By David Stewart Jr. Rock music has always pushed the limits of pop culture. Be it through the rebellious lyrics and aggressive vibes, or through scandalous images and (literal) pyrotechnics on stage, rock ‘n’ roll is the go-to form of expression for some of the world’s greatest and loudest artists. I have studied the greats…
Though I believe wholeheartedly that your tone is mostly in your fingers, the choices you make as a musician on gear, style, and technique will go a long way in shaping your sound. One option that’s pretty unique to bassists, though, is how many strings they want under their hands (sure a guitarist can go…
Don’t stop learning about music theory and composition just because you’re stuck on the subway! These podcasts can keep your brain active while on the go!
In this edition of “Talking Points,” Swedish singer, songwriter and producer Robyn, breaks down a lifetime of turning emotion into artwork.
It’s getting a little ridiculous now. Too much great, new music is coming out every single week, and it’s tough to keep up. And since we here at Soundfly HQ can be found, most weeks, grooving out to the new, freshly composed, produced, and mixed sounds of our talented students alongside all the commercially released…
Welcome back to our new series on Flypaper, Album Histories Monthly, which brings you the story of a single album each month, in the month that it was originally released. Last month, we covered The Buggles’ Age of Plastic. This month: Fleetwood Mac – Rumours Release Date: February 4, 1977 “When we started Rumours in early 1976, we were all in…
Using the guitar fretboard as a template, music theorist Dean Olivet has redesigned harmonic notation in a colorful, intuitive methodology for learning.
Taking music lessons requires dedication and commitment to practicing and meeting your teacher half-way, here are some tips to lightening the load!
The composer behind the award-winning music from the short film, The Nobody Prayer, lays out his 7 simple keys to success.
Learn about how producers today take “timeless” sounds and warp them in mixing to give their tracks retro familiarity, but also fresh modernity.
I made a lo-fi hip-hop beat using iZotope’s Spire app for iPhone, and you can too. Here’s how simple and fun it was to use…
Is the “Producer-Instrumentalist” the future of hip-hop? It’s hard to argue with these 7 innovative, rising artists. Check them out!
Here, we detail how and why to record your instrument directly into your DAW, and the advantages and disadvantages with this technique.
Not sure what instrument fits best? Here’s a guide to understanding how to employ and experiment with timbre when orchestrating musical work.
Welcome back to Soundfly’s weekly 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. Richard and Sheila Ellis began their collaboration with files sent back and forth between…
Every day, the metal gates are rolled up, the padlocks are unlocked, and the side-alley doors are swung open for business. The master power switches are flipped on, the tubes warm to a nice sizzle, and, one by one, each tool and instrument buzzes to life. From wide, wooden live rooms, to dark, dank project…
+ Learning to record and mix at home? Check out Soundfly’s acclaimed online courses on mixing, production, beat making and more — Subscribe for unlimited access. Eighty years ago, people could only dream of computers making music. The first machines to do this were as large as a bus and sounded like a dying duck choking on garbage. By contrast, modern…
For the past 120 days, I composed and recorded an original, studio-quality song, every day. Now, everything I am about to say is only credible if you believe the songs are great. Listen to a few of them so you have an idea of what was made. Thus, the primary focus of this article is to…
+ Welcome to Soundfly! We help curious musicians meet their goals with creative online courses. Whatever you want to learn, whenever you need to learn it. Subscribe now to start learning on the ’Fly. “Less is more! Einstein proved it! Less is more! Einstein proved it!” my old boss, Dave, used to say on repeat. This was at the pizzeria I…
Happy Friday! We never go into writing Off Notes with a theme, but week after week, there seem to be common threads in everything we come across. This week: creating instruments. We’ve found not one, but two newly-invented instruments, a stunning video of building a guitar by hand, and a short piece of web code that will turn your…
Summertime is upon us, and so is the glory of festival and touring season. If you are lucky enough to travel around to perform music at venues all over the country or world, chances are you’ll spend at least a little bit of time airborne en route to your next exotic destination. Many of us…
If you want to be an active professional musician, you should learn to sing. It’s an incredibly beneficial skill for your ear development, and it’s a lot of fun as well! There are tons of benefits to being able to sing and play an instrument at the same time. For musicians that are primarily instrumentalists,…
In the course of performing with many different artists, over many years, all across the country, I’ve learned what a great equalizer the soundcheck can be. It can beget the onset of screaming matches, the end of friendships, and the refusal to perform as contractually obligated. It can also create a warm, welcoming environment for…
By Sammy Wags Making a power trio, rock quartet, or any standard instrumental formation stand out in an ever growing crowd of great bands can be tough. Adding some subtle flavors and outside influences into the mix can be a great way to spice things up and give listeners something else to latch on to throughout…
Afrobeat is as eclectic as it is mesmerizing. Its roots stem from a few different areas geographically, socially, and musically. Genres such as jazz and funk, which were defined and carved out by black Americans who came of age during the Civil Rights Movement, helped contribute to its improvised foundation and its generally elastic nature.…
