Tying It Together: Defining the Difference Between Ties and Slurs

The difference between tied notes and slurred notes in music can cause confusion—which is not surprising, since they are both noted the exact same way! Both slurs and ties are indicated with arc-shaped lines placed either above a grouping of notes (if the notes’ stems are pointing down) or below a grouping of notes (if the stems are pointing up).

Playing Well with Dr. Kertz — Health Tips for Vocalists

It’s vocal month at Making Music, and in his newest video, Dr. Randy Kertz discusses the importance of good posture and breathing techniques for vocalists, and if you should find an expert to work on your intercostal muscles. Dr. Kertz’s monthly column addresses how musicians can avoid injury, how they can identify things they may […]

Jane Lui — Lighting the Way of Her Own Path

Surrija is a new electro project by Jane Lui. It will forever be under the radar since that’s where she prefers it. Recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and actor originally from HK. She grew up on classical training, but quit the second she discovered her love for playing by ear and singing in choirs. She got a degree in music (choral conducting) against her family’s wishes…

Composer Erick Schroder — On Crafting the Perfect Palette of Sound for a Movie

Crafting the perfect palette of sounds around a picture seems like a daunting task, but for musicians who have made this their profession, it’s just another day at the office. Composer Erick Schroder knows this first hand, with over 70 IMDB credits to his name, he has scored everything from documentaries to sport dramas. His latest project is Hulu’s comedy/drama The Ultimate Playlist of Noise starring Madeline Brewer (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Keean Johnson (Euphoria)….

From National Opera to Otherworldly Chant Music — The Evolution of Shunia

Something unique emerges when two accomplished artists combine their influences, inspirations and experiences to form something new. Shunia’s music has the power to transform, to connect you to the energy within and around you. It can put you in touch with something as simple as your five senses or as mysterious as the infinite…

Mastering Best Practices Explained with Alan Silverman – Part 2

Alan got his start doing tech and assisting at NYC’s Electric Lady Studios, covering sessions for The Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Hall & Oates. Thereafter, he accepted a staff engineering position at A&R Recording, where he worked with legendary producer Phil Ramone and renowned musical artists Billy Joel, Kiss, and Judy Collins. He recorded and mixed musical scores for film directors David Mamet, Francis Coppola and Frank Oz, and top composers Elmer Bernstein and John Barry. He also fostered professional relationships that would come to last decades – he and Judy Collins still work together on numerous projects…

Paul Abbott’s Zen Approach to Mastering – Part 3

Paul Abbott is an audio mastering engineer, musician, and owner of ZenMastering (located in San Diego, CA). Paul established ZenMastering in the late 1990s — at a time when there were very few high-end independent mastering studios. Since then, Paul has mastered over 1,000 projects for clients throughout the United States and around the world, ranging from up-and-coming indie bands to award-winning artists and labels.