January 2010 - Computer Music Production School; Audio Recording School; Audio School in Florida, Atlanta, Los Angeles or anywhere in the World

The Secret to Music Production Deadlines

Are you in a place of your life where you feel stuck? Do you find yourself bored, nothing to look forward to and it seems like nothing changes? Chances are there are things that need to be finished so you can move to the ‘next level’ of where you’re at. By setting deadlines, you’ll start to see change and movement towards the direction of where you want to go.

Music Production deadlines are a musician’s secret weapon. It’s a catalyst that will bring out the untouched and dusty talent in you. Deadlines bring focus, momentum, and a teeth-gritting ambition for reaching beyond what you may think is possible. A deadline is hope, in the deepest sense. It’s optimism and faith rolled all into one.

If taken seriously and with dignity to vows made with one’s self and others, deadlines are a force to be reckoned with. If you ever need a nice butt-kicking way to get yourself motivated to start a project or finish it, a music production deadline is just the thing you need.

Tutorial: The Secret to Music Production Deadlines
1) Figure out the most important thing you would like to see completed. Then start with this project only. You’ll notice how many unimportant details you don’t need to do, especially when seeing new results from your deadlines.
2) Each project has many tasks to complete before the project can be completed. Pre-think the obstacles you may face with each task and give yourself time to solve them. I have found thinking through items saves me time and completes the project in half the time.
3) Work hard, give yourself breaks, have fun and most importantly, follow through. If you’re tired, discouraged or can’t see the end in site, go have some fun! Take yourself out on a ‘date’ – do something you would normally say ‘I don’t have time for this’.

How to be a Pioneer in the Music Industry

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It can seem like a daunting challenge breaking through in music. These days, it seems like everyone and their mother is doing music. With new technologies its even easier to make great sounding beats and vocals sound amazing ‘out of the box’. However, there is no replacing a Pioneer.. No matter what challenges they face, Pioneer’s find a way to make it work…

Pioneers are innovators, the people on the cutting edge of research. They thrive on new beginnings and uncharted territories. They look for new ways of doing things and offer a fresh approach to new models. Pioneers are few and far between. Most people are followers but pioneers are free-thinkers, researchers of truth and radical in their creativity. They are born to question and made to give answers to life’s most unsolved problems.

Here are 6 ways on how to be a Pioneer in the Music Industry:

1) Face criticism.
Criticism is a tough reality to face but it is easy to navigate with the right mind frame. Knowing who you are and what you stand for is key along with acknowledging that not everyone is going to see what you see. Trusting your instincts without doubt, never wavering in your convictions and knowing when to shut the door on your critics.

“Do what you feel in your heart to be right. You’ll be criticized anyway.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

2) If you fail, try again.
When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb he was praised and acclaimed but not much is mentioned on how many times he failed before he finally got it. Edison once stated, “I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that don’t work.” Since pioneers are breaking new ground, trial and error should be expected. So don’t be surprised at failure and don’t let it get you down. Mistakes are sometimes the only way you learn. This is especially true when it comes to marketing your music. Thinking outside the box can bring rich rewards or giant belly flops. Don’t allow failure to deter you, instead, cultivate tenacity and acknowledge your discoveries.

3) Ignore lonely, it’s a choice.
“Is there anybody out there…there, there, there…anybody!?!” Pioneers can tend to get isolated, especially when your hard at work at projects. Lots of late nights can have you eating alone at your computer at times and editing for long hours can leave you wondering what planet your on. You can often think, “Surely, no one’s struggling through this like I am.” Well you are wrong. Ta da! There are thousands, maybe millions of pioneers feeling the lonelies just like you – nothing that hot date or night out with friends can’t cure. Loneliness is an illusion, it doesn’t really exist. Crawl out of your hole once in awhile and participate with society, get refreshed, then go back at it.

4) Stand on the shoulders of others.
You can’t do this alone and you shouldn’t. Being a pioneer in the music industry is hard enough, doing it alone is not necessary. That’s why we offer the Computer Music School Network so you can connect with others on the same road. Also, there are tons of books, teachings, friends and elders out there that can inspire your dream to fruition. You must be on the look out for other pioneers that have made it and are doing what they love to do. Then walk in their footsteps. Success always leaves a trail. Search out those people that have walked the journey ahead of you. Open your eyes, they are all around, so humble yourself and take advantage of them.

5) Count the cost.
Pioneering and personal risk go hand and hand. If your heart wasn’t on the line 24/7, you wouldn’t be as passionate, do you agree? Your blood, sweat and tears should be all over this thing and if it ain’t then you’re not trying hard enough. Other people may never understand this lifestyle and they’re not meant to. If they want to dress in beige and mow their perfect lawns within the comfort of their boring 9-5 jobs, good for them! That’s not for pioneers! Mothers should be scoffing at your insane schedule and fathers should be preaching to you about health care… Pioneers make ripples in families so when you do, don’t be surprised! You are unique and talented but the music industry is not in the business of ‘patting little baby bottoms’. If you want a job that’s safe and doesn’t ruffle any feathers, you’re in the wrong field. Personal sacrifice is part of the game.

6) Illuminate.
When all is said and done, the music is released, and the snow ball effect is initiated then it’s truly your time to shine. Most people just see the end result of the beauty of music and want it without all the hard work that comes with it. Well, we burst bubbles every day here at the Computer Music Production School and GotchaNoddin because we’ll be the first to tell ya, if you really want it, you’re going to have to work for it. The best things in life come with hard work. When the finished product is there and people are listening to it, vibing with it and inspired by it…everything mentioned above will be so small in comparison to the eternal rewards. Music soothes the soul. You’re here to inspire and light up the world with your gifts. So go and dig your own way through… and let your light shine.

Tutorial: How to be a Pioneer in the Music Industry:
1) If you haven’t already, designate a computer document or notebook for planning. Once a day/week set aside some time to think through some of the projects and goals you would like to achieve in music.
2) In each of the 6 steps, find one thing you can improve on and write it down. Set aside an hour a day/week and research books, articles or blogs that help this area in your life to be stronger.
3) This is not something that has to take a long time. Give yourself a month to create new habits. If you spend 1-3 hours a week, you’ll see significant improvement.

Doing music is a progressive journey. Be easy on yourself and remember, progress not perfection.

(Adapted from A Practical Guide for Pioneer Parents by Mary E. DeMuth)

Keeping your Ears Fresh During Recording and Mixing

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Your ears are the most valuable and priceless gear you have. Not only will you need to take care of them for the duration of your life but also during day-to-day life and recording sessions. There is a well known music rule in our studio that never gets broken: Above all, protect your ears!

Here are five simple tips to keep your ears fresh while producing, recording and mixing in the studio for long hours:

1) Keep an Eye on Your Levels
Volume levels, that is.. If the bump of your speakers makes your coffee cup vibrate, you’ve got your volume jacked up way too high. It’s recommended to do all mixing in levels so low you could have a conversation without shouting. The reason for this is that over time your ears get tired and this can go unnoticed until it’s too late. The goal is to reference your music at conversation volume levels and only check the low end, high end and how everything fits in the mix at increased volume levels for increments of 2-5 minutes at a time. This method will keep your ears fresh for the rest of the day so you can produce, record and mix for the rest of the night.

2) When Recording your own Vocals
When recording yourself you juggle the roles of artist and recording engineer. It’s inspiring hearing everything come together. However, don’t be a hero and jack up the level in your headphones so that you’re screaming over the top. Typically most vocalists like to have one headphone cup off their ear and one on. If you’re doing vocal stacks it’s best to keep them both on and keep the volume level really low. If your volume is too high, it is easy for your vocal recordings to be sharp or flat. When recording, make sure to allow sufficient time for breaks, not only for your throat but for your ears.

3) Keep ‘em Clean
This may seem obvious but dirty ears are not only nasty but they hinder the sound quality of your listening. In any health food store you can purchase Ear Candles. These little bad boys will clean your ear canals so well that they actually warn you not to listen to music for 3 days after. Make sure you read the directions on the package carefully and follow them. You will be amazed by how much your hearing is improved by these. Try not to be grossed out by all the yucky wax and dirt that comes out of you either. Now I have had a few responses of people who do not agree or think this is a hoax. Maybe this option will help you, maybe it won’t, however, this is from my personal experience.

4) Editing Vocals
When editing double vocals or multiple tracks for long lengths of time, your ears can tire quickly. The way to work around this is to edit one phrase at a time until finding the best take and cut and paste accordingly. Listening to the whole take, take after take can get daunting and annoying. It’s much easier for your ears to pick up the differences in each track if you play it back phrase by phrase, take by take until you find the phrase that jumps out at you. Use the highlighting tool in your audio sequencer to mark which ones you like best and keep moving forward. You can also memorize an easy color system that reminds me which one is Best, Adlib, or 2nd Best, and so forth.

5) Take Breaks
When working on a project, reward yourself by taking fun breaks. After you edit the vocals, go for a short walk around the block. Done with mixing? Have your favorite snack. Make sure you take short breaks often. You’ll come back to your station with fresh ears and a fresh perspective every time.

Tutorial: Keeping your Ears Fresh During Recording and Mixing
1) How do you produce and mix your music (Headphones, Speakers, Both)? During your next session, pay attention to when you increase the volume and how long you listen to loud volumes. How long does it take to complete the project, do you have to redo the mix the next day, what do your clients say about your mixes – do you hear anything consistently?
2) Benchmark your system. In other words, set aside some time when you’re not busy, listen to commercially mastered CDs, reference conversation volume levels and increased volume levels, note the decibel level on your volume knob and then practice with your own material.
3) Let your ears rest. After a long session or when you sleep, put ear plugs in your ears and let them rest.

If you would like more info about volume levels, recording your own vocals and editing vocals,

3 Ways to fit Music Production into your Busy Schedule

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It seems that everyone today has one major thing in common. So many goals and so little time.. Especially when ‘life happens’ its easy to get discouraged from doing music. Family, friends and some people you don’t even know may say ‘why you doin music when you got all this other stuff to do?’… Next thing you know its been a few months and it seems like your music is stuck.

Also, with consistently developing new goals, fitting music into your daily schedule can be challenging. Between life, work and family, music can easily come last in line on our priority list.. Why?

The answer is simple – because it is fun!
It makes your heart sing and dance!
It is what you want to do every moment of every day!

Sounds crazy but its true – there is this inner critic that says if circumstances of finances, family life, and your job is bad, then you can’t enjoy music either… So let’s start there….

How to fit music production into your busy schedule:

1) Think about what you’re thinking about. If you’re in a bad mood, uninspired, bored, frustrated, 95% of the time you listened to someones negativity or got a hold of a bad thought. Thoughts are like a virus or medicine… which one do you want running around in your head?

2) Choose what is important in your life. Are you spending time on meaningless tasks or wasting time in front of the TV watching other people live their dreams? By eliminating meaningless tasks, you free up a clean slate of time that is fresh for music.

3) Schedule time for music and keep it. The only way to get anything done on a deadline is to schedule the appointment and keep it. This requires faith. If you don’t have faith, a music career is going to be a long and hard journey for you. When you commit to doing music you’ll find doors of creativity and opportunity will open up. Not only that you’ll finish the music your start! To create music daily requires you to be a self starter, highly motivated and passionate to go above and beyond when you are faced with obstacles. Remember, creating music isn’t ‘just creating music’. It is also learning the music business, marketing, taking photo shoots, developing your website and having relationships with your fans and clients.