Patrick McGuire

Since its founding in 2016, Songfinch has delivered an astounding amount of custom-made music to customers around the world—over 250,000 songs and counting. The Chicago-based start-up is known for transforming deeply personal story prompts into giftable songs with the help of 1,800 songwriters working remotely, but Songfinch is up to something a little different, as evidenced by the new studio that’s slated to open soon in its hometown. To learn more about Songfinch and the gear they chose to fill their new studio with, we spoke with Director of Artist Services and self-described “studio dork” Brad Dollar.  Continue reading →

With a list of clients featuring some of popular music’s biggest names, ranging from Michael Jackson to Beyoncé, Chicago’s Slang Music Group recording studio is well deserving of its revered status and sizable influence in the music industry. But talking to studio founder and House Music pioneer Vince Lawrence gives you the sense that Slang is more concerned with the...

Tucked under the iconic mountains flanking Los Angeles, NOYZR Music’s California recording studio was a well-known music industry fixture before its recent gear overhaul. But now, freshly armed with a Rupert Neve Designs 5088 16-channel analog mixing console and a host of other enviable gear, the studio has doubled down on its mission to authentically animate the musical visions of its artists. Continue reading →

Brendan Brown is the musical force behind the band Wheatus, best known for the alt-rock anthem “Teenage Dirtbag.” More than just a naturally gifted songwriter, Brown is also a fiercely hardworking producer that obsesses over every detail of the sounds he shapes. Continue reading →

Marc Daniel Nelson boasts an impressive 20-year music career in music, as evidenced by his Grammy nomination and an exhaustive list of music and film credits, which range from Fleetwood Mac and Jason Mraz to Blade Runner, The Vietnam War, and Mulan. The highly sought-after mixing engineer, music producer and creative director studied under Bill Schnee and Ken Caillat and is known for his innovative approach to sound-sculpting. We caught up with Nelson while he was driving around his home in Los Angeles for our 20 Questions series for an engaging interview on his gear, process, influences, and future plans.  Continue reading →

For those that work outside of the hip-hop and pop world, we don’t often think about the art of sampling vs. original beat production. So much of the music the world knows today consists of old musical ideas placed in new creative contexts. Music samples have long been used in songs, but we’re hearing them more than ever in 2020. Samples can be great for your music, but using them incorrectly or without permission can get you into trouble. If music-sampling is a part of your creative process, you’ll need to know the difference between what’s 100% your own creation and what you’re borrowing from someone else. Continue reading →

In 2020, songwriters and producers of every genre and experience level are relying on technology to create and explore music like never before. While EDM and hip-hop comes to mind for most people who think about tech’s relationship with music creation, music-makers of all backgrounds are using tools like MIDI to shape musical ideas, record, and perform live. If you don’t fancy yourself an especially tech-savvy musician, you may have been interested in exploring MIDI for music creation or performance, but have put off trying because it seems too intimidating. The good news is that MIDI is affordable, accessible, and easy to wrap your head around! That’s why so many musicians are using it. Continue reading →