From Scratch – Adventures in Independent Music Making

We even have our own Artist Profile on the Festival’s website :)

Will let you know ASAP exactly what night/venue etc.

:)

I was invited to join a conference call tonight with the Songwriters Association of Canada and Ariel Hyatt to discuss my experience in the Music Success in Nine Weeks Blog Challenge, as a new wave of challengers are setting up their blogs and getting the gears going.

 

You could feel the contrast of excitement and uncertainty on the line … that’s inspiring. So many people, who love songwriting and performing so much that they are venturing into foreign (or not so foreign) territory to take control of their online presence. So many questions.

 

One of Ariel’s best pieces of advice: “don’t think, just do”. Ron Hynes gave me the same advice about songwriting this summer during SongStudio.

 

It’s so true. You have to follow the intuition that got you into this in the first place.

 

Time to re-write my elevator pitch :)

 

Meghan

Last year I attended a session on mastering during the Canadian Music Week conference in Toronto, Canada. The room was packed, filled with many independent artists who were eager to learn some tips and tricks for mastering their own music (as self-recording is becoming more and more possible and affordable with modern advances in technology).

The presentation was less than satisfying and I was (along with many other audience members) frustrated, but I know now that it was not at the fault of the panel. We had all gone in there expecting to receive advice, but from what I have learned since then, mastering is an art and a very individual process, so many mastering engineers are reluctant to give advice to a room of people with different ears and different projects with different purposes. The presentation was really about discussing the importance and value of mastering, it wasn’t a ‘how to’ session, like many of us had hoped.

Around the same time, I met Karl Machat of Mister’s Mastering House who would later become the mastering engineer for my 2011 release, [Lark] We Are All Born Naked. Though I am keen to learn about mastering for simple home recordings that I can send out as freebies in my newsletter, no tips and tricks can replace the seasoned ears of a professional that an album needs, so I chose Karl.

In turn, Karl was kind enough to answer a few questions about the steps that I (and other independent artists) can follow to help improve the quality of our self-mastered home recordings and how to best prepare our tracks for sending in to a mastering engineer, if we choose to go that route.

Mastering Questions from Meghan Morrison:

• We all know that Mastering improves the quality of a recorded track/album, but what exactly is “mastering”?

Technically we should call it “pre-mastering” because mastering is what’s done at the CD plant when the glass masters are made. But it’s understood, so everyone just calls it mastering! Just to get that bit out of the way!

Mastering takes a collection of songs (eg. for an album) and makes them sound like they really belong together with each other – making sure levels, tone, and dynamics are even and consistent from song to song while keeping in mind the style of the tracks. Mastering aims for a balance between cohesiveness and individuality.

Mastering (when you hire someone to do it) is a chance to get a sonic critique of your mix before you unleash it to the world, by a fresh set of ears. It’s almost impossible to have a clear idea of how you sound after weeks and months of work, unless you don’t listen to it for, say, 6 months to a year!

Another consideration for mastering is making sure the genre is competitive with similar music on the marketplace. This is more of a concern when mastering just a single song.

There is no one correct way to master a track: it’s sometimes as much creative as technical.

Mastering techniques involve equalization, compression and limiting – a lot like mixing but generally more subtle in their range. Sometimes enhancing processes are used such as tubes and tape saturation. Other things include enhancing the stereo image, such as mid-side techniques  - a speciality of mine. Removing the odd click, hum, buzz or hiss is also often needed. Editing is involved too: trimming the heads and tails of a song file, and creating the proper fade-outs and fade-ins.

The goal is to preserve the best elements of a mix. Mastering engineers do only what needs to be done. This is an important point to remember and understand: The better a mix, the less ‘mastering’ there will be in the end result.

However, there are times when an OK mix can be recovered in the mastering stage – but don’t bet on it!

I want to point out what mastering is not! It should not be looked at to fix or salvage anything. It can’t fix a bad mix, or poor recording technique. It can’t change the individual levels of instruments or voices, though sometimes – and only sometimes – you can create that impression with careful EQ, and maybe, multiband compression.

If I happen to get a mix that’s ‘borderline’ I’ll discuss it with my artist first. I will try to save them the time/cost of a remix whenever possible as I’m willing to do a little beyond what’s considered standard mastering practice if necessary to save a track.

When you get tracks mastered the artist does have a final say in the results BTW!

• For artists who want to self-record, what tips can you give them to use during mixing so that when they send it to you to be mastered your work will be more effective or easier?

General:

Use the best audio interface possible.

Use the best speaker monitors possible and position them correctly. The listening position and the two monitors should form an equilateral triangle.

Be familiar with your listening environment.

It can be very frustrating for the mastering engineer if the artist client is auditioning samples on an inferior playback system/environment and criticizing what might actually be a weakness in their own monitoring setup.

Also: your deadlines are – your deadlines. Give about 2-3 weeks planning for a full album mastering project. Be respectful of the mastering engineer’s schedule. Otherwise you’ll most likely be shown the exit door!

Recording:

Listen carefully for distortion. This (like reverb) can not be taken away. Re-recording is the only option to correct this. Just because you’re not hitting 0 dB on your DAW’s meters doesn’t mean you might not have overloaded a component somewhere earlier in your recording chain: a preamp, for example; or maybe there’s a faulty patch cable.

Use high quality file formats: .wav or .aiff at 24 bits or higher. Use a minimum sampling rate of 44.1 kHz. Higher sampling rates are great..but(!)..if you’re going to a CD format use sampling rates in multiples of 44.1k. So 44.1 kHz; 88.2 kHz; or 176.4 kHz, etc. If you know you’re only ever going to a video medium then use 48 kHz, 96 kHz, etc.

Never, ever, use mp3 or any other data reduction format as a delivery medium: you’ll never recover what they take away and they sound awful anyway!

Get as much of the sound right at this stage as much as possible, rather than piling up effects in the mix stage.

Mixing:

Do – everything – you can to make your mix the way you want it to sound. Don’t decide later that the guitars or vocals weren’t loud enough and leave it to the mastering stage to try to fix it. Do not leave things like that for the mastering engineer to take care of. It adds to the time and, really, the final 2 track mixdown file is not the best place to repair things like that, even if it were possible.

Also don’t try to do any part of the mastering engineer’s job for whatever reason. I once had a client send mixes that were all maxed out level wise. They just wanted to make sure the EQ was consistent from track to track. Never mind the fact that if you’re EQ’ing after you’ve maxed out levels, you still need to limit again to make sure you’re not going over 0 dB, the additional problem here was the artist ended up creating distortion in every song because he couldn’t hear it on his monitoring system!

Other tips:

Use a high pass filter on every track.

• Do you mean each individual guitar, bass, vocal, etc. track? or on the master fader when bouncing each song?

I mean for each individual track/instrument in your mix – your guitars, bass, vocals, drums, etc. This removes the build up and accumulation of low level sonic mud which eats up precious loudness levels in the final stage. The technique for this is to start at 20 Hz and slowly move upward until you hear a loss of low frequencies. Stop at that point and lower slowly until you recover that frequency – that is the setting for that particular instrument.

Use low pass filters on every track. This helps with reducing the accumulation of noise levels from each track and also with any digital “edge-iness’. The technique is the same as above except in reverse: start at 20,000 Hz (20 kHz) and slowly move lower in frequency until you hear a loss of high end. Stop there and move up until you recover that loss.

• And how much of these low and high pass filters should we be using?

Use one for every track/instrument in your mix.

• Any recommended settings?

In both cases you need to use your ears to make sure you’re not removing any musical content you want to keep. The settings are determined by the frequency range of each instrument on each track.

Mute all and any areas that are not necessary for the mix. This helps minimize noise problems like hum, clicks or hiss.

Always check that your mix kicks ass in mono! :)

If you’re trying to emulate certain aspects of a commercial song, turn down the volume of that song in order to compare with your mix better. Commercial tracks are at a much hotter level than your final mix.

Avoid going overboard with effects: less is better. Use just what you need.

Take frequent breaks. Always listen with fresh ears. Avoid doing everything at one sitting or all night.

And again: don’t make the final mix loud. Give lots of headroom to work with:  -3 to -6 dB is fine.

Avoid any effects/inserts on the master buss except maybe a good RMS meter.

• What is an RMS meter? and can you recommend a specific brand/product?

An RMS meter measures average levels. Their readings correspond more closely to the way the human ear hears. Aim for an RMS level from -20 to -14 dB and that should also take care of your peak levels not hitting 0 dB.

BrainworX, Blue Cat Audio, and Audio Pluggers are a just a few of the companies making metering software. I’ve ranked them according to my preference:

http://www.brainworx-music.de/en/plugins/bx_meter

http://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_DPeakMeterPro/

http://www.audiopluggers.com/kmeter/

The people behind this dynamic range meter in the link below are part of a movement trying to regain dynamics and life back into music by asking professionals to not request such loud masters. It used to be free but now they’re asking for a donation. When I was on the site recently, though, there seemed to be in-appropriate or un-related remarks (spam?) left ‘un-attended’ in the comments section, so at the moment while I’m all for lower levels and more dynamic range, go to this site at your own risk:

http://dynamicrange.de/en/tt-dynamic-range-meter-plugin-all-platforms-available

There is a free meter available, but it has a vintage look so I don’t know how useful it will be to some people. When you use it, make sure you set it to the VU setting.

http://www.pspaudioware.com/plugins/tools_and_meters/psp_vintagemeter/

And once more: avoid hitting 0 dB on the final mix at all costs! That’s the biggie!

Why? Those clipped 0 dB points can and will be amplified during mastering and the result will be more distortion in your final results.

Creatively, keep the main elements of a mix – kick, bass, snare, voice – centred in a mix. Rhythm instruments should generally be centred but now you need to careful they don’t fight with the voice. (Remember about kicking ass in mono!)

Pan carefully – you want the left-to-right balance to be equal. Use a short delay (less than 25 ms) to send hard panned tracks to the opposite channel (at a lower, filtered level) to help balance and blend the stereo image better.

Also if you know the order you want your songs in, let the mastering engineer know from the start. One trick is to put the number of the track before the song title like this: 01 Song One; 02 Song Two: etc. Let him/her know the album title, the artist name, and the final titles for the songs.

Give your ISRC and UPC/EAN codes to the engineer. For ISRC codes you can apply here (for Canada):

http://www.avla.ca/isrc/isrc-application-form.aspx

Leave some silence at the start and end of your finished mix files. The mastering engineer can take care of trimming and fading. If you have a special fade, give him/her the start and end point of the fades.

Communicate with your engineer! Offer your thoughts, and be available when you’re needed to answer questions!

By giving the mastering engineer less to ‘fix’, you’re giving her/him more time to get ‘creative’ and actually concentrate on mastering.

• Most artists don’t have the time or desire to record/edit/master, but for those who ARE interested, where can they learn how to master? Do you teach people?

I don’t teach, but there is this online program:

https://www.berkleemusic.com/welcome/izotope

• Do you have any simple mastering tricks that artists can use to enhance the quality of the home recordings they may send to fans in newsletters or free downloads, but will never be pitched to labels, radio, or film (which you need professional mastering for).

In addition to the mixing tips:

I’m going to assume you want to know about the loudness aspect. Otherwise if you know you’re doing you’re own mastering, make the mix sound just like you want it to sound but without worrying about loudness, first, and render to a two track stereo file.

Then you can use some of these additional ideas.

And always use your ears as the final judge.

Parallel compression: it preserves the loud parts better and adds body and fullness to a mix when used correctly.

• How does one apply “parallel compression” … is it an option in a standard “compression” insert? where do I find it to use it?
  

Take your final 2-track mixdown and make a copy of it and line the copy up in your DAW directly in sync with, and underneath, the original. On the copy we’re going slap an enormous amount of compression: use a ratio of 2:1 or 2.5:1 at a threshold of -50 dB with the fastest possible attack time. Release time should be from 200 ms, to as much as 500 ms, or more. Mix this with your original un-processed file – the output level of the compressed file is the creative part. Be very careful that your original and compressed files are in perfect alignment or you’ll have major problems with phase cancellations.

You will need to apply limiting afterward simply to make sure you’re not getting ANY digital overs (going  over 0 dB).

Most decently designed limiters and those in most major DAW’s can handle from 2-3 dB of limiting pretty transparently. A better option for mastering limiters is PSP’s Xenon or Voxengo’s Elephant. UAD’s Precision Limiter is excellent but does need an installed card. The new Ozone 5 Maximizer is amazing but like the Elephant, it does offer an almost bewildering amount of choices now.

(T-Racks 3 actually have a few decent presets that don’t suck and need minimal or sometimes no tweaking).

Limit the maximum peak output to -0.3 dB for .wav and.aiff files. For mp3 files and their equivalent, limit the maximum output to -2.0 dB. That’s because, when you render to low quality formats like that, they don’t “obey” the limiter settings and frequently go over the limit. The -2.0 db setting is a safety net to make sure you never hit 0 dB.

Also for mp3’s lowpass filter out to 15 kHz.

For RMS levels: I like to have my masters “hover” around -6 dB RMS for a maximum. That still leaves a bit of room for dynamics while still being competitive. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have stayed “pinned” at that level – if a song has quieter parts, let them be quiet.

Dither (don’t truncate) your final files after limiting to 16 bits.

For EQ try some of these ideas::

First though, because you’ve done the mixing yourself, if you find that you’re cutting/boosting more than 3 dB – STOP – go back and remix. You’ve done something wrong!

Cut out frequencies below 20 Hz if you’re doing a club mix. Otherwise it should often be safe to cut below 40 Hz BUT listen first! Like recording itself, there are no rules.

Human hearing is most sensitive in the 3 kHz – 6 kHz range, so unless you’ve already done so, a small boost of around 1 dB might help with loudness perception and maybe clarity as well

An alternative might be to cut around 1 dB in the region from 200 to 500 Hz. With one cut like this you can also think of it as boosting the bass and adding some clarity at the same time.

Before it gets too complex, some extra warmth might be had (if needed) by cutting one half to one dB at around 7-8 kHz; and finally one half to one dB boost around 14-15 kHz for some air.

It is very possible that all these suggestions could totally tank, too, because they just might be inappropriate for the mix. It is an ‘ear’ art!

Ultimately, one needs to hear the mix in question before making suggestions or recommendations!

It’s important to understand that it’s difficult or almost impossible to generalize because mastering is not done by formula. Every mix is different: what works great for one mix can be lousy in another. This is why a lot of mastering engineers won’t give their thoughts on what’s best to do because many people forget that each situation is unique. The big secret is there is no secret.

My Final Words:

The magic starts with the song. If that’s right, everything else falls into place!

Follow your inspiration and be true to it to the end!

• Thanks for doing this Karl! You rock! :)

Wow, has it really been 5 months since I posted on my blog? How did that happen?

How did I go from blogging religiously once a week for a year and then disappear completely? … something to reflect on, me thinks …. perhaps subject matter for a new blog entry :)

Looking at the last post, I thought it would be appropriate to make this one of the ACTUAL video we shot that day with the videographic magic of Adrian Vieni (Wood & Wires) and the acoustic awesomeness of a TrueAxe Guitar.

Here is “The Weather Girl” acoustic ….

Lyrics:

Grassy green and slippery, who knew that ghosts grow like weeds?

THE WEATHER GIRL confides in rain, she finds her gift outside. She finds her way into the bright, white lightning strike

It sets a fire in August rain, explodes and blows the girl down. Electrified by the bright, white lightning stike. The bright, white lightning …

Wind sock says clear skies ahead and extra sensory side effects

Now in an atmospheric state, half asleep, half awake
Her body rises in the bright, white specter’s light

www.meghanmorrison.com
@MegsMorrison

While we were waiting for our TrueAxe Guitar video shoot with Wood and Wires Productions last Thursday, the band broke out into their own rendition of my song, “Reluctantly“. It was too funny to stop, so Adam grabbed his laptop, started capturing their interpretation of “Still“, and then uploaded it to YouTube for us. I can’t wait to go on tour with these guys. It’s going to be stupid :)

www.meghanmorrison.com
@MegsMorrison

Since starting my weekly web-based music showcase a year ago, I have been brainstorming different ways to help get the music of the featured artists (as well as my own) out to more people. One such idea was podcasting, which would enable fans to download musical highlights from the webcast after the live stream is finished and take it wherever they go on whatever device they please.

After hearing about the commitment and troubles Brad Gulka (@BradMezmo on Twitter), my drummer, has excitedly taken on as a founding member of the Comma Error podcast team, I thought it would be wise to talk to a few more podcasting veterans while trying to figure out how to start my own portable audio show. As such, I contacted Eban Crawford (who has featured a few on my songs on his podcast, Reaching For Lucidity) and Michael from MikeyPod (a music and interview-based podcast) who I have enjoyed connecting with on Twitter over the last few months. Both were happy to answer a few questions I had about their podcasting experiences and, more specifically, starting a podcast from scratch (thank you Michael and Eban!). Here we go!…

1) What inspired you to start podcasting?

Eban (RFL): “Back in 2004 I was living in England with my wife and was making my living selling my art online. Effie then got real sick and had to go through emergency surgery. After almost losing her and then the long recovery, I lost interest in painting. I just could not paint any longer. Being a creative person, I needed something to focus my energies on, so I turned to my music and then later discovered podcasting. I set up RfL first as an irreverent news program, which did not work out all that well, then in 2005 I turned to promoting indie music. In 2006 I was signed to Podshow (now Mevio) and I went from there. Supporting the indie music scene became a passion of mine.”

Michael (MikeyPod): “In the  summer of 2005, my friend Richard Bluestein (aka Madge Weinstein at yeastradio.com) had just started his podcast and encouraged me to start one too as there were very few gay podcasters at the time. I had a pretty good community of friends on livejournal at the time so I thought it might be another good way to interact with people over the internet.  I wasn’t sure what I was going to talk about, but then I heard another podcaster talk for a good 20 minutes about how he sorted his laundry and realized I could be at least that interesting, so, I gave it a try.”

2) How did you do it? How did you set up a podcast?

Eban (RFL): “At first, I just recorded into audacity using a cheap mic I had lying around. I started out hosting my show on my own server. As I turned the show into a music podcast, I started learning about recording and started to improve my production skills. I went from Audacity to PodProducer in 2005. PodProducer allowed me to cue the songs and bumpers live, like on radio.

I enjoyed producing this way but my sound was still off. I started using Sony Vegas and bought a Behringer Mixer and some better mics. My sound was getting better and around that time I got my contract with Mevio and started hosting my shows on the Mevio servers.

Over the years I improved my production and cycled through gear. Now I am still hosting at Mevio and my main gear has been paired down to Ableton Live, Sony Vegas, M-audio interfaces, and my Zoom H4n from which I run my Blue Ball Microphone. I also use Sony Vegas to produce my animation and video. I create my animation using products from Reallusion, which include Crazy talk, iClone, and Crazy Talk Animator Pro.

Michael (MikeyPod): “I started out by just recording a sound-seeing tour of a fourth of July event on a little handheld voice recorder. If I remember correctly, I edited it with audacity and then posted it for free on archive.org. Then, I set up a free blog on blogspot to host the podcast. Pretty soon after that I paid for my own domain and hosting, which really isn’t all that expensive.”

3) What resources would you recommend now?

Eban (RFL): “I always have, and always will, suggest hosting shows at Mevio. I have been with them since 2005 and have never had a problem. Anyone can sign up for an account. It is free and the hosting is rock solid. You can host there and use their pages as your show site, or put your shows on your personal site as well.

As for gear, I recommend keeping it simple. I do have a lot of nice gear, but I use that for my music. For my show it is a DAW, in this case Ableton live or Sony Vegas, and my H4n. I recommend everyone get an H4n if you are into recording. It runs about $300 dollars and is worth way more. Since it is also a multitrack recorder with full effects and production potential, you can technically produce a show with only that one piece of equipment. I have used it that way in remote situations before. The great thing about Sony Vegas is that it is not only a full featured DAW, but a full featured video production suite as well. Two birds with one stone, or in this case, price tag.

As for a site, I can’t recommend WordPress enough. Going to WordPress.org is alright, but a self-hosted WordPress install is unbeatable.”

Michael (MikeyPod): “Cliff Ravenscraft at podcastanswerman.com is a podcasting powerhouse, extremely knowledgeable and a really great guy. I use powerpress from blubrry.com which makes it really easy to post podcasts on my WordPress blog. Though I don’t host my podcasts there, myself, I know you can pay for hosting at blubrry.com as well.”

4) Where do you look for inspiration/subject matter?

Eban (RFL): “For the music show, Reaching for Lucidity Indie Music Blast, it is current events and great music. Still, I only put out a show these days when I feel like it. I let the inspiration find me now unlike the early days when I would work day in and out to get my shows done.

The RfL Animated Adventures series is just built around random thoughts that cross my mind. Seriously, I just take everyday things I see, hear, or come up with internally and then blow those thoughts out of proportion. I took a hiatus from producing for a while but the new season of the Animated Adventures is gearing up right now. If anyone reading this is interested in doing some voice acting, keep an eye out on my site as I will be putting out casting calls soon.”

Michael (MikeyPod): “In my more activist days, it was pretty easy to find inspiration. I was motivated by things that I thought were unfair in the world that I wanted people to know about. Death penalty, animal rights issues, the war in Iraq. Now that I focus mostly on music, I tend to find artists that I like and are accessible and follow the trail of musicians that surround them.

One of my favorite interviews was with Christopher Willits. I was trying to get an interview with Ryuichi Sakamoto but my contact at his label said it wouldn’t work out, but what about this guy? The interview was fantastic and Christopher Willits has become quite an inspiration to my own work as well.”

5) How time intensive is it to publish a podcast?

Eban (RFL): “That is completely up to the podcaster. When I started, the recording was pretty short. I spent more time finding music and subjects for the show. As you go and you learn more production, it can get shorter or longer, depending on how deep you go.

Finding my segments, music, and making my loose outline script still takes a lot more time than producing. The actual recording of a typical audio show takes about an hour and my post production takes another hour or so. I have a lot of my production automated now, such as vocal track processing and such. Producing an animated episode is a good week or more of my life including writing the script and getting my actors and such.”

Michael (MikeyPod): “It depends on what you are doing. When I first started I liked to do interviews, those took a good deal of time. I had to contact the person I wanted to interview, arrange a time that worked for both of us, research the person, do the actual interview, edit it and then post the interview. It was really rewarding and I met some really cool people that way, but, man, that’s alotta work! Now I do mostly music shows which are much easier as I can do it on my own schedule. It takes some time to contact artists and labels for permission, and then choosing songs and putting them in a sequence I like (I’m a little fussy about this), but all in all, it’s a much quicker process.”

6) How do you increase your ratings/number of listeners?

Eban (RFL): “Unlike the movie Field of Dreams, just because you build it does not mean they will come. You have to earn your audience. Work it. Get into sweat equity. Meet others, both online and in the real world and always have your elevator pitch ready. Be excited when you talk about your show and let others feel it.

Social network and get the word out that way with other podcasters and social networkers. Never talk about your show as if you are apologizing, or as if your show is inferior to others. Self deprecation is not a great way to get people to listen to your show. Always act as if yours is the shiniest and best show around. Your show is as good, and oftentimes better than shows that are more popular. Act like it.

Always engage your listeners. Don’t ever hold back, people can tell when you are faking it. If you are wild, be wild, if you are funny, be funny, if you are quiet, be quiet, if you are controversial, be controversial. Don’t pretend to be something you are not, or that you wish you were. Be yourself.

Remember your SEO. The search engines still to this day only see and catalog your text. They can’t see your video or audio content, so use your show notes to your advantage. Write in simple and complete sentences and don’t try to game the system by keyword stuffing. Write your notes naturally. Use tags to your advantage. Get an account with Feedburner and set it up for podcasting. Set all the iTunes options. Get a Technorati account and claim your site.”

Michael (MikeyPod): “Honestly I really worried about subscribers and downloads much more in the beginning. I think of it more as a hobby now and rarely check my numbers. The things that helped in the past tho were interacting with other podcasters, and social media sites. One thing I have noticed with Twitter is that if I make an effort to really interact with people there, other users are more likely to follow me.”

7) What has been the biggest challenge for you since starting your podcast? How did you overcome this ordeal?

Eban (RFL): “This may sound weird, but I don’t abide challenges. There will always be tech glitches and such, but those things are no big deal. If a serious challenge comes up while I am producing a show I just walk away and move on. This is fun for me, if it stops being fun, I take that as a sign and go into my next project. I have many times abandoned a show that was not working and then came out with a different show instead that just rocked. At first I would stick with shows that were not working and the finished product was never really good. Keep it fun is my advice.

The only other challenge that every podcaster needs to deal with is growing a thick skin. There will be haters. Not just mean people or people you don’t know, but even some close to you that feel they are being constructive in their criticisms or may just be jealous. Don’t let it get to you, ever. That is of course easier said than done. A million people can tell you that you are doing well, but if one person attacks you, guess which one sticks in your head most of the time.”

Michael (MikeyPod): “I think the hardest thing for me was when I would put out a podcast with a topic I was extremely passionate about that got me little feedback. I would be so fired up about something and expect the whole world to stop and go up in arms with me. I found myself getting really angry with my friends and just society in general because they weren’t responding the way I wanted them to. I think that’s a big part of why I switched to doing just music podcasts. That doesn’t feel balanced either, but for now, it’s a good solution.”

8) Do you have any examples of moments that made you feel “This is why I love podcasting!”?

Michael (MikeyPod): “There are a couple of them. When I first moved to NYC from Houston in 2006 I connected with Eve Beglarian, a composer that I loved and had interviewed for the podcast. I wound up living with her for my first summer there as she needed someone to keep an eye on her apartment and I didn’t have any money to pay rent. We’ve become friends and she has become a sort of mentor for my own composing.

I lived at Koinonia Partners, an intentional community in Americus, GA for several months before I got to NYC. That was another experience that I might not have had were it not for podcasting. I was lucky enough to get to interview Habitat for Humanity founder, Millard Fuller before he passed away. Talking with him was one of the more meaningful moments of my life. He was tremendously inspiring.”

9) Where do you think the future of podcasting is going?

Eban (RFL): “This beast that is podcasting is almost unrecognizable from what it was at the beginning. Being one of the first and seeing all the changes along the way, I really can’t answer this. I am however curious to see where it heads next. Podcasting is really exciting, even now as I am not as active as I once was.”

Michael (MikeyPod): “That’s a really interesting question for which I have a really lame answer: who knows?! :-) Seriously, I think the really great thing about podcasting is that it can be whatever you want it to be. For me, it’s a great way to share music I love with others.  For someone like Cliff Ravenscraft (who I mentioned earlier), he found a way to make podcasting his sole source of income and he reaches so many people in really inspiring ways. So, because it’s such a flexible medium, it’s becoming many different things for many different types of people.”

10) What advice do you have for an artist like me who wants to start their own podcast?

Eban (RFL): “Just go for it. Start producing and learn as you go. Build your momentum and never look back. With that said, don’t force it if it is not working at the moment, just move to your next moment and rock it.

It is not your hosting, your gear, or any other outside factor. It is your enthusiasm and content. Make it fun and interesting and everything else will fall into place.

I am always available through email at ebancrawford (at) gmail (dot) com to help any podcaster that may have questions. I may not produce as much as I once did, but I still love podcasting and helping others that may be starting out.”

Michael (MikeyPod): “Make like Nike and just do it. I really believe that action precedes inspiration sometimes. I’ll be really interested to see what you come up with and may be looking to you for some inspiration, too, as my focus shifts more toward creating my own music.”

***

I think I’m ready to start creating my first podcast! I already have WordPress installed on my website (thanks to my awesome web guy, Byron McQuay at OneDesign), recording and editing gear, lots of guests to draw content and inspiration from and social network with, and now some great insights into the challenges and rewards that lie ahead :) (I also dug up some helpful hints from the itunes website that you might find handy).

Big thanks to veteran podcasters, Eban Crawford (Reaching For Lucidity | on Twitter ->@RfL_Productions) and Michael (MikeyPod | on Twitter -> @MikeyPod) for sharing their experiences and advice!

Happy long (Victoria Day) weekend!

Meghan Morrison
www.meghanmorrison.com
@MegsMorrison

Image “My Mini Podcasting Studio” courtesy of Sebastian Kupers CC-BY-SA 2.0

“I’m just gonna lie here and fish in my mind”…

Sounds like it could be a lyric to a song, doesn’t it?

The jelly fish whispered words of wisdom when I put him in my ear.

He said, “You’ve learned alot about the sea, my Dear, now it’s time to use your fins”.

Last week I didn’t want to blog … at all. When I don’t want to do something I really enjoy, it usually means one or two things:

a) I’m burnt out or

b) The purpose of the thing is changing

I am relieved to say that this time it is the latter.

I am so inspired to create right now (which is what being an artist is all about), but my blog is very ‘Left Brained’. It feels like an assignment instead of a mode of expression.

Now that I am 3 articles into my monthly column on Women’s Radio, I feel the need to divide my brain a little more for these projects. The articles on WomensRadio are the resource-based accounts of my adventure that I hope other independent musicians will find useful. It is time, however, for this blog to become a more personal and creative representation of who I am as an artist and a person; A brief, weekly insight into my oddball mind that my followers who aren’t musicians can relate to along with my fellow musicians (because we’re all a little weird in our own way, aren’t we?).

One week it may be a poem based around an image of me doing something silly. Another week it may be straight up philosophy and reflection. Perhaps sometimes it will be a piece of art I have created or a song I have recorded… it could be anything. It will be whatever I’m inspired by, not just thinking about.

* “I can’t even think about wading right now. I’m just gonna lie here and fish in my mind.” is a phrase that caught my eye when I googled “the fish in my ear said”. It’s on page 77 of this edition of Field and Stream and was said by angler, Colby Lysne.

Meghan Morrison

www.meghanmorrison.com

With the digital revolution vastly changing the face of the music industry, as well as how fans encounter and use new music, it is imperative for artists to ‘keep up with the times’. And, with the convenience of the Internet and downloading, there has been an underlying push over the last few years to deliver fresh content to fans on a more frequent basis, in order to stay on their radar and satiate their desire to have more from the artist. But, is there a point where servitude becomes disadvantageous in the new music industry?

Last week, I read an article by Minh Chau called “The problem with releasing a single each month“. Chau’s reflections on whether it is better to give in to our convenience based society or take a ‘controlled inconvenience’ approach helped me settle the debate that has been on the back of my mind for quite some time now.

Singles are the reason for why many people bought albums in the past. They wanted one song, but had to purchase the entire album to get it. Today, no one needs to buy an entire album anymore… they don’t even have to pay for it because it is so easy to download music illegally. iTunes, artist websites, and other online retailers make it very easy to sample songs and only buy the ones you like.

So, if people are only buying one or two songs, why would an artist want to spend so much money recording a full album? Why not cater to the fans and give them a new single every month? Even with my own strong affinity for the romance of albums, this is something I had been considering doing for the sake of ‘keeping with the times’. The danger with this, I now see, is two-fold:

Firstly, it is difficult to create buzz and excitement around one single release every month (see Chau’s article). The time and money needed to properly promote my music as a whole would be wasted, because I would be moving on to the next release before the buzz from the first has run its full course. Also, there are more ways to promote an album (and the singles on it), which allow me to create new ways to engage fans each week/month while promoting a bigger body of my art.

Secondly, by becoming a servant to the fans … I become a servant to the fans… and I devalue my own work (see Herbert’s article). Don’t get me wrong, I want to be giving with my fans and serve a purpose in their lives, but that doesn’t mean I should make myself a slave to that effort. Fans value artists that they see as leaders, role models, and strong, inspiring individuals… not as pan handlers. I want to inspire, not beg.

Because people today expect to have free access to any kind of information or digital file at the touch of a finger, the things they can’t have on demand become more valuable (if the product is good). According to Wary Herbert‘s research, valuing something through a sense of scarcity may be part of our human nature. Antiques and diamonds are expensive and valuable because they’re not easy find. They are desired because of their inconvenience and limited supply.

As such, it still makes sense in the age of downloads to release a full album once every 1-2 years. Unless, of course, your artistic vision dictates otherwise. Sean T Wright is a good example of how a goal-oriented monthly release can challenge an artist and draw attention to one’s work.

In summary, I’d rather be a boat with oars and sails navigating my course on the moving waters, than a duck’s feather that floats (and gets pulled under) at the whim of the current. We are almost finished writing the next album and that is exactly how we will be releasing it :)

Until next week,

Meghan Morrison

www.meghanmorrison.com
@MegsMorrison

Tweet Hashtag #aiimm to share your own Adventures In Independent Music Making

Image “BSS 01” by Ana Gilbert courtesy of Buraka’s Black Diamond. License CC-BY-SA 2.0

In a blog recently forwarded to me from the Songwriters Association of Canada, producer Douglas Romanow discussed the ‘magician’s rule #2 for songwriters‘, stating that songwriters should “never perform the same trick twice for the same audience” and recommended co-writing as a strategy for developing new ‘tricks’.

I have collaborated with other musicians in the past, but up until this past Friday, I had never co-written a song with someone from scratch… I suppose, though, there was this one time that my brother and I wrote a parody of Eagle Eye Cherry’s “Save Tonight“. We were young and silly, so naturally our rendition turned to potty humour (including a lyric about toilet bowls being on fire).

There is a lot of support in the industry for co-writing, especially from recording studios, producers and songwriting associations. As the saying goes, two heads are (often) better than one, so problem solving becomes more fruitful (unless the minds in those heads simply do not gel) and having someone to bounce ideas off of can lend new approaches to one’s craft. Furthermore, co-writing with experienced songwriters who have had commercial success with their songs can be an incredible learning experience and may open doors to contacts for placement of your own music. There are a number of other benefits, which Bronson Herrmuth has summarized in a great list of reasons to co-write.

I have been wanting to collaborate more with other songwriting minds lately. So, naturally, I was thrilled to be invited for a co-writing date with Heather Hill (a fellow SAC member. She also performed on my webcast at the end of Season 1)

Aside from feeling a bit insecure in my ability to co-write, I was also in the middle of finishing lyrics to a song I am writing for the next album and was worried that I wouldn’t be able to turn that song off in my head in order to create something fresh. Heather, on the other hand, co-writes often and with many people. Like a real professional, she was very prepared and had many ideas for themes already jotted down before I arrived.

Heather was really inspired to write a song that expressed appreciation for strong women who work hard, but aren’t always recognized for it. With the way she lit up when talking about this particular song idea, I knew it was the song we had to write together. You have to go with that kind of energy.

We started by doing a free-form brainstorming session. When writing for myself, I would normally start with object writing, create a word cloud with the ideas and phrases that jump out at me, and then build the brainstorm out from those core words/phrases. This time, I thought I would embrace the opportunity to try something different and let myself bounce between the approaches throughout. This resulted in a few short object writes for character development and some messy word clouds that somehow turned into a poem. Heather used the Internet as a resource and pulled out some idioms and other themes from cyberspace.

As we shared our outcomes with each other, we made notes about the ideas and words that struck us as being compelling, paying particular attention to ideas that could become the “hook” of the song. Then we attacked the verses, choosing to base each verse around different characters that shared the same basic experience of being strong women who aren’t always recognized for their strength and may not see it in themselves.

With the idea in mind that some women go above and beyond the workload of the average woman, we constructed the song in such a way that, when read together, each of the verses could represent a different point in the same person’s day (representing their overwhelming workload) OR be viewed as a snapshot of three different peoples’ experiences throughout any given day. The chorus takes a step out of the individual character’s situation and is a third party recognition of their efforts and qualities of strength.

I was surprised at how quickly the first draft came together. After 4 hours and two delicious banana muffins (baked by Heather) we had the whole thing typed on the computer and ready for melody experiments. Using a computer for writing lyrics was also a new experience for me, as I always veer for pencil and paper. It was fast though, being able to copy and paste, and seeing the full structure laid out on the whole page made it easy to see where the structure was going. I may attempt this approach again on my own when I try out the MasterWriter software.

See you next week,

Meghan Morrison

www.meghanmorrison.com
@MegsMorrison

Tweet Hashtag #aiimm to share your own Adventures In Independent Music Making

Image “Two heads are better than one” courtesy of Darron felon. License CC-BY-SA 2.0

This weekend was exactly what I needed to refresh my songwriting mind. Trying out some of the suggestions offered to me in the comment section of last week’s blog, “Gigging During a Songwriting Phase“, we (the band) decided to test drive a couple of our new songs (one of which hadn’t been finished, let alone performed, yet) during the Wonder Women showcase  (organized by one of our loveliest webcast guests, Arlene Paculan). It was a smash success. The audience responded to the new songs with great enthusiasm and it was the exact boost I needed to get my mind out of the “I’m tired of playing my old songs” funk.

 

Now, with that weight lifted, it is time to shift into writing high gear and who better to look to for output advice than the man who has written, recorded, and released 48 full length albums in just as many months?

50 Albums in 50 Months

Sean T Wright is a fellow Music Success in 9 Weeks Blog Challenger who I became acquainted with last fall. At the time, he was well on his way to achieving a very lofty goal: 50 albums in 50 months. Now at 48/50 albums, he has established himself as perhaps one of the most dedicated and determined musicians in the world-wide independent scene. The man is king of output. Not only has he released over 1000 songs since 1979 (which you can download for free from his website), but he has also published 12 novels and created 1000 pieces of fine art.

As someone who is having difficulty managing their time to produce even one album since January, I was compelled to pick the brain of this prolific British artist… and he was kind enough to let me!

A Conversation on Writing with Sean T Wright

What inspired you to write 50 albums in 50 months?

Now that’s a good question, and one that doesn’t have a simple answer. I started out wondering if I could write 12 albums in 12 months. That first 12 months was the toughest, in the sense of getting into a creative routine, learning to write from the heart. Once I’d completed 12 albums, I then thought: is 24 albums possible in 24 months? I want to find out! I’d like to think that I’m an explorer, stepping out into unchartered songwriting territory.

 

How did you approach the structure for each album?

I’m not sure why, but I choose 12 tracks per album. It kinda felt right. I guess if I’d chosen 10 tracks per album, then I’d now have 57 albums instead of 48 albums! I try to write albums, not just a collection of random songs. While the song topic may vary a lot on each album, I try to use a limited selection of instruments per album, so that they gel with other tracks on the album. For example, one album might be electro in flavour, whilst the next pop, or rock, or acoustic.

 

How did you work through daily life distractions in order to put out each album month after month over such a long term?

I’ve always been focused and obsessed with my music. I set aside time most days to write and record – 2 to 3 hours a day. I work very fast in the studio, almost manically, like a painter at his blank canvas, splashing on textures and colours of sound.

 

How did you deal with writer’s block?

Seriously, I don’t get it! If I pick up a guitar and strum out a few chords, the rest follows – words, melody, and structure. I have always had a LOT to say, about all kinds of things. I write predominantly about my life, how I feel, at any given moment. So if I feel angry, then out comes the angry song. If I’m at peace with myself, then that song pops out, too. What I don’t do is analyse what I write, or try to mould it to a genre or style.

 

Do you do any creative writing exercises? If so, what are they?

I don’t have exercises as such, but I do have routines. One routine is FAWM – the February Album Writing Month – where songwriters try to write 14 songs during the month. Then there’s 50/90 – a twin of FAWM where songwriters are challenged to write 50 songs in 90 days from July to October every year. These two online communities are brilliant places to meet fellow songwriters, collabs, and general support.

Personally, though, I write songs in three ways.

Method One: Depending on my mood, I grab my acoustic guitar and hammer out the words and melody, structure and so on. Then I record it while it is very fresh. It may become a fully arranged song, or just a simple vocal acoustic number.

Method two works like this: I grab my guitar, tap out a click track on my digital recorder, then record a bunch of chords straight through, all on instinct – for example, chorus, verse 1, bridge, chorus, verse 2, bridge, chorus x2, mid 8, chorus x2 etc. After that, the rest of the song takes shape, as I add layers of instruments, drums, synths, guitars etc.

Method three: I create beats, whole song structures in EZ Drummer, then record these to tape. From those beats I write songs around them, adding other instruments, and finally vocals, with no idea of melody or lyrics until the basic backing track is done. So I typically have drums, bass guitar, two electric or acoustic guitar parts done before I lay down vocal parts. Other instruments may follow, depending on how the track is working. I try not to overload the song with a multitude of parts. I believe in the old adage that less is more. It’s what you leave out that makes a song.

 

How did you keep up with the demands of MSI9W and your own writing challenge?

I just did it! lol! Seriously, I applied the same focus to the Music Success In Nine Weeks challenge. Focus and obsession!

 

Please describe your recording, mixing, and mastering process.

I’m very old school. I like to start out with a flat board, then shape each sound from there. So drums and bass have to be sonically happening before I move on to the guitars, synths and anything else. I always mix the vocals last, so that they sit in the track as I want them. I like doing different things with vocal mixes – hate reverb! But love chorus in small amounts, which glue vocals together.

I was weened on analogue reel to reel tape machines many years ago, so my ears seek warmth and depth, which recording equipment like Teac and Studer provide. I use the Studer A800 plug-in for recording, mixing, and mastering. There is nothing out there in the digital world to compare, if you want old school warmth and fusion of sound.

On my early CDs (albums 1 to 18), acoustic guitar was recorded in stereo or multi-tracked up to 4 times,  usually with mics in XY configuration, panned 50-50%, or often one guitar laid over the other in the mix. A lot of listeners have mistaken the two six string guitar tracks for a twelve string. I crank the middle up as far as it will go to get some punch. I love single tracked acoustic guitar, too, which you can hear on tracks like “I Keep Wondering”, “Lakota Holy Man”, or “Looking Out For You.” (which you can find alphabetically in his Song Tree)

Vocals are recorded in a variety of ways. Sometimes I get up within an inch of the mic, to get a breathy whispered tone. Othertimes, I’m a foot back when I blast it out! I don’t use compression much, if at all. I often use a delay to give sparkle and life. The Boss Delay is rather versatile.  I often doubletrack lead vocals as well. I prefer dry vocals and only use reverb now and again for effect on the odd word or line.

Electric guitars are straight into the COSM effects unit. My fav setting is the preset Jazz sound, which has a bit of bite distortion-wise, but remains relatively clean. One thing I try to do is to keep a similar guitar sound per album, to unify things I guess.

My mixdowns are one way or the other per album. Either I use the Boss BR1200, or the Ableton Live on my computer. With the exception of the album “Underground” which was mixed in Protools, most of my mixdowns have been done on the Boss BR1200. But from album 28 “Parkour” I used Ableton more and more for mixing.

Because I work so fast with the album-a-month project, I need software and equipment I can trust and use swiftly. The Boss BR-1200, and Ableton Live do the trick for me! (see below for a more detailed list of gear and progams Sean likes to use)

 

How did you approach the album art?

My album art comes from many different sources. Some is unique, commission artwork. Other album covers are my own personal photos or even artwork. Some is creative commons (royalty free) stuff, which I feel fits a certain type of album/theme. I was trained as a graphic designer in my teens, so I know a bit about layout and typography.

 

What impact has the overall experience had on you as a songwriter?

Writing, recording, and releasing so many albums in such rapid succession has been a very positive experience. It has taught me one major thing: there’s no point waiting for inspiration. It’s already there, waiting to be grabbed out from the dark into the light. Because I have written at least three fully recorded songs every week for the past 4 years, I think my songwriting is stronger now than ever. The response I’ve had from tens of thousands of people has made the biggest impact on me.  There’s been almost 1 million free downloads of my music via the internet, which means there are a lot of folk out there listening.

What advice do you have for me, an artist going through a writing phase right now.

Me? Giving advice? Well, I believe that literally anything goes. The creative process for each individual is a very personal thing. For me, I work from my heart, on the spur of the moment, in that moment. It’s an honest approach. I don’t try to force songs in a premeditated direction. I believe in the organic approach. I feel strongly that the songs are already there, hiding in the shadows of the unconscious, lurking like shy creatures, afraid to voice their shape and form. I’m like a song-catcher, rescuing them from a dark place and coaxing them out into the light, so that others can hear them.

________________________________________________________________________

Gear Sean Likes to Use

(1) AKG C-2000B mic -  All vocals and guitars are recorded through it. I love this “for all weathers” mic. Love it! I like to crank up the vocal input so it peaks into distortion, giving a static/driven sound to vocals for a lot of my tracks (listen to “Beneath The Waves” on 69 Love Songs Vol 1 as an example). I call my studio Static Queen, an allusion to my songwriting friend – the genius Mark Linkous.

(2) Audio Technica Atus ATR30 cardioid mic – this is an ancient mic that I record acoustic guitars with on my analogue Yamaha 4 track. (You’ll have to get it second hand, as it is now discontinued)

(3) Tannoy Reveal R5A Monitors – Near-field monitors used for mixing down. I also use my pathetic Logitech computer speakers for infrequent mixing. But my real workhorse is the Technics RP – F400 headphones.

(4) I love my Boss BR-1200 digital recording studio, with it’s super COSM guitar effects unit. But I also use a PC recording rig with Ableton Live 8. I adore Live’s effects and sound/instrument library – especially the strings sections. I play every instrument (unless credited otherwise), and love tracking. I have Protools with a whole host of software that includes Melodyne, but I use it very infrequently (listen to my album “Underground” as an example).

(5) I use Arturia’s Analog factory programme (wonderful Yamaha CS-80 sounds), controlled by my equally wonderful Axiom 25, which controls all of my computer-based software. Since album 28 “Parkour” I have used Toontrack’s superb EZDrummer for the majority of my drums. I love it! So authentic! Before EZDrummer I used a host of drum loops imported into the Boss or Boss’ EZ Compose  programmable rhythm.

(5) I tend to record my acoustic guitars on an old Yamaha MT100 analogue 4 track recorder, which gives a warmth and richness, then transfer to digital. Good examples are to be found on my album HELLO, where warmth, tape hiss, and natural distortion abound!

__________________________________________________________________________

Big thanks to Sean for sharing his ideas and insight into the creative process. I am officially setting aside 2 hours today just for writing, no interruptions allowed!

Meghan Morrison

www.meghanmorrison.com
@MegsMorrison

Tweet Hashtag #aiimm to share your own Adventures In Independent Music Making