Flexible Compressor /Limiter . by Joel Hamilton - Article
Collins 26-1U
the perfect beast for kicks
The Good Giant Compressor. by Joel Hamilton - Article
Avalon U5
the D.I. for a purrfect bass sound
Single-Channel High-Voltage Instrument DI Preamp. by Uri Djmail - Article
Sony Minidisc
a simple tool for a simple task
But don't think you can make a record with it. by Tom Sean - MORE
The Marxophone
it's not a communist plug in!
The musical equivalent of simultaneous. by LD Begthol - MORE
Wax Idols, TV Ghost, Lorelei @ Beats-DC, Mon. 4/29
It seems odd that the four-piece Wax Idols reside in Oakland, California. Especially considering the fact that the bandâs sophomore LP Discipline & Desire embodies a dark, full, twisted sound: something that feels more appropriate to the foggy, damp British climate.
Heather Fortune and band dedicated themselves to this record for over a year. Stretching beyond the comfort of unassuming hooks and into a darker, new wave territory. Mark Burgess (of the British outfit The Chameleons) worked alongside Wax Idols and engineer Monte Vallier as an extra pair of ears. Together they've crafted an album that's sleek and focused without being slick, and dark and intense without being at all humorless. This is an inventive record which solidifies the fact that Fortune is one of the best songwriters hiding in the shadows of the other California â where the sun doesn't always shine.
Tour mates TV Ghost join Monday's bill at Beats along with DC Slumberland veterans Lorelei opening.
$10. 1219 9th Street NW Washington DC 20001
http://www.hugefan.com/experiences/slumberland-records-showcase-with-wax-idols-tv-ghost
The Baltimore based alt rock/hip-hop quintet Fiction 20 Down have come a long way since the inception of the band in 2010. Boasting a repertoire of 2 EPs and several music videos, the band shows no signs of slowing down with the announcement of a new full length album, 'Whereâs The Levity?' and an East Coast tour. Set for release on April 30th, 2013, the album will be made available as a free download to fans via the Fiction 20 Down website.
âIâve got nothing to hide behindâ goes the opening line of one of Dead Professionalâs wry, Nick Lowe-esque alt-pop songs. And indeed what you hear is what you get throughout all of this VA-based one-man bandâs work. The soulful vocals and old-school simplicity of the songwriting are boldly underlined by brutally stark arrangements (usually just vocals, guitar and a simple drum machine). But while the songs may be short and the arrangements lean, they can pack a surprising emotional punch.
Dead Professional will be at Iota in Arlington on Thursday April 25th.
The Strangest Places currently have a kickstarter project going on to help fund the release of the debut albumâPremature Awakenings. The album will consists of 10 mostly mellow tracks of fuzzy guitar, drums and synthy bass!
Here is the project link:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/202601601/the-strangest-places-premature-awakenings-lp
Thanks for reading and don't forget to share the project if you can. Hopefully we can stay on track for a July 2013 release!
If perfection is achieved when there is nothing left to take away, Dead Professional must be getting pretty close by now.
--With just a cheapo vintage guitar, some rudimentary drum loops and vocal processing pedals, Dead Professional emphasizes minimalism and emotional immediacy with rye and raw pop songs, elemental rock and roll riffs and brutally simple beats.
--John Harouff, the Virginia-based singer songwriter behind Dead Professional must not be a team player. Starting out years ago in the already minimal trio The Union of a Man and a Woman (Jagjaguwar) he eventually wound up as the driving force behind the even further stripped-down duo The Cinnamon Band. Now he seems to have finally fulfilled his destiny to be a solitary one-man band. But you wouldnât necessarily notice the lack of manpower just by listening...
--Dead Professional will be playing with DC favs GEMS and Brooklyn's Ex Cops at Rock and Roll Hotel, Wednesday March 6th.
The Ugly Club, NJ psych/indie-rock band from New Jersey will be playing at Bayou on Pennsylvania Ave on Friday, March 8th with Former Champions. This is the second date of a two week tour down to SXSW festival in Austin, TX and the show is set to begin at 10pm. For more details visit www.theuglyclubmusic.com and follow The Ugly Club on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and for funny road updates --- Instagram (@theuglyclub).
Miles Midnight's new music video for India Whiskey is now online. This track is the single off of the band's EP which is set to release Tuesday 12.04.12 online for free download.
"Superphonic" is the follow up to the band's first record, "While They Sleep" which was released in 2009. This second effort includes the addition of Jarrett Nicolay (Astra Via) who helps add a more live feel to the record. Superphonic was recorded at Pick-Up Production Studio in Kensington, MD right outside of Washington, DC. The band worked alongside musician Scott Robinson (The Static) while mixing the EP.
Miles Midnight is a Washington, DC based pop music project formed in 2007 consisting of Matt Corrado, Sean Gaiser, and Jarrett Nicolay. Superphonic is their second album.
NYC Psych-Rock and NY Deli mainstays The Barrens will be coming to Washington DC for the first time to play STPPFest!!! Be sure to check out Ghion (2010 9th Street Washington, DC 20001) at 3:40 for a special 45 minute set! Also check out friends of the Barrens, Low Fat Getting High also playing the fest at the Codmother Sunday night at! For more information check the Stpp festival website! 3 More Words!
Recently voted "Artist of the Month" M.H. & His Orchestra hit the stage at The Velvet Lounge as a part of the Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie Fest.
For those in the know an M.H. & His Orchestra show is something of a spectacle and nothing to be missed. If you enjoy dancing, strings, horns, megaphones, guzzling cheap wine and beautiful women with instruments and golden voices then this is the night for you.
Also featuring!
Contra (Annapolis)
www.facebook.com/contratheband
Believers (Columbia)
http://music.believersbelievers.com/
MH the Verb (Philly)
http://MHtheVerb.bandcamp.com/
NYC Psych-Rock and NY Deli mainstays The Barrens will be coming to Washington DC for the first time to play STPPFest!!! Be sure to check out Ghion (2010 9th Street Washington, DC 20001) at 3:40 for a special 45 minute set! Also check out friends of the Barrens, Low Fat Getting High also playing the fest at the Codmother Sunday night at! For more information check the Stpp festival website! 3 More Words!
Most bands that succeed beyond the local level eventually do so with the aid of a manager. What does this person do, aside from collect a healthy cut of the money? We interviewed 2 NYC managers and 1 publicist with different experiences in the local scene to help us understand. by Paolo De Gregorio - read the article.
Protect Your Band's Name!
the name is what you are selling
The reputation and recognition of an artist's music is built around the artist's professional name, which is what consumers use to identify the artists they enjoy. Therefore, an individual artist or group pursuing a career in the music industry should take the necessary steps to protect his, her or its professional name. by Christopher R. Chase, Esq. - read the article.
College Radios Promotion
what can they do for your band?
In this day and age, we should be thankful that college radio still exists. While commercial frequencies pump the same boring playlists into every city, college radio provides unique, local voices to the airwaves and internet. - read the article by Liz Schroeter here .
Career Survival Guide
it's not just about the music
A music carreer IS all about surviving - at least in the early stages. This survival guide will help you think of different ways to keep your focus on building your brand and creating a path for success. If you think of yourself as your own small business, then the following information can become your personal marketing plan. - read on. - courtesy of BMI.
1. Recording: Home vs Studio
the question is: can YOU do it?
Indie producer/musician Bruce Kaphan(R.E.M., David Byrne, Red House Painters, American Music Club) analyzes pros and cons of recording the DIY way - r ead the article.
2. Choosing a Recording Studio
pick carefully + things to consider
What do you need to look for in a recording studio? In this article you'll find all the advice you need about equipment, engineers, rooms, rates, and ways of approaching the recording experience. by Paolo De Gregorio - rea d the article.
3. Planning Recordings
be prepared, have a budget
Steven Alvarado, a NYC studio manager provides precious advice on how to approach the recording of your CD. "When you enter the studio, have a plan. Map out what you want to accomplish each day so that you have a realistic idea of how much time you will need to complete your project. It's best to be as prepared as possible."by pdg - rea d the article.
4. Do You Need a Producer?
and: don't waste studio time!
Making a recording is a tangle of pragmatism, technology, alchemy and faith. As is the case with any creative venture, you cannot know what you'll get for your efforts until you go through the process; it's always a gamble. Having a plan and a budget can be really useful.by B. Kaphan - rea d the article.
5. Drums in the Studio
performance and recording tips
Drummers shouldn't miss this article! 4 Top NYC producers answer our questions on how to perform, hit, and tune the drums in recording situation. And... is your drummer tight and can he/she play to the click? by Paolo De Gregorio - read the article.
6. Ten Tips For Recording Guitars
from the pick to the amp
Recording guitars, although easy at first can be a challenge when you really want to achieve a great sound. Here are some helpful tips to improve your guitar recording chops. - by Shane O'Connor - read the article.
7. Recording Vocals
not as easy as you might think
Recording vocals might not seem alike the most challenging task when producing a CD, but this delicate and crucial process often ends up being quite draining and taking longer than expected - by Paolo De Gregorio - read the article.
8. Do You Need Mastering?
what it is and why it is!
Mastering is a process that not many emerging musicians are fully familiar with. One of the most succesfull NYC mastering engineer tells us all about this "secret" art.- by Paolo De Gregorio - read the article.
