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Compression for Beatmakers

October 18, 2024

Compression is one of the most crucial tools in any beatmaker's toolkit, shaping the dynamics of your track and helping achieve that punchy, polished sound....

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The Best Beginner-Friendly DAWs for Music Production

October 18, 2024

Getting into music production can be an exciting journey, especially for beginners. With so many digital audio workstations (DAWs) available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one.

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Top 10 Mixing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

October 18, 2024

Mixing is an art form that requires not only technical skill but also a keen ear and attention to detail. Many producers and engineers fall into common traps...

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Choosing the Best CPU for Music Production

October 18, 2024

When upgrading your CPU for music production, whether you're composing orchestral scores, producing electronic music, or working with intricate multi-track projects, selecting the right processor...

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How to Create Epic Risers and Transition Effects for Electronic Music

October 11, 2024

Creating epic risers and transition effects is essential for electronic music producers to build tension and anticipation before a drop or shift in their tracks. Here’s how you can do it...

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Automating a Drum Bus in Reaper to Create Dynamic Room Effects

October 6, 2024

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EQ in Practice: How to Use Subtractive EQ to Clean Up Muddy Mixes

October 6, 2024

ixing music is an art, and one of the most essential tools for achieving clarity in a mix is the equalizer (EQ). One technique, in particular, known as subtractive EQ, can work wonders for cleaning...

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How to Manage Static Noise in High Frequencies When Compressing Vocals

October 6, 2024

One common frustration in vocal production, especially for home studio and bedroom producers, is encountering static noise in the high frequencies after compressing and brightening vocals...

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Sampling Like a Pro: How to Flip Samples and Avoid Legal Issues

October 6, 2024

Sampling has been a cornerstone of modern music production, allowing producers to reimagine and breathe new life into old tracks. Whether you're producing hip-hop, EDM, or any genre, knowing how to...

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What Makes an EQ or Compressor VST High-Quality: Insights and Examples from Pros

October 6, 2024

When selecting EQ and compressor plugins, musicians and producers look for more than just a shiny interface or brand recognition. It's all about how these tools perform in real-world scenarios...

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Sound Design 101: Crafting Killer Drum Sounds Using Synthesizers

October 6, 2024

Drum sounds form the backbone of many music genres, and while sample packs are popular, designing your own drum sounds from scratch can elevate your production to a whole new level. Crafting custom...

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Mastering Multiband Compression Sidechaining: A Solution to Clashing Frequencies

October 6, 2024

In modern music production, one of the most common challenges is the clash of frequencies between instruments. For example, bass guitars and drum kits often compete for space in the lower end of...

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Like the Early Days of Hip-Hop: The Future of Blockchain in the Music Industry

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Photo: Royal

One of the biggest questions many spaces face today is how blockchain technology may overhaul industry norms, and the music industry is no exception. In particular, creators and listeners alike are wondering whether blockchain might disrupt long-held understandings of ownership, earning, and engagement through the distribution of musical non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

An early mover in the music and cryptocurrency space is rapper Snoop Dogg, who earlier this year launched his first NFT project with the blockchain gaming company Gala Games, making his newest album Bacc on Death Row available for purchase as a digital token. Other prominent artists such as Eminem, Lil Pump, and Nas have also provided their own drops for fans interested in the emerging space.

Hip-hop creators appear to be the most eager to embrace blockchain’s place in the music industry. Snoop Dogg’s son Champ Medici, a crypto entrepreneur, has likened NFTs to the early days of hip-hop.

In a conversation with skidrowcrypto, Champ Medici said, “When I look at the footage, and I see people in New York, see Biggie on the corner freestyling, and my dad in Long Beach freestyling with Nate Dogg and Warren G, I’m like—yo, this is the same shit we’re doing with NFTs. I’m linking up with artists, graphic designers, and creative people to come up with a concept that can keep people entertained and engaged. That’s the same as making music."

Snoop Dogg believes that NFTs have the potential to upend the current status quo in the music industry and make it more fair to artists and consumers. Placing the ownership of musical works in the hands of artists and consumers instead of record labels allows artists to retain much more of their earnings, and for fans to engage with their favourite creators in new ways, including collecting and selling works in similar ways to other collectibles markets. Taking the label out of the equation can also afford the artist more creative freedom and room for self-expression.

This new form of engagement will not completely see record labels out of the picture, however.

“[Labels] know that they have so much control traditionally,” Snoop says. “And all that they’re hearing about in the NFT [and] Metaverse space is that the artist has control.” As a result, he predicts, record labels will slowly but surely find ways to enter this space in an effort to maintain control.

While the exact role blockchain will play in the music industry remains uncertain, it is definitely carving out a place for itself, especially among hip-hop creators and fans. If you are an aspiring music creator interested in the crypto space, be sure to keep an eye out for new developments as there is no doubting that blockchain technology is here to stay.