For a musician, your songs are your art.  They are the physical embodiment of your creative gifts.  Every bit of anger, happiness, angst, joy, pain, elation, knowledge or humor goes into the story known as your song.  You write and re-write it, scouring over each note and word…perfecting it for recording and live performance.

But when you play it for others, you’re not getting the reaction you expected. Your friends, fans and family seem less than enthusiastic as they dully respond, “Yeah.  That was…um…good.” How could this be?  You poured your soul into this piece.  This was your “Stairway To Heaven”!  This was your “Smells Like Team Spirit”!  It’s a lyrically amazing ode about the persecution of pagan midwives in grass hut tribes!  It flows, it breathes, and it’s seven and a half minutes of pure musical perfection!

Whoa.  Stop right there, Mozart.  You wrote a seven and a half minute song about the persecution of pagan midwives in grass hut tribes and you’re wondering why you’re thirteen year-old cousin fell asleep in the middle of the fourth verse?  You wrote a seven and a half minute song about the persecution of pagan midwives in grass hut tribes and you’re confused as to why your drummer’s girlfriend began calling her friends on her cell phone before the song had reached its bridge?

It may be hard to believe when you’re penning an opus such as this, but the normal human brain is wired a little differently than an accomplished musician’s, like yourself.  And although music is art, it’s also popular culture and the goal should be for others to enjoy your creative efforts as much as you do.

So, how can you make sure that your writing experience is as positive as your audience’s listening experience?  What can you, as musicians do, to eliminate aspects of your songs that may alienate, confuse or just plain bore your fans?

The following are a few tips that may add success to your songwriting experience:
1. After Four Minutes, It Becomes Background Music—Music aficionado’s aside, the average person has roughly the attention span of a young adult hummingbird. As a songwriter, you need to grab your audience’s attention and hold it until the end of the song before they flit off to something else more interesting to them. Although four minutes (or less) may seem like the blink of an eye when a songwriter is storytelling, it’s a very long time to expect your run-of-the-mill club-goer or web-surfer to stay fixated on your music.

2. Tell Your Story As Directly As Possible—We all love allusions, allegories, vague references, and subtle metaphors but use them sparingly or become a beat poet. A little abstractness goes a long way when writing a popular song. Song lyrics fly into people’s minds as quickly as the bassist plucks out quarter notes. If you make your lyrics too complicated, then your audience may still be trying to figure out the verse when you’re already playing the chorus. This could prompt the average listener to tune out your masterpiece, order another beer and switch on their Ipod.

3. If English Is Your First Language, Use It In Your Song—It’s great that you’re an educated, cultured, artistic intellectual sponge. But remember that most people who hear your music are not book worms or art whores. Big, involved words make for memorable song lyrics but use them occasionally. It’s good for your fans to ponder the meaning of a particular lyric but give them too many to ponder and they’ll get so caught up in the words that they may forget your song.

4. Obscure Musicality Can Be Confusing Too—Lyrics aren’t the only way to confuse the average listener. Obscure time signatures, discordant instrumentation and avant guard drum lines may seem like genius to your fellow musicians, but if your listeners can’t tap and/or hum along, you may find yourself only invited to perform in underground opium bars where the audience members have all had one too many hash brownie.

Remember that just because a song is popular or easily understood, doesn’t mean that it’s not good creativity.  Art is subjective, and truly in the eye of the beholder.  Your least favorite song could be someone else’s favorite.  You never have to stop being creative or artistic, just acknowledge that there’s an audience out there that wants to hear what you have to say…but they’ll need to be able to comprehend it first.

Sheena Metal is a radio host, producer, promoter, music supervisor, consultant, columnist, journalist and musician.  Her syndicated radio program, Music Highway Radio, airs on over 700 affiliates to more than 126 million listeners.  Her musicians’ assistance program, Music Highway, boasts over 10,000 members.  She currently promotes numerous live shows weekly in the Los Angeles Area, where she resides.  For more info: http://www.sheena-metal.com

HEAD ABOVE MUSIC RECOMMENDATION:

Songwriters on Songwriting By Paul Zollo, Paul Zollo

The Complete Singer-Songwriter: A Troubadour’s Guide to Writing, Performing, Recording and Business By Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers

How To Write Songs On Guitar – Revised By Rikky Rooksby

To the artists, music lovers and industry insiders that make up the OurStage community,

Since the inception of OurStage the founders have aspired to change the landscape of the music industry by finding a way to discover tomorrow’s stars. With your help we have been hugely successful at ranking the quality of talent within our arsenal of artists. With the help of our partners we have been fortunate enough to provide some of our most promising artists career enhancing opportunities. Now it’s time to raise the bar even higher.

We want to break artists regionally, nationally and internationally. In order to achieve this goal we are thrilled to announce our partnership with the MTV Networks. The sheer power of MTV’s many screens from TV to web to mobile to gaming will allow for many more opportunities for OurStage artists. In the months to follow we will announce promotions that will put our artists in front of massive audiences.

To kick off this relationship MTV Music and OurStage will be selecting one artist each week for a collaborate feature called “Needle in the Haystack”. NITH will shower each lucky artist with Internet love, making them an “artist to watch”. Since February 1st you can discover the featured talent through downloads and interviews shared on mtvmusic.com and ourstage.com.

Since its premiere in 1981 MTV has had a profound impact on both the music industry and popular culture at large. This partnership heralds a shared vision to truly break the stars of tomorrow. It is a commitment that we look forward to making a reality. Now all we need is you.

Artists, continue to update your profiles, EPKs and submit your best songs into our monthly music channels. Fans, continue to let your voice be heard through judging— as your opinion can help launch the careers of our artists and change their lives forever.

Let’s make some magic happen.

OurStage

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Well, the first place to start is don’t put any limitations on yourself. If someone else can do it, you can too. You know deep down if music is your calling, go for it. You can only go as far as you think you can so whatever your goals are just don’t be afraid of making them as big as you want ! Not to say everyone wants to top the billboard charts or whatnot, your goals might be very personal (excellence for your own personal growth, being able to play live in front of a local audience… for example) and that fine too Everyone has something special to bring, in their own unique way so don’t be afraid to be yourself! That means dint try to mold yourself to the current styles or what you think is good music or whatever, just don’t be afraid to be different. The world doesn’t need another copy of. It does need your own special expression though ! And ya sure, its true that you do get more opposition when you are different, but authentic IS the only way to go and the only way great music ever came to be in the first place! So be true to yourself, if you are truly passionate about what you are doing, chances are others will love it too. So keep it real. Keep it authentic.

Your music should be a reflection of YOU, not someone else. Now that doesn’t mean you don’t get inspired by other artists, for sure you do! And so here comes another bit of advice: listen to everyone and everything. There is always something to learn. Criticism helps you grow. Don’t mind the senseless bashing, but don’t have such a big ego as to not heed advice either. Someone may be wrong or right it doesn’t matter, just keep an open mind. That also applies when listening to others music, maybe the song you are listening to sucks musically, but the mixing is amazing or the lyrics or the way the singer is conveying the emotion..? Just take the good in all you can.

Now, that brings me to, and you’ve heard this one before but it is so true, you gotta be tough, you will most likely not succeed at your first try in anything you attempt, so it is the same with your musical goals. Just don’t give up. Some things take more time to get where you want them to be. Whether that be recognition for your band, or your skills to be up to par. You think Celine Dion never hit a wrong note??? Heck I have seen videos of her in her earlier years, where she was days on end practicing a song to get it right. Greatness is something you work at. And in a competitive business like the music industry, you better be on your grind cause their are thousands on thousands of dedicated artists out there all wanting to be heard. Not to say there is not room for all of you amazing people ! Just to say: practice. A lot. Confidence in what you do is gained by those endless hours of knowing your skills and knowing you are giving your very best.

Now when it comes to getting your music out there… don’t wait for anybody to do that for you! Utilize all your resources. Play shows whenever you can, and use the internet. Other than the live shows, Myspace and Youtube is how we gained most of our following. Theses are tools that work for you by getting you fans that couldn’t otherwise have ever heard about you. Remember, your fans are your biggest allies, so treat them well, respond to their comments, post blogs, interact. Nobody ever made it anywhere without lots of love and support, and they are yours so give back. Give your songs if you want too. Don’t start with money in your head. If you do a great job and your music is awesome people are gonna WANT to support you, and money is gonna come naturally as a result of your great work. So all in due time. OK now so I’m no pro adviser or anything, this is just a little bit of what works for us and I hope it can help Love you all! Keep making all this beautiful art for us all to enjoy! XO

Spy Nation

http://www.myspace.com/orchestrazz

One book we would recommend: The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer
favorite piece of gear: Gilbert’s Marshall amp
one thing we cant live on the road without: olive oil( Gilbert eats a liter a week!!) and organic soap( that one s for me !LOL)

Working in the music industry has its perks, privileges, and pains as anyone who works in it knows. No matter what your genre is, one thing remains the same for all artists: You need to bring attention to yourself, your music, and your events. And while there are several ways to do so, few are as effective (in terms of cost or exposure) as a well written press release.

Writing a press release may prove to be a challenge to those whose focus is solely on their musical ability and efforts, but it doesn’t have to be. There’s an art to writing a good press release just like there’s an art to making good music. In fact, a well written press release is simply you on paper. There are many tricks to the trade, and I’m going to share some of several of them with you: The Seven Essentials of Press Release Writing.

Essential #1: “Who, What, When, Where, and Why?”
A good press release must clearly convey who is doing what and when, where it’s happening, and why. Your target audience is much more likely to be responsive if you included answers to all of the above. When I write press releases for Mi2N-PRESS, I never leave room for “guesswork.” Plain and simple: If people have to guess about any information that should be included in the press release, then you haven’t done your work.

Essential #2: “Less Is More”
When you’re writing a press release and answering the what, where, when and why, remember that less is more. Not less information, but fewer words. Short, detailed sentences are best. Think about it. If you’re running from one performance to another, meeting with your agent, writing lyrics or music, talking with your promoter AND trying to squeeze 3 square meals, family, and far too few hours of sleep into your the day as most of us are, then you know that time is precious. Your press release should take into account the fact people are a lot less likely to read a press release that’s much longer than one page. As President Thomas Jefferson said, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” And if neither of those reasons convinces you, just know this: media professionals (like most of us) are fundamentally lazy. They don’t want to do any more research than they have to.

Essential #3: “The Early Bird Gets the Worm”
If you haven’t grabbed your target audience’s attention by the end of paragraph one, you’ve probably lost the opportunity to do so. People simply don’t have time to wait for fluff. If they want more information than what you’ve given them in the first paragraph about that CD that you are releasing in January, 2010 in Europe (because you performed live on a famous radio show and were so well liked, the rest was history), then you’ve put out a good “hook” and now they’ve “taken the bait”. Now you need to “real them in.”

Essential #4: “Thou Shalt Not Lie”
One thing that writers and music professionals are able to do is to quickly spot a press release that has been, shall we say “highly exaggerated”. It’s just as important to be known for being credible than it is for making great music. Submitting a press release that contains false or misleading information is just as bad as lip syncing at your “live performance.” If you don’t believe me, just ask Milli Vanilli.

Essential #5: “Spice, Please”
Use audio and video links whenever possible. While press releases are most certainly a business document, that doesn’t mean it has to be a boring document. Capture your reader’s attention with a photograph or an audio URL. People like to be entertained. We like our food, cars, and homes to be aesthetically pleasing, and we like our press releases that way as well.

Essential #6: “Quotes: He Said, She Said…
One way to infuse life into your press release is to incorporate a quote. Find a good quote that is relevant to your press release and use it. Remember the favorable press you received by that infamous reviewer who has critiqued your CD or been to your concert and written about it favorably? Dig it out, and quote them. It’s an endorsement of you and your music.

Essential #7: “In The Beginning…”
The title of your press release is especially important as it is the first thing one sees and the scale that will be used to measure their interest in actually reading your press release or moving on to the next one. A good title is as important as having an M.C. who can get the crowd fired up about you before you even hit the stage. It has to be both interesting and informative.

Obviously, a lot of work goes into writing a great press release. But it’s definitely within your reach if you utilize the essentials outlined above. With online marketing being more important than ever before because of social networking sites, blogs, and countless other sources of music buzz, you have to put your best foot forward with your press release. It’s your connection to your audience: conveying your brand, your music, and your story. It’s also important to have it distributed to your target audience and as many appropriate sites as possible within the industry. Choose your distribution service carefully. Make sure that they have a reputation for being a trusted news source and a large enough dissemination to make it worth your investment.

Quite applicable to this topic, I’ll leave you with this quote: “It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.” Seneca (3 BC – 65 AD)

Written By : Michele Wilson-Morris

Michele Wilson-Morris is a native of Birmingham, Alabama, and formerly the Marketing & Communications Director for Tag It, the former parent company of Mi2N and MusicDish e-zines. She graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in 1991 with a B.S. in Business Administration, and has held a variety of professional corporate positions since that time.

www.musicdish.com

Click to Listen

When Head Above Music asked me to do an article on my experiences for the 3^rd album it got me thinking. The biggest thing I noticed about producing a 3^rd album is that you learn more to play to your strengths instead of trying to be all things to all people. I write all the songs, play piano and sing. The first 2 albums teach you where your strengths are. It’s like an apprenticeship. Sometimes you can lose confidence doing something a little beyond you and you realize that’s not necessarily your thing. You should focus on your core strengths. For me it’s my writing, my piano and putting it all together. I can’t necessarily sing everything I write. I find my voice and delivery adequate within a certain range. It’s definitely is a strong point when I’m in my comfort zone, but outside of that I’m happy to bring in people with better voices. You have to do what is best for the track. I love the texture of girls and guys voices, especially with harmony.

If you continue with the same team, you build on the relationships you developed, and you become more efficient in the studio because you know how each other works. Same for the musicians you bring in to team on the recording. You bounce off each other better and the chemistry is more intense.

As a writer you learn more about what works, what to look for in a great song, about intelligent song construction, and for me to write even beyond my ability as a performer. Like anything, the more you do it, the better you get. You become a better song writer. This time around I was a lot more prepared to explore new territory, styles and genres, because I have now connected with a broader range of talent able to bring my music to life.

If you’re into theory and technique, you get better at speaking and communicating the language of music just by doing it with others.

We explored everything from rock to pop, to orchestral, old and new school, hip hop, R&B, piano ballads, contemporary dance, piano solo, so on this album you’re going to get one with the lot from all of our combined experiences.

This album also reflects the journey of all of us in the band and engineers in the studio, and how we’ve all grown as musicians over the past 6 years of working together live and in the studio, from personal ability to trying on new things. I had grown up as a piano player who learned how to sing by copying other performers. I was a typical hairbrush and mirror kinda guy. My style was kind of piano man meets Robbie Williams meets Frankie Valley meets me. For this album I branched out and tried styles I would never have previously even dreamed of like R&B and hip hop, with the help of players like Michael ‘Z’ Zammit, Caroline ‘CJ’ Hawke, Elethea Sartorelli, Sarah ‘Mil’ C’ Capodicasa, Judy Stolfo, Rosie Kalber, Troy ‘Tribal’ Lourens, Gary Thackrah, Sam Tabone, Hayley Anderson, Daniel Agius, Alyssa Comito, Mauricio Ochoa Lemos, & Master rap – MC J Waters. Live performers who help shape my sound include Dana ‘db’ Beckett, Scotty Ingram, Joe Torres, Claire ‘WIAD’ Cross, Dave ‘Robbie’ Gidis, Justin ‘Casper’ Healy, Grant ‘Slice of Heaven’ Weinstein, Bri Croft, Lisssa Dawson, Tim Agius, Broden Ford, Mary McPherson, Lauren Gorman, and Phil Rogers.

You also get the benefit of developing in front of the people you are trying to impress. I have only just signed an iTunes and a distribution deal because it takes a while to sort. People see you are in it for the long hall and they begin to see the level of your dedication and commitment. You develop relationships with venues which makes it easier to get gigs.

Even when it comes to making videos, the first time is really strange and requires a whole other discipline in order to look good. You get better at knowing what you want. You get better at story boarding, planning and being directed; now having a knowledge of final outcomes and the possibilities to create the visual vibe of the song.

From the point of view of equipment, when you first start out you get really hung up on gear and you think you need everything and can easily waste a whole bunch of money. The more I do this, the more I realize you don’t need most of it. These days I can write on a Casiotone if I want. It really doesn’t matter a whole deal. Don’t get me wrong I love my beta 58 and my Kurzweil piano for live, but you just need the bits that focus on your core strengths. A lot of musos spend a lot on recording gear. Digital notepads are cool, but if you want releasable to radio quality, 999 times out of 1000 you won’t be able to do it yourself no matter what the brochure says. Being an engineer is a whole other discipline and can take 5-10 years to get your head around the tech and to get really good. Not to mention the amount of money you would have to spend on gear and education. To think you’ll save money is just a lie. Hire a pro. Research people on myspace and ask them who they used. Being a great muso maketh not the great producer.

The more we rehearse for the new album shows, the more I notice a lot of musos buy sophisticated PA gear they may or may not use. Again you only need what you are going to use. These days speakers can come with integrated matching amps. Mixers come with onboard fx and eq’s. To have this stuff in separate boxes only adds to the set up and pack up time and adds to the amount of things that can go wrong. And MOST of the time, the audience will never know the difference. Only buy what you need, and simplify wherever you can. I really like Lexicon and TC reverb. I tried it live housed in it a rack, then compared it to the built in verb on my Beringer, and there would be very few people in the crowd who would know the difference. Truly. The subtle beauty of the Lexicon generally won’t translate live. Obviously it is different for large scale shows. For these every time you will hire a sound guy. So in the end you don’t need to buy high end stuff. ‘I could be famous if I had all the right gear if my parents weren’t poor.’ It’s just not true. You can write if you have pen, paper, a Casio or a Kmart guitar. Truly. If you want to perform, there is always someone around with a mike and an amp. You just have to be creative, resourceful and motivated.

By this stage I have connected with more like-minded people and your world becomes more like that which you are seeking. You relate to each others’ stories of triumph and tribulation. You meet lots of other bands. You learn patience and humility during which time you keep working hard, you treat it as an opportunity to improve, and then you get better. In my mind I should have been famous long ago (in my dreams – lol!) but all this has done is spurned me on to work even harder. To keep writing, to keep recording, to keep playing live, to keep improving. If you write, write your head off. If you play or sing rehearse your head off. Regular lessons never go astray. Commit to being the best you can be.

The life that comes with being a musician or any performer for that matter, you wouldn’t want on anyone. It is truly tough compared to people who have regular jobs. It requires juggling and major sacrifices. I am hoping the reward will be greater than the price I paid. They say you don’t chose this business, it chooses you. I know this to be true.

Details and 3^rd album song samples can be heard here: http://www.myspace.com/victorpender

Songs can be previewed and bought here:  

Victor’s Recomendations:

1. One book I would recommend. Warren Beatty’s Biography
2. My favorite piece of gear - Essex Steinway Grand my Mum bought me.  At shows it’s my Kurzweil piano
3. One thing I can’t live on the road without – 2 minute noodles

Transform iPhone into a full 88-key piano with Pianist. With authentic sound and great features like soft and sustaining pedals, dual keyboard layout, and overdubbing, you can play and compose anywhere. The interface between the tunes and which keys to press is easy to master. Once you catch on you’ll want to play at least one song all the way through.
Available on the App Store

Record music.

If you like to make your own music, record it with Voice Memo, then share it via MMS* or email.

Record a voice memo:

1. Tap to start recording. You can also press the center button on the iPhone headset.
2. Tap to pause or to stop recording. You can also press the center button on the iPhone headset to stop recording.

Share a voice memo:

1. On the Voice Memos screen or Info screen, tap Share.
2. Choose Email Voice Memo to open a new message in Mail with the memo attached, or choose MMS to open a new message in Messages.

See more tips

Create a soundtrack.

Turn the world around you into a song with RjDj. This music-making app picks up ambient sounds, then bounces them back through your headphones. Record as you go and enjoy your creative compositions again later. “RjDj” is a new iPhone application that mixes audio data from the iPhone’s microphone in real-time and plays them back out your headphones to create an electronic musicish environment. It connects your outside world to your acoustic perception. Different “scenes” exist in lieu of proper songs, each of which use the open “Pd” descriptor language to define what to do with the sounds coming in through the microphone. Your voice might be remixed into a flanging loop in one scene; another might use increased volume to change the melody of a song.  Acid for your ears.
Available on the App Store

See the music.

Audio and visuals are in perfect harmony with Bloom. This mesmerizing app from ambient music pioneer Brian Eno turns your iPhone into a 21st-century music box. Touch the screen to layer and loop sounds. Then sit back and enjoy the elaborate patterns and relaxing soundscapes. It displays a pastel multicolored screen. You hit different spots on the screen to play different notes. Your bass notes will be at the bottom, treble at the top. The notes are arranged in modal intervals so you can’t play a wrong note.
Available on the App Store

Stay on key.

When it comes to finding the perfect pitch, ClearTune is spot on. Use this powerful app to tune almost any instrument that sustains a tone — from guitars and woodwinds to brass and pianos. The ClearTune, is a chromatic tuner that will help you tune any instrument that can hold a tone long enough for the iPhone’s built in mic to allow the app to read it. It’s extremely well-drawn and highly functional. One glance at it and you know exactly what it is you’re looking at.

Available on the App Store

Be blown away.

Turn iPhone into a fun-to-play flutelike instrument with Ocarina. To play a melody, blow into the iPhone mic as you hold down various finger combinations. Even novices will be amazed at how easy it is to play hundreds of songs. And if you just can’t get enough, tap the globe icon to listen in on Ocarina players all over the world. Smule’s website (http://ocarina.smule.com) has a large collection of user-generated songs that have been tabbed specifically for the iPhone Ocarina app. You will find everything from the Star Wars theme to The Beatles. The Ocarina “sheet music” is very easy to read and simply shows the finger positions for each note in the song.
Available on the App Store

Strike a chord.

Want to learn a few new chords? Add GuitarToolkit for over 500,000 chord variations and a flexible guitar tuner and metronome. Then start strumming when you download PocketGuitar. This App allows you to change between 6 different instruments including: Acoustic-Electric Guitar, Electric Guitar, Classical Guitar, Muted Guitar, Electric Bass & Ukulele which can be changed in the settings. There are a few other options in the settings, such as effects, Accelerometer Effects, Alternative Tuning, Pluck Auto, Adjust Positions & turn Left-Handed Play on and Off
Available on the App Store

You’ve got the beat.

Your iPhone becomes a fully loaded music studio with the BeatMaker mobile music creation studio. Compose professional-sounding beats, record audio samples, and arrange patterns to create songs. Then export your compositions and share them with friends. BeatMaker is a sequencer, an application used to arrange samples into a composition. Often times, sequencers use pieces of hardware, such as an electronic drum kit or MIDI keyboard, to trigger (or play back on demand) the samples and record the information associated with the velocity, after touch, and note pitch and value.
Available on the App Store

Top 10 Paid Music Apps

1. I Am T-Pain
2. Shazam Encore
3. MusicID with Lyrics
4. PocketGuitar
5. SoundHound
6. easymix hiphop
7. TuneIn Radio
8. Radio
9. GuitarToolkit
10. Ocarina

Top 10 Free Music Apps

1. Pandora Radio
2. Shazam
3. iheart radio
4. Virtuoso Piano Free 2
5. SIRIUS XM Premium Online
6. myPod (FREE)
7. Drum Kit Lite
8. MyGuitar
9. Custom Ringtones via iTunes (Visual Guide)
10. Madonna

Tune in.

Create your own personal music station with Pandora Radio. Choose a favorite song or artist and Pandora will play the music you want to hear — and music just like it. Discover new artists with similar sounds and skip over songs you don’t like.
Available on the App Store

Name that tune.

If you hear a song you like, point your iPhone at the speaker and Shazam tells you the name of the song and the artist who sings it. It also lets you download the song from iTunes, tag it, and watch the music video.

Available on the App Store

February 2008 This month, PSE took three large-diaphragm condenser mics into the studio and ran them through their paces. On the block were Audio-Technica’s 3035, MXL’s V-88, and Shure’s KSM 27. We tested them with a both male and female vocalist, in addition to finding a few other applications to explore how flexible these cost-effective mics are in a real studio setting.

The scene of the shootout
The scene of the shootout was Nacnud Sound, located in Lodi, CA and owned by long-time Disc Makers Studio Partner Rick Duncan. Prior to the vocal session, we recorded a backing track, using Reason software so we could quickly make any key changes necessary to accommodate each singer’s range. Rick had set up an array of Tube-Trap cylindrical diffusers in a slightly opened “Attack Wall” to create a neutral, environment for vocal tracking.

Each mic was plugged in to a Mar-Tech MSS-10 preamp, a unit known for its pristine, uncolored sound. The input levels into Rick’s Pro Tools system were kept constant for each mic. The panel of listeners included Rick, local engineers Mike Tompkins and Spencer Johnson (who arranged the track), and local horn player, Jay Maddox.

As we tracked each performer’s vocals, we kept the live performance hot and dry in the control room’s Genelec 1030A monitors to hear each mic’s tonal characteristics and response. After tracking both male and female vocals, we went back to listen to the vocals at a lower volume, placing them at a level appropriate for a final mix.

Tracking Vocals
For our male vocalist, Cory, we started with the AT 3035, which delivered a balanced, smooth sound throughout the verse and chorus. We then tracked the song again, using the Shure KSM 27, which exhibited a bit more warmth on our male singer’s voice, while still allowing plenty of detail. Next, within just a few lines of the third performance, the MXL V88 elicited comments from the entire panel as being “very open, detailed” and delivering “plenty of high end sparkle” on Cory’s voice.

Next, we shifted gears to a different key and invited our female singer, Jessica, to run the mics through their paces. The AT 3035 provided a crisp, smooth response on her voice, with no coloration, even as she belted out the chorus strongly. The Shure KSM 27 didn’t provide quite as much detail as the AT, but still delivered a pleasing sound. As it did with Cory, the MXL V88 stood out with its bright, detailed top end response, but on quite a few passages, Jessica’s voice sounded a little too sibilant through the V88.

In the Mix
When we had six complete performances, we thanked our performers and got down to putting these vocal tracks in the proper relation to the backing tracks, balanced within the overall mix. We started with Jessica’s tracks and boosted up the backing track to get an overall mix balance.

Jessica’s speaking voice is crisp and sibilant, and she sang with plenty of articulation on her syllables. In short, she was a perfect sound source for the test. Her performances were steady throughout, with a few strong, noticeable peaks in the song’s choruses. Before we began, we decided not to use any compression or EQ at any time during the tests, so every track was recorded with no signal processing at all.

After switching back numerous times between each of the three mics, the consensus among the panel was that for Jessica, the AT 3035 edged out the Shure KSM 27 by a small margin. Both mics delivered intimacy and detail on her voice, but the AT seemed to deliver a shade more openness that was very pleasing with the track. By comparison, the MXL V88 simply delivered too much brightness, emphasizing her sibilance to the point where a de-esser would need to be employed if the track was to be used.

Cory’s vocal was a softer, head-tone performance (think Thom Yorke of Radiohead), with plenty of subtlety and nuance on the track. As we balanced his voice in the overall mix, the panel discovered that the Shure KSM 27 delivered tangible mid-range warmth, and overall, the most balanced response of the three mics. After a lot of listening, the panel’s comments picked out the Shure’s “meatier” sound, that was “up front and easy to place” in the mix. We noticed that we had to turn the MXL track up a bit more than the other two to get an appropriate balance with the backing tracks, but when we did boost the track, its signature presence delivered plenty of detail. The AT 3035 worked nicely on Cory’s track, but in comparison to the KSM 27, the panel felt that the final mix would have required a little boost in the mids to fatten up Cory’s voice. For this vocalist, the KSM 27 delivered a smooth, warm round tone that required no EQ at all.

Utility Applications
We decided to reconvene a week later at Mike’s apartment to try the mics out in a few different applications, since few recording musicians have the luxury of purchasing mics to only use in one setting. That evening we tried the three test mics on alto sax, acoustic guitar, and narration to see what differences we might notice using the mics differently.

The set up was simple, with each of the three mics plugged directly into Mike’s M-Box and tracked into his Pro Tools LE system. As before, no EQ or compression was used. We started with a narrator, whose voice was in the baritone range. After testing all three mics, the panel declared the MXL the clear winner, due to its natural richness on the narrator’s voice. It also delivered loads of crispness, which added clarity. The Shure and AT sounded good, but the panel agreed that the top end “sparkle” delivered by the MXL would help this narrator’s voice remain intelligible and clear when mixed with other sound sources as is normally the case in radio and TV work.

We switched to alto sax with the mics each placed about 12 inches away from the horn. The Shure KSM 27 and AT 3035 both delivered a smooth, even response as our sax player ran through a short etude. However, when we listened back to the same track recorded with the MXL V88, the panelists noted a slightly more natural, airy sound captured by that mic, one that “sounded just like the instrument being played.”

Finally, Spencer pulled out his newly strung Martin DCX-1KE acoustic guitar and provided the evening’s final sound source. For consistency, we placed each mic fourteen inches in front of the sound hole, shaded just a bit toward the treble strings. (It should be noted that in an actual session, one would move each mic around to try to find the sweet spot for that particular mic/guitar combination, but to keep the test repeatable, the identical spot was used.)

Interestingly, the sort of meaty mid range tone that had been an asset when recording Cory’s vocal, turned into a liability when using the Shure KSM 27 on this acoustic guitar. The overall sound was a bit muted with the panel wanting to cut some of the midrange on the recorded track to get the guitar a bit more jangly-sounding. The panel found that the AT 3035 delivered a better tonal balance on the Martin, described as, “More open and noticeably brighter than the Shure, seems as if it would fit nicely into a mix with a band.” After a close comparison of all three guitar tracks, the MXL edged out the AT, delivering a rich and airy sound that really showed off this particular Martin guitar to advantage. The panel commented that “the MXL nicely delivered the full range of the Martin’s tone,” and that “this mic would be ideal, especially for a solo acoustic recording on this instrument.”

The Verdict
It should be noted that as little as five years ago, the choices among large diaphragm, high performance condenser mics was very limited in the sub-$350 price range. That’s changed dramatically as shown by these three mics, as well as a host of other mics from a variety of manufacturers large and small.

It’s an old studio axiom that the more studio mics you have to try out on a new vocalist the better. To that end, many engineers will start a vocal tracking session by setting up a wide range of mics and ask the singer to step on down the line as they warm up. Although we only had three mics to try out on our two singers, with the exception of the sibilance problem exhibited on Jessica’s track with the V88, each of these mics exhibited very good tonal range and sensitivity for vocals. The AT 3035 was the panel’s first choice for her track, edging out the KSM 27 as noted. On Cory’s vocals, the MXL V88’s richness and crisp top end established it as the panel’s favorite, although it seemed to have a bit less output than the others.

For the utility applications, the V88 scored a hat trick, by delivering the best performance on narration, solo guitar and alto sax, three pretty disparate sound sources. One nice feature of the KSM 27 and the AT 3035 were the low cut filters they offered, which handily reduced any rumble that either picked up from Mike’s apartment floor. In the case of the Martin, the KSM’s low frequency roll off at 115 Hz, nicely reduced the proximity effects, evening out the boominess that Martin Dreadnaughts are known for. The AT and Shure also offer a switchable pad, handy if your guitarist sets his amp to “stun.” By contrast, the MXL is utterly simple offering no pads of filters of any kind.

Street prices make each of these mics an outstanding value. The MXL V88, which debuted at the fall 2007 AES, sells for $349 with a hard case and a simple but effective shock mount. Shure’s KSM 27 sells for $299 and comes with a velvet mic bag and shock mount. It also offered the most complete documentation of the three. The AT 3035 had the lowest price available for a very reasonable $199, making it the most affordable of the trio. It comes with a mic bag, shock mount and spec sheet.

Is There a Winner?
Based strictly on price-performance ratio, the panel felt that the AT 3035 offered the best overall value among the mics tested. The Shure, while similar to the AT performance-wise, really made itself indispensable on Cory’s voice, delivering a track that was perfect for our mix without the need for any EQ. Although the MXL was the most expensive mic, it consistently delivered a rich and crisp image in every single application with the exception of Jessica’s voice. The V88 sounds a lot like mics costing three times more from better-known brands. As such, it would be a nice addition to any studio’s mic collection that was lacking a first-class, large diaphragm condenser with a crisp top end response.

If you’re ready to go shopping for a new condenser mic to add to your studio’s collection, why not visit your local pro audio dealer and with their advice, pick two or three new mics in your price range to take home and try out at your own studio. You might even invite a few other musicians and engineers (and the shop’s audio tech) to help you listen. You’re more likely to end up with a purchase that you value rather than a mic you find yourself seldom using by following this practice.

Thanks to the folks at Audio Technica, Shure, and MXL mics for loaning us these fine microphones for this month’s tests.

Hey Dave and Head Aboev Music,

It’s nice to “meet” you today.
Thanks for the kind words about the articles.
You have my OK to reference and link to the stories as suggested below.

I think it’s great that you are on the same path at the Discmakers blog about recording tech.

I have two books out, one on music careers “How To Get a Job in the Music Industry” and a second on recording techniques which includes interviews with a number of top engineers. If you want to run a brief excerpt from one of the books with a link to the Amazon book page, that would be a possibility.
Golden Moment: Recording Secrets from the Pros (Kindle Edition)
I’m on a sabbatical now, so you can follow up at my other email if you are interested in the book excerpts.

All the best,
Keith

Story links:
Audio Technica AT 3035

http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wired_mics/53b8b7998922fb02/index.html
MXL V88:

http://www.mxlmics.com/products/Studio_mics/V88/v88.html
Shure KSM 27:

http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Products/WiredMicrophones/us_pro_KSM27-SL_content
Nacnud Sound:

http://www.nacnud.net/equipment.htm
More on the Attack Wall from the PSE Archives:

http://www.asc-studio-acoustics.com/discmakers-swedien-interview.pdf

I’m still trying to do that! Just kidding but not. Its a tough road out there and your level of success can vary from month to month and year to year. There are many levels of success in this business as well- from local coffee house gigs to fancy restaurants to the bigger clubs in your immediate area and beyond. You really have to know what level of success you desire. Is it enough to just play once in a while or weekend warrior style? Do you desire more than that- playing 4-6 times a week to make your bills but doing what you love? Writing and recording and ultimately selling your original music? Touring regionally or nationwide or even internationally?

It can all be done if you want it.

The old saying “Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it!” comes to mind. I have proffered many inspirational sayings over the years, passing them on to myriad open mic-ers, wanna be song writers, karaoke queens as well as established local artists, when they ask me “How do I get a gig?” or something similar.

Phrase That Pays #1: “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” It is truly as simple as that, at least in my mind. And it works at whatever level you are at or desire to be at. If you never figure out where you want to play and who to ask about it and go and ASK that person for the gig, you will NEVER get it. Granted: If you ask, you still may not get what you want but you’ve opened the door for future contact and negotiation.

Then, generally, it comes down to persistence, your personality and business style. You make your case for why the venue should have you (but don’t promise what you can’t deliver) and then you ask for a reasonable (or slightly higher!) compensation. After that, you settle on a a deal for the gig. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you feel you are worth. Be sure to consider all costs of the gig when figuring your rate (promotional materials, equipment rental, transportation, etc). Know what is essential to the show and what luxuries are.  Do you REALLY need the tambourine player or the extra lights? I have been successful partly because of the fact that I pay attention to the needs of each venue or event and am able to adjust my product to fit the need and budget- solo, duo, trio? Up to 10 players if they want it! Female singer? Sax player? Percussion instead of drum kit? Big lights and sound or P.A. on a stick with a floodlight? All of these aspects can be used to up sell a gig or negotiate down to a deal. If you work in concert with any agents, be sure they know your options regarding equipment, band members, road crew, etc.

Double check all contracts!

Phrase That Pays #2: “You are only worth whatever you can convince someone to pay you!”

You may ask, “What if he doesn’t offer me a gig?” Then you find out why, correct the problem if you can (or want to) and ask again. And then you keep on asking often enough to keep you in his mind but not too often so as to aggravate him or jeopardize the deal! Bottom line is that eventually he will either give you the gig to get you off his back or tell you to go away, in which case you can proceed to work on another viable opportunity. Don’t waste time on a prospect that is not interested.

Phrase That Pays #3: There are plenty of places to play… EVERYWHERE!

It has been a constant effort and a labor of love to keep the ball rolling, as I have, for 15 years, full-time. 5 gigs a week, 50 weeks a year. I love playing (most of the time!) and though I haven’t pursued some of the other aspects of the business as aggressively as I might have- recording, merchandising, licensing and publishing to name a few, I have been able to pay my bills including a mortgage and keep my van running.

I may not be getting rich but I am not starving, either. Plus, I know many others who, over the years, have taken hope and inspiration from the fact that I am still out there doing it at 49 years old.

Additionally, I have taken great pride in the accomplishments of others like Dave Tamkin, Kevin Mileski, Arthur Lee, Scottish McMillan who were supporters of my Open Mic Nights back in the early days. I hope I helped them grow and prosper in some small way and that I have passed on the torch of music on, as well. It is my hope that these words may continue to help others as they pursue their dream down The Wayward Path of this crazy business, too.

Paul Allodi

alowd@aol.com

www.myspace.com/paulallodi

Here’s the thing with smoking and singing:
Smoking won’t keep you from singing.

But..

Smoke of any kind burns away the little hairs (cilia) that line the vocal folds. These hairs keep the vocal cords moist. When the hairs are gone the cords cannot keep moisture on them and become dry and irritated.

Over time this can lead to vocal problems and definitely mess with clarity and range. It will also be harder to sing as your cords are compromised as well as your lung capacity. It also causes mucous to form to protect the irritated area.

So you’ve got dry cords, less lung capacity and gunk in your throat. That’s enough reason to never pick up a cigarette if you sing. Especially if it’s your career. And pot is worse. One joint is equal to a whole pack of cigarettes in terms of “harshness” and dryness.

It can take as much as 2 weeks to fully recover your voice from smoking pot. It takes 2-3 days to recover from one cigarette.
Yours in voice and music,
Cari Cole

www.caricolevoiceandmusic.com

ABOUT CARI  COLE

Cari Cole’s music studio is a place where artist’s find vocal help, wisdom, health, strength and creative nurturing. Cari is committed to helping artists sustain strong and resilient voices for a lifelong career in music as well as keeping them creatively nurtured in their songwriting and careers. Cari Cole Voice & Music is also a place for young artist’s and developing artists to find their true voice as singers and songwriters.

The amount of time it will take for your voice to recover depends on
the extent of the damage that has been done.  It will likely take six
months or more for significant healing to occur.  In cases in which
more serious damage has occurred, the voice may never recover
completely.

Cigarette smoke is an irritant that causes edema, which is swelling of
the vocal cords. Edema causes the voice to be less clear and “husky”
or “throaty”.  Smoking can also aggravate reflux, a condition that
occurs when the contents of your stomach migrate back into the
esophagus and throat, causing inflammation.  The heat of the smoke is
damaging to the throat as well. In addition, smoking destroys lung function,
which reduces lungpower.

“The damage to vocal cords may not completely heal even after the smoking has ceased. Mild swelling may take six to nine months to resolve and the more significant inflammatory lesions may require surgery. Smoking is a major cause of refractory vocal nodules, since constant irritation in the throat prevents them from healing. Even with surgery there is no guarantee of recovering a desirable singing voice.

Singers who perform in smoke-filled clubs may also suffer some of the same effects. When it is not possible to avoid such situations, non-smoking performers should compensate for them by increasing their water intake and going out for fresh air between sets.

Finally, all serious singers learn how to give meticulous care to their complete vocal instrument, i.e. to both vocal cords and throat. Such attention is usually rewarded many times over. With appropriate care, the gift of voice and song may indeed endure the whole life long.”

Franoise P. Chagnon is the Director of the Voice Lab at the Montreal General Hospital

Resources to help you quite smoking.

The Easy Way to Stop Smoking & Be Forever Smoke Free with Self Hypnosis & Sound Therapy

Dr. Jane Maati Smith C.Hyp. Msc.D. (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Smokefree.gov

Find tools to help you quit · Talk to an expert · Get more free resources. Find a study near you · Learn about smoking in your state.

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Believe in your ability to stop Smoking!
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Our CigArrest customers are given a free 30 day trial of CigArrest tablets, CigArrest gum, and CigArrest vitamins. The customer will continue to receive supplies every 90 days as long as they wish to continue and will be charged monthly after the initial 30 day trial. They then have another 30 day money back guarantee, so essentially CigArrest customers are given 60 days to decide if they are happy with the program or not.

The Easy Way to Stop Smoking: Join the Millions Who Have Become Non-Smokers Using Allen Carr’s Easy way

Review by Sharon R.

No need for a long review here. About the first three quarters of the book is spent exploding various myths and delusions about smoking (such as smoking relaxing you or getting rid of stress), which sets you up and gets you into the right frame of mind for actually quitting. At this point, the book wants you to continue smoking while you read it. In a nutshell, the easy way to stop smoking involves two things: one, deciding you are never going to smoke again, and two, don’t mope about it anymore, rejoice. Sounds too simple, but after reading the first part of the book, this strategy will make more sense to you.

Lastly, the book cites two main reasons why you will fail: the influence of other smokers, and having a bad day. Having been around for 20 some years and being able to refine it with twenty years of feedback, I feel like this is one of the better books out there on non-smoking.