StudioPros

Finding the right team of session musicians for your project

David Alter has been one of the more intriguing clients of mine. With a total of 29 songs he’s collaborated on with Studio Pros, he’s become very comfortable with the process of recording online and has refined his own method that works well for him. I first was introduced to David when he came to us with demos for a 21 song rock opera.  He showed me some of the songs, and I was instantly hooked. Even his rough sketches and vocal ideas had a very distinct sound and quirk that drew me to each song. It was through this project that I really got a feel for the characters who might eventually adapt this on stage.

Working with professional musicians from the comfort of your own home

David works as a physician just outside of Toronto, Ontario. To be specific, he is a cardiologist, a researcher, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto AND an aspiring composer/songwriter who runs an organization that builds healthy communities through music. http://www.vigourprojects.com/

David is a busy guy, to say the least- so it was helpful for him to find a studio like Studio Pros who could work on his 13 songs at once through various phases and still be in touch. This way, he was able to be heavily involved in every musical decision on his own time, so we worked around his schedule.

“The StudioPros process works extremely well for me. I love the process of online recording. For me, the secret to satisfaction with on-line recording is three-fold: (a) having a vision, (b) having the self-confidence to creatively navigate the vision, and (c) some patience and perseverance.” Working with Alter was a delight because he had such a clear vision. He knew where he wanted the songs to go and getting there was just a matter of communication and musical building blocks.

Recording your songs with Studio Pros

In David’s song “Holy Moses,” we recorded the drums, bass, guitars, piano and organs to give it the professional touch of seasoned session players. You can just feel this song being the emotional high point of a stage production. We are very excited to see his production and see how the wonderful music we collaborated on fits into the story.

Listen To “Holy Moses” Here: 

Custom instrumentation with Studio Pros

The unique aspect about this project was that David came to us with tracks to build off of. He already had vocals and scratch guitars recorded to a click track  so we could hear the songs, but he would provide references for the services he ordered like drums, upright bass, mandolin, guitars and accordion and building his songs became somewhat like a puzzle.

“I love the process of building up a song one bit at a time….It’s like painting a canvas! The great thing about StudioPros is that they are equally adept at allowing you to maintain full control, or handing off control to them,” says Alter. ”Either way, I am always impressed (and in many cases, overwhelmed) with the production quality and musicianship of StudioPros- – All of the players are great. The drums are top-notch!, The guitar players rock! The keyboard and string players are fantastic and the bass player can give me both “groove” or “melodic-McCartney-esq” lines.”

David plans to release the songs we worked on with him in a double album CD, as the songs will eventually turn into a stage play which he is currently in the playwright process of. There is also talk of adapting this into a film eventually, the possibilities are endless! We love David’s vision and perseverance in this career as a musician. It’s something to aspire to.

If you have a project that you’re interested in collaborating on, don’t hesitate to contact one of our available producers at: info@studiopros.com, or 310-928-7776.

 To sign up for a Free Project Consultation with our production team, click here: http://studiopros.com/free-consultation-form.php

Keep in touch with David and his endeavors here:

www.davidaltermusic.com<http://www.davidaltermusic.com>
www.vigourprojects.com<http://www.vigourprojects.com>

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!

To keep updated on Charlie’s tour dates and releases, check him out at:
http://www.charliebarclay.com/

https://www.facebook.com/charliebarclaymusic

To read more about StudioPros music production:
http://studiopros.com/music-production.php

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.

Making Music Across Continents With Studio Pros.

Collaborating with Studio Pros mixing and mastering engineer all the way from Nigeria, Silver Saddih proves you don’t have to be in the same country, even continent to make music together.  I was blown away the  first time I heard Silver’s vocals when listening to the mix preview of “I Be Boss”.   I shared it immediately with my Studio Pros co-producer Keeley Bumford.  We both were dancing in our seats listening to this track.

Silver hails from Kaduna state, Nigeria (West Africa) and currently lives in Lagos and Abuja.  His crystal clear R&B vocal tone has undertones of his native African roots which really makes his sound unique.  You can hear his world influences coming through in his vocal performances, combined with contemporary pop and R&B/hip hop influences.  It amazes me how we can collaborate with talent like this instantly between Los Angeles and Nigeria – thanks to the internet.

Silver talks about his life as an artist in Nigeria and what inspires him, “Well, life itself unfolding is an inspiration. I view music as being able to perceive and interpret everyday experiences. For me, it’s ultimately about expression.  Nigeria is a very vibrant country. And this energy reflects in every aspect of it’s social life. It’s in my beats, my melodies and lyrics. The average Nigerian is a happy person and knows how to have a good time. This has influenced the overall feel of my production as well as the instrumentation; with traditional percussion fused into my ‘Afro-pop’ jams.”

Listen to Silver’s final mix and master done by Studio Pros:

Finding The Right Fit For Your Post Production Needs:

Silver had produced his songs in Nigeria with local musicians and producers.  He was looking for the contemporary sound of American producers and engineers for his final mixing and mastering.  When looking into solutions for the perfect fit for the final touches, Silver chose Studio Pros.  “My music partner had explored the Internet for professional music services that are efficient and affordable.  He discovered a number of prospects but thought Studio Pros was offering something worth a try.  We approached the collaboration with Studio Pros as an experiment. We sampled a number of songs and profiles on the website and wondered how the kind of music we were producing would be interpreted by these professionals.   Studio Pros provides professional music services that are worth every cent. The mixing and mastering of ‘I Be Boss’ was the first job and we were very impressed by the overall quality of the service – it got accepted without a single correction.”

How It Works:

Silver and his music partners were able to order the mix online with Studio Pros’ convenient online mix order form.  They selected the style, services needed and were able to specify specific mix notes directly to our Grammy Nominated engineer.  After the order was placed, they were able to upload their final wav files of their project directly to their order through the Studio Pros’ server and they are instantly transferred to our engineer in the amount of time it takes the upload to complete.  Forget snail mail!  Within 72 hours, our engineer had a final mix/master and tuned preview for Silver awaiting him in his account.

Silver has continued with two more additional projects from his album and we are helping him get his songs Broadcast Quality for promotional purposes and radio airplay.  So I asked him, what’s next? – “We are currently working on a promotional album of these tracks. The target is to create beautiful music that can be enjoyed just about anywhere in the world.  As an artist, I would like to share my gift with as many people as possible. I would equally like to perform for as long as possible growing through every stage of the journey.”  You may wonder the same thing I do, WHAT IS THE RECORDING INDUSTRY LIKE IN NIGERIA? Silver states, “The Music Industry in Nigeria has come a long way. Time and again, a good number of artists have and continue to make their mark across Africa and indeed the world. The Industry is sophisticated with a lot of talent, some of the best recording studios in Africa and very good prospects for commercial success. In the last five years, there have been several collaborations between Nigerian Artists and popular acts across the pacific: the likes of Rick Ross, Kanye West and Snoop Dogg.”

I can only say good things about Silver and his voice.  While I’ll keep the other two tracks a secret for now, I will tell you one thing, THIS GUY IS GOOD!  I am looking forward to continuing a long term working relationship with Silver as an artist as we continue to help him with the final touches on his album.

If you have a project you’d like to collaborate on, contact me, Kati O’Toole at: 1-310-928-7776 or order online: http://studiopros.com/mixing.php

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.”
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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.”

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Did you know that you probably already have enough music to record your album? Even if you just have the basic sketch of a song in your head, it’s probably enough to get started.  The Beatles once famously said that “all you need is love.”  I’m here to say that if you want to record your music, all you really need is a melody and a chord progression. (A little love doesn’t hurt, either!)

You don’t need every section of your song planned out note by note; you don’t need the intro melody or the solo section completely written. All you need is a “sketch.” The song sketch is a rough outline of your song… And when you get world-class, top-notch session musicians to play on your recordings, they help flesh out your creation with their professional expertise. The chord progression, melody and lyrics are the heart and soul of your creation–they are what the whole rest of the production is based off of.

But the production process involves getting down to every last little detail in the song, whether that’s a cool guitar lick in the bridge or a melodic hook in the background vocals. With Studio Pros, you get to be involved in every last step of the process, giving your approval for every instrument as its being recorded. But along with giving your feedback, you get to work with some of the best musicians in the business–musicians who have recorded on hundreds of albums and engineers who have been nominated for Grammy awards. Because of this, you end up collaborating with top professionals who know how to take your song to the next level and make you stand out among the throngs of musicians trying to get heard by record labels and music supervisors.

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If you’re hoping for success in this industry, you might want to take part in a little musical espionage:

If you want to pitch one of your songs to a TV commercial, study the music in every commercial on TV right now and learn it all by heart.

If you want to pitch a song to films, buy the soundtracks for ten films in the genre you’re interested in.

If you want to be at the top of the charts, listen to the top 50 songs every single week.  Know the charts so well that if I came to your house and woke you up in the middle of the night, you could tell me what was in the top ten that week. You might try subscribing to this Billboard Hot 100 – Top 50 Songs channel on YouTube–it will provide you with weekly updates on the top songs.

It’s not about copying — it’s about being aware

Knowing what other musicians are doing doesn’t mean you should be ripping off their material. All it means is that you’re doing your best to be completely aware of what’s already out there and, more importantly, what each industry is looking for.

Knowing that today’s action movies like including rockin’ metal songs with heavy guitar riffs is being aware. Knowing that most of the top songs on the charts have auto-tuned vocals is being aware. Once you’re aware of the trends and desires of the music industry, you can tailor your work to fit the scene.

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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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What’s the best  way to produce your songs?  In order to answer that question, you’ll need to answer another first: what are your musical goals?

What would you do with your song if it was already produced just like you wanted it to be? Would you try to get placements in movies? Would you want it played on popular TV shows? How about a commercial spot? Or would you rather pitch it to another artist? Maybe you’re just looking to record a single to send to all of your friends, or you want to have a song to post on the Internet and rack up some plays on Myspace and fans on Facebook. Defining the end goal will help you determine the best way to produce your song, because you’ll know more about the specific needs for the song’s final product.

Your song can be produced in many ways

There are multiple options on the table when it comes to producing your song. You could hire a band and rent a day in a commercial recording studio. You could send your tune to a “one man band” producer, a sort of jack of all trades that can arrange and perform most of the tracks himself. You could produce it with musicians via the Internet (just like Studio Pros). In the end, you’re the only one who can decide on the best way to record your song.

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