I always love it when I’m listening to a song and I suddenly notice when a tasty bass groove kicks in. Even though bass guitar tends to be a background instrument, every once in a while a bassist will bust into a part so awesome you have to take notice and say, “Who is that bass player??” I’d guess that a lot of people might not even realize how important the bass is–until, that is, you take it away! A… [Read More]

We’d all love to get played on the radio.  I grew up dreaming of hearing my songs on the airwaves, knowing that thousands of people were also listening. Have you ever wondered why your songs aren’t on the radio? Most of us probably tell ourselves the same excuses–radio doesn’t care about my music, I need to be on a major label to have any hope of radio airplay, and no one listens to the radio anymore, anyway. But if you… [Read More]

Buying new music gear can be fun–there have been very few times that I felt more excited than when I buy a brand new guitar, amp, pedal, or other piece of gear. But along with the excitement can come a lot of other feelings: confusion, frustration, and anxiety over whether you’re buying the right thing. With the price of instruments and gear often so steep, it can be a little nerve-racking to think you might not be spending your money… [Read More]

Did you ever wonder if your song has what it takes to win a songwriting competition? There are many contests out there to choose from, including the International Songwriting Competition and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. Boasting celebrity judges and thousands of dollars worth in prizes, winning one of these competitions could not only help you financially, but it could potentially bring great exposure to your music. I used to think I should just send my songs to every competition… [Read More]

A friend of mine recently sent me a video compilation of words of wisdom spoken by Will Smith. You might not initially think that a guy like Will Smith–an actor who’s made his name starring in big-budget action blockbuster films such as Independence Day and Men In Black–has a lot of philosophical things to say. And you would be forgiven for assuming any advice he might have to offer would apply to actors much more than musicians (although Mr. Smith… [Read More]

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… [Read More]

Have you ever been standing in line to get your morning coffee when someone walks in wearing a zipper-laden leather jacket, skin-tight jeans with ripped holes, visible tattoos and a perfectly “messy” hairdo?  Of course, the first thing you think is, “that guy is definitely in a band!” If a scene similar to this has ever played out in your life, you’ve been introduced to the world of image. And like it or not, it’s one of the most important… [Read More]

There are dozens of other music files formats other than MP3, such as: AIFF, WAV, WMA, MP4, ACC, FLAC, OGG, etc’… MP3 is the most common and compatible music format and is perfect for sharing your songs over the internet. If your music saved as a different file type OR if you want to import the music from a CD to your computer,  here’s a very simple way to do it: Converting files and importing music from a CD using… [Read More]

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]

David Llorente used Studio Pros for his first professional project and was blown away not only by the musicianship, but by how much they cared. “It was probably one of the best learning experiences I’ve ever had as a musician.” That’s how David Llorente feels about his time working with Studio Pros. “Just going through all the processes, seeing what people have to do to get a professional track cut. I didn’t know how long it took. I didn’t know… [Read More]