Recent Austin News

From MusicWorld, posted 9.22.22. When trying to compose a new song and nothing is happening right away, occasionally I find it helpful to conjure a particular artist, genre or era, and use that as the basis for crafting something original. For instance, I might think of a riff that hints at early-‘80s techno pop, and,… Read more...

From News, posted 9.09.22. BMI is thrilled to be back at Zilker Park for the 2022 Austin City Limits Music Festival on October 7-9 & 14-16, 2022. For the 18th year, BMI brings its curated, musically diverse lineup to ACL for two consecutive weekends of exciting music discovery. The festival kicks off on Friday, October… Read more...

From MusicWorld, posted 8.19.22. Having run a professional recording studio as an engineer and producer for close to thirty years, the process of taking a songwriter’s rough recording to a finished master is second nature to me. However, I’m well aware that for songwriters getting ready to demo one of their songs for the first… Read more...

From MusicWorld, posted 7.22.22. It takes a certain kind of personality to excel at tricky recording maneuvers while simultaneously working with an equally tricky recording artist. Perhaps it’s for that reason alone that I admittedly never sought full-time studio operator status, choosing instead to track guests on a case-by-case basis. But even in a limited… Read more...

From News, posted 5.27.22. In this issue: Jason Blume Weighs in on “What Makes the Perfect Demo?” Brian Tyler’s Music Has All Wondering “Are We Dreaming?” Pop Legend Carole Bayer Sager Opens Up About, Life, Love & Collaboration A Conversation With Songwriting Legend Mike Stoller Read more...

From MusicWorld, posted 5.27.22. “How good do demos need to be?” is one of the questions I am asked most often in my workshops. To effectively answer this question, you need to identify the purpose of your demo recording. For example, is it intended to be pitched in the hopes of finding a home with… Read more...

From MusicWorld, posted 4.20.22. Back in the days when songwriting success was a distant dream, each time I met with a music publisher, I was a nervous wreck leading up to that meeting. I hoped the publisher would instantly recognize that my songs were destined to be GRAMMY-winning hits, and I would be offered a… Read more...

From MusicWorld, posted 3.25.22. Marketing and advertising studies show that we are better able to remember ads we are exposed to multiple times. When we see or hear something once, we are likely to forget it. But with repeated exposure it is more apt to stick in our brains. This also applies to melodies. In… Read more...

From News, posted 3.18.22. Last night, BMI showcased the best in Latin music at its signature Sonidos stage during the 2022 SXSW Music Conference and Festival. The showcase took place at The Venue ATX and featured a diverse roster of fresh artists from around the Caribbean and Latin America. The night was filled with electrifying… Read more...

From News, posted 3.17.22. BMI kicked off a week of events at the 2022 SXSW Music Conference and Festival yesterday with its signature BMI Howdy Texas event. The day party took place at the Saxon Pub, the location of the monthly songwriter series presented by the performing rights organization (PRO). The event featured 6 full… Read more...