In audio, a whole chain can be made out of weak links.

Acoustics-mic-cable-pre-mixer-interface-monitors-acoustics

To all of this you can add cheap or bad and you will have a weak link that will have you scratching your head, thinking “What could possibly be making my music sound like ass?”

Then, come to me an ask me to fix it. 

I fix things, but I cannot make miracles. Be mindful of your audio chain. Replace things in time, when you have the money. Repeat. 

Good read. I was discussing this a week ago in Colombia with my musician friends. 

I always put the case of King Crimson and Godflesh. Both really good musicians that have been there, doing their thing for a long time, get a small check every month and live off their music. You DO NOT need a hit to do what you want. In fact, You will live guilt-free the rest of your life if there’s no hit and you find yourself making music for 20-30 years. 

Basically this article states, after research and experimentation, that young people do prefer good audio over MP3s. I do hope that we are approaching the tipping point and keep making good sounding music. 

The definition of budget and cost is a great read. 

Networking deeds. Are they effective?

Do you get more work after going to studio parties or networking events?

I haven’t got one new client after going to those. I got clients by going to shows, doing live sound at venues, making friends with musicians, treating existing clients well, so they recommend me to their friends. 

At networking events, most people you meet are competitors. I ordered 200 business cards a year ago, not one person has called, emailed or texted, sent a postcard… nothing. 

Might be just me, but the most effective way to get clients is being there. 

Real Musicians Don’t Care If Their Music Was Downloaded Illegally or Bought For 20$.

ambientclouds:

In fact real musicians post Full Albums on their own websites to download for free, and advocate people to share it as much as they can :) 

Mashrou’ Leila are one of those musicians <3 

Screen real estate.

I have an obsession with computer program windows.

They have to be the full screen width and height.

 I cannot stand when I can see other program windows or the desktop. I DO have to see the whole screen used up by whatever is active. 

I use command-tab to switch between programs, but I don’t see many people doing the same, am I a maniac?

It always starts at the source.

No matter what you would like to think, if it’s not good at the source, it won’t be good in mixing or mastering. 

I do get that project that just expects me to do some miracle every now and then. 

When asked if the recording is shit, I answer:

“It has its color”

Put a little effort into it.

To get something out of it. 

Listening to certain albums, an effort must be put into it. Your body and your mind. You have to sit down and listen to the damn thing because you know there’s something in there that is good and good for you. 

Or listen to the damn thing many, many, many times. I know those albums are in everyone’s lives. That album that you can’t live without now because it just makes you feel something inside. 

For me, there’s a bunch, but I’m writing this because of a series of re-releases by the band Death, a progressive, ahead of its time outfit that just did what a lot of bands are not able to do right now: Make me just listen to this. 

Ok, there are a couple: The Ocean, which I’m seeing this Tuesday, Ihsahn, a Norwegian Black Metal band, the new Anthrax album, the new Mastodon album. 

Command-Tab.

Or for PC, Ctrl-Tab.

This shortcut shifts the focus on the application you’re using. I like to “blind” my clients when dealing with their music via this shortcut so we end up looking at another application that doesn’t have the visual representation that people expect when working with computers. This makes them concentrate on what’s happening with the music instead of having the expectations that come with looking at things. There’s only been one person who didn’t like it. 

When you take breaks, it’s worth it.