How do you make it in the music business? Blaze your own trail, network, have an online presence, and take rejection in stride. Those were some of the answers I heard regularly during a GRAMMY Camp L.A. panel where high school campers asked industry professionals what steps to take to make it as an artist or land a dream job in the music biz.

Grouplove producer and drummer Ryan Rabin gave students this advice on the subject.

“The Internet is a powerful thing. Grouplove started by a group of friends recording a few songs together for fun and throwing them on the Internet. Indie music blogs kept posting the songs and a few months later there was label interest and we played a show. We had never even really played live together.”

Fast-forward to two years later and the band grabbed their first number-one single, “Tongue Tied,” on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.

Steven Slate, a music producer who’s worked with bands such as Train and Black Eyed Peas, also chimed in.

“It’s all about the people you meet along the way and never losing focus of who you are and why you’re passionate about music. Surround yourself with bright minds and creative individuals. That’s when the big ideas come to the table.”

And what if you’re rejected? GRAMMY campers were told they can pretty much expect rejection at least once when pursuing music.

“The timing has to be right. If you go after it when the timing isn’t right, it won’t work out,” said Brian London, keyboardist for Lady Gaga and Katy Perry (he’s also musical director for Bruno Mars and Taio Cruz).

“Sometimes things will just work out in the strangest ways, when you least expect it,” added Grouplove’s Rabin.

Former American Idol contestant Haley Reinhart was also there. When she didn’t win Idol, she kept pursuing her dream of making it as an artist and managed to land a record deal with Interscope Records. “Keep putting yourself out there and don’t give up,” she told us.

I also had the chance to swing by a few classes, where I saw music production students work with Pro Tools (while wearing Shure SRH440s) and singer/songwriter students rock their songs on wired SM58® microphones and wireless Beta 87As.

Are you or any high school students you know interested in attending GRAMMY Camp? Check out grammyintheschools.com for 2013 application information. Financial aid is available, and approximately 75 percent of students who apply for financial aid receive assistance.

(DRUMROLL…) Alex Davenport and Sandy Aphid were the lucky winners of our random drawing for SE215s and SRH440s. Congratulations!

Here’s what struck me in the 60-something stories we received:

• You really get around: the studio, the stage, karaoke bars, garages, churches, the desert, Siberia…whew!
• Turning your brain into a music-only zone (hooray for earphones) makes everything from life-threatening illness to everyday drudgery more manageable.
• Beating, drowning, dropping, and running over our mics happens more often than I thought.
• When you find something you like, you stick with it. For DECADES.

Hearing you express the trust you place in our products and our customer service has made me as proud as ever to be a Shure associate. It’s also a great reminder to all of us at Shure that we have a lot to live up to. Thanks so much for the love, and for the to-do list.

People who knew S. N. Shure, our founder, say he was a great listener. Over the years, we’ve accumulated a library of stories from extraordinary people who use Shure products, from World War II pilots and U.S. presidents to rock stars and TV legends.

Help us honor Mr. Shure’s legacy of listening. Share your own personal Shure product story in a comment below this post. 

The even-more-fun part: we’ll give away a pair of SE215 Sound Isolating™ Earphones and a pair of SRH440 Headphones to two lucky commenters drawn at random.

So let’s hear it! Story time! Happy birthday to us!

Some details…

• To be eligible for the prize drawing, share your story by May 16, 2012.
• Include the year your story took place, if possible.
• Tell us where you live (city, state, country).
• Anybody’s welcome to share a story, but only U.S. residents are eligible for the prize drawing. Sorry! Legal stuff! Check out the Official Rules for complete information.

Here we are, fresh into 2012, and what better way to kick of a new year than with a great new album!

Darrin Vincent, one half of Bluegrass super group Dailey & Vincent strolled down the hall with a copy of their new record, The Gospel Side of DAILEY & VINCENT, along with some coupons for breakfast at Cracker Barrel for my family (Thanks Darrin!) If you are not familiar with the works Dailey & Vincent yet, this is a great place to start.

The first track, “Living in the Kingdom of God”,  is written by Darrin’s partner Jamie Dailey and the fantastic harmonies that have made this group so popular work their magic all through this record.  Halfway through the record, there’s a track called “Family Bible” written by Willie Nelson.  For this track, Darrin brought in his parents, Johnny & Carolyn, to harmonize with him.  Pictured below are the three singing into a pair of KSM44‘s while Darrin is sporting a set of Shure SRH440 headphones.

Another fun track called “Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord” showcases the bass vocal talents of group member Christian Davis.

Other songs covered on this CD on the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store label include: “Come Back to Me” written by Jimmy Fortune, “Daddy Sang Bass” by Carl Perkins and “Welcome Home” by Dolly Parton.

Next time you are on a road trip and see that Cracker Barrel logo coming up on the next exit, take a break, order up the Old Timer’s breakfast and then grab a copy of this CD on your way out. You’ll be singing along in no time!

Ryan

I checked out the first ever East Coast GRAMMY Camp last week, and was happy to see just as much talent represented in the East as out West. Converse Rubber Tracks hosted the evening’s open mic festivities, so I got a glimpse into the newly opened, community-based recording studio in Brooklyn, NY, and can’t wait to hear the recordings that emerge from those doors in the months to come.

I arrived just in time for some inspiring words from the GRAMMY Foundation’s Senior Director of Education David Sears, and Converse Chief Marketing Officer Geoff Cottrill. Following their remarks, Glee star Matthew Morrison treated us to an acoustic performance and took the time to answer questions from the campers. Then  the students took to the stage and proceeded to wow us all with their awesome skills.

After the (very impressive) performances, I had a chance to chat one-on-one with a few campers. Dertrick Winn, Jr. described his experience, “It creates a lot of confidence when you perform and recognize [that] the equipment you’re on is the same as what the professionals use.” Well said, Dertrick. And I’m willing to bet the SM58 mics and SRH440 headphones you used at the camp looked mighty familiar.

In total, 35 high school students participated in the inaugural GRAMMY Camp New York session, comprised of three different program tracks: music and business production; singer-songwriter; and performance – instrument or vocal. If these campers are the creators behind tomorrow’s music, then the future never looked so bright for this industry.

Excited yet? Visit grammyintheschools.com to apply for GRAMMY Camp 2012.

Wired Microphones

1. Keep windscreens on vocal mics clean and unclogged – clogged windscreens can reduce the performance of a microphone. Double check screens especially after female vocalists that wear lipstick.
2. Double check that all contacts are clean – tarnished pins on an XLR connector can reduce conductivity and impair performance.
3. Use quality microphone cables – cheap cables tend to have bad solder connections and shields that don’t hold up after repeated coiling and can become very noisy.
4. Keep handheld microphones free of tape residue. Often times it is required to use gaffers tape on a microphone for one reason or another. Once the tape is removed some residue may remain and can contribute to the handling noise of the microphone.
5. Do not tape over, cup or cover the windscreen or vents of the microphone. The directional (acoustical) characteristics of the microphone will become compromised and can lead to poor sound quality and/or feedback rejection.
6. Microphone selection and placement can make all of the difference. For example: a microphone designed for vocal applications is likely to have a presence peak and would not be ideal for a bass drum or guitar cabinet.

Wireless Microphones

1. Gain set-up is crucial for the proper operation of the wireless transmitter. Handheld transmitters can be overdriven by a vocal presenter if the gain is set too high and under-driven if the gain is set too low. Both situations can lead to poor end results. Always try to adjust for the talent of the day – not all talent are the same; some sing or speak softly requiring more initial gain and others are very loud and require minimal gain. Body-pack transmitters are frequently used with guitars that have a higher output and therefore require less gain (or more pad).
2. Batteries: Use fresh batteries with a full charge for each event. Using rechargeable batteries is a great way to save money and landfills as long as you or someone on your staff is able to effectively manage them. Remove batteries from transmitters after each performance. This will keep you from using half-dead batteries the next time you need them and will also prevent an accidental leak from damaging your transmitter if stored for an extended period of time.
3. Make sure that you have chosen a clean frequency in which to operate your wireless system. You can use the frequency calculator on Shure’s website to help determine which TV channels to avoid. If you still have questions, Shure’s tech support group is glad to help.
4. Antenna placement and set-up is important. Try to keep antennas as close to transmitters with line of sight as is possible. Antennas can also be frequency band specific – don’t try to use an antenna from another system without double-checking the frequencies first. Make sure all connections are solid. For antennas, double-check the center pin on the BNC connectors to make sure it isn’t bent or broken. If you need to remotely locate an antenna, be sure to use the correct cable – not all coax cable is the same. Cable used for television will not perform the same as cable designed for use with antennas. Consult the Shure website or tech support group for assistance in picking the right product for your application should you have any questions.
5. Many times a body pack transmitter can get wet from a performer (sweat). It is important to try and clean off the body pack and dry before storing. Using a hairdryer (set to low or no heat) is a great way to speed up the process. Storing BPs with silica gel desiccant packets also works well.

Monitors/Earphones

1. Make sure that you have a good coupling between earphone and ear canal. The foam sleeves provided with your earphones are designed to expand in the ear canal and seal off the outside world. When a good seal is provided the earphone couples to the ear canal and they act as one providing maximum bass response as well as optimal clarity and isolation from loud stage volumes.
2. When using earphones for monitoring, use both earphones. Performers that pull one earphone out during performance break the isolation and protection in that ear from the stage volume that using both earphones provides. Often the performer will end up turning the volume up to potentially unsafe levels in order to compete with stage volume. Both ears should be isolated throughout the performance and ambience can be added in via one or two condenser mics strategically placed on stage and fed only into the performer’s mix.
3. Earwax is something that nobody wants to talk about, but we all have it and eventually it can clog up your earphones. Keep your equipment clean using the tools provided and you can continue to enjoy your product for years to come. Consult your product manual for proper care instructions.
4. When using Shure earphones, if you prefer to use the yellow foam sleeves, be sure to check them regularly as they can harden over time and can become uncomfortable. Regularly replacing your old sleeves with new ones not only increases the comfort level, but also helps ensure a good coupling between earphone and ear canal. All other Shure sleeve options are washable and reusable, check the user guide for instructions on cleaning them.
5. Check the cable assembly on earphones regularly. Should a cable become frayed or compromised, this can lead to harsh artifacts or no sound at all. Shure SE315, SE425 and SE535 earphones have a replaceable cable assembly.

Headphones

1. Use the carrying pouch that came with your headphones when transporting them, and be sure to detach the cable (in models SRH440/SRH840/SRH750DJ) when you fold and store them. This will provide extra product and cable protection.
2. Replace ear pads that are worn, not as comfortable or provide less sound isolation.
3. If the signal is breaking up or you are hearing distortion, your volume level may be too loud. Prolonged high volume levels that create distortion could damage the headphone drivers. If you experience distortion at a lower volume, check your signal chain to determine the source of the problem.

Bill Ostry joined Shure in 2010 and has been professionally involved in the audio industry for over a decade. He travels the US and Canada as part of the Market Development team providing product education and support to end-users, customers and consultants.