Music reviews
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helpful information about recording and mixing techniques. Posts written by professional engineers and musicians.
 
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The Black Friday Blackhole of Deals

There are a lot of good deals out there this year. I’ve found a few that are great options for almost any studio setup. Open up this blog post to see details and links to these deals.

As the biggest shopping day is now upon us, I urge all students to take caution in what you purchase. Your studio and software toolbox is going to continue to grow and it should. Just keep in mind that you shouldn't spend your entire bank account on gear that you may not use right away. It's good to build up your studio over time and get familiar with what you add to your studio so that you can be efficient with your tools. It's a good idea to take the time to learn what you have in your studio and become a wizard using your tools. 

Tell me what you're looking to buy. I'm always interested in what has your attention right now and what you think will improve your workflow and overall production. 

Here are some really affordable options that I would recommend that will not break the bank and add some very useful tools to your studio. 

  1. PSP is one of the plugin companies that may not be familiar to you, but they have some great plugins. The NEX reverb and the HertzRider are currently on sale for $20.

  2. The new releases from iZotope are tools that will improve any workflow.

  3. Flux Pure Limiter is on sale for $39 and is a great limiter to use on individual tracks and your master bus.

  4. Looking for some great video editing software that is affordable? Check out FILMORA from Wondershare.

  5. Sonnox is offering 50% off most of their software. Now is a great time to go grab that Inflator plugin.

  6. Plugin Boutique is offering some great deals + iZotope Nectar Elements for free with any purchase.

I'm sure you will get some great deals this weekend. Just be sure you have some cash left in your pocket to pay the bills. 

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New studio membership benefits

In-Studio Training is now a new feature for all our studio membership programs. Get professional assistance with every aspect of your musical career.

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The studio membership program has been quite successful and has helped musicians get the assistance they need to complete their recordings and distribute their music to the world. Part of the new studio membership is the in-studio musician training that will give all studio members access to our staff to get assistance with every aspect of their musical career. This will include professional feedback for everything from composing songs to stage performance. The goal is to provide constructive feedback that will help musicians make critical decisions about their public appearance. Not just online, but in-person, which will help develop stronger relationships with managers, bookers, promoters, and most importantly the fans.

We have 2 options for studio membership right now and may add more in the future. Both options for membership come with our in-studio training. Paired with our online services, each member has access to our services wherever they are for any occasion. So if you have plans to work on music videos or start to plan your upcoming tour, we are here to assist you with every step of the process.

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Plugins - An open discussion

There are way too many plugins out there and you may feel confused on which ones to buy and incorporate into your workflow. Here is an open discussion for you to ask questions and get insight for all those plugins. I'll regularly post any new releases or deals that I come across for those plugins that you should consider adding to your system.

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Trade Gear for Studio Time | Get More From Your Gear

Trade your musical equipment and instruments for studio time. Great way to unload the gear that you don't use or don't need any longer and get some quality studio time to work on your next recording or mixing project. You can also trade gear for Pro Tools lessons. Click the post title for more details.

You have gear just collecting dust and that's not the plan you had in mind when you bought it. You don't want to sell it on eBay cause you won't be able to get hardly anything for it. Now you're stuck with gear that is just taking up space.

Here's a solution that will benefit you and also help Shine On Studio & the studio's students that are trying to make the start in the music industry. I'm always looking to try new gear and add gear to the studio. Options for gear allows musicians to get the sound that's in their heads. Plus, studio interns donate lots of time to helping with sessions and doing work in the off hours. This will be a great way for me to repay them for all their hard work.

Contact the studio for further details.

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GoPro Video now available for studio sessions

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Getting HD footage of recording sessions is now possible with our new line of GoPro cameras. The music enthusiasts at GoPro have done an impressive job making cameras and mounts for us to capture stunning footage of musicians in the studio. We just started shooting footage this month and the sessions we've started editing look amazing. We can capture overhead views of the drums, clamp cameras to the necks of guitars and basses, and mount multiple angles in the vocal booth. Once the edits start getting finished, we'll be posting the videos to our YouTube channel. Bands that want to use the footage for music videos & documentaries can purchase the digital video files. We will also provide video editing at the studio at our regular hourly rate or clients can include it into the flat-rate quote for projects. More details to come soon. Once we have a few videos up for viewing, clients can decide how they'd like to set up the cameras to capture the studio sessions.

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Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas

For one reason or another, you find yourself at the last minute looking for a gift. There are many options and you just don't know what to get. You could go with a gift card...those are always popular. Why not surprise them with a gift that will capture their creative essence? A gift certificate to Shine On Studio is more than a gift, it's a self-esteem boost. It's a statement that you believe in someone else's musical talent and want to encourage them to create music they can share with the world.

The holidays are all about giving and showing how much you care. That's exactly how we feel about each client that records at Shine On Studio. We're offering discounts on all our gift certificates up to 20% off. Our $500 gift certificate is on sale for only $400! That's an extra $100 we're throwing in to sweeten the deal. Our way of saying thank you for choosing us to work on your creative expression.

Our gift certificates can be redeemed for any studio service: recording, mixing, mastering, pro tools lessons, guitar lessons, drum lessons, rehearsal time, & beat making classes. They never expire and always retain their value, so your musician can take their time creating their masterpiece.

Visit our "Booking & Rates" page for more details.

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Pro Tools Lessons, Specials & Promotions David Hughes Pro Tools Lessons, Specials & Promotions David Hughes

Pro Tools Lessons & Audio Recording Tips

Learn about the immense possibilities that Pro Tools | HD offers. Get 1 on 1 training to become a master at recording & mixing with the industry standard DAW.

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Now is a great time to learn about audio recording. The world is moving communication faster and faster everyday. When you have a deeper knowledge about digital audio recording, you can keep pace with all the technology that is being incorporated into human society. Pro Tools is not just for musicians, but is for anyone working with audio.

For a limited time, Shine On Studio is offering limited quantities of Pro Tools lessons up to 59% off our standard rates. Learn fundamentals of audio recording with the industry standard DAW. We'll teach you techniques that can be used with most digital recording programs. You'll learn about configuration and monitoring setups so that you can be a master at hooking up your dream home entertainment system. Plus we'll cover recording and mixing techniques used by professional audio engineers around the world to make great sounding audio tracks.

For more information, please contact the studio.

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Specials & Promotions David Hughes Specials & Promotions David Hughes

October Scary Deals

October is a month full of scary inspiration. As we prepare to celebrate the most horror-filled night of the year, Shine On Studio is offering deals that would raise the dead. From now until Halloween, many studio services will be discounted.

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