The Art, Science and Inner Game of Music Production

Ableton Competition for Young Producers

2010-06-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

Here is something from one of my favourite music applications Ableton Live. Live in case you don't know is a highly flexible and creative music making platform which I use daily with my students due to it's free workflow.

Well this summer they are running a Music Challenged aimed squarely at young producers. The nice thing is that they have an under 15yrs age group and then 15-18yrs group which makes things fare for the younger aged entrants. There will be 24 runners up in each category as well as the grand prize winner.

Simply build your track, upload it and wait and see! Looks like they are using another one of my favourite services 'Soundcloud' to facilitate the process.

Well what are you waiting for! Click the link and get to it!

http://abletonsummermusicchallenge.com/

Arts Jobs - UK Arts Job Listings

2010-06-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this website recently and thought it was quite a decent site for arts opportunities. Basically it's a listings site managed by the arts council for all art forms. As is often the case with these sites; many of the listings are for unpaid jobs and voluntry positions.

The reason I really like it though is that the nature and focus of the site being arts based means that the postings are a little more interesting then the sites that have opportunists looking for cheap labour. By the way not allthe postings are for non paid work, there are many paid jobs listed that you may not stumble upon using the traditional searches. On the day I looked I saw vacancies as diverse as; a booking agent (£15K), an economic impact consultant (25K) and Workshop Practitioners.

Have a look for yourself http://www.artsjobs.org.uk/

Ben Mullon

2010-06-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

Ben Mullon: "

musician, educator and record producer

Indie Record Label Internship

2009-01-27T05:12:00.000-08:00

Just noticed this little posting and thought of you guys. If anyone is looking for experience of running an indie label this could be the ticket: GOOD LUCK!

- New! - INTERNSHIP RUFFA LANE RECORDS

Label, music publisher and management company with international success and rapidly expanding roster in indie pop / alt-country genres seeks bright spark with a thirst for knowledge and a great sense of humour. Get your hands dirty and in return you'll learn about every aspect of the music industry and we'll get your travel / lunch. SE London near New Cross.

Hours to suit minimum 16 p/w. In 100 words, tell Nathaniel why it should be you at nat@ruffalane.com.

Its All in the BEAT!

2009-01-13T03:06:00.000-08:00

I have heard some crazy things about music but this one has to be one of the more bizarre ideas. Apparently the beat stability of hit records can predict market crashes and according to Phil Mayim (an expert in the study of this) the Beyonce record "Single Ladies - Put a Ring On It" spells economic doom as it has a very constant beat with little variation.

You can read more on the Guardian site here

So Prime minister Gordon Brown listen to the charts - it seems the Phat lady has sung.

Analyse Your Musical Taste

2008-12-17T15:35:00.000-08:00

This is a bit of a funny one, signal patterns have a web test that will tell you about your musical personality. Its a bit of a laugh to take part, what you do is rate a series of short clips then you get an interactive chart that details the results in categories to tell you about yourself!

Well curiosity got the better of me, you can view my results from the widget posted on the left!

Give it a go, see if you really are into the music you think you are into!

here's the link

musical taste test

FREE PROTEUS INSTRUMENT!!!

2008-11-20T07:06:00.000-08:00

Its been a while since I sold my Proteus module and I still lament its departure, it had some seriously heavyweight production sounds many of which you can hear on records from the 80s, 90s and early 00s. I've just seen the EMU are giving a software version of the proteus for FREE yes FREE!!! I spent nearly a grand on mine back in the day. For anyone who is new to the EMU brand let me fill you in. In the early 80s EMU (aka Emulator) created the first consumer samplers that instead of costing the price of a small house instead cost the price of a small car or motor bike! Well they proved to be very popular and as the technology became cheaper they created a diverse range of samplers and sample playback modules. One of their classic pieces is the sp1200 which was rivaled by the Akai/Linn MPC, Hip Hop heads will know the sound from early Tribe Called Quest records to name a few!

Eventually though the sampler/sample player became redundant as the computer took over as the production tool of choice. So now EMU make software instruments and bundle their sample libraries with the instruments.

Click through to get your free proteus, you will need to fill a short webform and subscribe to the email list. A small price to pay I think. Watch out this is a PC only app and won't run on MAC OS (Being a MAC user I too look on with envy).

Let me know how you get on, heres the link:

PROTEUS DOWNLOAD

Something to Dream about

2008-11-11T03:29:00.000-08:00

Actually I have had this conversation with many musicians over the years about having a glove that you can use instead of a controller keyboard. Well designer Peter Hampl thinks he has the solution with his concept of this principle. I'm not sure if this is even in development but if it does make it into production I will be queuing up outside the music store to get mine.

Quick Preview

2008-10-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

Ok so Im also checking the functionality of this widget but it does mean you guys (and gals) get a preview extract from the HuiA track Im releasing next month!

HuiA Got To Live Ext by kohaproductions

SOUNDCLOUD - Sending Songs

2008-10-27T05:51:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Its been a while since I last logged on to the blog. I have been busy both in the studio and working on the EP release through my label. I stumbled on this new online facility called "Soundcloud". Its great for anyone involved in sending, reviewing or receiving music via the net. You just set up an account which if free by the way! And away you go!

For those of you who leave CD's for me I would like you to use my new Soundcloud dropbox which is positioned on my tool bar on the right. By uploading your demo's here I can review them and email my responses!

here's the soundcload link for anyone who wants to set up an account:

soundcloud

ARTIST OF THE WEEK

2008-10-08T15:17:00.000-07:00

Ok people, check my playlist of world music with 2 exclusives from my forthcoming EP 'Got To Live". Makeatape.com features a new playlist every week, this week my playlist is on the front cover. You can click this link to redirect to the site and then listen to the music!

makeatape

Looking For a Recording Studio?

2008-09-29T16:13:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of links to help you find a studio to book, the first is the official music week studio map. This is by no means an exhaustive map but it's still quite a nice resource. If you want something a little more interactive then the allstudios site lists the studios in categories and run promotional offers, it's worth checking if only to highlight the great value on offer at Roundhouse and other youth centers. I will be running a MASTERING SPECIAL soon so keep checking back for the update!

Here's a link to the pdf studio map

Here's a link to allstudios

Myspace site for Bedroom Producers!

2008-09-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

mybedroomstudio.com follows the myspace format of social networking sites but is specially for bedroom producers! Although the name may suggest an amiteur nature there are in fact a number of pro users on the site, you only have to browse a few users to see that there are some serious home setups these days! I haven't yet set up my profile on this site but I fully intend to in the next week or so. Its a good place to pick up a few tips from kindred spirits and is certainly a fresh break from the constant marketing attempts of fellow music producers on the myspace music site.

As the slogan on the site indicates - wear your studio tan with pride!

So let me know what you think and I guess ill see you there!

Map Listening Trends With CDDB Chart

2008-09-26T16:47:00.000-07:00

Who knows about the digital music software GIANTS 'Gracenote'? What about cddb? No? Still scratching your heads?

Well if you have ever used itunes or winamp to rip a CD and then had all the track names mysteriuosly appear over the cyberspace, complete with details of genre, artist, year etc; then you have come into contact with Gracenote!

Gracenote keeps a database of virtually every record ever released (at least since the digital revolution). They catagorise all the essential elements of the music and then when you insert a CD into your computer the database is accessed at lightning speed to identify the disc and send a packet of information back to your computer to update the names, clever isn't it?

Not to miss out on the whole charts thing Gracenote or cddb as it's otherwise known has launch its own chart. Instead of going on sales the chart calculates what people are downloading or uploading onto their computers. This means if I buy a CD then loan it to 4 friends who also upload the CD to their computers; then it would come up on their database 5 times. The initial sales chart picks up 1 sale as I was the only person to buy the CD, but the gracenote chart picks this up as 5 instances. The significance of this is that it becomes easy to track trends in what people are listening to and happens over a sustained period.

I think it's a very useful chart for getting a feel of what is coming and going out of fashion, a CD that has in effect left the sales chart can remain in the listeners chart for a great deal longer and so reveals the true shelf life of a given album

here is a link to a world map of listening trends, just click on a country and see the top 10! You can browse from this page to some more conventional chart views.

CDDB/GRACENOTE MAP

Movers and Shakers

2008-09-26T16:11:00.001-07:00

Keep up to date with all the Billboard action, every week I will feature a chart in the side panel for all the statisticians out there!

1st Mobile Phone Tutorial - REWIRE SET UP

2008-09-26T06:48:00.001-07:00

In case any of you missed session 1 or you have forgotten these steps and need a quick reminder...here's our Graham. Sorry about the low quality, thats the nature of the beast!

Former Thursday Night Producer Ableton Promo

2008-09-19T00:05:00.001-07:00

Wow its been a big month for Producers from the Thursday night sessions. This week NSG was endorsed by Ableton live on their website for making waves with his youtube tutorials.

NSG has been using Ableton live since being introduced to it at the Thursday sessions back in 2003. Live was less adavanced then but we managed to get 3 producers, Maya Jane Coles, Reconeyes and NSG to put together some improvised live mixes that they mc'd over. At the time it was a first and it took a while for the audience to catch on to what they were doing.

NSG also has an album available on itunes.

Here are the links:

NSG on ABleton Live Website

NSG on Myspace

NSG Website

Silent Music Gig - Whats that all about?

2008-09-19T00:05:00.000-07:00

Last week giants of Alternative Hip Hop 'Fun Lovin Criminals' in partnership with Smirnoff original nights and silent disco did a silent gig at Koko in Camden.

For anyone who is unsure if what a silent disco is (as was I and everyone else), a silent gig is where the PA is turned off and instead the music is piped through wireless headphones to the audience. Its quite a crazy sight because if you take your headphones off then you can see everyone bopping to the music but it looks as if they are just a bit mad dancing to nothing!

"Smirnoff Original Nights" run a whole lot of events and have started a grant based bursary for promoters of club nights deemed original and innovative. You can find out more on their facebook page just search for them in the facebook filter.

or
Try this link here. Smirnoff Original Nights

Thursday Producer on BBC Newsnight

2008-09-11T03:12:00.000-07:00

Creative Producer Glodi appeared on the BBC News programme "Newsnight". He was featured heavily in an article about youth knife crime on Tuesday nights show giving a very real and mature account of life as a young person.

As a producer Glodi has created a number of tracks for local artists and is regularly found in the studio writing or mixing a new masterpiece.

You can view the article from the BBC iPlayer site here, you will need to forward through the player to around 26mins in.

If you want to catch some of Glodi's music check his myspace page here

Thursday Producer (My Roundhouse Group)- New Release on Beatport

2008-09-10T05:26:00.001-07:00

After uploading the last post I decided to check the beatport link and randomly on the front page was an advert for former Thursday Creative Producer, Maya Jane Coles. Maya used to come to the Thursday night session in 2003/4, She has a release out on the Dogmatik Label which you can purchase on beatport.

Here is a link to the download/audition page. Support your own by buying the EP!MAYA JANE COLESLowKeyEP

Click here for her MYSPACE

and click here to read a SoundOnSound article I wrote that gives some background.

Beatport Sync Software & Remix Contest

2008-09-10T04:53:00.000-07:00

iTunes alternative 'Beatport' are running a new remix contest with a range of prizes up for grabs. First you will need to set up a user name to access the site fully.

Beatport is a great legal download site and differs from itunes in that it specializes in independent electronic and dance based music (hip hop is covered from sister site beatsource). The interface is much more conducive to browse and has the feel of DJ and production software...more on this point later.

Another point worth a mention is that the mp3 quality is higher then iTunes at 320kbps which gives a superior playback quality and is aimed at those who want to DJ from mp3s.

Back to the interface, this was desinged by soft synth giants Native Instruments and for anyone who has used their sampler "Kontakt" it feels very similar. There is even a FREE downloadable itunes style music player with the ability to mix from one track to the next using the decks and crossfader built in. Its an ideal piece of software for anyone starting to produce mixtapes. The software is called Beatport Sync and again is designed by Native Instruments.

Anyway heres the link to beatport

Goodluck!

Work Placement at PRS

2008-09-02T03:36:00.000-07:00

The PRS (Performing Rights Society) have a 6 month work placement for a recent graduate. If you want some more info and an application pack follow this link.

Good Luck!

PRS WORK PLACEMENT

Interested in Playing the Guitar?

2008-09-02T03:14:00.000-07:00

Okay here is a quick a link for those of you who are into playing the guitar.

Songsterr is an online resource of Guitar Tab arrangements that can be played and slowed down to help you follow at your own pace.

Guitar tab is a great method of notation that uses the strings of a guitar rather than the conventional stave. It doesn't replace conventional notation but many self taught guitarists find it more accesible, so to me thats a good thing.

Thanks Rax for the link,

http://www.songsterr.com

New Breath of Life at The British Museum

2008-08-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

Hi People,

Just to prove to you I havent been on holiday but actually getting on with some work quietly; I thought I would post a short update. Facing a hike in rent due to the reborn and renovated facilities at the Battery Complex (Great for big name artists but not so great for indie artists) I moved out from my much loved studio space without finding a new space. So officially I am homeless at the moment well at least in studio terms!

I did manage to mix a the essential "Hui A" tracks for the EP debut release. So next step is get these mastered before doing the whole promo circuit. I know most of you want to know more about the dark studio art of mastering and I promise you a special post on this when I do the session!

Straight after moving out the studio myself and Jerome (The other half of HuiA) went over to The British museum to record some of the Maori instruments brought collected by explorer's in the 19th century.

We did a short karakia blessing and proceeded to record these ancient instruments. I havent yet had a chance to edit these but I will post some examples as soon as possible.

The new term is coming up soon so if any of you are interested in getting on either of the producer projects at The Roundhouse then sign up right away! I will be running "Producers - Advanced" and "MC - Producers Collab".

Drop me a line if you have any requests this term.

See you all soon

Ben

Online Mastering

2008-06-19T15:24:00.000-07:00

I often get asked about mastering or more specifically where or how to book an affordable mastering session. The truth is that while many of us are able to get by applying some basic mastering to our mixes the majority of the time; when it comes to delivering a track to be pressed it really is better to get a bona fide mastering engineer to do the job.

Fast forward to the growing industry of so called "online mastering". Here's the concept. Mastering Studios offer a reduced rate job if you:

1) Book through their website
2) Upload the mixes online to their server
3) Let them get on with the job (You can't attend the session itself)
4) Receive the Master via a download or on a CD in the post

Simple, but with all the people out there how can you possibly know who to book? Well I have yet to actually try this out myself but I am keen to give it a go on some tracks soon. It is always preferable to attend a session but for most independent producers the cost of this is prohibitive. So forgoing this option the discounted rate seems attractive between £65 - £100 per track. Back to the choosing of a studio/engineer. Well in my opinion the safest route is to go with the established mastering houses who have a long history of providing commercial masters to the record industry. By using these facilities you are at least placing your tracks in the hands of those who provide this service day in day out and have worked with a wide variety of tracks. There may be some great people out there and if you know of any drop me a line but here is a list of UK based online mastering services offered by reputable facilities.

Good luck and let me know of your experiences in this area.

http://www.emasters.co.uk
http://www.imastering.co.uk
http://www.alchemysoho.com/emastering
http://www.masteringworld.com

Quick Announcements

2008-05-14T04:32:00.000-07:00

I've added a few links on to useful web pages. Firstly theres a really interesting radio show with Wyclef, he talks about his musical influences, background and approach to writing. Check this one out before Sat 17 as the show gets updated weekly.

A few of you were asking last week about accapella sites, I have posted links to 2 sites. If anyone knows of some others send me the links and I will add them to the list.

Next week is London Songwriters Week so its a chance for you to do even more learning at some one off seminars and workshops with some known writers and industry players. the link is below:

http://www.londonsongwritersweek.co.uk/home.html

See you all soon at The Studios

Ben.

Back II Basics Pt2: The Core Disciplines

2008-05-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

Following on from the last entry I thought Id discuss the main areas of development that I consider the essential to the aspiring music (record) producer. Whilst I can't go into great depth here I will try to give routes into these topics. At the end of the day the purpose of this blog page is to tackle these over the coming months.

The Core Disciplines

i) MUSICIANSHIP - I place this at the top of my list because in my opinion having a grasp of the nuts and bolts of music gives you a solid foundation.By this I mean all that is to do with the choices you make relating to the notes and rhythms in your music. When asked what advice Chad Hugo (Neptunes) would give to upcoming producers he said

"I hope you all come to understand the route of music. If you understand the route, then you will know which way you will go"

Leading on from this he also said

"you must find out what kind of music was felt before in the history of music. If you study and understand the history, you will find a way to make music for the future."

Even a basic understanding of music theory will unlock many of the mysteries of the music you listen to. Learning to play an instrument is a powerful and essential skill to gain. Don't worry if you don't have any music training just take small steps.Music has evolved over thousands of years and up until very recently was always made on instruments. So even though great music can be made by the click of a mouse, this is not the way that music before us was made and it is this foundation which we are learning from and contributing to. This Leads nicely to my next area.

ii)TECHNICAL - This really covers all your choices that involve the methods and equipment you employ in the production process. To begin with it is a case of learning a piece of music software to create, record and mix your ideas in. Beyond the basic process it is a case of learning the correct way to record to achieve good results. Like the musicianship skill set; the technical covers a wide knowledge base and requires constant development. Again it is more about taking small steps gaining good results with a few techniques and then moving on then trying to learn everything all at once. Start by getting a basic over view by taking a project from idea to finished mix on CD then each time you go through the process add a new element so your first project might be:

Sequencing Midi
Recording a Vocal Track
Mix (Balance Level/Pan)
Burn CD

The next time it might be:

Sequencing Midi
Sampling Sounds and adding to Midi arrangement
Recording a Vocal Track
Mix (Balance Level/Pan + Reverb and other FX)
Burn CD

A more experienced producer may have a project path like this

Sequencing Midi
Sampling Sounds and adding to Midi arrangement
Recording Live instruments
Recording Backing Vocals
Recording Lead Vocals
Mix (Gate, Compression, EQ, Balance Level/Pan + Reverb and FX + Automation)
Mastering (Mix Bus Compression)
Burn CD

iii) LISTENING - This relates to both the above skill sets. There is a wider point to be made here and that is the more you listen to the more you can draw on when making your own music. You should be listening to a wide range of artists and genres. Focused listening will teach you about note choices and technical choices that you will need to make when producing music. When you find a track you like ask yourself what is it that appeals to your taste? What are the interesting qualities? For example:

Is it the arrangement?
Are there great notes choices?
Is the performance of the vocalist/musicians?
Is it the feel/groove/tempo?
Do you like the tone/colour?
Are there interesting sounds/treatments?
Does it remind you of any other songs you like?
Is it the message/lyrics?

iv) COMMUNICATION - This is the final and often overlooked aspect of music production. It is important that you have the capacity to work with others who often have poor communication or social skills. You may encounter egos or shyness. As a producer you have to explain and inspire great performances from different musicians, vocalists and even your technical team. You have to be able to explain technical points, musical points and sometimes business points to people who might not share the correct vocabulary or not be afraid to use everyday terms because you yourself don't have the specialist vocabulary of a particular process. It is very important to gain experience of working with different people in different studio environments.

Although this might seem like a daunting task and a tall order it is all very simple when taken in small steps. It should always be fun and every time you gain a new skill it will give a boost to your confidence in production because you will hear the results in your music.

Here is the link to the full interview with Chad from the Neptunes
http://www.hiphopgame.com/index2.php3?page=neptunes

Back II Basics - WK1 Importance of core skills

2008-04-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

Its never a nice feeling in life having to admit that in order to progress sometimes you must actually take a step backwards and re acquaint yourself with fundamental skills. Music making is an art which demands this regularly. Its true to say that no matter how many different ways you know how to break down a piece of music there is always another way to look at it.

To understand music you must understand that it isn't a 2 dimensional object it is more like a 3 or 4 dimensional object. Imagine the way the earth itself is made up, many separate layers that lead down to the inner core. Most listeners may be able to "hear" whats on the surface, they may have an awareness of the function of the lower layers but not an understanding of them. A student of music or an amateur musician may be able to hear a few more layers down and so find extra meaning in a piece. An experienced professional though will be able to hear all the layers down and have a total understanding of the given piece of music. They may be a proficient improviser and have total freedom to play any note over the given piece or they may be arranger capable of turning the piece into a performance for any type of ensemble from Jazz Band to Orchestra. Either way the freedom they posses from the total understanding should be every producers ideal.

Art or Science?

This leads me on to my next point; how do you gain "Total Understanding"? Are some people just born gifted and the rest of us have to make do? Or, can we all achieve this creative status with the correct work?

It is my opinion that anyone with a love of music and a strong desire to create can achieve total understanding and posses freedom in a given area of music making. The key is in the work put in. John Coltrane was one of the greatest musicians of last century, he wrote and recorded music revered by people all over the world. To say he was born great undermines the well documented fact that he used to practice all the hours of the day. Winton Marsalis once said on a TV documentary that not one day goes by without practicing the trumpet including Christmas day!

The hard work of practice and study is what gives the freedom and understanding. This means that the creative mind is free to express itself without boundaries. So the science is the window into the art.

Steps Forward

Through attending workshops and independent research it is possible to gain a wide level of knowledge. Organising yourself so you give time to working on your weaknesses as well as developing your strengths will give you the right balance and help your progression to be consistent and steady.

In my next entry I will outline a brief skills breakdown so you can develop your own strategy for success!

Day One

2008-04-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this new Blog page for anyone interested in the art of music production. I have set this up primarily to discuss topics and issues raised in my workshops at The Roundhouse but I welcome anyone who may have stumbled on this page who doesn't find this content in any way geeky.

Check back soon for my first official post.

Ben