Videos I made for Higher Hz covering the basics of Songwriting, Composing, and Mixing. There are a lot of other videos on the Higher Hz YouTube as well, mostly product reviews, but with a lot of training embedded. Songwriting: Basics of Harmony - music theory https://youtu.be/01Tm2sGeIbI Article: What are chord progressions? Music theory simplified (higherhz.com) … Continue reading Songwriting Basics in Very Practical Terms
Tag: Mixing
Who Do I Serve?
Most people offering services try to be everything to everybody all the time. I do not. I know that there are people who I can serve really well. I also know there are people with whom I am not a good fit. If it impresses/offends you that I used the word "whom" that is probably … Continue reading Who Do I Serve?
Why if you are trying to Mix It Yourself, you are probably doing it wrong
The definition of a broken mix is: A mix that does not help people to get into the Scene & Story of your Song Day after day I see people deciding to mix their own songs & albums. Commonly the reasons given are around price and the "importance" of the project. I understand, I do. … Continue reading Why if you are trying to Mix It Yourself, you are probably doing it wrong
Putting Flow into your piece – the missing Pro-Tip
All over the internet, there are people offering one essential (click-bait) Pro Tip after another. If you just do this (often silly) thing, your music will suddenly become Pro. Interestingly one of the things often not mentioned in this flow of material is the concept of Flow. If a thing flows, it feels organic, real, … Continue reading Putting Flow into your piece – the missing Pro-Tip
Seth Godin’s: Pyramid of Modern Marketing
Everything past this initial paragraph is a copy & paste of Seth Godin's article. With the exception of the image that I made to help illustrate what he is saying. Seth put it so well and people are more likely to believe it when someone famous for working at Yahoo (and other cool places) said … Continue reading Seth Godin’s: Pyramid of Modern Marketing
Courage
The role of music is to help people feel confident; to feel courage that tomorrow (or even this afternoon) is worth facing. People don't want Rock & Roll to make them feel less confident. If you don't approach your own music with courage, you can't expect that it will deliver the courage that people want … Continue reading Courage
Making & Mixing Drums – everything you need to know to make drums that Groove well
Drums are the subject that get a lot of people off-track when they start making & mixing music. Drums maketh not the Mix The song is about the song. Tautological I know but it needs to keep being said when I hear track after track where all the care in the world went into the … Continue reading Making & Mixing Drums – everything you need to know to make drums that Groove well
Mixing Midsomer Variations
I was asked to show a whole track being mixed. Normally that is a tiny bit difficult for me as I have the track essentially mixed by the time I have finished composing it so there isn't a discrete process wherein I go through and Mix things. But I was disciplined as I worked on … Continue reading Mixing Midsomer Variations
Understanding Sounds for your Synth, Song Arrangement & Mix
This article is a holder for the 5-Video series on making, composing with, arranging & mixing the main categories of melodic sounds you will use when making almost any style of music. Part I: BassPart II: PolyPart III: LeadsPart IV: Pads Part V is about Layered Sounds which helps you to understand not only how … Continue reading Understanding Sounds for your Synth, Song Arrangement & Mix
Mix Engineer Advice Stems: “Handing Out Hysteria”
Advice on preparing & sending Stems to a Mix Engineer