This Sonicbids Lounge article was written by Hits Magazine, a leading trade magazine with a management division.

In this day and age, artists have so many platforms to be able to get their music out there. This is both the good news and the bad news. Good news is that it enables artists to be able to do a lot of the legwork that labels wont do anymore, on their own. The bad news is, with so many platforms, picking and choosing the right ones can be difficult. The most important thing for an artist is to know their audience and the demographic they are trying to reach.  Be realistic. (more…)

This article was written by Brad Lyons, the Senior Sales Engineer for Sweetwater.  Over the next few months, we’ll be publishing an entire series of articles in the Lounge from Sweetwater along with contests and prizes. Keep your eyes peeled and check back often!

Have you ever been told not to place all of your eggs in one basket? Or heard the classic line that “Rome wasn’t built in a day”? I often use both these sayings when advising my clients on purchasing gear for their studios. Whether your studio is used for personal enjoyment or to make part (or all) of your income, there are many things to be aware of when making a purchase. The idea is to maximize your purchases so the investments that you make yield the biggest improvements possible. (The key word here is “investment” not purchase — too many people buy what they want rather than what they need!)

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that it’s not about having the best product on the market, but the best combination of products.

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The Calendar is the most popular section of the EPK and the most underused – how can both be true?

Most artists are extremely diligent about keeping their EPK calendars current with the latest updates. Artists with the most verifiable bookings are listed in the Sonicbids charts. But we still consider it underutilized because the importance of adding upcoming performance dates to the EPK is still overlooked by some. In truth, a complete and up-to-date calendar is one of the most useful things in your EPK. Here’s why: (more…)

Tom Volpicelli, President of The Mastering House, took some time to answer your top questions regarding Mastering.  If you have additional questions for Tom, just leave a comment.

What is Mastering? What’s the difference between mixing and mastering? (For the laymen)

For some, mastering is a misunderstood art which conjures images of mad scientists twiddling with knobs or the Wizard of Oz. Others believe mastering simply makes a CD as loud as possible. Mastering, in fact, is neither of these things; it is generally considered the stage of audio production where the final mixes are enhanced and prepared for the formats that will be used during replication and distribution. In the case of CD, the final master is not really created until the replication process. Some may refer to this stage as pre-mastering rather than mastering, but we’ve come to use the term interchangeably.

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Want to know what a promoter is thinking when reviewing EPKs? Interested in industry and submission advice from the horses mouth? Check out our quick chats. (more…)

So as another week rolls by in Member Relations (this week without Tess), my counter part in mischief seems to also like to spend time with her family, go figure. This leaves me to ponder my favorite subject- Music.
I ran into an experience over the last weekend with just the meanest, most depressing sound guy I have ever come across. It really makes for an awkward show when the person you are trying to work with ends up giving you a hard time. (more…)

Boston’s Mike Davidson Recording presents the “MDR Checklist: 5 Surefire Ways To Improve Your Recordings.” These are money saving strategies that will increase efficiency while in the studio, intended for both the novice and seasoned musician. (more…)