Best Vocal Plugins
This blog focuses on the current favourite plugins for processing vocals, with more of a narrowed focus on Electronic Music and Pop. The aim is to break the plugins down into categories for Correction, EQ, Compression, Saturation and Space.
Exploring Michael Brauer’s ‘Brauerize’ Mixing Technique
This blog discusses Michael Brauer’s mixing technique which has been coined as ‘Brauerize the Mix’. This technique has multiple specialised bus compressors for subgroups of the mix. To differentiate this blog from other posts about this topic online, the aim will be consider ways that this could be modified for engineers and producers working inside the DAW and looking for ways to be a little more experimental in their process.
This blog builds on information from Tiki Horea who wrote about Brauer on the Sonarworks Blog.
Classic Hardware-Inspired Music Production Techniques
This blog explores classic studio production techniques, which involve the creative use and misuse of hardware. Some studio techniques have been used for years to make records sound exciting, interesting and give them something a little extra. This blog looks at Abbey Road Reverb, All-Buttons In, Push-Pull Ep and more.
Mind Map for Music
This blog is about discovering your creativity in writing through inspiring mind-maps that blend genres, environments, emotions, games, and sound-design techniques. These mind-maps are ways to spark ideas, break creative blocks, and explore unexpected connections in your music production process by creating some problems and solving them musically.
How to be More Creative in Music Production
This blog provides useful insights and tangible methods for developing creativity in music production.
Drum n Bass Drum Patterns
Drum n Bass Drum Patterns - This blog explores some patterns for programming solid drum parts. The end of the list includes patterns using rarer 5/4 time signatures, allowing for experimentation with some interesting ideas around syncopation and space.
Overcome a Plateau in Music Production
We all have times when we feel like our music production development has plateaued. Praxis Theory can be boiled down to three areas: action, theory and reflection. This blog explores these areas in music production, breaking down the three elements and discussing them in the context of music production practice. Arguing that a balanced approach with Praxis can be one method to help music producers break through plateaus.
How to Find Your Sound as an Artist
Finding your own signature sound and musical identity. This blog covers stripping back the arrangements, refining your tools, being careful with samples, doing case studies on artists with a strong signature sound, and some of my takes on the classic advice for defining your own sound in music.
How to Sign to a Record Label in Drum n Bass
This blog is a discussion around signing music to record labels in the drum and bass scene.
Recently, I was asked about how I signed music to underground labels and the process. To provide some context, my experience is mainly in the UK Drum & Bass scene, and I have been signing music to labels since 2011. This is not an exhaustive guide, just my thoughts on the topic.
I discuss my process for signing music to labels such as Metalheadz, Dispatch and Flexout Audio and a bit about my thoughts on the process.
Songwriting Ideas - The Final 12
Songwriting Ideas - The final 12 prompts for starting new music to help break out of writer’s block for music producers and songwriters.
Songwriting Ideas for Creatives - Pt 3
Songwriting Ideas - This blog is the third instalment of 12 experimental ways to start new music in innovative and interesting ways.
Songwriting Ideas and Prompts - Pt 2
Songwriting Ideas for electronic musicians - 12 more experimental ways to start new music and create new avenues for creativity.
Songwriting Ideas - Overcome creative block
Songwriting ideas - This blog is all about ideas to help inspire your music and songwriting. With some different ideas that should help to spark creativity and give a new source of inspiration when you are struggling with creative block. Including 12 experimental ways to start new music to help with creative block
