Your Recording Studio Can Make Money

hink back 20-30 years ago. Some of us weren't even alive then. Maybe that's why today's recording industry seems so normal. But trust me - this isn't the way it's always been. Things are changing for recording studios and for the music business. I'm not talking about Napster and the file-sharing crisis of a few years back. Actually I'm referring to home recording studios, which are having a huge impact on the big time studios in your town.

In the 1970s, what did a band do if they wanted to record an album? Or even just a demo? It was a difficult process, and unless you wanted to settle for absolute junk - you had to go to the big recording studios. They monopolized the music industry. Bands that could get into the studios were heard. A band that had no money, no label representation, and no fan base were screwed.

But home recording studios began to spring up more and more through the 1990s. And with advances in computer technology, anybody and everybody can own a nice little studio. The price tag today? A couple hundred bucks. And the quality of your recordings will not be too shabby. With a little practice, your home studio can churn out competitive tracks. And the music business doesn't like that fact. You are armed with a studio that can compete. And more bands are starting to hop onto the home studio trend.

Here's the interesting part: a home studio owner today has a unique opportunity to cash in on the industry. Labels are hemorrhaging money, unknown bands are getting famous through MySpace, and recording at home is becoming a profitable business. It's as simple as picking up the pizza boxes and beer bottles in your studio, bring in some local bands, and closing the deal. When you show a band what your home studio has to offer, and how much money they can save by avoiding a bigger studios, you will win the sale. You could record one band a week and have some extra pocket change to buy new gear. How many bands would you need to record before you made enough money to quit your day job? That's how powerful this new movement is, and I would encourage you to look at the possibilities.

Running this business is not difficult. There are some tricks of the trade, and you need to learn the ropes. But once you fill in a few pieces of the studio business blueprint, you're golden. Recording studio businesses are easy to manage, cheap to start, and best of all - this is the coolest job in the world.

The Author

Reuben Rock

Want to start a recording studio business and succeed right away? Here's how to start a recording studio that makes amazing profits by this weekend.

You read that correctly. Anybody can be in the studio business and enjoying life by this weekend. Check out http://recordingstudioprofits.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Reuben_Rock

Choosing The Right Musical Instrument For You

If music is your middle name, then musical instruments are sure to adorn your room. Music is an excellent way to get rid of the blues. And if you are the creative type, then you can compose your own songs with musical instruments.

Musical instruments are mainly categorized by the way they generate sound. All musical instruments fall under one of the following – string, wind, percussion and keyboard, though there may be further divisions and sub-divisions. Examples of string instruments include guitars, violins, ukuleles and cellos. Wind instruments include pipes, sax, clarinet, flute and such other types. Drums, bongos, cymbals and bells fall under the percussions category. And keyboard instruments include pianos, harpsichords, organs and accordions. Over 1000 musical instruments are available across the world, including folk instruments.

If you want to play on your own, then it is better to start with a musical instrument you like, and then gradually master the instrument by joining music classes. If you like music in general and are not interested in specializing in any particular type of instrument then a keyboard can be the perfect choice. Electronic keyboards nowadays can produce all sorts of sound ranging from guitar tunes to drum beats. A variety of DJ equipments are also available on the market nowadays, which provide creative sound mixing options for the wannabe DJs as well as for the experienced disc jockeys.

On the other hand, if you were thinking of organizing a band then you would need different types of musical instruments. A band normally includes a couple of string instruments, percussions and preferably a wind instrument.

You can purchase your musical instruments online. Choose your favorite instrument from the various websites that you will find on the internet. They often offer discounts if you buy their package deals, which include various types of musical instruments. This can be your best option if you are planning a band with your friends.

Musical instruments can be a costly affair, especially if you are planning to buy the best available on the market. These can set you back by anything from $100 to over $10000. A good Yamaha or Roland electronic keyboard may cost almost $2500. Used musical instruments are often a good choice, especially if you are learning to play a new instrument. For beginners it is advisable to invest in musical instruments in the lower price range.

Musical instruments can also be made at home with items of daily use. Homemade musical instruments mainly fall under the category of percussion instruments. You can make almost anything, from shakers and jingle bracelets to drums and tambourines. You can also make wind instruments such as comb harmonica or kazoo. These help your child to be creative and can keep them busy. And you can now have your own band at home.

Article Source: Susan Jan

Feature Film Production

This is visual story telling. If you don't have a crew and are doing all the filming yourself keep in mind that good lighting techniques can make a huge difference on the quality. Film making is as much art as painting a picture so a media limitation based on expense should not stop anyone from experimenting with the art of film-making.

The major stages of a major Feature Film production with lots of money are:

1.Development

In the development stage a producer comes up with an idea for which a script is written(and rewritten until it is perfected). A script can also be obtained from many sources as scriptwriters are always attempting to get their scripts purchased.

2. Preproduction

In preproduction the movie is planned and cost is established. Also the producer will hire a crew.

Smart producers know how to maximize the final product by getting the best actors that fit their roles within their budgets.

On large budget films this could be hundreds of crew members but on less expensive films, skeleton crews are established based on the following positions.

a. Director. (Responsible for acting and creative elements)
b. Assistant director. (Manages shoot schedule, logistics & more)
c. Producer. (finds actors)
d. Location manager. (finds film locations)
e. Director of photography or cinematographer. (Photography)

f. Art director. (production sets, costumes plus provides makeup & hair styling services)
g. Storyboard artist,
h. Production sound mixer.
i. Composer. (creates music for the film)
j. Choreographer.

3. Production

This is when the actual filming takes place based on shooting schedules, locations and film sets. The director can request multiple takes on scenes until he is satisfied that his ideas are expressed.

He will review daily recorded video and determine if scenes have to be re shot. A couple of notes about obtaining pre shot background footage is that royalty free footage is very desirable as there are no delays in negotiating with content providers who are attempting to maximize their profit.

Royalty free footage also means that you buy it only once and use it as many times as you wish.

Always go for the latest format available. If you are buying today then it only makes sense to buy High Definition(HD) footage.

Downgrading HD to lower formats is easy, It is very difficult to make older formats look good in HD.

I recommend you make your movie using 35 mm unless you are using a Red, a Viper or the Sony F23. The 35 mm could then be transferred to digital(preferably HD) using a process called Telecine for cutting and editing.

4. Post Production

Here the editor assembles the footage and formulates a rough cut of the material. Most directors work very close with editors to identify the most important shots to represent their artistic ideas. Some directors rely heavily on their editors judgment and present them with many additional hours of footage, allowing them to decide what gets cut from the film.

Editors are normally very artistically inclined and make tremendous contributions to projects so finding a good one is important. Here is also where special effects and color correction are finalized and implemented. Check the software listing editing software and look at either Adobe After effects or Magicbullet for color correction software.

5. Distribution

Large films funded by the major studios are distributed to theaters they are affiliated with. Lower budget productions can be distributed via DVD, VHS or even Internet. For lower budget features many filmmakers present their works at film festivals in the hope of getting picked up by one of the big studios or their subsidiaries. Ideally Feature film production, at it's best, is about having good actors working on a well written script supported by a good crew and lots of time and money.

This is almost never the case and corners are usually cut everywhere.

by Joseph Vautour

Audio Recording Equipment - Studio Audio Equipment

Attaining perfection in work is not difficult when you have all the necessary equipments in place. An audio studio comprises of many equipments that work together to get that perfect sound for you. Starting from simple microphones to the complex audio mixers, one needs them all.

Starting with the microphones, one can choose from a variety of types:

USB Microphones
Condenser Microphones
Headwork Microphones
Microphone Stands
Instrument Microphones
Dynamic Microphones
Microphone Accessories
Lavalier Microphones
Podium Microphones
Microphone Booms
Wireless Microphone Accessories
Shotgun Microphones
Special Application Microphones
Ribbon Microphones
Stereo Microphones
Windscreens

Audio mixers are also one of the most important items to have in your studio. They can be differentiated as compact and remote mixers, DJ mixers, PA mixers, Production mixers and Telephone mixers. They help in mixing sounds from various signals and sources. Some of the mixers are high-end and require a good expertise to work with.

The main task performed in the studio is that of recording and for that purpose, one requires recorders and accessories that can store the sounds. The recorders can be of various types:

Mini Disc Recorders & Players
Compact disc accessories
DVD Recorders & Players
Compact disc Players & Recorders
Cassette Players
Handheld Flash Recorders
Flash Recorders & Players
Logging Recorders & Software

The sound is recorded in the recorders with the help of microphones and speakers. Thus speakers also form an important part of any studio. They may be attached to your computer or to the microphones and there is a variety to choose from. There are active monitor, confirmation, passive, powered, and PA speakers which help in better audio outputs.

Sound comes in the form of signals and to channelise and increase the amplitude of the signals. The amplifiers need to be there to ensure better working of other equipments and to record effectively.
Other audio equipments that are required include channel strips, equalizers, converters and software. To make sure your equipments are in place and in a good working condition, it is important to take care that they are protected from dust and dirt. For their maintenance one can use products like disk cleaners, cover-ups, mouth-piece disinfectant sprays and polishing cloths.

by Michael Mize Russell

How to Initiate Your Child Into Music Lessons

Introduction

There are many parents these days that want their children to learn how to do something musical. This could be vocal music lessons or it could be learning to play an instrument like the piano. People tend to feel that their children will be far more accomplished in life if they learn some musical skill. Furthermore, people tend to feel that their children will have a hobby that can carry them through the rest of life if they learn how to be musical at a very young age.

This can certainly be a good idea, but you need to be careful if you want to broach the idea to your child in such a way as to make them accept it. Generally, there are three approaches that you can take when it comes to initiating your child into music lessons.

The Hardliner Approach

Interestingly enough, the hardliner approach is actually the easiest approach to pull off. You don't need any level of dexterity when it comes to this approach. In fact, all you need is a willingness to take a mallet and just go into the conversation swinging (metaphorically of course).

Basically, you need to announce to your child that you have decided on their music lessons. Your child might not want to go, but you should not waver in your hardliner approach once you have adopted it. If you do that, the hardliner approach instantly becomes less useful for future situations. You need to drag your kid to the first few music lessons with this approach and keep doing it until their natural enjoyment of the activity starts to take over.

The Coax Approach

The opposite strategy of the hardliner approach is the coax approach. When you are using this approach, what you basically need to do is coax your child into coming with you to the music lesson. You need to make it seem like an exciting adventure that you and your child can share together and therefore pique their interest in the topic.

When you are using this approach however, you need to avoid being overly enthusiastic about the music lessons. Children can sense false enthusiasm in their parents quite easily and are generally not fooled by it. At the same time, they can sense a lack of interest too. It is a fine line to work, but if you know how to work that line you can certainly get more success out of the coax approach than out of the hardliner approach.

Conclusion

Music lessons for children can be very rewarding if done right. If you want your child to truly benefit from music lessons though, you need to get them to the point where they are regularly attending the music classes. If you don't do that, you can pretty much kiss goodbye any of the long term benefit that they might get out of the exercise. Keep that in mind when you are evaluating what your next move is going to be in this particular area.

by Amy Nutt

Band Promotion Techniques All Independent Bands & Musicians Need

"Tricks To Selling More CD's At Gigs"

First make sure at every gig you are placing your CD sales table in the correct place. I can't tell you how many times I have seen bands who setup their CD sales table in the darkest corner of the venue.

Think about it for a moment...If you were at a venue and listening to a band. Then, out of the corner of your eye... You happen to see a table setup with CD's for sale. Except, it's in the corner, and away from all the action at the venue...Would you go check it out, or even think about it?

When you get gigs at a new venue the first thing you must do is scope out the place for the most strategic spots available for your CD sales table. Heck, there are some bands that setup their table right in front of the stage! Another great place for setting up your CD sales table is by the entrance to the bathroom of the venue...I know it may sound strange, but think about it. Everyone there is bound to pass by your CD's, and if you have one of your "Street Team" members selling CD's at the table. Then, recruit another "Street Team" member to literally walk straight up to people asking them "Do You Have The CD Yet?" at the venue while you're playing - Your CD sales will go through the roof!

Just be sure to have the one walking around lead the people who say that want to buy your CD straight to the CD sales table. This will allow them to go straight back into the crowd to gather more fans for you!

"Collecting Fan Email Addresses"

Also make sure you make it easy for people to leave email addresses at your CD sales table. Even better, would be to get people to give you the email in the middle of the gig. You might make up an "Email Song" then have someone pass around a guest book where everyone leaves their email address.

If you are not gigging your only option is to visit chat rooms and forums and talk to people and collect email addresses. Why collect all of these email addresses? Easy...You will be strating a "Band Newsletter" to stay in touch with your potential fans, and CD buyers!

"Selling Your CD Cheap"

Major retail outlets are clearing out old 74 mins CDR's right now for very cheap. Put 3, 4, 5 of your tracks on each one and use cheap jewelcases. Then go somewhere where "your potential fans" would be hanging out, and hand the CD's out for FREE in exchange for their email address.

You'll get 100 subscribers for under $20.00! Which, is much cheaper than placing ads, doing flea markets and paying record stores to promote your CD."

by Scott Meyer

Ten Free Songwriting Tips

Whether you're a beginner at writing songs or a seasoned songwriter, free songwriting tips always come in useful, for composing songs is something you should work on constantly, perfecting your abilities to emotionally connect with your audience through music and lyrics.

Successful songwriting is by no means easy - though many say it is. However, nearly everyone has the ability to write songs, but this ability needs to be worked on, combined with the desire to compose a great song, plus hard work.

So, here you have ten basic songwriting tips to help you on your way to becoming a great composer.

Free Songwriting Tips

1. Practice makes perfect, so songwriting tip number one would be to dedicate some time each day to composing songs. You don't need to create a whole new song - just a few lines will suffice. But, make sure you practice daily. You'll soon improve.

2. Listen constantly to popular songs and work out what, exactly, makes these songs successful. Study their strengths and techniques. Learn from them and apply their good points to your own compositions.

3. Before starting on any song, decide who your target audience is and the type of compositions they will relate to, then make sure both lyrics and melody can be understood by them and will appeal to them. Your main aim will be to connect emotionally with your audience.

4. Although you should work hard at your songwriting, enjoy it too! Remember that music and lyrics are art forms, so don't let composing become an unwelcome chore, otherwise your creative juices are sure to disappear. Concentrate on pouring out your passions and emotions, rather than thinking about the money you might make from a successful song.

5. Use your own life experiences as inspiration for your songs. It's always better to write about something you, personally, know about. And use nature, art, or simply listening to other songs to relax and open your mind and get your creative juices working.

6. Always carry a notebook with you so you can jot down those terrific ideas which pop into your head at the most unusual times.

7. Keep your lyrics short and crisp, for you normally only have around 3 to 4 minutes to get your message across. Use the verse to tell your story, making the chorus something repetitive which listeners will remember.

8. Don't under-rate the importance of your song's title for it's the soul of your song, telling your audience what your composition is about. Make it catchy, appealing, and easy to remember.

9. Avoid overuse of clichés. Instead, take well-known words and phrases, turning them round and using them in new and novel ways.

10. Don't be afraid to tweak your original song until you feel in your heart it's just as it should be.

Well, there you have just ten quick songwriting tips to help you get started. But, perhaps the most important tip of all is never to give up. You may not start as a great success, and your first songs certainly won't be perfect. But, if you keep working at it, learning more about the topic, reading good books on the subject, then you'll surely get there in the end.

After all, the one sure way of failing is to give up! If you carry on, gradually improving, chances are you'll eventually compose numerous successful songs.

by Tor Jakobsen

Talent Agency Start Up - How to Build Your Own Talent Agency

Talent agency start up can be quite simple, if you know what you're doing. It used to be that talent agency start up costs would be in the thousands and quite a few thousand indeed. These days, what with the advent of computers and the internet, a great deal of the communications work has diminished, freeing up a lot of time that was once consumed by it all, and the same goes for finding and keeping contacts, as well as record keeping. As a result, talent agency start up costs are now able to be within a small few hundred dollars... the most inexpensive route, being the use of a home office to work from.

Another aspect of talent agency start up is what to know as for how to carry out your business. Best business practices are the key. You need to carry out your business in a professional, and most importantly, a very ethical manner. The reputation that you build with your services will evolve and spread like wildfire by word of mouth. If you do a good and ethical job of representing these people who put their trust in you, this can be a good thing.

If you misrepresent your talented clients, this will become a very, very bad thing. Needless to say, you want to shoot for the former scenario here. Anyone getting off to a good start on the right foot from their talent agency start up will continue on thriving. Anyone conducting their business in a less than professional way and/or less than ethical manner, will find it Impossible to keep their business afloat in this industry.

There are two major activities in this field, which you will become quickly acquainted with right from talent agency start up. Finding the talent, and then finding work for these talented people who have chosen you to represent them. This is surprisingly much easier than it sounds, as there are many resources for both. If you'd like to learn more, I'd be more than happy to shed some more light on this for you.

by Lewis Waller

Microphones Used in Recording Studios

A microphone is an example of a transducer, a device that changes sound from one form to another. Sound exists as patterns of air pressure; the microphone changes this into patterns of electric current.

Microphones vary greatly in quality. A top end recording studio microphone may cost thousands and in many cases they are needed for the very best recordings. A variety of mechanical techniques can be used in building microphones. The two most commonly found in recording studios are the magneto-dynamic and the variable condenser designs.

All microphones convert sound energy into electrical energy, but there are many different ways of doing the job, using electrostatics, electromagnetism, piezo-electric effects, or even through a change in resistance of carbon granules. When it comes to microphones used in recording studios, the vast majority of microphones used are either capacitors, electrostatic, or dynamic.

Both types employ a moving diaphragm to capture the sound, but make use of a different electrical principle for converting mechanical energy into an electrical signal. The efficiency of this conversion is very important, because the amounts of acoustic energy produced by voices and musical instruments are so small.

Different types of microphones used in recording studios

In live sound, nearly all the microphones used are dynamics. In the studio, instruments such as drums, electric guitars, and basses are recorded using dynamic microphones. Dynamic microphones have the advantages of being relatively inexpensive and durable, and they don't need a power supply or battery to make them operate.

Dynamic microphones are most effective when working with relatively loud sound sources that do not contain a lot of very high-frequency detail. They are also tough instruments which make them good for recording studios. Another type of dynamic microphone is the ribbon microphone, but this is only used in fairly esoteric recording applications by engineers who appreciate the subtleties of the ribbon sound.

These microphones are comprised of a thin metal ribbon suspended in a magnetic field, and when sound energy is encountered, the electrical signal generated is induced in the ribbon itself rather than in a voice coil. The main advantage of ribbon microphones is their smooth, detailed sound which makes them perfect for studio environment.

Capacitor microphones are more expensive than their dynamic counterparts, and they are also much more sensitive, and can capture high-frequency detail much more accurately. Even though they are relatively efficient like dynamic microphones, capacitor microphones produce such a small electrical signal that they require a special type of built-in preamplifier to bring the signal up to usable levels. Thus they are not fit to be used in live concerts or open air concerts. Capacitors are used mostly in recording studios where there is less noise.

by Victor Epand

Musical Instruments - Tips For Making the Wisest Purchase

Because musical instruments can be expensive, new musicians who are enrolled in elementary schools, junior high schools, or high schools that loan out equipment may benefit by borrowing from the school to get started with playing.

Those that are not enrolled in any educational system would do well to take private lessons and learn about different purchasing options. A few lessons are worthwhile even if it is only to get a recommendation for a good instrument shop. Remember: a shop is only as good as the person who runs it. A good recommendation goes a long way. Also, an instructor can offer a realistic price range and suggest brands to consider.

The instructor may also be able to suggest a rental store. Renting an instrument is a good idea because it allows the musician to develop an ear for what kind of tone he or she desires before making a major purchase. For young students it can take years to develop a sense of pitch and understand how a good tone should sound. Renting also makes sense if the student is not sure which device he or she would like to play. For example, some people start out with a brass option and then decide they would like to switch to a woodwind once they play in an ensemble.

Musical instruments come in different sizes to accommodate different levels of player skill. For example, brass items such as the trombone come in student and professional sizes. Both sizes have the same length of slide, but a professional trombone is wider. The narrow width of a beginner trombone is designed to accommodate the common novice inability to generate a sufficient amount of breath.

Stringed choices, such as the violin and viola, come in different sizes as well. A smaller sized violin is easier to hold for a young student with small hands. Of course, even virtuoso young violin players will utilize small violins.

A good musical store should have more than just instruments. Other music related items to look for in a quality store include:

• Maintenance accessories- Every major musical purchase, from guitars to snare drums, will require additional purchases to keep it in excellent shape. For example, brass items like the trumpet and trombone need oil to keep the valves and slide operating smoothly. Wind and brass options also require accessories to keep the instrument clean. Musicians that play stringed devices will need to purchase rosin for their bows.
• Sheet music and exercise books- Musicians will need to purchase sheet music to practice exercises and musical pieces assigned by their instructor.

Maintenance accessories and sheet music are now offered for sale online, in addition to musical instruments. Musicians should carefully consider the pros and cons of buying products online. An upside to online purchases is that a consumer can get a better price because the store commonly has lower resource fees. In addition to this, buying equipment on sites like eBay through a well-placed bid can save even more money.

The downside to buying musical equipment online is that a musician does not generally get to try the item before he or she makes a purchase. Retail stores commonly allow a potential buyer to play the instrument within the business. They also may allow players to take home more expensive items for longer periods of time. Some online stores do have return policies. However, costumers may find it easier to deal with a store that has a large selection available right in front of them because this is ideal for trying each out and listening to the different tones.

by Ann Clarke

Tips For Mastering the Art of Commercial Film Production

What is it that separates a good film from a bad film? In fact, it is difficult to put your finger on any one item but in the end a good film is one that people will want to watch and a bad film is one that they don't. A high budget does not necessarily guarantee that a film will be good. In fact, the road of commercial film production history is littered with the corpses of bad work that was filmed on a high budget.

Also, at the same time, there are numerous low budget films that have gone on to be commercial successes and have earned their makers millions. The Blair Witch Project, as well as the Rocky Horror Picture Show are two stellar examples of low budget films that went on to be complete commercial successes at the box office. If it had to be laid out on paper, it would have to be knowledge of the craft and organizational abilities that are the two keys to successful commercial film production. Not possessing either one of these will most surly doom even the most well intentioned efforts to failure.

Beyond that, a reasonable budget, skilled help and quality equipment and complete dedication to the project are the next items in line. As a business venture, commercial film production is a risky proposition at best. Hence; one would be advised to not bet the whole farm on any one individual project until some previous measure of success has been achieved. The best place to begin to learn the craft of commercial film production is of course at a commercial film school but they do cost money to attend. However; if you are operating on a minimal budget, most community colleges offer courses in commercial film production now.

by Deborah Yonatan

How to Start a Talent Agency - Building Your Talent Agency From Home

Looking to learn how to start a talent agency? The know-how is the key to it all, after that, the rest is surprisingly simple. The actual running of such a business can be boiled down to two major aspects; finding good talent, and finding jobs for these talented people. These are the two most important aspects in learning how to start a talent agency, plain and simple.

For example, do you remember that killer band that played that rockin' music at that bar you and your friends went to that weekend? Are they well represented? They should be, am I right? Or how about that surprisingly adept stage magician that performed at your little brother's birthday party? And of course, many of us know someone who is trying to break into an acting or singing career.

The truth is that there is an over abundance of talent all around us, just waiting to be discovered. How about those talented musical groups scraping to put their CDs together and displaying them online on MySpace or Facebook? They're trying hard to put themselves out into the public view, but so many just have no representation. There are many ways, means, and venues for finding talent, and in most cases, they are screaming to be found.

The other factor in learning how to start a talent agency is finding jobs (professionally called "bookings") for these talents. There are quite a few sources for this. For models there are catalogs, TV commercials, runways and magazines; for musicians there are bars and clubs, concerts, radio stations, recording studios, and background sessions; for up-and-coming comedians we might find on "open mic" nights, there are comedy clubs, parties, conventions and TV shows; for actors and actresses, there are TV commercials, voice-overs, animation voice acting jobs, plays, and more. While these are two major aspects of how to start a talent agency, there are more to cover.

by Lewis Waller