A Song For You
I grew up listening to some incredible talented people that, sadly, are no longer with us. Two specific artists are Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. A friend of mine sent me this some time ago, and I came across the link
Read MoreJBRecording Radio v2.0 Launches TODAY
On March 11th, I posted a blog about changing things up on the radio station; switching to a local-artist-only approach. I'd be featuring music from local artists, and replaying their Artist Spotlight interviews on a rotating schedule. Initially, that was working well, until the radio automation software I was using began to exhibit some odd behavior; it decided to not want to tell time correctly anymore. If you tuned in expecting to hear an interview, but had music instead, I apologize for that.
After long hours of research, I came upon a new program which did the job far better, and gave me the chance to build a more-refined schedule and structure that I am proud to launch today.
The programming on JBRecording Radio is going to follow a more structured schedule in the form of Shows. I'm in the process of developing some new shows that I'll be revealing at a later date, but as of this launch the following are some of the shows you'll be seeing on the station:
- Artist Spotlight - Live interviews and performances by local musicians.
- Artist Mix - A rotating mix of music from the artists interviewed and featured on the Spotlight shows.
- Sessions @ JBRecording - A mix of the live performances from Artist Spotlight shows and music recorded, mixed, and/or mastered here at JBRecording.
In the months to come, we'll be hearing from some film composers, jazz artists, classical artists, as well as artists from different parts of the country. I'm very excited for the future of JBRecording Radio, and am grateful to those who have been a part of it thus far and have helped make it successful.
Artist Spotlight: TJ Fox
This was one of my more memorable Spotlight shows. This was the first on-location interview I did, hauling a portable rig into Manhattan and broadcasting from an "undisclosed location". We made reference to the "concrete cell" we were in because it was exactly that; a concrete cell with acoustic treatment on the walls and no circulation. Regardless of the space...
Read MoreA/V Support? What's that?
A/V Support, or Audio/Visual Support, is one of the many services offered here at JBRecording. I figured I'd write about it since its name is somewhat vague, and it can be applied to so many situations. To summarize it simply...
Read MoreJBRecording Radio Goes Local
It's official - JBRecording Radio is now playing interviews, material, and performances by local artists. No matter when you tune in, you're guaranteed to hear something fresh from right around the corner.
Read MoreBig News for JBRecording Radio!
When I first started the radio station here at JBRecording, I didn't have a clear path or plan in mind. My intention was for it to be a virtual stage for anyone to perform on, to just about any audience. So far, it's been a great way for local artists to showcase their music through my periodic Artist Spotlight shows. I've been having a phenomenal time getting to know some great local artists and hear some fantastic music.
If you haven't yet, please check out the radio page and listen to some of the past shows. What started out as myself and a few of my band mates talking about past gigs that were enjoyable, has evolved into a formatted show that I'm very proud of, and am very excited to bring future artists to this environment.
One thing had bugged me, though. What about the off-time? The times when I wasn't "live", or broadcasting a special event? I just had a playlist of a few hours worth of material from major label artists that would play.
That's all well and good, but we all have things that can accomplish that; iTunes Radio, Pandora, iHeart Radio, etc. We don't need to reinvent the wheel, so I've decided it's time to change things up a little.
Starting Monday, March 10th, JBRecording Radio will feature all original music by the artist's highlighted on the Artist Spotlight shows done so far.
This means that at any time you stop by the website, or tune in, you'll be able to catch ORIGINAL content by artists who have been a part of my Artist Spotlight series. As of this post, you'll be hearing from such artists as ASH, Michael Christopher, Joey Loglisci, and Faces East to name a few, but this list is forever growing.
If you've been featured on an Artist Spotlight, and have material you'd like included, e-mail me with high resolution MP3 files (minimum 192kbps) as many songs as you'd like. Please be aware of the size of your e-mail, one song per e-mail is probably a safe way to do it. If you've not been on a Spotlight show, but would like to, shoot me an e-mail and we'll set up a show from there.
I'm excited for the new change to go into effect, and to start bringing original music to JBRecording radio!
Artist Spotlight: Michael Christopher
Just finished the latest Artist Spotlight show with Michael Christopher, an up-and-coming country music star from the Pittsburgh, PA area. Check out the interview, where we talked about how he discovered his passion for music in a truly unique way. I truly enjoyed getting to know Michael and hearing his story. If you have a story to share about your music, e-mail me if you'd like to do a show and we can get your message out there. Enjoy!
2014 - Good Things to Come
Hope everyone is recovering from the holidays and enjoying getting back into the swing of things. So far 2014 is off to a great start here at JBRecording. We had our first Artist Spotlight, also our first Skype-in Artist Spotlight as well. Now we can also take phone calls for radio shows... really looking forward to seeing what the rest of this year has in store!
Book your radio shows now right here at www.jbrecording.com !
Check out the Latest Artist Spotlight Archive: Joey Loglisci
Just had the first Artist Spotlight of 2014 with Joey Loglisci! Check out the replay here. This was also the first Skype-in interview; we decided on this at the last minute due to the wonky winter weather conditions we've been experiencing here on the East Coast.
I really enjoyed speaking with Joey about his history and musical upbringing. We listened to a few of his tracks from previous albums, and even heard a snippet of what's to come on his Summer 2014 EP, being recorded and produced right here at JBRecording.
Take a listen, and enjoy the show!
Happy New Year!
Just wanted to wish everyone out there a very happy, healthy, and safe New Year. Great things are coming in 2014! We did a special 2 hour countdown to 2014 show, featuring a special guest co-host, Miss Cofi Peel! And, for the first time, we had some folks CALL IN to talk to us. Lots of fun!
Check it out here, enjoy! If you want to do your own radio show, JBRecording is the place to do it. E-mail me and we'll make it happen.
Have a great 2014!
Happy Holidays!
I wanted to take a quick moment to just wish everyone out there the happiest of holidays. Enjoy this little video I did with ASH. It's a different take on a Christmas classic, "Silent Night."
Enjoy!
Very Happy with my PA rig tonight!
Did a great private party this evening with the PA rig and was thrilled with how smoothly it all went, and how well it sounded. Mackie SRM450 tops, Mackie Onyx1640i console, Audio Technica ATW2120 Handheld Wireless mic sounded fantastic! I used the Firewire connectivity on the Onyx board to let me run an aux into Logic on my MacBook Pro for some silky reverb, which I returned to a pair of faders. Zero feedback, and a pristine recording that sounds like it could have come out of a studio. For a simple piano and vocal gig, I couldn't be more happier.
If you have an event or meeting coming up and need a PA system, JBRecording can help. You can call 855-906-1176 extension 3, or send an e-mail .
A Piano or Two
Living in an apartment has its benefits, but for music production there are always a few drawbacks as well. Other than drums, the main problem I run into is that of having access to an in-tune well-kept grand piano. With technology ever-improving, the software solutions available nowadays have really been getting very impressive and quite affordable as well. I wanted to do a quick head-to-head comparison of a few piano samples that are out there.
First, let's take a look at where we started. The below sample is using the "Steinway Grand" that comes with the standard install of Logic Pro.
Not bad for having come out in the late 90's. That patch has been available since, I believe, Logic 7 or Logic 8, but it might even be older than that. I've only been a Logic guy for the last few years.
Next, we'll take a listen to a piano from a well-known audio plug-in and virtual instrument manufacturer, Native Instruments. They've been known for some very successful and widely-used plug-ins like Kontakt, Reaktor, and Battery, among others. They released a package of pianos a some years ago called "Akoustik Piano", and this is the sample of their "New York Grand".
And, finally, we're going to listen to another sample but this is from a small developer called VI Labs. I'd never heard of these folks, but I was introduced to them by a friend the other day, and I'm beyond impressed. This is their "American Grand" which comes in a 3-pack with an Italian and German counterpart as well. In their documentation they reveal that it is in fact, a sample of a Steinway D.
I greatly enjoyed the TrueKeys American, and will be using that as my go-to piano for now. There are many other options available for software pianos, the most well-known being Synthogy's Ivory which is quite fantastic. However, it comes on quite a few DVD's, so you'll be spending some time in front of your computer feeding it discs for at least an hour. Those with newer iMacs or Retina MacBook Pros will need to make sure to have an external SuperDrive for the install; doing so over Remote Disc would be just painful.
The only processing done on these recordings was use of the Universal Audio Lexicon 224 reverb and Precision Limiter to sweeten things up. I made sure there was very minimal limiting to preserve the audio on the recordings.
What's your favorite virtual instrument piano? Or if not piano, what's your favorite virtual instrument in general? Post a comment, I'm always interested to explore new software offerings especially those from lesser-known developers.
Thanks for reading!
ASH: "Rush Into Love" NOW AVAILABLE!!
2 years in the making, and now it's official - the newest song from Brooklyn-based soulful singer/songwriter ASH, "Rush Into Love", has been released TODAY. You can download it directly from his website, www.mynameisash.com RIGHT NOW!
Originally leaked on ASH's "Artist Spotlight" from a few weeks ago, the song is now ready for your immediate enjoyment. You can check out the Artist Spotlight show here.
All production work done here in-house at JBRecording. If you have material you'd like recorded and would like to sell online, contact me and I can help you make that happen!
Which DAW is right for you?
From Logic to Pro Tools, Cubase to Digital Performer, Sonar, Cakewalk, FL Studio, or Garageband? How about Reaper? Or Live? Let's not forget Reason or Record. Or Sony Vegas? What about Nuendo, Audition, or Studio One?
I'm sure I've forgotten one or two, but that list of Digital Audio Workstations name just a few of the most popular ones on the market. The ones named above represent 16 programs for Macs and PCs that do essentially the same darn thing.
So, how to pick one? The answer is simple, and it can be applied to most elements of technology today: Ergonomics.
Ergonomics, or as I like to call it, "How well you and it work together."
As an aside, I love photography and enjoy taking pictures in my spare time. When I was going to choose a camera, there were many good brands to choose from: Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Pentax, Fuji, etc. Specs were almost indistinguishable from each one, and fanboys of each brand would tout their own reasons why their brand was better in the long run, but at the end of the day, a camera is a camera. The only thing different about those cameras were the folks behind them. The photographer makes the photograph, not the camera. I have some phenomenal shots that I've taken with my iPhone mixed in my portfolio with some shot with my Canon SLR. The point is, it's not about what you use. It's about what you do with it, or more specifically, how comfortable you are with it. When I was camera shopping, I had the sales rep at my favorite camera shop set out similarly-priced cameras from the top manufacturers, and I chose the Canon based on how well it felt in my hands and how quickly I was able to get to using it.
Anyways, back to audio...
It's easy to open up any of the programs I'd mentioned above and be instantly overwhelmed at the myriad of buttons and menus that smack you in the face right off the bat. Whether or not something will make sense to you or be "ergonomically friendly" to you is not a quick thing to determine, since we're dealing with a piece of software as opposed to something you can hold in your hand.
Video tutorials are a great way to get a feel for a program without owning it yet.
Sites like lynda.com or macprovideo,com are subscription-based sites that offer video tutorials on just about anything out there. There's also a lot of good content on YouTube for free. Give yourself an hour or so, see if you like how a particular program looks and feels, and go from there. Some programs have trial versions you can download and play with before spending any money.
So, my point is, don't feel you have to use one program. Try multiple ones until you find one that melds with how you like to work. Find one that will be "ergonomically friendly" for you and fit in with your thought process. Then, the software will become less of a hurdle and become a true tool you can use to accomplish your ultimate goal, which is music.
RADIO UPDATE Nov 20th 2013
I'm very excited to announce that the JBRecording Radio stream is now hosted on a new server with a larger capacity. We can now take up to 250 listeners, and can broadcast at up to 320kbps. The loop of music that plays has been increased to over 6 hours, so there's a good chance you won't hear the same song twice. Great things are coming in 2014; Artist Spotlights are booking - if you want to do a show of your own or an Artist Spotlight , e-mail me and we'll make it happen!
Thanks again for all of your support.
- John
Radio Update
I've been working on trying to make the radio stream more compatible, since I've heard some were having issues with being able to access the radio stream on Android devices or computers running browsers like Google Chrome and Firefox. I've added a Flash-based player as well to the radio page, just below the main player section.
Have a look: www.jbrecording.com/radio right in the middle.
If you want to have your own show on JBRecording Radio please feel free to send me an e-mail and let me know what you'd like to do, and we'll make it happen.
- JB
ASH: "If I Ain't Got You"
It's amazing what a BLUE Yeti, an iPad, and an iPhone can accomplish when a great talent like ASH is around to perform. Enjoy!
ASH Artist Spotlight Preview
We've got a great Artist Spotlight show booked for October! Check out a little preview here - ASH, soulful singer/songwriter from Brooklyn stopped by the studio just to say hello and finish off some vocals on "Rush Into Love", which is coming out on Monday at the Artist Spotlight show!
You can tune in at www.jbrecording.com/radio from any mobile device or computer, and even check out the show once it's aired on that same page shortly thereafter. Enjoy!
Smile - Cover by ASH
Check out ASH's great a cappella cover of "Smile" - the classic by Charlie Chaplin. Also be sure to check him out on October 14th at 8pm during the next JBRecording LIVE Artist Spotlight show.
Find out about ASH at www.mynameisash.com or on twitter @mynameisash1.
Enjoy!