Casio Sessions 2024

Building on the success of last year, Casio is excited to raise the bar even higher, giving a new group of talented individuals the chance to showcase their musical abilities for the chance to win an incredible prize; a Casio PX-S7000 piano, worth £2,249 plus an exclusive mastering studio session for their winning song, with the song then pressed to a limited run of vinyl records – courtesy of competition partner and physical music manufacturer Breed Media.

Casio is inviting piano-playing, singer-songwriters from around the UK to enter online by submitting a video of themselves playing an original composition – covers will not be considered. Twelve entrants will then be handpicked to compete in a live final at the stylish Ninety One Living Room jazz bar in Brick Lane, London, on Wednesday 4th September 2024. 

Finalists will perform in front of a live audience and panel of judges on Casio’s award-winning PX-S7000 in the stunning Harmonious Mustard finish, the same type of piano the winner will take home. Performances will be judged on various criteria including stage presence and writing, singing and playing ability.

Last year judges were so blown away by the calibre of original performances that they decided to award the top prize to two finalists – with the multi-talented May Payne and Stefan Mahendra both taking home a PX-S7000 piano.

Performing to a packed-out Ninety One, May captivated the audience with her beautifully raw and deeply personal original piece, I Hate It When You Touch Me while Stefan’s soulful performance of his song Orbit showcased his technical ability with his deep and warm voice. Since winning the competition last year, both May and Stefan have gone on to release EPs and played shows around the UK. 

Casio PX-S7000

The winner will also take home one of Casio’s multiple award-winning PX-S7000, the flagship model from Casio’s premium Privia series. With a high specification, including a newly developed hybrid wooden hammer keyboard and a beautiful contemporary look, it’s a popular choice among pianists and jazz musicians alike. The ability to directly plug in a microphone and use the on-board vocal effects makes this the ideal performance instrument. This stylish instrument has graced the stage at Ninety-One Living Room as the house piano for the past year, enchanting the audience through performances by esteemed artists like David Mrakpor.

Enter the Casio Sessions now

Visit the Casio website and apply here

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• The Piano. Musical Evolution

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The post Win With The Casio Sessions & Breed Music appeared first on Right Chord Music Blog.

About Sanctuary Studios

Sanctuary Studios is a well-established recording studio and rehearsal space with over 21 years of experience. For every 4 hours booked Right Chord Music readers can claim an extra hour free using code SANC007 (20% off rehearsal time).

All six of their rehearsal studios come fully equipped with  P.A Systems, Microphones, Drum Kits, Guitar/Bass Amps. Prices range from £17 per hour (Weekday Daytime & weekend) to £20 per hour (Weekday Evenings).

Studio 6 is the stage performance studio which comes fully equipped with a P.A System, Microphones, Drum Kits, and Guitar/Bass Amps are included. (£22 per hour).

Sanctuary can facilitate all-day rehearsals from 10 am-midnight with lock-ins for touring or pre-touring artists. Musicians can bring and use their equipment in which case, Sanctuary can clear the studio on request.

They also offer free-of-charge extras including Digital Pianos, Microphones, Drumsticks, Ear Defenders, and Guitar Picks for loan during your session. Plus free tea and coffee throughout your stay.

Sanctuary Studios is located in Central Watford, very close to major motorways (M1 and M25) with good rail links to the town. Visit their website to take a virtual tour of the studio or book your space.

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The post Indie Artists Save On Rehearsal Space With Sanctuary Studios appeared first on Right Chord Music Blog.

Introducing Drop Rocket

Drop Rocket is an online project management tool for musicians. Their mission is simple: To help you to release music better.

Founder Elina Felice is a musician and understands how complicated releasing music can be. Elina also knows you only get one chance to get it right. Drop Rocket aims to solve this problem. What began as a simple release checklist, has quickly evolved into an intuitive, online, project management tool and task manager. Now you can add tasks, assign tasks to band-mates and track your progress.

Users can choose between Drop Rocket’s existing templates and battle-tested strategies, or create their customised project management flows. Using this simple online tool musicians have everything they need to release tracks with ease and optimise for success.

Drop Rocket & Right Chord Music

Right Chord Music has been championing incredible unsigned and independent musicians since 2010. We’re delighted to join forces with Drop Rocket to provide our readers with an exclusive offer. Sign up for Drop Rocket today using the promo code RIGHTCHORD and get a 6-week FREE trial of Drop Rocket. We recommend you test it out on your next single, EP or album release.

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• Free Music Marketing Training For Independent Artists
• Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro The Best Wireless Earbuds In 2023
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Words Mark Knight

The post Try Drop Rocket For FREE And Plan To Release Music Better appeared first on Right Chord Music Blog.

About Casio Sessions

Casio Music UK, one of the world’s most renowned producers of electronic keyboards and digital pianos, has announced a brand new competition – in partnership with Loop Music – aimed at piano-playing artists called ‘Casio Sessions.’

Win Cash & Casio

The competition will take place on Thursday 21st September 2023 at Casio’s G-SHOCK store in Carnaby Street, London, with one lucky musician chosen to win one of Casio’s multiple award-winning PX-S7000 digital pianos worth £2,249 and £500 cash.

Singer-songwriters who play piano across the UK are invited by Casio and Loop Music to enter online by submitting a video audition of themselves playing an original composition – covers will not be considered.

Twelve musicians will be selected to take part in the live final of the competition that will take place in London. Finalists will perform on Casio’s flagship model from its Privia Series – the PX-S7000.

The Casio PX-S7000

The multiple award-winning PX-S7000 sets a new standard in digital pianos. It includes a newly developed hybrid wooden hammer keyboard and a contemporary look. The ability to directly plug in a microphone and make use of the onboard vocal effects makes this the ideal performance instrument for up-and-coming singer-songwriters.

Meet The Judges

The finalists will be judged by Neil Evans and Dan Henry of Casio Music UK and Mohamed A Sawyer and Emmanuel Tchombe of Loop Music. Musicians will be scored on various criteria including stage performance and presence. The lucky winner will take home a PX-S7000 as well as £500 cash. All twelve live finalists will receive content captured from the Casio Sessions event, including professional photography and videography of their performances.

Neil Evans, Head of Casio Music UK, said…

“We’re excited to kick off Casio Sessions – a competition dedicated to aspiring piano-playing songwriters across the country. Alongside Loop Music and its community of musicians and creatives, we hope to shine a spotlight on up-and-coming UK-based talent. Casio has always been proud to support music making and its benefits across all genres and ages. We can’t wait to discover new talent and see how the competition unfolds.”

Entries Open

Entries are open now until midnight 30th of August, with twelve finalists selected on 4th of September. To enter submit a video audition and complete a simple form via the Casio website. All ages and musical styles are welcome. The full terms and conditions, including full scoring criteria, can be found here.

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The post Musicians Win Cash & Keys With Casio Sessions appeared first on Right Chord Music Blog.

I was recently contacted by Soundcore who asked Right Chord Music to test their Liberty 3 Pro Earbuds. Our strict policy here at Right Chord Music is that we only write about the things we love. So we were never going to just recommend them without first testing them out.

Save £30 on Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro Earbuds

If you are interested in getting a pair of Liberty 3 Pro Earbuds, then use this special discount code: RightChord2023UK to save £30 off the retail price for purchases on their website.

The three brands we tested

1. Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro by Anker
2. Apple AirPods (2nd Generation)
3. The Lenovo LivePods (LP1)

For complete transparency

I currently use and love the Apple AirPods, and the Lenovo LivePods are my backup option. To complete this test Soundcore sent me a pair of Dusk Purple coloured Liberty 3 Pro Earbuds. So how do they compare?

What’s in the box?

The Lenovo LivePods come with a charging case, USB-C charging cable and a spare set of ear tips. There is also a tiny, very hard-to-read quick-start guide and warranty.

Apple AirPods (I had to look this up as I’ve had them a while.) According to Apple, the AirPods came with a charging case, lighting to USB-C cable and 4 silicone ear tips (although I don’t remember seeing these) plus documentation.

The Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro Earbuds come with a charging case, 4 ear tips, 4 ear wings (to fit various ear sizes) a USB-C cable and documentation, including a simple, yet comprehensive quick start guide.

Unlike Apple and Lenovo it feels like Soundcore has included the alternative-sized fittings for a genuine reason. They actually want to help you find the fit that really works for you. The accompanying mobile app includes a Fit Test to help you choose the wings and tips that best work in your ears. I instinctively chose the smallest size and it actually turns out that the biggest size was best for me.

Sound Quality

To provide a fair test I listened to the same track with all three earbuds. As a music blog that focuses on championing incredible independent artists, it seemed logical that I picked an independent artist from the RCM archives that I love. I picked ‘Hold Me In The Dark’ by Porcelain. This track always sounds great with headphones and contains a great balance of bass and lighter tones. To be clear I am not a music producer so I can’t provide any technical explanation of sound quality or performance. But here is my ranking from 1-3 based on my preferred sound quality.

1. Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro
2. Apple AirPods
3. Lenovo Live Pods

Why the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro Earbuds won. With the HearID Noise Cancellation turned on, this track soars, it totally engulfed my head and always felt balanced and controlled. I noticed there were moments with the Lenovo’s where the sound seemed to distort and sounded scratchy at times.  The AirPods sounded great, and before I tried Soundcore I wouldn’t have suspected they couldn’t have been beaten. I found by personalising my own IQ and turning up the bass gave the AirPods a bit more depth, but Soundcore still won.

Key feature comparison

Battery life

Battery life is key after all, there is nothing more annoying than when your headphones die midway through the day or on the commute home. I’ve never had a problem with the 24 hours I get from my Apple AirPods but one of the first things I noticed about the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro Earbuds is the battery life is even better. A whopping 32 hours from the clamshell charge case, or 8 hours from the Earbuds themselves. Sorry Lenovo, you don’t come close here.

Multi-point connection

As a music blogger, I get up early and headphones are vital to avoid waking up the rest of the house when I listen to new music submissions. When I first got my Apple AirPods I loved how my laptop and phone immediately found them and asked me whether I wanted to connect. It was so simple. But the Liberty 3 Pro Earbuds go one step further, rather than manually switching between my laptop and iPhone once set up they can connect to two devices simultaneously. No more manual switching, this is game-changing and saves so much wasted time trying to connect.

Noise cancellation & comfort

I live in London and commute on an increasingly packed and noisy tube. When I’m in the office which is typically three times a week I have to make a decision, do I want to take my big pair of Bose headphones with noise cancellation or my small Apple AirPods? When my bag is full and heavy I frequently sacrifice sound quality for practicality.  As a consequence, I turn my volume up too loud to try and drown out the rattling tube train and just accept there will be moments on the commute when I can’t hear my music or my Podcast.

This never felt like a great solution, and nobody wants to damage their ears.  While running this test I realised the Lenovo LivePods had noise reduction built in! Maybe if I had known they would have been used a lot sooner.

To be clear noise reduction is not the same as Noise Cancelation but it’s certainly a step in the right direction and it helps, but the Tube train noise still overpowered the Lenovo LivePods. However, noise reduction did help block out the office noise when I wanted a period of deep concentration, so in that respect, they still put Apple to shame.

This is where the Liberty 3 Pros by Soundcore really come into their own. They have noise cancellation but it doesn’t stop there. Their Adaptive Mode automatically adjusts the level of noise cancellation depending on the noise levels in your surrounding.  Higher for the Tube and lower for the office. This is a total game changer, my commute has been transformed.

If you have worn noise-cancelling headphones before, you might recognise that after a while your ears start to ache. I certainly notice this with Bose, this is due to a pressure build-up in the ears apparently. Well, the Liberty 3 Pros have an answer to this with a pressure-release technology built in. These earbuds actually block out noise and are super comfortable.

In contrast, I found my ears started to ache after just 20 minutes of wearing the Lenovo’s, which really put me off.

Tap controls

This has never been hugely important to me, but sometimes I guess it is useful to be able to reduce the volume or pause the music without having to remove the headphones and all three of the tested earbuds have the ability to tap the earbuds to control the sound.

When paired with the Soundcore mobile app, you also have further functionality including a transparent mode that allows you to quickly hear the world around you, useful if someone asks you a question or you are navigating a busy crossing.

Design

It’s hard to criticise Apple for design after all they have written the rule book and set the bar on product design in the last 30 years and the AirPods design continues this. There are no surprises here, they are simple, sleek and stylish.

Apple has created the market for Earbuds and decreed that they should be white. As a consequence, most other brands including Lenovo have simply taken their template and iterated with products that look similar but different enough to avoid lawsuits. The Lenovo LivePods come in a slightly larger rectangular case but essentially feel very very similar. The actual case is lighter and feels unsurprisingly cheaper (It is) it’s plastic after all, but there is still a pleasing click when the lid slams shuts.

But not everyone wants to feel like a sheep. Some people want to feel like they have made their own choices. For these people, the Liberty 3 Pro Earbuds offer an elegant and stylish alternative.  These Earbuds come in a choice of four colours. Midnight Black, Frost White, Dusk Purple and Fog Grey. The square or rectangular charge case is replaced by a clamshell design that glows when it opens. They look and feel premium.

Extras

This is where the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro just accelerates away from both Apple and Lenovo and leaves them for dust. The Soundcore mobile app is full of additional features and settings including:

• Wind noise reduction
• 3D surround sound
• Custom EQ design the sound to match your own style
• Soundcore has invited 20 Grammy-winning producers to share their preferred sound settings!
• Hear ID test – take the test to ensure your noise cancellation is set up properly
• Take the Fit Test to ensure you are wearing the right ear tips and wings
• Customise the tap controls

Our choice. The Best wireless earbuds

If you are a music fan or audiophile that wants a product that combines style, sound quality and best-in-class functionality (battery, noise cancellation, connectivity) then the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro earbuds by Anker win hands down at every turn. They are amazing. You get the sense that this is a product that has been made with love at every turn. They have crammed so much into such a small package.

Save £30 on Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro Earbuds

If you are interested in getting a pair of Liberty 3 Pro Earbuds, then use this special discount code: RightChord2023UK to save £30 off the retail price for purchases on their website.

If you want a pair of cheap wireless headphones for your kids that are visibly similar to Apple and let’s face it, sometimes the look is all that really matters, then you can’t beat the Lenovo LivePods as a quick solution. They are currently priced between £13-£16 on Amazon.

If you are happy being an Apple sheep like I was, then hopefully at least this review has shown you that Apple doesn’t have to be the default option. While the AirPods are a great product and look suitably stylish, there are now genuine alternatives on the market that can match and often outperform Apple at a better price.

Soundcore supports grassroots music

As well as making great products, Soundcore also supports grassroots music. Soundcore has partnered with MusiCares® to support artists in need of assistance.

MusiCares® provides support to music people across the country who need help after a disaster, during a health crisis, or just to cover basic living expenses, all to keep the music playing. Through its COVID relief program, MusiCares® has served 24,000 people with over $22 million dollars in aid.

Together with MusiCares®, Soundcore will be raising awareness of this vital cause via exciting events and the official launch of our very own podcast. Read more.

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Words Mark Knight

The post Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro – The Best Wireless Earbuds In 2025 appeared first on Right Chord Music Blog.

Introducing The Daydream Club

The Daydream Club are a multi-genre British music duo formed in 2010 by the now husband and wife pairing, Adam and Paula Pickering. Independently produced and self-released, they have amassed over 100 Million career streams to date, with a catalogue as wide-ranging as it is distinctive. The duo has been featured in Vogue, Rolling Stone Magazine and modelled for Burberry.

Song Stream – Personalised Songs

The Daydream Club have launched ‘Song Stream – Personalised Songs,’ as a way to up their creative output and build their already impressive momentum. Rather than spending a year writing an album and then building to release, they plan to release a steady stream of songs as they write them. This allows them to work more fluidly, working on multiple albums simultaneously with the potential for each single to be completely different from the last.

But it doesn’t stop there, speaking about the concept Adam and Paula explain…

“Our favourite projects have always been when we have involved fans in the creative process, so we want to involve you again… we want to hear your stories.”

How to get a personalised song?

Anyone can receive a personalised song, it’s completely free. In return for a truly unique and original gift, The Daydream Club just want your stories and your inspiration. Register now.

Please note that The Daydream Club reserves the right to choose which stories to turn into songs, and they can’t always guarantee that a song can be produced by a specific deadline. But if they love your story, they will be in touch to discuss what is possible.

Get a personalised song about…

• Your life
• Someone your love
• Something that troubles you
• Something you’re struggling with
• An amazing person you miss
• A new baby
• Someone or something you’ve lost

Anything you desire as long as it means something to you. If The Daydream Club feels inspired by one of your stories, they will write a song about it and become part of their Song Stream.

Previous Personalised Song Projects

The Daydream Club are not new to the idea of personalised music. Back in 2018, they released an album called Piano Project // With You In Mind which resulted in the production and subsequent release of 10 spontaneous piano improvisations.

To produce the album The Daydream Club hosted a series of online concerts where they invited audience members to be a part of the creative process by submitting thoughts, feelings and memories for the duo to use as inspiration for piano improvisations. This album features some of the live recordings from those concerts.

You can read more about that project here: The Daydream Club ‘For The Lost Ones’

Discover more about The Daydream Club on RCM

• Listen! The Daydream Club Presents Podcast
• The Daydream Club – ‘All Our Born Days’ Shouldn’t Be A Hidden Gem
• The Daydream Club // Off The Coast In Maine

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Words Mark Knight

The post The Ultimate Gift. A Free Personalised Song! appeared first on Right Chord Music Blog.

We caught up with Peter Junge a recording and mixing engineer, musician and producer based in London. Peter works with a variety of artists from newcomers to award winners across a variety of musical genres, from pop to rock, jazz to metal and electronic to classical music. What’s more, Peter offers a 10% discount for all RCM readers.

Your background is as a drummer, didn’t you also play at the MTV Awards, what was that like?

Yes, that’s right. I play the drums and a good friend of mine received a phone call from a music producer in Israel, who asked if he knew any good musicians that could quickly learn a song for a music video shoot. My friend, who plays guitar, asked me to play drums, I asked another friend to play keyboards and we were ready to go to Liverpool a few days later. When we got there we saw a few posters saying ‘Welcome to the MTV Awards’ and thought that this must be a coincidence, after all we were there for a video shoot. Then we met quite a few celebrities from the music industry in the hotel where the singer of our video stayed and got a bit suspicious. But it was only when our cab stopped in front of the hall of the video shoot that we knew we were filming at the MTV EMAs. Although I’ve played many gigs before, it actually may have been good that we didn’t know beforehand, otherwise we may have been too nervous. From then on it was actually quite quick. Everything was very professional and obviously well prepared. We went on stage and performed the song without much preparation. I think you can still find it on YouTube if you search for Shiri Maimon 2008 MTV EMA. She is a big popstar in Israel and had been nominated as one of the best international newcomers that year. She was very sweet, friendly, funny and most importantly an absolutely stunning singer. It was a great experience and one of my favourite moments as a musician.

 So when and why did you move from musician to producer and engineer?

Before I started working as an engineer, I played in bands for many years and studied to become a professional drummer. Besides music I was also a semi-professional BMX rider. As it often happens in this sport, I had a serious injury and that forced me to re-think whether I could play drums for a living, every day, for long hours. Luckily, I started recording and mixing my bands’ rehearsals a little before that happened, which also led to EP and album recordings and these eventually led to jobs for other bands. At some point it was clear to me that this was what I really wanted to do and I changed my entire career towards sound. I studied audio engineering in Germany, and completed my degree in London. During this time I’ve always had a studio and worked on various projects, such as EPs and albums for a range of artists, radio-plays and on-location recordings of choirs and orchestras. I see myself more as an engineer and mixer, the role of the producer just happened to come along with it. Also, I must say I’m not a big fan of the term as it has been used a lot in the ‘wrong’ way lately. I tend to take the role of a more traditional producer, as the person who oversees the project, an advisor who can help the artist when they are stuck with a song or need an idea for a certain part. I can also help with additional instruments such as strings or finding the right session musicians for the recording.

Which producers do you look up to and respect the most, and why?

I often try to find out what I like about a song and why, and there are several producers & engineers whose names come up again and again on records that I like. One name repeatedly came up across a variety of genres when I first got into making music. This was Rick Rubin. He seems to be a vibe person with a very good sense for what works in a song.

[youtube width=”640″ height=”360″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aF9AJm0RFc[/youtube]

However, these days it’s mostly recording and mixing engineers who I admire and try to study. I went to a master-class with Andy Wallace whose mixes I love as they always have a lot of energy but sound natural at the same time. He is mostly known for his work with rock bands and some of his credits include Nirvana’s Nevermind, Linkin Park, Rage Against the Machine, Aerosmith’s & Run DMC’s Walk This Way as well as many other great artists from the last 30 years.

[youtube width=”640″ height=”360″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbgKEjNBHqM[/youtube]

I’m also a big fan of Tim Palmer who is originally from the UK but now lives in Austin, Texas. His mixes sound huge, and he has mixed many of my favourite albums by Dredg, Porcupine Tree, Pearl Jam, U2, Tears for Fears, H.I.M. and David Bowie. One of my favourites from the last few years is Forrester Savell, an Australian engineer, mixer and producer who has worked with many great bands such as The Butterfly Effect, Karnivool and Dead Letter Circus. His mixes have this fantastic combination of space, musicality and energy. I also attended a master-class with Chris Lord-Alge who is well known for his commercial sound. Many of the records he has mixed are the songs that we know from the radio: from Bruce Springsteen to James Brown, from Paramore to Green Day and from Celine Dion to The Black Eyed Peas. Lately I really started to like what Manny Marroquin does as all of his mixes sound very musical too. For instance, he mixed Alicia Keys, Bruno Mars and John Mayer. And last but not least, Michael Brauer (Coldplay, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan) and Randy Staub (Metallica, Nickelback, Michael Bublé). Both are known to make records sound huge as well – but are very different in the way that they get there and how they sound in the end. There are many more engineers I highly respect including some of my friends who make amazing records. There’s always a lot to learn from all of them.

How has technology changed the role of the producer, how easy is it to get a great recording as a bedroom producer?

Technology has made it much easier for everyone to make recordings that would have cost a fortune years ago. Also, I would say that the roles of professional engineers, mixers and producers are becoming more and more similar. Many engineers know about mixing, mixers know about producing and most producers know a lot about mixing too. The great thing for musicians is that, due to technology becoming more advanced and much more affordable, you are able to do all of the above yourself and get your song, from writing to release, done in your bedroom. On the downside, when you do everything yourself, it can very often be a struggle to finish a song and to make decisions regarding the sound or song quality. That’s where an external engineer/producer can help a lot. He can also help avoid mediocre results that sometimes come from knowing a bit, but not enough, about a specific subject. Furthermore, most bedroom producers unfortunately do not have the acoustics, never-mind the microphones and equipment to achieve the sound quality that is attainable in a real recording studio. Therefore, it can limit your chances of appealing to industry professionals such as music journalists, record companies, concert promoters and therefore, a wider audience. Nevertheless, I am a big believer in ‘bedroom recordings’ as a pre-production stage for the actual studio recordings. The more you know about your songs, the more you know about the parts and how you want them to sound – the better, the quicker and, therefore, also affordable the professional production will be. That way, everyone involved can have a listen, discuss ideas and get a better picture of the final outcome – before any money has been spent. Over the last few years I have worked with several musicians this way and it has always been great.

Is there a certain sound or genre that you most frequently produce?

The genres I work with change all the time, as I love working on different things. I can mix a Pop song on Monday, record a Jazz band on Tuesday, do a Hip-Hop session on Wednesday, record strings on-location the day after and record & mix a Rock band over the weekend. That probably comes from listening to a variety of music when I grew up. I would listen to the Beatles because of my dad, to classical music because of my mum, to Pop or Dance on the radio, and Hip-Hop, Rock and Metal music when riding BMX. I also got into electronic music such as Trip-Hop and Drum’n Bass through a friend of mine and into Jazz when I studied drums. If you look at my iPod you’ll find a lot from every genre. Nevertheless, if you ask me what kind of music I like to work on the most, I’d probably say music that gets me, music with energy, music that, ideally, uses real instruments (even if it is electronic music). To me there is something special when you have real instruments in front of you, and even more so when great musicians play them.

What constitutes great production?

First of all, a great song. In my opinion that’s the most important part as it is the ground everything else is built on. Different genres may have different requirements for a great song but, very often, you can break it down into four main things: melody, lyrics, chords and rhythm. In all genres, these have to be interesting, touching, new, catchy, something you can identify with or something that makes you want to move. In my opinion, a great production is built on a strong song that, ideally, has several of these elements. That song has been arranged to its maximum potential, with the right choice of key and tempo as well as sounds and instruments for it. For example, a slight tempo change, a key change up or down, an additional instrument or the change of the time signature can have a massive effect on how a singer performs, and, therefore, how the song turns out in the end. If you look up the story of No Doubt’s Don’t Speak you’ll find a fantastic example of how the choices in song production helped to make a hit out of what was a demo, waiting to be finished for several years.

Of course, as soon as you have a great, well-arranged song and you are ready to record, being a well-rehearsed artist definitely helps to capture a great performance. Furthermore, an engineer who knows what he/she’s doing, in a recording studio with great-sounding rooms, excellent microphones and high-quality equipment will complete a great production. If he does a good job, he will also get the best out of the musicians and, therefore, out of the song. And last but not least, a good producer is able to oversee and help the entire process, from songwriting to recording, and from mixing to mastering.

What are your favourite ‘best produced’ tracks of all time?

That’s a tough one as it depends on the angle from which you look at it. Classic albums like Sgt. Pepper or Dark Side of the Moon are known for great production. Compared to nowadays, the technical limitations they had back then forced musicians, engineers and producers to be at the top of their game, technically as well as creatively – and the records still sound fantastic today. Great songwriting combined with excellent production has made those songs timeless. These days, many musicians have incredible technical skills and write and perform very advanced songs (just not so much on the radio anymore). Combined with almost no recording limitations, many productions are amazing too, especially from a technical point of view. Many genres take advantage of what can be done with computers and use complex technical processing in order to create interesting FX, soundscapes and, of course, music (especially in electronic and some heavy rock genres). Hundreds of tracks, when well done, can fill the entire audio spectrum and you may find little details even after the hundredth time of listening to a song. Therefore, it is very difficult for me to pick one or two songs, as I love music from different times and genres. I always try to have an open mind and also recommend listening to old and new music from the same genre, music from across genres and music you normally wouldn’t listen to. I find it very inspiring, and for example, you’d be surprised by how many similar production techniques are being used in entirely different genres.

What are the common production mistakes?

Firstly, I would say not finishing a song – just as much as not working on your songs enough. It is important to write the next song, not every song will be a hit but with every song you finish you will get better. On the other hand, don’t rush it but work on the songs and see what works and what doesn’t. Which key, tempo, rhythm, melody and instruments go together without too much tweaking? As mentioned before, if the song is great it will be much easier to mix and produce. It’s almost like the song will tell you what it needs, even if that is nothing.

Secondly, I’d say a lack of vision regarding the final outcome of the song. If you don’t know where you’re going or what you have to do in order to get to a certain result, then you often don’t do enough or, the opposite, over-do the production of the song. Of course, experimentation can lead to great musical accidents but I often find having a vision is better.

Lastly, I’d say lack of commitment is a typical problem. That often results in many tracks, sounds or instruments that the song may not really need. If they contribute to the actual song then it’s fine to include them. However, if it is a cover-up for any lack of songwriting I’d rather work on the song first. With todays technical possibilities it’s simple to double, triple or quadruple vocals, guitars, drums and synths. It has become easy to add lots of things that can be avoided with good songwriting, arrangement and the right choice of instruments, amps, microphones, sounds, and samples. As a result, the recording sessions often end up with hundreds of tracks of the same thing and as a mixing engineer you are often in trouble making everything sound big. If you know what you want and like what you hear – commit and stick to it. Find or tweak a synth until it does what you want it to do instead of using several sounds in the same frequency range which do the exact same thing. Also, record a signal the way you like it in that moment and move on. There is a reason you like it. Save yourself or the mixing engineer time later and start writing a new song instead.

Which artist or band would you most like to produce?

I don’t think there is a particular one. I simply love working on great music, no matter which genre, and look for the same thing in a newcomer as in the well-known artists I’ve already had the pleasure of working with – brilliant songs, vision and drive. It doesn’t have to be a big name to be fulfilling. If I like the music, and the artist is serious about their work, I’m in.

If new artists reading this are looking for a producer, how do they get in touch?

The easiest way to get in touch with me is via my websites www.peterjunge.com or www.recordmixing.co.uk. There you’ll find contact forms and phone numbers. Drop me a line and say hi. Peter Junge offers a 10% discount for all Right Chord Music readers. Just mention RCM when you contact him.

Words Mark Knight

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Following hot on the heels of our partnership with distribution experts EMU Bands, we are now excited to announce a new partnership with Conflikt Arts who are offering Right Chord Music visitors a 5% discount on the cost to produce the following three products. Click the images below to visit the online shop and take advantage of these offers.

1. CDs (500 Digifile CDs)

 

About Conflikt Arts

Conflikt Arts were established in France in 2006 and provide a range of music production services to support the independent music scene.

• CD/DVD replication
• Vinyl pressing
• recording, mixing, mastering
• printing (flyers, posters, stickers)
• merchandising (t-shirts, textiles, advertising items)
• graphic design (logo design, cd sleeve design)
• routing (storage – shipping posters and flyers to different venues)
• Ticketing system (via Moxity)
• & many more

Since their inception, they have served over 5,000 different artists, festivals, promoters, venues and artist managers. Including Charlotte Gainsbourg, Metronomy, Selah Sue & Plasticines.

With offices in London, Paris, Rennes & Barcelona and with a team boasting sound engineers, graphic designers and former record label managers it’s safe to say you are in good hands. Their extensive range of services, competitive prices and relaxed, yet highly professional customer service expertise really set Conflikt Arts apart. Here at Right Chord Music, we are proud to say, we’ve partnered with the best in the business. 

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