The blog of Agruv Studios

Living With a VERBAL VIRUS Type 2.5

alex — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:08:47 +0000

Press play, start vibin’, and press stop on that rap that doesn’t do it. From the very first track, VV2.5 has that classic hip hop feel, just listen to the easy yet dark pianos on Buried Alive. Throughout the album, Pawz’s lyricism takes you through a vivd story of his mind. The hurt, joy, and his humor is well versed which captivates you to want to hear the next track. As a producer, I not only listen to the lyrics, but I am attentive to each composition and mix. Every well thought track keeps the interest and I recommend this album. I’ve seen Pawz on stage, let me just say, if you haven’t seen him yet, or heard VV2.5, get on it! It’s good to know there are artists out there that still have the passion and the creativity to put together a dope hip hop album that hits. You don’t hear that as much these days, but Pawz is an artist I can say, “I can’t wait for his next project”. Follow him @pawz1 and pickup his album on iTunes. Peace.

THE WRITERS BLOCK

alex — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:20:19 +0000

Here it is! My second album, titled THE WRITERS BLOCK. After working on this album for almost 2 years, it is finally out. It is a 5 hip hop track album featuring many artist from the LA and Orange County areas such as: PAWZ ONE, MARSUNO, MARLON D, Explosive (of Born Soldierz), Marcus Mane, Berg, and Tooks.

Free Up Unused Tracks

alex — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 03:10:58 +0000

It’s quite uncommon in a hectic project to have a number of tracks with unused ideas left active. To avoid this problem the instruments and plug-ins on the superfluous tracks can be deactivated. You can then either delete the tracks and re-save the project under a new name or “hide” the tracks using the Hide feature in the arrange area. Both are non-destructive as with either method you can always go back and reintroduce the parts if you want to. – Music Tech

Invest In A Second Hard Drive

alex — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:11:52 +0000

As your loop library starts to grow you might want to think about investing in a second hard drive. If you don’t already have multiple drives and you are running your apps and audio from the same device, you will be adversely affecting the performance of your computer. Ideally, your samples, loops, and project audio should be stored on a secondary high-speed drive, as this enables your computer to run at full capacity and prevents “bottlenecking” of data.

Mixing Tips #1 – Mixing At Lower Volumes

alex — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 21:24:49 +0000

I’ve heard many times that mixing at lower volumes helps your mixes. I didn’t quite understand how this would help and was a little skeptical. Not only was my skepticism at the forefront, I don’t have the best hearing and I usually have to turn things up to hear (sometimes dangerously high), of course I thought it wouldn’t work. But… I gave it a shot anyway. I had chosen the beat that was to be used as the experiment and I started first thing in the morning when it’s nice and quiet, my mind is fresh and my ears are rested. I was 30 minutes into the mix with this new method and I decided to turn up my volume slightly to see how it was coming out. I had discovered it was one of the best songs I’ve mixed inside of 30 minutes. In mixing you will always have elements that stand out too much or not out enough and that’s when you have to go back and fix it. When I mixed with the lower volume, I didn’t have to do that fix as much and/or as drastic. My mixing had indeed sped up. What really surprised me is that after completing the mix, an hour later, I listened to it through different speakers (iPod, car speakers, and stereo speakers) and the song had been balanced pretty darn good. Just a few minor details had to be fixed and it was done. So then of course, ever since that experience, I’ve been mixing a lot better and faster at lower volumes. Aside from the possibility of better mixing, there are other benefits to mixing at lower levels. First, you prevent your ears from getting fatigued faster, which allows you keep mixing longer and with a more “honest” ear. Secondly, the more important benefit, is you preserve your hearing. Listening to music for hours and hours, not only fatigues the ear, but you may get Tinnitus. Tinnitus is a symptom (ringing in the ear) caused by loud sound. This can be quite dangerous as it can lead to hearing loss. As someone that works with audio, I need to be extra careful and aware of the amount of sound exposure to my ears. Give it a try and see how your mixes come out. If anything, you’ll be preserving your hearing which is crucial in this industry.

New Album: THE WRITERS BLOCK

alex — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 20:20:08 +0000

In 2009 I had released an album titled SPIT BUCKET. It was my first project as a musician, engineer and producer. I had some local Orange County, California artists get on some beats and it came out pretty good for a first try. It was definitely a great experience as I learned quite a bit about myself as well as the work-flow that happens in putting together an album involving different artists. Once the album had been released, within weeks I had completed the first set of beats to be determined if they would make the cut. I’ll be the first to admit this second album is taking a bit longer than expected. I was not satisfied with the material I was putting out, I made the move to Los Angeles, which put me further away from the artists I knew, and my focus kept shifting (to other musical endeavors) but non-the-less the project still continues. The new album will be titled THE WRITERS BLOCK and is due early 2011. All the instrumentals have been laid down and selected. All that remains is getting the artists in the studio. I have my friend MARS UNO doing the album art work which helped me come up with the artwork concepts. I recommend his work to anyone looking for design/graphics work. I’ll keep you updated on the album’s progress. Official album drop date coming soon!

AUDIO JUNGLE – Royalty Free Music

alex — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:10:29 +0000

So it has now been over a year since I started working with AUDIO JUNGLE, a site of ENVATO, in which I create custom music. It’s been quite an interesting experience in that it has allowed me to improve my craft, gain exposure, and make money from it. It’s a trifecta! But what what gets me excited about this is site is that it’s a great way for musicians to get started on building their musical careers and build networks. It is a hub for creators to feed off each others talent and energy, while accomplishing great works. My portfolio on AUDIO JUNGLE has helped AGRUVSTUDIOS gain some recognition, which solidifies my work as a musician. If you are looking to get a job in the MUSIC INDUSTRY, one thing about this is site is that hiring managers love to see musicians take an initiative and move forward on their careers. This is that site that’s going to help you! They see you have what it takes to make good music, you are professional, you are establishing yourself as a credible source and you bring in income… and… it’s not hard. Once you set up your account you’ll be on your way to connecting with other artists and build that network.

So if you need custom music, shoot me an email: agruv@live.com and lets put our heads together for your next project.

AGRUV and PAWZ ONE Collaboration

alex — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:56:37 +0000

Not too long ago did PAWZ ONE and I collaborate on one of his projects titled, HIRED TO KILL VOL. 2. This was the first project he and I had worked on since we met in 2009 at the Leon Lounge in Stanton, CA. The beat we collaborated on is the first one titled, “AGGRAVATED ASSAULT”. Click on that link and download the tracks… then come back here and leave some feedback. Enjoy!

Attending Music Industry Events

alex — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 16:59:19 +0000

While my topics will mainly consist of music production, I wanted to take a moment and write about the importance music industry events. If you’ve never been to one, I would recommend researching music industry events, get a ticket and go! These events are filled with passionate people looking to connect with other musicians, producers, engineers, publishers, attorneys… you name it! Anyone that can help you further your career in the music business can be found at these events. This year I have attended the NEW MUSIC SEMINAR and NARIP. These are two great events to be a part of. Both of which I have met industry working professional whom I’ve kept in contact with. These music industry events are the doors you need to walk through in order to meet your next business partner, land that job/gig, get that internship, and not to mention they’re a source for discovering the latest trends, new talent, and learn about the health of the industry. There are many events, seminars , brunches and luncheons going on all over LA. One thing that may help you along the way is to find all the industry events and subscribe to their feeds. I have subscribed to several feeds that download to my phone so I know when and where events are happening in my area. I will say that anyone who is serious about their career in the music industry should be attending seminars bi-annually at the very least. It’s a good thing we have these events because it shows that people are willing to put in the time and effort to have people come together, share the common love of music, and share what they know about the industry. Dan Kimpel said it best in his book Networking Strategies for the New Music Business, “If creativity doesn’t have an outlet, a path, it stagnates at a dead-end. True creativity is not defined simply by the ability to create art, but in divining outlets for it. It’s through our interactions with others as part of a community that we begin to modify and monitor our own success. As our contacts move up, we also rise.”

The Benefits of Home Studio Production

alex — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:29:16 +0000

Artists are always looking to be heard and, more importantly, create unique experiences like no other. This usually begins with good music and lyrics. But then you have the production, which is the producer, audio engineer, and equipment, which enhances the sonic qualities of the music. No artist wants a song deprived of its best production it deserves. Naturally, they may think that paying expensive rates for a commercial studio and working with a producer with a lot of clout is the only way to go. With the way technology and schools are making everyone a producer/engineer, the case is not so. This is good news for the indie artist and the producer alike. As indie artists begin putting out new material, still shaping the form of their style and sharpening their music industry chops, it makes sense to get started with an up and coming producer that operates their own home studio. They, most likely, not have a studio rate and only charge for the production itself. This is because there is little to no overhead and home studios can afford lower rates. On the other side, the artist may not have or want to fork out a lot of money on their first demo; they want to get in the studio and put in work. You may be thinking that you are sacrificing skill by saving money, not so again! The same principles of music and audio production apply. A great producer will always produce good quality music with the equipment he has. I have heard technically outstanding production made out of a garage that was well mixed and mastered. A producer that is willing to invest time and money into a home studio says quite a bit about his character and direction. It shows that they are ready to take action, they are experiencing the industry first hand, and building a solid client base through networking. A home studio does provide solutions for artists everywhere. Seeing that more power is being given to indie artists these days, through industry changes and technology, it makes sense that musicians, singers, engineers and producers collaborate and understand that great music is made everywhere and everyday.