MusicTom Rule

MIXTUREcast: Raining

2012-02-21T22:11:00.000-05:00

Joey & I give the back-story about "Raining" from Joey's new album MIXTURE.

This tune is different on the album with it's interesting simplicity. BTW that's not a bass you hear - it's Joey's guitar.

A student's success

2012-02-17T14:17:00.000-05:00

One of my private piano students, Wil Dannenberg, also performs on French Horn. [In fact, he is currently considering a double major in jazz piano and classical French Horn at a variety of colleges.]

He recently won the 2012 Macon Symphony Concerto Competition AS WELL AS the 2012 Macon Morning Music Club Joseph Maerz Award competition.

I was his accompanist for both events - and he indeed played well [if I do say myself!].

Mixing "Fall" from the album MIXTURE

2012-02-14T03:53:00.000-05:00

We mixed Fall yesterday [Fri 1/27/2012], and while mixing I took some notes on what we did and how long it took. Granted, this is a 6 minute song with some 43 tracks of audio, but still it takes a really long time when you look at it.

We did save some time because we had previously done a rough mix, so all the tracks were already setup so they went out to the proper channel on the big mixing board.

We started our day by recording about 5 minutes of video talking about the song - it will [eventually] get posted over at joeystuckey.blogspot.com - you can sign up for auto-updates from that blog as well!

...and before we get to the details, and in case you don't know - this is Joey Stuckey's newest album we are working on. The mixing is being done down at Shadowsound Studios in Macon, GA [home of the Allman Brothers and Otis Redding - and a TON of other great musicians you've never heard of!].

Joey and I have co-written all 10 tunes on the album, and we are co-producing as well. We've pulled in some excellent musicians to work on some of the tracks, including Dr. Marcus Redding, Miguel "not-related-to-the-dictator" Castro, Dr. Monty Cole, and Pam Rule.

You can CLICK HERE to see all the videos that have been posted while we have been recording the project. We'd love to here from you - what style do you think this album is? We're still trying to figure it out!

So here is a peek at how the tune got mixed down from 43 tracks to 2.

10:00 am	Record Video thingy - to be posted at joeystuckey.blogspot.com [eventually!]. Power up the studio, put the camera away.
10:30	Drums - setup, EQ
10:50	Add verb to drums [which one? We've got hundreds to choose from]
10:52	Bass - working on EQ, panning
11:00	Piano part - timing issues to be fixed. EQ out the lower end b/c it needs to punch in the rock section.
11:10	Begin working on jazz section at the top
11:50	Djembe reverb? A few of the hits are too loud - we selected those few individually and dropped their level.
12:05 pm	Oboe part - EQ, add reverb, pan so it's there, but not majorly obvious.
12:15	"Chunka" part - setup a new bus in the computer, selected a cool effect to run it through. Took some time to get the parameters just right, but the time was well spent. It made those 5 seconds in the songs just magical.
12:25	Worked on panning on the lead-in into the rock section. Had to automate the electric guitar part.
12:30	Rough mix 1 burned to CD...ooops, forgot the rainstick at the end. We'll add it later.
12:40	LUNCH BREAK! Joey popped out for an appointment - he listened to the rough mix while in the car and made some notes.
2:00	Several tweaks done from the rough mix notes: Adjust volume on several tracks, fix some solo notes, bring the Verse pad up, add the rainstick at the end.....
2:35	Modify the rainstick timing - and add some stereo effects to it....not a lot, but just enough! [There's often a fine line between those two states.....]
2:45	Djembe scrapes - add effects at the beginning of the tune. had to move a few clips to a new track, and then route them through the same bus as the "chunky guitar" bit.
3:10	Burn test disk, go check the mix in the car.
3:20	Sounds good - time to start burning the stems [i.e. different versions of the song - one with no melody, one with just the percussion, just the keyboards, etc. These are for use later]/
3:45	Done! A long but very productive (and absolutely fun] session!
next Friday	...on to the next tune!

Advice for a potential Music Major

2012-02-07T08:48:00.000-05:00

I received an email about auditioning for admission to a college music program:

Well I am auditioning for ******* University's Music department.

Here are the things I have to do:
1. Perform 3 pieces
2. Take a music theory test
3. Sight sing

I am not however able to take lessons right now due to family and school responsibilities. But that will not stop me from doing my best. Would you happen to have any other resources that I can use to study for this audition?

Here was my advice to this person:

1) Practice everyday. Regardless. Make it happen to the point of being rude.

2) The difference between amateurs and pros:
http://jmichaeldolan.com/comment.php?blogid=168

3) Record yourself "performing" the pieces. listen to the recording analytically (what could have been better?) Make a list, and work on the list.

4) Tons of music theory sites online - I have a short list at http://www.tomrule.info/piano

5) Know your scales. The goal - though it isn't critical that you be able to do this at the outset, is both hands, 4 octaves, 16th notes at 120 bpm - all 12 majors, as many minors as you can get.

6) Best way to learn to sightsing is to sightsing. At every practice session sightread through a new section of music for about 5=10 minutes - there is TONS of music online for printout (public domain stuff - yup, they're legal).

International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) Portal imslp.org/
Choral Public Domain Library www.cpdl.org/
The Mutopia Project www.mutopiaproject.org/

Last note: the purpose of the music theory test and the sightsinging test is partly to measure your musical experience [and thus your chances of being successful], but mostly for placement purposes. Perfection is not expected!

Performance with Cloud 9 Orchestra November 2011

2012-02-01T14:07:00.000-05:00

Joey Stuckey's Mixture: Recording "Fall"

2012-01-27T15:15:00.000-05:00

We FINALLY finished up tracking on MIXTURE with Dr. Marcus Reddick on the tune Fall. It's interesting how Marcus was using different hand drums - and then there's the cymbal thing where he decided to use two different brushes for a cool effect.

Watch and please comment!

http://youtu.be/6E53dlGlwPg

Recent work mentioned in Macon State's Newsletter

2012-01-21T13:33:00.000-05:00

Click to see a larger [i.e. readable] version!

Music Appreciation Experiments

2012-01-14T10:42:00.000-05:00

One of the things I do is teach a Music Appreciation class at Macon State. As an introduction to 20th century music ideas, we record two pieces - one demonstrating chance music {i.e. aleatoric} and one demonstrating minimalism.

These aren't traditional pieces in ANY sense of the word, but it IS a lot of fun to do, and every classes' version sounds completely different.

You can take a listen to several years worth of these recordings over at Last.fm:
http://www.last.fm/music/Tom+Rule/Music+Appreciation+Experiments

MacMusicGuy.com is back!

2012-01-10T12:14:00.003-05:00

Still tweaking, but the site is back up.
New products include the One-Handed-Trio series (flexible Piano Keyboard duet/trios), several new MP3s from Tom (some of them free!), and some Choir Practice Tracks (for the Brahms Liebeslider Waltzes).

There will be more coming, so if you'd like an easy way to keep up, sign up for the newsletter at MacMusicGuy.com, or subscribe to THIS blog!

Accessible Depth: December Thoughts and Pam

2012-01-07T17:32:00.000-05:00

December Thoughts is another improv done on the old Steinway. Guess when this was recorded? This one starts a bit louder - I really like the chord progression buildup in the middle - and then gets very quiet.

The whole consonant-with-a-bit-of-dissonance feels like a reflection of real life to me.

Pam is my wife, lover, best friend, and mother of ALL of my children - yes, they are all the same person!

I know that sounds impossible in some quarters of our society, but it is indeed true.

Contained on this track are the Steinway, a heavily effected genuine Fender Rhodes, the freeware softsynth Crystal, a Korg DW8000, and a Roland RD700sx.

MacMusicGuy.com update

2012-01-03T15:10:00.003-05:00

I just spent around 6 hours re-typing and re-loading and re-doing-this-n-that, so progress is indeed being made!

It looks like it will be another week or so before the site is back online - probably another 3 weeks before the 90 or so pieces of music are ALL uploaded and available.

I'm also uploading several pieces that have not been in the store before, including some live performances, some experimental audio, and many free items!

In the meantime
keep an eye out
here for the
latest news!

Just who is this Tom Rule anyway?

2011-12-31T17:42:00.000-05:00

Who is this Tom Rule anyway?

Tom Rule is a Tennessee native who is proof God has a sense of humor. A left-handed keyboard player who has played more styles than he cares to think about, Tom is not normal, but you wouldn't know that from his music.

He landed in Macon, GA in 1990 and has been doing music and such in that area since then, with occasional forays to places like Boston and Iowa to perform. You can get more info here & here if you really want to.

Tom is also on Facebook, and has a Blog you can sign up to get emailed when something is added. He also stashed a lot of music over at MacMusicGuy.com which is available - sheet music, mp3s, choir practice tracks, etc.

He is also thankful his parents paid for all those piano lessons!

MacMusicGuy.com is down for a while.....

2011-12-28T09:10:00.000-05:00

Apologies to those who were not able to complete their transactions - something has gone awry deep inside the guts of MacMusicGuy.com, and it looks like I'll be rebuilding the store from scratch, sadly!

Perhaps this will let me fix those little things I've been wanting to get to for a while now!

I'll post updates as soon as there's anything to report!

Accessible Depth: What's with the Cross?

2011-12-24T17:39:00.000-05:00

I know - there’s only one thing overtly “Christian” on this album. So why is there a cross on the cover?

Since I’m a firm believer that “Christianity” is not a thing you DO, it’s a relationship you maintain, it follows that everything I do or create springs out of my relationship with the Creator. Obviously, some days I’m better at that relationship than others, but I still keep trying.

The type inside the cross on the album cover is a chord chart from church printed on a very old laser printer - which was malfunctioning. It’s a very cool mistake that I decided would look great on the album cover. See if you can figure out what song we were playing that Sunday.

Here's the rough draft of the cover. The final version wasn't much different:

Interviewed by David Vignola of Vision Recording in CT.

2011-12-15T14:06:00.002-05:00

I was recently interviewed by David Vignola of Vision Recording up in Connecticut for his podcast about music licensing. We connected on LinkedIn through the Music licensing group - he was looking for someone who is new to the licensing game to get some stories about the process and such.

Here's the link to the podcast. As I type this I have not listened to it - sure hope I come off as at least somewhat intelligent!

Episode 31 - Music Licensing Part 2

Here's a separate blog entry with links to the resources I mention during the interview.

Notes for Vision Recording Interview

2011-12-14T10:29:00.000-05:00

David Vignola from Vision Recording up in Naugatuck, Connecticut interviewed me for his podcast the second week of December about music licensing from a newbie perspective.

The specific link is here: Episode 31 - Music Licensing Part 2

I mentioned several different resources during the interview, and here are some links:

Libraries I'm currently in:

Other resources mentioned:

Linked In - Music Publishing and Licensing Group - this is a "closed" group, so you have to request to join. The admins are just trying to make sure that legit musicians are in the group
Sarah Gavigan - http://www.getyourmusiclicensed.com/ - a music supervisor who is putting out a lot of info, suggestions for proceeding, etc. My impression is that she's doing this not only to support herself, but also to make her job easier!
John Oszajca - http://www.musicmarketingmanifesto.com - has a lot of good material on marketing here, plus a paid online community with tons of resources.
Aaron Davison - Renegade Music Marketing - HowToLicenseYourMusic.com - lots of ebooks and directories for sale

A couple of other tidbits:

I'm really just starting out. I've been "collecting" material for a fairly long time, with no real purpose behind it....so essentially I already had some material ready before starting this journey.
I've read in SEVERAL places that this is a marathon, not a sprint.
I've also read that the first placements are the hardest - once you have a track record and people know what kind of stuff you do, then they'll [hopefully] remember your stuff.
Music supervisors are incredibly busy and under serious time deadlines. Label everything with your name and contact info - EVERYTHING. You have to make it easy to be found.
A comment in the Linked-In group that has stuck with me was that to make significant income from licensing you have to have a THOUSAND tracks out there, adding 100 a year to your catalog. For me, this just means that it's going to be a [possibly long] while before I can "give up my day jobs".
But my whole purpose in pursuing this was as an ADDITIONAL income stream - not to really make an ENTIRE living off of it (although that would be really cool!).

...and just in case

you want to see all the OTHER stuff I do, here's a short list. It really does work out to about 7 part-time jobs. Some people call it "entrepreneurial" - I personally think it's proof God has a sense of humor!

http://www.tomrule.info - piano teaching and studio work
http://www.TomRule.info/depth - New Album: Accessible Depth
http://www.HamSandwichTees.com - Mugs, Tshirts, Hats, iPhone/iPad cases
http://www.MacMusicGuy.com - MP3, Charts, Sheet Music
http://www.MaconMacGuy.com - Websites, Training, getting small businesses to work their technologies
http://www.MidGaHosting.com - web hosting, email, etc.
Teaching Piano, Music Appreciation, and accompanying the Chamber Singers at Macon State College. See http://MaconState.blogspot.com for the Music App class blog.
I'm also on staff at Northway Church in Macon - the band tom&co recorded two albums in 1999 & 2003 which received a bit of airplay/webplay.
...and I'm in a couple of bands/groups: Joey Stuckey Band, GA Cabaret, Mosely Dixon Project

???

Anybody with questions, please feel free to contact me!
Use the contact form over at MacMusicGuy.com (just ignore the "order number" field).

Accessible Depth - HUH?

2011-12-12T17:37:00.001-05:00

ACCESSIBLE DEPTH? What kind of an album title is that?

It’s been my privilege to have been gifted with the musical flexibility to live in several worlds - “classical”, pop, jazz, educational. While I enjoy an eclectic array of music, it has long been point of frustration that so music lacks imagination, creativity, and depth. On the other hand, the 20th century experimental composers were trying to maintain some depth - but many of the experiments would never have an audience.

...and without an audience, what’s the point?

So this album is an attempt to create accessible music - i.e. that is eminently listenable - but that can withstand multiple listens because you keep finding additional interesting tidbits - “ear candy”.

Let me know how I did!

Accessible Depth: some production notes

2011-12-09T17:34:00.000-05:00

Some of the older tracks on Accessible Depth were recorded using Mackie’s Tracktion. I'm moving away from Tracktion, though I really do like the software, because the OS has moved beyond it and I'm starting to see some crashes.

The acoustic piano tracks were recorded on Pro Tools 7 (Win) - the resulting tracks were ported over to the studio Mac for further work.

Some of the Fender Rhodes tracks were recorded at Northway church in Macon, GA - that’s a genuine vintage 1972 Fender Rhodes that is in remarkably good shape. The Rhodes parts were played into an Alesis Masterlink, while I listened to the underlying accompanment on an iPod - a bit kludgy, but it worked well.

Other instruments used include a Korg DW8000, Roland RD700sx, plus several VST instruments including Sampletank and Kore Player.

The album was assembled and mastered using Presonus’ Studio One Pro.

Online piano / Keyboard / Praise Band lessons

2011-12-06T13:20:00.001-05:00

I've been on the faculty of VidChat University for a few months now. It is a conduit where musicians can take lessons on an ad-hoc OR continuing basis over the internet, and it works pretty well. We're running a special for the holidays - see below!

Click to see my instructor page.

"Like" VidChat University on Facebook and ask for a coupon code for four lessons for only $144 ($36 each!).

Each of us has been given specific talents. Along with those talents comes a responsibility. As musicians we need to be sure we’re performing skillfully. We need to know when we present the gift of music to the listeners, that it is the best it can possibly be in that moment.

Now for the first time in history we have access to private music lessons from the industry professionals in some of the world’s leading music capitals.

Video cameras are commonplace and inexpensive – even built into many personal computers. When combined with free software, they give us the ability to experience live and personal music lessons from these pros. We can learn from them – improve. We can find a renewed passion and confidence in our own craft. When we do, others will notice – and want to listen.

View the Available Packages - FREE TRIAL available as well!

Accessible Depth: Spring Longing and Doooooo Dot

2011-12-03T17:29:00.000-05:00

Spring Longing is another “dead of winter” session of thinking with my fingers on the keyboard.

Oddly enough, in spite of this piece’s title, I enjoy recording in Winter more than Summer because there’s less noise - heaters are much quieter than air conditioners!

Doooooo Dot began as a demo piece for my wife Pam to record. We never got around to it, and I found the original score notes last summer. The Roland RD700sx I regularly use has some samples done by Take 6....and I began wondering one day if the two would work together.

I think they did. What do YOU think?

Accessible Depth: At The Cross

2011-11-30T17:28:00.001-05:00

Originally released on the 2003 album Seasons by tom&co, I still enjoy listening to this track.

It was recorded at the end of a marathon session - at around 2 AM. We’d been at the studio since about 9 AM, and this was the last track to be recorded. That’s a very nice Yamaha digital piano - a “pseudo-baby-grand design” - which I enjoyed very much playing.

There were only two takes of this piece done - and we spent a full half-hour deciding which one to keep.

Not bad for waaaay after midnight!!!!

Accessible Depth: Sun and Hot July

2011-11-25T17:26:00.001-05:00

Sun is another improv, recorded on a dreary Winter day - one of those that make you glad the office has no windows.

Hot July - Some would call this “Ambient” because it has a synth pad behind the piano. I not sure that works as a description, because there is an actual melody here!

It **is** peaceful, and takes some time at the end of some of the phrases. There are also some interesting kinda-sorta-somewhat dissonances in the underlying harmonies that you might miss unless you are REALLY listening.

Over 100,000 listens scrobbled on Last.fm!

2011-11-23T21:55:00.000-05:00

Just noticed that there have been over 100,000 listens to my music on last.fm!

Check out the current number!

ACCESSIBLE DEPTH IS NOW AVAILABLE!

2011-11-23T11:27:00.000-05:00

Accessible Depth is now available online! You can get more detailed info about the album at www.TomRule.info/depth

MacMusicGuy.com - downloads only

CD Baby - downloads AND physical CDs

Google Music & the Android Marketplace - - downloads only

Thanksgiving week news and notes (G#, perhaps...)

2011-11-20T21:04:00.004-05:00

Lots of quick items:

Wow - epic weekend performing with the Cloud 9 Orchestra up at Camp Winshape in Rome, GA. KILLER rhythm section - I had an absolute ball! Videos and pix will be posted at some point soon....watch this space for more info!

Accessible Depth - the new album, is now in! It will show up on CDBaby probably before Thanksgiving, and will also be available over at Young America Music on Zebulon Road in Macon.

In a few weeks it will be available on iTunes and Spotify as well.

What is it? All the details can be found at the Accessible Depth webpage - take a look and sign up for the newsletter while you're at it!

More recording to be done on Joey Stuckey's new album MIXTURE. Monday we lay down tracks with Miguel "No Relation to the Dictator" Castro on the last tune - Raining.

And finally this Saturday will be the latest performance of GA Cabaret's "Home for the Holidays" - the 2011 edition, at Marco's Restaurant in Macon. CLICK HERE for the details - or CLICK HERE for the facebook event!