Last week, I shared some super exciting news with you: my private practice and teaching studio is moving! We found the perfect location for our music therapy sessions, lessons, groups, classes…and a recording studio.
When we realized we had the extra space in our new building, we HAD to jump on the chance to create a dedicated recording studio. We love giving our students the opportunity to record their songs and original creations; not only does this allow them to hear their progress and share with their family, but it also fosters confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of accomplishment.
Those are important goals for ALL of our students, which is why we are raising funds toward equipment for our recording studio. As we make improvements on the new building and purchase other furniture and materials, we don’t quite have the room in our budget for extras — so we are asking for help.
We’ve started an Indiegogo campaign to raise $1500 towards our recording studio, and we have just a little over a month to do it. Our move-in date is August 1, and it would be amazing to have the studio up and running when we open our doors at the end of the summer!
Our conservative goal of $1500 will cover the basics: microphone, headphones, speakers, preamp, and cables. Any additional funds we raise will go towards other equipment, including dedicated computer with recording interface, digital keyboard, and so on (right now we use our own personal equipment from home).
You can contribute any amount (every last dollar helps) and pay by credit card or PayPal. We are offering several perks to our donors to show our appreciation, including:
recognition on our website
digital downloads from our collection of original children’s music
gift certificates to attend our groups and classes
membership to our music resource websites
Click here to check out our campaign, and if you’re willing, make a contribution. Even if you can’t contribute monetarily, you can still help: spread the word by sharing this page with your friends via email and social media. Our budding recording artists thank you in advance!
Earlier this week, my newsletter went out and included a free song download. (They all do….have you subscribed yet?) Several of the emails I received in response prompted this week’s post on a topic I’ve written about before at Listen & Learn Plus, but never here: mechanical licenses.
The emails I received asked if the free download, A Bushel and a Peck, is in the public domain — meaning it is not protected by copyright or the copyright has expired — and the answer is no. Just like I do with any other cover song (including this one), I went straight to Limelight to purchase a mechanical license.
A mechanical license allows musicians to create, distribute and sell recordings of compositions owned and controlled by another publisher. Even though I was giving my download away for free, I still needed a mechanical license in order to distribute it to others, since I don’t own the rights to the song.
Limelight makes this process quick and easy. You simply enter a few details about the song (title, artist, type and volume of distribution or sale, etc.) and then pay the fee that is determined by that information. My license for “A Bushel and a Peck” cost just $25. You can pay either by credit card or PayPal.
If you want more information, here’s a great article on this topic. Have you had any experience with licensing cover songs? And if so, did you use Limelight or another similar service?
I’m a little sleepy this morning after a late night of recording…but I’m not complaining, because it’s one of my favorite things to do! So much so that I’m giving a presentation at AMTA National Conference in Atlanta next month called The DIY Approach to Recording.
One of the questions I receive most often through this blog is along the lines of, “What equipment do you use to record your songs?” I have two different methods for recording; the pictures above are from a live session with another musician. I use my Fender Passport sound system to record everything at once as a WAV file, which is saved to a USB flash drive.
I have another process and separate equipment for tracking, which is the method I use most often to record my Listen & Learn songs. I wrote a detailed post about that previously, which you can read here.
Music therapists, if you are interested in learning more about my recording methods, I’d love for you to attend my presentation at conference! It’s early (Sunday, November 20 at 8:00 am) but I promise I’ll make it worth your while.
If you need me in the next two weeks, it’s pretty safe to say that you can find me in one of my favorite spots: lounging right next to the pool. With my busy schedule in the studio, I haven’t had much time for fun in the sun…so I’m planning to make up for it during my end-of-summer vacation.
But that’s not all I will be doing in the weeks leading up to the fall session. There will still be blog posts to write, songs to record, gigs to play, and plans to make for upcoming classes and music therapy sessions.
I’m kicking off my little vacation with an exciting event — singing with a full band for the first time tonight! And luckily I’m used to running on little sleep, because early tomorrow morning I’m heading up to Chicago for a wedding and to celebrate my 3rd wedding anniversary with my wonderful husband.
I absolutely love teaching lessons and providing music therapy in the summertime, but I always look forward to these two weeks off afterward. I have found that it’s the perfect amount of time needed to unwind and get reinvigorated for the new school year. Are you taking any time off before the hustle and bustle of fall begins?
I may be turning 28 next month, but I’m still allowed to make a wish list for my birthday! With my new studio transformation in progress, most of the things I’m asking for relate directly to my work — though that is almost always the case. (Last Christmas, my parents insisted that I put at least one thing on my list that didn’t concern music or technology.)
So here are the top 3 items on my loooong list of wants. Let’s just say I would be more than pleasantly surprised if I receive them on June 5.
iPad 2: I’ve actually gone back and forth on this one. As awesome as the iPad is, I just don’t know if I really need it. For one, my husband has one and gives me free reign over his whenever I want. Also, I already have an iPhone. But the more I read about the iPad and explore the apps that are available, the more convinced I become that it would be a useful tool in my studio.
Airturn Page Turner: This is one of reasons I want the iPad. The idea of my students and I being able to play using sheet music displayed on the iPad or Mac (of course, I would also need this) and use a foot pedal to turn the pages is just awesome.
Blue Mikey: A microphone for my iPhone. I am a huge fan of Blue Microphones and have been using the Snowball for years. But sometimes during a lesson or music therapy session, I don’t necessarily want to set up my computer and microphone. I’d love to be able to just plug this bad boy into my iPhone and start recording. I do this every once in a while with the voice memo app, but it would be nice to get a more high quality sound.
What music & technology related items are on your wish list?
Welcome! I’m Rachel Rambach, board-certified music therapist and creator of Listen & Learn Music — educational songs and musical materials for children. I love sharing my work with you, along with my behind-the-scenes creative process, adventures in business ownership, and life as a mom of two little ones.
New Book + 6 CMTE Course!
This is the book + course that will help you shape your music therapy career in order to make more money and live your ideal lifestyle. Details here.
Session Plans
Next month’s music therapy sessions, early childhood groups, or classroom music…planned for you in advance.
Free Download
Click the image below for this free resource and song collection!
We’ve started an Indiegogo campaign to raise $1500 towards our recording studio, and we have just a little over a month to do it. Our move-in date is August 1, and it would be amazing to have the studio up and running when we open our doors at the end of the summer!
