The Studio: Why go to the studio?  Positives and Negatives

The studio can be described by all artists signed and unsigned as a euphoric entity that is unmatched.  Today, going to the studio is not a necessity to any artists.  With so many technological advances, you are a record label with the assistance of a Mac Book Pro.  So why go to the studio?  Why invest the extra money and time and compromise a comfortable delivery?  One word: Quality!  The studio can offer advances in sound quality that you may not be able to afford on your own for a good price.  A decent studio should be able to offer better quality microphones and outboard compressors and EQ.  In addition, a decent studio should be able to provide a correctly sound booth to record vocals or instrumentation.  The more expensive the facility, the better the quality…

            There are things that studios cannot offer, things you cannot pay for.  Things like comfortability.  Providing a great environment for creation is a trait, not all studios can provide.  As an artist, having a good feel from the facility as well as the tracking engineer can be the difference in feeling good about your investment in your craft and a waste of money.  Some studios are just there to collect money and push buttons.  The great studios with definitely provide you with all the tools and feedback to complete the record.  The best studios use their own resources and extra free time to make sure you are totally satisfied with the completed product.

            With the emergence of schools like Full Sail University equipping individuals with everything they need to be a small time music and entertainment mogul, what need do you have with a studio facility.  Especially when there is software to make your music sound radio ready.  Programs like Waves Mercury can get you there!  However, with a price tag upwards of $10,000.00, the studio is a great idea.  My advice is to invest in a Mac Book, get a decent microphone line and DAW.  Compile all your music; get the cleanest wav files you can get.  Once this is completed, make your way to studios in your area and choose the one you are most comfortable with to complete your recording process and have them mix your work.  This way you get a great delivery and a great sound!

#citylife

The Life: Ryan Leslie: Life for independents

Welcome to the Studio, the Stage, the Life, this blog highlight’s great music, music trends and amazing artists. For this first blog post, I want to highlight one of my favorite independent artists, Ryan Leslie. Ryan Leslie is a genius; graduating from Harvard at the age of 19 with a degree in economics. Enough of all that stuff; Ryan Leslie has been a force on the music scene for some time.  From revolutionizing YouTube to more recently removing all his music from I tunes in order to connect more with his fans, Ryan Leslie is definitely an artist for independents to look up to.

To be honest, Ryan Leslie is not the traditional artist.  Not having the traditional R&B vocal tone or having the usual story of the up and coming rapper.  Ryan Leslie is a breath of fresh air to this oversaturated music industry, especially in the urban genres. Being outside the box in today’s music industry can mean the death for a new and independent artist.  Ryan Leslie shows independent artist how they can celebrate their independence with consistent creativity.  Most independents try to mold themselves into what is on the radio or on television now, often resisting creativity to fit in.  Ryan’s business moves and music creativity gives a more creative independent the confidence to do whatever they feel musically.

This year, there have been a few major album releases that were unconventional.  The most popular artists like Jay Z, who released his album via Samsung through an application.  In addition, Beyoncé, who released her album at 2 A.M. with no leading single or marketing, Ryan Leslie released his music with no label or distribution. His latest music is only available via his website http://www.renegadesnyc.com . He did this in an effort to thank all his fans personally for supporting him.  You can even call, text and email him and he will respond if he can.

With all this being said, what does this mean for an independent artist?  These practices just say how the music industry is undefined.  The music business is not what it used to be; the formula is broken.  Yes, huge artists are still going to be successful, but artists like Ryan Leslie and Macklemore can definitely compete on a large scale.  So, if you are about to hit the studio, get on stage or live the music life, be confident in your artistry and create originally, there’s definitely bright lights in your horizon.