Ryan Lott: Discovering Hidden Sounds in Prepared Piano (Video)
In this course lesson video Ryan Lott takes us deep into his process to show how he balances chance and control in working with source audio.
In this course lesson video Ryan Lott takes us deep into his process to show how he balances chance and control in working with source audio.
Identifying that eery tone in one of Radiohead’s most well-known songs off “Kid A” was not easy, but it was fun.
Soundfly students can now start taking 1-on-1 custom mentorship sessions with composer, songwriter, and banjo player, Patrick Metzger.
In this new video from Ryan Lott’s Soundfly course, we see him creatively transform vocal samples from a collaborator into a playable synth.
Deciding your financial path as an artist is about much more than where you upload your songs… Learn about all the differences here.
How does composer Nico Muhly stay organized while juggling travel, commission deadlines, meetings, collaborations, and his own creativity?
+ Pursue your dreams faster with a Soundfly Mentor! Share your musical goals with us and we’ll pair you up with a professional musician, engineer, educator, or music industry veteran who will help you achieve them in a customized four-week session. Inventive, exciting music plus an educational angle? Now that’s a Soundfly super combo! Here’s a topic we’ve wanted to…
By Nicholas Rubright In today’s environment where music is consumed mostly from streaming and free sources, making money from music sales seems like a thing of the past. CD sales were replaced by downloads fees, which are now being replaced by royalties from music streaming, often worth less than the checks they’re written on. While free…
The Rolling Stones’ classic hit “Sympathy for the Devil” is one of my all-time favorite songs — it’s unique in almost every way. The material it mines is fairly unexplored in popular music, particularly with the lyrics from the perspective of the Devil (which led to the perception of Mick Jagger and his gang as Devil worshippers…
Chesney Snow is a poet, a songwriter, a beatboxer, an actor, but most of all, he’s an artist through and through. Talking to him can feel a little like receiving a sermon from a beatboxing prophet of some sort, as he waxes lyrical about life as an artist today and the power of art to…
Happy Friday! Can you 3D print music? What does a Wikipedia update sound like? What does Bowie’s “Life on Mars” look like? This week we found answers to all these questions and more. Hearing music in the distinctly non-musical is a fascinating source of inspiration and has led to some stunning creations. Also, we have David Hasselhoff’s latest hit…
Lester William Polsfuss, the given name of guitar-maker Les Paul, was a legend. His technological innovations, as a result of a sheer addiction to tinkering, were vast. They include multi-track recording, overdubbing (which he famously called “sound on sound“), tape delay, reverb, phase effects, and “the log,” more commonly known as the solid-body electric guitar.…
Ever wondered what would be the perfect track to lip sync on a moon rat while doing a space dance across an alien planet? Well, I’m glad to say Guardians of the Galaxy pretty much nailed the answer. In the opening scene the Star Lord rocks out to the infectiously joyful and funky tune, “Come and Get Your Love” by…
We all have that one friend that we rely on for new music. The one who is always the designated DJ at the parties. The one who tells you which album to download and what concerts to go to. We rely on said friend… and occasionally we envy her… How is she always up to date on the newest…
Calling all chiptune geniuses, artists, lovers, and admirers! We are running a one-month contest starting today to win a free modded Game Boy and flash carts (courtesy of Kitsch-Bent!), feedback on your work from chip artist Chipocrite, and promo on Flypaper for your project! Entries will be judged by three of the most beloved chiptune artists on…
On the internet, your music may be experienced in a variety of contexts that fail to communicate your full story. Here’s how to actively overcome this.
The digital promotion landscape in music is changing fast and more competitive than ever, here’s some tips to helping you cut through and find success.
Where’s Your Inspiration Coming From? Brian Eno’s latest algorithmically looping album, Reflection, was inspired by the process of gardening. Sound artist Mileece “harvests” inspiration by giving voice to plants and organic matter in specialized environments. And then there’s Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu, whose music was inspired by nature’s deep silences. As musicians, composers, and performers, our inspirations motivate and color the music we make,…
We polled members of the Soundfly staff and mentor community to ask about their go-to chords and progressions for certain emotional outcomes. Check it out!
Welcome back to Soundfly’s new interview series, Incorrect Music, curated by guitarist, singer, and composer Lora-Faye Åshuvud (of the band Arthur Moon). In this series, we present intimate conversations with artists who are striving to push the boundaries of their process and craft. In true Incorrect Music fashion, Rubblebucket singer and saxophonist Kalmia Traver says, “I like to feel…