Encore Lounge Music Gear

Anyone who’s ever sung on stage knows how much damage a night of singing can do to your throat. Your vocal cords are just like any other body part: they need regular exercise to function normally. For most people, everyday conversation is all the practice they need. But if you sing for a living, you need more targeted exercises to keep your voice in top form.

Voice exercises are all about preparing your vocal cords for the rigors of performance. They address three main areas: they improve your voice quality, broaden your vocal range, and make your voice stronger. Most importantly, at least for the pros, it loosens your vocal structures so they can take the strains of singing for hours on end. Going into a performance without voice exercises is like going for a run without warming up. You can do well, but you’ll be stiff and sore afterwards.

One of the simplest voice exercises is humming. This helps you practice hitting notes without the filter of lyrics and other elements, and controlling volume. Start with a gentle, quiet hum, and then increase the volume little by little until it’s clearly audible. Pay attention to the soft buzzing it makes in your face—you’ll know you’re doing it right when you feel the buzz without making an effort to create it.

The exercise you’re probably most familiar with focuses on the articulators—the parts of your mouth that shape your words, such as your tongue, lips, and jaw. Practice using them by singing isolated syllables such as “ba,” “ma,” “ya,” and “la,” making sure to use a different, deliberate pitch every time.  Concentrate on the movement of your articulators. This is especially useful right before a performance, as it relaxes your vocal, facial, and oral muscles and allows you to put more emphasis on your voice itself.

Voice quality can be addressed with two common drills, one to help you develop a smooth voice and one to extend your range. The first is what allows good singers to move between high and low notes seamlessly, without changing pitch, volume, or any other element. Do this by singing “ah” up and down the scale, feeling the way your throat, chest, and face work together to create the notes. When you’re able to switch between notes while keeping all three body parts working in unison, your notes will sound smoother.

Finally, you can practice extending your vocal range, which is what singers probably work on the most. You can do this by singing as high and low as you’re able to, and then trying to go just beyond that. It’ll be hard and probably sound off on your first few tries, but you’ll be able to get it with practice. One way to help yourself along is to imagine physically reaching up for the high notes and bending down for the low ones. It’s important to always push yourself beyond your current limits; once a particular top or bottom note has become too easy for you, work on learning the next.

“There’s an app for that” was the catchphrase of 2011, and with smartphones and tablets fast becoming everyone’s best friend, there’s a good chance the music industry will jump onto the trend as well. There are already dozens of music apps out there, from beginners’ guides to professional tools. Music tab apps are probably the most popular slice, with new learners seeking an alternative to in-person lessons. Some of today’s popular guitarists claim to be completely self-taught, drawing material mostly from apps they found online.

Of course, like a lot of things on the Internet, there’s a load of bad apples for every good one. If you’re in the market for a guitar tab app, it’s important to know what you’re looking for. Do you want straight-up lessons or just some pieces to practice on? Do you already know the basics and just need an app to help you monitor your progress?

One thing you should always look for, no matter what your answers are, is organization. The best apps often have a digital library feature, which allows you to easily store and retrieve tabs and arrangements. If you’re a beginner, this will help you remember which pieces you’ve learned and which ones you need to work on. If you’re more advanced, it’s a great way to sort your music by style, difficulty, or any other organization scheme. Guitar Jam Tracks from NineBuzz Software is great for those who like experimenting with styles, although it can get pricey—tracks cost $1.99 each.

Simple playback is also a must. Even before music apps came along, the best music devices were the ones that were easy to use. Try to see where the main controls are—if it takes you more than a few seconds to find them, the app probably isn’t very user-friendly. Some apps have a “smart playback” feature that’s more intuitive and allows you to switch between a selected set of tracks—this can be useful if you’re working on several pieces at a time or using one as a reference.

Guitar learners will also benefit from fingering guides, which is only available on some apps (or the paid versions of certain apps). If you’re not used to reading music, this will help you follow notes and get you playing your pieces faster. For this purpose, some of the best apps are Guitarist from MooCowMusic ($3.99) and Gibson Learn & Master, which is free.

Pickguards can be a thorny issue with guitarists. On the one hand, you’ve got those who think they’re no more than fancy plates that don’t do much to protect your instrument. On the other, you have guitarists who find it practical to spend just a bit more to prevent the nips and scratches that build up over time. If you’re new to the craft, you’ll find guitars that come with pickguards and others where it’s optional. And truth be told, there’s really no straight answer—it has its good and bad sides, and it’s a matter of which factors outweigh the other.

A pickguard is a plate placed over the body of a guitar to prevent the pick from scratching the surface as you play. Since it’s in plain sight, it often serves a decorative purpose as well, and that’s where the issues come in. Some people like a “pristine” look and do away with the pickguard, while others prefer custom-made ones that better reflect their character.

One thing to consider is whether the pickguard interferes with sound quality and performance. This boils down to the material used. Early guitars came with plastic or celluloid pickguards, which were a little thick and tended to interfere with the vibrations. You may have seen pickguards that look like shells or mother-of-pearl; this is actually a material called pearloid, which was chosen more for its look than for durability. When hit by a pick, they would often make a scratching sound that distracted from the music.

Modern pickguards are made of hard plastic or acrylic, often made transparent so they don’t interfere with the look of the guitar. They are also much lighter and thinner, so they don’t get in the way of playing. High-end guitars sometimes come with exotic pickguards made with expensive wood or fancy synthetic materials. Despite claims that these materials enhance your performance, they often don’t—as long as they protect the surface, there’s really not much of a difference between ordinary plastic and imported wood.

If you’re installing a pickguard on your own, make sure to position it properly. It should go right on top of the sound hole, where pick scratches are most common. Use the right kind of adhesive; a mild but high-quality wood glue is usually appropriate. Most shops can usually install the pickguard for you when you buy it, or at least give you tips on what materials to use.

Most musicians create their first few pieces in a rented studio before getting access to fancier gear provided by record labels. But you’ve probably entertained the idea of building your own at some point. A home recording studio allows you to choose your own equipment and work in your own time. Unfortunately, it can also be very costly—unless you’re a smart shopper. Here’s how you can build a decent home studio on an amateur’s budget.

Audio interface: A good signal chain is essential to any home studio, so if you’re going to splurge on any part, this should be it. You’ll need onboard analog-digital converters and preamps, and in and out jacks to connect to your computer. Make sure you have a compatible DAW program; ProTools, Sonar, and Cubase are some of the most popular. A good audio interface should cost somewhere between $200 and $500.

Microphone: A mic is one of those things you can just upgrade as you go, so don’t spend too much on it just yet. You’ll find that everyone has their opinion on sound quality, but any diaphragm microphone over $100 is usually pretty good. One feature worth spending on is shockmount—not only does it reduce vibration and taps; it also makes the mic itself much more solid. You may also want to get a pop filter, which keeps plosives (letters that pop, such as p and t) and sibilants (letters that hiss, such as s and sh) from overpowering the vocal.

Headphones: This is another fairly cheap investment. It’s mostly a matter of preference—if you’re not bothered by ambient noise, you can get a good pair for just $50. Otherwise, you can look into closed-back headphones, which cancel out background noise and can go for over $200.

Keyboard controller: A MIDI controller sends a code to your computer, which then translates it into corresponding sounds. You’ll need one to input sounds directly when you start putting patches of music together. Again, you don’t need to splurge on this one; a budget of $200 should get you a great unit.

Studio monitors: These are professional-grade loudspeakers, designed to mimic the sound you make as closely as possible. You’ll hear a lot of jargon when you shop for them, but the most important terms to look for are near-field and active reception. Near-field means the speaker can be placed close to you so that the sound doesn’t get distorted by bouncing off surfaces, and active just means they don’t need an amplifier. Invest in a good one; the best models are usually between $350 and$500.

Cables: Most shops will sell cables by the foot. For an average studio, expect to spend $70 to $100 on these. There are pricier cables that will set you back hundreds of dollars, but they don’t make much of a difference. They may last longer, but even changing your regular cables a few times would be cheaper than buying “signature” ones.

Music production has gone leaps and bounds from the early days to recording to the age of the iPod. But for all their modern bells and whistles, CDs and mp3s have yet to match the sound quality of vinyl records, a technology that dates back to the 1800s. Audiophiles are drawn to their rich, warm sound, something even state-of-the-art recording tools would be hard-put to achieve. The only catch, of course, is that vinyl records don’t last forever.

Vinyl collectors swear by a number of methods to keep their records in top shape, but most would agree that cleaning is essential. You want to keep your discs free of dust and stains without using strong cleansers and abrasive surfaces. The best way to go about it is to use a record cleaning machine, which takes care of everything from the cleaning solution to the scrubbing and drying. Having a machine do it helps you avoid over-cleaning or missing some spots. It’s not a small investment, but if you’re a serious collector or seller, it’s well worth the money.

If you’re bent on doing it yourself, or don’t have that many records to make machine cleaning worth it, get a cleaning solution specifically made for vinyl records—you’ll find them at most music shops. Most stores will also have professional cleaning brushes designed to be gentle to vinyl surfaces; read the recommendations on the bottle or ask store attendants for suggestions.

You can also make your own solution if you’re on a budget. Use either 90% isopropyl alcohol (available at pharmacies) or a dishwashing soap, preferably unscented or the kind made for sensitive skin. If it smells or looks too strong, dilute it in a bit of water. It’s always safer to make it too weak and just add more soap or alcohol as needed, rather than the other way around. Microfiber or soft flannel cloths usually work well for drying.

Once you’re done cleaning, you’ll want to store your records properly. Instead of putting them in their original sleeves, which are probably dusty as well, get a new set of plastic inner sleeves and use them for newly cleaned discs. Then put everything in a larger outer sleeve before storing. Use a new sleeve every time you clean. Do this regularly and you’ll find that you won’t need to clean the disc as often, and they’ll keep their sound quality for a lot longer.