SXSW sampler torrent

Hey, music fans, the people behind SXSW have served up a tasty treat just for us. In order to help promote the event, the various showcases, and the artists involved, they've posted a giant torrent (direct link) in the SXSW Toolbox.

This the first torrent in what I suspect will be a two-part set. They did the same thing last year (and maybe the year before—does anyone remember?) and it was a pretty popular download. I grabbed it and discovered quite a few bands I like because of it, one of which is the beloved Sound Team, who I saw at the excellent Kuyahoga Music Festival last summer. Listen to new music!!

eMedia for education

For years eMedia has made it easier for computer-savvy individuals to learn to play music with their award-winning multimedia music method software. I've checked out a few of their titles and I have some friends who've used it to learn guitar and drums. It moves at a nice pace and is affordable, with a single title being comparable to a round of lessons with a professional instructor.

Now eMedia has gone and gotten all charitable while furthering the cause of rock 'n' roll at the same time, which in my book deserves some kudos. The company donated a bunch of music software, namely their Guitar Method, Rock Guitar Method, Bass Method and the super-easy-to-use Band in a Box music software app to the Seattle-area Rock School. Rock School is a non-profit school with several locations around Seattle that gives its students a chance to learn about music and creativity. And thanks to eMedia, their curriculum just got a little more high tech. If you're betwen ages 12 to 21, live in Seattle, and are ready to get in touch with your inner Angus Young, then there's a school just for you.

Better hearing through science

Now THIS is cool. Suffering from hearing loss? If, like me, you've spent most of your life playing music—LOUD music—chances are pretty good your ears have been damaged and your hearing has slipped a bit. Thanks to modern stem-cell technology and old-fashioned electricity, scientists may have found a way to reverse hearing loss.

The funny thing about this article though, is that the writer discovered it isn't the traditional sources of hearing loss which fueled this research. No, it's something much more recent: the iPod. It's the audio equivalent of teenage gamers with carpal tunnel syndrome, a medical issue normally associated with middle-aged office workers. Let's not forget, though, that just as in the case of CTS, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Let's turn down the volume, folks. Like the world really needs more noise.

Get educated on the tube

YouTube, that is. Seems you can find just about anything on YouTube.com. It's especially nice for musicians and music fans as there is a ton of musical content scattered across the millions of videos the site hosts. Now Cakewalk has joined the fray with their own dedicated music software channel.

The company's videos are mostly focused on SONAR and range from general overview type stuff to tutorials on things like setting up your PC for audio and MIDI recording.

Hopefully this encourages other music software manufacturers to start their own channels. I'd love to see it. If you feel the same, make sure you voice that opinion to your favorite manufacturers, even just by emailing Musical Machines. I'll try to make sure your message ends up in the appropriate hands.

Bonnaroo line up posted

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival (didn't know the full name, did you?) has posted their initial list of bands slated to play this summer. The 2007 line up is chock-full of musical goodness. Get your MasterCard or Visa ready, folks. You'll pay anywhere from $184.50 to $214.50, depending upon how quickly you buy. I'm not slagging the prices, either. Two hundred bones for three days of music and fun is a good deal. No pushing or shoving in line, folks . . .

Warner Loves Last.fm

Punknews.org is reporting that Last.fm has signed a deal with Warner Music that will allow users to listen to the label's entire music catalog online.

The music will be fed through a stream (no downloading, you naughty kids) and Last.fm account holders will be able to use the site's cool search tools to discover new music in the Warner catalog. Could be a win-win.

How to record good electric guitar sounds

There's a treasure trove of information stored on the various websites Musician's Friend runs which isn't very visible to the general public. Unless you know it's there, you'd probably never find it. From time to time I'll highlight some of these articles and help spread the wealth.

Guitar Miking: Getting a Great Guitar Sound is an article by the skilled Barry Rudolph. If you're unfamiliar with Barry, some of his credits include work on gold and platinum records by musicians such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Corrs, Waylon Jennings, Mick Jagger, Jon Bon Jovi, and The Beach Boys. Trust me, you're in good hands.

If you've ever struggled with getting the guitar sound you want for your recordings, check out this two-part article. It deals chiefly with speakers and mic positioning, delivering some basics on each and divulging some of Barry's favorite, tried-and-true techniques. There's a lot of voodoo out there on recording electric guitars but Mr. Rudolph slices through it with his practical, experience-honed take on the subject.

For more infomation on guitar miking and recording in general, check out Cherry Lane's DVD Miking Guitars In The Studio, Hal Leonard's Professional Microphone Techniques, or Hal Leonard's The Recording Guitarist.

For those just getting started in recording, check out books like Hal Leonard's Musician's Home Recording Handbook, Making The Ultimate Demo, The Desktop Studio, or Berklee Press' Recording and Producing In The Home Studio.