Blog: Sonical.ly - Educating Music Creators

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Hiba Adil

11.13.24

Olivia Rodrigo: Giving Voice to Gen-Z's Fear, Anger, and Anxiety

Olivia Rodrigo’s music resonates deeply with Gen-Z. Her songs—raw, fierce, and honest—are filled with fear, anger, and anxiety, emotions that define the reality of today’s teens. As much as we’d...

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Hiba Adil

11.11.24

How Taylor Swift Masterminded Her Way to Global Success

Taylor Swift’s success is no accident; it's built on an unmatched knack for songwriting. According to Toby Koenigsberg, Associate Professor and Chair of Popular Music, Swift’s songs are both...

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Hiba Adil

11.11.24

Frank Ocean’s Coachella Set: Redefining What Live Performance Means

In today’s music landscape, live concert broadcasts have grown increasingly predictable, packaged, and polished. But at this year’s Coachella, Frank Ocean shattered the mold with a performance that...

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Alex Abraha

11.11.24

Anticipating Lil Durk's Deep Thoughts: A Deep Dive into His Upcoming Album

The Chicago rapper Lil Durk is out with his ninth studio album Deep Thoughts on 22nd November 2024. This album is a follow-up to his album Almost Healed (2023) and will have no shortage of eager...

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Alex Abraha

11.11.24

Morgan Wallen: From Small Town Dreamer to Country Superstar

Morgan Wallen's country music career has been one of hustle, raw talent, and the sort of sound that has changed the genre. Wallen began his career as a small-town visionary but his music never...

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Tamara Anabtawi

11.11.24

From McDonald’s to Global Fame: Pharrell Williams Journey

Pharrell Williams' journey from a McDonald's employee to a global music icon, fashion mogul, and cultural influencer is a testament to talent, resilience, and innovation. His story is not just...

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Hla Eid

11.8.24

Addison Rae’s ‘Diet Pepsi’ Poured New Life Into Her Music Career

In a move that caught the music world by surprise, Addison Rae’s latest single, Diet Pepsi, has reshaped her image and proved she’s more than just a social media star....

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Tamara Anabtawi

11.8.24

Coldplay’s Influence on Modern Music and Culture

Coldplay has been a cornerstone of the pop-rock scene for over two decades, with their sound evolving from melancholic, guitar-driven ballads to vibrant, arena-filling anthems that defy genre...

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Mike Jones

11.5.24

Quincy Jones: A Legacy That Will Resonate Through Generations

Quincy Jones, the legendary music titan, has left us at 91, but his spirit endures through every note, melody, and rhythm he touched. From his groundbreaking production on Michael Jackson’s Thriller..

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Nicholas Girgis

10.18.24

Compression for Beatmakers

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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Jeremiah Salep

10.18.24

The Best Beginner-Friendly DAWs for Music Production

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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Nicholas Girgis

10.18.24

Top 10 Mixing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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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Nicholas Girgis

10.11.24

How to Create Epic Risers and Transition Effects for Electronic Music

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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Jeremiah Salep

10.6.24

Automating a Drum Bus in Reaper to Create Dynamic Room Effects

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Nicholas Girgis

10.6.24

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

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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Jeremiah Salep

10.6.24

How to Manage Static Noise in High Frequencies When Compressing Vocals

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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Nicholas Girgis

10.6.24

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

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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Jeremiah Salep

10.6.24

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

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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Nicholas Girgis

10.6.24

Sound Design 101: Crafting Killer Drum Sounds Using Synthesizers

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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Jeremiah Salep

10.6.24

Mastering Multiband Compression Sidechaining: A Solution to Clashing Frequencies

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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Nicholas Girgis

10.1.24

Studio One Workflow Tips for Faster Music Production

Studio One by PreSonus is an incredibly powerful DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) that offers a variety of tools to streamline your music production workflow. However, like many DAWs, getting the...

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Jeremiah Salep

10.1.24

Solving the Issue of Buried Crash Cymbals in the Mix

Crash cymbals often get buried in the mix, especially when using complex miking techniques like Glyn Johns, which balances close mics with overheads. While re-recording with higher cymbals may be a...

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Nicholas Girgis

10.1.24

GarageBand Hacks: Creating Professional-Sounding Tracks Without Expensive Plugins

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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Jeremiah Salep

10.1.24

Solving the General MIDI Program Change Dilemma in Ableton

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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Jason Schwartz

9.21.24

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