December 23, 2024
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Read moreDecember 23, 2024
Ed Sheeran, one of the most successful singer-songwriters of the modern era, is preparing for a big return to the pop music scene in 2025. After a quieter few years focused on collaborations and...
Read moreDecember 23, 2024
Seamlessly transitioning between genres and effortlessly switching musical gears, beabadoobee stands as a masterful young artist whose unique sound bridges the best of indie rock’s nostalgic past...
Read moreDecember 23, 2024
Few artists embody the concept of reinvention as completely as Kim Wilde. From dominating the pop charts in the 1980s to cultivating a second career as a gardening expert, Wilde’s journey is...
Read moreDecember 23, 2024
Britney Spears, a pop icon who has captivated audiences for decades, is once again at the center of media attention. As the star recently celebrated her 43rd birthday in Mexico, questions about her...
Read moreDecember 23, 2024
Joe Jonas and Alex Warren have joined forces for their latest collaboration, Everything I Had, a track that highlights the creative synergy between the two artists. Combining Jonas’ polished vocals...
Read moreDecember 23, 2024
Zach Bryan, a name that resonates with authenticity, raw emotion, and heartfelt storytelling, has taken the music world by storm. With his distinct sound and poetic lyrics, he has become a voice...
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Timothée Chalamet’s transformation into music legend Bob Dylan for the upcoming biopic Going Electric is already generating buzz, but what does it take for an acclaimed actor to embody one of the...
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Phoebe Bridgers has become a defining voice in indie music, seamlessly blending raw vulnerability with hauntingly beautiful soundscapes. Whether she’s performing solo in her now-iconic skeleton...
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A recent report commissioned by the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) has raised alarms within the music industry, predicting that the rise of generative...
Read moreDecember 22, 2024
Hozier, the Irish singer-songwriter known for his poetic lyrics and soulful melodies, is making waves once again with his latest single, “Too Sweet”. Released on March 22, 2024, as part of his EP...
Read moreDecember 22, 2024
Spotify Wrapped 2024 has officially dropped, and it’s no surprise that Taylor Swift reigns supreme as the most-streamed artist of the year. Her chart-topping success is a testament to her enduring...
Read morePhoto: Chugg Entertainment
Does equipment matter when producing bangers– or is it about working with what you have?
Steve Lacy is a singer, songwriter, record producer, and living proof that you don’t need the most advanced or high-tech studio equipment to create music that listeners will love. With something as simple as the GarageBand app on his iPhone, the “Dark Red” artist was able to gain recognition in the music industry. During his TEDxTeen talk, Lacy expressed that he always wanted a MacBook Pro since that’s what his friends used to create art. He never got that MacBook, however. Instead, Lacy created beats with an iPod. “With this [iPod], I’ve got these apps and I’m just exploring this world of sound with this little device in my pocket - and I realized that I didn’t necessarily need what I thought I did,” he said.
Lacy was able to gain traction as the guitarist of The Internet, an Alternative R&B band from LA. One of their songs titled “Curse”, created via GarageBand, was the demo that would go on to lead the then high-schooler into a Grammy nomination. From there, he continued creating music not necessarily having any idea what it was for– “it just felt right”, he said during the talk. He wasn’t even aware that he was producing an album, he was just laying down ideas that he had heard in his head with his friends. This first body of work opened the doors of opportunity for him to work with more people like J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar– all just from his iPhone.
According to a Wired feature on YouTube, Lacy records all of his music on his phone. He’s used lots of apps before but GarageBand is his favourite, according to the Wired video. He would start off with a simple drum loop, and then he plugs his guitar into his iPhone using an iRig cable. After, he adds his vocals– Lacy prefers singing straight into the iPhone’s mic, holding a pop filter and getting right up close. As he works, he just stacks the tracks one-by-one in GarageBand.
“I like to, you know, make wherever I am”, he said in the Wired video.
Besides Lacy, other legendary musicians such as Rihanna, and electronic music duo, Justice, have released masterpieces using GarageBand. Rihanna’s 2007 hit “Umbrella” uses a drum loop that you can find if you search for the “Vintage Funk Kit 03” sample on the app. Justice’s 2007 album “Cross” was produced using the Apple app.
GarageBand and other alternative apps like Logic Pro (Apple), Groovepad (Android), Audacity (Windows, Linux, Mac), Adobe Audition (Windows & Mac), etc. are powerful, yet accessible tools available to new-age artists to create music on. Furthermore, with the emergence of the Information Age, a simple internet search can help young artists get their foot in the door of the music industry.