Songs like ‘All My Life’ from the Foo Fighters or ‘Uprising’ from Muse have one thing in common: An in your face vocal sound. How about getting those kick-ass vocals into your next production? Are you up for the ride? Then buckle up… because Kansas is going bye-bye! 1) Record a spot-on performance Mediocre performances...
I recently did something I never thought I’d be able to do. I recorded a baby grand piano for one of my songs. I don’t own one. My friend does, and I got to record him playing some beautiful stuff for my track. And I never would’ve been able to do that if I didn’t...
The more I learn about how comedians operate, the more I realize they’re similar to musicians. Specifically, producing music. It’s a lot like improv in many ways. So in this post, I want to explain the “Yes, And” improv method, why it can be a powerful tool in music production, and how you can practically...
I’m a sucker for cello. Put it in your song, and I’ll most likely love it. I’ve used quite a bit of cello in my music — both live cello and MIDI cello. And I have some insights about which is better for different circumstances. The Pros And Cons Of Real Cello Real cello played...
A great song needs a great vocal Vocal doubles are among the secret ingredients used by producers from Sir George Martin to Roy Thomas Baker, from Butch Vig to Rick Rubin. In this post, I’ll show you how to master this super important production technique. Are you ready to make your vocals sing like Freddy,...
Sometimes it’s nice just to listen. So instead of generating production ideas from my experiences or from deep research, I’d like to present some great audio production advice from a few of the top producers ever. I’ve included a little background on the producer as well as they’re production advice. And make sure you check...
It can be difficult to choose a digital audio workstation. There are so many. Here’s a tip: choose a DAW based on what type of producer you are. That’s what this post is all about. I’ll share the best DAWs for each type of producer, including newbies, beatmakers, composers, and singer-songwriters. What To Look For...
You might be stuck at home. Or you may prefer to work in your own space. Whatever the case, you can still work with other musicians. Thanks to the internet and people who make useful internet tools, recording music remotely has never been easier. Here’s how to collaborate with and hire other musicians, regardless of...
I’m guessing you’re a self-starter. You must be — you’re reading a blog post about how to mix music. That’s how I am too. And when I set out to learn mixing techniques in April 2017, I went straight to YouTube. There were some super helpful videos and some not-so-helpful videos. So I want to...
Where Should You Record Each Instrument Over the years, every artist I’ve ever worked with has been critical of their budget to some extent. Before we ever start recording anything, we’ll always have a pre-production meeting. During this get together we’ll discuss numerous things about their album. However, the budget is usually a big conversation...