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The Power Of Finding Your Voice

I recently stumbled across an interesting podcast episode about the power of voice, featuring world-renowned vocal coach Stewart Pearce. A fascinating guest and captivating speaker, Pearce’s celebrity clients have ranged all the way from Princess Diana to Margaret Thatcher, with a healthy dose of Oscar winners and accomplished theatre actors included in the middle.

One of the most intriguing things Pearce talked about, was women reclaiming the power of their voices in the aftermath of the #MeToo movement, and now living a very spiritual and esoteric lifestyle, he claimed that the next chapter of history was more likely than not going to be told by women, rather than the patriarchal model. While that next chapter can at times seem elusive and out of reach observing all the pain, injustice, and oppression in the world around us, we can but hope that it’s on the horizon.

Pearce’s conviction and allyship with women had me intrigued, and so I investigated further into his work. As a taster for his online course, The Magnetic Voice, Stewart offers a three-part masterclass, so of course I delved in.

In addition to his apparent classical, Shakespearean training, there were also somewhat spiritual and less formal elements ingrained into his teachings. The second masterclasses covered: how to create a great voice, your breath power and how to relax, discovering the centre of your authentic voice, acquiring gravitas and personal sovereignty, how to create presence, and evolving your magnetic voice.

I was quite taken by Pearce’s holistic approach to emotional elements of self-confidence and breath work, not just in a performative and vocal speaking/singing sense, but in what felt much more akin to spiritual and yogic practices. Of course, the practical side of breathing from the diaphragm, tone, range, speaking, and singing from the belly and the chest as opposed to the nose or the head were covered, which I was expecting going into the masterclasses. The inclusion of elements such as alignment, grounding, energy work, inner stillness and awareness to become present, also found their place, much to my surprise.

In looking at Pearce’s other works, discovering his 2020 book Diana The Voice of Change illuminated where his passion lay in all of this, and it was clear that sharing the exercises that had worked so well in coaching the Princess during her final years, was a large part of his women’s empowerment mission:

“Diana The Voice of Change is a call to action for women everywhere, for it begins and ends with love. The essence of this book urges the heart of each woman or man to awaken, to heal any breakage within, and so commit to a flow of empathy as an opening impulse for the mighty voice of change. It was Diana’s greatest desire that through her example each woman or man of the world could find their own authentic voice, expressing their own unique purpose, liberating love to transcend enmity. Diana believed that wherever tyranny existed it would be freed by grace, that wherever cruelty existed it would be freed by bravery, and that wherever the voice of oppression occurred it would be freed by the voice of kindness. In this, Diana was a trailblazer!”

 

The Farlex dictionary defines the idiom of “finding your voice” as:

  1. To find one’s distinctive style or vision of artistic expression.
  2. To regain the ability to speak, especially after something frightening or startling has happened.

The parallels in Pearce’s work between finding your voice and building a strong voice are quite significant. Both are equally important for the transformation of self-discovery, growth, and empowerment. Both entail developing confidence, authenticity, and resilience in expressing oneself and making a meaningful impact in the world, particularly for women.

Speaking authentically, powerfully, and magnetically can certainly be helped with vocal training, mindfulness, breathing exercises, and practicing performance techniques, but is that enough? It became apparent to me that Pearce’s message of “our voices reflect the core of our being” means that we also therefore have to do some work on the core of our being.

Perhaps this inner training and reflection is what will accelerate the confidence in more of us to find our authentic voices, especially as women in a world that isn’t working as well as it should. And in doing so, maybe Pearce’s prediction that the next chapter will be told by the feminine is looking more likely.

Orchestrating Success

A Symphony Of Self-Care, Career Goals, And Confidence For The New Year

As 2024 gets underway, the time for reflection and embarking on New Year’s resolutions is upon us. Whether our hopes and dreams for the next 12 months consist of overhauling many parts of our lives or maintaining and building on things that are already working. There are three main areas that can often benefit from a life audit.

Harmonising Self-Care For A Resonant Year

We hear the term “self-care” so much nowadays, but don’t always understand or apply it to our busy daily lives. If we think about ourselves with the same attitude we would give to an instrument or a piece of equipment, it can be surprising to observe the ways in which we neglect to maintain or tune up as often as we need. We know that cleaning our gear, changing our strings, and PAT testing our electronics is non-negotiable and that without these regular checks, we run the risk of poor performance at best, and a breakdown at worst.

Working to assess any repairs that are needed in ourselves or in our lives can give us direction on what we need to care for – in other words, understanding what is working and what is not. Where are the loose connections, broken parts, and out-of-tune bits in our physical and emotional lives? It can help us to reflect on whether these are things we need to fix or replace, or perhaps get rid of altogether.

 

Motivational guru Tony Robbins describes self-care as “regularly doing things for yourself that make you feel good”, and recommends scheduling it in so that it becomes a part of your regular routine. If we make a frequent habit of testing what’s working and reflecting on what makes us feel good, we can find a reliable baseline for fixing the cracks and eliminating the glitches before they become overpowering.

Composing Career Goals For A Melodious Journey

Setting career goals can sometimes feel as overwhelming or conversely, as exciting as writing a symphony – a delicate interplay of notes, movements, and rhythms that shape your professional narrative. What do you want the symphony to sound like, to convey, and what would you like the order of notes to be?

 

 

As Zig Ziglar wisely observed, “A goal properly set is halfway reached”. Each career goal is a note in the symphony of your life. Just as a composer carefully selects notes, choose goals that contribute meaningfully to your career narrative, and take the lead. There may have been dissonance, and movements that are slow and sad, however ultimately, we are the maestros able to compose the next part in contrast, one note at a time.

 

In addition to making SMART goals, the experts at verywellmind recommend asking yourself how motivated you are, reflecting on why your goals are important to you, setting a positive tone, and focusing on the process, not the outcome.

Without clear goals and intention, the possibilities are vast – it can feel as though we are sitting with our hands in front of 88 piano keys, with any one or more of them as a viable option. By narrowing down what notes you want to play, and holding the intention of enjoying the time spent composing, our energy becomes better directed, and our time well-spent.

Confidence Building for a Flourishing Performance

The first time we do something, it’s very rarely perfect or great. This is why we practice, and why we strive for our 10,000 hours to master our skills and build our muscle memory. We learn different permutations, troubleshooting, and problem-solving. Whether we are playing an instrument, working with technology, or just our bodies, the repetition of doing something well is the same.

Brian Tracy encourages consistent practice, noting that “The key to success is action.” Building confidence can be paradoxical – it takes confidence to start something new, to do something for the first time, or to try things outside of our comfort zone. By taking the leap, we build more confidence in ourselves and our abilities. By incorporating practice and repetition as we would if we were learning a new instrument, we get better, we grow more confident in ourselves, and we become less fearful of the unknown.

Buddhist Monk and mindfulness extraordinaire Thich Nhat Hanh put it best when he said: “Fearlessness is not only possible, it is the ultimate joy. When you touch non-fear, you are free”.

As we step into the new year, remember that self-care, career goal-setting, and confidence-building are the notes that form the symphony of your success. Tune up your mind, body, and spirit like you would your equipment, decide what your masterpiece will be in 2024, and work on composing it day by day.

 

The Importance Of Celebrating Ourselves And Others

 

A regular feature of our modern world sees us finishing one gig or project and moving straight onto the next without pause – let alone celebration. Sometimes we can be so busy and forward-focused that it doesn’t even occur to us to take a beat and reflect on our accomplishments.

I was recently catching up with a girlfriend, and we were bringing each other up to speed with our life and work situations when it hit me just how easily we were downplaying our efforts, heavily focusing on the things we still wish to improve, and our future goals. While both of us embrace a healthy dose of British self-deprecating humour, this was a lot – my friend, a respected academic, was juggling two full-time roles while running a regular series of live events, maintaining a relationship and a household, and being a buddy to me. I was staggered that I was having to point out her victories, and she mine.

 

Reflecting On Positive Outcomes

As we noted this and the conversation progressed, my friend brought up the CARL framework of reflection. This model is very often used in recruitment settings and can be used to recall the positives, engage, and find meaning from our situations. CARL stands for:

While seemingly simple on the surface, it’s an effective tool for combing through life’s experiences with a more optimistic and deterministic head. As I spent the next few days re-evaluating, I felt perhaps it wasn’t enough to just reflect, but there’s also a need to celebrate what we’ve learnt and accomplished.

At this time, I heard a podcast featuring tennis legend Novak Djokovic, where he noted that when something bad happens, we cry for a month, but when something good happens, we celebrate maybe for one night, and then simply move on. Djokovic’s observation stuck with me and led me to observe the wild disparity between how much time and energy we assign to each reaction independently, and also in our connections with others. While it’s tough to feel that we can’t burden others and share our problems, perhaps it’s also problematic to feel unable to celebrate our successes and achievements with anyone.

Who You Surround Yourself With

Businessman and motivational speaker Jim Rohn coined the saying, “You’re the average of the five people you spend most of your time with.” While it has become a popular idea in self-improvement and personal development circles, science backs Rohn’s theory. The Framingham Heart Study examined the social network of over 12,000 participants in the town of Framingham, Massachusetts, over several decades. The findings of the Framingham Heart Study revealed that social connections have a significant impact on our well-being and lifestyle choices. It was discovered that not only physical behaviours such as smoking and obesity were linked but more interestingly, the results showed that happiness could be influenced by the people with whom we associate.

Similar thinkers have emphasised the importance of who we surround ourselves with since the inception of the self-help genre. One of the first authors in this field, Napoleon Hill, outlined three recommendations about this in Think and Grow Rich.

  1. Mastermind Group: One of the core ideas in Think and Grow Rich is the concept of a “Mastermind Group”. Hill suggests that assembling a group of like-minded individuals who are driven towards similar goals can lead to increased creativity, motivation, and problem-solving abilities. The collective knowledge and synergy of the group can propel each member towards success.
  2. Power of Association: Hill underscores the influence of association on an individual’s mindset and success. He encourages readers to associate with individuals who have achieved the level of success they desire, as this association can provide inspiration, guidance, and opportunities for growth.
  3. Influence of Optimism: Hill emphasises the importance of a positive mental attitude and optimism. Surrounding oneself with optimistic and positive-minded individuals can foster a similar outlook, leading to increased confidence and a belief in one’s ability to achieve success.

The ideas Hill outlines above aren’t to be confused with the “toxic positivity” philosophies of the modern age but are part of a model more attuned to engaging in relationships where parties can feel able to share stories, offer support, and brainstorm ideas safely. These aspects can make a big impact on both the inner and outer worlds when we place our awareness here.

JFK popularised the idiom “A rising tide lifts all boats”, which is often attributed to the general meaning that when one does well, everyone does well. Perhaps we need to make time to reflect on our learning from project outcomes more often, re-examine our circle of associates, and reach out to those we can celebrate our victories with, no matter how small. It’s been a very enjoyable addition to catching up with my friend, as we now appreciate the milestones of our efforts, reflect differently on gigs and contracts that have been completed, and consciously make time to celebrate before embarking on the next adventure.

Is Music The Language Of Connection?

Scientific studies have shown that many effects of music can be seen in the brain. Multiple observations have demonstrated some interesting findings on the bodies and minds of listeners and performers alike, leading to the question: “Is music the language of connection?” 

Group Singing and Emotional State

Group singing is one such area that has been studied; results showed that participants benefited from feeling calm, experienced an elevated mood, and the release of bonding hormones, with effects that could be likened to the results of meditation. Additionally, scientists from Berkeley found that on top of the mental benefits we already know music can bring, there are social and physical effects on singers, such as feeling emotionally close to others, and a reduction in physical pain:

“Results showed that feelings of inclusion, connectivity, positive affect, and measures of endorphin release all increased across singing rehearsals and that the influence of group singing was comparable for pain thresholds in the large versus small group context.”

As far back as the Hippocratic philosophy in Ancient Greece, art therapy was used in the treatment of illness and in “the improvement of human behaviour”. The use of art therapy does seem to be experiencing something of a resurgence in some areas today in the treatment of children, notably in adults with dementia. In the UK, there have been initiatives gaining popularity in this field, such as the Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Singing for the Brain’ campaign, whose community choir brings people together to participate in music. They explain:

“Evidence shows that music can help improve and support mood, alertness, and engagement of people with dementia, with research* showing that musical memory is often retained when other memories are lost; music can help people to recall memories due to the nature of preserved memory for song and music in the brain.”

Understanding that singing is a universal tool that can be beneficial to memory, mood, breathing, posture, and muscle tension, and creates a sense of well-being and connection, surely we have to question why we are not placing more importance on this relatively simple activity. And while using music therapy for the sick is commendable, why are we waiting until someone is unwell to implement it, rather than using it as prevention and sustenance?

In UK schools, the opportunity to study music history and participate in performances, creative compositional activities, and learn an instrument, are becoming increasingly elite pursuits. The denial of access to music for every child in state school seems to be the ongoing initiative of the current government. Some private schools are even taking it upon themselves to share their resources, opening the doors of their concert halls to the local state sector. Warwick School in England is one such institution that has kindly offered education support to local schools through Warwickshire Music Hub. The reporting in The Big Issue explained:

“The facilities in Warwick are exceptional: there are many music teachers beavering away with nothing but a bunch of ukuleles. The contrast in music resources can be stark. The recently updated National Plan for Music Education (NPME) places much of the responsibility for delivery on individual organisations through the hub system that was created when the NPME was unfurled in 2011. Luckily, there are those who are taking the initiative, despite government indifference.”

It bears repeating that if we know there are such huge benefits to the brain, body, and spirit from music, and we use it as an actual treatment for the sick, it feels unethical to consciously withhold this from some select members of our society.

Enjoyment and Synchronization

A 2020 study in the journal NeuroImage observed that when audiences listened to a musical performance and enjoyed it, the brain activity of the performer and the perceiver synchronized together. Additionally, I found it interesting that the paper referenced several studies that had come before:

“Previous neuroimaging studies also found that brain-to-brain synchronization is involved in behavioral synchrony, emotional contagion, and verbal/nonverbal communication. In general, interpersonal neural synchronization might be the neural basis of synchronized movement, emotional resonance, and shared understanding (Shamay-Tsoory et al., 2019).”

This took me back to watching a pub gig in a country where I’m proficient in around ten words of the language. As the singer worked the crowd, getting every one of us to clap and sing along, taking a line here, and a hook there on the mic, it soon became very apparent that not only was I, not a native speaker, but there was also a deaf lady in the audience.

What happened next was a rallying of forging connections through the music; the singer adapted what he could to include everybody, not only pulling out an Elvis number in English for me to join in, but by “signing” with gestures to describe the lyrics, employing the deaf lady’s partner to interpret here and there, and by taking her hand to feel the vibrations as he sang to her.

As we applauded her, (in sign language, this is like the “jazz hands” motion, with the arms up at a 90-degree angle) she looked around at us and fought back tears of happiness. After the show, we couldn’t address each other with words, but shared a knowing smile, and a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the connection created by the language of music.

The Brains of Co-Creators

After skimming the surface of the studies and pondering the many emotional ramifications of musical connection, I began to wonder what happens to the brain when we create music together. Band and musical working relationships are often emotionally charged, but is the creative relationship measurably different scientifically?

If we know that ‘trauma bonding’ exists, then what happens when we experience something intense, but mostly positive with another, where we make something tangible together out of nothing but our feelings? It is my suspicion that while we can feel everything on the spectrum from happy and free, to cold indifference, to hoping karma rains down on some past relationships, the connection between co-creators is a unique one, unlike any bond we have with an old friend, lover, or colleague.

The day he died, John Lennon gave an interview speaking fondly of Paul McCartney. The pair had actually reconciled by 1976, despite their explosive disbanding six years earlier. John had said:

“He’s like a brother. I love him. Families … certainly have our ups and downs and our quarrels. But at the end of the day when it’s all said and done, I would do anything for him. I think he would do anything for me.” — 8 December 1980 interview with Dave Sholin

It was clear there was still a great connection between the two, and the last time the pair met in person, Lennon’s parting words to McCartney were, “Think about me every now and then, old friend.”

It’s a pattern that can be seen throughout the music world – Stevie Van Zandt speaks of his brotherly friendship with Bruce Springsteen in his autobiography, stating that despite separating and uniting musically several times over the years, they only had three real arguments. With a lack of bitterness, and more of a “Eh, what you gonna do?” laissez-faire attitude in the book’s tone, Van Zandt’s affection for Springsteen shines through.

It’s funny how when the music stops and time rolls on, it doesn’t matter whether life took you in different directions, you simply grew up or had the mother of all disbanding experiences – the bonds run deep. We can be separate from our music friends for years and still cheer for them from afar when they meet a nice partner and find happiness, and it can feel like a punch to the gut when we hear hard times have befallen them.

If our brains literally synchronize, and we feel a measurable connection in a musical environment, and these memories will be the last to go, then perhaps the supposition that there’s more to it isn’t completely un-scientific. The often-quoted man of science Carl Sagan once said, “For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.” It’s something I think about every now and then.

Boosting Women’s Voices: Cutting Through The Noise

When it comes to editing voices, it’s a job filled with variety, constantly reacting to what hits the ears. While an initial setup of EQ templates might be a starting point for some, every voice is unique. Women’s voices tend to have wildly different tones and timbres that vary from person to person, and editing seems to be an area that’s often hit-and-miss across music and the spoken word. The NCBI Library of Medicine states that the male speaking voice averages around 60 – 180Hz, while the female voice generally sits around 160 – 300Hz, with roughly an octave’s difference in pitch. Despite this, there seems to be a wild disparity in how women’s voices are treated in general. Perhaps the most common problem can be summarised as cutting too much in the lower areas, and boosting too much in the higher areas when women’s voices are in the mix.

Spoken word

With the podcast industry booming, it’s interesting to observe the difference in the editing of women’s voices compared to men’s. The lack of De-esser treatment, and the copious boosting of high-end frequencies often lead to distraction with every ‘t’ and ‘s’ sound that occurs. Sibilance and harshness can abound, and pull us away from what women are actually saying.

Diagram of the Fletcher-Munson Curve

The Fletcher-Munson Curve measures how our bodies perceive loudness. It is also often referred to as the “equal loudness contour”. Created by Harvey Fletcher and Milden A. Munson in the 1930s, the pair demonstrated how loudness affects the human ear at different frequencies, and where we would perceive (or feel) these pitches and volumes as unpleasant. The most sensitive of these frequency areas that offends the ears lies between 3 – 5kHz, which is the danger zone for sibilance.

Business titan Barbara Corcoran is a fantastic speaker and all-around inspirational career woman. Her voice naturally leans to the high end in pitch and tone and has a propensity for sibilance. When I’d previously watched her on the television show Shark Tank, it was clear that this was her vocal sound, yet when I recently listened to her as a guest on a podcast, I was saddened to hear the edit of Barbara’s voice was jarring in the high-end, and desperately needed a De-esser. I was curious to see how closely my perception of the sound was aligned with what was measurably coming out, so I decided to analyse the podcast in contrast with another recording. I used a Spectral Analysis tool, capturing a snapshot of a word with an ‘s’ sound to compare the two different recordings as fairly as possible, and listened through the same speaker.

Barbara speaking at a TEDx Talk

 

I first measured Barbara speaking at a TEDx Talk. There was definitely a slight peak in the range of 3-5kHz when measuring Barbara’s talk, however, the peak was only a little above the others, notably its neighbour around 2kHz, and again a little above the 500Hz peak. Audibly, the voice still sounds high and naturally sibilant, however, there is a softness to the ‘s’ sound that does not detract from the talk.

In the bottom graph, the peak is marked around the 3 – 5kHz range and stands alone above the peaks in lower ranges, which demonstrates that this problem area is in fact considerably louder than the other frequencies, and not just perceived to be louder and distracting by the ear.

 

Diagram Barbara Corcoran’s voice in the TEDx Talk (top image) versus as a podcast guest (bottom image). 

Diagram Barbara Corcoran’s voice in the TEDx Talk (top image) versus as a podcast guest (bottom image).

 

Music

In music, the same problems surround women singers. Often, in striving to add ‘air’ or ‘brightness’ or ‘clarity’ to a vocal, women’s voices succumb to the harshness in the 3 – 5kHz range. In boosting above 2kHz a little too liberally, and adding reverb or other effects that can further highlight the high-end, women’s voices can end up sounding thin, jarring, and full of squeaky ‘s’ sounds. So how do the experts celebrate the richness and full tonal spectrum of strong women’s vocals, and do it so well?

In a 2011 interview talking about the making of Adele’s album 21, producer Paul Epworth and mix engineer Tom Elmhirst gave a run-down of their process. The pair have worked with some formidable women’s voices, from Florence + The Machine and Amy Winehouse to Adele. On the song Rolling In The Deep, Elmhirst used the Waves Q6 EQ on the chorus vocal, pulling out certain frequencies “very, very heavily”:

“I had the Q6 on the chorus vocal, notching out 930, 1634, and 3175 Hz very, very heavily: -18dB, -18dB, and -12.1dB respectively, with very narrow Q. I also had the EQIII on the lead-vocal sub, notching something out again. Something obviously needed to be taken out. The vocal is the most important thing in the track, and taking those frequencies out allowed me to keep it upfront in the mix, particularly in the chorus. Regarding the outboard, I had the Pultec EQ, Urei 1176, and the Tube-Tech CL1B on the lead vocal sub-insert. The Pultec boosted around 100Hz and 12k. It’s colourful, but not drastic. There was not a lot of gain.” 

 

Diagram of Adele Vocal EQ

 

When it came to De-essers, Elmhirst likes to add several for precision – on Rolling In The Deep, Elmhirst explained:

“I did use two Waves De-essers, one taking out at 5449Hz and the other at 11004Hz. Rather than use one to try to cover all the sibilance I used two. I do that quite often.”

While on Someone Like You, he went even further, summarising his EQ and De-esser decisions on the piano-vocal track:

“I had three de-essers on the lead vocal in this case, working at 4185, 7413 and 7712 Hz, and I did some notching on the Waves Q10, taking out 537, 2973, and 10899 Hz, with maximum Q in all cases. The Sonnox Oxford EQ simply takes out everything below 100Hz, and it adds a little around 8k.”

Boosting women’s voices

It’s interesting to compare and contrast the rich tapestry of content that is available to us these days, as well as the amount of guidance that is out there. Considering women’s speaking voices sit around 160 – 300 Hz it’s staggering how many guides and training materials generally recommend using a low pass filter cutting up to 200 Hz – where the voice actually is – and boosting from 4 kHz and up – where madness lies. Every voice needs something different, whether softly spoken, cutting through in an arrangement, or leading a band at a show.

Delving Into De-mix Technology

Since Peter Jackson’s Get Back documentary about The Beatles, the use of De-mix technology has been more prominent in the public realm, and it is a truly intriguing technique. Even the term ‘De-mix’ is a fascinating one, that mentally evokes a challenge similar to ‘un-baking’ a cake.

In fact, the process of De-mixing has been used by Abbey Road Studios for some time, and the technique was developed in partnership with mastermind technical analyst James Clarke, who recalled that the idea first came to him back in 2009. The first project Clarke created was in 2011, with the reimagining of The Beatles Live At The Hollywood Bowl, with many classic Beatles records subsequently following, including A Hard Day’s Night (the movie), 1+, parts from Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 50th Anniversary and The White Album. Aside from The Beatles, David Bowie’s Life on Mars, Rush 2112 – The Live Concert, and material from Cliff Richard and The Shadows, as well as Yusuf/Cat Stevens, have been similarly reworked with the De-mix technology.

What is De-mix technology and how does it work?

Abbey Road Studios explains on their website that in its simplest form, the software enhances the original vocals and helps to amplify the bass, which is something that mixes in the late 1960s were often unable to do.

“Using algorithms that are trained on target instruments, De-mix can extract these components to enhance or reduce targeted EQ or isolation. Not only can De-mix be used to adjust the levels of musical elements within a mix, it can also make vocal isolation or removal a reality.

The new process unlocks mono recordings or those where full multi-tracks do not exist, allowing our engineers to adjust the balance and levels of instruments and vocals within a track to rebuild, rebalance and remix the recording. For remastering projects, De-mix allows our engineers to perform targeted EQ balancing. For example, the engineer can adjust and EQ a bass guitar without any impact on the vocals or drums.”

Abbey Road engineer Lewis Jones talked about working on vintage tapes by The Rolling Stones back in 2018, likening the De-mix process to remastering – he drew similarities between taking an initial stereo track, and then making a multi-track of that stereo in order to edit the parts more individually, and enhance them. In the case of these older tracks, however, the source is more often a mono track, which was commonplace in the 1960s.

The comparison to the remastering process makes the technology a little easier to digest. Delving deeper into the science of how De-mix works, Clarke explains:

“The process is that you create spectrogram models of the target instrumentation you’re looking for, so vocals, guitars, bass, drums, stuff like that. And then the software starts to look for patterns within the mixed version that matches those models. It then creates what are called masks, which effectively, think of them like a specific sieve, you just drop the audio through it and the mask catches the bits it wants to keep and lets everything go through. It then does the same for all the other instruments and eventually, it works out that this bit of audio belongs to the drum, or the vocal or bass guitar.”

Clarke also explained that if engineers were having issues while working with the De-mix software, he could tweak the code and the models to assist the process. And looking to the future, Clarke says he is currently moving into a deep learning approach that uses the same concept of generating these masks to un-mix the audio, however, the masks are learnt rather than derived and can be applied to any song. He states that “It’s producing some stunning results at the moment”.

What could be the impact of De-mix technology?

There appears to be only positive potential in the use of De-mix technology, the most notable being the restorative nature of its application – old, forgotten, or bootlegged tracks can benefit hugely from these techniques, and become resurrected to live a second life.

Abbey Road Studios already offer the De-mix service to clients as a remix or remastering option, and the possibilities for the future usage, licensing, or commercialisation of this technique look promising; should Clarke’s deep learning approach continue to create new versions of De-mix, it seems feasible that the technology could one day become widely available to producers and creators. If it can eventually be used as an adaptive preset (as Clarke described in his description of the technology’s deep learning potential), the impact would be huge. Ultimately, taking the innovation and quality of the Abbey Road techniques, and making the software available to use on records everywhere, is a very exciting prospect.

BandLab Mastering: A Review

I’d heard about BandLab Mastering a while ago, and was very curious to experiment with such an interesting bit of kit – a free, web-based tool that will quickly master tracks through the use of algorithms created by industry experts. What’s not intriguing about that? So, I sat down for an afternoon of mastering and re-mastering fun, to see what BandLab Mastering has to offer.

What is BandLab Mastering?

BandLab Mastering is a free online audio mastering service that all works via a web page or mobile app. BandLab Mastering lets you upload music unlimited tracks of under 15 minutes in length, and then experiment with the four preset mastering settings it offers. The software was made with world-class artists and engineers and designed with GRAMMY-winning multiplatinum collaborators such as Mandy Parnell, Mike Tucci, Maria Elisa Ayerbe, Justus West, and Will Quinnell.

The first thing I found was the ease of use of the BandLab Mastering website. I signed up to create an account via the homepage and was uploading my first track about a minute later. There is an ‘upload’ or a ‘drag and drop function, and the whole process with my particular internet speed, took around another minute to upload a 4-minute track and begin listening with the mastering options applied.

The four settings to choose from are clearly labelled with an explanation, as well as some suggested genres that work best with them:

Universal: Natural dynamic and tonal balancing – Rock, Pop, Electronic, Alternative

Fire: Punchy lows and midrange clarity – Trap, Hip-Hop, Experimental, Reggaeton

Clarity: Pristine highs with light dynamic expansion – Acoustic, Classical, RnB, Singer-songwriter

Tape: Warm saturation with analog dynamics – Jazz, Alternative, Indie, Rock

There are samples on the BandLab page to hear what each option sounds like, but I wanted to hear for myself how they all compared playing the same piece of music, and also where the strengths and weaknesses of each setting would lie.

Universal

The Universal setting was most pleasing on tracks that had lots of instrument parts and vocals, and it really ensured that the lead vocal sat prominently in the mix. The balance was perfectly nice for this preset and it felt like everything was boosted equally, while still being positioned in its right place. The Universal option would make a great default setting, and had the same feeling of equal boosts across the spectrum on all the tracks I used, ranging from solo instruments to larger band and electronic setups. Overall, it sounded pretty impressive with all of the styles I experimented with. Universal has a modern yet classic and inoffensive sound, and I’m sure many users could get by just fine using this setting alone.

Fire

The Fire setting sounded great on a retro-sounding band piece I had. This setting not only boosted the drums and bass in a very agreeable way, in keeping with the genre and my expectations but also added clarity and prominence to a piano that was in the middle of the mix. Synths and a lead vocal kept their place upfront and weren’t overpowered by the low-end, but the difference was significant. Overall, this setting fit perfectly for a track of this style, and I suspect any traditional band setup would sound quite nicely mastered with Fire. As I experimented with pieces of more variety, I kept coming back to Fire for tracks that needed that extra punch in the low-end, whether electronic or band based. While this preset wasn’t created to optimise softer pieces, the impact on bigger and more aggressive tracks across genres was highly rousing and effective.

Clarity

Clarity didn’t disappoint and was perhaps the unsuspecting hero of the group. It was my favourite setting to use for guitar pieces and really brought them to life. The high-end was pronounced, but without losing the warmth or depth of the low-end or mids, which is always a concern of mine with the guitar. It kept the feel open and balanced; the full range of the instrument was present, and it never sounded small or twangy. It also worked very nicely with piano pieces, as well as ambient electronic tracks. The revelation for me with Clarity was experimenting with rockier band tracks. Surprisingly, this didn’t lose any punch and still felt meaty, even though the airier high-end was quite prominently boosted in this master. For this reason, I felt Clarity was the most inclusive all-around setting, as it could cope with almost anything.

Tape

Tape was similar to the Fire setting in places, such as boosting the low-end, and working really well on more aggressive tracks. I felt like Tape also evened out any jumps or discrepancies in volume and compression between sections much more smoothly than the other options. This was a huge bonus for this setting, and pretty much every track of every genre that I played with Tape sounded warm, full, and pleasing. My only criticism of Tape would be that the ‘tape noise’ on extremely quiet parts is too noticeable and distracting. For example, on a live guitar or vocal recording where there is a natural break or diminuendo, the fuzziness of Tape detracts from the silence too much. Other than that, my love for the sound of analog days-gone-by would see me use this regularly myself.

The verdict

I was genuinely surprised by how far the BandLab Mastering effects exceeded my expectations. After much playing around with all kinds of tracks from classical, to electronic, to rock, I was not expecting the four preset options to all be so well-rounded and effective. None of the settings sounded ‘bad’, even when pushing the limits and trying music that wasn’t intended for that choice. To me, that’s a good sign about the quality of each default and makes it a very useable piece of kit, highly accessible to lots of different people. It’s worth remembering that the mastering function can’t solve problems in the mix – if a track has issues with balance, clipping, or bad recordings, this isn’t a magic remedy. If, however, you’re looking for loudness, clarity, a nice EQ spread, and a particular vibe, then BandLab Mastering has some pretty great options.

Pick of the Best Budget Synthetic Instruments & Amp Plugins

The current economic situation has meant that many creatives are experiencing uncertain and leaner times. Thankfully, one area that has been consistent throughout this difficult climate is the offering of reasonably priced, high-quality virtual instruments and plugins. Whether you’re unsure about making a big purchase or commitment to one library, there are an array of affordable sounds and tools out there, with many packages even available completely free.

Favourite free instrument sounds

Probably my favourite free instrument sounds of late are those in Spitfire LABS. This varied collection is extremely broad, ranging from realistic acoustic instruments to ambient and Avant-garde sampled sounds and textures. The plugins are extremely intuitive and easy to use,  with the huge bonus that they are compatible with any DAW, making them great for beginners and pros alike. The collection is updated regularly, and is always completely free, making it an all-around fantastic resource.

The Spitfire Product Library is a professional standard collection of instruments, many of which are regularly made in collaboration with the world’s biggest composers and creators. Spitfire often has package deals and offers on their products, and they also give 30% off for students and educators on all individual libraries. While a full professional orchestra library or an extensive synthesizer collection is pricey (though payment installment plans are available), many of the libraries and instruments are priced under $50 and $30 – a real
bargain if you’re after a specific addition.

In a similar vein to Spitfire, many other companies have followed suit in offering free products in parallel to their bigger collections. My favourites include the acoustic instruments from Orchestral Tools SINE factory and the eclectic collection of interesting sounds from Arturia that also include handy presets for easy variation and use.

Reasonably priced audio toolkit essentials

It’s worth signing up to company newsletters for offers and deals – this can be a lifesaver when there’s a particular product you’ve been saving for and waiting to upgrade. Promotions on iZotope products are featured regularly, with some free plugins always available, and smaller clean-up packages such as RX 8 Elements are currently priced at a very reasonable $29. Another one to watch is the Waves Plugins site, as the discounts on these products can make a huge difference – both to your collection and your wallet. With up to 80% off some items currently, there are also bundle deals and various offers to choose from. As Waves make such an array of products, being ready to pounce when sale time comes around can help to make a noticeable upgrade within a manageable budget.

Riding the Creative Cycle

Aside from the obvious devastation caused, the coronavirus pandemic has done a number on creative folks. I’ve observed struggles, transformations, career challenges, and cycles that would normally span decades condensed into a matter of months. It’s been fascinating to see how people’s creativity has evolved over this testing time, and the new directions that have emerged out of crisis, changes, and a renewed perspective.

Everything in life moves in cycles, whether in work, our relationships, a project, or ourselves. Cycles typically go through the phases of inception, birth, growth, decline, release, death, and rebirth. It’s rebirth that I find most fascinating: the dawning of a new age and beginning of a new cycle is always exciting to see.

In ancient Egyptian and Greek mythology, the legend of the phoenix is often referenced as the ultimate motivational idiom of forging a new path in life. As the story goes, the phoenix was a magnificent bird with red and gold plumage. Singing songs for the sun alone in the desert, the phoenix grew old and weak after living for 500 years. The phoenix then built a funeral pyre for itself before laying down and bursting into flames. Instantly, from the ashes the phoenix emerged even more beautiful and renewed, and would live for another 500 years, repeating the cycle again in perpetuity.

Trying something new

Whether rebirth is borne out of crisis or experimentation, a common artistic method for overcoming a creative block is to ‘try something new’. It’s a topic that never fails to crop up in conversation, because so often we feel stagnant and like we need to widen our net, even during ‘ordinary’ times. In welcoming in the new – whether that be a new sound, a new instrument, technique, or area of industry, we metaphorically channel our personal Sgt. Pepper, like our inner Dylan plugging in his guitar for the first time. We can push the boundaries of what is comfortable or expected as often as we like – every life chapter, career move, and creative offering can be as fresh and unpredictable as each new album from Radiohead or Bowie, embracing a direction that is ever-evolving.

Paradoxically, another theme that consistently appears alongside trying something new, is the drive to reconnect with what we loved about our art as a child or when we first became inspired. When your art is your career, this one can be more challenging to figure out. With an unexpected hiatus such as the pandemic, taking time and space to let the ideas flow again has helped some to reconnect with this initial spark.

But what of the times when our lives and careers crumble, when re-emerging from the ashes is more dramatic? Sometimes a new cycle is more akin to Dave Grohl forming the Foo Fighters after the end of Nirvana when an entirely new start is necessary in order to move on.

In the same vein, my favourite Rock and Roll life story has to be that of Stevie Van Zandt, who started his career as the guitarist of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. After leaving the group at a high point in their popularity, Van Zandt faced struggles financially, emotionally, and spent a period of time without music in his life. However, his autobiography explains:

“Van Zandt left the band and transformed into a new identity, the first of many, and Little Steven became a political songwriter and performer, helping to mastermind the recording of ‘Sun City, an anti-apartheid anthem that helped get Nelson Mandela out of prison. By the 90s, Van Zandt had lived at least two lives – one as a rocker, one as a hardcore activist. It was time for a third – as Silvio Dante, the unconditionally loyal consigliere who sat at the right hand of Tony Soprano in The Sopranos. Underlying all of Van Zandt’s various incarnations was a devotion to preserving the centrality of the arts, especially the endangered species of Rock.”

Van Zandt is the epitome of the legend of the phoenix, changing direction, and making comeback after comeback from the ashes of his previous lives. While his first cycle came to an end with the band, he went on to use his skills and make an impact in a new way that wouldn’t have been possible without its ending. By modifying his creative mediums, Van Zandt affected one of the most notable political events in recent history and went on to be a part of the most renowned television show in the world. Even more, interestingly, he reconnected with Bruce and the band years later, and has been a staple of the group once again.

When cycles end as they inevitably do, embracing the situation and looking to art and stories like Van Zandt’s can give us hope that incredible things are possible, and when one chapter in our lives burns to the ground, it doesn’t necessarily mark the end of us. We might take a break, reinvent ourselves, or try something completely new, but every ending is a new beginning. Whether good or bad, the cycle will roll on, and rebirth always comes at the end of the sequence.

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