All Articles

  • Music Degree vs. In-the-Field Experience: Tips for Singers

    Music Degree vs. In-the-Field Experience: Tips for Singers

    The voice is a very versatile instrument — and while most young artists aspire for fame on a global level, as a singer you can do many things. You can become a prima donna in the opera, you can sing at the opening of the World Series, or you can go on a world tour…

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  • The 4 Elements That Separate a Good Mix From a Great Mix

    The 4 Elements That Separate a Good Mix From a Great Mix

    The first thing to understand about music is that it’s completely subjective. You might make music for yourself, you might make music for an audience, but the audience will always form their own opinions about your labor of love. The same is true for me: some people love my work, some people hate my work.…

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  • 9 Artists Tell the Story Behind the Song

    9 Artists Tell the Story Behind the Song

    Last week, tons of bands got into the spirit of #SongwritingWeek by posting stories of how one of their songs was written or recorded. And in honor of their hard work, we’ve decided to give out a few awards. So drumroll please… the winners are… The Great Nostalgia Award: Exiles (Brooklyn, NY) Kill the Lights by Exiles Exiles…

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  • 3 Things That Have Helped Me Recording My New Album

    3 Things That Have Helped Me Recording My New Album

    I believe making an album to be amongst the most profound and creatively life-affirming experiences that a musician can have. The work of creating does not end once a song is written (you can learn more about my songwriting process here). The recording process itself carries with it a vast array of different kinds of challenges, spread…

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  • 5 Things to Know About Venues to Book Great Shows

    5 Things to Know About Venues to Book Great Shows

    Until about a year ago, my band fit the “bedroom musician” stereotype. I didn’t realize it at the time, but a small part of me was living what I call the Bieber Dream Syndrome — imagining that posting our music online was enough to gain a following out of nowhere. Sadly, with the majority of musicians now…

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  • The Surprising, Nomadic History of Love Songs

    The Surprising, Nomadic History of Love Songs

    Summer is a time for love, and with that, comes a whole new chance to woo the guy or girl of our dreams. Enter: the love song. It’s that wonderful, time-honored tradition that would-be Romeos have been using to swoop a lady-love off her feet for hundreds of years. Or in my case make her…

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  • Off Notes: Artists Loving Artists

    Off Notes: Artists Loving Artists

    Hopefully by now you know we’re celebrating #SongwritingWeek here at Soundfly, and we’ve seen loads of brilliant original submissions from friends, followers, and fellow artists showcasing their voices and sounds in an inspiring show of collective creativity. This got me thinking… most of us have so many incredibly talented friends writing and making music, and I love…

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  • The Essential Guide to Songwriting for Whales

    Young humpbacks these days, all they do is just yell and scat all over the ocean, collaborating with squeaky squids and beat-boxing blowfish, no regard for the fundamentals and true craft of songwriting. For us old baleen bags of blubber, it’s important to develop an appreciation for what makes our song unique, and to honor…

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  • What You Need to Know to Compose for Musicals

    What You Need to Know to Compose for Musicals

    The Broadway musical is such a mélange of parts — often Frankensteined together — that it’s easy to take for granted the weight that each of the creative elements bear. I think ten out of ten composers would agree that songwriting is the most integral of said elements. After all, no music = no musical.…

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  • Beyond the Pop Progression: 3 Simple Harmonic Strategies

    Beyond the Pop Progression: 3 Simple Harmonic Strategies

    Most of us have watched and re-watched that Axis of Awesome video by now. If you haven’t, take a moment and do it now. I’ll be here when you’re done. The point that video makes is that countless songs we all know and love are built around the same harmonic changes. There’s nothing wrong with…

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