I don’t know your specific thoughts on this, so I’m going with mine. In the 20th century, artists got ripped off on receiving royalties for their music. What’s more troubling is artists of color got even less. And with payola in play, if you weren’t in the know, you may not even get the chance to get discovered or heard. Then… enters the 21st century. More specifically, the digital age. What we didn’t know then was that the whole music industry will forever be altered, but, for the better. The digital age brought about multiple opportunities for independent labels. No longer do you have to wait to get your material heard by the rest of the world. And with the use of social media sites, you cut down on distribution costs. Pretty much, if you gain millions of followers, your money problems are part of the way straight. I say part because now you have to build your brand. And that’s not going to be easy,, or is it? Remember me telling you that you need a good support team? Well, that’s where they come in. Some to monitor your social sites, some to monitor your website sell your merch. and E-Commerce transactions. But, if you’re going at it alone, it will nearly destroy you. Unless you don’t have an outside job to take care of your personal business. And then you still need rest. But if you can get it right, you will have millions of possible buyers of your material. Oh, I almost forgot. You also need good merchandise and material, too! What’s your take?

When an individual pushes his/herself to attain a goal. Similar to gears grinding when they are worked beyond their capacity. –Urban Dictionary–

The colloquial use of this term resonates in every human being wanting to succeed. There are two types of individuals. The individuals who prefer nine-to-five type jobs and are satisfied with giving forty hours or more each week with maybe paid vacation and all the benefits. And there are the individuals who step out on faith to make a name for themselves? These entrepreneurs believe that what they have to offer the world, the world wants and needs it. They have a unique product that will revolutionize whatever industry they’re interested in. The latter of the two, I refer to as grinders. These grinders are willing to do whatever they can, to succeed and provide for their families and/or themselves, while contributing to the world. I’m not here to argue about the choices some of these grinders may make. I’m here to encourage everyone who makes the choice to grind for what they believe in. There are thousands of entrepreneurs who had to make a decision, to make the decision to either start off right or wrong. Some results are favorable while others are not. The thing that matters is, the decision was made. If mistakes are made, then it serves as a learning experience. I don’t knock those who work as most of the world does. For someone else. I just admire the ones who want to be like the smaller percentage who go the extra mile. To them, I say thank you and well done. Stay on your grind.

If you want to become the next big success, you will need to know some history. Don’t get upset. I know that that might not be what you’re wanting to hear, but if you read about the success of some of your idols, and how they made it, it can inspire you and help you avoid some of the obstacles they went through. This applies to all professions. These success stories tell about the struggles and deceptions that they’ve endured on their way up. You also need to know some of the failures of those who never made it. And should you succeed, you need to write about your journey so others can learn from you. Everyone has a story to tell. They just need to tell it.

Humor me for a moment. Getting a contract with one of the larger companies in the industry. Big deal or not? LP, EP, or single. Big deal or not? Group or solo career. Big deal or not? Ok, you get the idea. Why is it that when you make a decision to launch your career, you need to fit into a specific category? Why can’t you just decide to do something and just do it? Why does everyone need to give you directions on your dream? Are they in your head? I appreciate it when you give constructive criticism because that’s helpful, but unless I’ve hired you to manage my career, I need you to stay in your place. What I don’t need is more confusion. And if you feel that your advice is so beneficial, where is your resume´? How many deals have you made? Who do you know that can help launch my career? Exactly! Be an associate, friend, or support. I’d appreciate that more. I’m just ranting a little, don’t pay me any attention. What are some of your Big Deals?

Let me ask you something? I have my studio open by appointment only because some artists have weird times when they want to record. But should I have business hours like other businesses or should I keep it as is? With my method, I schedule the times when I want to work with artists, which gives me the freedom to do anything else that needs to be done. But I was talking to a fellow engineer and he told me that he worked from 9am to 9pm, which is a solid 12hrs. And that he takes 2 days off for personal business. In a way, I can see his method effective, but what if your clients aren’t available during those times, because let’s face it, everyone can’t work fulltime as an artist and pay the bills. So, what do you think is a good method for running studio business hours? If you have a schedule that is efficient for you, I’d love to hear about it, and other engineers would too! Chime in and let’s see how you operate. It might be better for me.

I’m not surprised about how many people jumping on others bandwagon after they become relevant . They are the same ones who say that you’ll never make it. They’re the same ones that were not apart of your support team. It doesn’t matter if they may be family or friends, they did not support you. Now you’re living your dream and recognized in the circle of success and who do you see at your door or calling you on the phone? Yup, here they come, and they’re just as fake as before. Only now they’re looking for something. Here’s to your success, and all the fake friends you allow to slide back into your circle. That is, “After you became relevant”!

Artists! Who told you that you have to go on a talent show to be seen? How much confidence do you have in yourself? If you really think about it, signing your talent over to somebody else for a small advance is not really what you wanted to do. You have a great gift that God gave you, and all you really need to get started is you. Sure, you need a recording, and distribution, and marketing, and such. But some of those things can be done in a studio, on social media, and with a good support group. You can’t tell me that you’re not on either, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or one of the other popular sites, because if you’re not, then you’re already a struggling case. I don’t want you to think that I’m heartless, I’m just wanting us to do the work for ourselves, instead of hoping some record company will give you a break. If you believe in yourself, invest in yourself. You are your strongest ally. Then, look for others who believe in you, too! That’s your support group. Anyone that’s negative towards your goal does not need to be apart of your group. The question is, do you think you have what it takes? If so, move your behind and stop telling yourself that no one will give you an opportunity. In the words of NIKE, JUST DO IT!

Stressure: to have unwanted stress and to be under a significant amount of pressure.

Why would this apply to audio? Simple. Engineers, producers, technicians, and developers, plus many others are under a huge amount of stress and pressure to ensure that all clients get the best quality results of whatever they’re looking for in their products. It has been said that no one notices the sound engineer until something bad happens with the sound. To continue to remain unnoticed, sound engineers go through painstaking sound checks and settings to keep the show(s) flowing and keep the attention off of them. When recording, engineers check all of the instruments being used, before the client(s) appointment, so that he/she won’t be the reason for any delays or problems in the production process. Even when a project is in process, should something occur, the engineer has to have back-ups to keep things going smoothly. There is so much stressure that goes on in the audio profession, and no one ever notices, because everything appears to be running smooth. We’re a growing group of professionals. Can we get some appreciation for your success? It lets us know that you understand how difficult it is doing the job we love and trying to please you.

We’ve come a long way in the science of audio. Most people think of music when you mention audio, but it’s so much more. Audio includes sonar, amplification, communication, forensics, hospitals and much much more. With the growing digital age, we’re able to analyze faster and more efficient. Speakers, microphones, plugins, the resurfacing of vintage analog gear and diy kits allows today’s engineers the ability to create simple and proficient upgrades. I encourage innovation from true lovers of audio.

Clipping is a form of waveform distortion. When an amplifier is pushed beyond it’s maximum limit, it goes into overdrive. The overdriven signal causes the amplifier to attempt to produce a output voltage beyond its capability, which is when clipping occurs. https://producelikeapro.com/blog/audio-clipping/

The fact that nobody likes what happens when a project is clipping, gives us even more reason to understand what causes it and how to prevent it from happening. Can you imagine what a song would sound like if all of its tracks were clipping? Not only would it be inaudible, but prolonged playing on speakers would cause them to overheat. I plan to elaborate in deeper detail about this subject, but for now, I want to hear from you. Let me know what you think is a cause for clipping. Let’s get a good conversation going.