Over past one year I realized that just writing a recipe did not do enough justice to the dish I was making. Somehow, the words couldn’t describe the colors, the flavors and the aroma of the dish I had just prepared. Having a picture to go with the recipe was at least a step closer to actually tasting and smelling the food. However, taking pictures proved to be lot difficult that actually preparing a dish. I was mostly cooking during evenings and my only light sources were tungsten/fluorescent bulbs in the dining room and camera flash. Most of the pictures turned out to be off colored and sickly looking. I got much better results while cooking during daytime over the weekends. I have a large glass patio door that will let in lot of natural light and with help of few white boards to reflect light I got decent pictures (see pictures in my previous posts). But most of the cooking happened during evenings so decided to make myself an inexpensive light box. An internet search turned out a treasure trove of information. Few trips to Walmart and to local Hardware store and I was ready to assemble my Lightbox. In case you are interested, here’s my recipe for a home brewed light box.

Materials:

1. Five foam core board from Elmers (20×30x3/16 in): $ 18
2. Tacky Glue: $2
3. Masking tape (1.5-2.0 inch wide): $4
4. Leftover cardboard box
5. Two table lamps: ~$15 each
6. Two Daylight(5000-6000K) CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) of 100watt equivalent: $8 for three lamps

• Take a leftover cardboard box and cut out edges (~2inch wide; See picture above). I found some suitable packing material from a recent furniture purchase.
• Using masking tape attach two foam boards at 90 degree angle (see picture above). Put glue on one cardboard edge and place it over the masking tape and hold for 5min. When I only used masking tape the box was not strong enough. Cardboard edge gave the box additional reinforcement.
• Repeat the process till you have a box with one open side.

• Cut the long sides with a sharp edged blade to level all sides.

• Use the table lamps for lighting. RI used tit now I am using two table lamps but thinking of adding two more to get rid few shadows.
• For taking pictures, I used my Nikon D80 camera with on camera flash for additional lighting.
• For trial I took few pictures of an apple. Did simple tweaking-contrast and brightness-using Photoshop Element6

• Background is bluish instead of white and is probably coming from fluorescent light. Will do white balance adjustment in my camera.

Not bad for couple of hours of effort. Total expense around $70.

I like  still life photography because they hold really, really still- and they don’t seem to mind!  It also gives me a chance to work with the light endlessly.  This doll was made by a  family member and I wanted to photograph it for a book showcasing all the dolls she has made. This shot was made using a strobe with a 10 degree grid and I like the fall off of the light.  The grid allowed me to light the doll like a spot but with soft edges, and  not contaminate the black background with light spill.  Using an umbrella for this application would have given soft light but would have illuminated the background making the black -not so black.  When deciding what light to use in a setting-the method of controlling the light is just as important as the angle, f/stop etc.

Website – www.musicproducerpro.net

1) Following the Billboards is essential stuff that all people that want to get signed should be doing as a standard – it’s very important to know what is going on around in the popular charts. www.billboard.com

2) Getting serious about producing/songwriting – Find the part of the music industry that you want to get into and actually start doing it everyday. No slacking, no excuses.. It is your career at the end of the day.. and don’t ever for a second think because Beyonce has money shes not making music everyday.. FACT!

3) Setting your place of work – It’s essential that you have a place where you make your songs or produce your music, some people like to write songs here and there.. find your place where you can focus and get stuff down. Sometimes you may come to a mental block – go outside for a couple hours and get a break then try again.. simple stuff works.

4) Be productive, set goals. If you want to make a mix cd or have a collection of songs you want to have done.. start setting deadlines! Don’t think when your signed you can just sit around, you will have a deadline the label wants that album done by! And you will have to come up with fresh shit. No slipping.. you will be in the world of world class artists.. if you ain’t up to scratch you will be dropped!!!!

5) Have your work available online for your audience and do EVERYTHING possible with that. A good way to do this is just check all your favorite artist myspaces, website etc out and whatever they are doing.. if possible just go do too. You need to be on the MAP.. you need to do it NOW!! Do not expect shit to just happen for you because your lucky i’m even telling you this shit.. and your boy who makes better beats then you is prob making beats everyday hoping you don’t start!! Cause he knows the KEY!! Make sure your myspace is up.. your on tweeter.. and when your ready .. push your shit on iTunes.. its cheap these days.

6) Quality over Quantity .. i know i said it’s all about having loads of songs made etc.. however remember the quality of what your saying always comes first. Everyone is quality of rushing shit sometimes because you just wanna hear what it sounds like.. but trust.. quality is always better!! How often do you hear something on the radio you can’t understand because the person is mumbling.. hardly ever! End of.

7) Build a team.. you must have heard the saying .. one man cant do everything.. but everyone can do something. You need a team to push your shit when your not there to, a team to push your music to people you don’t know and you do the same back. Teams are essential in the music biz.. Look at your favourite artist.. i’m sure there in a team somewhere down the line..

Demos – Make sure you get your stuff down and ready, you never know who you may want your music and you never know whos hands it may fall into.. and once you have a demo done.. ALWAYS keep at least 5 copies on you everywhere you go. You are the main promoter of your shit.. be on form bra.

9) Make sure you learn how to produce music, how to make beats and even how to sing if your not good before using all of these tips.. or you will be laughed at. Be confident within yourself.. if anything.. feel free to comment on this post and i will listen to your stuff and give you some honest feedback. But knowing what your doing is Essential.. The music industry is full of professionals.. for example.. Souljaboy may not be the best musician in the world however he knows what his doing in the studio to make a hit record.. do you? If not go learn right now!!!!

10) BE YOURSELFFFFFFFF…. 100% INSIDE AND OUT..

For more information please visit www.musicproducerpro.net

As 2009 comes to an end, I wanted to share some helpful tips for creating and recording your music starting in 2010 and lasting a life time.  If you are one to put together a New Years resolution list, I want to offer you two suggestions to add to your list of goals:

#1:  Set up your home recording studio

#2:  Learn a new instrument and perfect the one you play

This two part blog post is geared for seasoned and novice musicians, as well as aspiring song-writers alike.  My hope is that these tips will inspire you to either learn a new instrument this year or start recording your music in the comfort of your own home.  I have certainly been personally inspired by the following gear tips and resources and I hope that you can find some inspiration and direction as well.  Let’s get started:

Setting up your Home Studio – without breaking the bank – Part 1

Wow – what a difference a decade makes.  There has been an unlimited amount of amazing music created in the last 10 years.  If you’re new to my blog – please be sure to read my last post:  My Top 10 Albums of the Decade.  More importantly, however, the technology behind how music has been recorded and created has changed dramatically.  Technology is now more than ever closing the gap between large, commercial studios and creating top notch music in the comfort of your home.  I’ve had the privilege to collaborate with some amazing musicians and song-writers over the years.  However, the number one question I always have is: “Why are you not recording these songs?” As I was brainstorming on a clever way to offer suggestions on how to create your home studio, I immediately thought to simply give credit where credit is due.  The following post comes from The Recording Revolution, by Graham Cochrane.  This post is one among many on his site that empowers musicians and home recording enthusiasts to move past the fear and hype – and get to it.  So, without further ado:

Your Home Studio – For $500 – Courtesy of The Recording Revolution

author: Graham Cochrane

The number one question I get as a music producer from bands, songwriters, and worship leaders is this: “How much do I really need to spend on home studio equipment to get a professional sounding recording?” I am going to cut through the hype and tell you exactly what you need (and don’t need) to not only get started with home recording, but to excel at it and create quality recordings. (I’ll give you a hint…it ain’t much).

Computer – $0
I’m going to be honest with you. I am assuming you already have a computer (mac or PC, laptop or desktop) that is relatively new (within 2 years or so). If you don’t have a computer already then I don’t know how you’re reading this blog to begin with, and I don’t know how you’ll get much more out of this post. So make sure you have a decent computer to start with (not the cheapest processor, 1 to 2 gigs of RAM, a hard drive with plenty of space on it to record to). Each type of recording software will have certain requirements but that should get you started no problem.

Recording Software – $0
Since computers have become so powerful, they have replaced the mixing console, recording tape (DAT, 2 inch, etc), as well as all the outboard gear (compressors, EQs, reverbs, etc). What you need is recording software, specifically known to recording geeks as a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). There are many to choose from these days, and I have used a whole slew of them. But at the end of the day, the program I keep coming back to is Digidesign’s Pro Tools…and here’s why:

• It’s both mac and PC compatible. This means you don’t HAVE to get a different kind of computer to use it. Run it on your PC or mac, or both!
• It’s easy to learn and use. Of all the DAWs I’ve used, Pro Tools is by far the easiest to get up and running in, while at the same time offering so much depth. Plus, since it’s so widely used and loved, there is an abundance of free resources online to help get you started!
• It’s a complete package. You don’t need any other plugins, virtual instruments, or software to make amazing recordings. It’s ready to go out of the box!
• It’s the ‘Industry Standard’. Despite the controversy surrounding this, Pro Tools is far and away the most used recording software in the industry. You’ll find it in practically all major studios for music, film, and TV. The great thing about making your studio a Pro Tools studio is that you can take your sessions with you to almost any other studio in the world and your files will open up flawlessly on their system, ready for you to keep working!

Now, that sounds great and all Graham, but how is this wonderful Pro Tools software FREE? Simple, just purchase on of their audio interfaces (see below) and it comes free! You can’t get a better deal than that.

Audio Interface – $295
Since you don’t have a $500,000 mixing console in your bedroom you’ll need some way to get your sounds (guitars, vocals, keyboards, etc) into your computer and into the recording software. This is where an audio interface comes in. They come in many shapes and forms (and brands of course), but I’ll give you my simple recommendation… Get the Mbox 2 Mini from Digidesign.

It is a simple device that plugs into your computer via USB. It doesn’t even need a separate power cable. It is a 2 channel interface which means you can record up to 2 channels at a time (guitar and vocals let’s say). It comes with a great microphone preamp, guitar and bass input, and stereo keyboards inputs. You can plug in speakers and studio headphones to it to listen to your tracks. It of course comes with a free copy of the latest version of Pro Tools LE (version 8 as of this writing), which as I mentioned contains everything you need to make top notch recordings.

Studio Microphone – $99
With the exception of recording virtual instruments or guitars/bass/keyboards direct, you will need at least one quality microphone to handle all “acoustic” recording. And by that I mean your vocals, acoustic guitars, guitar amps, drums, percussion, salt shakers, or anything else you can find in the physical world that makes a cool sound! Again, you could spend thousands of dollars on one mic alone, but why…when you can get a top notch studio mic for less than $100. Here are my recommendations in no particular order. Pick one and be done.

Audio-Technica AT2020

Studio Projects B1

Samson C01

M-Audio Nova

Behringer B1

These are all studio condenser microphones which means they are sensitive enough to capture the crisp air on your vocals and acoustic guitar as well as the fat tones from your rocking tube amp.  If you grab one of those five mics above you will have a swiss army knife type mic that will get the job done for you every time!

Basic Accessories – $99
The remaining items you’ll need (and you do need these) can be had for under $100 easy. These aren’t very exciting accessories, but believe me you will use them every time you make music and will come to depend on them. Not much detail here so just trust me on these. Here we go…

Mic stand ($29) – It holds your microphone in any position you need. Grab this one from Samson and be glad you didn’t get a cheaper one that will break on you in a month.

Mic cable ($25) – You obviously need a quality mic cable to hook your microphone up to your Mbox’s preamp. Nothing fancy here.

Pop filter ($20) – This keeps your vocals sounding nice by blocking the loud plosives (“P” and “B” sounds). Again, not interesting at all, but trust me you will need this.

Studio headphones ($17) – You will need these while you are recording. It allows you to listen to previously recorded tracks so you can sing or play along without the sound “bleeding” into your microphone. Plus these are great for editing and even mixing your songs in Pro Tools. Can’t beat the price on these puppies.

Summing It Up
Whew! If you’ve made it this far in the post than you truly must care about getting a home studio up and running. Good for you. Too many people think it’s either too expensive to do it right OR it’s not worth their time or money to make a small investment in their music. Both ideas would be dead wrong. There has never been a better time in the short history of recorded music to get your hands on some basic gear that will allow you to create pro sounding recordings for this cheap!

Coming soon: Part 2 – Learn a new instrument and perfect your own

Stay tuned to the second part of this blog post where I’ll provide tips and inspiration on learning a new instrument.  I will also include advice on how to respect, practice and perfect your current instrument and personal style.

Questions or comments? Contact me via email, leave a comment here or start a discussion on facebook or twitter.

travis@traviswhitmore.com

//

A Lovely Couple

I love to play with light. This image was taken with an Alien Bees strobe- bare bulb and a 7 inch reflector directly behind the couple. More than 20 shots were taken until I found the sweet spot I was looking for.

Because of the camera angle, the soft light wraps around the young lady’s face and her expression is captured nicely. The profile and the harder shadow shows masculinity in his face.  This is such a great portrait. It shows their closeness as a couple and is a little different than the normal portrait look.  Today’s younger people are looking for something different and you must experiment a little to find that new look.  So now I have another trick to add to my bag.  Continually experimenting with light will pay off!

Well, just in the nick of time I’ve finished “Chrissy Porter” inspired by the late Mick Ronson’s classic “Billy Porter” – in order to make it available as a free download for Rams fans as a New Year’s gift! You can hear it on the player underneath the lyrics below, but if you want a download, please send me your email address to kevdabass@yahoo.com and I’ll send you an MP3 of the track. It’s a homage to our striker Chris Porter, who, when fit has proved he can find the back of the net with the best of ‘em!

He came down from Motherwell
A bargain? we just couldn’t tell – a stranger
But Cloughie has an eye you see
And pretty soon we saw he was a danger

For his eyes they could see only the goal
And the opposition’s gonna be rolled
East End Park is far behind him now
He’ll give his all for DCFC

Running past and running fast
He turns the opposition for a corner
Thought I heard his running feet
He struck the ball just right, and sweet
Like thunder

Well I saw it hit the back of the net
And Chrissy Porter’s clearly not finished yet
And I never ever realised
That we could still unearth such a gem

Chrissy Porter
We never realized that you’d be the one
Chrissy Porter
When you started knocking goals in for fun
Look what you done!

Well I’ve never heard my heart beat so fast
As defence after defence you slipped past
And I never ever realised
How much you’d bring to Derby County
Let me tell ya’

Now Chrissy’s smart and Chrissy’s tough
But recently he’s had it rough
He told me

‘My hip has been knocked outta sight
But for the Rams I’m gonna fight
Stay by me’

Now he’s getting better
Each and every day
And I think that in his place
he might stay
And I never, ever realized
What a marksman he would turn out to be

Chrissy Porter
You always got the other team on the run
Chrissy Porter
When you joined you said
That this place is fun
Let’s get it done

Chrissy Porter
You proved to be an instant hit with the fans
Chrissy Porter
When you came down here
And played for the Rams

Come on the Rams!

Produced, Arranged and Performed by Kev Moore, Lyrics by Kev Moore © 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!!!

Kev Moore

Me at Public Assembly after my show. Photo credit: Niko Lamas

So a few weeks ago my friend Joe Gatti of the band JoGaBot invited me to play a show with him at Public Assembly on 12.26.09. I was excited to be invited, but I don’t think I thought the show would be as important to me as it ended up being. This show was a really important moment for me.

1. I put a bunch of time before the show into cleaning and flat ironing my wig, which meant that instead of it looking like the cheap, everyday costume store plastic hair that it is, it looked stylized and slick, and really completed my outfit nicely (that rug really tied the room together, man!). I really felt great about how I looked at this show, and it paid off because it got a lot of people taking pictures and video of my show, which I don’t think they’d do if I didn’t look unusual and interesting and capture their attention. Attracting attention of a nice photographer at the venue, by the way, is what got me the gorgeous photo you see above. And I love that photo!!!!!!

2. It was a full on solo show in a venue with beautiful sound, and I got a great quality video of the whole show, courtesy of my wonderful friend Elijah. This allowed me to really see that my show really sounds excellent with tracks on a great sound system and live vocals, and there’s nothing to be ashamed about when it comes to performing with tracks. What I bring to the table as an artist is the ability to write and record songs in my home studio and sing them live, not play them live, and my show needs to consist of me doing what I do best to best showcase the music and my performing abilities. I think performing with tracks does that, and now I have fantastic video evidence of that to show to any promoter/booker who thinks a show performed with tracks wouldn’t work or be enjoyable or sound awesome, because it is awesome and enjoyable. Finally, I have good video of what I can do live as a solo act! I am SO relieved and excited about that and I think it will be a great help as I go about trying to book a lot of shows this year.

3. I had a great time with this show and was very happy with how it turned out, and there were a lot of random people in the room who heard and watched the show and signed up for my email list afterwards. As I went around the room collecting email addresses, a lot of people kept saying to me “I really hope you do well with this, because you really deserve to. You had such great energy up there and your voice is amazing!” and things like that, which was awesome. People seemed surprised that I was able to put on a high-energy show in a low-attendance room, but my feeling was, a) you have to do your best at every single show because you never know who’s watching, even if it’s only one person (and I proved this with this show, since if I hadn’t given a great show, I wouldn’t have won over any of those new fans) and b) I knew I needed a great video of me doing a great performance, and dammit, I was going to get it come hell or no audience! (And I did!)

So, without further ado, here are all the videos from the show. 10 songs and two funny interludes!

This Saturday, I tried my home studio recording. The idea is simple, I want to record my Erhu playing with accompaniment. You know, as an amateur player like me, it’s rare if not impossible to play with an orchestra.

Today, the technology make this possible by using simple equipments. Thanks to the open source recording and editing tool, Audacity, which is the important part of this.

My only available recording place is my bedroom, which is not a good place for recording music instruments. But the technology like “noise removal” makes it possible to remove the ground noise while keep sound almost perfect.

My equipment is simple: an audio-technica AT9745 Microphone, M-Audio USB Transit external USB sound card, and my laptop. That’s all my recording device. Monitoring is through Sennheiser HD600. Although it’s not perfect for monitoring, ( it’s a open headphone instead of closed), it does the work.

Result is better than my expectation, the limitation here is not recording environment nor the equipment now. My Erhu palying skill becomes biggest limitation. I’ll try to exercise more and try recording again.

Unfortunately, I have not found a place on the web to share audio files. I shall put the link once I found the space.

Author: Johnny Moon
Source: ezinearticles.com

I use an E-MU 1616M audio interface that has the same 24bit/192kHz converters that the flagship $4000 ProTools system, best protools
, (that is used in a lot of professional studios) uses. Why is that such a big deal? Because I get professional sound quality for 1/10th of the cost (yes, it’s only $400 instead, best protools
, of $4000.)

This is a great example of how professional sound quality has become more and more affordable for those who want to record music at their own home studio.

But it’s definitely not the only example., best protools
, It’s also now possible to get good quality condenser, best protools
, microphones at a reasonable price and a good condenser mic is really an essential part to doing any recording of acoustic instruments (such as vocals and acoustic guitars.) It used to be that if you wanted a good mic you’d have to shell out over a thousand dollars.

Simply put; this is a great time to be recording music. All you really need to get started is a good quality computer (a quick tip: stay away from Windows, best protools
, Vista, it’s a serious pain in the backside), an audio interface (this is how you get your recording into your computer), DAW software (REAPER is the best deal around, in my opinion), and a condenser microphone (if you want to do music no acoustical elements, this isn’t necessary of course.)

I’m, best protools
, not saying there’s not more stuff, best protools
, to get for your studio if you really want to reach a professional sound quality, best protools
, level (for example, acoustic design materials and high quality studio monitors) but, best protools
, you should be able to achieve a pretty impressive level of sound quality with just the aforementioned elements if you know how to use them.

And therein lies the rub. It’s know-how (more than the gear) that separates good home recordings from bad. Now that the gear is very affordable, it’, best protools
, s the knowledge of how to use that gear properly that’s most valuable.

How to Start Recording Music at Home for less than $2500.

Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2010 from all us folks here at moore:music – (well that’d be just lil’ ol’ me, then!)

I thought I’d share with you once again my Christmas song – “One Stranger” which I made a couple of years back. Enjoy, and have a great day!

PS – Don’t forget you can download my latest solo album FOR FREE in the link on the sidebar!

Kev Moore

]]> http://jccassis.wordpress.com/2009/12/24/my-music-got-played-at-the-5th-avenue-diesel-store/ Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:04:34 +0000 jccassis http://jccassis.wordpress.com/2009/12/24/my-music-got-played-at-the-5th-avenue-diesel-store/

So I know a lot more DJ’s than I thought I did, and that has turned out to be a wonderful thing since many of them are interested in playing my music. The most recent DJ friend of mine who volunteered to play my stuff was the lovely and talented DJ Gatsby.

This was very exciting because it was the first time I’d get to hear the music played live in real life, with the other listeners right there, not just over internet or terrestrial radio. DJ Gatsby has a weekly residency at the fabulous Diesel store on 5th Avenue in NYC, so on Monday I went there to hear him play my tracks live, and furtively taped the whole trip, so I’ll upload the video here soon. It was so exciting to be in a hip, upscale store, with shoppers from all over the world all around me, hearing my music over the booming sound system. And the great thing was, the music, which I’d made with my simple little home studio in my bedroom, really sounded fantastic. It was also really fun to listen to because DJ Gatsby mixed the ends and beginnings of my songs together and it sounded great, and that was the first time I’d heard anyone do that. I felt like such a rockstar. I really wanted to go up to a shopper and be like “excuse me, do you know who sings this song?” and then be like, “IT’S ME!!!” but that probably would have been weird and confusing for them, haha. Anyway, it was an awesome moment, and you’ll see the video here very soon! Now hire DJ Gatsby for your club or special event. He is very talented and a VERY sweet guy!

Paid $17,500 for everything. Used as a post production studio for hire, but I’m going out of business. All equipment is in like new condition and well maintained. Willing to install within the greater Los Angeles area. Buyer is responsible for shipping costs. Pick up is recommended, but you will need a few big boxes and a small moving truck. This is a final sale. No return or exchange. Cashier check or money order only.

Contact: KAREEM (818) 530-6200

Email: jenerus@gmail.com for more information

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LIST OF ITEMS

click here for VOCAL BOOTH details

click here for SWEET WATER RACK XT DESKTOP PC details

Hiding

This image is truly a keeper! The little girl was pretty shy around the camera,  so it was,  “get ‘em when you can” on this session.  But actually, this probably wouldn’t have turned out so nice if you tried to stage it. The real expressions are always better, you just have to be ready for them. Definitely some lessons learned. Have camera ready! Watch the subject closely! Shoot fast!

A video visit of my guitar room / home studio, because it’s been redone since the last one, and I never took the time to show it… so here we go. In it I show some guitars, electric and acoustic, amps, pedals, recording gear, some parts on the shelf, and a bunch of computers. How geeky can one get? Apparently, plenty geeky!

So welcome to Casa Mojo.

One of my biggest mistakes recently was to follow several producer/DJ types on Twitter. Every day, I’m bombarded with tweets informing me that, having woken up at a leisurely 9am, they’re going to ‘have a shower, grab some breakfast and head off to the studio for the day’.

I’m struggling to think of anything else I’d rather do for a living. I really am. Making music and being paid for doing so is about as good as it can get, as far as I’m concerned.

I love my current job, don’t get me wrong, and I’m one of the silent minority who enjoys coming to work; I don’t see it as a chore. That isn’t a disclaimer in case my boss is reading, either.

What depresses me slightly is the path the majority of these guys have taken to musical nirvana, as it is uncomfortably close to my past.

Like me, they have a parent who is a musician. Like me, they took the opportunity to bash around on said parent’s kit. Like me, they fell in love with midi and software such as Cubase at an early age. Like me, they spent an inordinate amount of their youth producing music for themselves.

Unlike me, they kept this up and went on to make a handsome living out of it.

In my late teens I made a very conscious (although difficult) decision to pursue a path in IT rather than music. The latter seemed a little too unattainable, if I’m honest, although that’s code for ‘I was too lazy to bother’. If I’d applied myself, I could have gone to university to study some form of music technology degree, or finance a college course off my own back. Instead, I ended up maintaining a computer network at a window and door component business in Daventry. Rock and roll.

Had I chosen my other path, there would have been significant differences in my personal life, which is worth bearing in mind. It’s unlikely I’d have met my girlfriend and I’d have a somewhat limited social life, as have the likes of Funkagenda, Dave Spoon and Chris Lake. So, perhaps I shouldn’t complain…

Makes you wonder what might have been though, doesn’t it…

The first Stage in Creating new music is getting some inspiration. Listen to your favorite artists, get a feel for the kind of song you want to make. For me the melody comes before the lyric. I find a nice guitar riff or chord progression and a loop it and run with it. Layering and experimentation comes later. What you want to make first is the skeleton of your song.

The skeleton is made up of the riff or progression that is made into a melody. Like C G D E. Play around with the melody until you get something you like for a chorus. Then work on the verse.  The chorus of the song is the most important. This is how shitty songs appear on the radio, the lyrics suck but you can’t help but bob your head to it. After you have your winning chorus melody, perfect the verse melody and move to build the rest of your skeleton.

For me the bass always comes after the melody.  You want a bass that stands out, varies and adds something special to your song. you don’t want a dragging bass line. yuck. : ( When you have made a bass line you like you continue with your song skeleton.

The drums. The drums are your rhythm and movement of your song. Here is where you decide how the flavor of your song. I stress simple layering. It brings simplicity to your song but intriuge to your listener. You want a beat that is different from others but simple still.

Lastly loop your skeleton and listen for spaces to get creative. This stage is what sets apart the stars from the duds. I can’t give you instuction on making magic. you either have it or you don’t.

After your skeleton and add on’s have been added you are ready for the next stages. Editing. You want your instumental to be perfect before you move on. Clean up any rough patches.

Next write and record some lyrics, add some effects, layer, edit.

After that you are ready for the mixing blog.

Below you will find a list of my products of choice.

21.5 inch Imac

Emachines 22 inch LCD

M-audio Fastrack

D-line- Usb hub

M-audio 88 Semi weighted Keystation Controller

M-Audio Finger Trigger

Onstage Boom Mic stand

At2020 Condenser Mic

Raxxes Pop filter

Fender Strat Electric

Acoustic Guitar

Numark Headphones

Bose Monitors

Reason 4, Logic Studio 9

This setup is not for everyone, it is what is most comfortable for me.  Now that the basics are out of the way. The blogs will focus on How to Set up your equipment, Test your gear, Lay tracks, Edit tracks, and Mix tracks.

I will not spend alot of time on this. KNOW THAT YOU CAN ONLY MAKE GOOD MUSIC IF YOU CAN HEAR IT AN TWEAK IT.  You will need 2 pair of headphones a headphone y splitter(6 bucks : ) ) and a good pair of monitors.

The main point with headphones in your home music studio is to be able to adequately hear all the sounds, from the high pitches to the low bass and 808’s .  For speakers I would suggest the affordable KRK’s. (Again do your research). For headphones there are many viable options. I use Numark headphones because I dj.  Make sure you have monitors and headphones that playback  your true sound otherwise it will make mixing and mastering hell.

I have yet to tackle in depth studio building but rather giving fast answers to questions. People like myself just want to know what I need to get the job done. Again is need based. If you just rap and you don’t produce your own music, you are only looking to incorporate vocals. In this case all  you require is recording software, and interface and a decent mic. If you play an with a band, you can’t get the job done without a mixer. Are you a solo act who produces? Then you are like me and this guide is better tailored for you.

Anyways on with the show.

I have yet to mention microphones. This IS a portion of your studio you want to splurge on if you can. The quality of your mic makes a difference. It is important to note that if you did not take my advice on selecting a midi interface with a PREAMP, then you will need to purchase one. Preamps amplify the mic sounds that are recieved. With out them you will not be able to record decent vocals.  A good condenser mic will do justice for vocals. I recommend the AT2020 as a starter mic. If your have the money the Rode NT1-A is fantastic. You will need a BOOM mic stand and a pop filter. The Mic stand will free your hands, and the pop filter will filter any unwanted Pah pah sounds and SSSSSSssssss sounds that come off harsh in playback. Do yourself another favor and get a sleeve for your mic. Dust sucks and it is also comprised mostly of human skin. I don’t think you wanna put your lips against your roomates arm skin. : (

Mics don’t plug themselves in, so make sure you get some cableS. Yes multiple cables. Lonnng cables. Don’t skimp and get a cheap short cable. Why? Because of the poor connectivity and the shame that you can only sing into your mic if you are bent over. (It may be a nice view for your roommate, but save yourself the akward conversation.)

The last bit of advice I must always stress is, DO your Research! Right down a few models in your budget, read reviews, and shop around.