Spoken Word Beats Arrives!!

We're esctatic and could not be happier for our sister company. They have a great team of producers and creative staff. We wish them all the success and we encourage all of our fans and customers to visit them spokenwordbeats.com

Spoken Word artists, we know you're hot but spice it up a little bit with your performances, stay unpredictable. That keeps the audience coming and guessing. Perhaps you might try some music occasionally. Hmmmm wherever could you find some?
Spokenwordbeats & Trackmasterz

Indie Artists Beware of Non-Approved Production Companies

Not all production companies are industry approved so it's best to verify. GOOGLE the name of the company and their producers to see their discography, reputation, customer reviews, and client roster. Always use an industry approved production company, even if it's not trackmasterz.

Best wishes Indie artists.

Scott Storch's Studio Equipment

We already coined Scott Storch to be a linear producer with his infectious melodies. So how does Storch concoct such contagious tracks? Take a look at what we found out from Remix magazines' interview.


Scott Storch's Studio

Akai MPC2000XL, MPC3000

E-mu Vintage Pro sound module

Novation SuperNova synth

Roland XV-5080 sound module (2)

Soundart Chameleon audio DSP engine

Studio Electronics SE-1 sound module

Yamaha Motif synth

Digidesign's Pro Tools


According to the atricle Storch leaves the software side and recording (i.e Pro Tools and microphones) to is audio engineer. You can read the rest of the Remix interview at the link below:

http://remixmag.com/artists/remix_captain_contagious/index.html

Timbaland's Studio Equipment

Over the years Timbaland has become one of the most dominant music producers in the world. Go to any country and chances are somebody knows who you're talking about when you say Timbaland. How does he do it? Timbaland does not let too many secrets out, but we do know some of his equipment he's used in the past. The inventory list we have came after an interview with Remix magazine.


Timbaland's Suggested Studio Inventory:

Korg Triton and a Yamaha Motif 7
Ensoniq ASR-10 (Kanye West and the Neptunes have this as well--it's a discontinued
keyboard that samples)

Yamaha NS10s for monitoring
Neumann U 87 mic, a UREI 1176 compressor and a Neve 1076 preamp for microphones
Digidesign Pro Tools
VSTi software synths

You can read interview with Remix magazine in depth at the link below:
http://remixmag.com/artists/remix_wideopen_spaces/index.html

How to Pick Which Program to Produce Music With

Aspiring music producers,
There are hundreds of software programs and tons production equipment. How do you choose which one? The answer is right between your eyes. Whatever works best for you!! JayZ has used tracks made on an AKAI MPC 2000 from Kanye West. JayZ has also used tracks made using Pro Tools, AKAI MPC, and other various sound modules/key boards from Timbaland. Kanye West does not use any computer software. Timbaland uses both computer software and studio hardware. Both these producers are Grammy winners and nominees. It does not matter what you use, but what you produce. Is the track hot? Can people hear it? Can they feel it? Than it's all good. Pick what works best for you.

New Rendition of Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain"

The female producer dubbed as "the female Timbaland" (Jamille Luney) produced a rendition of Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain". It's not only impressive in instrumentation, it's amazing someone her age knows anything about the great Lady Day. We've been told Luney is an avid Billie Holiday fan (it's stated on her MySpace).

To hear Jamille's rendition of "Don't Explain" visit her MySpace
http://myspace.com/jamilleluney

Interview With Major A&R's

We came across an interview with four major A&R's on allhiphop.com. The A&R's interviewed include Lenny S. Vice (Vice President of A&R at Rocafella/Def Jam since 1996), Riggs Morales (Senior Director of A&R for Shady Records), Jason Mazur (A&R Coordinator/Scout at TVT Records), and Kenny Scalido AKA Tick (Director of A&R at Warner Brothers Records).

You can read the interview at: http://allhiphop.com/blogs/breedingground/archive/2007/08/03/18355030.aspx

Learning Music Production For Free

If you want to learn music production but do not have much free time or money, check out http://tweakheadz.com. This site is incredible and free.

Free Sound Samples

You can never have enough sounds samples if you're a music producer. Here are a few sites that provide free sound samples. We'll keep adding as we find more (that are reputable).

http://www.canadianmusicartists.com/samples.html
(if using windows you have to right click and open the sound file in new window)


http://www.kara-moon.com/index.php?modid=mod02&l_submenu_id=m001_02_02
(this page offers different formats i.e wave file, Reason file, Kotakt, etc..)


http://www.tweakheadz.com/patches.html
(this page offers patches for different programs)

Buying Music For Your Demo

If you do not produce music visit us, Trackmasterz, and pick from our selection of tracks. Every track has been approved by Def Jam production teams for quality and creativity. However, we do not offer a wide selection. We produce tracks that are industry approved. Ask any A&R if they've heard of Trackmasterz and they'll tell you "YES" and recommend us for your demo.

How To Make Your Demo Properly

Millions of people are making demos, but only thousands are making good demos. Jennifer Lopez cannot sing, but she made a hell of a demo and Sony liked it!! Her vocal performance was non-existent, but the production and song structure masked her imperfections.

The first step in making a demo or recording is picking or creating the music. If you're into creating music then go ahead and make your track. The most important aspect you should be concerned with is the "mix". After you finish producing the track visit your local Wal-Mart, Best Buy, or Circuit City and play your music on as many different stereo systems as you can (don't forget your car as well). If it sounds muffled or unclear on more than one system (cheap or expensive) go back to the studio. Cheap stereos are great for testing your mix on. There is a famous saying among audio engineers: "if you can make it sound good on a cheap system, it will sound even better on an expensive one". Try listening to your tracks on a variety of systems, expensive and cheap.


Buying Music for Your Demo

If you do not produce music visit us, Trackmasterz, and pick from our selection of tracks. Every track has been approved by Def Jam production teams in terms of quality and creativity. However, we do not offer a wide selection. We produce tracks that are industry approved. Ask any A&R if they've heard of Trackmasterz and they'll tell you "YES" and recommend us for your demo.


Picking a Recording Studio

Finally, pick a studio. If your in NC or Florida, we do partner with studios in those areas so send us an email at trackmaster@trackmasterz.com .
Here are some tips for choosing a recording studio.

The most commonly overlooked and forgotten rule of shopping
*****ASK TO HEAR SAMPLES OF THEIR WORK*****

1. $50/hr for a demo recording ($100 if you're recording a live band)

2. Engineer and mix should be included in price

3. Meet the Engineer and see if you like him/her (IMPORTANT)

4. You should be allowed to sit-in on the mix session

5. Make sure it is agreed you will not pay until you like the final mix.

6. Let them hear the track. If you purchased a track from us use the wave file version (not mp3, sound engineers want wave files).

7. Many engineers will try and tell you they need each individual sound seperately to make an accurate mix. They just want you to spend more money!! Remember more time in their studio = more money for them If your track was mixed properly there is no need for each individual part!! The stereo wave file of the track is more than adequate. Ask any record label A&R if it's necessary. They'll say "as long as it souds good". A&R's have no no interests in how you made the music, they just want to find the next Justin Timberlake and make MONEY!!!


They are going to try to stiff you on the engineer and mix charges. More than likely they will try to get you to make the music in their studio. Just say "No thanks, I'm going to continue to shop around" and they'll either give in or let you walk. No harm no foul. It's a rough economy so more than likely they will give in. Most of the producers at Trackmasterz were or are studio engineers. We know all the tricks.


The Bottom Line

Your demo a catchy hook (chorus), catchy beat (trackmasterz or you), some good easy to follow song structure and lyrics, and a good mix so you can hear everything clearly. If J-Lo can do it so can you!!

Customer Feedback

Trackmasterz tracks are respected in the industry. The production quality is excellent and the price is even better. One customer wrote:


"thanks, sent off my demo to an A&R and they loved it, downside they want me to drop fifty pounds before they'll consider signing me. You guys really are trackmasterz!! Can you make me a diet too?"

Lori Griffiths



Lori,
congrats!!! We're all pulling for you. Sorry we don't do diets, just be strong. That's how we got in this business and it takes faith and strength to survive. Thanks for the feedback Lori.


We have had some negative feedback, but nothing we could not resolve. Trackmasterz makes every effort to satisfy its customers.



"I bought a couple beats off you guys. When I took it to the studio, the engineer said he needed the individual tracks of each sound? What am I supposed to do with this beat, how the hell do I make a demo."

--disgruntled customer , NC



Disgruntled customer,
We apologize for the inconvenience you are going through. We do not provide individual tracks because there is a copyright royalty issue with reselling and redistributing sound files, banks, or loops. You can sell them within a creative work or song such as we are doing. Other companies may sell them individually but they are taking a huge legal risk and in short breaking the law.

We do have a solution though. Based off of your invoice we noticed you are in Raleigh, NC. Our executive producer, Jamille Luney, worked with sound engineers at Osceola Recording Studios located in Raleigh, NC. Osceola Studios has recorded Da Brat, Ludicrous, Tony Braxton, Little Brother, you name it. Osceola will be happy to work with you and we will pay for the five hours of your recording session. Again we are sorry for the inconvenience.

This may help you in the future: many of our employees are or were at some point audio engineers and the first rule of thumb in audio engineering is to please the customer (in a studio business setting of course). The audio engineer you were using was wrong. As long as nothing is distorted, and the mix is excellent (we check our mixes on over 100 different sound systems of all types of quality) the beat can be used and recorded over. More than likely he or she was trying to get you to schedule a separate session in an effort to make more money.


Customer Response

"Thanks so much,
Mark, NC
P.S he did suggest making the track in the studio "

Jamille Luney is the Next Missy Elliot

There is a new female producer on the rise and her name is Jamille Luney. Our last post ranked the current mainstream producers. However, there were no females on the list!! With the exception of Missy who else is there? We've heard that Alicia Keys produces her own music, but we'd like to hear that from the mouths of the sound engineers that worked on her projects. If they say she produced it herself than she did. If not, hmmm....... Make no mistake, Jamille Luney produces every sound herself (with the help of Propellerhead's Reason).

Luney, 26, has worked with Alfred Gaines (aka AJ, new producer for Def Jam), Dexter Redding (son of legendary singer Otis Redding), and Alex Teamer (produced new gospel sensation"Izzy" Israel Bell). Jamille's first roommate after moving to Florida was Danielle Renee (former vocalist and engineer for Ron Kenoly).

Her production is powerful. She is classically trained in both violin and piano (age 4) and her sister is a cellist. Her music is extremely diverse. One track can sound like a club banger while the next screams Neo-Soul and Nu Jazz. Look for Jamille to start making headlines by the end of this year. The final kicker, SHE'S GORGEOUS!! We're not knocking Missy Elliot, but Jamille wins this category hands down. "Jamille" actually means beautiful in Arabic. You can hear samples of her work at http://myspace.com/jamilleluney .

To read more about Jamille check out the following reviews:

“Not a Piano Man” but Maybe a Woman

The New Beatstress