recording

Neel, Phil, Mike, and Marlon

Trusting in your producer with Marlon Chaplin

This week, Marlon Chaplin joined us again to talk about how trusting in his producer/collaborator made all the difference in creating a new direction for his new album, Synestalgia.

Songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Marlon Chaplin is back with a brand new full length album, the first since 2018’s critically acclaimed rock record, ‘The Circle’.… Read the rest

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Mike, Neel, Phil, and Bradley

From Classical to Personal with Bradley McCaw

Bradley McCaw is an award-winning singer/songwriter. His career started with him singing classical music and touring internationally with the group THE TEN TENORS. A native of Australia, Bradley spent fifteen long years making good in every job a musician and writer could possibly have, ending his day with a stack of old vinyls by his bed and a dream to create music like his heroes.… Read the rest

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Neel, Phil, Mike, and Don

DAW Tips Part 2: All about MIDI

For our second episode on tips for using your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) at home, we talk all about MIDI and the different ways it can be used to better your home recordings.

We talked about:

  • James Gordon Songwriting Retreat (Sep 9 to 12)
  • what is MIDI and a brief history
  • MIDI notes and velocity
  • quantizing your MIDI performance
  • how MIDI can also be used in lighting systems and guitar pedals
  • viewing MIDI in a piano roll view, staff view, or event view
  • how MIDI can also be used as a transport control for your DAW
  • using drum maps
  • using articulation switches to trigger different performance phrases or articulations (e.g.

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Neel, Mike, Phil, and Christopher

How To Write A #1 Hit with Christopher Ward

Very excited to have the Juno-award winning songwriter, author of an international #1 hit song and the very first MuchMusic VJ join us on SongTalk. Christopher Ward has done all that and more. In our recent interview, Chris talked about his new release Same River Twice, its unique recording process and why he wanted to include his version of his song Black Velvet on the album.… Read the rest

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Mike, Don, Phil, and Neel

Home Recording and Digital Audio Workstations – Part 1

This week SongTalk dives into how to best use DAWs or Digital Audio workstations.

Home recording is booming and it’s not just because of Covid. Musicians have long been using different software at home to do what used to cost thousands of dollars in a professional recording studio.… Read the rest

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Phil, Neel, Mike, and John

Tomato Tomato and How Writing Simple Songs Can Be Complicated

This week SongTalk welcomed John from Tomato Tomato to our virtual studio.

They just might be Atlantic Canada’s most entertaining musical duo. The New Brunswick based pair – John and Lisa McLaggan – have built a reputation on a live show that is as much about their on-stage charisma as their musical multi-tasking and vocal excellence.… Read the rest

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Mike, Phil, Neel, Brendan, and Adrian

New Life to Old Songs with The Fugitives

This week SongTalk welcomed Brendan and Adrian from The Fugitives to our studio.

The Fugitives are a folk collective headed by songwriters Adrian Glynn and Brendan McLeod. They’re joined by banjo player Chris Suen (Viper Central) and violinist Carly Frey (The Coal Porters).… Read the rest

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