Tune up by LASA Ezine

TUNE UP HOW YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS ARE HIRED

FIND YOUR FUTURE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

TRAP MUSIC! IT’S HEADED TOWARD YOU

Feat. Diplo & Others

BEHIND THE SCENES OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS

STREAMING SERVICES HARM YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS

CONTENTS

10 16 30 3 Tune Up

The Price We Pay For Free Music: Every time you stream a song, where is the profit really going to?

Your Future In Music: Have

you ever considered getting a job in the music industry? What would you do? How would you do it?

How Live Music Events Are Organized:

An insight into the process that makes your favorite live music events possible.

Trap MusicYou’ll Fall For It: Learn

more about the new music genre that’s been becoming more and more popular this year.

Austin’s Music Studios: Find

out about that every artist and band goes through to create their music and albums.

Photos courtesy of Pexels.com and Wikipedia

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Reader, This issue of Tune Up features the trend of music. There is a variety when it comes to the music industry. It goes from you listening to music, to you helping with the development of the music you and everyone else listens to. Everyone listens to music. Our magazine covers types of music, different artists, and cool to know things about the music business. If you need ideas on what you want to pursue as your career, music is one of the best careers to work in. There’s a large variety of jobs anyone could work in, college education or not. There are also many things people don’t see or realize about the music industry which are also featured in our magazine. Learn things you don’t know that could potentially change your life.

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CONTRIBUTORS OMAR CARRASCO Omar Carrasco’s favorite genres of music are rap, Mariachi, and Gospel, because he likes dabbling in different interests. Omar’s favorite artists are Logic, G-Eazy, and J Cole. His friends say he is “saucy, cute, and wild.” Omar is the chief editor because he knows the most about music, obviously.

RENE VASQUEZ Rene Vasquez is a San Antonio native, raised in Austin, Texas. His favorite genres are trap, future bass, and rap because they are energetic and also relaxing. His favorite artists are Skrillex, Wizard, ODESZA, and Kendrick Lamar. His friends describe him as, “pretty cool, spectacular, and Mexican.”

HENRY BRODKIN Henry Brodkin’s favorite genres of music are EDM and rap, because he thinks they are fun to listen to, and enjoys seeing them live. Henry’s favorite artists are Yellow Claw, Tyler, the Creator, and RiFF RAFF. His friends describe him as “radical, chill, and as a baller.”

CONNOR FIERRO Connor Fierro listens just about any type of music, but has a preference towards alternative music, classic rock, and when the mood strikes, rap and hip-hop. His favorite artists include Imagine Dragons, Cage the Elephant, Rolling Stones, and more.

DERAL ROBISON Deral Robison listens to mostly Rap, but enjoys all types of music. His parents are country musicians and music has become a large part of his life. His favorite rap artists are Eminem, Drake, and Future. His friends would call him “chill, extraordinary and spontaneous.”

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YOUR FUTURE IN MUSIC By OMAR CARRASCO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY PROVIDES INNUMERABLE CAREERS. FROM A MUSIC CRITIC WRITING ABOUT MUSIC, TO MAKING THE MUSIC ITSELF.

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re you looking for a well paying job where you’re not always stuck in a cubicle with a beige theme to it? Try searching the music business. The variety of options is impeccable. If you’re a math genius, you could become an accountant or financial analyst for a record label or artist. If you’re a communications major, you could become a booking agent or even a manager. Some jobs you have never heard of, but come out as the most important. For example, the director of A&R (Artist and Repertoire) finds new artists, matches them with musical collaborators, and oversees the musical direction of the label. The music industry provides something for everyone, no matter what you can do. The trend of music quickly and continuously grows. People create new music everyday. Music usually plays in the background of your everyday life, whether you notice it or not. Everyone has a favorite singer, rapper, or music producer. They turn on the radio in the car, or they go home, plug in their headphones, and listen to their favorite music artist. Music has many, many genres. From Rap and Pop, to Folk and Gospel. Everybody has a different taste in music. Some people don’t like certain music genres. Some

people might just love hip hop, while another despises the rhythm. I want to focus on the careers that make the music industry as great as it has become. Society provides many jobs for any human to take place in. Entertainment has a huge factor when it comes to people and what they like to pay attention to. Music, has a huge impact when it comes to entertainment. People tend to pay the most attention to the artists themselves. No one talks about the other careers that help the music industry grow. The people that manage to keep it a flowing success. Music critics, managers, stage directors, and millions of other jobs that make the music business the big trend it has become. Jobs in this business attracts all kinds of people, from everywhere. There’s a wide range of careers that music offers, that maybe you’d want to pursue. “Music is for any individual of any age, anyone with a keen sense of discovery,” says

Adrien Begrand, music critic for NPR, Popmatters.com, Decibel, Terrorizer, Iron Fist , and Stereogum. Music critics have a role to analyze musical pieces, and describe the factors of that piece that make it good and worth taking a listen, and the factors that says that the music piece needs a little work. The music industry depends on music criticism. If a song or artist is poorly reviewed, people will see and will stop listening to them. Millions of music critics spread around the world. With the power of a music critic, artists can go from the biggest icon in society to just another nobody. “I get to attend music festivals and conferences, I get to interview fascinating artists and search for great new music. I can get into a lot of concerts for free. I don’t take any of it for granted, either. I’m very lucky, yet I am mindful that this is the result of dedication, professionalism, and building a good reputation in the industry,” says Begrand. It’s a good experience for someone who wants to go out

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and obtaining freedom is part of their job. Some people can learn the art of music by themselves. But some people learn best with a mentor or guide.“Age doesn’t matter. If you want to learn music, you can learn music,” says Jay Kelly, music teacher in downtown Austin, Texas. Most artists that become successful, became successful with the help of a mentor or teacher. That’s why music teachers exist. Not only do they teach people actual music, they help and support the “students.” To have someone that can guide them towards their goals. Also, motivation. They serve to tell them they can do it, I mean they are the ones teaching them right. “I really love what I’m doing because it gives a little more freedom than the casual office and cubicle. I can be my own boss. I can do things at my own pace, and still love what I do,” explains Jay. Your freedom isn’t always restricted like most jobs. You don’t have to follow any ones rules. You don’t have to

worry about getting in trouble because in this career you can do things your way. “I just do my own little thing,” says Jay while calmly sipping on tea with his feet on the table. “Determination towards success. If put work and effort into your goals. Anything is possible. I put all my hard

“ Music is for any individual of any age, anyone with a keen sense of discovery.” - Adrian Begrand work, time and effort into trying to become what I am today,” preaches Owen Fulton, Alternative music producer, before performing in a small bar in downtown Austin. He has performed in local Austin artist for six years. He’s able to make a healthy living with what he’s doing. He prefers to continue his future solo rather than with a band.

Productivity can take place in a quiet environment,

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“I like to keep my group tight and close. It’s easier to keep track of the activity of the people around you. I don’t think we’ll ever expand nationally or worldwide. It’s just easier for us to control what goes on,” explains Owen about his career. To become successful, you don’t have to have a famous background and travel all around the world. You can do your own little thing in your own little hometown and become an idol to society. “Mature enough to understand the meaning of music and its lyrics,” replies Owen when asked, what kind of audience is your music intended to reach? He shows how this career can affect any age, anywhere. Jobs in the music industry can vary. From analyzing music to producing the music itself. Someone working as a music critic could live just as happy as someone working as a music artist. Every one of these jobs greatly develops the trend of music. It keeps it running. Tune Up!

Courtesy of Pexels

MUSIC GENRES THAT ARE MOST LISTENED TO By Omar Carrasco

LEARN WHAT THE MOST POPULAR MUSIC GENRES AROUND YOU ARE

VT MT

ND MN

OR ID

NY MI

WY NE

NV UT

IL CO

DE MD

SC MS

TN AZ

RAP/HIP HOP

COUNTRY

ROCK

R&B

Sources: Time.com

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HOW LIVE MUSIC EVENTS ARE ORGANIZED BY HENRY BRODKIN

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THE WORK THAT MAKES YOUR FAVORITE CONCERTS POSSIBLE

inally the stage lights dim, the crowd roars, and your hands extend into the air. You forget how long you’ve been looking forward to this moment, and take it all in. At this moment, the last thing you’re thinking about is what went into making this moment possible. People might be surprised by how much work they take for granted when they’re experiencing your favorite band perform live. Not all people realize organizing a music event is a process that can span an entire year, and involves choosing a venue, deciding which artists are going to perform, booking said artists, promoting the concert, and much more. Booking agents also play a huge role in the process for bigger artists. For many local artists like Nick Green, the process starts with choosing a venue to perform at.

“I’m not in it for the money, but a little extra in my pocket doesn’t hurt”

“I usually (choose venues) based on how convenient it is... I’ll play any venue that’s willing to host us for cheap or even for free,” Nick Green says. Smaller artists like him don’t have the resources to work in bigger venues. After getting in touch with a venue, the artist and owner will organize a date and time. Almost all music venues offer equipment for the band to use, but charge for its use. Most artists rent equipment because they can’t afford it or because it’s very inconvenient to take it with them places, and the added hassle of setting it up. One would assume that these artists would be doing everything in their power to get their name out there, but Nick says, “I don’t really promote myself besides through word of tongue, sometimes on social media.” The attendance rates vary due to that. Nick says that there always friends and family in the crowd, and a few fans that go to his shows regularly. Casual artists like Nick aren’t performing for a living, so they don’t consistently profit. “I’m not in it for the money, but a little extra in my pocket doesn’t hurt,” he says. If artists are willing to put in more work, they can easily achieve success in Austin,

at least on a small scale. Artists also encounter difficulties. Nick says, “I think (the hardest part of being a small artist) is getting our name out there. A lot of venues are sceptical when we contact them, and almost none of them have heard of us prior to us contacting them.” This information helps fans of local artists see how these gigs are organized. This process may vary artist to artist, but it all follows a general outline. The artist starts by contacting a venue, planning a date, setting up equipment, then the actual gig. However, you’re probably wondering about how the process changes for bigger artists. There’s one factor that changes how music events are planned for bigger artists: the introduction of booking agents. Booking agents do a number of things to change the process. Agents can contact venues and events for medium fame artists, to help them get their names out. Ben Hogan, the booking agent for artists such as Bro Safari, Ookay, and ETC!ETC!, says the process is much more complicated when agents are involved. “The whole process can take Tune Up

“For our bigger shows it takes about eight months for all the artists to get onboard. The problem with this is that the game can change drastically in that time. “ A rapper performing in Austin Texas

up to a year for the bigger shows,” he says. Let’s start from the beginning. Since Ben deals with fairly famous artists, it’s usually up to venues and event organizers to contact him. In his words, “Once a promoter shows interest in one of my artists, we start negotiating.” The agent and promoter/ organizer then create a contract, which contains information like the artists on the show’s lineup, how many cities and dates if it’s a tour, how much the artists are getting payed, among other things. He says, “This contract usually includes the artist’s Booking agent Ben Hogan Photo courtesy of youredm.com

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Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

name (obviously), the number of performances (if it’s a series of shows), how much will be paid for each performance, and any other necessary terms.” Depending on how many artists are performing and a few

gets paid the same amount regardless of if the event tanks or is a success. Also, contrary to popular belief the artist doesn’t always get a say in what events they play. Ben says, “It’s mostly up to me, occasionally an artist asks me to get them into an event.” This is not to say that the artist unwillingly plays shows, but that they don’t always pick which specific events they play, which could be considered a downside of having an agent. other factors determine how Overall, having an agent is far in advance the contract is greatly beneficial to most artists. finalized. Sometimes, unforeseen They save the artists tons of occurrences force the event to time organizing their shows, but be postponed or cancelled. Most what about the other side of the agents ask for half of the pay process? I’m talking about the when the contract is finalized, event promoters. which guarantees success.. This The event promoter’s job is half of the payment typically to find artists that many people goes towards commodities want to see, and predict what and travel expenses, but goes artists are up and coming. straight to the agent and the Scoremore shows is one such artist if the event is cancelled. promoter. Since we’ve already The second half of the covered the interaction between payment is received after the agents and promoters, this event. This half of the payment section is going to focus on how almost always goes to the artist’s the promoters decide which and agent’s pockets, and some artists they book, and on other goes towards any expenses at various tasks. Lucas Conder, an the event. So usually the artist employee at Scoremore shows

“We focus on artists that are just now getting big.”

The Ark: A local concert venue on 8th street

says that “we focus on artists that are just now getting big.” Scoremore shows has been around for six years. It’s goal was to bring a hip hop scene to Texas, and Austin specifically. It was founded by Sascha Guttfreund, and started with booking artists like Kendrick Lamar and Wiz Khalifa. Keep in mind this was 2009, so these artists were pretty much unknown. Now, Kendrick Lamar and Wiz Khalifa are big names in hip hop, so people trust Scoremore shows to have a great eye for talent. Today their mind set remains much the same. “Now it’s about trying to introduce new talent, but also bringing in favorites. We really enjoy being trendsetters. It’s fun to say we introduced those big artists before they were such a

“If the performer

drops a really lackluster album, or even worse goes on a bizarre racist/ sexist twitters rant, or some other scandal, that can sometimes really affect concert attendance.” success. Plus people know it’s always going to be a great time regardless of if they’ve heard the performer’s name before,” Lucas

Photo by Eddie Vanderbelt

says. However difficulties arise in this. Since promoters have to book artists in advance, it is unknown how the game will change. Lucas says, “For our bigger shows it takes about eight months for all the artists to get onboard. The problem with this is that the game can change drastically in that time. For example, if the performer drops a really lackluster album, or even worse goes on a bizarre racist/ sexist twitters rant, or some other scandal, that can sometimes really affect concert attendance.” Many different variables go into the process of organizing live music events. The process can take up to a year in some cases. It varies from local to famous artists. Tune Up

THE HISTORYOFOF THE HISTORY HIP HOPAND & RAP HIP HOP RAP BY HENRY BRODKIN

See how hip hop began and evolved to what it is today. Sources: Wikipedia, EnglishClub.com, and eliluminador.com

HIP HOP EMERGES

GOLDEN AGE

WEST COAST

In the late 1970s, the first Hip Hop sounds start appearing . The sounds originated from upbeat reggae music, and as time went on, these sounds were isolated. This time featured notable artists such as Sugar Hill Gang and Grandmaster Flash.

1980 through 1985 is widely regarded as the “Golden Age of Hip Hop.” This was when Hip Hop started gaining commercial success, and started having a cultural impact. Featured artists include Run DMC, LL Cool J, among others.

Around 1985, West Coast hip hop took the spotlight. It highlights new styles and sounds, including the well known “Gangsta Rap” movement. This style told crime stories and had anti establishment themes. Artists like Snoop Dogg and NWA become famous.

1970s

1980-1985

1985-1990

A block party in the Bronx, NY

Hip hop artists RUN DMC’s logo Rapper Snoop Dogg

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HARD CORE HIP HOP

REVIVAL

THE FUTURE?

Once the ‘90s began, more new styles started emerging. Hard core was a style of hip hop that included over the top depictions of violence and crime, which weren’t meant seriously. Notable artists included Wu Tang Clan, Notorious B.I.G.

After hip hop started falling out of the mainstream in the late 90s, it had a rebirth with all new sounds. Artists like Eminem and 50 Cent brought hip hop and rap back to the spotlight. Southern hip hop also appeared at this time.

The future of rap is uncertain. No one can deny the new “trap rap” movement with artists like Migos and Gucci Mane. It’s also hard to ignore the underground movements like Odd Future. There has also been incorporated of EDM into rap.

1990s

2000s

Present - Future

Rapper GZA from Wu Tang Clan Rapper Eminem

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TRAP MUSIC:

R O F L L A F L L ’ U YO IT By Rene Vasquez

Trap Music. It’s the biggest thing in EDM today.

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“It just really gets you going.” - KXA Trap producer

ave you ever been in your car on a long trip and heard an amazing song, but you don’t know the title or artist and it drives you insane? Pretty frustrating. Now, what if you discover an entire musical genre. Trap is genre with the same effect. “Once I heard that song I went crazy, like I needed to know the name of the song and who had made it, and that’s when I discovered trap music and that’s where I found my passion in music now.“- KXA

Diplo, Trap Producer and 1/2 of Jack Ü Background courtesy of PEXELS

Trap music, it’s the new big thing. This new genre of electronic music, originating in the early 2000’s with Atlanta-based rap and reinvented around late 2012 with an EDM (a.k.a Electronic Dance Music) takeover, has been going around everywhere underground and you’ve probably heard some of it before. Henry Brodkin, a Trap enthusiast and student says, ”Songs like Harlem Shake and Turn Down For What. Even though they’re generally frowned upon by ‘actual trap fans,’ they really helped bring the trap sound to the mainstream.” The most surprising thing is that the genre is just getting started. Humble Beginnings: Trap music first ruled the nation as Southern hip-hop in Atlanta, the hip-hop capital. Some examples of Atlanta trap rappers were such as Waka Flocka Flames , T.I., Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane. Their sound was loud, exciting and taking over the country with a hard attitude. The term trap came along from places where locals could go and deal illegal drugs worry free, also known as the trap house. The music was extremely distinguishable with its hard hitting 808 bass beats, incredibly loud kicks, and poppy snares. The main goal of this kind of rap was to find a unique sound and stick to it, the crowd wasn’t necessarily interested

in the lyrics or their meaning but rather the artist’s style and flow. This genre’s style formed the backbone of current trap music today. Producers in Southern hiphop had heard of EDM, but when they listened to the music they both clicked immediately. These producers went crazy over this new flavor of music and wanted contact with these early trap producers such as Lex Luger, Zaytoven, and Young Chop to collaborate and share music together. They soon met up and started hustling to create music together. The collision was meant to be, both crowds went “hard in the club” as people say, and were hugely successful in local clubs and music events. Rap had a big presence everywhere and had lots of fun events where everyone

Skrillex, Trap Producer and 1/2 of Jack Ü

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had a good time. Meanwhile EDM music was straying away from styles like dubstep because they were too loud and overwhelming, so they settled for a less crazy sound that incorporated rap and EDM together. Once both crowds heard each other’s music they fused and created a new kind of genre called “Trap.” DJ’s were talking with rappers all over the country and hip-hop producers met with EDM producers. “Before Flosstradamus made that remix it was a more EDM style take on hip-hop, which no one had ever heard before, because originally hip-hop was like what you hear on the radio, like that type of dirty style rap, but they put a new electronic music spin on it and that made it unique.”- KXA This new style was thumpin’ and Henry Brodkin even describes it as “totally gnarly.” This new sound was huge at raves and music festivals. Hip-hop producers from all over the place went to EDM producers and had a series of meetings to learn about the new style and to try and mix and combine both genres into one mega-genre. It’s a Trap!: Trap was born! This happened during late 2012 and it was everywhere among EDM listeners. This kind of music was exploding and leaking out from the community and into the mainstream. The genre inspired other artists the top 40 genre to use their sound in their songs. This was seen in Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse,” Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen,” and DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s “Turn Down

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for What.” These songs brought trap and EDM to everyone’s ears. As mentioned before by Henry Brodkin, “Even though they’re generally frowned upon by “actual trap fans,” they really helped bring the trap sound to the mainstream.” these songs aren’t typically considered true “bass-hitting” trap songs, but they certainly have many trap components. Now that trap was here, ravers and local party-goers kept going to local clubs and amateur DJ’s were experimenting with trap music and exploring the genre. This was a time of development and advancement. Dj’s were constantly guessing and checking on what the word’s liked as well as creating their own signature styles and sounds. KXA states that the genre is ”It’s still in its early stages so it’s very experimental, you can do whatever you want with it. ”

He also says that he enjoys the creative music making process because “You can just sit down and make whatever you want, it’s almost therapeutic.” Now there are a couple of differences in actual trap and “Pop” trap. For example in Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse,” the main subject of the song is Katy’s voice and the music gives the song a catchy beat. There are times at which the music has significant trap elements, such as the drop in her song where the bass picks up and hits, there are multiple people singing in the background, and there are claps to make up the beat. DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s “Turn Down for What” is a better example of trap. It follows the musical structure of the intro, to the buildup, to the most infamous chunk of any EDM song, the drop, and it repeats until the song is over. In the song there are many drops where the aggressive lows take over and the trance like

Flosstradamus, an influential DJ Trap Duo performs to an audience at a local music event.

treble dominates along with it. Trap is usually a party type genre, but there are many sub genre’s of trap than the usual nightclub tune. Some examples are future bass, chill, and bass, but they all have their own following. Trap music has been widely recognized for its unique and weird style.

large issue. Drug use. There have been a multitude of cases on substance use in music festivals. Marijuana, LSD, Molly, Cocaine, ‘Shrooms, you name it, it’s been done at some festival. Many people have died because of overdoses, and it’s no laughing matter. This happens because of the thought that this kind of music can only

KXA says, “I would say the trap scene is the most unique out of all the partygoers I’ve seen. They have so much energy compared to all the people I’ve seen, they really get into it which is really fun to see. and I feel like they’re very lively and full of energy.” Trap is the newest of the EDM subgenres and so far is the most exciting event to happen. The music is extremely experimental and gives the artist freedom to create whatever they want. Crowds follow artists of their preference and continually get more and more hyped. What we hear today is only the beginning, there are many advances to to come and we can not wait for them.

Yellow Claw a popular DJ Trap Trio

”It’s sure easy to tell when you hear it. It has that distinctive 808 bass and hi hats.“ - Andre Benz, Founder of Youtube channel: Trap Nation The Trap Clan: Trap has gained a large following. Trap Nation, a Youtube channel that distributes trap music is run by Andre Benz, and is growing quickly. As of now the channel has more than 3.2 million subscribers, and has amassed more than half a BILLION views! Each and every one those subscribers has a love for the music and are extremely loyal. Music events such as Austin City Limits, Coachella, EDC, and Ultra have joined the Trap train and have had massive success selling tickets giving audiences the chance to see their favorite artists. However, this has brought on a Background courtesy of PEXELS

be enjoyed while high. These kind of incidents gives the EDM genre a bad name, and creates multiple stereotypes that EDM listeners are purely drug junkies, and only get high off drugs. “Drugs are so highly abused in the music culture and it’s something I don’t want to be apart of” Andre expresses his feelings on drug use in this quote. There is another side to the Trap culture. Most fans want to enjoy the music they are listening to, and just want to have fun. Trap brings people together from all places into one fun mass controlled by the DJ. Drug use is just something we want to avoid.

“It’s still in its early stages and I see that there’s a lot of potential for the genre to expand.” - KXA Tune Up 19

What Your Favorite Genre Says About Your Personality ! By Rene Vasquez

JAZZ, CLASSICAL, BLUES AND FOLK FANS: People who listen to jazz, blues, and folk music have been shown to have an association with education. If you listen to any of these genres you probably have a high self-esteem, are creative, outgoing, and at ease most of the time

COUNTRY, SOUNDTRACKS, POP AND RELIGIOUS FANS: If you listen to any of these catchy upbeat genres, then you are probably cheerful, socially outgoing, reliable, and enjoy helping others.

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e all have our favorite genres, whether it be rock, country, or rap, our favorite kinds of music can actually tell a lot about your personality. Come see if we got it right or not.

OUTGOING CHILL LAID-BACK

These are our guesses at what your genres say about you, but in the end it doesn’t matter, we are all unique individuals. Don’t let yourself be confined to one single group. Stand out!

ROCK, ALTERNATIVE AND HEAVY METAL FANS: If rock, alternative, or heavy metal is your jam, then you are most likely open to new experiences, athletic, curious, and perceive yourself as intelligent.

LIVELY ENERGETIC SOCIAL

Sources: Music Preferences by David McLoughlin

HIP-HOP, SOUL, FUNK, ELECTRONIC AND DANCE FANS:

Feeling like some Hip-Hop or Electronic music? Then you are probably energetic, have a high self-esteem, sociable, headstrong, outgoing, and very creative.

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AUSTIN’S MUSIC STUDIOS WHY RECORDING AND REHEARSAL STUDIOS ARE VITAL TO THE MUSIC BUSINESS

By Connor Fierro Tune Up 22

Austin Texas. Austin has a unique culture. Aside from our quirky citizens, green environmental view, beautiful views, and Tex-Mex tacos, there is one big thing that sets our city apart from the rest: Music. Local musicians are everywhere, and Austin is home to all types of large musical festivals and conventions that attract scores of musicians from all around. But where do local artists go to practice, relax, write music, and record their songs? Local music studios in town offer artists the chance to go that extra mile, get in some practice, or record their next big album. Rehearsal studios in Austin allow musicians to go and practice in a relaxed yet professional location, and recording studios let artists record and put together their next big hit. These local studios give artists in Austin a unique place to practice, play, and record their next big hits, but sometimes these studio’s vital importance to the musical industry is overlooked. In this article, we will be going in depth on just what happens in music studios, to better understand how music is made and the relevance of studios in the musical process.

The sound board above is a type of 32-channel console, commonly used in recording studios and other audio venues. Photo courtesy of Pexels.com

most can afford, a trend has begun. There are now more records by self-produced albums and songs by artists online and available than ever before. While it’s great to have more music out there, some forget the benefits of using studios over the Do-ItYourself method and attitude that has recently prevailed in musical culture.

“There is competition, but... There’s enough business for everyone.”

Recent Trends In Music Many amateur, and even some professional musicians, use the comfort of their own home to practice and record music. With recent technology that is powerful enough for people to put together songs on their own, such as the popular app “GarageBand,” along with other tools and technology at a price that

Jason Butler (Left), Owner of the Sonance Reharsal Studio chain. He is standing outside the Sonance 4 studio. Photo courtesy of Jason Butler.

What Studios Offer Recording studios have some major advantages over trying to create a track by yourself. One of the biggest reasons to use a recordings studio is also one of the most obvious: Expertise. While you may be able to throw together any old track with some software you have at home, recording studios know all the tips and tricks that can make your music sound even better, and can probably do all of this in half the time it would take someone without experience. Recording studios also offer more tangible help, especially in the form of equipment. While you can most certainly buy microphones and gear for yourself, that equipment will be nothing compared to the gear recording studios are outfitted with. “We have, microphone wise, we use the standard, and throw in a couple ribbons here and there,” is the setup used in Droplink Studios, according to Josh Woodhouse, the lead Sound Engineer at Droplink Studios, who has been recording bands in Austin since 2002, and was involved with The Recording Conservatory of Austin, formerly known as the Austin Recording School. The microphone setup

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may sound simple and easy, but certain quality microphones and equipment that produce the best sound can cost upwards of thousands of dollars. Rehearsal studios have some nice gear that can be used as well. “The equipment that is in there is basically really nice sound system, PA gear, really nice microphones, handmade,” said Jason Butler, Owner of Sonance Rehearsal Studios, who has been in the music business since 2002, when he built his first rehearsal studio. When you use music studios, you get all of this equipment, expertise, software, and more, for one relatively low price. Many artists go to rehearsal studios to practice their skills and talents, as well as to meet up and practice with their whole band. “Well, at the studio there’s less distraction... You’re focused on exactly what it is you’re doing, and I think these rooms give these people a place to do that, to work without distraction,” Butler said. Rehearsal rooms can help to focus artists and bands, and a band concentrated on making music is a good-sounding band. Once artists have thoroughly practiced and prepared for their performances, the next part of the musical process brings them to recording studios. Bands go to recording studios to produce albums and musical content.

One of the Rehearsal rooms at Sonance Studio 4. In the equipment above, there are some quality microphones along with a stereo setup. Photo courtesy of Jason Butler

ing studio, the main phase of the project begins: Recording a band’s performance. The first step in this process is to actually record the audio of the band playing. “Typically what will happen is we will do that with a band, we’ll all play together, although our main focus is going to be on drums and bass,” Woodhouse said. The focus on drums and bass is so that later, when going back and editing the audio, they will have a steady base to use and build from, if needed.

“Creative folks are actually starting to move north, which is good for me, because that’s where I am.”

The Recording Process Once a band is set up and accustomed to a record-

Sweet Spirit playing some music at Sonance on March 15, 2015. The woman in the center is Sabrina Ellis, lead singer and songwriter of Sweet Spirit. She has played for bands such as A Giant Dog and Bobby Jealousy as well. Photo courtesy of Jason Butler

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When the band is satisfied with the base part of the track, the focus shifts to giving the album some touch-ups, to make sure it sounds good. This is accomplished by patching re-recordings of any parts of the track that are not on par with the artists’ needs.“We’ll go back over and overdub guitars and vocals, or horns or cello or whatever style of music were doing lead instruments.” After these overdubs, there are some final touches that can be put on the music. Specifically, artists can choose to use pre recorded background sound or beats that can add a little extra to the song. This is called a sound library. “If I’m in the studio recording a band, then I’m using a 32 channel console I’m recording straight to pro tools HD, and we have multiple isolation booths and then a big library.” said Woodhouse. The whole process of making the track is carried out by the 32 channel console mentioned above. From this console, many aspects of the audio output from the recorded sounds can be controlled and changed.

broadcast live concerts to potential millions of viewers. Rehearsal studios will be evolving as well, but in a different way. “Folks are actually starting to move north, which is good for me, because that’s where I am. And then also these older folks, they’re moving into the town, are starting to move north also,” said Butler. As more musically inclined clientele move into Austin, these rehearsal studios must grow to incorporate them. “We are looking into expanding again, hopefully up to the first of the year, we are trying to acquire a building next to our current building. So another expansion, an additional 24 monthly rooms, and... we’ll probably look into buying property after that.” As Austin grows, music will grow with it, and it will be interesting indeed to see the next step in this colorful industry.

This is the inside of a Sonance studio. The black doors lead to hourly rooms that anyone who wants to can rent for anywhere between $12-18 an hour Photo courtesy of Jason Butler

Finally, after the finishing touches are put on the project, the music is ready to be shipped out to the public. This is the cycle of the music industry, and it will hopefully continue far into the future. But what will the future hold for music studios here in Austin? As bands and artists try to reach larger and larger audiences, surely their methods will change. With the musical industry constantly growing and evolving, it’s sometimes hard to tell what will happen next. Where are these studios heading towards? “I’m moving into more videooriented stuff. The majority of the audio that I record these days are for videos,” said Woodhouse. Music videos may be making a comeback, as it involves people more with the music and the artist, and create a more personal connection. “So you’ve got a lot of live streaming networks that will play live concerts, and things like that, and that’s kind of where I’m moving towards.” Video is also becoming more accepted in the music business because of popular streaming networks, such as Twitch, Livestream, and other services, that can

Jason Butler, standing outside the Sonance 4 building, which is located on Powell Lane. The red sign above him is the Sonance logo. Photo courtesy of Jason Butler.

25 Tune Up

TEN CRAZY WEIRD MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Octobass: The first Octobass was built around 1850 in Paris by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume. The Octobass is over 10 feet tall, and has strings so big that foot petals are needed to play the instrument. The octobass can play the lowest note in the string family, along with the piano, at a low C of 32.7 Hz. The octobass is so gigantic it’s almost never used, but when it is played it is normally in an orchestra.

all types of strange musical instruments from all over the world BY CONNOR FIERRO

Information taken from the BBC, Aces and Eights, and www.list25.com

Zeusaphone: Also called a thoramin or musical lightning, a Zeusaphone is a form of a plasma speaker. It was made in 2007 by Steve Ward, who modified a tesla coil’s spark output to create musical sounding frequencies. Mostly seen at big music concerts, this instrument doesn’t have many practical uses, but it’s definitely really really cool. After all, who wouldn’t want to hear musical lightning?

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Balalaika: While the balalaika’s been around for a pretty long time, the first time it was officially mentioned was in 1688. The balalaika was a predecessor of the Domra, an instrument originating from the Caucasus region of Russia. The Balalaika is primarily used in russian folk music, and has multiple variations, ranging in size and pitch greatly. Normally having 3 strings and a triangular body, it looks like a weird ukulele, but it sounds beautiful!

Didgeridoo: One of the oldest instruments in the world, made in Australia about 15,000 years ago, the didgeridoo is similar to a wind instrument, but much more primitive. To play the didgeridoo, people simply blow into the pipe for extended periods of time, alternating between notes, which creates a “drone.” The closest sound to a didgeridoo would either be a gigantic fly or a warhorn, but at much lower tones.

Hydraulophone: Played by holding down holes which water is flowing out of to create pressure which is released through water flow sound producing mechanisms to create a sound similar to an organ, but at a higher pitch. Steve Mann was the creator of this amazing instrument, when he tried suing pressurized hydraulic fluid to create music. The Hydraulophone is commonly compared to a woodwind, but instead of using air, it uses liquids.

Holophonor: This instrument, originally portrayed in the show Futurama, was made by Harrison Krix in 2007. Krix thought the idea of a flute-like instrument that made actual visual effects was pretty cool, so he took a clarinet, added over 50 led lights and a new paint job to it, and dubbed it the holophonor.

Glass Harmonica: The glass harmonica uses many sizes of glass bowls to produce beautiful, crystal clear melodies when the glass is turned and the musician touches his fingers to the rims of the glass. The modern version of the Glass Harmonica was created by Benjamin Franklin in 1761. Mostly played as a solo instrument, many famous composers such as Beethoven and Mozart wrote sheet music for the Glass Harmonicas, enjoying the beautiful melodies it could produce.

Singing Ringing Tree: The Singing Ringing Tree was the product of collaboration between Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu, and it’s pretty crazy. Finished in 2006, the ‘tree’ is made up of galvanized steel pipes that produce sound when wind blows through them. There are actually 4 of these trees in the area of East Lancashire, made as part of the Panopticons art project. When the wind blows, these pipes produce beautiful (and sometimes haunting) melodies.

Theremin: also called an etherphone, theriminophone, or thereminvox, the Theremin was named after its Russian inventor Leon Theremin, who created the device in 1928. This is probably the only musical instrument made so far where you do not have to touch anything to play. The theremin has 2 metal antennae that detect the position of 2 of your hands, one for volume and one for tonal pitch, and then using those inputs electric signals are created, which then are sent to a speaker. Played mostly as a solo instrument, the theremin produces ethereal, flowing music, that sounds almost like a woman’s voice.

Pikasso Guitar: the Pikasso Guitar was made by Linda Manzer in 1984 when Pat Metheny asked her to build a guitar with as many strings as possible, and that’s what she did. When the Pikasso Guitar was finished, after 2 years, it had 42 strings, weighed over 14 pounds, and, when tuned, is under about 1000 pounds of pressure from string tension. It sounds similar to guitar, but can be played as a harp.

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TOP

Best-Selling Singles Of 2015

This article will inform you on the latest, hot songs and artists, along with how the songs themselves came to be and when they were popular.

By Deral Robison

Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars Uptown Funk is a critically-acclaimed pop song, that has set many records including number of streams in a week, and have been nominated for 5 MTV awards. Winner of the Best Song of 2015 in Britain, it has been wildly popular in all countries, partly because Mark Ronson is from the UK. It also has a very successful music video on YouTube, that has reached over a billion views. All this comes together to achieve over 6,100,100 sales, the most sold song of 2015.

Cheerleader by OMI (Felix Kahn Remix) A big contender for the Song of the Year award, this song was written 7 years ago, but was recently remixed and became a sensation reaching number 1 in twenty separate countries according to Wikipedia. OMI is a Jamaican singer, who wrote the original melody with simple and few instruments. It was refined over years , and with a small label they topped the charts in Jamaica, but when he brought it to a larger label it went across the globe.

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Take Me To Church by Hozier This particular song has a lot of passion and emotion, which is part of the reason why it is so popular. Asides from being catchy, it touches on issues between the homosexual community and establishments of religion, particularly Christianity. Originally created in 2013, but became popular worldwide in 2014, and still sells today, accomplishing quintuple platinum over all the years it has been out.

Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding Came from the 50 Shades Of Gray Soundtrack. At its peak reached number one in British charts and number three in America. It has also been a very successful music video, nominated for an MTV Award and passing 800 million views on YouTube recently. It has reached double platinum on the RIAA scale in the US, and is still climbing in sales. It shows us that other entertainments such as music still depend heavily on movies and Hollywood for their success.

See You Again by Wiz Khalifa (feat. Charlie Puth) Originating on the soundtrack of the movie Furious 7, this rap/pop hybrid has been purchased frequently separate from the movie. It is dedicated to Paul Walker, one of the main actors in the Fast and Furious series who passed away. It currently holds the record for most streams in a day, and previously held the record for most streams in a week. It shows how more and more people are streaming songs, which is why the record keeps changing with new music.

* Sources: the RIAA, nme.com, officialcharts.com, and Wikipedia

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The Price We Pay For Free Music By Deral Robison

Royalties for artists and the transition to streaming music online

30 | Tune Up!

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People piling into vans, hoping to follow the famous band on tour, holding up signs and screaming at stadiums all over the country. Fans buying LPs and taking them home to put them on their record player to build a collection. Most people imagined this would last forever, but the modernization of music’s accessibility has changed how we listen to music, and especially how musicians make a living off of their songs. Now it seems irrational to go to a live concert, because it seems easier and cheaper to press a button online and receive instantaneous entertainment than to pay hundreds of dollars to attend a big ticket artist. Streaming Company Logos

Streaming websites such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and many others who give people music for free, and take advantage of artists and writers with low compensation per play, and how they have also effectively eliminated the record business model, making it harder for musicians to sell their product. The only way to make a decent living for an artist now is at live venues, and live venues can be sparse in many areas.

Joe Priesnitz, artist manager By Joe Priesnitz

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Think about it. When a person wants to listen to a song, what do they do? They go on Spotify or YouTube, look it up, and then listen to it for free. It seems great. Accessible, cost-free for the working class, and fast. The thing is, companies pay the musicians less than one cent for every time their song gets played. For a famous artist making plenty of money from sales, the streaming money isn’t as important, but for the up-and-coming artist, fair compensation is vital to provide for a family. A local artist named Kelly Willis gives input

“It is definitely not enough” - Kelly Willis

on some of the benefits of streaming. “I’ve heard two different schools of thought: one of them is that people hear your music and therefore come to your shows, and buy your music if they heard it, and I’ve also heard people say, no, it has no beneficial impact on you and it’s detrimental,” she says. Sadly, on YouTube it takes a whopping 4 and a half million views with a signed partner to make minimum wage for the month. One half percent of signed artists achieve decent wages, and even unsigned artists have even more trouble making a living. Since when has the minimum been virtually impossible to achieve? For every view with a signed artist, they make $0.0003, or 3 hundredths of a penny. Although that YouTube is the worst of them, Spotify and Deezer are almost as bad. Spotify and Deezer both require over a million listens signed for the artist to make the minimum wage, and they pay $0.001 to their signed artists per play.

Fortunately, Taylor Swift along with other famous artists have tried to push back against the streaming companies like Spotify. She has also withheld her album 1989 from Apple Music, a new streaming app, that allows a free three month trial, during which artists get no royalties whatsoever for a listen. Other artist have started to talk about what big streaming websites can do to help their fellow artists make a living.

“It seems like we’ll be here for awhile, but who knows what those guys and gals in the lab coats are dreaming up for us.” - Joe Priesnitz

Kelly Willis, local country singer By McGonigel’s Mucky Duck

Today’s musicians have been taken advantage of and very well know it. Streaming companies claim they are working toward compensating the artists better when more members join, but it’s difficult to know when and how much of an increase it will be if ever. A local musician, Bruce Robison, says, Bruce Robison, hit country writer By Wikipedia

“I don’t know what is going to happen, but I’m hopeful.”

Sorry Bruce, but this may be false hope. Most artists can’t see an end to the exploitation in the near future, and neither can their managers, but everyone hopes for the best. Joe Priesnitz, local Artist Manager,, says, “ pay the artist and writer a bigger piece of the pie.” Spotify’s annual streaming hours is 4.5 billion and the average revenue per employee is $932k, so there is definitely more money that can be spared when it comes to the reimbursement of artists for their service. Also, there are trends that show as Spotify gains more revenue, artists get paid less per stream. When Spotify’s revenue from premium accounts grew from $20 million to about $37 million, the money per stream the artist made Tune Up! | 33

Taylor Swift, Pop/Country artist

having an effect on anything or any power.

By Jason Merritt/Getty Images

“In the era of records and cds the technology kept the copyright protected better for the artist” -Joe Priesnitz dropped from $0.009 to $0.0075. Let’s keep in mind who Priesnitz claims is the best streaming company, he says, “From what I see on royalty statements and in the press the most revenue for on demand streaming is being generated by Spotify but I think Apple Music will steal some of their audience.” It’s shocking how Spotify can be recognized as one of the best at distributing revenue, but still give so little. It is also interesting that Apple Music has gotten a lot of attention lately.

Recently, because Taylor Swift and many

by luigi911

Apple Music, New Streaming Company

independent artists have rebelled against it, Apple Music has decided to pay artists during the optional three month trial. This is important because it shows that artists have the power to effect their payment, instead of the streaming companies being able to just make the rules and no one else 34 | Tune Up!

Taylor Swift’s conflict with Apple Music showed if people speak out against large corporations and stop listening they will change, because without the people, they stop getting the money. In that particular case, it was effective because Taylor Swift is the one of the most popular artists in the world, so if popular artists start to stand up more for the little guys, they will have the influence enough to make more money for all different artist across all genres. Streaming is easy, accessible, and fun, but corporations like Spotify and Apple Music need to treat the artists with more respect and higher pay.

December 2015.