When I was a kid, I started playing guitar, and along with playing guitar inevitably came reading guitar-themed magazines. As a guitar neophyte, I began devouring publications on playing guitar and writing music, delving into interviews with famous artists who talked shop about writing guitar parts and recording albums. One day I was reading an interview with Sting, who mentioned the name of the person who mixed his album. Mixed? What did that mean, I wondered? So I asked the… [Read More]

When it comes down to it, we all want to know the same thing about our music: Is my demo good enough to get me signed or placed in TV/movies? In the last post, I talked about the artist press kit–all of the things you need to include, what they should look like, and why they’re important. And of course, I stressed the fact that the demo is far and away the most important part of the package. You might… [Read More]

Did you know that 9 out of 10 artists who have used Studio Pros’ music production service and submitted to TAXI.com had their songs forwarded to record labels and music supervisors? In case you didn’t know, TAXI.com is a service that connects independent musicians like you with record label personnel, music supervisors who place songs in TV shows and movies, and other industry people who are always looking for new music. Studio Pros conducted a survey of 10 customers who… [Read More]

The Internet can be a bit of a blessing and a curse for musicians.  On the one hand, it provides modern artists with an unprecedented number of avenues to gain exposure.  From MySpace to Facebook to music blogs, there are countless ways bands and artists can potentially reach thousands, even millions of music fans with just a few clicks of the mouse.  On the other hand, this ability for instant exposure means that anyone can do the exact same thing,… [Read More]

Choosing a key for your song doesn’t just affect how high or low you will sing it. Different musical keys mean different moods and vibes for your song. You may notice one minor key sounds darker than another (Nigel Tufnel famously dubbed D minor to be the “saddest of all keys” in This Is Spinal Tap), or you might find a particular key sounds happier than the one a step below. Additionally, for instruments like guitar, the key can make… [Read More]

Many musicians might think that in order to record a smash hit song, they need to have a complex, full production complete with lush string sections and layers of stacked vocal tracks.  But the arrangement isn’t the part of the song that makes it a hit–a great song should really speak for itself, no matter how many instruments are added to the recording.  The most important aspect of music production when trying to record a hit song is the quality… [Read More]

You may have seen the title of this post and wondered to yourself, “How could I possibly have professional session musicians at my fingertips?  I’m an independent musician who doesn’t have the resources.”  You’re not alone in thinking that–plenty of indie musicians out there have the same mindset.  But it’s actually a lot easier than you think to have a pro session musician play on your songs. It wasn’t always this way.  There certainly was a time when you needed… [Read More]

Vocals can make or break your song’s potential.  Having a sub-par vocal track can bring down an otherwise great song.  But an excellent, professional vocal recording can be the key element that puts your song in “radio ready” territory.  There are any number of reasons why you might want to find a recording studio to record your vocals in.  Lots of people have home recording setups, but while you can sometimes get by recording or sequencing instruments in your home,… [Read More]

Finding the right producer for my music has been about as hard as finding the right words for my songs.  Frustrated with my lack of budget to record my songs with the high quality they deserve, I’ve even resorted to asking fellow musicians to help me for free.  Because of this, “We’ll work on it next weekend” has become a phrase that I am all too familiar with…  And “next weekend” never seems to arrive. I learned that if your… [Read More]

You’ve written a hit song. You have a guitar (perfectly in tune, of course) and a microphone.  You might even have a drum beat recorded and ready to go.  All the tools you need to record a guitar part are at your disposal…  But what can you do to lay down a GREAT-sounding part, instead of just a good one? BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS/SPACE Make sure you’ve set up your recording space in a comfortable setting with the lowest… [Read More]