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DAW tools: Logic Pro & Pro Tools
Golden Age of the DAW: Tools For Our Trade – Part Four 890 479 Crē•8 Music Academy

Golden Age of the DAW: Tools For Our Trade – Part Four

In the final part of this four-part series, Crē•8 Music Academy Director of Education Doug Fenske discusses when to begin a song in Logic Pro and Pro Tools, in addition how to move back and forth between the two DAW tools.

A common question I’m asked with regard to this topic: Should I start my song in Logic or Pro Tools?  The answer to that varies. Now that we know our tools, you should select whichever DAW will compliment the inspiration for the song.  For example, say the idea arrives in the form of an acoustic guitar lick or chord progression. That sounds like a job for Pro Tools, as the takes and ideas can be easily fleshed out, comped and arranged.  If the idea is for a drum groove, synth line or piano chord progression, Logic Pro should be the choice This also applies to experimenting in a blank session with a powerful instrument like Omnisphere.

There was a time when our industry experimented with “OMF” files, which were an attempt to allow different DAW’s to communicate all related information with each other.  This proved to be a subpar experience, as information like track names, automation, plug-ins and markers translated in disasteros fashion, often times leaving the user with more work instead of less.  In modern times, “OMF” may be considered some sort of abbreviated messaging slang. Frankly, that use would be more effective than the actual intended purpose of the file.

Moving back and forth between the DAW’s is not overtly challenging, but it does require diligence and attention.  Say we began in Pro Tools with that acoustic guitar idea I mentioned. After the idea is fleshed out and on the grid, it can be bounced or exported into a 24 bit, 48kHz wav file (note: 48kHz is the most common sample rate during production for its increased resolution and manageable file size).  Create a session in Logic Pro at 24 bit, 48kHz, import the guitar file(s) and begin drums, percussion or any sort of accompaniment you desire. After the instrumentation has been completed (at least in demo form), export the entire multi-track out of Logic and import the files into the Pro Tools session that contains the acoustic guitar idea.

DAW tools: Logic Pro & Pro Tools

Ideas that begin in Logic Pro can be nurtured and developed in the same way until just before the vocal recording session. At this point, a stereo bounce of the instrumental from Logic should be imported into Pro Tools. High-level producers then record, comp, tune and bounce an acapella from the Pro Tools session, import it into Logic, finish the instrumentation/composition, then perform the multi-track export procedure from Logic to Pro Tools for final editing and mixing.

Logic Pro

We see plenty of online content that is related to DAW’s (DAW-War memes, rabid disagreements, etc). In this author’s opinion, that type of mindset is a bit short-sighted and doesn’t adhere to a professional workflow. We should be approaching our use of recording and production software with an objective in mind, then select the appropriate tool (read: DAW) to achieve the task efficiently. It is the path of least resistance, whereas trying to retrofit a task into a DAW that may not be fully equipped to handle said task can be a very frustrating experience.

The mindset of a multi-DAW environment is a gift that technology has only recently bestowed upon us, ushering in the golden age of the DAW. Being open to that mindset and workflow is just as powerful as the DAW’s themselves. Embrace this approach and realize your potential by understanding the tools of the trade.

Activate your musical instincts and learn to use Untagged Loops, Flex Pitch and Tracks Stacks in our ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives and find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

  • (Non-United States Inquiries Please Include Country Code)
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Authors:

Doug Fenske – Director of Education

Doug Fenske is a GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum engineer, producer and mixer for artists such as Frank Ocean, LL Cool J and Ryan Tedder.  He also serves as Director of Education for Crē•8 Music Academy, which provides four music production courses through a unique partnership with Westlake Recording Studios.

Crē•8 Music Academy provides four music production courses through a unique partnership with Westlake Recording Studios (Rihanna, The Weeknd, Michael Jackson, Adele).

Contact Us

Activate your musical instincts and learn to use Untagged Loops, Flex Pitch, and Tracks Stacks in our ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives and find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

  • (Non-United States Inquiries Please Include Country Code)

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DAW tool - Logic Pro Screen
Golden Age of the DAW: Tools For Our Trade – Part Three 960 426 Crē•8 Music Academy

Golden Age of the DAW: Tools For Our Trade – Part Three

In part three of this four-part series, Crē•8 Music Academy Director of Education Doug Fenske compares and contrasts common production tasks in Logic Pro and Pro Tools.

Logic Pro

Logic Pro is mostly used in writing, pre-production and composition studios.  These spaces are typically smaller in size, don’t have a recording console and may be located in a residence or a facility that houses several small studios that are paid monthly (lockout).  As previously mentioned, Logic excels in all tasks related to composition. MIDI information is presented in a clean, flexible fashion in the piano roll.

Notice how the MIDI events can be easily quantized according to a specified note division by pressing Command + A to “select all” and then the letter Q to quantize:

DAW tool - Logic Pro Screen

Adjusting the length of multiple notes at once is fast and efficient.  It can be done so the notes keep their relative lengths or so they all snap to the same length.  Hold shift while dragging a note to make all selected notes snap to the same length:

DAW tool - Logic Pro Screen

Adjusting note velocity is easy and flexible as well.  There are three options when using the velocity slider in the lower left corner of the piano roll:

  1. Adjust the velocity of an individual note
  2. Adjust the velocity of multiple notes while retaining their relative velocities
  3. Adjust the velocity of multiple notes while forcing them all to the same velocity by holding the Option key while you adjust the velocity sliderChanging the pitch of a note to audition different chord voicing or drum sounds is very easy to do, and is particularly powerful to do while playback is rolling.  Hold option and use the arrows on the keyboard.

In order to fully understand our tools, we also need to know where they lack.  Logic does not handle audio-related processes as well as Pro Tools. Examine a vocal comping task in Logic (using take folders) versus Pro Tools (using playlists).  In Pro Tools, it’s much faster to isolate the area of the vocal to be used and move it seamlessly to the comp track or playlist. Logic attempts to keep up with a method called “Quick Swipe Comping”, which actually creates a scenario where the computer is finishing the vocal edits and crossfades for us.  Scary. We want full control over our song, especially the lead vocal, and never allow the computer to tell us what to do. It takes a few extra steps in order to get the vocal takes to the same complete flexibility that can be achieved with Pro Tools immediately.

Logic Pro should be incorporated into the workflow at two points: before the vocal has been recorded (while developing the basic instrumentation and drums for the demo) and after the vocal has been recorded (to add or reinforce melodic and rhythmic themes that occurred during the vocal sessions).  Using our composition tool in this way allows us to keep a high level of flexibility and power each and every time we need to add a new drum or piece of instrumentation. In other words, it keeps the composition tasks contained to Logic and allows us to hit the nail with a hammer instead of a screw driver.

Pro Tools

Pro Tools is found in all high-end, professional recording facilities.  This is because all DAW roads eventually lead to Pro Tools in the professional environment.  However, many project studios and residential spaces rely on Pro Tools for their precision tasks that are audio-related.  Pro Tools’ design, multitude of potential workflows, high-level flexibility and precision with regard to the tasks in which it excels is unparalleled.  Let’s examine a few examples of the almost effortless processes common in Pro Tools.  

Listening to each take of a vocal performance, via playlists, is a one-button click:

Pro Tools

After the best take has been selected, locking it in to a comp playlist is also a one-button click:Pro Tools Screen
Additionally, if a “comp track” workflow is preferred (which I endorse), holding control and option while dragging the clip to the comp track will guarantee that the vocal maintains the exact timing with which it was performed, while simultaneously creating a copy of the clip (rather than destroying the take):
Pro Tools Screen

Working with the grid is powerful and easy.  In this example, there are three ways to “fly” instrumentation or vocals while guaranteeing the exact timing of the original performance is maintained without having to switch modes or tools.  The first example is selecting the appropriate areas of the grid and Command + D to duplicate:Pro Tools Screen

Second, this process can be done by selecting the grid, holding option and dragging the performance to the desired area of the song:Pro Tools

Finally, a clip group can be created and flown to the other desired area(s) of the song by making the selection on the grid, using the keystroke Shift + Option + G, then holding option and dragging it to wherever it needs to land:

These clip groups can stay as they are, or can be ungrouped with the keystroke Shift + Option + U:Pro Tools

Fades and crossfades could not be easier.  In slip mode and with A-Z shortcuts enabled, select the area of the clip or clips to be crossfaded and press the letter F.  That’s it. Done.

Pro Tools lags behind Logic Pro with respect to the composition and piano roll facets of recording and production, both from visual and functionality aspects.

At first glance, the visual presentation of the piano roll does not appear as intuitive, inviting or streamlined:
Pro Tools Fades

Quantizing MIDI in Pro Tools is not integrated into the piano roll and requires multiple windows to be open.  They keystroke Option + 0 must be used, which launches the Event Operations window:
Pro Tools

From there, the selected MIDI can be quantized.  Even still, the quantize process does not seem to have the same response as Logic Pro, as notes in Pro Tools may end up not fully quantized or not on the grid (like the first chord on the piano track pictured above…that is an actual result).

Pro Tools fits into workflow as the recording DAW and final destination of the creativity.  After the editing, comping tuning and rough mixing is complete (all of which are quite cumbersome in Logic Pro), professional mix engineers expect Pro Tools sessions.  Working in Pro Tools prior to the mixing process, even if you are not mixing the song, will help streamline workflow as well. If another DAW is used, an export procedure must be performed to consolidate tracks and audio files at specific sample rates and bit depths.  Also, all files must begin at the exact same time and have a healthy signal level. A failure in these processes could increase the chance of an error in delivery and may stall the mix engineer’s progress. In other words, keep the audio-related tasks contained to Pro Tools so we can use a screwdriver instead of a hammer.

Activate your musical instincts and learn to use Untagged Loops, Flex Pitch and Tracks Stacks in our ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives and find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

  • (Non-United States Inquiries Please Include Country Code)
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Authors:

Doug Fenske – Director of Education

Doug Fenske is a GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum engineer, producer and mixer for artists such as Frank Ocean, LL Cool J and Ryan Tedder.  He also serves as Director of Education for Crē•8 Music Academy, which provides four music production courses through a unique partnership with Westlake Recording Studios.

Crē•8 Music Academy provides four music production courses through a unique partnership with Westlake Recording Studios (Rihanna, The Weeknd, Michael Jackson, Adele).

Contact Us

Activate your musical instincts and learn to use Untagged Loops, Flex Pitch, and Tracks Stacks in our ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives and find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

  • (Non-United States Inquiries Please Include Country Code)

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DAW | Pro Tools Screen
Golden Age of the DAW: Tools For Our Trade – Part Two 640 352 Crē•8 Music Academy

Golden Age of the DAW: Tools For Our Trade – Part Two

In part two of this four-part series, Crē•8 Music Academy Director of Education Doug Fenske explores the history and lineage of Logic Pro and Pro Tools, in addition to how they are applied in modern day.

Logic Pro’s initial release was in 1993 as “Notator Logic“. The name given to this software at its inception offers some insight as to what we can expect it to do well. To “notate” is to transcribe music on staff paper, including clefs, notes, rhythms and articulations. The compositional features and workflow in Logic Pro far exceed those of its digital counterpart in Pro Tools. Stock creative tools in Logic Pro include a wide array of synthesizers and playable instruments, samplers, loops, a built-in drummer and a user-friendly piano roll, which is very useful for writing and editing MIDI. Other MIDI editors include a step editor and even a score editor, where you can view the performance of each track on a staff. Logic Pro becomes even more powerful when high-end, third party instruments and samplers are installed and incorporated into the creatively intuitive workflow.

Notator Logic
Notator Logic

Pro Tools’ initial release was in 1989 under the guise of “Sound Tools” (it became Pro Tools in 1991).  Again, the name given to this software at its inception offers some insight as to what we can expect it to do well.  Whereas Logic Pro’s features are designed to enhance creative workflow, Pro Tools excels in all technical processes related to record production, including: organizing, tracking, comping, precise editing, processing and mixing.  Saving multiple takes on the same track in the form of a playlist and comping them together is seamless. Copying and pasting any amount of information, from one instrument to an entire multi-track acapella, is shockingly easy. Automating parameters of tracks and plug-ins is fast and efficient.  Even sample-level editing is effortless: zoom in and change to the pencil tool.

DAW | Pro Tools Screen

Aside from being two of the earliest DAW’s in existence, Logic Pro and Pro Tools share other similarities in the broad stroke, big picture areas.  Both have similar types of tracks available to create and use (audio, instrument, aux, etc). Both can be operated in a multi-window fashion. Both host audio and MIDI, have various editing tools, can be operated across several editing modes and share a layout that resembles a recording console.

As previously mentioned, the differences are in their approach to composition, recording, editing and mixing.  One shines where the other lacks (and vice versa). The most common way I relate the differences between these two DAW’s is to compare them to hand tools.  Any craftsman worth their weight needs to understand their tools, and DAW’s are no different in that way.

Let’s imagine for a moment that you just earned a platinum plaque from the RIAA.  Regardless of where you are in your career arc, this is a major accomplishment. Now we need to hang it on the wall in the studio.  Well, Logic Pro and Pro Tools are like a hammer and a screwdriver. If you don’t understand your tools, the process might go a little something like this:

You pick up the hammer, but then reach for a screw.  You hold the screw to the wall and begin hitting it with the hammer, trying to drive it in.  Might it go in far enough to actually hang the plaque and accomplish the task? Maybe. Was it much more difficult, frustrating, unstable and possibly painful if you whacked your thumb a few times?  Definitely. For the next plaque, you reach for a nail this time…but then pick up the screw driver and start hitting the nail with the handle. Same experience, right? It might actually get far enough into the wall to hang the plaque, but there was an easier, faster, more efficient way to accomplish the task sitting in the tool box….we just didn’t know how to apply the tools.

Logic Pro is an outstanding application for composition and writing with MIDI, using things such as virtual instruments, samplers and loops.  Remember, it was created as “Notator Logic”. Using Logic Pro as our tool for these processes is fast and efficient. Might we be able to get the composition and writing portion of our record done in Pro Tools?  Maybe…but it will be clunky along the way and the plaque might hang a little crooked.

Pro Tools (SOUND Tools) far surpasses all other DAW’s for organizing, recording, comping, precision editing, processing and mixing purposes.  Its features are centered around these kind of operations and make life easy for those who understand how to apply this powerful tool.  Might we be able to cut, copy, paste, comp, nudge, duplicate, stutter, crossfade, rearrange, edit and mix in Logic Pro in a fast and efficient manner?  Maybe…but we will have to clean up pieces of the wall that fell to the floor when we were trying to hang the plaque…and its probably still crooked.

The first step in avoiding a frustrating experience during production is understanding how these tools should be employed.  However, there is much more to consider when examining the multi-DAW workflow. Why do we use certains DAW’s and when should we use them?  Let’s examine that question in part three of this series.

Activate your musical instincts and learn to use Untagged Loops, Flex Pitch and Tracks Stacks in our ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives and find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

  • (Non-United States Inquiries Please Include Country Code)
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Authors:

Doug Fenske – Director of Education

Doug Fenske is a GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum engineer, producer and mixer for artists such as Frank Ocean, LL Cool J and Ryan Tedder.  He also serves as Director of Education for Crē•8 Music Academy, which provides four music production courses through a unique partnership with Westlake Recording Studios.

Crē•8 Music Academy provides four music production courses through a unique partnership with Westlake Recording Studios (Rihanna, The Weeknd, Michael Jackson, Adele).

Contact Us

Activate your musical instincts and learn to use Untagged Loops, Flex Pitch, and Tracks Stacks in our ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives and find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

  • (Non-United States Inquiries Please Include Country Code)

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DAW Sound Tools
Golden Age of the DAW: Tools For Our Trade – Part One 800 450 Crē•8 Music Academy

Golden Age of the DAW: Tools For Our Trade – Part One

In part one of this four-part series, Crē•8 Music Academy Director of Education Doug Fenske explores the advent of the digital audio workstation and the modern, multi-DAW environment.

No one has ever accused me of being the most talented person in the world.  In fact, they are absolutely correct to withhold such praise from me and my endeavors.  The attribute with which I have garnered the most respect is that of being a craftsman. A craftsman in our trade has an incredible amount of detailed knowledge, a discerning ear, a vast supply of experience, a psychic amount of foresight and microscopic laser focus while maintaining a big picture view of the project and approach.

Another part of being an incredible craftsman, regardless of industry, is understanding the tools of the trade.  Arguably our most important tool is the digital audio workstation. Synonymous with any tool of any industry, there are a litany of manufacturers, options, features and the like.  So how did we arrive at this Golden Age of the DAW and how should we navigate this increasingly complicated environment in order to maximize our recordings and productions?

The digital audio workstation, herein referred to as the DAW, was created many years ago as a stereo audio editor.  Apples to apples, this is the equivalent of humans discovering fire. The DAW rapidly evolved to become a recording console inside of a computer, which would equate to our first attempts at harnessing fire in order to cook food.

This timeline can be traced all the way back to 1989, so we are celebrating this piece of technology’s 30th birthday.  Screenshots and videos from the version of any DAW five years ago seem a bit comical due to their primitive GUI (Graphical User Interface) and features, so imagine how restrictive and basic the first versions of “Sound Tools” must have been.

DAW Sound Tools

For this reason, most DAW’s want to be operated in the same or similar fashion as a console. The tricky part about that is we learn the DAW long before we are ever in front of a desk, so it’s not an easy process of “apply what you know about the console to the DAW” — it’s reverse order.

Westlake Studio C Sound Room
Pro Tools Window

Rather than wholly focusing on the operation, similarities and differences between a console and a DAW, we will examine a much more modern application: how the multi-DAW environment can be harnessed, practiced, exercised and professionally navigated with efficiency and effectiveness.

There are myriad DAW options available to us today, such as: Ableton Live, Studio One, FL Studio, Cubase Pro, Digital Performer, Nuendo and more.  Some musicians, producers and engineers use the DAW with which they find the most comfort, then stick with it through thick and thin, even as some tasks become cumbersome and frustrating.  So why don’t the DAW’s get together and decide on a uniform way to approach composition, recording, editing and mixing? Or why isn’t there one “Master DAW” that does all of those things perfectly?

The reason is actually quite clear: none of the DAW’s want to be too much like another (because they are competitors), yet they all want to accomplish the same core processes (composition, recording, editing and mixing).

So here we are: each DAW approaches the aforementioned processes in a different way because none of them want to be too much like another, yet they all must provide solutions for these very common production tasks to be completed.  So why are some better than others for certain production tasks that we all must accomplish?

Here is the dirty little secret:

All DAW’s are not built to function at a high level across composition, recording, editing and mixing processes.

The companies and manufacturers are hyper-aware of their competition’s approach to these processes.  This is why we don’t see a vertical-style workflow, made popular by Ableton Live, being integrated into Pro Tools.  On the other hand, we don’t see Ableton incorporating a playlist-based style of comping, which was made popular by Pro Tools.

For this reason, many professional producers and engineers at the top of our industry have adopted a multi-DAW workflow.  This is worthy of an in-depth exploration. Our areas of focus will be Logic Pro and Pro Tools, as they are the two most widely-accepted DAW’s on the “records” side of the professional community (i.e. not live performance, sync or post-production).  The producers who employ these two DAW’s develop and oversee a record from start to finish. This process is not limited to programming drums and making beats, but also includes tasks such as: capturing virtual instrument and sampler performances during composition, tracking and comping vocals and instrumentation, nudging and correcting the timing of a performance, healing errors or hiccups that happened during the recording process, subgrouping, automating, mixing and delivering a final master to a record company or individual client.

Activate your musical instincts and learn to use Untagged Loops, Flex Pitch and Tracks Stacks in our ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives and find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

  • (Non-United States Inquiries Please Include Country Code)
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Authors:

Doug Fenske – Director of Education

Doug Fenske is a GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum engineer, producer and mixer for artists such as Frank Ocean, LL Cool J and Ryan Tedder.  He also serves as Director of Education for Crē•8 Music Academy, which provides four music production courses through a unique partnership with Westlake Recording Studios.

Crē•8 Music Academy provides four music production courses through a unique partnership with Westlake Recording Studios (Rihanna, The Weeknd, Michael Jackson, Adele).

Contact Us

Activate your musical instincts and learn to use Untagged Loops, Flex Pitch, and Tracks Stacks in our ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives and find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

  • (Non-United States Inquiries Please Include Country Code)

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Cre8 music - music production
What is a Type Beat? 1024 576 Crē•8 Music Academy

What is a Type Beat?

What is a type beat?  The answer to this question may duck and weave a bit, but in simple terms, it’s a hip hop instrumental track that matches the key, bpm, feel and sonic texture of a popular artist.  There are numerous websites that have created a rich marketplace for type beats (listed at the bottom). Notable songs that were born from type beats have and continue to reach key charts and metrics.  Manchester-based producer Menace famously sold Desiigner the beat for Hot 100 #1 Panda (which was a “Meek Mill Type Beat”) for $200 on SoundClick.  However, there is a philosophical divide between the first two generations of hip hop and the modern third generation of rappers and producers who are utilizing the type beat approach.

Abe Bashton founded BeatStars in 2008, which spawned the beat for Old Country Road.  He says:

“Type beats weren’t a thing when I started.  If you want to talk about the origins, it came from the concept of subgenres and moods. When search engines became smarter and algorithms to find relevant content got better, producers took search engine optimization into their own hands and started broadening the amount of tags they were putting onto their beats: Now they weren’t just tagging genre, mood, they were tagging artist likeness. It became a marketing scheme to get discovered based on search results.”

Type Beat Producer Curtiss King elaborates:

“The marketing utilization of type beats was no different than a blogger or YouTuber’s marketing tools. What did they all have in common? The use of high-ranking search terms through a process called Search Engine Optimization.”

The cultural divide concerning type beats rages, and is often categorized as generational. Young, modern producers see it as a form of income, brand building and exposure. Older producers who have “climbed the ladder” view type beats as unoriginal skeletons, said to be incomplete even in their final form and not “real records”.

An article on Genius asks:

Is making beats that explicitly mimic another artist’s style a viable career path for a producer or just another scheme to get noticed?

Producer Syk Sense, who’s worked on cuts like Khalid’s “Location” and Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Part IV.”, says:

“Normally you couldn’t get a good beat without having to pay a lot of money or know somebody.  Now you can lease or buy an instrumental of your choice for an affordable amount.”

An article on Fandom says:

“Type beats is the easier way for a rapper or musician to connect to a producer. All the rapper has to say is “do you have any Drake type beats?” and all the producer would have to reply is simply yes or no. I honestly think it’s a good time saving approach when looking for beats or instrumentals. It cuts out all the unnecessary inquiries some artists or rappers seem to request or search for when they’re looking for a specific type of beat.”

In an article for Medium, columnist Shkyd says:

“Selling $30 for an .mp3 of the beat, $50 for a .wav and $300 to $1,500 for a lease, for a production time not exceeding over 2 hours… sounds like a pretty solid deal. Selling beats on the Internet can be money straight to your pocket, as opposed to a slow and outdated industry of music all about splitting, waiting months to get a paycheck, or sending beats to artists without any confidence they’ll ever use it. With a good Type Beat business, no more beats on hold : the catalog is in display, beatmakers no longer depend on rappers or labels, nor appear to be in need of a publishing deal — often synonymous of death sentence or deep pain in the ass.

Menace says:

“It’s become oversaturated now—so many beats online, so many producers out of the blue thinking they can make it. It’s hard for people to make it, even compared to when I was doing it. There’s too much to pick from, and it’s harder to stand out.”

King says:

“Since the beginning of my career, I’ve lived by that law of originality as if it was a hip hop commandment. I always pushed myself as a producer to pick the sounds other producers were afraid to use, use the tempos other producers couldn’t maneuver through, and instinctually arrange my instruments as uniquely as possible. Originality has always been at the forefront of my musical campaign, sometimes to a fault.

Fast forward to today’s current landscape and we find a younger generation that is conflicted with hip hop’s law of originality. The struggle seems to fall between their insatiable thirst for remaining relevant to the current wave of their peers while also being disgusted by the idea of those same peers clout-chasing the waves they create. It must be confusing terrain to maneuver, especially when it’s in an environment where 20-something-year-old rappers and producers, who are still growing and finding their own way, get to define the rules of the day. Some legends allow this evolution to inspire them, while others allow it to make them bitter. I simply chose to play ball. I chose to aggressively go against the grain because I knew that I wanted something different out of my production career.”

Jazze Pha is a veteran record producer from Atlanta, GA.  He says:

“If you’re a beatmaker, that’s cool. But Mercedes Benz can’t just drop a frame on the ground and say ok, ‘you finish it.’ People like myself find it very offensive to call me and you a producer if you just make beats. A beat doesn’t take full form until the other 50% is added to it. It’s like giving a person a stick of gum and then calling yourself a philanthropist.”

Batshon calls those who dismiss type beats “dinosaurs.” “Not everyone can understand owning a successful digital business; not everyone has the same drive to become self-sustaining entrepreneurs. You’re not educated on the topic. I don’t blame anyone; all I ask from some of the industry people is to do a little bit of research before you start blurting out your opinion.”

Batshon adds: “How hard is it to crack into the industry? One out of a million producers really crack into the industry. We have a much higher percentage of users that are actually making a living setting up their own online business. It may not be 70 grand a beat, but how many Timbaland’s are out there? Online beat sales is a volume game—DJ Pain 1 uploads at least two beats every week—and if you have regular customers, that money can add up over time.”

Menace has yet another fear about the type beat explosion. “The problem with ‘Panda’ coming so early in my life is I didn’t have any catalog,” he explains. “People are saying ‘Panda;’ they’re not saying Menace or Desiigner. If you had a catalog you’re building up beforehand, people will at least know you. Otherwise the hit can be bigger than the artist or the producer.”

Genius finished up by saying “This is also not a problem that’s limited to type beats—viral hits are commonplace now. To be a producer who’s more than just a viral sensation, you need to do what Jazze Pha calls ‘making hits a habit.’ In between hits, though, it might not hurt to sell some beats online.”

These are additional websites and communities not previously mentioned that offer type beat opportunities:

ExpertBeats

Soundee

Airbit

Soundgine

Annodominination

TRAKTRAIN (Invitation Only)

Activate your musical instincts. Learn how to be independent and free from the mercy of collaborators in Logic Pro X and Pro Tools in the ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives to find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

  • (Non-United States Inquiries Please Include Country Code)
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Authors:

Doug Fenske is a GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum engineer, producer and mixer for artists such as Frank Ocean, Ryan Tedder and LL Cool J.  He also serves as Director of Education for Crē•8 Music Academy, which provides four music production courses through a unique partnership with Westlake Recording Studios (Rihanna, The Weeknd, Michael Jackson, Adele).

Contact Us

Activate your musical instincts and learn to use Untagged Loops, Flex Pitch, and Tracks Stacks in our ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives and find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

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What are Untagged Loops?
What are Untagged Loops? 1024 546 Crē•8 Music Academy

What are Untagged Loops?

The popularity of working with loops and one-shots in a digital audio workstation has never been higher.  Modern record producers spend hours, even days, searching for loops and sounds to use that properly convey their emotion to a listener.  This process is the result of a rise in digital, subscription-based or one-time purchase loop and sound services. Sites like Splice, Zenhiser, Sample Magic, Sounds.com, reFX Vengeance and Big Fish Audio have become sources that aid in a music producer’s craft.  After a producer has obtained a batch of sounds or loops to incorporate into a production, the first step in putting them to work is to load them into the DAW.  

For producers who use Logic Pro X, an option to incorporate these sounds and loops is to use the Untagged Loops feature.  To be clear, Untagged Loops are not Apple Loops, nor is this process the same as creating Apple Loops.  Untagged Loops do not have the tags, and embedded information of Apple Loops, so they do not possess the same functionality, time and pitch stretching capabilities.

So what are Untagged Loops?  These are loops, files and sounds that serve as an additional library, alongside Apple Loops, that can be time and pitch stretched to match the Logic project’s bpm and key (albeit over a smaller distance than encoded Apple Loops).  The big advantages of creating an Untagged Loops library are having quick access to inspiring sounds and the ability to use any audio file in this fashion (including original recordings).

Get Organized

After a batch of inspiring sounds have been collected, make sure to stay organized.  This will further enhance your ability to think creatively, as opposed to stopping and searching for files.  Create instrument-specific folders, then narrow it down further by attributes.

For example, you may have a folder hierarchy that looks a bit like this:

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial snare files

These folders (or individual files) can be added into the Untagged Loops tab and then incorporated into your workflow.

Adding Untagged Loops

After you have obtained a batch of loops that are going to fit well with your personal creativity, there are three ways to add them to a Logic Pro X session.

Method One: Add a Folder

Inside of Logic Pro X, use the All Files Browser.  Right-click a folder and select “Add to Untagged Loops Library” from the shortcut menu.  When using this method, remember that only folders can be added (if you want to add an individual loop and prevent a frustrating experience, scroll down to method two).

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial All media files
Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial VPop BPM naming

Right-click or Control + Click on the folder and select “Add to Untagged Loops”.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial All files add window

Logic will recognize the procedure and verify that these loops with be time-stretched to match the bpm of the project.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial Add to loops window

The Untagged Loops tab will appear and the files will now be accessible from the Loops browser.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial VPop file

Method Two: Add a File

In the Finder, copy a loop or folder containing loops to Music > Audio Music Apps > Untagged Loops (be aware that this Untagged Loops folder only appears once a file is added to the Untagged Loops browser).

First, navigate one Finder window to the Untagged Loops Browser and another Finder window to the loop(s) to be added;

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial music files
Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial Audio wave file

Next, make sure to Command + C to copy the loop, then Command + V to paste it into the Untagged Loops folder.  This is best practice and will guarantee that the only copy of the file doesn’t permanently move to the Untagged Loops folder and vacate its original location.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial music files

The individual loop now appears next to the previously added folder in the Untagged Loops tab.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial files in folder

Method Three: Drag and Drop

Drag a loop or folder containing loops into the Untagged Loops tab of the Loop Browser.  Note: The Untagged Loops tab will not be visible until loops have been added using one of the previous two methods.  Also, be aware that this will permanently move the file to the Untagged Loops folder and vacate its original location.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial multiple windows

The loop now appears in the Untagged Loops tab. If you are still having trouble with these three steps, consider finding a music production mentor who can help make the experience less frustrating.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial Window files

Workflow

Auditioning at Project Tempo

In order to audition the loop at the project’s tempo, right-click in the Untagged Loops tab and select Preview > At Project Tempo from the shortcut menu.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial preview tempo project

Click on the file or on the play button at the bottom of the Loop Browser to audition.  Adjust the volume slider accordingly.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial timeline beatwave

Adding to Tracks in the Workspace

After auditioning the loop at the project’s bpm, create an audio track to host the new loop being added to the workspace.  Important: In the region inspector, make sure that Flex & Follow is turned on!

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial Audio window default
Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial Audio window

Next, drap the loop from the Untagged Loops browser to the audio track.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial files positioning wave

Logic will prompt an option to view the loop in Smart Editor.  This is not necessary unless you desire to adjust which transients are landing on a particular bar or beat. As a note of inspiration, anyone with training, practice, and drive can create professional sound on a moderate budget. Understanding the tools of our trade is the first step in that process!

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial edit downbeat show

The loop is now active on the audio track in the workspace.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial song beatwave

Removing Loops and Folders

To remove a folder, right-click and select “Remove from Untagged Loops”.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial remove from box

To remove an individual loop, navigate to Music > Audio Music Apps > Untagged Loops.  Delete the loop to be removed.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial app files

Refresh the Loops browser by closing it and opening it again.  The individual loop has been removed.

Logic Pro X Apple Untagged Loops tutorial files

A Note About Artifacts

Artifacts are the audible result of overstretching audio (time and/or pitch).  These artifacts are present in any DAW, plug-in or piece of software that performs these functions.  The difference between the algorithms of each program dictates how far the file can be stretched before artifacting. This is where Apple Loops are superior to all: they are specially encoded to stretch further than any other sort of audio file or signal.  That being acknowledged, The Untagged Loops option is a more organized, efficient approach to incorporating loops, sounds and samples into your production, as opposed to drag-and-dropping audio files into the workspace and then Option + dragging the region to the downbeat of a bar.

Building a library of Untagged Loops is an efficient way to increase speed and accuracy.  Less time waiting and guessing always leads to productive and creative decision-making, which is the backbone of professional record production.

Authors

Doug Fenske – Director of Education
Alex Flores – Campus Manager

Crē•8 Music Academy provides four music production courses through a unique partnership with Westlake Recording Studios (Rihanna, The Weeknd, Michael Jackson, Adele).

Contact Us

Activate your musical instincts and learn to use Untagged Loops, Flex Pitch, and Tracks Stacks in our ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives and find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

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The Future of Top 40 1024 546 Crē•8 Music Academy

The Future of Top 40

Curriculum of timeless recording techniques and latest technologies Includes Sonarworks Reference 4

Crē•8 Music Academy Trains the Next Generation of Pop Music Producers

Los Angeles, March 13, 2019 –When Al Machera and Steve Burdick, the owners of Westlake Recording Studios in West Hollywood, first conceived of Crē•8 Music Academy in 2014 they knew just who to call to help craft the curriculum. Record producer and recording/mixing engineer Doug Fenske had already made a name in the industry, based on his session work with high-profile artists like Bruno Mars, Britney Spears, John Legend, and Quincy Jones, among many others, plus a string of successful albums — including Frank Ocean’s Channel ORANGE, for which Fenske Received a Grammy nod — and had become a sought-after music education instructor in L.A.

Based on Westlake’s storied history as ground zero for some of the most celebrated records of the 20th century the focus of the curriculum was obvious. “I kept coming back to the same question,” Fenske says, “‘Why don’t we teach what’s already been successful in these walls for all these decades?’” Thus, a pop-focused curriculum was created — distilling the best production techniques from the history of recorded music.

Crē•8_Studio used by music producer students and instructors

Next-Generation Pop Production

Westlake Recording Studios has played host to a star-studded artist roster since its founding in the early 1970s, including the likes of Michael Jackson, Madonna, Rihanna, and Adele. Crē•8 Music Academy follows in this legacy by teaching its student producers time-tested production techniques to bring the music they love to a larger audience. Focusing on what Fenske calls “the five foremost sub-genres of popular music: organic, electronic, urban, singer-songwriter and rock,” which he says are cyclical, Crē•8 defines “Pop” as any music meant for commerce.

Top-of-the-Line Technology

Each course at Crē•8 Music Academy consists of 15 hours of in-depth classroom instruction, including hands-on projects, access to the academy’s recording studio, new production workstations and published course materials. The courses — titled Initi•8, Activ•8, Stimul•8 and Liber•8 — build a foundation of relevant production skills, encompassing commercial composition and arrangement, creative DAW operation, professional vocal production, synthesizers and sound selection, as well as mixing and mastering. Although many classic techniques are taught, Fenske is quick to point out that the school is always on the look-out for the latest in studio technology so that students can stay ahead of the curve. “Twice a year we go in and make sure that everything is fresh, and we’re always looking into new tech to make sure that we’re on top of what could be the next great tool in our toolbox.”

Future Top 40 Producers

The courses are held in the on-campus studio and lab, which houses 10 workstations, each of which has a Mac Mini, Kensington Trackball, Apogee Pro Tools Duet and an M-Audio Oxygen 49 MIDI controller. Every lab computer has over 500 GB of music production software, including Logic Pro X, Pro Tools 2018, Melodyne, AutoTune, Vocalign, Omnisphere 2.6, Serum, Komplete, Gold Baby 808 instruments, EVOXA, and more, while studio hardware includes JBL LSR308 speakers, Summit mic preamps and compressors, a vocal booth and an array of microphones for recording any vocals or pieces of instrumentation. The last class of the final course, Liber•8, teaches mixing in one of Westlake Recording Studios’ control rooms.

Cre8 Music Academy Music producer Instructor

Reaching the Masses

The ability for student producers to make a mix translate to any set of speakers is essential to the curriculum. For that reason, Fenske — who uses Sonarworks Reference 4 in his own session work — brought the software plugin into Crē•8 Music Academy’s classrooms three years ago and it has quickly become a key tool. “For starters, I’ll run Reference across the stereo BUS during active listening experiences to ensure we have balanced audio in the room,” Fenske explains. “We then can make critical observations about the sound during our discussion.” From there, Reference is a key part of the mixing process. “Mix translation goes hand-in-hand with the production tactics we teach,” Fenske says. “We want our songs to be able to be consumed by the hi-fi head, as well as the average person driving down the street in an Accord.”

For additional information about the Future of Top 40 Music Producers, visit https://sonarworks.hummingbirdmedia.com/

Media Contact:

Steve Bailey
Hummingbird Media, Inc.
+1 (508) 596-9321
steve@hummingbirdmedia.com

Jeff Touzeau
Hummingbird Media, Inc.
+1 (914) 602-2913
jeff@hummingbirdmedia.com

Contact Us

Activate your musical instincts and learn to use Untagged Loops, Flex Pitch, and Tracks Stacks in our ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives and find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

  • (Non-United States Inquiries Please Include Country Code)

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Making the Most of a Mentor

A mentor’s experience can serve as a template, their knowledge can be a source of perspective and their connections may serve as gateways … if you hold up your end of the relationship.

IN THE MUSIC BIZ, who you know is often as important as what you know. Talent and drive are invariably crucial components to a successful career, but without the proper connections, opportunities and guidance, many music creators will fall short of their full potential. For this reason, more and more aspiring musicians can benefit from working with a mentor, who could be anyone from a celebrity musician, to a family friend who works in the industry, or just someone who really knows their stuff. A mentor can benefit an endeavoring professional in a number of ways — their experience can serve as a template for a developing career, their knowledge can be a source of perspective on subjects that would otherwise seem unclear to one who hasn’t yet “traveled the path,” and their connections may serve as gateways to a larger industry network.

Mentor Teaching music production to students

Attending ASCAP EXPO

At each ASCAP EXPO, industry masters hold personalized one-on-one sessions with attendees. We spoke with a few who were there in 2018 about how to make the most of a mentor in the music industry.

GRAMMY-nominated producer and engineer Doug Fenske is the Director of Education at Crē•8 Music Academy, a professional music production school based in the heart of West Hollywood. The academy offers courses in conjunction with the legendary Westlake Recording Studio, and since the school’s inception has placed enormous emphasis on mentoring aspiring music industry creatives through their career development. Fenske is well aware of the abundance of resources and platforms for collaboration online, but still preaches the benefits, and even indispensability, of having a mentor. He says that having someone give you the ins and outs “cuts years off of [inevitable] trial and error.” Having experienced it himself, Fenske recalls how much time and effort can be preserved by steering clear of unknown dangers. “People who have more experience in the music industry…are the ones who can guide aspiring individuals through the process and help them to avoid some of those pitfalls.” In an industry where unique, niche artists are so prevalent, personalizing the process of finding an audience is of utmost importance.

One-on-one mentoring sessions for the 2019 EXPO

are currently available on a limited basis at ascap.com/expo

Al Machera, Fenske’s colleague and Campus Director at Crē•8, says that an essential component of making the most of a mentor is finding an appropriate fit. According to Machera, finding someone with a compatible personality is important, as you should feel com comfortable working and speaking with your mentor day to day. “A good mentor is able to move with you. It’s not just a business relationship. It’s a personal relationship.” Regardless of how well-connected or experienced a mentor may be, ease of communication should always be a top priority. The best mentor is someone who takes an interest in and has an understanding of your personal needs and goals. Machera believes that not only should a good mentor’s experiences align with the aspirations for your career, but he/ she should have a genuine interest in your craft and be willing to put in the time and energy it takes to see you succeed. He highly recommends asking a series of questions to determine if someone is going to be a good fit: “What kind of person are they aside from the business? Are they enthusiastic about what they do? Are they going to be completely honest with you?” It’s important to seek out someone who can inspire — but it’s constructive criticism that you need.

After Finding a Suitable Mentor

Once you think you’ve found a suitable mentor, they then need to be convinced that you’re worth their time. There are ways to stand out and demonstrate your potential. As Fenske explains, most mentors are looking for someone who is going to take their advice seriously. “As long as you are a driven individual, regardless of where you’re at in the arc of your career, a mentor will want to [take you on] because they recognize that…you really want to be a true professional.” Fenske says mentors understand that career development is a process that takes time. No one expects you to develop overnight, but you have to show that you’re dedicated to your craft. And keep in mind, even if you are already a professional, you may benefit by working with

Mike Ramsey, Director of Artist and Career Services at Hollywood’s Musicians Institute, has guided hundreds of students throughout their careers in the music industry. He gave us a few strategies for you to use in your next session. First, be ready and willing to step outside of your comfort zone; one of the central reasons for working with a mentor is to come up with new experiences and ideas that you may not have considered before. Next, listen to the mentor’s past mistakes and learn how to avoid similar situations. As Fenske pointed out, your time is highly valuable and it is important to learn exactly how to make the most of it. Your mentor’s time is valuable as well, so make sure to be prepared for any interactions, think through your positions, and express yourself as succinctly as possible. Finally, you get out of it what you put into it. It’s important to show that you value the relationship with your mentor and are ready to invest the time and effort to make the partnership a success.

One-on-one mentoring sessions for the 2019 EXPO are currently available on a limited basis at ascap.com/expo

Author

Carine Kowalik. At the board, Doug Fenske, Director of Education at Crē•8 Music Academy.

Crē•8 Music Academy provides four music production courses through a unique partnership with Westlake Recording Studios (Rihanna, The Weeknd, Michael Jackson, Adele).

Contact Us

Activate your musical instincts and learn to use Untagged Loops, Flex Pitch, and Tracks Stacks in our ACTIV•8 music production course at Crē•8 Music Academy. Click here or fill out the form below to start a conversation with one of our highly trained admissions representatives and find out how we can help YOU take your music to the next level.

  • (Non-United States Inquiries Please Include Country Code)

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Interview with Doug Fenske (February, 2019) 1024 683 Crē•8 Music Academy

Interview with Doug Fenske (February, 2019)

In part two of a two-part interview, Crē•8 Music Academy’s Director of Education Doug Fenske discusses gear, studios and analog versus digital.

Cre8 Music Academy Music producer Instructor

What’s the biggest misconception about what you do?

Have you heard about the magic plug-in that creates a perfect performance, mix or master? Nope, neither have I. My job is to make the existing performance and song the best it can be, but nothing exists that will fix a recording, performance or mix that is not up to par. Knowing what is (and isn’t) possible in a recording studio is an important trait for a prospective client to possess.

What’s your typical work process?

For vocals, I like to start with the lead vocal first.  It’s the most important element in any song that is meant to be successful.  Assuming the vocal has been comped, I will tune the entire lead vocal using Melodyne. Upon client’s request, I will Melodyne the background vocals too, but this process is very time-consuming and usually yields a result that is “too perfect”.  For that reason, most background vocals are tuned using very specific Auto-Tune settings.  For songs and sessions in which the vocal is meant to artifact (the famous T-Pain sound), I suggest that the client dials in their own Auto-Tune settings and delivers the session to me in that way.  Finally, the stacked background vocals are aligned to one another, creating a tight, unanimous finished product.

For mixing, either digital or analog, the approach is the same. The fundamental elements of the song, which are most important to the song’s creative intent, are mixed first.  Next, the most important supporting elements are added. Finally, the small, detailed pieces of instrumentation are added on top of everything else. Most mix engineers follow a similar order of operations: apply dynamic effects, apply time-based effects, set levels, adjust effects if necessary and perform automation. From that perspective, my process is not much different.  However, the main difference between a digital and analog mix is the song passing through plug-ins versus iron, wire, tubes and circuitry. The sonic difference between these two processes is palpable.

Tell us about your studio setup.

All of my work is performed at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles (Rihanna, The Weeknd, Adele and many more).  The studio has a rich, 45+ year legacy of producing critically and commercially successful songs.  There are seven studios with consoles that include two SSL 9000 K series, two SSL 9000 J series, an SSL 4000 G and two SSL AWS 900+ desks.  Westlake is loaded with outboard gear as well. Some of my favorite dynamic and time-based units are: UREI/Universal Audio Blackface 1176, Teletronix LA-IIA, Neve 33609, Emperical Labs Distressor, dbx 160 VU, GML 8200, Avalon 2055, Lexicon 480L, Eventide H3000 and the Lexicon PCM42.

If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

Does the desert island have power? An SSL 9000 J, Blackface 1176, Teletronix LA-IIA, Lexicon 480L and an Eventide H3000. That would give me, or anyone else, everything they need to polish their tropical, desert island inspiration 🙂

Cre8 Music Academy Music producer Instructor

Analog or digital and why?

Both.  Why would someone ever reject either side?  They are both tools of our trade. Some sounds and plug-ins are meant to “sound digital”, such as anything from Serum or the Waves H-Delay.  These synths and plug-ins should be allowed to be what they are meant to be.  Putting a wavetable synth though a vintage, analog tube compressor does not yield a desirable result.  It sounds confused.

On the other side, plug-ins that are meant to emulate vintage, analog gear can be left alone as long as the actual analog gear is available. If a real 1176 is available, I would reach for that every time before I would reach for any sort of plug-in version.

Finally, I do not advise any attempt to replicate a digital plug-in with analog hardware.  I mentioned the Waves H-Delay. There are settings in that plug-in that are just not replicable by my favorite analog delay unit (the Lexicon PCM 42).  I would never remove H-Delay and try to replace it with the PCM 42 (and vice versa). Allow the gear to be the gear, whether it be digital or analog, and adjust your expectations accordingly.

Cre8 Music Academy Music producer Instructor

Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

I am most known for my contribution to Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange.  I am certainly proud of this work, as it yielded me a GRAMMY-nomination.  The session consisted of myself, Frank and André 3000. If you would like to know the entire story, feel free to continue reading and excerpt from a feature column I wrote for Music Connection below. ••

I had personal plans for the evening on March 8th, 2012. Around 6pm I received a phone call from Steve Burdick. Steve is the owner/operator at Westlake Recording Studios and the phone call went something like this:

Me: “Hey Steve.”

Steve: “Doug, I have 3000 coming in to Studio C at 8pm and I need a veteran.”

Me: “Done. I’m on my way.”

That was all I needed to hear in order to break my plans: a session with André 3000. I got dressed, hopped in the car, grabbed a Red Bull on my way and arrived 45 minutes prior to downbeat. After entering the studio I asked the 2nd engineer, Matt Brownlee, to set up a vocal chain of a Sony C800G/Neve 1073/Summit TLA-100. I chose this chain because:

  • C800 gives me a bright, detailed tone
  • The 1073 provides rich, crisp harmonics and gain
  • The TLA-100 has a nice, thick tube sound and really warms up the voice

Andre arrived solo and we exchanged pleasantries. He told me that the session was actually a feature for a songwriter named Frank Ocean and that Frank was to arrive soon, so Andre and I talked shop for a bit while we waited. During this time, Andre handed me a hard drive and said, “Can you open the session called Pink Matter?” I pulled up the session, imported my vocal template and we took a brief listen. When playback arrived at his verse he said, “Okay, I already cut some vocals and I want to use the same mic.” When I asked which microphone he used, he responded “an SM57.” As my mind silently spoke words that are not appropriate for this column, I verbalized “sure, no problem at all.” I instructed Matt to replace the gorgeous C800 with the 57 in the existing vocal chain.

Frank arrived solo a short time later (I have been fortunate enough to have sat in many studio power triangles over the years). Everyone assumed their position, with Frank behind the console, me behind the computer and Andre in the booth. I dialed in the vocal chain and heard a surprising result: the vocal crossed the professional threshold and didn’t sound bad! We started recording, but like any session, it was not without a speed bump or two. I’m known for being nimble behind the Pro Tools rig, but we were having some buffer and latency issues, probably due to a preference from the previous session. I was able to manage the issues and finish cutting the vocal, albeit a bit slower than normal. The session wrapped successfully, including a full preview of Channel ORANGE, and we all went on our respective ways.

With regard to the purpose of this writing, what can we take away from this story from a microphones perspective? First thing is first: purchasing an SM57 and wiring it to a $500 interface will not fetch a GRAMMY nomination. Bear in mind that this 57 was put through a fantastic mic pre and compressor, so its sonic characteristics were greatly enhanced. Having an incredible artist on the other side of the 57 certainly goes a long way as well.

What is safe to say is that while the microphone is a very important part of the input chain, the other components (pre and compressor) matter greatly. A microphone that isn’t necessarily designed for vocal recording can be enhanced enough by a high-level vocal chain to be useable on a voice.

Cre8 Music Academy Music producer Instructor
Interview with Doug Fenske (January, 2019) 1024 683 Crē•8 Music Academy

Interview with Doug Fenske (January, 2019)

In part one of a two-part interview, Crē•8 Music Academy’s Director of Education Doug Fenske discusses a broad, wide-ranging array of topics.  Skillset, inspiration, approach and client relations are discussed in part one. Check our blog for part two soon, when Doug provides advice and discussion about gear, studios and analog versus digital.

Cre8 Music Academy Music producer Instructor

What do you bring to a song?

Experience.  I bring 13 years of high-level record production experience to each and every song. This is particularly important when things don’t go according to plan.  When things go wrong or take an unanticipated turn, understanding how to adjust approaches and procedures in order to secure the end result is the definition of an experienced professional.

What’s your strongest skill?

My strongest skill is delivery.  I’ve become known as a “finisher”, in the sense that I know what it takes to nail a deadline with results that meet, surpass or exceed expectations.  Finishing a record essentially boils down to making decisions. Having the experience and the foresight to efficiently and accurately make those decisions directly contributes to a working professional’s ability to finish and deliver.

What type of music do you usually work on?

I usually work on anything that is meant for commerce. In its traditional sense, this means “pop” music….”pop” being an abbreviation for popular.  Pop music has five foremost sub-genres: organic, electronic, urban, rock and singer/songwriter. I am well-versed in all of these sub-genres of popular music and know how to maximize their viability.

 

What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

The way I listen…I like to call it “The Circle of Listening”. Say, for example, that I hear a song that is written very well.  I’ll research other songs in that writer’s catalog on AllMusic.com and listen to several of them. While listening, I may be inspired by the mix on one of those songs.  Then I will research and listen to that mix engineer’s work. During that time, I may run across a record that was produced well, so I will dig in to that producer’s catalog.  I may stumble upon a song that was written well while listening to the producer’s catalog, and the circle continues.

What questions do you ask prospective clients?

Communication is paramount to obtaining successful results. However, there is not always a “shared language” between professional and client.  I begin with questions about the desired sonic texture of the vocal and/or mix, followed by a request for a reference or target song. After the prospective client’s response, I generally ask a couple clarifying questions to verify that we are on the same page moving forward.  

How can we achieve the same result for less money?

This is a challenging one, but is not impossible to answer. For the most part, I spend a lot of time cleaning up vocal tracks before tuning or building entire Pro Tools sessions before mixing.  Hence, the less time I spend preparing, the more time I can spend working. If the client is able to accurately prepare tracks or DAW sessions and deliver them as such, I can turn over work more quickly, which saves on the budget as a result.  

Cre8 Music Academy Music producer Instructor

Can you share one music production tip?

Since we have been speaking mostly about vocals and mixing, one piece of music production advice would be to not over-orchestrate your songs.  The DAW will allow us to voice 512 tracks – that doesn’t mean that we should use all of them!  Overcrowding the stereo bus with elements that don’t support the song causes two problems: it interferes with the intelligibility of the lead vocal and can become distracting to the listener.  

The most important part of any song for commerce is the lead vocal.  Songs that have an instrument, effect or element that occur too frequently, clash with the rest of the instrumentation or compete for attention with the vocal rarely become successful.  This is especially true for mid-range instrumentation, including an overdose of synths, guitars, FX or the like.

Remember to serve the song.

How would you describe your style?

I would describe my style as detailed and sophisticated. That’s not to say that I don’t know how to allow a raw, emotional performance to remain as such.  But I know how to enhance, flatter and properly feature the most important elements of a song. There are myriad processes that are involved to make sure the final version of a song maintains its original creative intent.

Cre8 Music Academy Music producer Instructor

Which artist would you like to work with and why?

Although I have been fortunate enough to have worked with many artists of which I am a fan, I would love to work on any project with Justin Timberlake.  In my youth, I rejected his style of music.  He and I are only one year apart in age. However, as I matured, I noticed his records doing the same.  Now, he stands as a critically respected, commercially successful, career artist. The list of artists who meet those three criteria is short.  I connect with his music and message.

What advice do you have for aspiring creatives who are looking to hire a professional?

I would advise to do your research!  Examine the music industry professional’s catalog.  Does their previous work and experience seem like something that would lend itself well to your project?  You already whole-heartedly believe in your project and are prepared to commit time and money in order to see it through to the finish line.  Shouldn’t you be just as diligent in the hiring process as you were during writing and production? Ask yourself honest questions about what kind of professional would nurture your creativity and help to create the best possible version of your song.

What questions do clients most commonly ask?

Most common questions:

Where in the song should I stack my vocals?

Any place where more instrumentation enters, but the sound of the vocal should remain thick.  Remember not to over-stack and be sure to make them tight and unanimous.

How many lead vocal take should I perform?

As many as it takes.  For some artists, four or five takes is enough.  For others, it’s more like 24 or 25. Either one is completely acceptable, as long as all of the elements of the song are present in the DAW session and performed properly.

Where should I get food in LA?

The late-night LA recording studio staple is definitely Bossa Nova.  Brazilian food, open until 3:30AM on weekends 🙂

What do you like most about your job?

The greatest reward of my life is starting with a blank DAW session and ending up with a finished product that has been properly registered, distributed and consumed.  The feeling is difficult to describe, but it lives somewhere between achievement, vulnerability, excitement, tension, anticipation and gratification. Fortunately, I get to repeat that process over and over for a living.  There is literally nothing else in the world that is comparable. It is my entire existence.

What are you working on at the moment?

Fortunately, I have reached the point in my career as to where I can work on my own terms.  Even though I have a wide catalog of work with major-label artists, I have always had a deep affinity for independents.  We are at a great moment in time as an industry for that, as the collective success of all indies has begun to outweigh the major labels due to advancements in distribution platforms and technology.  With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that I am currently working with independent artists, some of which are start-up. Crafting their first pieces of creativity from scratch, and setting the tone for their entire brand, is very rewarding for me.