Inspiration
#Inspiration
Winter 2022: BandLab Album Picks
Looking for some new tunes for the month? We’ve got just the thing. Spanning expressive hip-hop, grizzled rock ’n’ roll, and Christmas-themed R&B, these albums feel like a warm hug in the winter. Give them a listen! Weekend at Roachy’s Vol.1 Genre: Hip hopArtist: Lord CinicFrom the mesmerizing flow of… Read more
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Fall 2022: BandLab Album Picks
As the summer sun fades away, it’s time to wrap up warm, put on your headphones and bask in the fresh sounds of some of the most inspiring creators we’ve discovered of late. Spanning slick jazz, melodic alternative rock and heavy hip-hop, there’s something for everyone. Ready? Stix & Stones… Read more
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Spring 2022: BandLab Album Picks
Some tunes are in order for those balmy Spring afternoons 🍃 We’ve discovered some serious talent here in the lab and can’t wait for you to give these four BandLab albums a listen. If they’re not in your playlists yet, they will be soon. Vent Sessions: The Lost Tapes Vol.… Read more
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10 things to know about the 64th GRAMMY Awards
The GRAMMY Awards. Arguably one of the biggest nights in music, where today’s most talented musicians put on show-stopping performances and take home gilded gramophones. This year is a little different, with concerns related to the Omicron variant in Los Angeles putting a temporary spoke in the wheel. Otherwise, the… Read more
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6 songs where women have rewritten negative clichés
Happy Women’s History Month! This is a time to acknowledge the contributions and change effected by women throughout history. And while we can always grow, learn, and do better, let’s celebrate all that has come before us, and all we hope to accomplish. In the music industry, we’ve seen our… Read more
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5 ways to overcome (song)writer’s block
Ah, writer’s block - the enemy of all songwriters, professional or bedroom. Luckily we’ve got some tips to help you get out of a rut, and back into the groove. Have fun with a new instrument If you’re used to writing songs with your guitar, try putting it down for… Read more
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Behind the Loops: Lex Luger
Lex Luger’s musical beginnings started at church. He would go from a church drummer to becoming a founding member of the hip hop production team 808 Mafia. Lex Luger would go on to produce for headline acts such as Wacka Flocka Flame, Kanye West, Gucci Mane, Meek Mill and many… Read more
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Behind the Loops: Thomas Gold
Thomas Gold is a Berlin-based, German DJ and producer with a career spanning hundreds of dance-floor-destroying anthems, and he’s released on some of the world’s biggest dance labels. His remix work has seen him work with pop superstars like Adele, Lady Gaga, Madonna and gain track support from the biggest… Read more
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Behind the Loops: Asian Hawk
A silky smooth voice combined with competition-grade turntable skills makes Oliver Love, AKA Asian Hawk a truly unique live performer. Combining the live raw energy of DJing with finger drumming, scratch cuts and vocals, his music performances always deliver. So, we were super excited when Asian Hawk agreed to get… Read more
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The origins and evolution of freestyle rap
In his 2003 book, There's A God On The Mic, Kool Moe Dee wrote: ‘There are two types of freestyle. There's an old-school freestyle that basically rhymes that you've written that may not have anything to do with any subject or that goes all over the place. Then there's freestyle… Read more
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Behind the Loops: Malcolm Joseph
A live bass player, studio owner, band member, teacher and session player, Malcolm Joseph has seen all the shifts in the music industry throughout his 40-year career. From UK pop-stardom with his band 7th-Heaven in the 80s to mastering the skills of the studio and becoming the first choice bassist… Read more
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How To Make Money From Music
As a modern musician, working out how to make money from music will always be on your mind. This post isn’t intended as a roadmap to major-label deals, gleaming limousines and rivers of champagne (although there’s nothing wrong with aiming high). It’s about finding ways for working musicians to stay… Read more