Sennheiser Helps Train the Next Generation of Women in Audio with SoundGirls.org Camps

Old Lyme, Conn. July 19, 2016 – This summer, middle and high school aged girls have the opportunity to get hands-on training with professional audio gear at the SoundGirls.org Live Sound Camps. Audio specialist Sennheiser has joined in sponsoring these unique learning opportunities by providing 20 each of its professional HD 280 headphones and evolution series microphones for use during the workshops. Held four times over the summer in cities throughout the U.S., the Live Sound Camps provide an opportunity for girls to learn the basics of live audio from top professionals in the industry, covering topics from signal flow to microphone setup and mixing.

SoundGirls.org began three years ago following a panel hosted by Women's Audio Mission and Terri Winston at AES 2012 that acquainted some of the leading women in audio with one another, among them Karrie Keyes — known in the industry as the long-time monitor engineer for Pearl Jam. She and prominent front of house engineer Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato, whose credits include Gwen Stefani, Jewel, and Ke$ha, founded SoundGirls.org to provide a way for women in audio to network, share ideas, and provide support.

Keyes says the camps help present opportunities for girls within the audio industry at an early age. “When I was young and interested in doing something in music, I didn’t have any support or guidance at school,” Keyes says. “I found it very much by accident. But having the kind of experience we’re able to provide at the SoundGirls.org camps gives girls a chance to experience some of the opportunities that exist in the sound world well beyond what they might be exposed to in school. ”

Keyes and her instructors believe having access to the best professional audio gear is a key part of the experience for the campers. “I have used Sennheiser microphones and wireless gear with Pearl Jam for years, so by using Sennheiser equipment for the camps I knew we were giving our campers a true taste of pro gear.”

The first of this year’s five-day camps took place in Modesto, California on June 20^th, followed by Nevada City, California, Wilmington, Delaware, and St. Louis, Missouri. The curriculum begins with a look at audio safety before campers progress to learning the elements of a console, microphone placement, stage plots, and input lists. “Each afternoon we have local youth bands coming in and we let the girls set them up with the gear, so it’s really hands-on.” The Sennheiser e835 microphone will serve as the perfect choice for vocal micking, offering consistent on and off-axis performance thanks to its uniform frequency pick-up pattern and minimal proximity effect. The HD 280 Pro headphones provide the perfect tool for honing in on the right sound for the mix, boasting excellent sound quality backed by strong isolation from external noise. “It’s exciting for them to get to use the pro-level gear, and they pick it up incredibly quickly,” Keyes says.

The week culminates in a full live show that the campers run on their own, featuring some the week’s locally sourced talent. “It’s always really inspiring to see how much knowledge they’ve retained from the week,” says Keyes. “In particular I love to see them hit a snag and then figure out the solution on their own using what they’ve learned.”

The support of Sennheiser is a key to help Keyes and her colleagues further the overall mission of SoundGirls.org. “We have been lucky at SoundGirls.org to be able to create a support network for women working in audio at all levels that has been going strong for three years,” she says. “Now in our second year of running camps for girls, we are excited to open up a world of possibilities for the next generation of women in audio, and we couldn’t do it without the help of sponsors like Sennheiser.”


Image captions:
1) Sennheiser is sponsoring the SoundGirls.org Live Sound camps, which provide an opportunity for middle and high school age girls to get hands on experience in the professional audio industry.

2) Sennheiser provided several of its e835 dynamic microphones to help campers capture detailed sound from local bands performing at the camps.

3) Campers using Sennheiser's HD 280 Pro headphones to hone in on just the right sound.

Native Instruments releases TruTorials Season 3 short videos

Berlin, July 13, 2016 – Native Instruments today released the third season of TruTorials – the short video series featuring key MASCHINE workflow tips presented in a fresh, inspiring format. After the success of Seasons 1 and 2, TruTorials Season 3 explores more hands-on MASCHINE techniques that are as engaging to watch as they are educational. In each episode, a pair of hands guides the viewer by performing simple, useful techniques that appeal to MASCHINE music producers of all styles. And along with the help of animated text, these videos teach and inspire in less than 90 seconds per episode – all without the use of a traditional voice over.

The twelve new TruTorials episodes cover music production skills ranging from essential workflow tips to exploring more creative ways of making music with MASCHINE. Highlights from Season 3 include live sample slicing with the new features in the MASCHINE 2.4.5 software update, creating constantly evolving abstract patterns using odd pattern lengths, setting up parallel compression, using external analog synths with MASCHINE, and much more.

All twelve Season 3 episodes are available to watch online now.

Additional information on the second season of TruTorials is available at:
www.native-instruments.com/trutorials

A digital press kit including picture material is available at:
www.native-instruments.com/press.info

Confessions of a Vintage Guitar Dealer and a chance to win a LE 2015 Joe Bonamassa Les Paul Standard guitar!

Confessions of a Vintage Guitar Dealer

Written by Norman Harris, with Foreword by Richie Sambora

and Preface by Joe Bonamassa

 

PLUS: Win a Limited Edition 2015 Joe Bonamassa Les Paul Standard guitar with hard case!

Montclair, NJ - In Confessions of a Vintage Guitar Dealer, Norman Harris tells how he became the world's leading seller of vintage guitars. As founder and owner of the legendary store Norman's Rare Guitars, he has sold some of the finest fretted string instruments to the biggest stars in the world, including George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and many others.

iZotope Announces PAE

Free Online Course for Music Producers:

Learn the Pro Audio Essentials from iZotope 

New game-based educational tool offers interactive audio training
for music producers

 

iZotope, Inc., makers of award-winning software for audio production, has unveiled Pro Audio Essentials, a free game-based course for music producers to practice and improve their audio skills. This web-based educational experience is the first of its kind in the audio education space, offering a unique combination of audio games, ear training, and instructional videos that help music makers flourish in an interactive learning environment.

 

Confessions of a Record Producer

5th Edition - Revised & Updated

Montclair, NJ (April 26, 2016) - For more than 15 years, Confessions of a Record Producer has exposed the inner workings of the music business and empowered artists to protect their interests. With inside knowledge and hard numbers, Moses Avalon reveals the truth of how the industry functions (or dysfunctions), showing what artists actually make from their "hits" and how producers, labels, managers, and even the artists' own lawyers conspire to rip them off.

 

This is the only music business trade book that:

 

• Intimately analyzes the differences between ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC
• Compares different types of record deals using real-world math and dollar figures
• Speaks critically about relationships between big industry entities and how they can hurt artists
• Gives the reasoning behind major industry trends and decisions, particularly recent deals with Spotify, Apple, etc.

Native Instruments releases TruTorials Season 2

Berlin, April 11, 2016 – Native Instruments today released the second season of TruTorials – the short video series featuring key MASCHINE workflow tips presented in a fresh, inspiring format. After the success of Season 1, TruTorials Season 2 explores even more hands-on MASCHINE techniques that are as engaging to watch as they are educational. In each episode, a pair of hands guides the viewer by performing simple, useful techniques that appeal to MASCHINE music producers of all styles. And along with the help of animated text, these videos teach and inspire in less than 90 seconds per episode – without the use of a traditional voice over.

The twelve new TruTorials episodes cover more music production skills ranging from essential workflow tips to exploring more creative ways of making music with MASCHINE. The opening Tweak Your Steps episode for example, shows how to modulate effects in perfect sync with MASCHINE’s Step Sequencer. Next Please! explores how exchanging drum kits quickly can provoke ‘happy accidents’ that create some surprising results. And Put Your Hat On shows how to synchronize a hi-hat pattern from MASCHINE with the flagship TRAKTOR PRO 2 DJ software – all just highlights from this season.

All twelve Season 2 episodes are now available to watch online.

Additional information on the second season of TruTorials is available at:
www.native-instruments.com/trutorials

Backbeat Books Publishes The Complete Singer-Songwriter

A Troubadour's Guide to Writing, Performing, Recording, and Business

- 2nd Edition -

MONTCLAIR, N.J. (April 4, 2016) -The Complete Singer-Songwriter is the ultimate guide for the modern performer, chock-full of tips, tools, and inspiration for both aspiring troubadours and those looking to take their craft and career to the next level. Author Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers draws on firsthand interviews with songwriting legends and rising stars; expert advice from managers, agents, lawyers, and publishers; and his own experiences as a performing songwriter. He offers this invaluable companion for singer-songwriters on their journey from idea to song to the stage, studio, and beyond.

 

"Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers takes you through all of it - from the fun stuff to the daily grind, from writing to stepping on stage and building a business around you. He schools you on the mechanics of songwriting. Informs you about some key business contracts. And the insightful quotes from working songwriters give you a true sense of belonging. Jeffrey brings you into the mindset and lifestyle of the touring professional songwriter," says Ellis Paul.

 

New in the second edition:

• A songwriter's guide to chord progressions
• Understanding song form and rhyme
• Dozens of songwriting games and exercises
• Essential info on copyrighting your songs, music publishing, and digital royalties
• Online companion at completesingersongwriter.com with playlists and additional resources

 

Ben Harper calls The Complete Singer-Songwriter "the most creatively valuable book on the subject" with songwriting tips and techniques from more than 100 artists, including Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Paul Simon, Rosanne Cash, Jewel, Jeff Tweedy, Ani DiFranco, James Taylor, John Fogerty, Brandi Carlile, Richard Thompson, Jason Mraz, Rodney Crowell, Jerry Garcia, Dar Williams, and more.

 

$19.99 (US)

Inventory #HL 00145576

ISBN: 9781495019913

Width: 6.0", Length: 9.0", 248 pages

Five Star Music Makeover

The independent artist's guide for singers, songwriters, bands, producers, and self-publishers

Montclair, NJ (March 31, 2016) - In order to achieve success in today's music industry, artists must first do a great deal of work on their own. Learning the required skills can take years of real-life experience, and hiring personal coaches, studio professionals, and consultants can be costly. But now, for the first time, there's an invaluable resource to help them meet these challenges:

Five Star Music Makeover

 is an engaging all-in-one guide designed specifically for aspiring artists. Written by five experts with over 100 years of collective experience, both on and off the stage, this unique book covers five key skills every musician needs to succeed: 

• Improving vocal production/technique
• Writing memorable and marketable songs
• Recording your ultimate EP
• Navigating the publishing world
• Promoting music effectively

Also included are insiders' stories and anecdotes, helpful tips, creative exercises, celebrity interviews, and all the practical expertise necessary to develop a successful music career. 

Five Star Music Makeover is a complete and practical career guide - a resource that transforms artists from good to great.

Native Instruments releases video feature on Drake producer Noah '40' Shebib

Berlin, March 16, 2016 – Native Instruments today released a new video feature on Noah '40' Shebib – the Grammy-winning producer behind the sound of Drake's innovative productions. In the video, he talks about building his Toronto studio with workflow in mind, shares insights into his production techniques, and explains how MASCHINE and KOMPLETE KONTROL fit perfectly into his philosophy of delivering maximum artistic authenticity through simplicity.

40 has built a studio centered on direct creative output, creating a central hub for Toronto's producer community. Once artists and producers install the necessary software on their laptops, they gain access to the studio's full complement of equipment, including full MASCHINE and KOMPLETE KONTROL production systems, by connecting just one cable. The studio has also become the home for Toronto's new generation of producers including Nineteen85 (Hotline Bling) and Majid Jordan.

In the video, 40 explains how he uses MASCHINE and KOMPLETE KONTROL at every stage of production. When starting a project in MASCHINE, he creates basic harmonic and melodic elements of the track on a KOMPLETE KONTROL S-Series keyboard to a metronome. Once he's added a basic drum groove to this structure, he tests beats using different sounding drums by cycling through drum kits in the MASCHINE library directly from the hardware. He then tailors his sound directly from his MASCHINE hardware by recording automation from the wide range of the included effects in MASCHINE. 40 also uses the Drag and Drop feature in MASCHINE to record new sounds and drop them straight into an arrangement, adding a sonic signature that makes a record's close interesting for the listener.

Although 40 is known for creating the Drake sound, his expertise can also be heard on tracks from Beyonce, Lil Wayne, Alicia Keys, Action Bronson, and Jamie Foxx. A comprehensive playlist demonstrating his wide production credits is available on Spotify.

BAE Audio’s Colin Liebich Teaches Analog to the Digital Generation at the Musicians Institute

Liebich Demonstrates a Range of BAE Audio Products for Enrapt Students 

and Highlights Classic Recording Techniques

Hollywood, Calif., March 9, 2016 – The Musicians Institute was formed in the late 70s under the guidance of members of the Wrecking Crew, a collection of crack Los Angeles session musicians who played on countless hit records. Initially designed to train the next generation of session musicians, it focused exclusively on music performance until the mid 90s. But as the industry evolved into the digital age, the Musicians Institute added course offerings in audio engineering and other disciplines. Now, most of their students seek to acquire a diverse range of skills to achieve success in a rapidly evolving industry.

Native Instruments releases second Jean-Michel Jarre Video

Berlin, February 25,2016 – Native Instruments today released the second video in their two-part feature on pioneering composer, performer, songwriter, and producer Jean-Michel Jarre. The video continues the conversation from the first, in which Jarre traces his musical history, and in so doing, the history of electronic music. Now, coinciding with the upcoming release of Part 2 of his Electronica album project, Jarre takes us through the evolution of sampling and delay technology throughout his decade-spanning career. 

NAMM 2016: The One

The ONE has created a piano that teaches you to play! It includes video lessons, light-up keys, and piano games. It connects through USB to MIDI devices, has a karaoke microphone, Aux in for MP3/CD player, Aux out for sound amp/mixer, and a piano pedal input. It also has a 1/8" headphone socket in the front for quiet practice. You can use it with an iOS or Android device.