As a recording or performing artist, you find yourself answering a familiar question: “What kind of music do you play?” How do you answer? Maybe you have a stock reply — “rock,” “folk,” or “pop.” Or maybe you try to be a little more descriptive — “modern rock,” “folk rock,” or “indie pop.” Or...
The Tyranny of Music Genres
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artist, artist branding, artist marketing, artistic identity, audience, audience engagement, author, branding, chris brown, commercial audience, creative, creativity, daniel johnston, engagement, fan, fringe audience, gwen stefani, howe gelb, ideal fan, identity, indie, indie artist, indie music, jonathan richman, justin timberlake, kelly clarkson, mainstream, mirror, mirroring, music fans, music marketing, musician, natural audience, neil young, niche, niche audience, nick cave, original, original songs, originality, polly jean harvey, pop audience, robert pollard, songwriter, songwriting, t-pain, taylor swift, velvet underground, wampus, writerSongwriters, do you know who your natural audience is? Your songs exist at a point within or outside the commercial mainstream. If they fall in the mainstream, they are similar to other songs, and are most likely to be embraced by a pop audience. If they hang out on the fringes, they are discernible...
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15 ips, 30 ips, analog, analog delay, analog tape, analog tape delay, analog warmth, audio, audio effects, audio plugin, automated mixing, DAW, delay, digital, digital audio, digital audio workstation, digital delay, digital mix, digital mixing, digital music, digital recording, digital studio, frequency response, indie, indie artist, indie music, kramer master tape, logic, logic pro, logic studio, mixing, music, pro tools, slate digital virtual tape machines, tape delay, tape emulation, tape machine, tape recorder, the crow's nest, virtual tape, wampus, wampus studioSo you’ve just recorded and mixed your latest song digitally in Logic or ProTools, and gotten every little detail just the way you want it. But something, you decide, is “missing” from your mix. And it’s not just that — something actually seems to be wrong with it. Your ears detect it, and complain...
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artist, artistic identity, author, aux.78, cover, cover songs, creative, creativity, DNA, identity, indie, indie artist, indie music, joseph heller, kowtow popof, kurt vonnegut, music composition, musician, nirvana, novelist, original, original songs, originality, self-awareness, smells like teen spirit, songwriter, songwriting, william faulkner, writerIf you’re a musician, you probably get asked whether you do original songs or covers. And as unassuming as that question sounds, it’s actually a hornet’s nest buzzing with speculation on your intent, ambition, and talent. Do you have your own thoughts? Do you have something engaging and identifiable to say? Or do you just...
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brian may, delay effect, delay pedal, DIY, DIY recording, echo, echo effect, echoplex, EP-1, EP-2, EP-3, EP-4, giant music, gibson SG, gregg allman, home recording, indie, indie artist, indie music, jimmy page, joe walsh, maestro, maestro echoplex, neil young, tape, tape-based delay, the echoplex, yamahaIn 1982, I bought a used Maestro Echoplex, old and worn and scarcely functional, at a little music shop in Fairfax, Virginia. The store carried as much used stuff as new, and I paid all of $25 for this battered, little black box displayed under a glass counter. My friend assured me: “You have...