This month we’re starting a new thang! Collaboration is one of the best-kept secrets in music. This month’s meetup is in Reno, our hometown, at a local spot called The Holland Project. The Holland Project is an all-ages arts and music initiative by young people, for young people, in the Truckee Meadows. Holland Project’s aim… Continue reading The Remix: Monthly meetups for DIY Musicians
Author: Ethan Clift
Ethan is Co-founder and CEO of Tonic Audio. His favorite things to do are sew quilts, take walks, make music, and his morning ritual of waking with Evie June, feeding the animals, coffee + a jaunt to the dog park with the pocket-sized Yorkies. His favorite tool is a Nintendo Wii controller Allison hacked for him to use to control a synth during live performances.
Music We Dig! Our Quarterly Staff Playlist :)
Every quarter, our team shares the songs that are on their minds and in their hearts. This playlist gives you a snapshot in time of our personal music tastes this spring and what they sound like together.
Behind the Music: Shaughn Richardson
Shaughn Richardson, a musician, podcaster and community leader in Reno, NV took the time to talk to Ethan about all the different pieces that makes a song, as well as the importance of music in the political culture of today.
Behind the Music: Maita
Ethan got a chance to talk to Maria Maita-Keppeler aka MAITA who is a singer-songwriter living in Portland. She’s the kind of songwriter who takes you on magnificent, moody, melodic journeys with her lyrics and her music. She is a recent signee to the Kill Rock Stars label and her label debut record Best Wishes… Continue reading Behind the Music: Maita
Behind the Music: Gwendolyn Fitz
Ethan got a chance to talk to Gwendolyn Fitz is a singer-songwriter living in New York City. Although a classically trained musician in flute and voice, Gwendolyn loved to write song lyrics and picked up the ukulele to start a career in songwriting. With a love of both jazz and pop, Gwendolyn likes to fuse… Continue reading Behind the Music: Gwendolyn Fitz
Behind the Music: Simon Barber
Ethan interviewed the songwriter, songwriting expert, and co-host of the essential songwriting podcast, Sodajerker, Simon Barber. That’s a tongue twister! Although we can’t say “songwriting” that many times and fast, we don’t have to, because Simon’s creative and academic life is dedicated to the study of the craft, and has much to say. This interview… Continue reading Behind the Music: Simon Barber
Behind the Music: Royce Hall
Ethan talked to Royce Hall, a genre-bending Afro-futuristic/Black Liberation Soul/Funk/Hip-Hop music recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, composer, MC , vocalist, and actor based in Atlanta, GA (dang, impressive!). We’re inspired by how enmeshed in music they are since birth, and their expansive artistic pursuits. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. All photos courtesy… Continue reading Behind the Music: Royce Hall
The ‘Melodic Math’ of Producer Max Martin
Who is Max Martin? Max is a Swedish producer and writer whose rise to fame began in the late 1990’s when he co-wrote Baby One More Time by Britney Spears. Since then he’s written or co-written 24 of the top 100 Billboard Pop Hits, only to be bested by John Lennon and Paul McCartney of… Continue reading The ‘Melodic Math’ of Producer Max Martin
5 Songwriting Tips to Unstick You
When it comes to song composition, there’s good news and there’s bad news. Bad news first. To be honest, writing songs is hard. The creative process is messy, and some days you just can’t get into the flow of it. Other days you’re antsy and distractable and would rather browse the phone book-sized Sweetwater catalogue… Continue reading 5 Songwriting Tips to Unstick You
Founder’s Story: Ethan Clift
Hey there! I’m Ethan. I’m one of the three founders of Tonic Audio Labs. It’s exciting to be working with musicians again! There are few endeavors in life that are more creative, soulful, and require as much effort to sustain as writing music. It’s a worthy endeavor, and I hope to use my experience in… Continue reading Founder’s Story: Ethan Clift