Lesson 4: Revisiting Your Instrument

Already in this Artist Development course, we have looked at some of the hard-to-do things like work out who you are as an artist, pitch your newly-defined act and get a handle on what makes creativity successful. Yet still, I have deliberately kept you from laying a note down. If you don't know why you are … Continue reading Lesson 4: Revisiting Your Instrument

Lesson 3: Developing Skill & Creativity

You may have wondered why in a Musician's Artist Development course I haven't yet touched on anything related to playing a note (or drum sample). Thanks for noticing. There is a reason. Anyone who knows my writing, knows I talk a lot about the sense of Story in music. That doesn't mean you … Continue reading Lesson 3: Developing Skill & Creativity

Lesson 2: Making The Pitch

If you didn't run screaming from the building after Lesson 1 then welcome back. If you did find defining what makes you unique confronting then maybe this article will help you with that - whilst providing you with a new challenge. Let's dive in... Oh, this is a long one essentially in two parts, sure I … Continue reading Lesson 2: Making The Pitch

Lesson 1: Who Are You & What Is Your Message?

Who, Who, Who Are You? Who, Who... Sounds like a silly question doesn't it. Who are you? Well, you of course. Problem is you are thinking of yourself from the inside. From the outside, who are you? Is anyone seeing you from the outside likely to have a sense of who you are and how you … Continue reading Lesson 1: Who Are You & What Is Your Message?

Artist Development – A Course

Years ago I wrote a series of articles on making your record and getting it out there, along with a host of supporting articles covering things you will probably encounter - all in the Tutorial section. A big thing I always try to focus on is the "Why". If you know why things are done a certain … Continue reading Artist Development – A Course

Sound Design – Acoustic Guitar using Grain

It has been a while since I did one of these and with my newfound ability to make talkies (with poor audio balance I admit) I figured I might show off - sorry I mean "show you" - the hows and whys of my new Acoustic Guitar patch made using Grain from the new Reason 10. … Continue reading Sound Design – Acoustic Guitar using Grain

Kron – the Thor of CV devices and why I think this matters

The word Kron seems to have several (almost random) meanings in Urban parlance but here Kron refers to the Lord of Time, Chronos. Why I say this is because time is a commonly overlooked part of the creation of music. I have also covered some of what I will write here before in an article on … Continue reading Kron – the Thor of CV devices and why I think this matters

The trick to making your art unique and unmistakable in a sea of sameness

In the last few weeks, I found myself talking to two talented singer/songwriters who both have issues with letting their talent out. These musicians are really trying to copy established acts instead of using their own unique voices. It makes them effectively unrecordable. Sure I could wack em on tape and hand over the masters and … Continue reading The trick to making your art unique and unmistakable in a sea of sameness

Albums vs Shuffle All Songs

Yes, you probably read that title right; this post is about the difference between playing a whole Album and popping your whole collection into a Play All Songs Randomly mode. Now it is entirely probable that you are thinking "who cares" and working out what you want to click off to instead. Sure, you can … Continue reading Albums vs Shuffle All Songs