Sound | Transit Records - Label Recording Music Production

Sep 6

Independent Artist Website – Sound Decisions About Studio Recording

Now that you have had a general introduction to recording, specifically for tracking a live show, this Independent Artist Website will give you an overview of studio recording, from the usual rent-a-pro approach to setting up your own project studio. First things first: You have to decide who is going to be the producer, even before deciding on the engineer. None of the later decisions about tracking instruments, recording vocals, doing overdubs, processing signals, or getting a final mix will mean Bo Diddley, to coin a phrase, if your bands three or five or eight members are arguing all the time about who sounds the loudest and what so-and-so’s girlfriend is doing in the vocal booth. Someone has to run the show. This is even true for a solo act in independent artist, since in a studio leadership vacuum most seasoned (or semi-seasoned, or even just salty) engineers will step right up and make the decisions for you. If the band does not present a united front behind its leader, the whole process will be at risk. So, before anything else, decide• Who will be the producer?• What arrangements of what songs will be recorded?• How much debate and democracy will be involved in the process,• When the various deadlines are going to be set, and• Why things are going to be run them way they are. Now is the time for clarity, group cohesion, and common goals. Larger-than-life egos and delusional daydreams have to be left at the door (better yet, down the street) so that a workable, affordable, efficient, and effective plan can be developed — and pursued to a successful conclusion. Everybody needs to get on the same page (or play the same tune, or whatever metaphor you prefer). Now you are as ready as you are going to be, so what is next?Well, as usual, it is about money, mostly, and time, too. What is the working budget? Can you afford (and do you want to afford) to go into a project-level studio at $30 an hour with engineer included? A pro studio at $50-100 an hour with engineer maybe included? To make these calculations, you need to have your songs down pat, know how you are going to record them (rhythm section together or dubbed) and how long all of it will take. If you are doing a three-song played that is one thing; if you are doing your debut CD with 11 tracks that is a whole other thing. For simplicity is sake, and to keep consistent examples from here forward, let’s go with your demo for now. The whole decision process can take a U-turn if one of the band members, or a good (really good) friend, has a decent project studio set up — meaning pro and semi-pro equipment, a decent recording room, good microphones (and cables!), and so on. So, this is the second big decision, after choosing the producer, but it is not one that the newly christened producer should make alone. Once again, unanimity is vital. Wherever you do the sonic deeds, if you are recording your drummer and bassist (and maybe a guitar or keyboard too) as a unit, which imparts an organic feel to the tunes, then you will need baffles, sound deflectors, etc. , to minimize bleed. You will have to have headphones for everyone, good mics that are properly placed, quality cabling to minimize hum and pops, and so forth. If this is all starting to sound awfully complicated, opt for the best mid-level project studio in town, the one with good equipment and a decent studio, if not state-of-the-art. We were doing your demo, remember? Not your platinum-worthy debut. Most likely, the studio will have a computer-based recording system, with a Mac or PC running one of the major Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software applications — Apple’s Logic, Cubase, Digital Performer (Mac only), Sonar (PC only), or some other. You probably don’t want to do your demo with entry-level programs like Apple Garage band or Cakewalk’s Home Studio unless you have to; they are competent in the tracking arena, but fall way short in terms of plug-ins and quality of effects (like reverb) that are essential to the project. If you do not see a number of different kinds of microphones, you will at least want to see the trusty Shure SM-57s and 58s for miking guitar amps (and using as drum overheads) and at least one good condenser mic for vocals. There should be a decent outboard mixer available, if not always used with the DAW, a sufficient number of cans (headphones) for everyone, Monster or other quality cables, perhaps a piece or two of vintage rack gear, and pro-level monitors (for Pete sake, no living room stereo speakers). If the producer is not a gearhead or audio pro, well, he or she will need to study up on the subject, or find a good (low-paid) consultant. If you have your plan together; if your parts are practiced and tight; if your excitement level stays high despite the ups and downs of getting your demo project together — well, you are in about the best shape you can be, considering the importance of what you are doing. You will need the help of a good, flexible, communicative engineer, so do not make a hasty decision about where to do your demo recording. Talk to different people, get referrals, interview studio owners, ask tough questions, and keep your priorities straight. If you get too off into the equipment and the process, well, maybe you should be in the recording music business, and that is okay, too. But never lose sight of what is really important, and the reason you got into all this in the first place: the music. It is about the music, folks. If you need reminding, put a big sign on the refrigerator.

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Aug 25

The Sound Of Music: Online Downloads

Having fundamentally altered the way consumers search for, and purchase, products, the internet is having a huge impact on various different industries today.

The high street is no longer the only place to visit when you need to make a purchase, whether that is for clothes, cosmetics, music or movies. It may have once been commonplace to conduct daily transactions on the high street, but an increasing number of people are now choosing to shop online; there are around 1. 6 billion internet users worldwide and around 85% have used the world-wide-web to make a purchase.

One of the biggest consequences of the digital revolution has taken place within the music industry, with more people than ever swapping CDs in favour of downloading music. Consumer demand for music is at an all time high, with annual sales of digital music attracting revenues of US$3. 7 billion in 2008.

2008 additionally saw a growth of 24% in downloads of singles, whilst digital album sales grew by 36%. Underlining the sheer popularity of music downloads, the top selling single of 2008 saw 9. 1 million units being sold, a figure standing at 1. 8 million more than the previous year.

In terms of digital music consumption, the US is a clear leader, accounting for around half of its market value. Breaking the one billion barrier in 2008, single track download sales reached 1. 1 billion and digital album sales increased by 32% to hit 66 million in America alone. Japanese consumers also account for a large share of the marketplace, while Britain saw the largest rise in digital sales in the first half of 2008.

Offering users access to millions of songs online, there are numerous advantages to music download sites. For example, not only is it possible to find and listen to a huge range of music at the touch of a button, it usually takes a mere 30 seconds to download a song with a standard broadband connection.

Furthermore, it is possible to hear a song or album before you buy it, meaning you can listen to an artist’s music without having to purchase the whole album and therefore reduce the risk of downloading music that you don’t like.

Generally speaking, there are two ways to buy music online. The first is based on a pay-as-you-go basis, whereby you can search for a song or album and then pay to download it. This is a great option for those who don’t intend to download a lot of music.

The second option, recommended for those who will regularly download music, takes the form of a monthly subscription. You can stream entire songs or albums, as well as create playlists.

Once you have paid for the music you want and downloaded it, it is then yours to keep, meaning you can listen to it when you want, where you want. In this way, music downloads have had a huge impact on the way people interact with, and listen to, music.

Aug 23

Michael Jackson – Bad (Special Edition) – Bad (1987) – HQ Sound

Song: Bad. Sung & Performed by: Michael Jackson. Song written by: Michael Jackson. Produced by: Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones. Album: “Bad” August 31, 1987. Music video directed by: Martin Scorsese. Music video choreographed by: Jeffrey Daniel. Song Record Label: Epic Records. Niceties by: www.youtube.com Synopsis! “Bad” was a 1987 hit recording by American singer Michael Jackson. The song was the second of five Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit singles from the album Bad, (the first a time a recording artist achieved this feat) and was his seventh number-one single overall. The song was originally intended as a duet with longtime rival Prince, which one can infer with the song’s lyrics. Quincy Jones, in an interview included in the special edition of Bad, said that Prince told Jackson and him that he had not wanted to participate because “it would be a hit without (him)”. In a 1996 interview with German TV, Prince also humorously said that the reason he didn’t want to participate was the first line “Your butt is mine”, and that he said to Jackson; “I ain’t saying that to you… and you sure ain’t saying that to me!” In his 1988 autobiography Moonwalk, Jackson wrote: ‘Bad’ is a song about the street. It’s about this kid from a bad neighborhood who gets to go away to a private school. He comes back to the old neighborhood when he’s on a break from school and the kids from the neighborhood start giving him trouble. He sings, ‘I’m bad, you’re bad, who’s bad, who’s the best …

Aug 20

Jolene – ‘Mindy Smith Feat Dolly Parton’ – (HQ Sound)

Song: Jolene (Mindy Smith Feat. Dolly Parton) Sung by: Mindy Smith. Song originated & written by: Dolly Parton. Album: One Moment More, January 27, 2004. Music video directed by: Trey Fanjoy. Music video released date: 2004. Song Record Label: Vanguard Records. Niceties by: www.youtube.com Synopsis! “Jolene” is a song written by Dolly Parton from her album Jolene (1974), produced by Bob Ferguson. It is ranked #217 on the Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. This video version is performed by “Mindy Smith” from her debut album ‘One Moment More’. A few places Dolly Parton appeared in this video without any singing performance. This video was directed by Trey Fanjoy. “Jolene” tells the tale of a housewife confronting a beautiful seductress who she believes is trying to steal away her husband. It became her second solo number-one single on the country charts after being released as a single in late 1973 (prior to the album’s release). It reached the top position in February 1974; it also was a moderate pop hit for her and a minor adult contemporary chart entry, and was released as a single in the UK the following year, where it reached number seven in the UK singles chart. Parton has said that the inspiration for the “Jolene” character was a tall, red-headed bank teller who Parton believed was flirting with her husband, and her husband’s apparent vulnerability to the teller’s charm as indicated by his sudden interest in making frequent trips …

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Aug 19

Encore’s ‘Sound of Music’captivates audiences, extends run

Encore’s ‘Sound of Music’captivates audiences, extends run
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music” evokes fond memories for most people, whether it is the excitement of attending the Broadway version on stage, seeing the dizzying aerial view of the Alps on the big screen, or curling up in pajamas on a winter night to watch the annual television event.

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Aug 9

Music Industry Jobs – How to Become a Sound Recording Engineer

A music studio contains more equipment than just microphones and a keyboard. To produce a world class album, you need to get the best sound out of the artist and the music. One person whose job it is to do this is the music recording engineer.
When I think of an engineer, I think of an architect or someone who tinkers with wires and circuits all day. In the music business, they use a different type of engineer. He is called a recording engineer and his job begins as soon as the artist starts to sing.
The area that the recording engineer occupies is called the digital audio workstation, or DAW. This workstation contains all of the technical gadgets an engineer needs to fine tune the sounds he hears. The engineer works with the artist to lay down the best sound they can get. This may involve the artist recording certain parts of the song several times until just the right sound is achieved.
The recording engineer may have additional teammates to collaborate on the performance. They are mostly a part of larger projects with big budgets. Smaller projects use the recording engineer in several roles to compensate. Learning all aspects of music engineering can help you land a job in a smaller studio that needs a multi-tasking engineer.
Let’s move on to the mixing engineer. This person takes the best tracks and mixes those together into one blended sound. He uses the best musical tracks that the recording engineer has produced. The recording engineer can hear how the sounds mesh with each other. If it is less than optimal, the recording engineer is back in the studio with the artist recording new sound tracks. Being a mix engineer is kind of like putting together a performance.
A mastering engineer depends on their ears to enhance their experience. He will listen to see what the sound is really like. Over the years he has developed a talent for hearing tones that should be projected more and voices that need to be stronger.
Every engineer needs an assistant. If you are the assistant engineer, keep your wits about you. This could be the final step towards your big break. An assistant performs the usual duties: gopher for the artist and engineers, working with the recording and mixing agent, and learning as much as they can about the business.
The assistant learns to operate equipment and practice their sense of hearing. Music is important because the instrumental sounds and lyrics create a mood in people. It is a form of artistic expression that everyone can appreciate. I love listening to good music and a crystal clear recorded song is that much better to listen to.
Employers will expect a recording engineer to know something of the equipment when they accept the job. In the music industry, there is no substitute for learning and gaining experience. It used to be a catch-22 of sorts. No one wanted to take a chance on you if you hadn’t had any practical time using the equipment. Then again, it is hard to get the experience if no one will hire you.
Take a course or apply for a degree program that will give you the necessary hands-on training. You will need it to get into the door of a music studio for an interview. Where once this equipment was rarely seen in a classroom, many music schools have all of the resources they need to hold labs where everyone gets to utilize the equipment to do some real work.
Do you desire to be a recording engineer? Learn how to do all the jobs of every engineer in case you will be the only one. One way to know if this is right for you is to apply for an internship and try a variety of jobs.

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Aug 4

Tomorrow Never Dies By Sheryl Crow (HQ Sound)

Song: Tomorrow Never Dies. Song by: Sheryl Crow. Song written by: Sheryl Crow and Mitchell Froom. Album: Tomorrow Never Dies (Soundtrack) 1997. Music composed by: David Arnold. Song Record Label: A&M Records. Film: Tomorrow Never Dies 1997. Starring: Pierce Brosnan as James Bond 007, Michelle Yeoh as Colonel Wai Lin and Teri Hatcher as Paris Carver. Directed by: Roger Spottiswoode. Story and Screenplay written by: Bruce Feirstein. US Theatrical Release Date: December 19, 1997. Distributed by: © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. Niceties by: www.youtube.com Synopsis! “Tomorrow Never Dies” was the theme song to the 18th James Bond film of the same name. It was performed and co-written by Sheryl Crow and the song became her fifth UK Top 20 hit, peaking at #12 in 1997. About Film! Tomorrow Never Dies, released in 1997, is the eighteenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as MI6 agent James Bond. Bruce Feirstein was credited as writing the screenplay, although it received input from several writers, and it was directed by Roger Spottiswoode. It follows Bond as he tries to stop a media mogul from engineering world events and starting World War III. The film was produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, and was the first James Bond film made after the death of producer Albert R. Broccoli. Tomorrow Never Dies performed well in the box office despite mixed reviews. While its domestic box office surpassed GoldenEye, it was the only of the …

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Aug 2

Mendota to come alive with “The Sound of Music”

Mendota to come alive with “The Sound of Music”
The Tony Award winning play, The Sound of Music, will be performed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 6, 7 and 8 at the Mendota High School auditorium.

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Jul 31

Turn The Page By Metallica (HQ Sound)

Song: Turn the Page. Song by: Metallica (Band) Band Members: James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujillo. Song originated & written by: Bob Seger in 1937. Sung by: James Hetfield from the band of “Metallica” Album: Garage Inc.(November 24, 1998) Music video directed by: Jonas Akerlund. Pornographic actress: Ginger Lynn Allen. Music video released date: 1998. Song Record Label: Elektra Records. Niceties by: www.youtube.com Synopsis! “Turn the Page” is a song written and recorded by Bob Seger. The song was originally released by Seger in 1973 on his “Back in ‘72″ album. Seger’s original version never made the charts, but an evocative live performance on his 1976 Live Bullet album became a mainstay of album-oriented rock radio stations, and still gets significant airplay to this day on classic rock stations. He revealed at his concert in Milwaukee, Wisconsin during his 2006 tour that he had written the song in a hotel room in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. “Turn the Page” is about the emotional and social ups and downs of a rock musician’s life on the road, against a slow tempo and a mournful saxophone part. The song was later covered by Metallica, as the first single from their 1998 Garage Inc. album, reaching #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks; drummer Lars Ulrich had heard the original song while driving across the Golden Gate Bridge and later commented that he thought it “Had James (Hetfield) all over it”. Metallica’s rendition is taken at much the same tempo as …

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