Featured Artist Blogs

Arturia KeyLab Essential 88 Review

I've had an M Audio Code 61 MIDI controller for several years and have recently been looking at a replacement. My first keyboard was an Alesis QS 7 and its 76 keys was always sufficient for me. 61 keys often felt limited even though I'm not an expert keyboard player by any means. Lately I found myself looking at getting back to having a hardware synth, maybe even something in the flagship range like a Yamaha Montage, Korg Kronos or Roland Fantom. I was really tempted by the MODX as well.... -- read post

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Getting Your Homemade Recordings on Apple Music and Elsewhere in 2021

I've essentially been away from music promotion for several years after having been involved by way of publishing a magazine and music website from 1987 to now. I haven't been actively reviewing new music for many years, although I've been working on developing music websites and publishing (mostly) archival content as time allows between the day job. From time to time a new album crosses my path, but I've not been exposed to music PR for a long while now. Over the last year or so, I've... -- read post

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Loopers and Songwriting

I find working with loopers can be a helpful tool for songwriting. Check it out on Amazon . -- read post

Posted in: songwriting | 0 comments

New Track Discussions

Here we list the latest tracks where featured artists discuss the details of their craft, inspiration and stories behind the making of their art.

Blind Mime Ensemble
Mother Syria
Art Bomb

music by Bryan Baker

I've fallen in love with Spitfire Audio's LABS series of instruments, the magazine and everything about Spitfire. Mother Syria uses Spitfire Audio's cello from (I believe) its Amplified Cello Quartet LABS release as well as a bit of Frozen...

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Blind Mime Ensemble
Self Reflections
reflections vol. 1

This began life while playing around with a newly download freeware synth plugin called Podolski which is made by the folks at u-he. After coming up with the initial pad track I tried a couple acoustic guitars mostly split left and right......

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Bryan Baker
Change Your Space
Change Your Space

Words by Bryan Baker, music by Bryan Baker and Joe Maki.
© Bryan Baker, published by Blind Mime Music, ASCAP. All rights reserved.
Bryan Baker: guitars, bass, synthesizers, drum programming, vocals

This song started when Joe Maki was visiting from Connecticut and we were trying to get back into recording like the old days. I'd just started playing around with recording apps on iPad and we probably spent more time messing than...

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Baby Fred
All Day Long
Homemade Music Vol. 4

Words and music by Bryan Baker.
Published by Blind Mime Music, ASCAP. All rights reserved.
Bryan Baker: guitar, vocal; Joe Maki: guitar.

This is a song I originally created on 4-track on my own. One of those things you come up with that sounds like it might have some promise so you file it away for a later day. I don't do that often, but that was one of those times. Later, I was...

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Homemade Music Blog

Call For Submissions: Cartwheels Album Project

A close friend's mother passed away from COVID this year and among the outpouring of well-wishes someone in the family said something that stuck with me. She had been struggling with health issues for some time, confined to a wheel chair and oxygen, long prior to contracting the virus and someone said that, "Connie must be doing cartwheels in heaven." So this project is a tribute to Connie and others we lost during our recent year-long hardships. Create a track with this as your inspiration.... -- read post

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Cowbellz

All “more cowbell” jokes aside, this instrument is the real deal, and here’s some groovy loops you can use in your production. Its two different cowbells (a low pitched handmade Cuban mambo bell, and a small vintage Ludwig bongo bell from the 1950’s) played in different ways at many different tempos. https://www.organicdrumloops.com/percussion/cowbellz/ -- read post

Posted in: Loops | 0 comments

MorphSound (Reaktor Instrument)

C&S present another great sample based instrument for Native Instruments Reaktor including 100 presets. This one is playable via keyboard or any other MIDI input and makes morphing / modulating Atmo, Chord, Bass, FX and Lead sounds. The morphing is controlled by an LFO and can be synced to your DAW. The instrument´s heart is a controllable granular sampler and features a spectral stereo equalizer plus two effects (Delay, Reverb). So the presets can be changed in many ways though you... -- read post

Posted in: Synthesizers | 0 comments

Loopcloud 4.0

The complete solution for browsing auditioning and managing your samples just got e ven more comprehensive with Loopcloud’s new hugely creative pattern editing f unctions. With Loopcloud’s revolutionary new Loop Editor, you can slice, edit and reverse samples into unique patterns, and then audition any loop or one-shot with the same edits you’ve made. All before downloading anything or even touching your DAW. https://www.loopcloud.net -- read post

Posted in: Software | 0 comments

Spitfire Audio LABS Series

The Spitfire Audio LABS programme is an infinite series of software instruments, free and easy to use; made by musicians in London for anyone, anywhere. We release one every month, as well as a bimonthly creative compendium, The Notebook. And in case you missed it, they are all FREE. https://www.spitfireaudio.com/labs/ -- read post

Posted in: Synthesizers | 0 comments

FREE FX Pack - Trailer Tools Vol. 1 from Trailer Music Academy

Trailer Tools Vol. 1 contains a wide selection of sound styles that’ll help you maximize your music’s ambiance at your comfort. Sound designs range from refined booms to spine-chilling atmospherics; as well as tenacious whooshes and of course… the ever-famous impactful braams! All sounds are live-recorded and post-produced using the latest gear by the talented Maks Piszczek – who has also provided these very same sound samples to renowned and professional composers in the cinematic... -- read post

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Sell Your Music Online with TuneCore

Sell Your Album Online with TuneCore TuneCore is a low, flat fee service that distributes anyone's music or videos to iTunes, eMusic, AmazonMP3, and many other major download sites, while taking no rights and no revenue from the sale of the music. Artists are building careers, selling significant volumes of music and generating revenue while keeping their rights utilizing the new model created by TuneCore. TuneCore has distributed hundreds of thousands of songs to iTunes and other... -- read post

Posted in: Business | 0 comments

Featured Artist Blogs

Arturia KeyLab Essential 88 Review

Getting Your Homemade Recordings on Apple Music and Elsewhere in 2021

Loopers and Songwriting

New Track Discussions

Homemade Music Blog

Call For Submissions: Cartwheels Album Project

Cowbellz

MorphSound (Reaktor Instrument)

Loopcloud 4.0

Spitfire Audio LABS Series

FREE FX Pack - Trailer Tools Vol. 1 from Trailer Music Academy

Sell Your Music Online with TuneCore

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The magic can happen in a studio. Special things can happen in a recording studio, even though it may seem like a clinical environment from the outside looking in.

Benny Green