The U-44 is a compact, 4-in/4-out audio interface that enables you to record and perform wherever you are. Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, the U-44 comes equipped with the features you need to record 24-bit/96 kHz audio anywhere. The U-44 offers the same high-quality, low-noise mic...
Promotional photos serve many purposes for music journalists beyond just being something to feast our eyes upon. They introduce us to the people behind the music and help create or reinforce a narrative of a band, which can aid us in our writing process. They grab readers’ attention and can...
There are many singers who live comfortably within the normal parameters of folk, jazz and commercial pop; these vocalists use speech-based sound mixed in with some lighter qualities. In this series, however, We want to address any singing that is over and above your normal speaking range, volume...
It’s probably one of your biggest fears as a musician. You’re pumped for your upcoming gig, you’re ready to hear some noise, but when you make it onto the stage, your heart drops as you see the audience is practically empty. For any number of reasons (weird weekday, bad weather),...
In the music business, as much as any business, other people’s perception of you and the reputation you carry has as much impact on your career as your music ever will. From the moment you reach out and begin a business relationship with someone in the industry whether it’s a promoter, another...
As you begin to book your own shows, you’ll want to avoid these don’ts and adhere to these dos instead. Your relationships with talent buyers, booking agents, and venues are crucial to growing your fanbase and career don’t taint them by making mistakes from the get-go.
It’s...
From Top of the Pops to Celebrity Big Brother via lots of plastic surgery, Pete Burns was one of British pop’s larger-than-life personalities. Pete Burns, the flamboyant singer who has died at the age of 57, shot to fame with his band Dead Or Alive in the 1980s. Their single You Spin Me Round...
When social media first appeared and spread around the world several years ago, it was billed as a fun way to keep in touch with family and friends. In the decade or so since, however, it’s taken on a life of its own. Social media has become incredibly important for everyone, whether it’s...
When it comes to promotional campaigns, the devil is always in the details. This is doubly true if you’re a DIY musician, or even if you’re just working with a small team. You generally have your hands full enough as it is, so there are certainly some items that can easily slip through...
There are many reasons why that took-you-all-night-to-write-and-now-you’re-late-for-practice email you crafted to spread the word about how incredibly awesome your new album is got deleted – or even worse, triggered and flagged as spam. Perhaps the reason lies in the lack of power and punch...
Artists often talk about being “too close” to their own work, being so immersed in the process of making music that they know longer have a strong sense of whether the work is good. Philosophically speaking, that’s a worry for another time. During a show or a recording session isn’t the...
Making a career for yourself in music typically requires a lot of luck in addition to many years of dedication and hard work. For some people, it takes longer than expected to get their careers moving. Disappointment can come easy when you feel like you aren’t moving forward, and that can...
There’s a false assumption about songwriting that some magical moment of inspiration will suddenly strike a person sitting in a room with a guitar, causing them to give birth to a small piece of artistic brilliance, and until that happens, it’s not worth picking up a pen and a piece of...
Despite mountains of easy-to-find evidence to the contrary, musicians still have some serious delusions about the music industry and how to “make it.” To quote the amazing Dicky Barrett of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones – because what he says is #truth “If it was an overnight success,...
Making a band work is a balancing act. The recipe for success in a group music setting is a very delicate one that requires a good attitude from everyone involved. Unfortunately, there are plenty of musicians out there who can single-handedly drag your beloved project straight into the mud. Even a...
