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GarageBand Hacks: Creating Professional-Sounding Tracks Without Expensive Plugins

October 1, 2024

GarageBand is often seen as an entry-level DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), but it has powerful tools that, when used effectively, can create professional-quality tracks. Many indie musicians and...

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Solving the General MIDI Program Change Dilemma in Ableton

October 1, 2024

When working with MIDI in Ableton, one might notice that although MIDI clips can send program changes, most of Ableton's native plugins don’t seem to respond to these changes effectively. This can...

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Escaping 'Tutorial Hell': Stay Motivated and Actually Progress in Music Production

September 21, 2024

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Should You Write Music or Lyrics First? Solutions from Famous Creators

September 20, 2024

One of the most common challenges for songwriters is deciding whether to write the music or lyrics first. This can feel like a "chicken-or-egg" situation, but there's no one-size-fits-all answer...

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How to Plan the Perfect Release Day for Your Single or Album

September 20, 2024

Releasing a new single or album is a huge milestone for any musician. However, without proper planning, your work may not get the attention it deserves. It’s not just about putting the song online...

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Mastering the Low End: Compression Tips for a Tight Mix

September 20, 2024

When it comes to music production, getting the low end right can be tricky. Many producers face a common issue: after the initial mix sounds perfect, a few days later, the low end starts to feel...

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How to Turn a Bedroom into a Professional Home Studio on a Budget

September 19, 2024

For many aspiring musicians, the dream of creating a professional-quality home studio seems out of reach due to costs and space constraints. However, with the right strategies and tools, it's...

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Remote Music Collaboration: Tools and Tips for Seamless Production

September 18, 2024

Collaborating on music remotely has become more common, but as you’ve experienced, it can be a challenge to get it right. Audio latency, control sensitivity, and lack of real-time feedback are...

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How to Build a Loyal Fanbase Using Social Media in 2024

September 18, 2024

In today’s digital age, building a loyal fanbase is essential for musicians to thrive. Social media platforms have become powerful tools for connecting directly with fans, sharing music, and...

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Best Apps and Websites for Creating Instrumentals When You Don’t Play Instruments

September 18, 2024

As a songwriter, it can be frustrating to have melodies or lyrics in your head but no way to bring them to life without instrumental skills. Thankfully, with modern technology, there are apps and...

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How to Match Chords to Your Singing – Overcoming the Struggle

September 18, 2024

Creating music often feels like an intricate puzzle. You might have a melody that you love, but when it comes to pairing it with chords, you feel stuck. If you're in this situation, you're not alone.

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The Top 10 Free Tools Every Indie Musician Needs to Succeed

September 18, 2024

As an indie musician, creating professional music while sticking to a budget can be challenging. You might not have the resources to afford high-end software or pay for expensive marketing...

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The Story of Iron Maiden

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Photo Source: Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden is one of my favourite heavy metal bands, and is one of my favourite musical groups overall as well. With their theatrical performances, complex musical arrangements and iconic songs, they’re a band that is still very popular almost 50 years after they were first formed. This article will provide a brief summary of the band.

First conceived in London in 1975, the original band members were Steve Harris on the bass guitar (he was also the main songwriter), Dave Sullivan and Terry Rance on the guitar, Ron Matthews on the drums, and Paul Day on vocals. The name “Iron Maiden” was inspired by a neo-medieval torture device with the same name, according to Harris. During the first few years of the band’s existence, there was quite a bit of shuffling around of the band line-up. Paul Day was booted from the group due to his lackluster live performances, Ron Matthews was replaced with Barry Purkis, who was then replaced by Clive Burr, and a number of guitar players came and went. 

By the time the band released their debut album in 1980 (self titled), the members were Harris (still on bass), Dave Murray, Dennis Stratton on guitar, Clive Burr on the drums, and Paul Di’Anno on vocals. Featuring classic songs including “Running Free”, “Phantom of the Opera” and “Transylvania”, the album was quite successful and was number 4 on the UK Albums Chart. Their next album, “Killers”, which was released in 1981, was also very successful and featured hits like “Wrathchild” and “Murders in the Rue Morgue”. However, Paul Di’Anno was fired from the band due to his excessive drug usage after the tour for this album and was replaced by Bruce Dickinson, marking the beginning of a new era for the band. 

The first album with Dickinson (released in 1982), “Number of the Beast”, saw even more success than the last two. With songs like “Children of the Damned”, “Number of the Beast”, and “Run to the Hills”, this album solidified that band’s status as a successful heavy metal band, with the subsequent albums “Piece of Mind” and “Powerslave” furthering this. However, the band experienced some internal conflict in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith temporarily left the band due to creative differences regarding the direction that the band should take.. During this time, Dickinson was replaced by Blaze Bayley and the albums “The X Factor” and “Virtual XI” were produced. 

In 1999,  Dickinson and Smith reunited with the band, marking the return of Iron Maiden’s iconic band member line-up. The albums released after this reunification, which were “Brave New World”, “Dance of Death”, “Final Frontier”, and “the Book of Souls” received very positive feedback and were a testament to the band’s ability to remain creative as the years went by. 

In conclusion, Iron Maiden will go down in history as one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal bands ever. With their amazing live performances, awesome musical story-telling, and overall amazing music, the impact that Iron Maiden has left on the heavy metal community will be felt for years to come.