Best Methods to Find the Key of a Song

Last Updated on April 5th, 2021 at 3:49 pm

key of a song

When you’re in a creative process, the very last thing you want to worry about is musical theory. However, if you don’t know the way to find the key of the song, it’s holding you back.

Working on theory concepts like key signatures can be intimidating. It can certainly drain your whole creative energy, however, it doesn’t have to be complicated.

All songs are written in specific keys that will decide which chords and notes work effectively together. You should know the key if you’re planning on improvising, transposing, or writing songs.

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Time Stretching and Pitch Shifting in Music Production

time stretching pitch shifting

Browsing through piles of samples to seek out the right sound for your beat is like looking for a needle in a haystack. To hear the way a sample sounds in context with your beat it has to match your beat’s key and tempo. The best way to do this is with pitch shifting and time stretching. The best part is free time stretching and pitch shifting tools exist that will help you independently change the tempo or key of any sample you discover. It’s remarkable how this technology changes all the things about beat-making. In this article, we’ll explore why time stretching and pitch shifting tools are so useful to every music producer—and we’ll take a look at specific ways you should use them in your music-making workflow.

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Is Online Jamming the Best Way to Collaborate Remotely

Last Updated on March 18th, 2021 at 10:09 am

online jamming

On day three-hundred-and-something of a global pandemic that forced us to cancel in-person jams. We all need to experience the thrill and pure pleasure of trading musical ideas in person again. However, the truth is internet speeds, lag and the limitations of DAWs make online jamming next to impossible in real-time without making some serious compromises. Here’s my hard truth for today—online jamming isn’t the easiest way to collaborate remotely. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t methods to create fulfilling collaborative relationships online.

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Punching in: How to Get the Most out of Your DAW

punching in

Recording music is a tricky process. There are many technical details to take care of before you start laying down takes. And even then, getting an excellent performance takes dedication.

That’s the reason why producers developed the modern music production techniques that help craft the polished sound of a final track.

One of the best and most helpful tips for tracking known as punching in. It’s a hard true technique that helps you record your tracks cleaner, faster, and more easily.

In this guide, we’ll explain what punching in is and you’ll know the way to use it for a better workflow.

Let’s get started.

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Zoom Alternatives: The 5 Best Video Apps for Musicians

Last Updated on February 24th, 2021 at 3:43 pm

zoom alternatives

Daily life moved online like never before in 2020 and it continues to 2021.

If you spent most of last year on video calls, you’ve probably wondered about using videoconferencing software for music.

Music collaboration is important for inspiration and working together face-to-face is more difficult right now.

However, using regular video apps for music can be a challenge. Configuring audio, setting up mics, and sharing your DAW screen can grind a fun session to a halt.

Even so, there are many effective options out there for musicians who need to work together from afar.

In this article, I’m showing you the top 10 Zoom alternatives for musicians so you can collaborate on music remotely.

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The 5 Best Synths for Beginners at Any Price Range

the 5 best synths

Getting your first synth is always a big and quite hard step. To help you know what you’re really getting, we’ve compiled our top 5 best synths for beginners.

Sure free synth VSTs open infinite possibilities but the DAW screen and keyboard is a big limitation that sometimes kills creativity.

Hardware synths are so inspiring—hearing an analog sound change as you play with real knobs is fun and also helpful for learning how electronic sound works.

Plus, hardware synths are much easier to use in collaborative contexts, especially if they’re portable.

But finding the perfect synth, to begin with, isn’t always easy.

Hardware synths can get expensive quickly—plus there are all kinds of confusing synth terms to wrap your head around.

Now, let’s explore the top 5 synths for you.

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Synth Pads: How to Create Atmospheric Synth Sounds

Last Updated on January 12th, 2021 at 4:54 pm

Synth pads

Synth pads are the washy ambient textures that help construct the atmosphere of a music track.

You might not clearly hear them in a dense mix, but pads often provide the sonic backdrop that glues a song together.

Creating great synth pads isn’t simple in case you’ve never tried them before. With so many parameters to keep track of, many synth plugins make it difficult to program the best sound.

Even so, beginners can begin with ambient synth textures with some key techniques.

In this article, we will explain the way to create enormous atmospheric synth pads in just 5 simple steps.

Let’s get started.

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Editing Vocals: How to Build the Perfect Take in Your DAW

editing vocals

Editing vocals is the crucial step that comes just before mixing in your vocal production workflow.

Great editing is important to a polished vocal sound. It’s the process that cleans up all the problems in a raw track so they’re ready to be mixed loud and upfront in a song.

But vocal editing can be frustrating. It takes time and there are lots of small details to get right.

Even so, it doesn’t have to be intimidating. Editing vocals is easy as long as you understand the basic concepts behind them.

In this article, I’ll go through everything you need to know to get a perfect vocal edit.

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