The following guest post comes from Budi Voogt, founder of Heroic, a label group and management agency, and author of The SoundCloud Bible, now in its third edition.
Labels come in all shapes and sizes; major labels, larger independents, smaller independents, net labels and online collectives. Whether you’re an electronic music producer or indie band, it is probable that you will be involved in a record deal at some point in your career.
In this article, we’ll talk about the nature of recording agreements, key clauses that you should understand and terms that are reasonable and favorable to negotiate for. If you’re not yet familiar with the basics of music copyright and publishing, I recommend you read my guide before proceeding.
https://www.6amgroup.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Record-Deal-Contract.jpg2925606AM6AM2016-12-13 09:28:462016-12-13 09:28:46The Truth About Record Deals (And How To Negotiate Them)
Criticisms or feedback are almost, if not always, taken negatively. We were raised to think that all feedback is negative and that has caused us to think adversely about them. Perhaps this is because of the unhealthy pattern of only giving feedback when we are dissatisfied, but what we fail to see is that feedback and critiques are paramount tools for us to grow both personally and career-wise. When used efficiently these commentaries could give you an edge over other producers and DJs out there.
Here are a few tips you could try on how to get feedback on your track or mix:
Time management is one of those easy-to-say-but-hard-to-do phrases. If it’s as easy as a pie to juggle work, family time, social life, and personal hobbies together, we’d all be living in Utopia. Each day we get 24 hours to get things done. That means 1,440 minutes or 86,400 seconds. You see, twenty-four hours don’t seem like a lot of time but if you break it down in seconds, it is a hell lot of time. That is why, it is indeed true that every second counts.
You might be wondering what time management has to do with creating more time to produce more music. Well, a lot!
Music-making can either be a hobby or a career, and to some lucky few, it can be both. Some people swear to live by music. They claim to eat and breathe music and give it all of their time. But the truth is, not everyone has the privilege of spending more than a few hours producing music when they have all these other obligations they need to tend to like day jobs, school, and family time.
This is especially true if you are still starting a career in music. You have to keep a day job to make ends meet, so how do you efficiently manage your schedule and create more time to produce more music?
https://www.6amgroup.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Home-Music-Studio.jpg135620486AM6AM2016-12-05 09:17:132017-09-05 07:22:54How To Create More Time To Produce More Music
As the months and years go by, technology continues to take a hold of our lives more and more, both personally and professionally. The last two decades of advancements have seen the daily life of DJs and producers all over the world change drastically from a musical standpoint, shaping the way electronic music is made and played in all four corners of the world.
But that is not all, for technology has also changed the way DJs and producers get noticed and, as a result, move up the industry ladder in this over-competitive industry. Yet, it appears that despite all the tools at our disposal, artists all over the world are struggling to get their talent to the ears of those who have the power of launching their careers. The truth is that with so many bedroom producers and rising DJ talent, it is not enough to wait to “get discovered” for your skills — you must go out there and get yourself noticed.
https://www.6amgroup.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/uqngzta1tzq-vinicius-amano.jpg15022048Marco SgalbazziniMarco Sgalbazzini2016-11-29 16:50:192021-01-08 09:00:55Why Talent Isn't Enough To Get Noticed as a DJ or Producer
With the advancement of technology we are seeing more and more DJs relying entirely on “sync” functionality and unable to actually beatmatch by ear.
Richie Hawtin famously explained how he takes advantage of automation when playing, using the sync option on Traktor to allow him to work on four decks simultaneously, layering loops, dropping multiple bass lines at once and playing materials that may not be ready to be played on its own but works perfectly with other sounds.
Although it can be totally understandable for an artist to forego manual beatmatching for the benefit of doing more behind the decks — especially if working with a live set-up — there are some important reasons why being able to beatmatch in the first place is still a vital skill for any DJ out there.
https://www.6amgroup.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dj-in-the-mix-picjumbo-com.jpg136520486AM6AM2016-11-25 10:21:492017-02-17 11:47:32Should DJs Still Know How To Beatmatch By Ear?
Are you ready to learn music production from one of electronic music’s most celebrated producers?
Deadmau5 has just been announced as MasterClass‘ latest instructor for electronic music. The online education platform aims to give aspiring producers the necessary tools and skills to make it as an artist thanks to carefully selected classes spearheaded by top-tier established producers.
The Canadian producer is one of the most respected electronic music artists in the studio, capable of producing a unique sound that goes well beyond the boundaries of any one given genre. Students who enroll in MasterClass will receive intimate lessons on production, mixing and mastering at his home studio, where the artist will walk through his entire creative process from start to finish.
Deadmau5, or Joel Zimmerman as he is known to family and friends, talked about his involvement with the production class, “My MasterClass is a no bullshit look into what it takes to make great music. This class is designed for you to develop your own style and develop your own sound. If you can impact one person with your music then it is pretty much worth it.”
As you can see from the preview video below, Deadmau5’s class will be engaging, personal and will tackle in-depth subjects in a way he has never done before with any of his fans or aspiring producers.
If you found this article interesting, sign up for our newsletter to learn more and to stay up to date with 6AM’s news and features on the world of electronic music.
https://www.6amgroup.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/deadmau5-masterclass.jpg421636Marco SgalbazziniMarco Sgalbazzini2016-11-16 13:00:542016-11-16 17:43:36Deadmau5 Teaches Electronic Music Production
In today’s electronically-advanced world anyone can produce music in their bedroom studio. Creating a recording studio at home has never been cheaper and a simple home studio, if properly organized, can provide great sound quality for your productions when starting off on your career.
Studio productivity is a key element in achieving success as a music producer. It takes a lot of determination, trial and error, initiative and drive to maximize your output when making music. Hence it becomes imperative to set-up your working space and habits in a way that minimizes procrastination.
Setting up your workspace and workflow so that you can start work right away and aren’t hit left, right and center by a million distractions helps tremendously in ensuring you achieve your production goals. We asked several industry professionals for their advice on how to increase productivity in the studio, and used the information to compile some key tips to help you getting tracks finished:
https://www.6amgroup.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/StockSnap_A4XAPP3ZTK.jpg136520486AM6AM2016-11-16 11:40:052017-09-05 07:22:1310 Ways To Increase Productivity In Your Home Studio
Looking to spruce up your studio space or add color to your apartment? If you’re a producer, DJ or avid electronic music fan you surely appreciate the beauty of music hardware, the intricacies and original look of each individual model with its selectively chosen and unique series of lights, buttons, sliders and knobs.
https://www.6amgroup.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Music-Hardware-Art-3.jpg639960Marco SgalbazziniMarco Sgalbazzini2016-11-10 08:53:262017-02-21 09:28:38Introducing: Music Hardware Art For Your Walls
Screenshot taken from Ryan Wyer’s video for ‘CIRKLON3 [ Колхозная mix ]’
A brilliant interview by Culture Creature has just introduced the world to Aphex Twin’s latest video director in the name of 12 year old Ryan Wyer.
Wyer was personally chosen by Richard D. James (aka Aphex Twin) and his Warp Records label to both direct and appear in the video for ‘CIRKLON3 [ Колхозная mix ]’, which you can see below. The track is part of Aphex Twin’s Cheetah EP, which was released this past Friday July 8th.
Ryan and Aphex Twin first connected when the artist and label discovered Wyer’s YouTube channel and the selection of videos the young director had uploaded, including several Aphex Twin ‘fan videos,’ such as this one for ‘minipops 67 [120.2][source field mix].’ According to Wyer’s mother Maria, it was the label and artist who reached out, “Warp said that Ryan had been spoken about a lot and they loved his work.”
Following that initial contact, and James’ appreciation for Wyer’s work, the label contacted him with the now-released Cheetah EP, asking him to make a video for a track of his choice. As a true sign of James’ true respect for Wyer’s video directing skills, he allowed the twelve year old to produce the video with 100% creative responsibility. Marie specified that “Warp and Richard put Ryan under no pressure and were very supportive and helpful along the whole process.”
What is most inspiring is seeing Ryan’s story and skills as a video producer and director be given the attention they deserve. His mother noted that this story has inspired other children who have a disability, as well as their families. Ryan has autism and is visually impaired, yet has pursued his dreams and skills and has now actively contributed to the work of one of the most respected artists in the electronic music world.
As of writing, the video has amassed nearly 900,000 views on YouTube. Earlier this year, Marie tweeted the below picture of Ryan and James shopping for records together:
https://www.6amgroup.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Aphex-Twin.jpg418675Marco SgalbazziniMarco Sgalbazzini2016-07-11 12:11:212016-07-11 12:32:27Meet Aphex Twin's New Video Director, 12 Year Old Ryan Wyer
Layering, now ubiquitous in the electronic music scene (due to the introduction of computers in production), is one of the most critical steps in the production process. However, it is important to realize the limitations of layering. Firstly, it is important to choose samples that don’t clash with each other; be sure to keep pitch in mind (easy to transpose the samples to make them work), that the frequency content isn’t too similar, and that the sample start times line up (to avoid nasty phase cancellation). Layering can definitely be a tedious job, but you’re in luck today!
