For more than two years now, IAR has presented its Audio for Picture (AFP) Awards Festival to showcase student post production projects. AFP is not officially a part of the audio-post production course given in the last quarter, but it has become an important, exciting opportunity for using the tools students learn in the course. Students choose any pre-existing video piece and recreate all aspects of audio. The high level of competitiveness and ambition demonstrated by the student projects distinguished this Fall’s AFP Awards from previous events. Nell Gwynn, creator of the AFP, remarked, “Normally, we have short form projects, but this time virtually all submissions were two minutes or more. The top three prizes were hotly contested, and having missed the top three by only a half a point, the judges recognized Juan Rivera’s project as an audience favorite.” The range of projects included scenes from movies, TV shows and animated films, such as ‘300,’ ‘I Am Legend,’ ‘The Notebook,’ ‘The Chappelle Show,’ ‘Ice Age’ and ‘Shrek.’ Nell made the important point that “The AFP forces students to raise their standards and creativity, and gives them a final project or ‘demo reel’ to showcase their talents if they want to pursue audio-post as a career.”
The Fall 2008 AFP Winners are:
1st Place
Kevin Perrin “I Am Legend”
2nd Place
Sean Oates & Daniel Riofrio “Shrek: Muffin Man Scene”
3rd Place
Danny Molano “The Crow”
Outstanding Achievement Awards
Musical Composition
Francis Debbane
Automated Dialog Replacement
Mike Bludson
SFX Editing
Nick Cutrone, Matt Collucci
Original Score
Juan Rivera
Audience Favorite
Juan Rivera
Current IAR student, Christina LaRocca, is a singer and songwriter and performs with the soul and funk group Heavy Weather. The Brooklyn native is joined by Dorian Lake (percussion/vox), Carl Gallagher (guitar), Danny Gallagher (bass), Josh Steinhart (keys) and Mike Sutton (drums). They formed in 2006 and the group’s unique blend of musical styles and compelling lyrics has brought them popularity in the New York City venue circuit, with performances at Crash Mansion, CBGB’s, The Knitting Factory, Arlene’s Grocery, and The Bitter End. Their debut album, ‘Miles of Mud,’ will be released on October 16th, 2008 with a CD release party and show at The Bitter End. Christina comments about the album: “There’s no specific theme except that life will have its ups and downs and you just have to laugh, eat an orange, and not let it get to you.” Heavy Weather was a New York City Finalist at “Emergenza,” the international battle of the bands competition. They were also the winners of IAR’s Next Level 6 Competition at Arlene’s Grocery and used the prize, a 1,000 CD package from Disc Makers, to manufacture their debut album. Christina decided to attend IAR because, “I hated being in the studio and not knowing how everything was working. It’s like taking your car to a mechanic and paying him lots of money to do something you know nothing about. If I’m going to be a recording artist, I should know how to record live music. I want to super thank IAR for helping Heavy Weather. I am extremely grateful to them for not only teaching me a lot of cool stuff but for helping me jump-start my career in the biz.” For more information on Christina LaRocca & Heavy Weather, visit heavyweathermusic.com.
Ryan Berry is a student at IAR in his second quarter. He is also an accomplished musician and entertainer under the name Presence. He has competed in over 25 major hip-hop battles across the country including ScribbleJam 2005 (Preliminary Champion) in Cincinnati, OH, Brainstorm 2004 (Co-Champion) and 2002 (Champion) in Seattle, WA, Chicago All City 2002 (Champion) and 2003 (Co-Champion), MTV’s “The Cypher” Pilot filmed in NYC, 2004 Breeze Battle Finalist in NYC, and 2004 Mic Control Finalist in NYC. He also started his own label, Praxis Records, and released two albums, Recreation Bait in 2004 and R.Y.E. (Ready Your Ears) in 2006. Ryan developed his latest album R.Y.E., “To offer people my interpretation of this art form (hip-hop), and hopefully accomplish that through crafty lyrics, inventive production, and a general warmth that lets who I am shine through the songs.” He decided to attend IAR for a number of reasons: “I was sick of paying other people to do what I should just take the time to learn myself! That way, I put myself in the position to make a living in the field of music as well as pursue my dreams of being a recording artist. I’m trying to gain all the knowledge I can as far as music is concerned so that the next album can hopefully draw a buzz and get some distribution.” For more information on Presence, his music and battle clips, and for booking, visit myspace.com/nyryeb.
On Thursday, August 21st, IAR hosted ”Do It Yourself: The Music Business,” presenting special guest speaker Larry Hamby, Senior Vice President, Artist & Repertoire, at Sony/BMG Records. IAR students, faculty, and staff attended the event to get one-on-one with a top executive in one of the biggest record labels in the music industry. Larry gave a quick background on how he got started in the industry over 35 years ago and the range of celebrity artists, producers and projects he has worked on, including Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller.’ He told the audience that he wanted the night to be a forum where they could ask him any question about the industry and he would give his honest and direct answer. The Q&A session gave students a chance to hear an industry expert answer questions that directly affect their music careers, such as is the definition of A&R and how to get into it, the state of the industry and its future, steps to get your music heard by the right people, what do you look for in an artist, and how to start an indie label. Larry gave students insight and advice for their promising careers with reference to industry resources and essential websites (musicregistry.com, pollstar.com, recordxpress.net).
In answering “What do I want in an artist,” for example, Larry said “talent, not looks; I’m looking for an act that is making noise for themselves through live shows, independent CD sales, and lots of buzz online and on Myspace.” Larry suggested that for upcoming songwriters and producers, the first step is to become a member of ASCAP or BMI: “They have a great support system to educate you, bring you into their great industry network, and help get you gigs.” The information Larry offered was invaluable and the students made sure to use up every minute of his time.
IAR student Karmen Michael just released his new album titled ‘It’s Possible’ in July 2008. Karmen’s Pop/R&B music is theatrical and inspirational, “Music is not my way out…it’s how I get out!” Karmen was also a competitor in IARecords’ Next Level competition and will have a song on the upcoming Next Level 5 album. Raised in Texas, Karmen moved to New York City at age 19 to pursue his dream as a musician and entertainer. Within weeks, he was performing at local clubs, open mic nights and lounges throughout the city. Karmen created his own label, Kreative Music Group, and taught himself how to produce music, create an image, and book and manage shows. He was also working full-time in a field unrelated to music, so he decided to attend IAR, “What I know for sure is that your gut never steers you wrong. When I arrived here, it felt like I was meant to be here. I still feel like I made the right choice.” He quotes Mesta Bish, one of his teachers at IAR, “This business is about who you know and what you are working on.” Karmen states he is privileged to have met and established relationships with many of the staff and students and, “I will leave here with a rolodex of talented engineers, producers, artists, and musicians.” After speaking with the Dean of Faculty, Noel Smith, Karmen joined the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) which hosts the Grammys and is now the student rep at IAR, “It has given me access and contacts that are out of this world and I can get other students signed up.” For more information on Karmen Michael check out myspace.com/4karmenmichael.
On Thursday, June 26th, current IAR students packed into a seminar delivered by Dana McCurdy, IAR instructor and electronic music specialist, covering some of the special features and advanced techniques available to the savvy “Power User” of music production software REASON. Developed by the Swedish company Propellerhead, REASON has become one of the most popular music production tools in the industry, and is a core part of IAR’s MIDI curriculum along with its companion protocol, REWIRE, which have quickly become industry standards.
Dana’s appearance was part of IAR’s “DIY” series of seminars on audio topics that are offered to our students in addition to the regular course work, and he returned to the DIY series by popular demand, to deliver a two-part seminar. In this one, Dana concentrated on techniques that will work with any version of REASON, including the simplified version known as “Reason Adapted.” Emphasizing some of the flexibility and hidden depths of this software, he showed students countless ways to customize and personalize their REASON grooves, using different modules including Redrum, Dr. Rex, NN-19, and Subtractor. Dana used Redrum to load custom sounds and showed students how to tweak those sounds by changing the pitch, length, and starting time. He encouraged students to record and import their own customized sounds and played samples of his own: a salad bowl, lamp shade, metal rack, and floor creaks. He then programmed in different rhythms and used the sounds to create a beat. Dana went on to demonstrate grooves and songs he had previously created to exemplify other creative techniques and tools such as automation, customizing REX grooves, original sound programming in Subtractor, and patching on REASON’s back panel to create unique rhythmic patterns with gates and low frequency oscillators (LFOs).
Coming soon, Part II of Dana’s DIY seminar will demonstrate some of the newer and more extensive features of Reason 4.0, the current “full” version we have been running in IAR’s MIDI labs.
Students in their 4th quarter at IAR take: Post Production-Audio, which teaches them the techniques of creating an audio soundtrack synchronized to video. Subjects include location sound production, SMPTE time code, dialog, audio bed tracks and sound effects. Students are given the chance to enter the popular Audio for Picture (AFP) Awards Festival, where they use the tools they learn in the class, choose a pre-existing video piece and recreate all aspects of the audio for it.
The AFP awards are an exciting and creative experience for students. “It’s a tremendous collection of art,” says Nell Gywnn from Student Services, who leads the AFP. Students chose from their favorite films, television shows, commercials, and cartoons. One project was a movie trailer and rather than using video from the original, the student re-created the trailer by piecing together different scenes within the film and adding unique voice-overs, music, and sound effects. An audience favorite was a spoof of the Matrix movie with an argument debating the pros and cons of digital recording vs. analog recording using improvised humorous dialog of characters during a fight scene. Thanks to all who submitted. The Summer 2008 AFP Winners are:
1st Place
Mefail Ljumanoski with “Robots”
2nd Place
Rivka Einy and Carlos Berthet with “Team America Redux”
3rd Place
Madli Kent with “Happy Tree Friends”
Outstanding Achievement Awards
ADR
Avery McFadden, Andrew Fuccillo, Brian Chirlo, Edward Long
Music Editing
Jason Earl, Chris Sullivan, Mike Weiner
Music Selection
Alexander Velez, Carlos Buitrago, Doug Schaefer, James Spring
Sound Design
Matt MacUmber
SFX
Alexis Puig, Alex Santullo
Original Score
Madli Kent, Jason Russell, Damond Thomas
Overall Post Production
Rivka Einy, Carlos Berthet
Audience Favorite
Alexy Larroy, Jackie Gonzalez
After walking the halls of IAR and speaking to students, it does not take long to realize that many are already entrepreneurs pursuing their own music and entertainment business ventures. Vince Austin, a student in his third quarter, has been running VIP Underground, for 2 years with partner Duane May. VIP Underground is their online social network that provides free advertising for all New York City events and hosts photos of those events. Partygoers, concert lovers, and socialites can join the website, become members, create profiles and interact with other members similar to the popular networks Myspace and Facebook.
As the President and Event Coordinator for VIP Underground, Vince is in constant contact with club owners and members of elite street teams, to learn when and where events will be and arrange for VIP Underground’s photographers to be present. Vince also maintains the website.
Vince attends IAR to learn about music production and audio engineering, and about the business of music. Vince says of his IAR experience: “I am developing a broader background of music with real hands-on experience. IAR has helped me understand what perfect sound is and what the world craves to hear. Not only has IAR taught me the fundamentals of audio engineering and production, but the school has its own great community, similar to VIP Underground, and I meet many people with a love for music and make lasting friendships that will help me with my future goals. After IAR, I plan to become an Artist Manager. Then I really want to get into publishing and distribution.” To learn more and join the community, visit vipunderground.com.
On Tuesday, June 3rd, students in IAR’s Recording Workshop (RW) laid down tracks with a special guest artist, Gary U.S. Bonds. The renowned performer and songwriter has a long list of accomplishments in rhythm and blues and rock and roll. He was one of the most influential artists in the 1960’s with hits such as New Orleans, Quarter to Three, School Is Out, Dear Lady Twist, School Is In, and Twist, Twist, Señora. His later work includes collaborations with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and Steven Van Zandt who were fans of Bonds when they were developing their musical grooves. The RW instructor, Dan Grigsby, has brought other renowned artists to record at IAR, including Latin bassist John Benitez and George Clinton’s pianist Axel Tosca. Grigsby notes about Bonds’ recent appearance that “The students were so psyched. Here’s a guy who’s been in the industry forever. He’s a survivor and a celebrity but down to earth and fun, and still does his craft at a high level.”
IAR students recorded Gary, who was accompanied by his wife and daughter, as they tracked background vocals to the song “Rudy”, written by George Thiess. Beyond learning the best techniques for mic placement, using the board and Pro Tools, students witnessed how a major artist with decades of recording experience creates music in the studio and collaborates with a producer and engineer. “The students start thinking ‘I can do this. I can really do this’,” said Grigsby. IAR student Bryan Wilson remarked, “I loved being in the studio and seeing Gary and Dan work and interacting with them. When we got to mix it down, it really came together. It was an awesome experience.” For more information on Gary U.S. Bonds, visit garyusbonds.com.
On Wednesday, May 21st, IAR hosted a demonstration by Ableton of their popular music production and performance software, Live, version 7. Ableton Live has become a full-service production tool for making music with the computer. The affordable package includes a variety of creative elements, such as multi-track recording, MIDI sequencing, many built in instruments and effects, and video capabilities. Ableton first explained the basic setup to run the program and what external gear is needed. Students participated in the demonstration by tracking vocals and guitar into Live, and then were taught to use functions such as warping and automation in real time. They were then shown the seemingly endless options for editing, effects, processing, and producing and Dave Hill, Ableton USA General Manager, said, “You’re collecting bits of audio and arranging it later. This is like pre-production work.”
Ableton Live has lessons and tutorials built into the program so a user can learn or refresh on any tool while using the program. Students were also shown how DJs use Ableton Live for their gigs. Dave Hill and Sam Walker of Ableton provided advice for best use with Apple and PC computers and were impressed with the depth of questions IAR students had covering sampling and chopping and comparisons to Reason software. Tekserve was also at the session and offers great deals to IAR students on the ‘latest and greatest’ hardware and software products including Ableton Live, and each student left with a free trial version of Ableton Live to explore.
On Tuesday, April 29th IAR hosted one of its ‘Do It Yourself’ events covering DJing. IAR alumnus and accomplished DJ, Nicholas Bivona aka DJ REACT, came back to IAR to provide students with the basics of DJing. Nicholas works at Sirius Satellite Radio as a board operator and has worked as a DJing teacher. He also DJs up and down the east coast at private events and clubs.
DJ REACT started the seminar with a demonstration of his talent spinning and scratching on turntables. He gave a brief history of his DJing career and advised students about working in the music industry. He then brought students up and had them surround him as he showed them different techniques. From the most basic steps to complex patterns and improvisation, students were shown visually and audibly how DJs create their art. Moves such as a baby scratch, tear, chops, hamster, chirps, flares and the crab were demonstrated and then IAR students stepped behind the mixer and turntables to try for themselves. Nick spoke about ‘beat mixing and trick mixing’ and the importance of counting bars to stay on time and tighten up overall technique, “You don’t have to use crazy techniques to sound good. Using the basics melodically will be crazy.” DJ REACT gave his opinion on different equipment and internet resources to use when building their libraries of music, “I have playlists for everything, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, Club Hits, Bad Boy Records. Organize it with iTunes and know everything.” For more information on DJ REACT visit myspace.com/deejayreact.
On Tuesday, April 15th, IARecords hosted its sixth Next Level competition at Arlene’s Grocery in Manhattan. The Next Level showcase is a two-part event open only to IAR students. First, students submit their original music to be evaluated by IAR staff. Those selected compete live on stage at Arlene’s Grocery in lower Manhattan. The winner is determined by audience votes and receives a $1,000 credit towards either Disc Makers or Guitar Center. The second part of the Next Level brings all of the students who performed at Arlene’s Grocery into the recording studio to record a song for IARecords’ Next Level 5 album, which will be mixed and released later this year.
Arlene’s Grocery was packed with IAR faculty and staff, the artists’ friends and family, and students. Nine competitors took the stage to perform one song, with the genres ranging among rap, R&B, pop, heavy metal, and soul and funk. The variety of performers and high level of professionalism and talent distinguished this event over previous Next Level competitions. IAR student and Next Level participant Jer-Z remarked afterwards, “I just wanted to thank you guys so much for the opportunity to showcase my work in such a positive environment. I thoroughly enjoyed myself up there and the fact that the other acts were so impressive made for a well-rounded show!”
The winner of the Next Level 6 competition was Christina LaRocca and Heavy Weather, who performed her song ‘Fire.’ The Next Level competitors were T-Flame$ and the Funky Fresh Band, Unikson, Young & The Briz, Jer-Z, Christina LaRocca and Heavy Weather, Y.O. & B-Nice, Nameless & MindState Productions, The Crowning, and Karmen Michael. Congratulations to all competitors and thank you to all IAR student-artists who submitted.
Native American music group Ghosthorse released their new album ‘Ksa’ which in the Indian language Lakota means ‘trouble.’ The album’s theme is ‘An essence of understanding through trouble or difficulty.’ IAR faculty member and engineer and producer Dan Grigsby, who has worked with gold and platinum selling artists including Keith Richards and Joe Cocker, makes up one part of the spiritual Ghosthorse trio with Charley Buckland and Tiokasin Ghosthorse.
Ghosthorse combines influences and instruments from native cultures such as the siyotanka and cancega with contemporary guitar and bass. The group’s sound has been characterized as a fusion of jazz and blues with the spirit of traditional American Indian folk music. The bulk of the album was recorded in Dan’s home studio in Manhattan. The song ‘The Prayer’ was recorded at Kampo Studios with artist Lisa Bodnar, and the song “Sunrising West” was recorded at Blue Ribbon Sound, both established studios in New York City. ‘Ksa’ has been written up in the Village Voice and the ASCAP publication Stepping Out Magazine and received a great response from fans like Patricia Bauduin who said, “This is the first time I am listening to music from Native American heritage. It is relaxing and spiritual and brings a lot of emotions out of me.” Ghosthorse performs at Native American events and festivals and for more information on the group and ‘Ksa’, check out ghosthorse.biz and myspace.com/ghosthorseksa.
“Oneowe Xenau” – Ghosthorse
The Spring Audio for Picture (AFP) Awards Festival was a great success. The festival showcased audio/video projects from four IAR class sections, the most of any festival. Students were required to take a pre-existing video of their choice and recreate all sound effects, dialog, musical scores, and foley. The projects were limited to three categories based on time length: Short Format, Medium Format, and Long Format. The larger number of applicants yielded a very diverse and creative field of projects such as commercials for SAAB, Coke, and Playstation to short films and movies like Billy’s Balloon, Talladega Nights, Final Fantasy, and Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. One submission, Godzilla, amused the crowd with character dialog done by IAR faculty gibing each other. For the first time, students addressed the audience about their projects, answering questions about their creative and technical decisions. Matt Crawford, the creator of the AFP version of Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, remarked, “It took about 30 hours of foley work alone, but the hardest part was doing Pee Wee’s voice. I actually had to pitch shift it to get it close.” This new element of the AFP awards format was extremely informative and exciting. A new award was introduced to the AFP, Judges Choice, which was given to the highest scoring project out of all three formats. Thank you to all students who submitted.
The Spring 2008 AFP Winners are:
Short Format Winner: Brian Finucaine, Wes Conroy
Short Format Runner-up: Kaycee Avwomapka
Medium Format Winner: Majid Afzali, Uygar Yucebas
Medium Format Runner-up: Catherine Morey, Anthony Ungaro, Philip Lazar
Long Format Winner: Matt Crawford
Long Format Runner-up: Carlos Altamarino, Manuel Lugo
Outstanding Achievement Awards:
Sound Editing & Sound Design: Uygar Yucebas, Majid Afzali, Thomas Ryan, John Rucker
Original Score: Ninjin Galsanbat
Music Editing: Ninjin Galsanbat
Script Supervision: Shawn Kuiper, Alice Kallenius
SFX: William Villane, Keith Schwendenmann, Chris Pena
Overall Production: Leah Carrero, Matt Crawford
Judges Choice: Majid Afzali, Uygar Yucebas
The ability to run a functional recording studio in one’s own home is becoming increasingly easy and cost efficient. Many IAR students are interested in having their own studios for personal as well as commercial uses. On Thursday March 27th, faculty member and engineer Mario Salvati (engineer on platinum selling album Electric Youth by Debbie Gibson among other achievements) conducted one of IAR’s DIY (“Do It Yourself”) seminars, “Building Your Own Studio.” Mario has built many studios for professionals and amateurs and each has had its own unique set of characteristics and needs. With the potential for limitless situations, Mario has narrowed the entire build-out planning process to two questions, “How late do you want to work?” and “How loud do you want to get?” The answers will determine everything that comes after: concept, isolation, tuning, monitoring, construction and ultimately cost. Mario provided constant examples throughout the lecture, “I built a studio in a building in a Manhattan business district and the guy was planning on working late. Since no one was around at night, he could get as loud as he wanted and didn’t have to spend as much time and money on sound isolation.” Students were given a thick pamphlet of instructions with extensive drawings and diagrams to help them understand some of the more complex issues. Mario explained how some courses in IAR’s curriculum came directly into play, such as frequency response and monitoring sound. Students used the seminar as a chance to ask a professional about their personal situations and problems, and Mario eagerly responded with ideas about what materials to use, where best to get them, and what issues may arise
On Thursday, March 20th IAR hosted a seminar for students with special guest speaker, Universal Music recording artist MYSELF. Akil Omari aka MYSELF, grew up in New Orleans, LA and was immersed in the jazz and blues music scene first from his parents who were active musicians and then as he developed into his own as an artist. Since moving to New York City, he has worked with famous artists such as The Roots, Dead Prez and R. Kelly, and he runs his own record label, fashion and jewelry company, Couture Music Wear.
MYSELF provided students with advice and knowledge about his history as an artist and what it takes to do it yourself. He discussed the steps he took along his career and the big decisions he had to make including relocating to New York City. In New York, he started out playing open mic nights, meeting managers and artists, and building a network of contacts and friends. This effort led to business relationships, albums, his own record label and his current distribution deal with Universal. MYSELF had many vital points he stressed to students and a recurring theme was that he loved what he was doing and the music he was creating and he was not motivated by the glitz and glamour seen on popular television. Being an artist and controlling the business aspect takes hard work and persistence and “You must be hungry for it. Popular artists such as Jay-Z, Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs, and Russell Simmons spent many tireless years building the success they have now.”
MYSELF answered all of the students eager questions covering copyrights, publishing, licensing, and the benefits for an artist in independent labels vs. major labels. Students cheered as MYSELF performed an acoustic set after the seminar and stuck around to chat one-on-one. Check out MYSELF at cdbaby.com/myself3.
Beyond studying audio engineering and music production, IAR’s students are avid music goers, musicians, songwriters, producers, performers, and DJ’s. They know the latest and hottest music playing on the radio and in the clubs and which popular artists and producers are working together. IAR student Ken Jones a.k.a. Kernel Panic, started a new show on IARadio called Kernel Panic Radio. The show’s format is geared towards profiling IAR students on what they are doing, learning and applying, and their goals and plans after graduation. Kernel Panic intends to cover IAR events as well and has begun a regular ‘Freestyle Friday’ series where students have the opportunity to freestyle live on-air during the show.
Kernel Panic is no rookie to radio DJing. In 2005, he was a co-host on Grindhard Radio 91.9FM WHUT, an independent Hip Hop radio station broadcast in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and New Jersey. He also composes music and has a licensing deal with Warner Brothers Music, DSM Composers, which distributes his material out to television and film. Kernel Panic attended the Center for Media Arts for Audio Engineering but decided to come to IAR to “Upgrade my skills and learn the aspects of the business that I didn’t get previously. I have a better understanding of sound and equipment and it has changed my life. I’m older than most students and I gave up for a minute, but realized this was my passion and I went for it. It is paying off.”
New York-Based Music Production Company, Fire Productionz, today announced a Music Licensing Deal for producer Tom Colletti with VH1 for ‘The 13th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards’
New York, NY, January 6, 2008 – Tom Colletti’s beats will be playing live tomorrow night, Monday January 7, 2008, during ‘The 13th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards’ at 9:00 PM (ET). D.L. Hughley will be hosting the award show live from The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.
The Critics’ Choice Awards are given out annually by the Broadcast Film Critics Association, honoring the year’s finest achievements in cinema. “This deal with VH1 is my way of starting 2008. I am happy to have been asked to work on such a prestigious event,” said Colletti.
The deal with VH1 comes only months after his landmark licensing deal with MTV & MTVt3rs for the reality show “Making Menudo.” This is yet another opportunity that has come about for the young producer and composer.
Tom currently resides in New York City, where he is a student at the Institute of Audio Research (IAR) in Union Square. In December 2007, he was featured in the monthly (IAR) TRACKS Newsletter.
On November 15, 2007, Tom was featured in a three-page article in the Staten Island Advance Newspaper. He is also producing a track for DJ Kay Slay’s Street Sweepers artist Big Lou for his Debut Album which will be released later this year.
For media interviews, general information, and other press opportunities on this multi-talented music producer, contact:
Anthony Colletti, Business Development Manager, Email Anthony
Recording artist MYSELF’s latest album, “Protest in Disguise,” was co-produced by IAR alumni, Joe Demby (aka DJ Moosaka). The album was recorded, mixed and engineered at the famous Chung King Studios in New York, where Demby is in charge of operations. Chung King has been used by major producers and artists such as Rick Rubin, Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, Public Enemy and LL Cool J. Demby graduated IAR in 2003 and went to work for Chung King Studios assisting in sessions before being promoted to manage operations. He also DJ’s for events and clubs and has produced music for film, television, theatre, dance and documentaries such as “This is What Democracy Looks Like”.
MYSELF’s music combines the genres of rock, hip hop, jazz and blues and has been described as ‘couture.’ His own record label, Couture Music Wear, Inc., a division of Universal Music Group, reflects that blend of styles, and his music and lyrics address social issues of politics, poverty, racial inequalities and consumer empowerment. He has worked with multi-platinum and Grammy winning artists The Roots, Dead Prez, R.Kelly, Arrested Development and Chris Thomas King. Not one to stay still, MYSELF is constantly touring and promoting the album’s release while also working on two music videos he is working on and acting roles in upcoming films. The album’s official release date is May 20th. His advice to students interested in pursuing a career as an artist or producer is: “Be persistent. Be Patient. Be Professional.” For more information on MYSELF, visit his website cdbaby.com/myself3 or call Couture Music Wear 212.734.1170.
One valuable aspect of IAR’s Audio Recording and Production program is that our graduates are able to launch their careers in many different areas of the music business: professional recording studios, record labels, radio, television, audio post-production, corporate events, and others. One important and growing area of opportunity is the ‘live sound’ end of the business, and IAR has developed relationships with many of New York City’s top venues, among them the B.B. King Blues Club, The Apollo Theater, Birdland, and Webster Hall.
This article focuses on the Highline Ballroom, located along the High Line, a 1.45-mile elevated rail line in west Chelsea, where trains stopped running in the 1980s and which is being converted into an above-ground public park scheduled to open this year. The Highline Ballroom has been a growing attraction for international and local entertainment; Amy Winehouse, Mos Def, Coheed and Cambria, and Stevie Wonder are among the performers who have appeared there.
Justin Lizama, the production manager at the Highline Ballroom, has hired a steady stream of IAR students, two of whom, Neil Aviles and Dave Daughtry, are presently stage technicians. Justin likes to find graduates who “thirst for live audio knowledge to complement their studies at IAR and who are ‘go-getters,’ because this is a business that waits for no one.”
The Highline Ballroom gives IAR graduates the chance to work and learn from a professional staff with diverse experience and backgrounds, to work hands-on with state-of-the-art equipment, and to contribute to large-scale events for many of today’s popular artists. For more information on the Highline Ballroom and upcoming shows, visit highlineballroom.com. IAR students approaching graduation should inquire about opportunities at the Highline Ballroom in the placement department on the second floor.
IAR instructor Phil Painson was the mixer engineer for the song “Do You Feel Me,” part of the American Gangster movie soundtrack released by Def Jam records shortly after the movie went onto big screens worldwide. Written by Dianne Warren and produced by Hank Shocklee, the song is on the R&B/Soul soundtrack that includes artists such as Anthony Hamilton, Public Enemy, and Bobby Womack.
An active and accomplished engineer, Phil has been teaching at IAR for about two years, mainly focusing on digital-audio workshops such as advanced mixing (‘Mix2’) and MIDI. He frequently gives demos for IAR (Producing Your Song, Blueprint for a Hit Song), and he runs mixing sessions at IAR Open Houses. Phil has worked on numerous soundtracks, including those for the independent film High Life and the comedy High School High, as well as on television shows for HBO and the Discovery Channel.
Phil’s mixing gig for American Gangster took two-and-a-half days. When working on a song for a movie soundtrack, the engineer has a different challenge then when he or she is collaborating on an album for a single artist. Each song in the movie can have its own group of writers, performers, and producers, and there is a unique focus on both the song itself as well as its ‘fit’ within the bigger picture of the movie’s character and message. In Phil’s words: “There is a special kind of skill involved when doing a song that’s part of a movie soundtrack, because you need to have a great deal of patience as the project changes to fit the movie, and as timelines vary suddenly and unexpectedly.”
The movie and its actors have racked up a number of awards and Academy and Golden Globe nominations and have also inspired Jay-Z’s latest concept album, suitably titled American Gangster.
In 2007, faculty member Rich Blakin arranged for professional drummer Phil Young to record with student engineers in IAR’s Recording Workshop class. In his prolific career, Young has recorded with a diverse array of artists, some of whom are winners of Grammys, Emmys, and Oscars. At IAR, Young feels his contribution has given students “the benefit of working with experienced professionals now rather than later in their careers, an experience that has no price tag.”
Young’s passion for music and for helping to educate IAR students shines through as he drives the sessions behind the drum kit and provides wisdom to students, micing his kits and mixing the sessions. Young expressed strong feelings about this special program, and particularly what it means to him: “In my opinion, IAR is the best thing going on. It gives me a chance to interact with young minds. I always think of IAR as a laboratory, and we are the scientists attempting to create. The young students have so much to offer, and I’ve learned to listen and have gained immeasurably.”
Young has this advice for the IAR students he’s met through Rich Blakin: “Think about what you really want do in this business and soak it up at IAR because these are the best of circumstances.”
Reason, made by Propellerhead Software, is a powerful and very popular MIDI software package. The music production tool is used by professionals and amateurs alike and is taught to students at IAR. On Tuesday, January 15th, current IAR students packed into a seminar covering Reason and its special features, delivered by IAR instructor and electronic music specialist Dana McCurdy. Dana explained the differences between the multiple versions of Reason (Reason Adapted, Reason 3, and Reason 4) and some pitfalls to be aware of when using more than one version. The first topic discussed was automation and the creative uses of the countless digital knobs, dials, faders, and gadgets in Reason for musical compositions. One of Reason’s most popular features is called Redrum, which allows a user to load any type of audio sample and assign it to drum slots at specific tempos. Whether the sample is a musical groove or a creak in a house floor recorded with a microphone (one of Dana’s favorites), it can be imported into the program, set to a slot, and then layered over other samples to create a song.
Students came to realize that what Dana was creating sounded exactly like what is found in much of today’s popular music. Dana encouraged students to get creative with new sounds and tinker around with Reason’s seemingly endless options. The possibilities continued to grow as he highlighted each additional feature: NN-19 utilizing a MIDI keyboard to change pitches of samples or play them as chords, Dr. Rex for additional customization of grooves, Gates, Subtractors, etc. Students jumped at the chance to ask questions and hear Dana’s answers and tips.
Power 105.1 is one of New York City’s most popular stations, with shows syndicated all over the country. Power 105.1 Production Engineer and on-air radio personality DJ Yonny was happy to come back to IAR, where he graduated years earlier, and give current students a seminar on Radio Production. The full classroom of students sat attentively as Yonny detailed his growth in the industry starting at a young age dreaming of being a radio DJ and then later working as a DJ and competing in local battles, spinning at clubs in his hometown of Philadelphia, as well as in Delaware and New York.
He decided to take the next step toward radio as a career and attended IAR. After graduating, he got a part-time internship at Power 105.1, and he stayed at the station as much as he could to meet people and develop relationships. He adopted an eager and driven attitude while trying to remain humble and professional. Yonny asked to shadow the station’s Production Director, and this relationship facilitated a job offer at the station in the Production department. When Yonny felt the time was right, he explained he was a DJ and wanted a show, and he was ecstatic to be given one which now airs live every Saturday night from Midnight to 2 am.
In the session with IAR students, Yonny built a promo spot for his show in ProTools, incorporating cool effects like flanges, echo, panning, and the ‘GOD voice.’ The night’s interactive seminar between a popular Radio DJ and IAR students was a great experience. DJ Yonny parted with the following advice: “This was a dream come true for me. Stay focused on everything you do and understand your craft. Pay attention and learn everything you’re taught because, at some point, you will absolutely need it.” For more information on DJ Yonny, visit thespot.power1051fm.com/djyonny1051.
Local New York City musician Lisa Bodnar’s newest album, Come Hell or High Water, was produced by IAR Faculty member Dan Grigsby. The album was recorded at Kampo Studios in NYC and released in 2007. It features musicians from The Conan O’Brian Show, Saturday Night Live, IAR graduate Dann Araque, and IAR faculty member Gary Fritz, among others.
Grigsby submitted the album for the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards, to air on CBS-TV on February 10th. The GRAMMYs are the only peer-judged awards presented without regard to album sales or chart position and honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency, and overall excellence in the recording industry.
IAR wanted to learn more about the making of Bodnar’s new album, and spoke to the artist, along with Dan Grigsby:
IAR: How does the submission to the GRAMMYs make you feel about your careers and the album?
BODNAR: It makes me really happy and honored that I would be considered. I feel really grateful to Dan and his team for believing in the music and the time and effort put into this album.
GRIGSBY: I have great faith in the album and they are great songs.
IAR: Do you have any words of encouragement for IAR student artists, engineers, and producers?
BODNAR: Work hard and believe in yourself, love what you do and surround yourself with really good musicians, producers, and engineers. I was lucky to be among many of the IAR staff during the making of the album.
GRIGSBY: Whether you are an engineer or songwriter, do the best you can and don’t be concerned with the ‘bling.’ Do it for the art you are creating and everything else will find you.
For more information about Lisa and Dan, visit lisabodnay.com and dangrigsby.com.
Man: Biology of a Fall, a new full-length opera, had its world premiere in October at the Kumble Theater of Long Island University. Created by Evan Hause and Gary Heidt, the opera, written for a chamber orchestra, is about Frank Olson, one of the first American scientists to study biological weapons for the United States Army, and his tragic experiences during the mid 1900s. The production ran for four nights and received a great response by the audience.
IAR instructor Dan Gaydos was in charge of Production and Sound Design for the performances, and he enlisted the help of IAR students. Beginning with full-scale rehearsals, Dan and his IAR crew were responsible for synth playback and sound reinforcement in real time as well as live recording. Pre-production work included mic placement for the orchestra and performers, which was achieved with floor mics and others hung from the light grid. During the opera, Dan and the team followed the script and responded to over 60 cues for synth playbacks, echoes, and sound effects, all of which were run through the house speakers. The Production and Sound Design team also mixed and recorded the tracks live, to be edited post-show for DVD.
The students were very hands-on and involved in every step of the production. They responded to direction from the stage manager, conductor, and artists. This required extreme dedication and focus. It was a valuable experience for the students to work in sound production for a professional opera, and they performed wonderfully. Dan noted that co-creator Evan Hause was, “appreciative that the students were on the spot all of the time. They were extraordinary.”
|
Latest News
News Archives
|
