Preparing Your Demo Material to Land that Next Gig
Q: I’m challenged by my lack of demo material. I figured I would accumulate some good clips along the way and build up a portfolio. However, my networking skills have outpaced my gigging experience (I’m picky). I’ve recently been asked by some high B-list caliber artists for samples. Gulp… I don’t have any so the conversation ends there. I don’t...
BeatStudio: A Look at the Track Builder App for iOS
I have not been a huge fan of any of the iOS drum machines or drum-along “screen tapper” drums-set style apps. But BeatStudio, by Frontier Design Group, brings something new to the table that is really useful and is changing my opinion of this sort of app. Not only does BeatStudio offer multitrack recording abilities, quantization, editing and an array...
Balancing Music School and Practicing
Q: I am a music student at a music conservatory, and I just had a year off for practice and teaching. Now I’m back to finish the last two years of my music education, and I’ve just received my lesson plan for the next 12 months. I have four lessons a day Monday and Wednesday. I know if you want...
Insuring Your Gear
Q: I recently had a stolen instrument scare. It got me wondering, what do you and other working professionals do? With all your traveling, I’m sure it’s a small worry in the back of your mind. What do you use to ensure the safety of your gear? Do you have instrument specific insurance or some other option? I think a...
Right Note: A Look Inside the Ear Training App for iOS
Right Note is an app by Orange Qube, offering ear training and pitch and melody recognition on iOS devices. While there are a number of ear training apps available at the app store, I found Right Note to be worth a special mention, primarily due to the inclusion of the microphone as a means of interval recognition. This allows you...
Cabinet Size: Is Bigger Better?
Q: I have a question regarding the cabinet sizes. I see a lot of players lugging around some real beasts. I tend to use my DI for most medium to larger gigs and sometimes just go through the PA. I can’t see a need for a monster rig and wonder why so many bassist are breaking their backs lugging around...
Competitive Nature
Q: I am a very young bassist who plays in a band with some other young musicians. I’m having an issue with respect and competitiveness. Most of my bandmates say I’m the best musician among them. Our guitarist assumes he’s the best musician in the band, though his knowledge of theory isn’t there. How do I get him to listen...
FiRe Studio: A Look at the iOS App for Multi-Track Recording
I have become quite a fan of Audiophile Engineering’s FiRe2 recording application (see my previous review). Now, the folks at Audiophile have introduced FiRe Studio, which is essentially a multi-track version of FiRe2. As with FiRe2, there is a little bit of a learning curve, but FiRe Studio is similarly loaded with an informative user manual. Once you’ve gotten a...
Practice Your Scales… But Which Ones?
Q: Scales… everyone should practice scales. But which scales? For someone that’s beginning to play or even some that has been playing for a long time, this can be a dilemma. How do you practice them? How do you implement them in your playing? A: Great question. Of course, everyone should know their: 1. Major scales 2. Minor scales …as...
Selecting a Direct Box
Q: I’m looking to upgrade my setup a little… shrink down my 4×10 cab to a equal power 2×10 and maybe buy a DI box for a live PA setting and a studio recording setting. In looking through the number of DI boxes, it’s hard to see what exactly makes a pedal a “Direct Box” as I’ve seen many so-called...
Quiztones: A Look at the Frequency Identification Ear Trainer for iOS
Have you ever been on a sound check and the singer or one of the house sound guys asks the monitor guy to “lower 1k about 2db” in this wedge, or something like that? I’ve long marveled at those who could so quickly identify a problem frequency and eliminate feedback or simply make the mix sound better. While I studied...
The Reading Hurdle and How to Jump It
Q: I’m working on being a more fluent sight-reader. I can read notes and their values but it takes me a while to transfer that to the instrument. Any advice on how to most effectively improve? A: Good for you for devoting time to this worthwhile endeavor! Learning to read music is much like learning to read a spoken language....