×

Warning

JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 70

All Categories

All Categories (193)

Tuesday, 14 September 2010 13:25

Who's Werking?

Written by



August 2010 Session Report


Studio 9000 Session Report

Singer-songwriter, actor, and voice actor Jesse McCartney has had several songs mixed by Leslie Brathwaite assisted by Muzzy Solis at PatchWerk Studios this past August.Jesse McCartney's fourth album will be released sometime in October of 2010. The album title has not yet been released but McCartney has declared it will have a similar sound to his 2008 release, Departure, but will be more R&B and urban-influenced than his third album. Sean Garrett produced three songs for the project. McCartney also recorded a song titled "Up". "Up" (produced by Dapo Torimiro and written by Dapo Torimiro and Ester Dean) was recorded in support of the Step Up 3D soundtrack. It will also be included in McCartney's fourth album. It was confirmed that the album finished recording and production on August 13, 2010. He also confirmed that the first single is titled "Shake" and will hit radio stations after Labor Day.

Hip Hop crooner, producer, and writer Deshon Bullock (a.k.a. Shonlock) canvasses a form of artistry which resonates into a discerning lesson in the art of translation... The former dancer and choreographer for Arrested Development and R&B princess Aaliyah is a multi-instrumentalist, serving up the type of production, lyricism, and performance stamina that leave fans yearning for more. In 2009, Lock signed a major label deal with Arrow/Universal Records and began work on his highly anticipated forthcoming yet titled CD, scheduled for 2010. While Lock continues to tour with Forefront/EMI artist Toby Mac, he released a duo of radio charted singles. Shonlock spent several days in PatchWerk studios this past August working with guest engineer Ricco Lumpkin and PatchWerk engineer Tripp Tiller, on songs for his upcoming release.

On July 13, 2010 a song called "Tongues" surfaced, reportedly the lead single from R.Kelly's upcoming album Zodiac. The song, produced by Bangladesh and featuring Ludacris was mixed by Leslie Brathwaite at PatchWerk studios. In an interview in the September 2010 issue of XXL Magazine, Kelly mentioned that he's currently working on three new albums, entitled Zodiac, Love Letter and Epic, respectively. The first single from Love Letter is called "When a Woman Loves".

Other Sessions in 9000 included those for Bones(M. Wilson), Kandi Burress (L. Braithwaite), Young Jeezy (L. Brathwaite), Sean Garrett (L. Brathwaite), Gucci Mane (K. Anders), Catarina (B. Pedersen), Breezy (L. Brathwaite), Celebrity (M. Solis), Bradie Speller (M. Wilson)

TO BOOK A SESSION IN PATCHWERK'S STUDIO 9000 CALL 404-874-9880


Studio 995 Session Report

Georgias Most Wanted is back this SeptemBURR 28th with Gucci Mane's release of his new Album "The Appeal". This past August, in addition to having several songs recorded by PatchWerk Engineer Kori Anders, Gucci also held his listening party for "The Appeal" at PatchWerk. Some notables among the crowd included DJ Greg Street and label-mate Waka Flaka Flame, who also had a listening session for his upcoming release "Flockavelli". Gucci has a new official mixtape out, entitled "Mr. Zone 6" with some of his new 2010 singles featured on the project. Gucci Mane's latest album "The State vs Radric Davis" on Warner Brothers. Records is currently in stores and the new club banger "Gucci Time" featuring Swizz Beatz is for sale on iTunes.

In a short time on the music scene, DTP Signees Block Xchange (B.X.C), have worked with artist's such as Twista, Shawnna, Ludacris and others. The duo has been featured on Disturbing The Peace's "Strength in Numbers" , Windy City", "In Love Wit The Music" , and "Head Noddin'". The duo has also been featured on Ludacris', "The Preview" Gangsta Grillz Mixtape w/ Dj Drama with a track entitled "Get up Get Out"... Their debut album "Young & Restless" was released in spring 2010 under DTP/Def Jam Recordings. This past August, B.X.C. had several songs mixed by guest engineer Ray Seay, assisted by PatchWerk engineer Dee Brown.

Lil Scrappy's third studio album, "Prince of the South 2", is set to be released on October 5, 2010 through Real Talk Entertainment. Lil Scrappy's fourth studio album, "Tha Grustle", will be released in late 2010 or early 2011. This past August Scrappy had songs mixed by guest engineer Ray Seay, assisted by PatchWerk engineer Dee Brown.

Other sessions in 995 included those for Tevin(M. Wilson), Aim (M. Wilson), Young DroLil Twist (L. Banks), Shon Lock (L. Banks), Dem Young Boyz (M. Wilson), Grade A (K. Anders), Bruh (M. Wilson), B.O.B. (D. Brown), Roam (K. Anders) (M. Wilson),

TO BOOK A SESSION IN PATCHWERK'S STUDIO 995 CALL 404-874-9880


Studio 1019 Session Report

Sessions in 1019 included those for Anne (D. Brown), Born 2wice (M. Wilson), Keelo G and Blu Moon (B. Friesen), Loopa (D. Brown), Youth Media (L. Banks), Juanitea Bynum (J. Hamm/L. Banks), Joseph Foster (T. Tiller), Cartoon (M. Wilson), Trilogy (B. Friesen), Dem Young Boyz (M. Wilson), C-Dash (B. Friesen), Sweet Tooth (L. Banks), Lady V (D. Brown), So Supreme (M. Wilson)

TO BOOK A SESSION IN PATCHWERK'S STUDIO 1019 CALL 404-874-9880

What's your take... leave your comments below.

Tuesday, 14 September 2010 17:24

Turn My Headphones Up!

Written by

Whether you want to listen to music or movies without disturbing others, get the best out of your iPOD, or drown out background noise while WERKING, there's a set of headphones for you. You can buy a portable pair for $10 or spend as much as $500 for headphones with active noise-reduction technology. Here are a few tips to keep in mind while shopping for "Sonically Superior" Headphones!

Evaluate sound quality
Headphones should feed you clear, accurate sound with sufficient volume. In general, over-the-ear corded headphones are often the best choice for serious music listening, though they're obviously not the best choice for use on the go. Models with lower sensitivity might not do well with all portable devices, which produce less power. A few of them will do best with a separate headphone amplifier. Like speakers, headphones might emphasize different parts of the audio spectrum. Sound quality can vary greatly between models and your preference will be highly personal, so it's recommended that you try them before buying. Online shoppers should check out return policies to make sure that purchases can be returned or exchanged for another model.

For the best sound, stick with corded models
Most corded models and some wireless sets are fine for use with a TV or, if you're not too critical, for listening to music. Over-the-ear corded headphones are often the best choice for serious music listening at home. While wireless headphones can be convenient, many have background hissing and/or dynamic range compression that flattens the sound to some extent. We've found that digital wireless models can provide better performance than analog, and 2.5 gigahertz models often beat 900 megahertz headphones. But all wireless headphones are susceptible to interference from other devices, such as microwave ovens, cordless phones, and computer hard drives that operate in the same frequencies. Look for headphones with multiple channels so you can switch to another frequency if you encounter interference.

Make sure they're comfortable
Many headphones or earphones that seem fine at first could become quite uncomfortable during extended use. Comfort, of course, is subjective, depending in part on the size and shape of your head and ears and how much adjustment a headphone allows. The pressure from the earphones and the weight affect how a model feels. With any headphones, prolonged listening can make your ears warm and sweaty. Many on-ear models offer a good trade-off between comfort and quality. Some people find that earphones that are wedged in the ear can become painful with prolonged use. Insert-type earphones usually come with different-sized tips to accommodate a range of ears. While less obtrusive than other types. These can pop out at times.

Choose a design suited to your expected use
Consider how you'll use your headphones, and get a model most appropriate for that application. Closed, over-the-ear models are great for listening at home but could be too large to be easily stowed when you're traveling. Portable models might sacrifice some sound quality for small size, but they are handy. Ear buds and insert models are great for listening to music during on-the-go activities. If you'll be doing a lot of flying, or listening in a noisy environment, consider headphones with active noise-reduction technology. Also, over-the-ear and insert types can block ambient noise. Keep in mind that you'll have to replace batteries with active-noise-reduction and wireless models.

What headphones do you prefer?

What's your take... leave your comments below.

Tuesday, 14 September 2010 20:01

Deliver The Goods With Drop.io

Written by

These days, most of the people you’ll be pitching your work to prefer being sent links to music rather than MP3 files. However, if they like what they hear, they’ll likely want to have it for permanent download so they can listen to it and/or play it for colleagues more readily. And there are a few people who want to be sent files in the first place.

If someone only wants a few files, you can simply send them via email. But if someone wants an entire album (a common request from music writers who are reviewing you), it can be easier and quicker for everyone if a file sharing service is used.

So, I’m here to bring one such service to your attention: Drop.io.

It was recently used to send me an album download, and it’s one of the best options I’ve seen. You can easily make a full album (along with the cover artwork) available for download in zip format. (For album downloads, I find that zip format is often favored by recipients since it automatically creates a folder of properly-sequenced tracks — fast and organized.) If the download is only meant for certain people (industry people, for example), you can opt to password protect it, an option that’s not given by many other services. If, on the other hand, you want to give an album or song(s) away to fans for free, you can also use this service, but opt to make the download public. However, in the later case, you might want to consider an option like Bandcamp.

The Dropio site should cover all the information you need to get set up, but here’s the introductory video to get you started:

Source: ArtistHouseMusic

What's your take... leave your comments below.

IdOMusic® Networking Event @ Smiths Olde Bar
EVERY 3RD THURSDAY

This event's purpose is to attract musicians looking for a band to be a part of, bands looking for additional members, and established bands looking to develop stronger fanbase & relationships.

::::ADMISSION DETAILS::::

Age - 21+

Free - Before 8:30 w/ RSVP
$5 All Night Long w/ RSVP
$8 - General Admission

RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Directions to The Event: http://tinyurl.com/337flfs

WANT TO JAM??????

NOW you have an exclusive opportunity to get on stage without having to submit or audition in advance!! Just show-up early, sign-up, and JAM with the Band!!

Bands & Solo Musicians interested in a FEATURE PERFORMANCE submit your youtube links to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

-----------------------

::::THE FEATURES::::

FISHHAWK (http://www.fishhawkmusic.com/)
(http://www.facebook.com/fishhawkband

I-TEGRITY (http://www.myspace.com/itegrity)
(http://www.facebook.com/itegrity)

MICHAEL C. SMITH & THE NEIGHBORHOOD (http://www.myspace.com/michaelCSmith)
(http://www.facebook.com/mcsmithmusic)

::::THE HOUSE BAND::::
Fiasco (www.thefiascoatl.com)

PANEL DISCUSSION: PAID SESSION GIGS (LEARN HOW THESE SESSION MUSICIANS MAKE MONEY)

::::THE PANELISTS::::
-----------------------
Mike Wilson | Session Artist & Chief Engineer of Patchwerk Recording Studios

Fox | Session Artist & Professional Touring Artist

PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS @ http://idomusicatsmiths.eventbrite.com/

What's your take... leave your comments below.

Monday, 20 September 2010 09:57

Video: David Banner Offers Advice To New Artists

Written by

The question is "How Are Agencies Striking New Deals With Brands?" Billboard.biz recently did an interview with artist/producer David Banner to hear his take on the the business today. He discusses his approach to songwriting for brands, his experience working with Gatorade and offers advice for artist just starting off. Enjoy.

What's your take... leave your comments below.

Monday, 20 September 2010 10:54

The Companies In The Music Business

Written by

If you want longevity in the music business, perhaps you should learn about the companies .The information below is an excerpt from Moses Avalon's book Confessions of a Record Producer. These are the entities we speak of when we mention "music industry."

Record Companies
Record companies are in the business of making bets. Every band they sign requires an outlay of cash. If it’s a major label or a major-owned indie, it could be anywhere from $200,000 to $2,000,000 per act. If it’s an independent, the tab is usually no more than $50,000. In essence, record companies are really banks that specialize in lending money to musicians. The idea that a record company gives an artist money is the most common misconception among new artists. In reality, record companies loan the artist money.

When you read about an artist getting a one-million-dollar recording contract, it means that the record company offered to loan that artist up to a million dollars over the course of the contract. The artist is expected to pay it back out of the royalties that their record earns.

Aside from loaning money, record companies offer promotional and distribution services to a recording artist. These services can range from merely supporting distribution for an already finished record, usually for about 25% of the artist’s profit, all the way to the other end of the spectrum of financing the recording of the record and then promoting and supporting its distribution. For this, the take is generally up around 90% of the proceeds from record sales.

Production Companies
These operate in one similar way as record companies – they invest in talent – and one vital way that they do not, in that they do not have a specific distribution contract with a distributor to get their recordings into a retail environment. This is no small exception – if you can’t get the records in front of customers, you usually can’t sell very many of them.

Production companies, which I sometimes call “vanity labels” or “three-deep labels,” are usually owned by producers or recording studios. They sign artists and produce demos and shop them in hopes of getting the artist a record deal.

Many production companies dream of being record companies and often seek an affiliation with a major label or distributor to handle their product. But don’t be fooled. Unless the production company has secured a distribution contract with a legitimate distributor or has found a way to independently release their recordings, they are no more capable of selling records en masse than you or I.


Publishing Companies
The role of the publishing company is easy to comprehend, even if publishing deals themselves are not. Simply put, publishing companies control and safeguard the copyright by dealing with the complex renewal regulations, and they collect the money that is due to the songwriters whose copyrights they acquire. They also litigate on behalf of their authors in case of infringement, and they shop your songs to various other companies to use in movies, commercials, TV shows, and so on.

In exchange for these services writers agree to hand over the copyright of their songs and receive a percentage of whatever the songs earn – usually about 50%.

If you’ve written a song that is going to be released on a major record label, you are going to make money. Because the Copyright Act of 1976 requires record companies to pay for the use of a song on a record. The rate labels have agreed to pay is called the “compulsory rate” (sometimes called the “statutory rate”). It is paid to each author who writes a song that’s on any record they distribute. As of January 2006 the rate is 9.1¢ per song for each record distributed.

The one type of revenue that publishing companies and copyright administration companies let others collect for them are performance royalties – that is, the royalty that the writer/publisher of a song gets each time that song is performed publicly on media like radio or network TV.

Performing Rights Organizations
Enter the PROs, that is, the performing rights organizations: ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. (Also called “Societies.”) In the United States, they represent the writers, the little guy out there trying to make a buck in the super-duper Big Brother environment of the broadcast industry.

These three companies monitor clubs, venues, theaters, and the airwaves and keep track of who plays what and how many times. They collect performance fees (which vary according to the approximate listenership of each station or size of each venue) and distribute this money to the writers who are registered with them. Because the costs of negotiating millions of transactions would be prohibitive, a system has evolved using these societies in similar ways that unions represent laborers with collective bargaining. Each society negotiates a “blanket license” (kind of like a set annual payment) that permits broadcasters and venues to play music by its members.

Since you cannot belong to more than one PRO at a time, and since hit songs earn a ton of cash, these organizations compete fiercely for membership. The rivalry between ASCAP and BMI has filled the pages of several other books, all worth reading before you venture into joining either. To attract members, each sometimes offers cash advances to a new artist/writer who just signed a big deal (although they “officially” deny this practice), and each also boasts about its unique monitoring system. BMI’s pitch is that they have the largest membership in the world.

But there is currently much debate over how fair the systems for ASCAP and BMI are because to some it seems as though the payouts favor certain writers or types of music. SESAC

There are other PROs in other countries. In fact, each European, Asian, and South American country has its own versions of ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, but you need not concern yourself with them. For those with international hits originating in the U.S., the three main PROs mentioned above will attempt to collect from each of the smaller ones in the individual countries.

SoundExchange
Due to the internet, a new type of PRO designed strictly for collecting the performance royalties for digitally streamed sound recordings has been created. These days “digital streaming” means through the Internet and over satellite radio. Why is this new? Well, in the U.S., sound recordings were never paid a royalty when publicly “performed.” That means, in simple terms, when a song played on the radio, the songwriter made a royalty, but the people who own the sound recording of that song made zilch. This includes the record company and the artist who performs the song. Hard to believe, but true. (In Europe and Australia both the song and the sound recording of the song are subject to performance royalties).

However, a new statute that allows for the collection of royalties from “digital sources” has opened up a fresh revenue stream for artists and their labels. This royalty is supposed to be split between the artist, the label, and the collective other musicians who played on the record in a 50%/45%/5% split, respectively. (The musician’s share actually gets paid to the musician’s union, the AFM, which supposedly distributes it to members using its own formulas.

While it’s true that so far the only sources for earning “digital sound recording performance royalties” are things like Internet steaming/downloads and Internet and satellite radio, it’s a given that in the not-too-distant future many forms of transmissions (and distribution) will be digital, and thus we will see artists making additional money from these “performances” of their records. Examples might be the digitally “beaming in” of music to restaurants and stadiums, as well as cell phone ringtones and many other mediums.

Source: Discmakers

What's your take... leave your comments below.

Monday, 20 September 2010 13:52

IdM Producers Beat Auction - Tomorrow 9/21!

Written by

Attend this "IdOMusic Recommended" event to listen, meet producers, and buy tracks
right on the spot!

PRODUCERS BEAT AUCTION - ARTISTS CAN BUY & DOWNLOAD TRACKS RIGHT TO THEIR USB STICK.

*ALSO FEATURING LIVE PERFORMANCES

BRING YOUR USB STICKS!!!
MODELS
DANCERS
BIG PROJECTOR SCREEN
GREAT ATMOSPHERE

Where: Eastside Lounge (485 Flat Shoals Ave, Atlanta Ga 30316)
When: TUESDAY SEPT.21 9PM-2AM
How: FREE admission + $2 Beers & $3 shots

TO REGISTER GO WWW.PRODUCERSBEATAUCTION.COM

What's your take... leave your comments below.

Monday, 20 September 2010 18:31

Another Step Closer To CD Extinction

Written by

You knew the day was coming and for retail outlets like Best Buy, Target, Walmart, etc the amount of space given for CDs isn't making sense anymore.

Best Buy plans to allocate less floor space to CDs and DVDs this fall, according to a report of a Tuesday conference call with analysts. No indication was given on the treatment of new release and catalog titles in this latest reduction of CD shelf space. Said CEO Brian Dunn:

“We’ll have another store reset before the holidays, which will include an increase in the space for higher-growth and, in the aggregate, higher-margin categories, like Best Buy Mobile, e-readers and gaming, with a heavy emphasis on new gaming platforms and pre-owned game titles. This will be enabled by our reorganization of the DVD and CD sections. The CD section in particular will shrink in space allotment.”

The extra space created by shrinking CD and DVD sections will help create a space for demonstrations of new motion-controlled video games, Microsoft’s Kinect and Sony’s Move.

Best Buy had a 8.7% share of the U.S. music retail market in 2009, according to Billboard estimates, down from 10.7% in 2008. Walmart had an estimated 12.5% share in 2009, down from 15% in 2008. Both retailers have consistently reduced the CD’s footprint in their stores. (Investors.com)

Source: Billboard

What's your take... leave your comments below.

Tuesday, 21 September 2010 16:43

Review for BEATS by Dre and MONSTER

Written by

So I purchased a pair of the white Beats by Dre & MONSTER at the apple store about two weeks ago. These headphones run about $299 plus tax at most places, so be ready to spend a little bit of your savings. Many people talk about the price of these headphones being way to high. I agree on a small scale but you have to realize that there are headphones out there that cost around $1,000-$2,000. So if your trying to talk about the most expensive headphones than they are NOT the Beats. After using them for about a little while now, I must say if you are a music maker or music lover, you will love these headphones for various reasons.
If I rated these headphones out of a score of 10, I would rate them at a 9. Why not a 10? As much as I love the Beats, the sound leakage is ridiculous. I’ve read reviews on many sites and most people also complain about the sound leakage. I use these headphones to mix and create hip-hop production so I’m actually okay with the sound leakage. If you are listening to music at a high volume, the person sitting next to you will most likely tell you to turn it down. Also be CAUTIONED that if you DO NOT take care of these headphones properly they will break just like any other product. I hear few complaints about the headphones being cheaply made and breaking on them after about 2-3 months. Are you kidding me? If you are not using them it’s probably a good idea to put them back in the case that is provided with the headphones. You did spend a little over $300 of your hard-earned money right? Take care of them and these headphones could last for a very long time. I believe MONSTER did a great job of designing to make sure that the Beats were quality and durable. All right since I got the negative stuff out of the way, lets get into the fun side of these headphones.
So the headphones come in white or black. The white is only sold at Apple stores or Apple online. I personally got the white ones because I didn’t want finger grease to be noticeable, where on the black ones you can clearly see smudges all around. So I give a plus on MONSTER for coming out with the white Beats. These headphones also fold up together and fit nicely with the black case that is provided. I really like how MONSTER did a good job putting on a shiny gloss coat over the white paint. This makes it harder for your Beats to get scratched unless you drop them on concrete or such. As everyone knows these are pretty stylish in the way they look. Many celebrities support these headphones from basketball players to major artists in the game. You will definitely gain attention from others because these are some of most fashionable headphones out in the market.
Let me mention that these headphones require 2 AA batteries to power them. I’ve used the 2 AA batteries that came with it for about a month and they are still running. I turn the power switch off every-time I stop listening to save battery power. To install the batteries you would go to the left side of the headphone and with two fingers turn the “b” clock-wise to open the compartment. They drain a lot of battery so make sure to turn them off when you are done. A really cool feature is on the right side of the headphone, you can push/hold in the “b” and it will mute your music.
The sound quality is one of the best parts about these headphones. They are crisp on the highs, mids, and very good lows. Test the Beats with some of your old headphones and you can definitely tell that Beats are 10x cleaner. It adds a whole new element to the music that you are listening too. I just have to say it makes your music that much more enjoyable. Imagine listening to every song the way that the artist wants you to hear it. All the details and elements of the music come to life where it brings you into the music. I listened to Dr. Dre’s “Chronic 2001” and Jay Z’s “Blue Print” and all I have to say is WOW!!! WOW!!!! All various genres from Rock, Alternative, Hip-Hop to R&B sound great. Some of the few negative critics can’t bash these headphones in because these are some of the best headphones you will have for $300. You can’t get much more better than what the Beats have to offer. Why spend $50 or $1,000 for a pair of headphones where one is under priced with quality and the other over priced with overhyped quality? The best way to know is to try all the different headphones at a store near you and get a feel for the pair you like. You be the final judge when it comes to spending your money because I guarantee if you do enough research you will be happy with your purchase of the Beats by Dre.
WHAT COMES INSIDE YOUR FANCY DRE BOX:
- - Black or White BEATS
- - Black BEATS case (steady and durable)
- - MONSTER cable (Red)
- - MONSTER cable (Black) for your iphone and other smart-phones
- - Cleaning cloth
- - MONSTER headphone jack
- - 2 AA batteries
- - Instruction booklet w/ other useful information

What's your take... leave your comments below.

Thursday, 23 September 2010 17:19

21 UNDER 21

Written by

They're young, they're on a white-hot winning streak, and most importantly, they're just getting started: These are Billboard.com's "21 Under 21," selected not only for their tender age but also for their potential to rule the pop culture zeitgeist over the next 12 months.


Whether it's a country star whose every song lyric demands hours of analysis (Is she singing about Joe, Taylor or Kanye?!), a beloved breakout character on TV's hottest high school musical, or a newcomer who landed a record deal on the strength of one Lady Gaga cover, expect them all to to keep us watching -- and listening -- in the year to come. On to the countdown of our picks!



21 UNDER 21 List:

#21 - Sean Kingston

#20 - Cody Simpson

#19 - Nikki Yanofsky

#18 - New Boyz

#17 - Never Shout Never

#16 - Wonder Girls

#15 - Diggy Simmons

#14 - Miranda Cosgrove

#13 - Chris Colfer

#12 - Taylor Momsen

#11 - Lex Luger

#10 - Miley Cyrus

#9 - Greyson Chance

#8 - Demi Lovato

#7 - Willow Smith

#6 - Nick Jonas

#5 - Soulja Boy

#4 - Charice

#3 - Selena Gomez

#2 - Justin Bieber

#1 - Taylor Swift


Source: Billboard

What's your take... leave your comments below.