In case you’re new to our humble little daily music learning publication, Flypaper is Soundfly’s home base for all things educational, motivational, and inspirational. It’s likely the first place outside of our weekly newsletter where you’re going to hear about all the new online courses we’re launching, the exciting mentors we’re bringing on, the unique topics we’re exploring on our podcast, Themes & Variation, and all the short, actionable music lessons we couldn’t quite cram in anywhere else.
If you’re a regular here, well you probably already know all that stuff; and we probably owe you a heartfelt “Thank You” for stopping in to read a post every now and then.
Now that we’re coming to the end of another packed year, we wanted to look back and share our list of the Top 15 Most Read Flypaper Articles from 2022. Enjoy! And don’t forget to sign up for Soundfly’s weekly newsletter to get the latest news about all of our course launches, video premiers, live workshops, partner perks, and of course, the editorial content.
15. 5 Tips for Getting Punchier Kicks (That Sound Like Com Truise!)
By Aaron Trumm
Want your kick drums to cut through your mix more aggressively without making a muddy mess? Here’s how to get that Com Truise-esque punch! Read the article here.
14. Hidden In Plain Sight: The Greatest Musical Easter Egg Ever
By Dale McGowan
Discover the hidden music theory gem holding together one of the greatest TV theme songs of all time, and who gets the last laugh about it. Read the article here.
13. Rediscovering Inspiration With a Musical Mentor
By Erica Ann Sipes
How the advice and accountability of a mentor helped a concert pianist rediscover the sources of her inspiration. Read the article here.
12. How to Use “Scale Mode” in Ableton Live 11 to Play in Key (Video)
By Claire Marie Lim
Courtesy of Soundfly’s course on producing music in Ableton Live, here’s a lesson on how to use Scale Mode for easier playing within a key. Read the article here.
11. Thundercat Chord Theory
By Dan Carr
In this post, courtesy of Reverb Machine’s Dan Carr, we break down the chord progressions of Thundercat’s most beloved jazz-inspired songs. Read the article here.
10. 5 Different Ways You Can Outline Your Song
By Ramita Arora
Whether you’re suffering from writer’s block or plagued by TOO MANY song ideas, outlining can help you fill a song’s form and stay on track. Read the article here.
9. A Guide to Mixing Lead Vocals Against a Background Chorus
By Brandon Miranda
We asked Atlantic Records’ pro mixing engineer, Brandon Miranda, to share his thoughts on mixing lead vox against a background chorus. Read the article here.
8. What Is an Aeolian Harp?
By Tim Hansen
Named for the Ancient Greek god of wind, Aeolus, aeolian harps are one of the few music instruments that needs no human touch to make sound. Read the article here.
7. The Power of “No” – When and How to Say No to Something That Isn’t Right For You
By Christine Elise Hubbard
Nobody wants to be the person turning people down all the time, but we also need to avoid burnout. Here are tips for saying “No” with respect. Read the article here.
6. 6 Beautifully Creative Instruments Made From or In Nature
By Patrick McGuire
Most instruments incorporate raw, natural materials, but these 6 instruments will open your mind to nature’s extreme possibilities! Read the article here.
5. 6 Tips for Optimizing Your Vocal Health
By Christine Elise Hubbard
A drummer with allergies can still perform, a guitarist with the flu can record from home, but singers need optimal health to work at all. Read the article here.
4. 7 Tiny Synths You Can Take (and Play) Anywhere
By Patrick McGuire
Sometimes you need to get out of the studio to generate the best ideas, why not take a tiny portable synth along for the journey? Here are 7. Read the article here.
3. 8 Essential Tips for Creating Energy in Your Vocals (Yes, Even at Home)
By Aaron Trumm
It’s not always easy to generate high energy vocals in your home studio, here are some surefire ways to help your voice break free! Read the article here.
2. What NOT to Do When Mixing Your Own Music
By Caleb J. Murphy
Engineers and producers: do you make any of these thirteen common mistakes when mixing your own music? We bet you do. Read the article here.
1. The 10 Best Free Plugins for Ableton Live in 2022
By Harry Jackson
There are tons of free plugins out there promising big sonic lifts for your tracks, but are they worth it? Read our 10 faves for Ableton Live. Read the article here.
Thanks for tuning into Flypaper to catch all our daily articles, videos, and lessons that provide you with a hearty dose of music learning week in and week out. Let us know if there’s anything you’d like to see covered in an upcoming post and we’ll try to accommodate.
See you next year!
Keep on Grooving…
Continue your learning with hundreds of lessons on songwriting, mixing, recording and production, composing, beat making, and more on Soundfly, with artist-led courses by Kimbra, Com Truise, Jlin, Kiefer, RJD2, and our new The Pocket Queen: Moving at Your Own Tempo.
