever wondered what makes a song instantly recognizable?

Take a listen to the first five seconds of this song:

How is it that it’s possible to know what song it is just from listening to the first five seconds?

One instrument (acoustic guitar). Two chords. It can’t be any simpler than that, yet it’s unique and easy to remember. How many times have you been to a live concert where the artist starts playing their hit song, and within the first couple of seconds the crowd goes crazy? Why? Because they know what song it is immediately.

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It’s happened to all of us: you go an entire day with the chorus of a song in your head, unable to make it go away. You listen to the song over and over again, you listen to other songs to get it out of your head, but try as you might that tune is stubbornly stuck in your brain for good.

Infectious catchiness is the hallmark of many a great song. Usually, the catchiest part of the song is referred to as a “hook.” Not unlike the hook of a fishing pole, a song’s hook catches your ear and reels you in, making you remember the tune forever. Most of the time, a song’s hook is featured in the chorus. The chorus is the section of music that repeats itself several times and usually contains the theme of the song. A catchy chorus is essential in songwriting, but what exactly makes for a great chorus?

As with anything creative, there are no hard and fast rules for how to compose an optimal chorus for your song. And while there are great tips and guidelines to follow, there isn’t any one way to guarantee that your chorus is a good one. But while there are no rules in music, there are certainly a few things you might consider as you’re writing a song and hoping to have a global hit on your hands.

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