A couple weeks ago I wrote a post about how hard it is when you’re self-producing to know when you’re done with a recording. It’s hard! But despair not; this time, I’m going to offer some ideas on how to make well-produced recordings. The easy and obvious way to make good recordings is to find a good producer…
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.…
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…
In order to create all the videos, resources and course assets for our popular Mainstage course, Orchestration for Strings, we worked closely with the incredible young composer, Ian Davis, who writes and arranges in the band, Landlady as well as his solo project Relatives, and has composed for such notable acts as My Brightest Diamond. Specifically for the course,…
By Brendan O’Brien Techno is unpleasant. For the many it’s music reserved for eccentrics who have nothing better to do than hang out in poorly lit warehouses until 6am. Techno is basic music made by basic people who don’t know… stuff. That Family Guy clip is totally right, there isn’t even a key. What a bunch of…
This week, my band and I had a recording session for a new album and I was reminded, as I am every time we record, just how much preparation plays a role in a successful recording session. Obviously, you always hope to just show up and the magic will take over, and before you know…
