Soundclick Layouts, Beats for Sale: Review of My Muzic Image

Producers that utilize Soundclick to sell beats online, know that having a strong online presence and brand are important. When someone visits a music producer's soundclick page they are initially looking for two things. The first is high quality, soundclick beats. The next is a clean, aesthetically pleasing visual presence or overall image. If a producer's design is clean and the instrumentals are industry standard quality, it makes it easy for recording artists to download beats.

When I started my music production business in March of 2010, I did not have a strong Soundclick presence. I was using a basic free layout and was not getting much web traffic to my Soundclick page or people buying my beats. In the summer of 2010, I was fortunate to run across Christopher Perkins in my phone contacts (Owner of Mymuzicimage.com). Perkins is a very talented graphic designer and animator.

To start selling beats online, I upgraded my Soundclick account from the Basic account to V.I.P. account. This allowed for more customization of my Soundclick page where people could download my beats. I asked a close friend to give me a basic design to get me started.

This is what the 1st Soundclick layout looked like

After speaking with Perkins, he stated that he had no experience doing Soundclick layouts for beatmakers or producers, however, he said he would use what knowledge he'd obtained from his schooling to prepare a layout for me.

This was his first layout for me which included flash animation

After he'd created this layout for me, I began to see a slight increase in my website's traffic but I did not have any beat sales yet. I was making some progress but nothing substantial. Perkins was very easy to work with and business oriented during this entire process. His turn around rate was super fast.

Based of my first experience with him, I decided to solicit his services again for another Soundclick layout in late summer, 2011. I described what I wanted and allowed him to take creative control.

This was the next layout Perkins prepared

I was very pleased with the layout. Perkins designed the layout exactly as I'd described. He was a gentleman and a scholar once again and provided quick service.

After utilizing this layout, I began to see a near immediate increase in web traffic and also made my first instrumental sale with this layout!

I continued to use this layout up until around the first of the year (2011) when I decided I was ready for a layout change once again.

Guess who I called?

Perkins delivered once again!

I was extremely pleased at how quickly this layout was turned out given the immense detail and time required to put it together!

Here is my latest Soundclick layout from Perkins

Service as always was excellent!

Overall, Mymuzicimage.com and Perkins have done an outstanding job providing excellent web design and customer service. I now use Perkins and Mymuzicimage.com for all my company branding and graphic design needs. I am also pleased to say that with his latest layout I've sold $1000+ worth of beats and instrumentals to recording artists, businesses, and singers across the world. I highly recommend Perkins' services!

If you are interested in Soundclick layouts, logos, flyers, or any form of graphic design or animation, visit Perkins' website at Mymusicimage.com

I plan on being a life long customer!

For music news, tips, tricks, and beats for sale visit http://www.almostfreebeats.com/

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Arctic Monkeys Album Review: Suck It and See

Since bursting onto the British music scene in 2005 with "Whatever People Say I Am..." the Arctic Monkeys have enjoyed a rollercoaster of success. Following up their critically acclaimed debut with "Favourite Worst Nightmare", the new face of an entire generation somehow managed to bottle up the same energy, pounding drumbeats and lyrical genius to create a worthy successor to the first album, equally as accomplished. Fast forward two years later and we see "Humbug", a desert vibed epic that rang with the inspiration offered by working with Josh Homme. It did not share the same accomplishments of its predecessors however and quickly split opinion, taking both the band and its loyal fan base out of their comfort zones.

However, if third albums were notoriously difficult, than the fourth must be something else entirely and expectations are high for a 'return to form' by the band. So has it delivered? Well quite simply put, they've truly 'returned'. While managing to sound nothing like "Humbug" they haven't simply rolled over like many fans were asking for and instead headed in a new direction, backed up by Turners fantastic lyrics. First we see Brick by Brick, a misleading album taster if ever there was one. Full of "rock and roll", it's a departure from the Monkeys we know but still retains a level of fun, breathless sweaty fun at that and a sure-fire winner when played live. Moving on we get Don't Sit Down I've Moved Your Chair which really allows Turner to show off his skilful control over the English language, with metaphors and laugh out loud moments aplenty, offering a better taste of what to expect from the album and a brilliant second single.

What follows from then on is a beautifully crafted piece of work based mainly around one prevailing theme. Love is a Lasercraft, Suck it and See and Piledriver Waltz all offer Turner's unique take on love and lines such as "You're rarer than a can of dandelion and burdock, and those other girls are just post-mix lemonade" show a nostalgic naivety that fits so well after the self-discovery journey that was "Humbug", contrasted with tracks such as Library Pictures which echoes the Arctic Monkeys of old; complex, hypnotic drumbeats and fuzzy guitar riffs that are deliciously catchy.

Overall this new offering from the band show their unwavering dedication to their own purpose, taking their music in new directions while never bowing to pressure or the shouts of "Go back to the old stuff!" and still retaining the loveable charm and inspiration that lofted them to greatness in the first place. At its base, the Arctic Monkeys fourth album is an ever present answer to "Will I like it?" They think you should Suck it and See. I think they've never been better.

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Alex Machacek '24 Tales' CD Review

24 Tales is based on an interesting premise. All tracks were composed by Machacek around a one-take solo that drummer extraodinaire Marco Minnemann had previously laid down in the studio. Recording without a click track, Minnemann's solo is chock-full of rhythmic twists and turns, and shifting time-signatures. Taking Minnemann's 51-minute solo, Machacek divided it into 24 mini-compositions that segue into one another.

24 Tales proves that Machacek is not just another fusion guitar virtuoso but also a composer of incredible imagination and amazing compositional chops as he navigates his writing around a virtual minefield of Minnemann's ever-changing rhythms.

The first track On Your Marks opens with an ostinato figure played on acoustic and overdriven guitars. After stating a very angular overdriven melody, Machacek launches into an ensemble section that reminds me of some of Return To Forever's finest moments. The highly compressed clean multi-finger tapped section of this piece is unique unto itself. Machacek's tone on the distorted sections is a little grainy with a slight digital 'fizz' -- no doubt due in part to amp simulation -- but it provides a nice crunchy texture nonetheless. On Your Marks indeed -- there are some incredible alternate picked sections that would have made a 20-something-year-old Al Di Meola sweat!

Sit Back And Chillax is a laid-back piece with acoustic slide guitar against a backdrop of fretless bass, synth pads and vocals by Machacek's wife Sumitra, a singer and artist in her own right. There are even some sections where Machacek sounds like he is about to venture into Indian slide guitar territory while the Chick Corea-inspired piano part here makes me wonder if Alex is as accomplished at keyboards as he is at guitar!

Anamika features a beautiful clean electric guitar before launching into a soaring overdriven legato melody -- an homage to fusion great Allan Holdsworth no doubt. Pros And Cons of Depression yields a wrenching but again very brief solo while Tranquillo is right out of one of the pages of a young and hungry Return to Forever, replete with unison acoustic guitar and piano passages.

If there is one gripe I have about this album it would be that Machacek's solos are consistently too short -- just it seems as he is about to develop a solo idea to fruition, another ensemble section begins. Although this could also be due to the nature of the pre-recorded-drums format of this album. Or maybe, as a guitar fan, I just want to hear a great player like Machacek stretch out a bit more.

The longest track at 4:37 (most of the tracks on 24 Tales average out at under 2 minutes each), Sweet Torture features intricately picked acoustic guitar followed by a section of heavy-duty industrial guitar tones. Somehow, in Machacek's compositional universe, it all makes sense!

Feel Me is a funky rock piece interjected with ensemble sections on acoustic guitar and another Holdsworth-inspired legato solo. This solo I think has the best lead tone on the entire album and Machacek executes his lines flawlessly.

Guesting on trombone on three tracks is Martin Ptak. At The Club features a couple of very elegant and hip trombone solos; I really dig his tone and phrasing and Ptak adds a movie score texture with his trombone overdubs on See You There.

Marco Minnemann gives us an impromptu lesson in odd time by counting out the shifting rhythms on Minnemaus In Da House, while Sexy sees Machacek delivering his most gorgeous solo, in my opinion, on 24 Tales.

There are so many instrumental layers to this album. Distorted lead tones and acoustic guitars not only co-exist but complement each other seamlessly in ways that I never before imagined. And I had to remind myself over and over again that the instrumental parts were composed and layered after the fact -- that's how tightly Machacek manages to beautifully interlace his guitar, bass and keyboard parts with Minnemann's incredible improvisation!

Jazz-rock guitar legend John McLaughlin has said that "Machacek's music starts where other music ends...". 24 Tales more than lives up to that statement.

Clinton Carnegie is a music educator, jazz-rock guitarist and recording artist. He has two fusion guitar instrumental albums to his name, Say What You Mean and Santiago. His music blog can be found at http://www.theguitarcolumn.com/

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Traktor Kontrol S4 Review - Digital DJ Equipment

I cut through the hype to show you what's really important. For me, this boils down to user experience and sound quality. These are what sets good controllers apart from average ones.

I prefer seeing the production model tested by real pro DJs first before giving an opinion.

The Traktor Kontrol S4 by Native Instruments is similar in that it's also a fully integrated hardware and DJ software solution.

It's a great size for a DJ controller. Not too big to transport easily (unlike the Numark NS7) and big enough to look cool.

It also appears to be scalable enough for both beginner and pro DJs to use with confidence.

What advantage for you? Stability my friend. The last thing you want is for your DJ mixing software to get stuck in a set and embarrass you, leaving you red faced and having to reboot everything. With everyone laughing and pointing at you.

Traktor Kontrol S4 review - 4 decks to mix with & 4 channel mixer

Many of you won't mix using 4 decks to start with, but after a while you'll start to see why having 4 different audio sources can be interesting. Using 4 decks isn't for a casual DJ who plays out once a month and rarely practices. It's for the guys and girls who want to add some creativity, splice new sounds into their mixes, mix 3 or 4 tunes together (yes people can do it) and basically let rip on the sounds.

I do like their 4 channel mixer function. That is Kool & the Gang! Good, sturdy knobs and buttons give you close control.

Having 4 audio sources also is great for when a new DJ has to hit the decks running with no dip in the beat.

Imagine you play for 1 hour, everbody's dancing, then another DJ comes on, or your buddy. You have to keep them on the floor!

He or she can seamlessly plug their audio source into the Traktor Kontrol S4 and play away without either of you sweating!

Just the dancefloor will sweat. You'll head off and get a nice cold beer of course, happy with your set.

Traktor Kontrol S4 review - 4 decks to mix with & 4 channel mixer

Many of you won't mix using 4 decks to start with, but after a while you'll start to see why having 4 different audio sources can be interesting. Using 4 decks isn't for a casual DJ who plays out once a month and rarely practices. It's for the guys and girls who want to add some creativity, splice new sounds into their mixes, mix 3 or 4 tunes together (yes people can do it) and basically let rip on the sounds.

I do like their 4 channel mixer function. That is Kool & the Gang! Good, sturdy knobs and buttons give you close control.

Having 4 audio sources also is great for when a new DJ has to hit the decks running with no dip in the beat.

Imagine you play for 1 hour, everbody's dancing, then another DJ comes on, or your buddy. You have to keep them on the floor!

He or she can seamlessly plug their audio source into the Traktor Kontrol S4 and play away without either of you sweating!

Just the dancefloor will sweat. You'll head off and get a nice cold beer of course, happy with your set.

Traktor Kontrol S4 review - 4 decks to mix with & 4 channel mixer

Many of you won't mix using 4 decks to start with, but after a while you'll start to see why having 4 different audio sources can be interesting. Using 4 decks isn't for a casual DJ who plays out once a month and rarely practices. It's for the guys and girls who want to add some creativity, splice new sounds into their mixes, mix 3 or 4 tunes together (yes people can do it) and basically let rip on the sounds.

I do like their 4 channel mixer function. That is Kool & the Gang! Good, sturdy knobs and buttons give you close control.

Having 4 audio sources also is great for when a new DJ has to hit the decks running with no dip in the beat.

Imagine you play for 1 hour, everbody's dancing, then another DJ comes on, or your buddy. You have to keep them on the floor!

He or she can seamlessly plug their audio source into the Traktor Kontrol S4 and play away without either of you sweating!

Just the dancefloor will sweat. You'll head off and get a nice cold beer of course, happy with your set.

Traktor Kontrol S4 review - the verdict

Pros This controller is great. For me, it's the fact that the DJ will enjoy him or herself and not get stressed and lost with the controls.

Having the 4 channel mixer is a massive plus.

I do think having a 24 bit sound card is a must and you should only be considering digital gear which has at least that.

It also looks extremely cool.

Cons

No scratching

I think that if you're a turntablists, you should consider using Serato as Traktor seem to be less adapted for turntablism.

Price isn't for everybody

The price is not low, but gets you good, high end material with reliable software that'll last you for the next 5 years at least, and probably more.

Have a look at it, see the user reviews and decide for yourself if it's really for you.

This article and many more other DJ tips, reviews, advice and a free guide to getting DJ gigs can be found at The Total DJ Blog

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Guitar Amp Review: EVH Amps

The EVH 5150 III HD Guitar Amp Head

The EVH 5150 III matched with 4x12 Celestion signature speakers is the most powerful set of EVH guitar amps. Music players are now able to get their dream Van Halen sound.

This professional all-tube guitar amp combined with a 4x12 speaker cabinet loaded with the EVH signature speakers has become the most preferred set for a powerful theatre performance. The ultimate amplifier was conceptualized and designed by one of the respected rock guitar living legends himself, Eddie Van Halen in collaboration with Fender Musical Instruments.

The EVH 5150 III is a new line of EVH guitar amps. It was developed to meet the amplifying tastes of this rock guitar legend. Both music players and instrumentalists agree on the "brown sound" quality, the signature Van Halen tone, which this new guitar amp boasts of.

It features a flexible 3-channel amplifier that enables musicians to create varying tones from crystal clean, well-defined sound, the "brownest" punch to the high-gain distortion and limitless creative harmonics and tone. It's indeed every music player's dream come true.

The front panel of this EVH amp contains charming features for easy control. It has one input jack for your guitar and three individual channel groupings with Gain, Low, Mid, High and Volume controls. The push button select switches for channel selection allow you for easy channel control in case the foot controller is not easily accessible. The presence controls at far right enable you to switch between separately assigned channels.

What completes this guitar amp's ultimate performance is the 4x12 Celestion EVH signature speakers enclosure which delivers unparalleled punch and power. Its size is perfectly matched to the EVH 5150 III which measures 29.75" in length, 10.25" tall and 11.5" deep.

This all-tube power amplifier weighs 55 lbs, significantly lighter than other guitar amps of the same type, yet rated at an amazing 100- Watt power via tube configuration of four 6L6WXT output tubes and eight 12AX7 preamp tubes. This means that you have all what you need for medium and large stages. The gain, volume, presence, low, mid, high, the FX loop and footswitch, they all speak of overall quality that rock bands, sound engineers and instrumentalists have nothing more to ask for. All features are packed in a no-compromise construction that guarantees durability which will last for generations. The EVH 5150 III comes in black and ivory.

Find the best deals on guitar amps, guitar pedals, bass amps, bass pedals, and effects at Russo Music Center. Order online or call today 800-84-RUSSO.

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Beats For Sale: A Review of myFlashStore

In March of 2010, I started an online music production business. After searching around and doing a bit of homework, I began utilizing the popular website Soundclick to sell my beats online. There were many other third-party beat selling websites to choose from but I chose Soundclick because it allows producers to upload an unlimited number of instrumentals on their web server at no cost. With the help of a good friend skilled in graphic design, I was able to establish a web page where artists could download & buy my beats.

However, I ran into a problem. The process of someone buying my instrumentals became very cumbersome and time consuming. When a customer would visit my website they would pay for beats via PayPal. Once I received a payment, PayPal would send me an email stating that I'd received payment for a specific beat or instrumental. From there I would determine what beat(s) would need to be sent to the customer(s) per their email instructions (or by default, the email that the beat payment was sent from). As I began to gain more clients, I noticed that I was spending way too much time sending beats to my customers. I was in search of some way to completely automate the sales of my beats.

This brought my attention to the website myFlashStore.net. This website provides a way for artists and other customers to buy beats online and download beats for sale in a clean, professional and fully automated manner. It allows customers to listen to beats, make their instrumental selections, and place an order to buy a beat all within a flash player.

As stated before I was looking for a way to completely automate my beat sales, but I was also looking to save time and money. Other third party beat selling websites I'd checked were charging up to 50% or more in commissions of the beat sale. I wasn't looking to give up that much cash!

myFlashStore was free to sign up and twenty dollars per month ($19.99 to be exact) to upload an unlimited number of beats to their servers. I was hesitant at first to pay the fee, but I must say that for the value provided it was well worth it.

Some of the features of myFlashStore are as follows:

You can post the player on an unlimited number of websites

Instant download delivery to customers

0% commissions taken on beats for sale

You can upload a personalized voice tag or sound mark to protect your instrumentals

Wav files and Track outs of the beat sessions are supported

You can create customized beat discounts

You have multiple player design offers to choose from

After registering my account I began to upload some beats to lease. This process was easy, simple, and intuitive. myFlashStore allows you to upload up to 25 beats at a time! After uploading your beats, myFlashStore provides you with an area where you can choose the type of design you would like your customers to see. They have four flash designs to choose from: The bubble store, the echo store, the sound store, and the istore. My personal favorite is the bubble layout because it fit well with my website and blog pages' color.

After choosing a flash design, myFlashStore made it dead simple for me to post their flash code within my blog and website. Literally, all I had to do was copy and paste the given html code. One of the great things about the flash player, is that when you upload a beat, it automatically updates all your flash players no matter where you have them posted!

One of the downsides to the flash player services is that it lacks the ability to upload contracts and agreements with the beats for sale. In my opinion, this would be a great feature to add. I think that if this feature was available, it would streamline the beat selling process completely.

Overall, I am happy with my subscription to myFlashStore. I am pleased to say I've sold over $250 worth of beats through the player in the past 3 months. The 20 dollar fee I pay per month is more than worth the value provided by the company.

For pop beats for sale, free beats, and music tips & tricks go to http://www.almostfreebeats.com/

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Interpol Review

Record Label: Matador Records
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Parental Advisory?: No

It has been three years since Interpol's last album, 2007's Our Love To Admire, which met with mixed reviews that were far removed from the critical acclaim given to their previous albums, Turn On The Bright Lights and Antics, released in 2002 and 2004 respectively. Enter Interpol's newest album Interpol (released on Tuesday, September 8th).

The first thing that struck me about the album was the instant recognition that this is, in fact, an Interpol album. The recognizable haunting sound of the guitars on the opening track "Success" are distinct enough that even if I hadn't been the one to place the CD in the CD Player, I would have known that this was an Interpol album. The excitement for me fades by the time the "oo-la-la" background vocals begin on "Memory Serves". So only three tracks into the ten-track album, I, who bought $30 tickets to see Interpol live, was already feeling disappointed. What gives, right? Well, it seems that Interpol have truly hit dirt with this album, but not of the pay-dirt variety. They have steadily lost the gripping, dimly-lit, closeness-in-the-dark emotion contained on Turn On The Bright Lights, and the stunning, introspective-artfulness of Antics (go listen to "Lief Erikson" from Turn On The Bright Lights or "Take You On A Cruise" from Antics... I'll wait). Interpol seems to be grasping for something dark and elusive on Our Love To Admire and Interpol. I understand that as a band grows it has to branch out and explore other avenues, but just like listening to someone tell a joke, if the punchline isn't delivered properly the joke can crumble to pieces, and what Interpol has prepared for us here is missing a layer of ear candy sweetness to keep us listening.

There is some beauty on Interpol. I have always considered Interpol to be carrying the torch of post-punk revival, transmitters of a modern Joy Division aesthetic, and when they get the formula right, it is hard to forget. "Lights", the song released before the album came out through the official Interpol website, is the diamond in the rough. It draws you in with skittering guitar notes and a elegant piano melody that sounds like it may have been recorded in an empty cathedral. The song builds on this melody wonderfully and rewards you for your patience in making it this far with this weighty repeating chorus that is so great, it single-handedly reminds you why these guys are allowed to wear sunglasses indoors. It is a pitch-perfect Interpol track. As for the rest of the album, "Barricade" has such a great rhythm and sound, that you may just want to listen to that, and skip over the chorus. Hearing Paul Banks chant, "It kind of feels like a barricade / that keeps us away / keeps us away / and it kind of does", kind of makes you want to return the CD. Track 8, "Try It On" has some rock elements to it; a catchy chorus, palpable lyrics, and a steady drumbeat. It is reminiscent of "Slow Hands" from Antics or "PDA" from Under The Bright Lights, though it definitely feels like a more mature song than the others. There may yet be some gold to be sieved from the lyrics of some of the later songs, but knowing that there is no hook to be caught on makes listening closely more a chore than an experience.

After listening to the album, I went online to find out if Interpol were playing any shows close to where I live. That's right, I would once again spend money to see this band even after having my hopes dashed by their current release. Interpol may have missed the mark with Interpol, but going back and revisiting their other albums, I remember why I obsessively praised them back in the day, why I was right to do so, and why I will stick by this band until the bright lights overhead are finally turned off.

If you want more great reviews, visit http://slackers.com/!

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