You might have read the story about Wal-Mart refusing to sell Green Day's latest CD 21st Century Breakdown if they don't release a clean version without "objectionable content". Wow, that is a big pill to swallow. I can't even begin to tell you what a diversity of feelings that evoked in me from anger to frustration. I applaud Green Day for sticking to their guns and taking a pass on Wal-Mart.
My wife and I used to make fun of Green Day in the heyday of pop-punk. Whenever a song would play on the radio or TV we would say: "sounds like Green Day to me". Although I am still not a fan of their music I have to give them kudos for not being afraid to speak out about current issues.
My concerns in this matter come from the interpretive nature of the topic. A retail store can sell whatever they want to sell. An artist can create art freely unless they violate other's rights. There is art, especially in music, which is not suitable for all audiences. I agree that we need to protect and especially educate children in this matter. The PMRC took some steps in the right direction to classify content with a parental advisory label. Although I don't necessarily agree with this approach it seems to at least warn parents that are involved with their children.
There is a lot of obscenity and violence in music. But there is also critical thinking and uneasy content. I can understand when stores or radio stations ban or censor music that contains matter of obscenity and violence. Like I said, stores can rely on parents and the PMRC label and there are "clean" versions of songs for radio airplay. The freedom of speech argument holds up because you can acquire said music when you're old enough. Problems arise when stores are starting to censor content because they consider it offensive otherwise. If this was a single store you would say big deal, I go to the next one. What Wal-Mart tries to do is use their power to keep different opinions out of their stores. Do they have the right to do it? Sure. But it's a scary thought to see a retailer do what the government and the constitution are trying to prevent, the censorship of free speech. There is a constant struggle going on in every free country on what is free speech and when someone's rights are violated. It is not the retailer's role to impose rules on a big part of society. What's next, they're not selling books that discuss the evolution theory because it offends some of their customers? This is just an example to illustrate my point. What type of precedence for all other artists would this have set if Green Day had caved?
Fortunately, there are other ways of purchasing the music of choice and although Wal-Mart is huge we're not depending on it as a music provider.
Education is more important than censorship. If you place works of art into their respective context and explain their content to kids they will actually learn something and process the information given to them. By censoring or prohibiting art they will be more inclined to try and get a hold of it. And they might just repeat slogans and phrases that can be misused, abused and interpreted in offensive ways.
What are your thoughts?
Friday, May 29, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Instant Gratification
Playing music is one of the best things you can do in this world. There are hundreds of reasons why you would want to play an instrument. You like to play for yourself and enjoy the music or you prefer to play with others and have fun together. You can play to relax or because you're curious.
One of the interesting aspects of making music is that there is always something new to learn. As you're practicing and learning you are becoming better and more proficient, but with every step you take and every level you reach new doors and passages are opening up.
In this day and age there is a conflict between the rising expectation of instant gratification and the study and practicing of skills. When I look around me I see more and more people acting results driven instead of purpose driven. While I would be the first person to acknowledge that we need both ways to succeed in our quest through life I noticed that there is no balance between them anymore. I am afraid and think it is a shame that we are missing out on the little things.
In music, there is no instant gratification. Although, I will immediately revoke that statement. It takes a long time to become proficient in your instrument. It might take a long time to acquire the skills for the style and genre that you want to play. You aren't able to play after just a half hour of practice. The beauty is that practicing and learning gives you instant gratification. And this is where the paragraph about results driven and purpose driven comes into play.
If you're only in it for the results, you will miss out on the beauty of the learning process. You're closing your eyes before the new path that opens up once you achieve the desired result. Music is dynamic. You are never there. You need to have goals you are working towards but while you do so you will learn about new possibilities, opportunities and further reaching goals. I am not advertising to get lost and overloaded with ideas. There are many ways to achieve your goals but you need to stay focused and at the same time open for new things.
Whenever you decide that you are done, you don't have to learn anything anymore you stop making music. That might be a harsh statement but it holds the truth. The minute you decide that you know everything you need to know about your instrument you are able to mechanically reproduce pieces without depth or innovation.
Music will go on and continue to evolve. Are you onboard?
One of the interesting aspects of making music is that there is always something new to learn. As you're practicing and learning you are becoming better and more proficient, but with every step you take and every level you reach new doors and passages are opening up.
In this day and age there is a conflict between the rising expectation of instant gratification and the study and practicing of skills. When I look around me I see more and more people acting results driven instead of purpose driven. While I would be the first person to acknowledge that we need both ways to succeed in our quest through life I noticed that there is no balance between them anymore. I am afraid and think it is a shame that we are missing out on the little things.
In music, there is no instant gratification. Although, I will immediately revoke that statement. It takes a long time to become proficient in your instrument. It might take a long time to acquire the skills for the style and genre that you want to play. You aren't able to play after just a half hour of practice. The beauty is that practicing and learning gives you instant gratification. And this is where the paragraph about results driven and purpose driven comes into play.
If you're only in it for the results, you will miss out on the beauty of the learning process. You're closing your eyes before the new path that opens up once you achieve the desired result. Music is dynamic. You are never there. You need to have goals you are working towards but while you do so you will learn about new possibilities, opportunities and further reaching goals. I am not advertising to get lost and overloaded with ideas. There are many ways to achieve your goals but you need to stay focused and at the same time open for new things.
Whenever you decide that you are done, you don't have to learn anything anymore you stop making music. That might be a harsh statement but it holds the truth. The minute you decide that you know everything you need to know about your instrument you are able to mechanically reproduce pieces without depth or innovation.
Music will go on and continue to evolve. Are you onboard?
Friday, May 22, 2009
Personal Note
So far, I have refrained from using this service to promote my personal activities. Today I will make an exception. It has been 4 months since I changed hosting providers and for the past 4 months I had only a placeholder page up at my website.
Yesterday I finally uploaded a working site with informational material about myself and music samples to listen to. It's nothing fancy, just a few simple html pages. I still haven't gotten the hang of it and probably never will but the result is presentable. Also, I didn't put too mush time into it since there is so much else to do. Think about all the music I need to write and record, music I need to promote, kids I need to raise and last but not least my day job.
I hope you will enjoy visiting my site and come back often as the content is dynamic. For the media sections I use youtube for videos and reverbnation as music-players. The blog links to this page and the bio pages are faily static until I have some great news to report.
Thanks for your interest and support. You can always leave a comment here or email me. Do you like reading my blog? Do you have suggestions on topics? Do you have questions?
Have a safe holiday weekend. I will be back on Tuesday with another music related topic.
Yesterday I finally uploaded a working site with informational material about myself and music samples to listen to. It's nothing fancy, just a few simple html pages. I still haven't gotten the hang of it and probably never will but the result is presentable. Also, I didn't put too mush time into it since there is so much else to do. Think about all the music I need to write and record, music I need to promote, kids I need to raise and last but not least my day job.
I hope you will enjoy visiting my site and come back often as the content is dynamic. For the media sections I use youtube for videos and reverbnation as music-players. The blog links to this page and the bio pages are faily static until I have some great news to report.
Thanks for your interest and support. You can always leave a comment here or email me. Do you like reading my blog? Do you have suggestions on topics? Do you have questions?
Have a safe holiday weekend. I will be back on Tuesday with another music related topic.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
On metronomes, tuners and gadgets
Jeff Berlin is a great bass player. He is also a great teacher and engages in discussion with his friends, fans and students. Another characteristic that I like is that he is very opinionated and not afraid to issue his thoughts.
In his words it is a waste of time to use a metronome when practicing your instrument because it doesn't help making you play better. You will reach the same level of proficiency by practicing without a metronome. Also, if you know how to play your instrument, you should be able to tune your instrument.
Those are some powerful statements and they usually force many responses (especially from people that use these tools).
In order to fully comprehend the message behind these statements I am going to introduce two scenarios that need clearly distinguished between:
1. Making music or learning an instrument
2. Making money with music or playing an instrument
When I interpret Jeff's statements I immediately think about the first case. When learning or making music, there is no need for tuners and metronomes. To make music, you need an instrument and a set of ears. To learn said instrument and make music with it you need to practice. One of the things you need to learn to play your instrument is tuning. This might not apply to players of instruments with keys but it does apply to all stringed instruments, brass, woodwinds and drums. Not many people have absolute hearing by nature so you might need a reference point in the beginning but by practice you can develop good hearing and soon enough tune your instrument without reference points.
A metronome does not improve your internal clock or beat. I think this is one of the biggest misconceptions in the history of music. The ability to play with a relative time source doesn't change and is not comparable to playing to your internal time source. It shows that you can play with a relative time source. The only way to improve the internal time source is by practice.
Since the internal time source is a human element there are variations between people. In my musical career I have played with hundreds of people. Some of them I have always been in synch with and others not. This is natural. When it comes to bigger groups of people making music together chances are increasing that there are slight differences in time among the players. Contributors to Jeff's discussion mentioned a conductor and drummer as the "keepers of time". In my opinion that is not the case at all and it wouldn't surprise me if drummers and conductors were offended by that statement. The conductor is a musician who interprets the score and leads a number of instrumentalists. Once again, the bigger the group, the more variety in time and the need for a driving force. The case of the drummer is slightly different. A drummer is not a human metronome. Take a look at a big band. Once again, the size of the band exceeds a handful of people that can communicate easily aurally and visually when making music together. Big bands have a band leader as well that conducts the music. In popular music drums add color and expression to the music more than just being a time source. Interpretation and groove are much more important than that. Any musician that relies on the drummer to keep the time for whatever reason should start some soul searching.
When I turn my focus to case number two I would like to offer my personal insights as follows:
Using metronomes and tuners can be practical in certain situations and I noticed that most of the participants in the discussion used examples that were non-musical to justify the use of both metronomes and tuners. If you're on stage and need to tune your instrument in between songs without interfering or even to save valuable recording time in the studio the tuner is very handy. I have used a metronome before to learn certain technical skills and I know Jeff is going to say that I would have mastered those skills anyway. He's probably right; you can consider it a shortcut at best.
When I speak as a songwriter I can utilize non-musical elements like a rhythmic pattern that doesn't stem from musical instruments or players and work it into my music. But that's all it is, an element within the music like a train or a ticking of a clock. It is not a metronome or click-track and shouldn't be considered as such. It doesn't add to or take away from my playing; it is a choice of artistic freedom that adds flavor to the end result.
A final word on practice:
Always start by listening. Listening to recordings, others playing or yourself always helps to develop your skills. Also, you don't always need an instrument to practice. I find driving in the car a great place to practice time by snapping fingers, slapping the wheel or humming. The most important thing is to visualize the groove in your head. Once you hear the beat in your head and your body starts moving to it you will be surprised how well you can keep time. Take your time to feel the beat before you start playing or practicing.
In his words it is a waste of time to use a metronome when practicing your instrument because it doesn't help making you play better. You will reach the same level of proficiency by practicing without a metronome. Also, if you know how to play your instrument, you should be able to tune your instrument.
Those are some powerful statements and they usually force many responses (especially from people that use these tools).
In order to fully comprehend the message behind these statements I am going to introduce two scenarios that need clearly distinguished between:
1. Making music or learning an instrument
2. Making money with music or playing an instrument
When I interpret Jeff's statements I immediately think about the first case. When learning or making music, there is no need for tuners and metronomes. To make music, you need an instrument and a set of ears. To learn said instrument and make music with it you need to practice. One of the things you need to learn to play your instrument is tuning. This might not apply to players of instruments with keys but it does apply to all stringed instruments, brass, woodwinds and drums. Not many people have absolute hearing by nature so you might need a reference point in the beginning but by practice you can develop good hearing and soon enough tune your instrument without reference points.
A metronome does not improve your internal clock or beat. I think this is one of the biggest misconceptions in the history of music. The ability to play with a relative time source doesn't change and is not comparable to playing to your internal time source. It shows that you can play with a relative time source. The only way to improve the internal time source is by practice.
Since the internal time source is a human element there are variations between people. In my musical career I have played with hundreds of people. Some of them I have always been in synch with and others not. This is natural. When it comes to bigger groups of people making music together chances are increasing that there are slight differences in time among the players. Contributors to Jeff's discussion mentioned a conductor and drummer as the "keepers of time". In my opinion that is not the case at all and it wouldn't surprise me if drummers and conductors were offended by that statement. The conductor is a musician who interprets the score and leads a number of instrumentalists. Once again, the bigger the group, the more variety in time and the need for a driving force. The case of the drummer is slightly different. A drummer is not a human metronome. Take a look at a big band. Once again, the size of the band exceeds a handful of people that can communicate easily aurally and visually when making music together. Big bands have a band leader as well that conducts the music. In popular music drums add color and expression to the music more than just being a time source. Interpretation and groove are much more important than that. Any musician that relies on the drummer to keep the time for whatever reason should start some soul searching.
When I turn my focus to case number two I would like to offer my personal insights as follows:
Using metronomes and tuners can be practical in certain situations and I noticed that most of the participants in the discussion used examples that were non-musical to justify the use of both metronomes and tuners. If you're on stage and need to tune your instrument in between songs without interfering or even to save valuable recording time in the studio the tuner is very handy. I have used a metronome before to learn certain technical skills and I know Jeff is going to say that I would have mastered those skills anyway. He's probably right; you can consider it a shortcut at best.
When I speak as a songwriter I can utilize non-musical elements like a rhythmic pattern that doesn't stem from musical instruments or players and work it into my music. But that's all it is, an element within the music like a train or a ticking of a clock. It is not a metronome or click-track and shouldn't be considered as such. It doesn't add to or take away from my playing; it is a choice of artistic freedom that adds flavor to the end result.
A final word on practice:
Always start by listening. Listening to recordings, others playing or yourself always helps to develop your skills. Also, you don't always need an instrument to practice. I find driving in the car a great place to practice time by snapping fingers, slapping the wheel or humming. The most important thing is to visualize the groove in your head. Once you hear the beat in your head and your body starts moving to it you will be surprised how well you can keep time. Take your time to feel the beat before you start playing or practicing.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Where is my crystal ball?
Sometimes I wish I had a crystal ball and I could see what the future holds. The development of digital recording equipment and interfaces has occurred and continues to occur at such a rapid pace that it is sometimes hard to keep up. Technologies come and go, some work together and others are incompatible.
One of my goals in my home studio is that I'm trying to create a better sound with every song I write and record. Also, I like to have a studio that is expandable and flexible.
When I first started out recording my music I used a 4-track tape recorder with an Atari to create midi tracks. A Roland soundcanvas served as my only source of sounds. Granted, this was 20 years ago and sounded like crap. By the time I was able to upgrade my studio in the mid 90's there was a whole different world out there with hard disk recorders, Macintosh had long ago replaced Atari and samplers offered great audio capabilities and realistic sounding instruments.
I chose a setup with my Mac at the hub of the studio. I purchased Logic Audio 3.5 and an Emagic sound card. The sampler and keyboard were connected through midi and the audio output was going through a mixer. There were even vst plug-ins available at the time. I believed I was going to be set for years to come. I could add infinite amounts of samples to the sampler, record unlimited guitar, bass and vocal tracks in Logic and MIDI wouldn't go out of style.
In a way that was a good choice. It helped me create some cool music that sounded fairly decent. However, it hurts to see that you can now create recordings that sound much better with a lot less. My assumption of using the Mac as the central unit was good and paid off. Where I lost track was the importance of this piece of equipment. Believing that truly great sounds can only come out of hardware, be it effects, mixers, samplers or synthesizers, I overlooked the versatility and flexibility of plug-ins.
The studio technology of today is software based. Software is cheap and the expansion and interfacing possibilities are limitless. There is only one obstacle. The processing power needed for the recording process has increased at a steady pace over the years. By throwing more and more tasks at the central CPU it needs to calculate more and more in less time. If you look at the system requirements of "simple" software that fulfills a single task my original Mac won't suffice in many cases.
I recently tried to add a new drum sampler to my setup. I am not going to bore you with the complex workaround that I came up with to make this work. It was a nightmare and clunky to say the least. If only I had invested in a new Mac whenever a new model came out, stayed up to date with the OS and I had saved my money on all the hardware items that I purchased. I would have money left over today and the drum sampler would just plug into the recording software.
Hindsight is always 20/20 and there are a lot of ifs and buts in the post today. Once I have my new drum sampler working the way it should I will post an example or two. If you're planning on building your own studio, do research. Create a list of things that you absolutely need. If you have to have a mobile setup other rules apply than with a fixed setup in the basement. But if there is a PC or a Mac somewhere in the plan, make sure it is a powerful machine. It might be the most expensive piece but it will pay off over time.
One of my goals in my home studio is that I'm trying to create a better sound with every song I write and record. Also, I like to have a studio that is expandable and flexible.
When I first started out recording my music I used a 4-track tape recorder with an Atari to create midi tracks. A Roland soundcanvas served as my only source of sounds. Granted, this was 20 years ago and sounded like crap. By the time I was able to upgrade my studio in the mid 90's there was a whole different world out there with hard disk recorders, Macintosh had long ago replaced Atari and samplers offered great audio capabilities and realistic sounding instruments.
I chose a setup with my Mac at the hub of the studio. I purchased Logic Audio 3.5 and an Emagic sound card. The sampler and keyboard were connected through midi and the audio output was going through a mixer. There were even vst plug-ins available at the time. I believed I was going to be set for years to come. I could add infinite amounts of samples to the sampler, record unlimited guitar, bass and vocal tracks in Logic and MIDI wouldn't go out of style.
In a way that was a good choice. It helped me create some cool music that sounded fairly decent. However, it hurts to see that you can now create recordings that sound much better with a lot less. My assumption of using the Mac as the central unit was good and paid off. Where I lost track was the importance of this piece of equipment. Believing that truly great sounds can only come out of hardware, be it effects, mixers, samplers or synthesizers, I overlooked the versatility and flexibility of plug-ins.
The studio technology of today is software based. Software is cheap and the expansion and interfacing possibilities are limitless. There is only one obstacle. The processing power needed for the recording process has increased at a steady pace over the years. By throwing more and more tasks at the central CPU it needs to calculate more and more in less time. If you look at the system requirements of "simple" software that fulfills a single task my original Mac won't suffice in many cases.
I recently tried to add a new drum sampler to my setup. I am not going to bore you with the complex workaround that I came up with to make this work. It was a nightmare and clunky to say the least. If only I had invested in a new Mac whenever a new model came out, stayed up to date with the OS and I had saved my money on all the hardware items that I purchased. I would have money left over today and the drum sampler would just plug into the recording software.
Hindsight is always 20/20 and there are a lot of ifs and buts in the post today. Once I have my new drum sampler working the way it should I will post an example or two. If you're planning on building your own studio, do research. Create a list of things that you absolutely need. If you have to have a mobile setup other rules apply than with a fixed setup in the basement. But if there is a PC or a Mac somewhere in the plan, make sure it is a powerful machine. It might be the most expensive piece but it will pay off over time.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
We're in business
In the ever changing landscape of the music business it is a constant struggle to stay afloat as an artist. As it has become easier for the individual to promote and distribute digital media it has become increasingly difficult to make a living in music. With a greater number of free downloads than ever before and the decline of physical CD sales artists now not only need to be marketing specialists but also continuously find new revenue streams. At this point it is almost necessary to have a business plan in place. Basically, you should answer a few simple questions for yourself to avoid wasting time and energy on a lot of endeavors with little return (if any).
Who are your fans?
Know who is interested in the type of music you play. Are there specific age groups or genders that like what you do? What can you do to appeal to your fans even more?
How can you reach your fans and grow your fan base?
Do you have a website, a mailing list, do you play live shows, and is your music played by (internet) radio? What about social networking sites or a blog where you can interact with your fans?
What do your fans want?
First of all they want your music of course and preferably at the lowest price. Many fans like a good live show. Are they into buying merchandise?
Another decision you have to make comes after that stellar recording you just finished:
Do you sell CD's or only offer digital downloads?
My personal belief is that there are still people out there that prefer buying a physical product that they can hold in their hands. It really depends on your target audience and their purchasing habits though. Even if they are not interested in CD's I would get a small number printed for promotional purposes. It looks better when you send someone a professionally packaged CD for whatever opportunity you are seeking.
How to sell?
Different items require different services. If you don't want to send out CD's and deal with shipping and handling yourself you can easily utilize a service like CDBaby. There are plenty of other sites out there that offer your own personalized store for all your merchandise. Nimbit for example offers a great solution and has the lowest percentage taken out of your sales out of all the available digital stores. If you don't want to go that far, you can get a PayPal account and offer items directly through your website or MySpace page for example. Once again, you are in control of shipping and handling and that may or may not fit in your schedule. Either way it would be a shame if your fan 1000 miles away cannot buy your T-shirt because they are unable to attend your show where you sell your merchandise.
Other income opportunities:
Nowadays there are a few more ways of making money from your music. One of them is music licensing in film, TV, games and commercials. It is a big market with many players and you will have to look for the representatives that are right for you. But it may be worth it in the end. Branding is very important and might get you a sponsorship deal if you're into that.
All in all there is a wealth of possibilities and new opportunities are constantly being explored. It takes some effort to "get the foot in the door" but there is still money to be made for the independent artist.
Who are your fans?
Know who is interested in the type of music you play. Are there specific age groups or genders that like what you do? What can you do to appeal to your fans even more?
How can you reach your fans and grow your fan base?
Do you have a website, a mailing list, do you play live shows, and is your music played by (internet) radio? What about social networking sites or a blog where you can interact with your fans?
What do your fans want?
First of all they want your music of course and preferably at the lowest price. Many fans like a good live show. Are they into buying merchandise?
Another decision you have to make comes after that stellar recording you just finished:
Do you sell CD's or only offer digital downloads?
My personal belief is that there are still people out there that prefer buying a physical product that they can hold in their hands. It really depends on your target audience and their purchasing habits though. Even if they are not interested in CD's I would get a small number printed for promotional purposes. It looks better when you send someone a professionally packaged CD for whatever opportunity you are seeking.
How to sell?
Different items require different services. If you don't want to send out CD's and deal with shipping and handling yourself you can easily utilize a service like CDBaby. There are plenty of other sites out there that offer your own personalized store for all your merchandise. Nimbit for example offers a great solution and has the lowest percentage taken out of your sales out of all the available digital stores. If you don't want to go that far, you can get a PayPal account and offer items directly through your website or MySpace page for example. Once again, you are in control of shipping and handling and that may or may not fit in your schedule. Either way it would be a shame if your fan 1000 miles away cannot buy your T-shirt because they are unable to attend your show where you sell your merchandise.
Other income opportunities:
Nowadays there are a few more ways of making money from your music. One of them is music licensing in film, TV, games and commercials. It is a big market with many players and you will have to look for the representatives that are right for you. But it may be worth it in the end. Branding is very important and might get you a sponsorship deal if you're into that.
All in all there is a wealth of possibilities and new opportunities are constantly being explored. It takes some effort to "get the foot in the door" but there is still money to be made for the independent artist.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Tone
In previous posts I have talked about musical expression when playing an instrument or singing. I tried to explain the basic components of a song and shared the vision of one of my favorite guitar players, Scott Henderson.
When playing any style of music you need to know your basics like the rhythm, the harmonic and the melodic structures. To elevate your playing and add your interpretation to a song you utilize dynamics, phrasing and timing among others. There is one characteristic however that falls outside of all these categories. It's the tone.
The tone is part of your actual instrumental skills. Yet at the same time it is probably the most personal touch in your play. The tone comes before the sound. It is what comes out of your fingers (or your throat when singing). Even drummers, who usually play without physical contact, create the tone with their body in the way they use their arms, hands and feet and the force and technique they apply when hitting the drums.
Why is tone important? It is probably one of the most distinguishing characteristics of a player. When you listen to a singer, what is the most important feature that you base your preference on? A singer can have great technical skills, terrific phrasing and incredible timing yet you don't like them because you don't like the tone of their voice. The same example is valid for any other instrumentalist.
But wait a minute you are going to say, with instruments it depends on what brand and quality of instrument you play. This would only apply to the sound but not to the tone. For example, there is a practice room in school or college. Everybody constantly complains that the electric guitar amps sound pretty crappy and nobody can hear how good anyone really sounds. I would like you to invite a great player like Robben Ford or any other of the countless great guitarists in the world to give a workshop in your school only providing the crappy amps from the practice room. When you listen to your guest you will be surprised how great the amp sounds. Granted, your guest will not likely choose the crappy amp for their next recording. In the end, the sound of the instruments is just another color added to the music but the tone is you. That's one of the cool things I learned about great players. They can make any equipment sound great.
The next time you sit down with your instrument I would like you to listen to your playing in a different way. Listen for your tone. Play with a few variations and try to enhance it and make it stand out. If you can, use different equipment and instruments and notice the similarities in your tone. The more you become aware of your tone, the more you can define goals where you want to take it and what improvements you want to make. It is actually the cheapest way of improving your sound.
When playing any style of music you need to know your basics like the rhythm, the harmonic and the melodic structures. To elevate your playing and add your interpretation to a song you utilize dynamics, phrasing and timing among others. There is one characteristic however that falls outside of all these categories. It's the tone.
The tone is part of your actual instrumental skills. Yet at the same time it is probably the most personal touch in your play. The tone comes before the sound. It is what comes out of your fingers (or your throat when singing). Even drummers, who usually play without physical contact, create the tone with their body in the way they use their arms, hands and feet and the force and technique they apply when hitting the drums.
Why is tone important? It is probably one of the most distinguishing characteristics of a player. When you listen to a singer, what is the most important feature that you base your preference on? A singer can have great technical skills, terrific phrasing and incredible timing yet you don't like them because you don't like the tone of their voice. The same example is valid for any other instrumentalist.
But wait a minute you are going to say, with instruments it depends on what brand and quality of instrument you play. This would only apply to the sound but not to the tone. For example, there is a practice room in school or college. Everybody constantly complains that the electric guitar amps sound pretty crappy and nobody can hear how good anyone really sounds. I would like you to invite a great player like Robben Ford or any other of the countless great guitarists in the world to give a workshop in your school only providing the crappy amps from the practice room. When you listen to your guest you will be surprised how great the amp sounds. Granted, your guest will not likely choose the crappy amp for their next recording. In the end, the sound of the instruments is just another color added to the music but the tone is you. That's one of the cool things I learned about great players. They can make any equipment sound great.
The next time you sit down with your instrument I would like you to listen to your playing in a different way. Listen for your tone. Play with a few variations and try to enhance it and make it stand out. If you can, use different equipment and instruments and notice the similarities in your tone. The more you become aware of your tone, the more you can define goals where you want to take it and what improvements you want to make. It is actually the cheapest way of improving your sound.
Friday, May 8, 2009
They don't make 'em like that anymore
Everyone has their own little favorite things. The special something that makes life easier, makes your work easier or is simply best suited for the job. The runner has the shoes that are the most comfortable for the foot, the graphic designer has Photoshop on their Macintosh and the mechanic swears by WD-40.
Musicians like me have their own little pet peeves and favorite items that they can't do without anymore. Just imagine all the different things you're using on a daily basis. If I look at my studio, I see guitars of course and amps, an electric piano, a sampler, a Mac, a mixer, microphones and all kinds of other guitar gear. It is a collection of artifacts from the last 25 years. Some of my equipment is so vitally important to what I do that I could hardly live without it (or would have to spend a lot of money).
As technology progresses and everything is getting bigger, better and cheaper some older products fall off the wagon. They didn't generate the revenue that was expected or the manufacturing company simply chose a different path. There are hundreds of reasons why products are no longer made.
Today I would like to highlight three products that in my opinion are far underrated and manufacturing has stopped. In my opinion it is a shame because these items are of great quality, longevity and versatility.
Marshall JMP1
The Marshall JMP1 is a guitar pre-amp with a built-in midi interface. It uses two tubes for very characteristic sounds. The beauty is that you can use the amp for different clean and distorted sounds and equalization adds to the flavoring. It also has an effects loop with volume and mix control. Changing sounds is easy with a Midi-Foot Controller. Use the amp with a power amp and a speaker cabinet and you have endless possibilities at your fingertips. One of the nice things is that you store your sounds electronically so you can use let's say sound #11 and five years later sound #11 sounds exactly the same as when you last used it. This can be very helpful when you record a lot like me. Working on different songs over the course of a week or a month you can come back to a song without having to worry that the guitar will sound different because you adjusted the level, the gain is not quite right or you are using more treble. You simply plug in and dial the knob to the same sound#.
Blade RH-3
I've recently celebrated the 20th anniversary (yes, I am that old) of my Blade RH-3. The guitar initially came with active electronics and pick-ups that have been replaced or "customized" with passive pick-ups of my liking. But the hardware of the guitar is phenomenal. It has a sustain that is unrivalled and it sounds beautifully before ever plugged into an amp. There are no tuning issues with locking tuners that allow you to take advantage of the full length of the strings. What bothers me in today's guitar market is that there is a gap between the average quality guitars and the high quality guitars. If I translate this into dollars I would say that there is an overwhelming amount of guitars available up to $1000 and a great amount is available starting at $2000. But there is not much in between anymore. The Blade used to fit right into that gap and it still satisfies all my needs in a guitar.
Yamaha MFC05
You would think that this is only a Midi-Foot Controller and all it does is switch between banks or programs. That is correct. It doesn't make your fridge dance, make your guitar sound like a keyboard or get the crowd going. It is beautiful in its simplicity and robust for stage (ab)use. It is a metal box with six pedals on it. Think about how many sounds you really use on stage. More than three? That's rare. More than five? Weird sounds and variations must be your specialty. What makes the whole setup so versatile is that you can use any Midi enabled effects processor with the Marshall in the effects loop. You can change both, the Marshall sound and the effects processor bank with the touch of one button. Granted, there are a million multi-effects processors out there for guitar but when it comes down to it, which ones offer high-quality effects that don't influence the sound from your amp? Most of them don't.
I am sad that the direction in guitar amplification development went away from the building blocks technology. This technology was easy to use, versatile and uncompromising when it came to sound.
I would like to hear from you about items are no longer manufactured although they should.
Stay tuned for another post on great new technology that offers fantastic tools for all your recording needs.
Musicians like me have their own little pet peeves and favorite items that they can't do without anymore. Just imagine all the different things you're using on a daily basis. If I look at my studio, I see guitars of course and amps, an electric piano, a sampler, a Mac, a mixer, microphones and all kinds of other guitar gear. It is a collection of artifacts from the last 25 years. Some of my equipment is so vitally important to what I do that I could hardly live without it (or would have to spend a lot of money).
As technology progresses and everything is getting bigger, better and cheaper some older products fall off the wagon. They didn't generate the revenue that was expected or the manufacturing company simply chose a different path. There are hundreds of reasons why products are no longer made.
Today I would like to highlight three products that in my opinion are far underrated and manufacturing has stopped. In my opinion it is a shame because these items are of great quality, longevity and versatility.
Marshall JMP1
The Marshall JMP1 is a guitar pre-amp with a built-in midi interface. It uses two tubes for very characteristic sounds. The beauty is that you can use the amp for different clean and distorted sounds and equalization adds to the flavoring. It also has an effects loop with volume and mix control. Changing sounds is easy with a Midi-Foot Controller. Use the amp with a power amp and a speaker cabinet and you have endless possibilities at your fingertips. One of the nice things is that you store your sounds electronically so you can use let's say sound #11 and five years later sound #11 sounds exactly the same as when you last used it. This can be very helpful when you record a lot like me. Working on different songs over the course of a week or a month you can come back to a song without having to worry that the guitar will sound different because you adjusted the level, the gain is not quite right or you are using more treble. You simply plug in and dial the knob to the same sound#.
Blade RH-3
I've recently celebrated the 20th anniversary (yes, I am that old) of my Blade RH-3. The guitar initially came with active electronics and pick-ups that have been replaced or "customized" with passive pick-ups of my liking. But the hardware of the guitar is phenomenal. It has a sustain that is unrivalled and it sounds beautifully before ever plugged into an amp. There are no tuning issues with locking tuners that allow you to take advantage of the full length of the strings. What bothers me in today's guitar market is that there is a gap between the average quality guitars and the high quality guitars. If I translate this into dollars I would say that there is an overwhelming amount of guitars available up to $1000 and a great amount is available starting at $2000. But there is not much in between anymore. The Blade used to fit right into that gap and it still satisfies all my needs in a guitar.
Yamaha MFC05
You would think that this is only a Midi-Foot Controller and all it does is switch between banks or programs. That is correct. It doesn't make your fridge dance, make your guitar sound like a keyboard or get the crowd going. It is beautiful in its simplicity and robust for stage (ab)use. It is a metal box with six pedals on it. Think about how many sounds you really use on stage. More than three? That's rare. More than five? Weird sounds and variations must be your specialty. What makes the whole setup so versatile is that you can use any Midi enabled effects processor with the Marshall in the effects loop. You can change both, the Marshall sound and the effects processor bank with the touch of one button. Granted, there are a million multi-effects processors out there for guitar but when it comes down to it, which ones offer high-quality effects that don't influence the sound from your amp? Most of them don't.
I am sad that the direction in guitar amplification development went away from the building blocks technology. This technology was easy to use, versatile and uncompromising when it came to sound.
I would like to hear from you about items are no longer manufactured although they should.
Stay tuned for another post on great new technology that offers fantastic tools for all your recording needs.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Spyz in da house
Every once in a while you listen to a CD or an album that has it all. It stays with you for years and you can listen to it almost at any time. One of those albums that has this effect on me is Strength in Numbers from the 24-7 Spyz.
The Spyz are a Heavy Metal Soul crossover band from New York that started out in the late 80s. The driving forces behind the band are Jimi Hazel on guitars (and nowadays on vocals) and Rick Skatore on bass guitar. Initially, the band released a couple of albums with P. Fluid on vocals and Anthony Johnson on drums. The music on both albums was very diverse from straight up metal to soul and r&b type ballads. When Anthony Johnson and P. Fluid left the band, Joel Maitoza and Jeff Brodnax joined the band. Their label released the EP Harder Than You first to measure their marketability. Since they received a lot of praise they proceeded with the release of the full album Strength in Numbers.
Strength in Numbers will rock your socks off.
I have owned the CD since 1992 and played it over and over when I wanted some good groovy head banging. The album starts out with Break The Chains and it literally breaks the chains and boundaries of conventional music classification into genres and styles. Starting out as a funky masterpiece with clean guitars and a rhythm section that will make you get off your butt and DANCE, it easily breaks into a hard hitting heavy rock song with an unforgettable hook. Now that's an opener. It also sets the stage and raises the expectations for the album. How many times did you listen to an album only to discover that there are only three or four songs really worth listening to? On Strength In Numbers there are maybe three or four songs out of fourteen (!) that are a little weaker.
The change of pace and mixture of styles is seamless. Other songs that follow the example of Break The Chains are for example Judgment Day with the funky verse that turns into a stomping chorus, My Desire, a song that hits you in the face from the first note or I'm Not Going.
If you're still not convinced that these guys can rock check out Crime Story, Purple, Stuntman and Last Call. The guitar riffs go far beyond a simple onslaught of power chords and are paired with intricate rhythms that are full of intensity.
With such a tour de force of energy you need a break at some point. Strategically placed are two ballads, Earth And Sky and Traveling Day and a very soulful Got It Goin' On.
But wait, there's more. The group shows its versatility by adding the fantastic reggae-like Understanding that also carries a mellow vibe and pushes the groove out of the well-known structures of the genre. Also, Sireality is a four minute guitar solo with Rick and Joel jamming along which turns into some kind of obscure cacophony of noises.
Adding to the overall listening pleasure are the arrangements that are well thought out and the excellent musicianship of each member.
The Spyz are a Heavy Metal Soul crossover band from New York that started out in the late 80s. The driving forces behind the band are Jimi Hazel on guitars (and nowadays on vocals) and Rick Skatore on bass guitar. Initially, the band released a couple of albums with P. Fluid on vocals and Anthony Johnson on drums. The music on both albums was very diverse from straight up metal to soul and r&b type ballads. When Anthony Johnson and P. Fluid left the band, Joel Maitoza and Jeff Brodnax joined the band. Their label released the EP Harder Than You first to measure their marketability. Since they received a lot of praise they proceeded with the release of the full album Strength in Numbers.
Strength in Numbers will rock your socks off.
I have owned the CD since 1992 and played it over and over when I wanted some good groovy head banging. The album starts out with Break The Chains and it literally breaks the chains and boundaries of conventional music classification into genres and styles. Starting out as a funky masterpiece with clean guitars and a rhythm section that will make you get off your butt and DANCE, it easily breaks into a hard hitting heavy rock song with an unforgettable hook. Now that's an opener. It also sets the stage and raises the expectations for the album. How many times did you listen to an album only to discover that there are only three or four songs really worth listening to? On Strength In Numbers there are maybe three or four songs out of fourteen (!) that are a little weaker.
The change of pace and mixture of styles is seamless. Other songs that follow the example of Break The Chains are for example Judgment Day with the funky verse that turns into a stomping chorus, My Desire, a song that hits you in the face from the first note or I'm Not Going.
If you're still not convinced that these guys can rock check out Crime Story, Purple, Stuntman and Last Call. The guitar riffs go far beyond a simple onslaught of power chords and are paired with intricate rhythms that are full of intensity.
With such a tour de force of energy you need a break at some point. Strategically placed are two ballads, Earth And Sky and Traveling Day and a very soulful Got It Goin' On.
But wait, there's more. The group shows its versatility by adding the fantastic reggae-like Understanding that also carries a mellow vibe and pushes the groove out of the well-known structures of the genre. Also, Sireality is a four minute guitar solo with Rick and Joel jamming along which turns into some kind of obscure cacophony of noises.
Adding to the overall listening pleasure are the arrangements that are well thought out and the excellent musicianship of each member.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Food for thought
The internet offers endless possibilities. You can find everything. You can offer and promote everything easier than ever. The main impact of the internet is change. Change of the way we think, change of the way we do things and change to existing structures and processes. With change and the availability of an abundance of resources comes confusion. There are many areas where change and confusion have shaken things up, broken down barriers and created new opportunities. In the music industry the effects of the emerging new technology have been felt deeply.
I have been thinking and reading about the state of the industry a lot lately. There is a wealth of opportunities for musicians. It is easier than ever to reach fans and sell music. It is easier to collaborate with others without being physically in the same location. There is a whole new market of licensing opportunities for online content. On the other hand, there are so many services and platforms that the artist can easily get overwhelmed. Also, the fans are having a hard time finding music that appeals to their taste. We all have to find ways to deal with the new situation and utilize the tools that fit our needs.
The music industry as we know it doesn't exist any longer. We're in the process of creating new business models to fill the vacuum that was left behind. I could attempt to list many of the challenges we face but I will refrain from doing so and urge everyone to follow this link to an article I found on the restoringmusic.com website. It is probably one of the best articles I've read about this topic. I hope it will inspire you to think about new opportunities and solving existing issues.
I have been thinking and reading about the state of the industry a lot lately. There is a wealth of opportunities for musicians. It is easier than ever to reach fans and sell music. It is easier to collaborate with others without being physically in the same location. There is a whole new market of licensing opportunities for online content. On the other hand, there are so many services and platforms that the artist can easily get overwhelmed. Also, the fans are having a hard time finding music that appeals to their taste. We all have to find ways to deal with the new situation and utilize the tools that fit our needs.
The music industry as we know it doesn't exist any longer. We're in the process of creating new business models to fill the vacuum that was left behind. I could attempt to list many of the challenges we face but I will refrain from doing so and urge everyone to follow this link to an article I found on the restoringmusic.com website. It is probably one of the best articles I've read about this topic. I hope it will inspire you to think about new opportunities and solving existing issues.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Sound Obsession
As much as I love music, I am obsessed with sound as well. It's like a compulsive disorder. When I listen to music sound plays an important role to complete the experience. Although I wouldn't go as far as the fanatic that will still argue ten years from now that the analog sound from vinyl beats digital quality by a mile any day there are huge differences in today's recordings.
Sound can be affected on many levels. There are instruments with their specific sound, the mixture of instruments and sounds in a band, recording equipment, media and finally the broadcasting or amplification system. The end result, a combination of all of the above, can only be as good as the weakest individual link. You can have the highest quality recording on your disc of choice; if you listen to it through a pair of cardboard speakers it will sound abominable. You can have the latest high-end hifi surround sound system, if the studio used crappy microphones it will not sound good. I have to make two annotations here:
The most expensive equipment is not necessarily the best and some artists are aiming for a "crappy" sound that in itself holds a certain beauty or appeal.
Instruments play a vital role in the chain of sound. Today we have a wealth of instruments available for a wide range of prices. Although in general the price/quality balance seems to be intact, the broad range of available and affordable instruments raises the bar in quality from just a few years ago. Having said that, it is always important to look for instruments for a specific purpose or sound that one is trying to achieve. If I want to play metal I probably wouldn't use a Fender tweed blues combo. If I want to hear a full round jazz sound I probably shouldn't play an Ibanez JEM guitar. Of course this goes for any instrument, not only guitars and amps.
Another very important aspect of sound is the collaboration of instruments and players. Here is a tip for bands that often goes unnoticed and leads to a catastrophic live and studio sound: Play together and listen to each other. Tweak the sound as a band so that the individual instruments mix nicely. More often than not band members crank up their amps or monitors because they can't hear themselves or want to tone out the others. All it does is create a cacophony. Please, if you can't hear yourself, work it out together, adjust equalization to easier distinguish between instruments and vocals. My rule of thumb is that if a band sounds good on stage or in the rehearsal room it will sound good amplified or recorded. There is nothing worse for an engineer at a live show than to mix a band that sounds like a wall of noise on stage. The best part is that the audience usually blames the sound guy for the crappy sound.
When playing live the PA system and equipment plays an important role because it actually presents the end result to the listener. It is the recording piece, medium and broadcasting or amplification system in one. Although the artists and listeners have usually very little impact on the equipment and how it is used or operated it can make or break the band that I watch and listen to.
When it comes to recording there are many factors that play a role in creating that awesome sound. There are microphones, the recording medium, effects and countless other little things that take away from or add to the sound. Don't underestimate the cost/quality relationship in this area. I record all my music myself and it will always sound mediocre trying to come as close to what I envision as possible. But unless I have a professional studio with a professional engineer at my fingertips it will never excel above and beyond. Having said that, I believe that there is a bunch of horribly sounding music out there that has been released by major labels. Think about over-compressed, buttered up with effects or simply poorly mixed music.
I am not talking about the medium fro recorded music here because I don't want to spark the whole CD versus record discussion or analog versus digital for that matter. In my opinion, the differences in both are better scientifically measurable than actually physically noticeable with our ears.
When it comes to broadcasting or simply playing music on the home stereo or iPod good sound can be destroyed very easily. I understand that radio stations have the problem that a lot of music they play has different volume levels but please don't overdo the compression to even out the levels. There is nothing more annoying than having an acoustic guitar intro louder than the whole band coming in for the verse. That's like a huge anti-climax whereas the music was written to start out soft and then explode in your face. It's more like an implosion fading away. And believe me, the sound quality of instruments gets lost with compression and in some cases even the balance or mix goes to the dogs. There is a standard in the recording industry nowadays that implies that the higher the output levels the better. I wonder how far that will go and how much longer we can crank up those levels.
Sound can be affected on many levels. There are instruments with their specific sound, the mixture of instruments and sounds in a band, recording equipment, media and finally the broadcasting or amplification system. The end result, a combination of all of the above, can only be as good as the weakest individual link. You can have the highest quality recording on your disc of choice; if you listen to it through a pair of cardboard speakers it will sound abominable. You can have the latest high-end hifi surround sound system, if the studio used crappy microphones it will not sound good. I have to make two annotations here:
The most expensive equipment is not necessarily the best and some artists are aiming for a "crappy" sound that in itself holds a certain beauty or appeal.
Instruments play a vital role in the chain of sound. Today we have a wealth of instruments available for a wide range of prices. Although in general the price/quality balance seems to be intact, the broad range of available and affordable instruments raises the bar in quality from just a few years ago. Having said that, it is always important to look for instruments for a specific purpose or sound that one is trying to achieve. If I want to play metal I probably wouldn't use a Fender tweed blues combo. If I want to hear a full round jazz sound I probably shouldn't play an Ibanez JEM guitar. Of course this goes for any instrument, not only guitars and amps.
Another very important aspect of sound is the collaboration of instruments and players. Here is a tip for bands that often goes unnoticed and leads to a catastrophic live and studio sound: Play together and listen to each other. Tweak the sound as a band so that the individual instruments mix nicely. More often than not band members crank up their amps or monitors because they can't hear themselves or want to tone out the others. All it does is create a cacophony. Please, if you can't hear yourself, work it out together, adjust equalization to easier distinguish between instruments and vocals. My rule of thumb is that if a band sounds good on stage or in the rehearsal room it will sound good amplified or recorded. There is nothing worse for an engineer at a live show than to mix a band that sounds like a wall of noise on stage. The best part is that the audience usually blames the sound guy for the crappy sound.
When playing live the PA system and equipment plays an important role because it actually presents the end result to the listener. It is the recording piece, medium and broadcasting or amplification system in one. Although the artists and listeners have usually very little impact on the equipment and how it is used or operated it can make or break the band that I watch and listen to.
When it comes to recording there are many factors that play a role in creating that awesome sound. There are microphones, the recording medium, effects and countless other little things that take away from or add to the sound. Don't underestimate the cost/quality relationship in this area. I record all my music myself and it will always sound mediocre trying to come as close to what I envision as possible. But unless I have a professional studio with a professional engineer at my fingertips it will never excel above and beyond. Having said that, I believe that there is a bunch of horribly sounding music out there that has been released by major labels. Think about over-compressed, buttered up with effects or simply poorly mixed music.
I am not talking about the medium fro recorded music here because I don't want to spark the whole CD versus record discussion or analog versus digital for that matter. In my opinion, the differences in both are better scientifically measurable than actually physically noticeable with our ears.
When it comes to broadcasting or simply playing music on the home stereo or iPod good sound can be destroyed very easily. I understand that radio stations have the problem that a lot of music they play has different volume levels but please don't overdo the compression to even out the levels. There is nothing more annoying than having an acoustic guitar intro louder than the whole band coming in for the verse. That's like a huge anti-climax whereas the music was written to start out soft and then explode in your face. It's more like an implosion fading away. And believe me, the sound quality of instruments gets lost with compression and in some cases even the balance or mix goes to the dogs. There is a standard in the recording industry nowadays that implies that the higher the output levels the better. I wonder how far that will go and how much longer we can crank up those levels.
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