Who is a good Music Producer?

Nigeria Producer - ID Cabassa

According to the Nigerian star producer Cabassa, a producer is somebody that understands music and how it works. He must have at least some understanding of engineering, know how vocals work, be an interpreter of skeletal music and then he must be sane and spiritual. You need to get into the spiritual to know how a song should come out.
As for the Hatchery Records boss – Producer Jaymo, a good producer must be in touch with his machines at least understand some basic arrangement of music. “Passion is everything- books only compliment” .

How do you as an artist establish a good producer? 

TOP 5 things a good music producer must have!

1.    Passion for good music 
Any producer without a passion for music has a very thin shelf life. Get to know the background of your producer whether famous or not. This can be demonstrated by his talk, recommendations or other productions he has done.

Kenyan Audio and Video producer - Jaymo

2.    A positive attitude  
Music Production is all about attitude. This will keep you in a good working relationship. A good positive attitude can easily take criticism, rejection without giving up or getting mad. As an artist you can easily do your corrections. Some producers are more than opinionated. You can’t change anything they have done. With a good attitude you can easily do correction on your project.  

3.    Patience 
In music production, patience is inevitable, in fact it’s everything. Imagine trying to correct a slightly off-key voice and the artist cannot detect it.  Kenyan music producers have often fallen into this trap. We have heard cases of producers throwing the artist out of the studio because they are not able to keep up with the speed, or sometimes the artist is simply not getting it or tired. As a good music producer patience is an ingredient you cannot miss.

4.   Must be an instrumentalist!

A producer must be musical. At least should be able to play one instrument really well. He should also have skills to explain to the artist the benefits of having any instrument they want added into their song. This is usually a plus for any producer!

Kenyan Producer - Robert Kamanzi - R-Kay

5.    Must be a good teacher!

Every producer needs to be able to express themselves to the artist. He or she must be able to explain in detail what must come out of the track. Majority of the producers fail to connect with the artist on why they have made the track that way, an this may be just a case of communication.  A music producer needs to be the adviser, sometimes a composer, other times back-up voice as well as the director. Some artist’s don’t know what to expect when they walk through your doors. You need to be able to touch base with them and explain.






See more ... www.hatcherykenya.com

BAHATI releases his new Single Visa - "Visanga" after Barua za Bahati

Bahati praising Barua za Bahari

Bahati realizes his brand-new single dubbed Visa (Visanga) shortly after he launched his album, Barua za Bahati at the Citam, former NPC Valley road. What’s all the heat with Barua za Bahati? Can we translate them as “letters of luck”? Hahaha whatever you want to call them they are out there and are available for purchase in some of the leading outlets as well downloads on mobile.

The show was well attended by almost all top Kenyan Gospel singers like Size 8, TPF Winner Ruth Matete, Daddy Owen, DK Kwenye Beat, Jimmy Gait, Rufftone, Hopekid and many more.

Daddy Owen and Mzazi Willy Tuva with the Jr.

Present at the event were media personalities and also Top gospel DJ’s including Hatchery Records CEO Jaymo. 

The 20 year old Kevin Bahati was also named The Groove Awards Male artiste of the year in the recently concluded Groove Awards.

The budding gospel singer has of late been on the limelight with some “reticent” Kenyan’s questioning his baby dreadlocks. The singer is reaching out to the young people and so as he tries to look like one of them, some Christian are still questioning it. In one of the interviews with NTV’s DJ Mo Crossover101 he said he is not about to let them go. 

DJ Sadic...on the decks #Barua za Bahati Launch

Listen to Bahati’s new single Visa a.k.a Visanga. It’s a sad lyrical song, but beautifully done taking us back to the 2007-2008 post election violence. A situation that most Kenyans would not wish to go back to.

Watch Bahati's Visanga live!

Hatchery Kenya - Launches its new website!

Hatchery Kenya is not about the chicken, in fact it has nothing to do with it, its all about hatching talents! This has become a household name in Kenya's music and media production. The group has launched its new website www.hatcherykenya.com.  This is in line with the company goals to become corporate. Hatchery Kenya Ltd is one of the few entertainment houses in Kenya that has grown out of the owner management. Kenya's Music and Video industries has grown so much and too quick in the recent years, with so many mushrooming producers and Indies. Some even using their residential houses as the studios, to have the work done for those who don't mind the environment.

The new website outlines the Hatchery Group's vision and mission as well as the core values listed as;

• Professionalism
• Integrity
• Flexibility
• Innovation

The site has not left behind the team behind its success as well as more info about Hatchery Kenya.  The group prouds itself in its four arms of operations listed as;

1.  Hatchery Records - is a record label dealing with music, and with a beautiful slogan - Hatching talents! The studio has its own music producers in Nairobi and also works with other music producers in Kenya who want to buy studio time.
2. Music Place Kenya - This is an academy for training music theory and easy practical lessons in Kenya and one of Nairobi's best Music School.
3. Hatchery Media - The visual outfit taking Nairobi video production by storm. The outfit deals with Music Videos in Kenya, as well as film and documentaries for many corporates in Kenya.
4. TMPK Sounds - This offers sound equipment rentals in Kenya as well as event management and marketing. TMPK Sounds can provide basically almost everything you need for a concert. 

We take this opportunity to congratulate the group's management for going corporate this far as not so many record labels in Kenya if any has been fortunate to do so.

12 Critical points for any music producer

Music is a strong force in our living! It dictates our moments, our artistry, and our vibe. As a music producer, we must first determine early on what our role is, and understand why we chose this path and what it takes for us to strive for overall excellence.

1. Know what you want to achieve from making music. What genre you want to produce and perfect? Understand that ‘alternative, country or sampling’ may not be your thing, but your R&B piano skills are flawless. As music producers mainly produce tracks and record their artists these days, traditional producers may not only make music, but also oversee the project including budget, song selection, etc.
2. Stop stealing music, software, ideas, etc. This creates a trickledown effect and results in the music mess we have going on today. This music production thing is not for everybody! Invest in yourself and know what you want from your music. Research and buy the best tools for you. Also when you buy, you are supporting the makers who keep us in supply of our favorite production tools. Please note: Karma is real! There’s no way you are expecting to sell music if you’re not buying any, there is certainly no way you are expecting support if you are not supporting others.
3. Understand the difference between a music producer, composer, and
   
   arranger. The latter two are often knowledgeable in music theory and more than likely      fluently play several instruments. As a music producer, it’s a super plus to have the same knowledge as an arranger and or composer; however, it’s not a must. But please don’t think because you throw together a few wave-forms, or a boxed loop or sample makes you a music producer. To earn such a title, you need to put in work in all aspects of the term. Also note: many arrangers, composers, and songwriters are super music producers.
4. Thin skin, easily hurt feelings, and an over egotistical attitude are reasons you will fail before you are off the ground, especially these days in the midst of music madness. You’ll end up so quick in that big pond of little fish trying to make your way. Spend that high altitude of an attitude into creating good music, getting along, and understanding the business of a music producer.
5. Just because someone doesn't produce on the same type of gear you do, does
   
   not make them inferior to you. Stop bashing the gear of others, you may look up and find their tracks are hotter than yours!
6. If your online conversation is always about you and the artists you are working with… that gets old. Support other producers and artists as well. Attend their shows, visit their pages, blogs, leave comments, and spark conversation. You never know what could come from it.
7. A music producer has good ‘sound and production’ skills. You can’t just get away with producing a hot track to have it sound raggedy, out of tune, and over-processed. Take pride also in the vocals that go over your tracks. Just because an artist has skills may not mean they sound good over your productions. In other words, you can’t collabo with just anybody. Music producers care deeply about the end-product of their pieces.
8. Your reputation, credibility and reliability sticks with you. Practice what you preach. Meet deadlines, appointments, meetings, and studio sessions in a timely manner. Return emails and phone calls. The opportunities you ignore could be a goldmine for the next one. Maintain professionalism when it is appropriate. Understand that your conversation goes a long way in interviews. The person that fans you could very well be the one that prevented you from obtaining that platinum record status.
9. Build a catalog of quality music, and have it ready to present at all times. The keyword here is ‘quality’ meaning your good stuff. Don’t present anything you have to make excuses for. Be cautious of who you are presenting to. Research the person and or company that is interested in hearing your catalog. Not just anybody should have that opportunity. It’s also a good idea to have at least 5 albums ready.
10. Producing music is a business. It involves various contracts, agreements, copyrights, invoices, royalties, publishing, and licensing. You must have a strong
    
    knowledge of these areas to function successfully as a music producer. You should also have an attorney on hand.
11. Too proud to beg? You shouldn’t be. Ask for what you want. Reach out to your goals. Very few have them just show up at their front door. The same applies with asking questions to help you sift through your process. If you don’t know, it’s okay. Find someone you are comfortable with that can mentor you. Someone you trust to guide you. There is nothing ignorant in searching for clarity. The ignorance only remains when you don’t.
12. Listen to various types of music, old and new, across genres, your grandmother’s music, your parent’s music, and your children’s music. Gain an appreciation for your favorite styles, and not so favorite. Collect various types of music and listen closely to the instrumentation, the vocals, and the elements that pulled the pieces together. This will make you aware of aspects of the music making process and an appreciation of the art. Having knowledge of a wide field of music just makes you another great asset to the music production industry.
    

Alternative Rock

An umbrella term used to describe a style of music that emerged in the late 80's and early 90's. Alternative Rock is usually characterized by bands who have a non-conformist attitude; hence "alternative".

It originated with the jangle pop guitar sounds of R.E.M. and the loud/soft dynamic of the Pixies and gained popularity when Nirvana brought it into the mainstream with their album Nevermind. Ironically, it became probably the most popular music of the time period, which was a paradox of sorts in itself -- although purposely anti-mainstream and "against the norm", it became commonplace for people to conform to non-conformity.

Today, the term is often thrown around by people who don't really understand what it means and think that it can be applied to any band of their choosing. This is not true -- for a band to be truly Alternative, they have to follow the Alternative mindset; that is, they must either perform in a style of Alternative Rock already established like Grunge, Brit-pop or be avant-grade and completely throw what it considered usual or average out the window.

The name is often wrongly associated with "Modern Rock". This is wrong because whereas Alternative Rock is a genre and follows a specific style, Modern Rock is a radio format and simply refers recent bands.

Note: discrepancies with categorizing bands as "Alternative Rock" come from the fact that most Alternative bands fit easily into an Alternative Rock sub-genre (Nirvana - Grunge, Modest Mouse - Indie) and can be classified as either the subgenre or "Alternative Rock" in general; if a band covers more than one style instead of sticking to one in particular, they are usually just called "Alternative Rock".

It was ironic that Alternative Rock became as popular as it did, considering its entire purpose was to be the opposite of what everyone wanted to hear.

Is Hip hop a music Genre

Aficionados know that hip-hop is a diverse culture, encompassing emceeing, deejaying, graffiti, and break dancing. The music of hip-hop culture is called “rap.” Rap music? That’s what everyone called it when it first hit the mainstream, because that’s what it’s called. Referring to rap as “hip-hop music” is like referring to “electronic dance music” as “rave music,” and, up until around 20 years ago, was about as correct.

The blame for this one falls squarely on radio stations. Rap music was seen as highly confrontational by its very nature when it hit the national scene: there were no sub-genres at that time, it was all just rap. Radio stations needed a way to distinguish the Fresh Prince from Public Enemy, and since rappers referred to their culture as hip-hop, they jumped on the term. Soon, consumers and critics began using the term to describe rap music—and fans of rap began correcting them, a pastime of which they would soon grow very tired.

For better or worse, the term stuck. As rap splintered into a dozen or so sub-genres in the late ’90s, hip-hop became the catch-all term for whatever they were playing on the radio. And, as all of those sub-genres have largely homogenized again, it’s now just a catch-all term for everything involving rapping—even underground artists have started referring to their music as hip-hop. Radio stations aren’t exactly bastions of free creative expression, but passive-aggressively telling a musical genre what to call itself seems particularly egregious. 

What makes a Rapper

The mark of a good rapper is the ability to string words together into captivating rhymes, but the mark of a great one is the ability to weave those rhymes into stunning narratives that grip and maintain the listener's attention through the end of the song. As hip-hop has matured as an art form, writers have come along who have taken the craft to new heights with their storytelling talents. Suddenly what started out as giddy toasting over party music had evolved into something closer in spirit to the gifted griots of African history.