Writing music can be a challenge creatively. With today’s tech you have a plethora of options available, thousands of sounds and the ability to layer instrument tracks and apply processing beyond anything you could have even dreamt of back in the 1990’s when I was working with midi and tape (DAT, ADAT). I am 2 […]
Don’t Let Sound Advice Fall on Deaf Ears
FACT: Exposure to loud music for prolonged periods will permanently damage your hearing. We need to resist the temptation to turn the volume up to 11 – and the EU is actually being quite helpful. Stephen Wheatley, HearAngel® I’m guessing this isn’t news to most people, but the long-term implications and the extent of the […]
Vlogging vs Filmmaking
Filmmaking has been around for over a century, way back to when films were silent and shot in black and white. The term is synonymous with Hollywood, however, film-making is no longer just for film producers with big budgets; everybody with a smartphone has the capability of making a film. The term Vlog is now […]
What is Foley?
The world of Foley is fascinating, especially for someone who records and produces sound effects. You may not have even realised that many of the sounds in films are man-made and added by Foley artists. A few examples are: Coconuts = Horses hooves Metal sheets = Thunder Celery snapping = Breaking bones Cornflour = Walking […]
International Women’s Day: Delia Derbyshire
International Women’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate the work and life of Delia Derbyshire. Born in Coventry, England, in 1937, against the odds, she became one of the pioneers of electronic music. After her education, Delia wanted to work in music, however, in the 1950’s, the lack of equality in the workplace meant that […]
Cinematic Camera Techniques: Planet Earth 2
Having watched Planet Earth II, I was amazed at the cinematic feel that the series has. It is amazing how technology has moved on since David Attenborough started recording wildlife documentaries. At the time he started, cameras were massive and not very portable. When smaller cameras did become available they were considered to be a camera for amateurs […]
Christmas Brass Band Music – Traditional Festive Favourites
A festive 10 minute medley of instrumental Christmas brass band music to celebrate the season. This video features seven brass band style versions of Christmas songs: “Ding Dong Merrily on High”, “Deck the Halls”, “The Holly and the Ivy”, “O Come All Ye Faithful”, “Silent Night”, “Jingle Bells” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”. […]
Festive Piano Music for the Christmas Holidays
To get in the festive mood, we have created a six minute compilation of some classic Christmas music, showcased in this video. It features seven solo piano versions of Christmas tracks: Jingle Bells, O Come All Ye Faithful, Deck the Halls, The Holly and the Ivy, Ding Dong Merrily on High, Jingle Bells (Light version) […]
Don’t Break the Music Licensing Industry…
Let’s value our composers before it’s too late! This is a bit of a rant, in respect of certain big businesses that are damaging the independent music industry in my opinion. Not only that, many music producers are going along with this by allowing their music to be licensed for pennies/cents. Some big music licensing […]
The Vague Origins of Wheels on the Bus
A lot of nursery rhymes are considered to be in the public domain, however, The Wheels on the Bus is not so clear. It is derived from Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush and Buffalo Gals, both written in 1800s. The composers identity is unknown, however, using the copyright rule of thumb of 70 years […]
