By John Anaya

Boundless options. That’s what independent artists are facing these days. The options for creation and competitive distribution in a brave new digital market open the door for all of our voices to be heard.

This can be confusing, and I hope to provide some real-world insight and a solid suggestion base for everyone delving into their dreams in the digital recording field.

I will be the first to say “please honor your own art,” but remember that if you would like to reach a broader audience than aunt Thelma and Bob, your local bartender, there are some ideas that have proven effective.

All of the technology in the world is not going to help a bad idea become a good idea. A gold-plated piece of doggy-doo is still you-know-what. So, let’s start with the basics.

Harnessing the Power



Practice:

This will solve a multitude of problems when it comes time to actually press the red “record” button. The time you spend refining an idea and letting it grow and experimenting with arrangements, adding “color” chords, sound effects or harmony vocals is practice.

Preproduction:

Conceptually, preproduction is managing the production before production actually starts. Include a producer/engineer in this aspect of the process. Decide early how and what you will do with the digital power. Come up with a schedule and timeline for how the project might work out. Take into consideration the producer’s/engineer’s experience. Have your instruments in tune, drink tea and don’t eat cheeseburgers before your vocal takes. Think Boy Scout (“Always Be Prepared”) when starting a session, because whether you’re in the studio or at home, nothing kills the vibe more than having to stop your creative process for the missing pick.

Keep it Real:

You can fix a lot “in the mix” with editing, pitch correction and sampling–but recording digitally while leaning heavily on these options sounds, well, like digital recording. Let’s not forget that we are human, and humans like the sound of other humans.

Hardware:

There are definitive ways to ensure your digital recording workstation can give you an edge. While there are many new and exciting toys on the market, a computer-based system is the most powerful and versatile. To be as close to self-sufficient as a producer/songwriter can be, a Power Mac G5 1.6 has done the trick for me. I purchased the machine as a refurbished unit directly from Apple, saving a ton of dough. The computer, in addition to running several audio programs, can also run Flash, Dreamweaver, Photoshop and has a high speed Internet connection. I use it to create a Web presence and distribute my creations to the entire world.

Software:

The diverse software options on the market can perform excellently and can be affordable. Traditional-looking digital audio workstation (DAW) systems include Logic, Protools, Cakewalk and Traktion. Popular loop-based software, which work best with good sample libraries and a midi interface, include Reason and Live. Make sure that your application can be used at any studio in which you might work. Protools is most widely used right now; you can purchase a start-up Protools system (the Mbox) for as little as $400. It’s compatible with Fantasy, the Plant or Prairie Sun recording studios. When purchasing, remember to keep PC/Mac compatibility issues in mind. This is key when you want to use expensive, analog signal chains in the big studios and then bring your basic tracks home to edit or sing your vocal take in the shower.

Caveat Emptor:

Just because you can afford an amazing workstation for your studio doesn’t mean you’re an engineer. The same concepts that rule the analog world work in the digital domain as well. Educating yourself on the basics of signal flow, equalization, microphone technique, compression and mixing concepts will not only make your digital recording sound better, but open up a world of options.

Recording Concepts



Signal Flow:

Follow the wires. Of course, once those wires are running around on a tiny chip in your computer, it gets a little more complicated. Find out what a buss or aux (auxiliary) does–how is your sound getting in to the computer and back out? What is a master fader, or aux return? A buss is like a real “bus”–it picks up audio and carries it from point A to point B. Thus, signal flow! Know where your sound is going and what is affecting it. Understanding your mistakes makes it easier to make them again–this time on purpose–impressing everyone with your ability to tweak a sound with your imagination. Another important reason to understand signal flow is it will help you economize the use of digital signal processing (DSP).

Economize with Aux and Buss:

Let’s say you have 16 tracks of sounds, guitar, synth and yodels. You want reverb on most of those tracks. So, you start by putting a plugin on each individual track, and soon your computer says, “No, you slave-driving bastard!” Instead, use a buss and aux return system. Most DAWs let you fine-tune your levels so each instrument can have its own amount. Start by adding a buss send–say buss 1-2–from each track you want reverb on. Then, create a new track, a stereo aux return, make its input the same as your buss send–in this case buss 1-2–and add your reverb plug-in to just the aux return track. Push up the fader on the aux return track and listen to the result. Fine tune by using your buss send faders on each individual track. You now have a reverb effect on many things using one plug-in.

Compression and Equalization:

These are the two most-used tools in any recording studio during a mix or during tracking. Compression, the more elusive, should be studied and used carefully. The idea is to squash a sound and make it louder, so it sits in a mix better. As you squash the sound you will lose dynamics and add noise to it. Compressors turn into limiters when used with a higher ratio. Limiters are like brick walls that make your sound not go louder than it is set. This is great for global or master fader limiting, but not so for acoustic guitar. Equalization (EQ) should be used extremely carefully when trying to maintain a natural-sounding tone. Feel free to experiment with EQ, because it’s fun. Learn what high pass (HP) and low pass (LP) filters do; these are extremely helpful in defining a sound and where it will sit in a mix. Both compressors and equalizers come in the digital format, and some emulate the sound of classic versions of these instruments well. But beware, some digital versions are so filled with options that you will become a “kid in a candy store,” inevitably ruining your mix.

Microphone Technique:

You need to understand why you point a microphone in a certain direction and how to get a realistic sound, but when working with digital systems there is a little more to it. The preamp is what turns your source from the microphone into a line-level sound that you actually record. This is essential if you don’t want a small, constricted sound, and works hand in hand with your conversion system. Most hardware has decent analog to digital (A/D) conversion–but make sure you select the proper bit depth and sample rate. The higher the number, the better the sound and the more drain on your computer. A great-sounding basic set up is 24 bit, 44.1K sample rate. This will allow you to use a number of tracks. If it is available, try 96K and use fewer tracks. Experiment with different mics, know the difference between a condenser and dynamic and which one needs phantom power. Cheap mics can sound great, with good technique, preamps and conversion. So go ahead and buy that AT2020 for $99.

Mix Techniques:

Mixing is where you have the chance to shine as an artist and really make the song special. Be careful to make it sound great everywhere, from the mp3 to the hi-fi, this “due diligence” will make your music more enjoyable for everyone. The digital workstation has all the options to make this work:

• Effects are an indie artist’s best friend, and if you have honored good technique up until now, study the use of effects, such as reverb, delay, chorus and flanger. Having the power of a good DAW at your disposal lets you manipulate time, so fool around with it. Use effects with aux as much as possible, that way you still have the original, ‘dry’ tone to mix with the new effected ‘wet’ tone.
• Speaking of time, phase coherency is vital. Sometimes your sound will get ‘canny’–that is usually a phase issue. Try playing with your effect and the mix. Switching back and forth between mono and stereo can help you hear phase issues. Things will disappear or be considerably quieter in mono. Don’t forget to use your pans and faders.
• Listen to music you think is mixed well and try and find similarities. Spend time on your sounds and use EQ to define individuality in tones. For example, the human voice doesn’t sound so hot below 100hz, so use your HP filter and make the bass sound clearer.

Distribution:

In addition to having all the options that a world-class engineer has to sculpt a sound, the digital workstation is now set up to help you distribute your music without a lawyer, A&R; rep, or even a disc manufacturer. A Web site with free samples and information will help you sell your work. You can create digital downloadable art, or upload your music to services such as iTunes. MP3s or other compressed files are not only easy to make but are getting to be a great-sounding alternative to CDs. How’s that for indie?

Mastering:

Check into the many great mastering options online. Uploading your 24-bit audio files to a mastering engineer in Germany can produce amazing and affordable results, giving your mixes the final touch. Don’t forget–all that digital compression means it’s vital that the person doing the mastering is truly a professional.

While sounding human and understanding the basics of engineering are paramount, experimentation is vital. Work with concepts like unlimited editing down to the sample level, and syncing your song with software that uses loops and samples. The use of the “real world” techniques will only enhance this type of production. You had better believe Dr. Dre knows how to use an analog board.

Being an artist with the many options a high-quality digital workstation offer can be overwhelming. Art can get lost. Understanding how to take advantage of the digital medium will create new musical experiences for everyone.

And you can do it from home, in your underwear.

Resources:

• EQ magazine: Good gear reviews, great software user tips, and tons of interviews and pictures.
• Mix magazine: For professionals, audiophiles, and just plain nerds. It offers in-depth articles, audio engineering information, and interviews with the biggest names in the business, not to mention gear reviews that have no price point.
• Tape OP: Captures the true spirit of the West Coast indie vibe. No rules, no big paying advertisers, free subscription and the most opinionated producer’s column you can find. It is a great resource to ask even the stupidest question and get an answer.
• “Modern Recording Techniques” by Huber & Runstein, published by Focal Press. This is the casual to expert’s easy resource, like a writers thesaurus, and will answer most basic questions.

John Anaya is a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Science. Learn about his music and his home studio, Humpback Recording, at www.johnanaya.com/.

By Amy Ellingson

Be certain that your work is ready to be shown.


Have you developed a cohesive and consistent body of work? Look at your work objectively. Are your ideas logically and compellingly expressed? Does your work say something new? Does it fill a formal or conceptual niche? Is it culturally relevant? Are you committed to an esthetic inquiry that will engage you for the long term?

Timing is critical. If your work is in an experimental stage, or if you aren’t certain about your direction, it’s better to postpone the search for a gallery. It may be frustrating at times to be without gallery representation, but in fact, it’s a luxury to be able to develop your work at your own pace without interference from the marketplace. Once you’re in the public eye, you’ll no longer have that freedom.

Do your research.


Spend the time to find galleries that are appropriate for your work. A gallerist appreciates it when you approach him or her because you know the gallery: its roster of artists, the exhibition space, and the general type and price range of the work.

Conversely, gallerists are annoyed when artists send packets that clearly demonstrate that they don’t know the space. For example, when a figurative painter sends slides to a gallery that shows only geometric abstraction, or when an emerging artist sends his packet to a gallery that exclusively shows established artists.

Many galleries have submissions guidelines on their Web sites, which might also indicate the schedule for reviewing artists’ packets.

How do you find the right spaces? Use gallery guides from local publications to familiarize yourself with the spaces in your city. Get into the habit of visiting them and checking their Web sites monthly.

Purchase The Annual Guide to Galleries, Museums and Artists published by Art in America magazine, available on newsstands late July or August. This fantastic resource contains cross-listings of galleries and artists, as well as nonprofits and museums. Use the Guide to locate out-of-town galleries.

If you’re serious about showing in another city, you’ll need to go the extra mile and put the leather to the pavement–there’s no substitute for seeing venues in person.

Create community.


Familiarize yourself with the local art scene and its players. The old adage, “It’s all about who you know,” is somewhat true, but only because it’s human nature to be interested in people who are known quantities. Artists who are represented by galleries often put in a good word for fellow artists, and those recommendations carry weight with gallerists.

Don’t isolate yourself. Rent a studio in an active artist’s building, and find other ways to establish professional relationships and to share information and resources.

Volunteering for a local arts organization is a great way to meet friends and colleagues. Also, get to know the scene at the alternative and nonprofit spaces, which are much more likely than the large commercial galleries to take curatorial risks with emerging artists.

Document your work.


If you don’t have the skill to do it yourself, bite the bullet and hire a professional photographer who has experience photographing works of art. Most, but not all, galleries still prefer slides.

The slide sheet allows the gallerist to look at work quickly and efficiently–he or she can hold it up to the light to decide whether “this looks interesting,” or “this isn’t for us.”

In terms of media, we are in a transitional period in which it is necessary to have documentation of our work in various formats–slides, 4″x5″ transparencies, high-resolution digital files for printing, and low-resolution digital files for e-mail and Web sites.

The bottom line is: Does your documentation show your work to the best possible advantage? Does it clearly articulate the strengths of the work? Details and installation shots can work wonders.

Depending on your work, you might want to include “extras” in your packet, such as high-quality digital prints, matted 4″x5″ transparencies, and/or CDs or DVDs with supplemental images or video clips.

Show your documentation to friends who are familiar with the work in order to ascertain how well the work translates to various media.

Assemble your artist’s packet.


Your packet consists of:

• Visual documentation
• Your artist’s resume (biography)
• A cover letter
• A statement about the work
• A slide list
• Any supplemental materials you wish to include, such as reviews or digital prints.

The format and typography on all documents should be consistent, professional and straightforward. Your complete contact information should be on every document. Your statement is a formal document meant to illuminate and elucidate your work; it should be communicative and well-written. The cover letter is your opportunity to demonstrate that you know the gallery, that you are at the appropriate level of development, and that you are serious and committed to your work.

There are many resources available that include sample cover letters and statements. “The Practical Handbook for the Emerging Artist” by Margaret Lazzari, and “Taking the Leap: Building a Career as a Visual Artist,” by Cay Lang, are career guides that are helpful and comprehensive. The College Art Association (www.collegeart.org) and the New York Foundation for the Arts (www.nyfa.org) are terrific online resources.

Make sure you have sufficient materials for your packets. Don’t skimp on visual documentation, and keep your written materials current at all times. Keep all of your materials organized so you can efficiently assemble your packets.

Set goals: how many packets do you want to send out per month? How many per year? Which cities will you target? Do not deliver your packets in person–mail them. Gallerists and gallery staff are busy people, and they do not like to be cornered or confronted by desperate artists.

In addition to galleries, will you be applying for grants and residencies? In most cases, your materials will carry over, though you will customize your cover letter and augment your packet with a proposal, an application and other materials as required.

Remember, you will most likely send out many packets before you get the response you’re waiting for. As in all advertising, the idea is to be knowledgeable and strategic in your approach. You will have more success if you send your packet to galleries that are likely to be interested.

Also, be aware that galleries change, grow and evolve, just as artists do. Keep track of galleries that interest you over the long term (create a database or use a notebook) noting shifts in exhibitions, curatorial focus and staffing.

Stay organized.


You are an artist, and you are also a businessperson. Always remember that the art is the art and the career is the career. Sometimes you’ll spend all your time in the studio, and sometimes you’ll spend days or weeks in the office.

At times, the work and the career seem to run on divergent tracks. Other times, your artistic progress and career progress will seamlessly intertwine. While the excellence of your work is what matters most, you must capably and consistently shepherd it out into the world. Your ability to administer your career can make a difference.

Develop an inventory system, keep good financial and archival records, keep your resume up to date, and create a system for keeping track of your correspondence with galleries. “Art Office” by Constance Smith and Sue Viders contains examples of a multitude of business forms and organizational tools. You can purchase it from ArtNetwork (www.artmarketing.com) in book form or as a downloadable PDF file.

Persevere.


It’s been said that for every 50 packets you send out, you’ll get one positive response, though your odds are much better if you do careful research and if you develop professional relationships to help pave the way.

As your slides are returned to you (which will happen only if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope) try not to be too discouraged. The rejection letters will pile up, and each one will sting anew. Learn the difference between “no” and “not right now.”

If the gallery says they like the work, but that their schedule is full, continue to update them with new materials once or twice a year. When they ask you to keep them posted on your progress, make sure to follow up regularly. Develop a thick skin and a philosophical attitude.

Not getting what you want is sometimes the greatest gift. Each time an opportunity passes you by, try to see it in a positive light. Think of it this way: You’ll have more time to develop the work, and it will be stronger next time around.

Prepare for success.


Oftentimes, emerging artists are so fixated on getting a show that they neglect the work itself.

If you get a date for a show, will you be able to produce enough work? Will the work be completed on time? Your professionalism must extend beyond your ability to create a stellar artist’s packet; you must also be reliable and professional once you begin to exhibit your work.

When you get that phone call you’ve been waiting for–the request for a studio visit or an offer for a show–be ready and able to respond to the opportunities that present themselves.

A resident faculty member of the San Francisco Art Institute, Amy Ellingson received an MFA from CalArts in 1992, and has won numerous grants and commissions. Her large-scale encaustic paintings have been exhibited nationally.

By Ellyn Parker

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.


–Pablo Picasso

There exists, in all of us, an inert level of creativity. As a parent, nurturing this in your children may become more than a fun after-school activity. It may become a duty, like making sure your child brushes their teeth and ties their shoes–eventually teaching them to do these things themselves.

Making Time

As parents and creative people ourselves, we often must work harder to make sure our children learn to blossom creatively in our crazy world. Sometimes we set expectations too high, or find ourselves entrenched in daily lives of school, laundry and commuting.

It is difficult to fit in creative time for ourselves as parents, much less find fun and inspiring activities for our children. Add the challenge of finding activities that rival the cost of a week’s worth of groceries, and we’ve got ourselves quite a challenge.

But by using our creative instinct and being resourceful, we can find the tools for our children to be creatively vibrant and productive for now and for the rest of their lives.

Learning to Listen

The Bay Area is home to some cool and kid-friendly bands who host regular Saturday afternoon post -nap shows. The SippyCups (www.thesippycups.com) gig at reasonable afternoon hours, charge low covers and rock out some all ages sing-along favorites. But this ain’t Raffi. The SippyCups manage, impressively, to get the young ones bouncing to a nice rendition of The Ramones “Elated.”

Recently, Cafe Du Nord hosted a tea-time performance of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” performed by a group of 8- to14-year-olds from Paul Green’s School of Rock (www.schoolofrock.com). There actually is one, just like the movie.

For amazing inspiration in a natural environment, check out summer-long free concerts at Stern Grove (www.sterngrove.com) in San Francisco. You can pack our own lunch and a bottle of wine, and hang while the little ones dance in the grass.

If you want to cultivate the improv musician in your kids, head down to Cafe International (508 Haight Street at Fillmore Street) (www.cafeinternational.com) on a Sunday from 4-8 p.m. This Lower Haight coffee shop hosts free Sunday afternoon jazz with local favorites Top Cat and Miles Ahead. For the improv portion of the afternoon, the band plays backup to anyone who is brave enough to face the crowd. There are always a couple of small wonders getting the buzz of fronting a band. Bring an instrument for your budding Coltrane and set them loose.

Stuck in a Red State? Create your own music. The old pots-and-pans jam in the kitchen is as tried as it is true. Let them sing loudly and play the same line over and over on the guitar. (I mean really, did you learn “Wish You Were Here” on the first try?) Kids are surprisingly more porous when it comes to learning. But you will only squelch the creative process by telling them to keep it down or stop repeating themselves. Ignore it, applaud it, but let them rock.

Explore Together

Play Barney in your stereo and they will learn Barney. Play BB King and they will sing you the blues. Challenge the usual suspects in their CD player or iPod by sneaking in a little Miles or adding some samba to their playlist. You can both explore new music together. You never know, you might just have something in common.

Nothing will destroy a creative streak in a kid like a coloring book. Chuck them. Blank paper, crayons, markers and cheap watercolors can be all you need to encourage your developing Picasso. Grab one of your old art school textbooks and pick an artist’s style to mimic.

You can talk about Picasso’s cubism and drawing in abstract forms. Use Georgia O’Keefe’s use of close-ups to look at backyard flowers in a whole new way. Get crazy and let them Jackson Pollock an old T-shirt. Dr. Seuss mobiles, Van Gogh’s starry nights, a Seurat dot-painting … the possibilities are limitless.

Beat the Budget

Low on supplies? Look no further than your own kitchen. Use the bottom of a cut celery stalk for vegetable prints. Paint with the juice of a beet.

SCRAP (834 Toland Street, SF, 415/647-1746, www.scrap-sf.org) is an inspiring outing for child and adult artists alike. Let your kids wander and fill a grocery bag with items for sculptures and 3-D pieces. You will be amazed how delighted they are at getting to choose their own materials.

Once you get the goods home, store them in clear mason jars or see-through bags so that they can clearly visualize the materials. A trip to SCRAP and a new container of glue can fill an entire rainy weekend and yield you some cool new art. Old cardboard makes a nice matte board when painted and covered with old buttons and glitter.

Let it Grow

Let your children process. Let them create freely, with no judgment. Don’t give them art projects that have expectations. Allow them to flourish and create at their own pace. Let them take their time when visualizing the masterpiece. Think about how many times you stared at blank canvas for days before the first brush stroke.

Naomi Rifkin of Bay Area Brush Fire (www.paintbrushfire.org) says, “We have made artists out to be some kind of exotic, rare and sometimes crazy people. The idea of creating to express oneself is as old as cave paintings, when someone put stick to stone, or whatever materials they used, and declared ‘This is how I see the world.’ Process painting takes us to that primal creative urge. I think the need to communicate our experience lives within us. So if everyone has this impulse, then everyone is an artist.”

There are plenty of amazing online resources for children’s art. Google any artist and you can find examples of their work and biographical information. Let your kids know about other inspirational and influential artists. Explain why it was important that Picasso drew a lady with three eyes. Then let your child get to work on a three-eyed monster.

Let them dance to their own rhythm. If you are a punk rock fan, they might only love jazz. Let your children explore their own art. By exposing them to new inspirations they will grow as artists and as little people. By encouraging freedom in creating, you will push them to choose creatively in all aspects of their lives. The choice to use more yellow or blue crayons translates into creative decisions about how they choose to eat, the process in which they deal with every day stress, and the manner in which they choose to vent the struggles of every day life as they grow into adults.

We can easily overwhelm our children with our own artistic opinions. Our most precious creations need to find their own creative voices.

Ellyn Parker is an event producer, arts advocate, educator, and the proud mother of seven-year-old tae kwon do champ, Alia Anaya. She ran the now shuttered underground arts gallery 691, and is co-owner of Olao Records, www.olaorecords.com/.