How Songwriters Should Listen To Their Demos

The blessing and the curse of recording your finished song is that you can really dig in a scrutinize every detail of the recording. The “blessing” part is being able to hear all of the things that are coming together to make your song sound great but the “curse” is that by listening so closely,
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What Songwriters Should – and Shouldn’t – Do When Working With Music Producers

The way that I like to describe what a music producer does is that a music producer is to a recording as a director is to a movie. In other words, the producer is responsible for everything from the musical arrangement decisions all the way to working with the vocalist and session musicians to make
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What Songwriters Should – and Shouldn’t – Do When Working With Session Musicians

One of my greatest joys as a producer and engineer over the years has been bearing witness to the musical genius that is the session musician. The same people you’ve been hearing on recordings your whole lives are the men and women who make their livings coming into the studio and playing not only on
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What Songwriters Should – and Shouldn’t – Do When Working With Demo Singers

In my experience, the single most important part of any songwriting demo is the vocal. The vocal carries your melody and lyric which, for all intents and purposes, is your song. And for my money, a great demo singer is the best way to guarantee that your demo will be well received. That being said,
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What Songwriters Can Expect When Working With Professional Session Musicians

A great privilege one receives as a music producer in Nashville is getting to work with some of the finest session musicians in the world. These men and women have played on some of the best known albums of all time and even after all these years of working with them, I never cease to
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What Makes A Good Music Producer

When it comes to the job description of producers in today’s recording studio, the phrase “the more things change, the more they stay the same” comes to mind. While technological advances have made the studio a significantly more streamlined and efficient place to work, the principles of what makes a good producer have stood the
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What Songwriters Should Know About Recording Engineers

Engineers, strictly speaking, are responsible for the “nuts and bolts” of the recording process. In our current technological environment, this means not only a familiarity with ageless studio techniques such as microphone placement but also a deep understanding of the latest innovations in their chosen digital audio workstation (DAW) software and contemporary approaches to recording
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Tips for Songwriters Making Rough Recordings

As much as we’d like to admit it, not all of our songs are going to be worth spending the kind of money and time that a professional demo recordings require. In order to know whether or not  your song is – or can be – worth that investment, a song critique can be helpful.
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A Songwriter’s Introduction to Demo Studio Professionals

For songwriters getting ready to demo a song, it’s essential that you choose a professional recording studio with qualified personnel. However, if you haven’t spent much time in the studio, it can be tough to know what distinguishes true professionals from wannabes. In this article, I’m going to delve into the specifics of what you
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How Songwriters Can Make Sure They Get Great Songwriting Demos

Recording your song demos can – and should – be a terrific experience. Hearing a world class singer and studio musicians bring your song to life is one of the great joys of being a songwriter. That being said, there are a few things to keep in mind both before and during your demo if
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