Why Mastered Music Feels Different (Even at the Same Volume)

Why Mastered Music Feels Different (Even at the Same Volume)

Most artists think of mastering as the final checkbox, something technical that happens after the real work is done.  A 2009 study by researchers Bryan Paton and Phillip McIntyre proves it is far more than that. When listeners heard mastered and un-mastered versions of the same songs, they felt them differently, not just heard them differently.   The mastered… Read More »Why Mastered Music Feels Different (Even at the Same Volume) 

What Is a Scratch Track in Music?

What Is a Scratch Track in Music?

In 1984, Bruce Springsteen recorded a rough vocal for a song he wasn’t sure he’d finish. The take was loose, almost careless, a placeholder while he worked out the arrangement. When the band tried to re-record it later, nothing matched the original feeling. So they kept the scratch.  That song was “Born in the U.S.A.”  This happens more often than people… Read More »What Is a Scratch Track in Music? 

Why Syncopation Feels Good in Music

Why Syncopation Feels Good in Music

So your track sounds boring?   Don’t say your tracks don’t make sense. Try syncopation this time and listen again to how it sounds.   Syncopation is a crucial element in writing rhythms to make your track groovy and interesting.  Have you ever heard a rhythm that instantly made you move, even if you did not know why? Sometimes the beat does not land where you… Read More »Why Syncopation Feels Good in Music