TRCoA Library - User: Greg Jones

We're honored to have Whiskey Shivers be a finalist in TRCOA's Artist Grant Program. Whiskey Shivers spent much of 2014 on tour and in September released a self-titled album (their third) produced by renowned singer-songwriter Robert Ellis. After all, it’s not every day a band who embraces the lab...

We are proud to present Jonny Gray to be a finalist in TRCOA's Artist Grant Program. One of the most nominated and awarded musicians at the 2014 Austin Music Awards winning "Folk Band of the Year," "Song of the Year," & "Male Vocalist of the Year." Jonny Gray has had an amazing year with appearances...

Greetings new TRCoA students! A tip for your “Beat Making & Music Theory” class. While there are dozens of relevant links on our BMT site for resources, don’t hesitate to scour youtube: there are great videos and free lessons on almost any theory mountain you have to climb. Here we will start ...

Check out this Ableton Live workflow video by world class game-changing producer DJ, Quantic. This is helpful for Ableton users, but also for Pro Tools users (or any other DAW) as well. Quantic goes through his process step by step, and offers some very valuable information on the way. Definitely a ...

In modern music using drum loops and drum samples is ubiquitous: you can find them pre recorded, sampled from records, traded, free on the internet, etc. These are great tools to sketch a song out with, even if you have the intention of replacing them later. Since many loops are owned by many people...

As discussed before, the versions of Ableton Live 9 and after have the ability to turn any isolated audio clip (isolated drums, isolated melody, and isolated harmonies) into a MIDI file. Last time we discussed this technique for turning a melodic phrase into MIDI data, and this week we'll highlight ...

As discussed before, the versions of Ableton Live 9 and after have the ability to turn any isolated audio clip (isolated drums, isolated melody, and isolated harmonies) into a MIDI file. Last time we discussed this technique for beat making, and this week we'll highlight the audio melody to midi fun...

As discussed in our last log: One of the most revolutionary tools to show up in a DAW in recent history is the “Audio to MIDI” function in Ableton Live. Any clip of audio can be converted to a MIDI file just by right clicking on it. Today we'll discuss drum clips! The software flawlessly convert...

One of the most revolutionary tools to show up in a DAW in recent history is the “Audio to MIDI” function. Any clip of audio can be converted to a MIDI file just by right clicking on it. When right clicking on a file, the user can select converting a drum sample, melody, or harmony sample. The p...

We introduced effect switching systems last time, and noted how you can connect a large number of pedals with little signal loss. This is because when a pedal is engaged, all of the others are taken out of the chain, because each is in its own isolated loop. The other asset these systems bring to th...

A new addition to the arsenal available to guitarists and other musicians is the switching system. These systems essentially consist of a number of isolated loops that an effect unit or pedal sits in. Imagine if your signal chain has 15 pedals in it. When you engage one pedal, your signal is still g...

A while ago we discussed the use of “Impulse Responses”. Impulse responses are digital models of a speaker cabinet, a speaker, a microphone, and the placement of the microphone. These are used in conjunction with digital amplifier simulators to help us create a natural guitar signal chain direct...

Check out these documentaries of pivotal musicians: Jaco Beware of Mr. Baker Chasing Trane

A thoughtful article on the use of Music Theory in electronic music production. Use it, but don’t let it stifle you: How Important is Music Theory?

Check this thing out! I've been using it as a send in my signal chain. Tonal Recall- Chase Bliss Audio Yes, this is the King of Analog Delays. With the footprint of a normal sized pedal, this unit brings to the table an almost unlimited array of options with its dip switches controlled by an express...

Music students, in this digital age we can’t take for granted the unprecedented ability that we have to reach out to anyone we are interested in working with and trade ideas and tracks. With essentially free cloud space and the ability to view other artists' work, this has become almost natural. I...

Plug-in Alert! The band Vulfpeck has been one of my bands for a long time. Check them out But a student told me these guys are making their own plugins to get some of these incredible sounds! Amazing! They are incredible. Check them out: Vulf Compressor- Goodhertz

In our studies learning how to use plugins: What is a processor? What is an effect? What is an insert? What is a send? These are all things TRCoA students will learn in BRT and Pro Tools classes. Plus, you'll learn the order in which plugins are implemented has a huge effect. If you're a guitarist, ...

Guitarist and Gain Aficionados: Check out the new Strymon “Sunset” Overdrive! It has 4 classic overdrive models with a wide range of tonal options, and two different clean boost types. Every pedal that I have played from this company is so well-thought-out and sounds exceptional. The attention t...

If a device you are using (whether it's a pedal, synth, or rack-mount processor) has an “Expression Pedal” input, always experiment with it! It can transform a one-dimensional effect into a very useful device. Many older analog devices let you choose only one parameter to control, but most moder...

Part Two: Direct Recording Tips When using amp simulation software, many of us take the speaker cabinet selection's effect on the direct guitar signal for granted.However, the cabinet type, size, and mic have a massive effect on the tone! These days, most amp simulation software lets you turn the ca...

We all love plugins, but if you've invested a good bit of money in guitar pedals, why not use them with your DAW? Many high end pedals beat plugins hands down, and offer a different sound. Radial makes a box where you can connect a line level signal from the recording system; it unbalances the signa...

Check out these Chord Progression Generator Apps. They can be a great way to learn more about writing chord progressions, enhancing your ear training skills, and help you to finish a song or section of a song when you run into a wall. iTunes: Autochords - Chord Progression Generator for guitar, keyb...

Greetings TRCoA students! A tip for your “Beat Making & Music Theory” class: There are dozens of great podcasts out there discussing music theory, song structure, and writing. Here are a couple of links to ones that I like: iTunes U- Music Theory Fundamentals PlayerFM- Music Theory Podcasts

On the BMT site at trcoaonline.com we have included many graphics and reference materials for all of the concepts we cover. I want you to keep in mind that using google images you can find a wealth of many other visual references that can help illustrate any of these topics. We all learn in differen...