How an Audio Interface Can Help Your Music Career

Everyone who loves making music and wants to make a career out of it needs to record their music. The only way to truly record your own music so that it sounds professional is through the use of an audio interface. An audio interface has come a long way over the past several years, making it more compact and much more affordable so that just about anyone can have their own studio.

When you want to record music, a USB interface can plug directly into your computer so that you can download what you’ve already recorded. The interface itself is very small and contains storage on the machine so that you can take it everywhere you go. If you want to record a live session at a night club, you can do so using the interface.

Once you get home, you’ll use the USB audio interface to plug into your computer and download your jam sessions. Most of these interfaces come packed with their own software to make the downloading very easy. After you’ve downloaded the music, you even have the option of modifying the sound waves, adding techniques, voice overs and much more to customize the sound. You can also designate what kind of file you want to save the music as to make it easier to share online, burn to CDs or send to potential agents.

The audio interface will go wherever you go. It is a fairly small device in most cases – smaller than a shoebox. This allows you to keep it in your backpack, set it in your garage or take it anywhere that you plan on making music. You can plug microphones and instruments directly into it or have the device record from the amp or speakers.

There are many USB interface systems available in the marketplace, so you need to determine which one is right for you. Some will give you a screen so that you can do playbacks right from your interface without plugging into a computer while others depend on the computer for playback. You may also be able to adjust pitch and other parts of the music with controls directly on the interface.

Ultimately, you need to determine how much you want to do with the USB audio interface. If you plan on tweaking the sound in the field, then you will need to spend more money on one of the higher end interfaces that will give you more control. This doesn’t affect the size much, but it will give you more controls and a screen to be able to adjust your settings easier.

The USB interface can help you with all of the digital changes that you’ll do from the computer, too. The software bundled with the interface should be stand alone, meaning that you don’t need to buy additional software. Read through the features of each software program to make sure that you’re getting everything you need to produce the right kinds of sounds. Some programs feature background tracks and synthesizers to adjust your recorded sound as needed.

Once you have the USB audio interface of your choosing, you can start to record the sounds that you or your band are capable of. The only way you can improve your chances for success in the music career is if people hear what kind of music you’re playing. You will be able to create electronic files to share across the internet and send out to anyone so that you can be heard.

Equalization Tips for Electronic Music Production

EQ (or Equalization) is a fundamental part of dance music production. This tutorial will analyse the use of EQ to solve some common production problems.

If you solo the individual parts in a dance music piece, it becomes very obvious to the human ear where the particular fundamental frequencies lie on the sonic spectrum. Basslines may have a large concentration of low end frequencies at 60 Hz, whereas other percussive elements commonly have a presence at 1-6 kHz. Percussive sparkle is found in the 8-12 kHz area, which is a range not typically occupied by bass. Making sure that instruments do not overlap their frequencies is key to producing a balanced sonic landscape.

Unmasking the Frequencies

Parts that share certain frequencies can cause serious problems when mixed together. Commonly called ‘frequency masking’, this can result in sounds losing their structure and an introduction of unwanted gain.

In order to effectively counter the unwanted side-effects of frequency masking is to apply EQ to strip away the problem frequencies from one or more of the instruments. This will help to carve a space in the sound spectrum frequencies that may then be occupied by other parts.

A common example of frequency masking is when a bass instrument and kick drum overlap on a beat. It is not uncommon for two parts such as these to share bass frequencies which can cause problems when they are played simultaneously. If this issue cannot be resolved by changing the programming of the notes, a degree of Equalization can be applied. Reducing the volume of the bassline at approximately 60 Hz by using an Equalization cut could prevent the frequencies of the kick drum from being masked by the bass at around 60 Hz in the mix.

Using EQ in this manner can help to achieve greater sonic balance in music productions, as every instrument is given its own space to exist within the frequency spectrum.

Rap Beats – Get Your Music Heard! – Music Marketing 101

Rapping Beats

Marketing of your music product (mixed and mastered vocals on Rapping Beats or R&B Instrumentals) is probably the most important part of the music BUSINESS. In this Rap Beats and Instrumentals support article Ill give you an intro in the MASSIVE world of Music Marketing. This article is part of a series on how to become a successful Rapper or Singer. You can view all the articles in this series on the authors page.

You can have the craziest lyrics and the hottest rapping beats and R&B instrumentals in the world, but if no one knows about you and your music, it makes NO difference. You can even have distribution with the biggest distributors in the world. But without proper marketing it wont mean anything. If you dont promote your music heavily, youll get lost in the ocean of rappers and singers that are online and in stores. Ill give you an intro here, but the topic is way to huge to discuss in one article.

Q: Once my song is ready, where and how can I promote it and get it heard?

A: Like I said earlier this is a big subject which cant be explained in a couple of paragraphs. But once you have a fully mixed and mastered song with solid lyrics on a really HOT rapping beat or R&B instrumental, youre ready to get it out there into the world. (Remember, as important as marketing is, music quality still matters). One thing you definitely want to keep doing is constantly learn all you can about Music Marketing. The key is to get AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE to hear (to actually listen to) your song. Post your music up everywhere online. Give it to all your friends and tell them to make copies and share it with their own friends. Hand CDs out at clubs and concerts where they play music similar to yours. When youre first starting out dont be afraid to give your music away for free. Yes I said FREE. (well Almost free, the only thing you should ask for in return is the persons Email Address more on this later.) People wont pay to listen to a song from an unknown artist they might not like. They have to trust and like you before they buy from you. Trust me, giving away your music to gain a true fan will PAY OFF in the end.

The next thing to do is get your music on the internet and let the world hear. Upload your music to any music related website you know of. POST IT EVERYWHERE YOU CAN! Some good ones to focus on are iLike, ReverbNation, MySpace (yes MySpace still matters), Last.fm, Jango and BandCamp but the list goes on and on. After that get on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter and socialize with different people tell them about your music! Its important NOT to be annoying and spam people with ads of your music. That is one SURE way to get potential fans to HATE you. (Do you ever click on those kinds of posts? Didnt think so) You have to start or join in conversations and build personal relationships with people. Thats the key to social networking Its hard work, but it WILL pay off.

Another thing you dont want to forget about is having your OWN website it looks professional and will give you credibility as an independent artist. Having a MySpace of Facebook Page is great but you need a HOME your personal website will be your own store-front where you can gather fans. A good solution for this is BandZoogle. You can easily design a professional looking website with them and get your own domain (something like www.YourArtistOrBandName.com). BandZoogle also has a great Mailing List application that will let you collect all your fans email addresses so you can keep in touch with them. This is VERY important. When you give your music away to fans, make sure to get an email address in return and keep them updated on all your new releases. Its much easier to keep old fans (customers) than it is to get new ones! Well this is the longest article in the series so Ill leave it at that for now! Keep learning about Music Marketing Its Important! Hope this helped.

Holla @ ur boy!

DatPaki
Producer/Songwriter
PBE Music

Learning Music Make Babies Smart

A study re-discover the benefits of music for infant brain development. Study from McMaster University scientists indicate, to train children to play music from an early age can provide benefits, even before they can walk or talk.

Researchers found that infants aged one year who participate in interactive music class with their parents tend to smile more, communicate better and showed more brain responses to musical excellence.

“Previously, a lot of research on music training focuses only on children who were older,” said Laurel Trainor, as director of the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind.

“Our results indicate that the baby’s brain may be very plastic (elastic) associated with exposure to music,” said Trainor who published his findings in the scientific journal Developmental Science and Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences ..

In his research, in collaboration with David Gerry Trainor, a music teacher and graduate student, who received an award from the Grammy Foundation in 2008 to study the effects of musical training on the baby. In the latest study, involving selompok Gerry Trainor and baby and parents to participate and spend time during the six months following the music class every week. Music class is divided into two types.

In the first interactive classroom, parents and babies involved in all things about music such as singing and playing musical instruments. Parents and babies are also working together to learn to play percussion instruments, taking turns and singing certain songs.

In other music classes, baby and parents play different types of toys or dolls while listening to music as background accompaniment. Before class begins, all the babies have shown communication and social development of the same.

“Babies who are participating in an interactive music classes along with their parents have the sensitivity to recognize the structure of the tone,” Trainor said.

“The babies are just passive listening to music does not show the same preference. In fact, their brains respond to music differently. Infants of interactive music classes showed greater brain response to the strains of the musical tones,” he said.

Babies of interactive music classes can also stimulate better communication skills at the beginning, as pointed objects that are out of range, or waving. Socially, these babies also smiled more, more easily to be appeased, and a little disturbed when there are things that are considered foreign to them.

“There are many ways for parents to connect with their babies,” said study coordinator, Andrea Unrau.

“The greatest thing about music is that everyone loved it and everyone can learn to play simple interactive music together,” he concluded. Thanks for reading my article on the subject of babies. More info about Babies, Baby Girl Shower Invitations,Modern Wedding Invitations visit http://www.vpgifts.com/ today and choose the best one for you.

Zulu Musical Instruments, Essential To Develop Musical Traditions In Africa

African music is the music of Africans who live in a large region of 50 nations, each with a special culture, history and language, South of Sahara. Zulu musical instruments are part of this multilingual culture. African music has some distinct characteristics: the use of repetition is one of them. Another important characteristic is the polyphony; this is the combination of different musical parts played simultaneously.

The history is marked by the awesome military strategies of the Zulu King Shaka. The King’s and his warriors’ campaign of expansion is well known in world history. Zulu rich traditional culture includes songs, dances and colorful rituals, Zulu musical instruments are spectacular and original. A variety of Zulu musical instruments are well known, s well as the traditional Mine dance; Zulus have longtime used their music as a cry for freedom.

African music is really rich in modes of expression: drum ensembles are using Zulu musical instruments from the percussion family. Each drummer uses special methods to produce sounds to distinguish his drum from the others. Iron bells are very popular Zulu musical instruments; they are used to produce a repeated sound to help the drummers to play at the correct time.

Zulu musical instruments, rare and very special
The akadinda is a king of xylophone; two groups of African musicians are playing simultaneously. The first group is playing repeatedly the same pattern; the second group plays to fill in the missing sounds. Groups of Zulu musicians play also using flutes, trumpets or xylophones. Each player plays a single note in a strange rotation with the other players. The result is a polyphonic piece, characteristic to African music.

Musical practices of South African people were observed from many years; Zulu musical instruments are obsolete. Venda mbila is an old Zulu musical instrument; it is not used anymore. Reed flutes, contrary, are still very popular. The influence of foreign cultures and civilizations causes many of old Zulu musical instruments to become obsolete.

Musical instruments such as tsonga a horn, ingungu a friction drum, nkoka a drum, pedi a flute, venda musical bow and stick, deze and demba thumb piano and resonatos, umfece ankle rattles are almost obsolete.

To preserve this awesome heritage of Zulu musical instruments, the necessary information was entered into a database; each Zulu musical instrument was digitally photographed to preserve all information about it.