Making a Scene Presents

Making a Scene Presents - Mid/Side Processing in Mixing: The Secret to Width, Clarity, and Control

Have you ever listened to a pro mix and thought, “Why does this sound so wide and full, but everything still feels perfectly in place?” That’s not just good EQ or compression — chances are, the engineer used a little Mid/Side processing to get that balance between focus and space.

Mid/Side, or M/S, is one of those behind-the-scenes techniques that can take your mixes from sounding flat and two-dimensional to open, clear, and three-dimensional. Once you understand what it does and how to use it properly, it becomes one of the most powerful tools in your mixing toolbox.

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Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Billy Branch!

Billy Branch is one of the most respected and influential harmonica players of his generation — a true ambassador of Chicago Blues. Discovered by the legendary Willie Dixon, often called the “father of modern Chicago Blues,” Branch was still in college when Dixon took him under his wing. Dixon urged him to complete his degree, which he did, earning a political science degree before joining Willie Dixon’s Chicago All-Stars.

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Making a Scene Presents - AI for Session Musicianship: Tightening, Not Replacing

There’s this fear floating around studios lately — that artificial intelligence is coming to take the jobs of session musicians, singers, producers, even mixing engineers. The truth? AI isn’t here to replace you. It’s here to help you sound tighter, cleaner, and more confident in the studio. It’s a tool, not a takeover.

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Making a Scene Presents - Neutron 5: A Deep Dive Review For Real-World Mixing

If you make music at home or in a small studio, you already know the hardest part usually isn’t the songwriting. It’s the mix. Tracks pile up. Levels fight. Vocals hide behind guitars. Drums either feel weak or way too loud. That’s where iZotope’s Neutron 5 steps in. Think of it like a modern, all-in-one mixing toolkit that combines powerful modules with smart, AI-assisted workflows. You can drop it on individual tracks, stack the modules you need in any order, and even let it listen to your song so it can give you an honest first pass at balance and tone. You still make the creative calls, but it gets you to a clean starting point fast.

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Audius Introduces Artist Coins!

Think of an Artist Coin like a digital fan-club pass. You make a coin under your artist name on Audius. Fans can buy it inside Audius. Holding your coin gets them into your inner circle: early listens, coin-only posts, private chats, special drops, and whatever else you decide to offer. It’s all built into the same Audius site where your music lives, so fans don’t have to learn a bunch of new tools. On day one, Audius already lets you gate music for coin holders and send message blasts to those holders, which makes the coin useful immediately—not some “maybe later” promise.

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Making a Scene Presents - Mix Clarity: The Truth About Masking (And How to Fix It)

by a recording engineer who’s spent way too many nights chasing clarity in crowded mixes

There’s a moment every indie artist hits when a mix sounds almost perfect… but something feels wrong. The vocals are there, the bass is there, the guitars are crunchy, the kick is thumping — yet somehow, it all sounds like a muddy soup instead of a clear, powerful record.

You might try turning things up, EQing harder, or adding compression, but nothing seems to fix it. That’s not a “bad mix.” That’s masking — one of the most misunderstood problems in music production.

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Making a Scene Presents - Know Your Fans: How AI Analytics Shows You Who to Market To (and How)

Picture this. You’ve just dropped your new single. You check your stats on Spotify, maybe glance at YouTube views, and you’re left wondering—Who’s actually listening to my stuff? Are they in your hometown? Across the country? Maybe on the other side of the world?

Most indie musicians have asked these questions at some point. The thing is, guessing who your fans are is kind of like throwing darts blindfolded. You might hit something now and then, but you’re mostly just hoping for the best. That’s where AI analytics comes in to lift the blindfold.

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Making a Scene - Building Your Web3 Artist Brand: How to Present Yourself as a Forward-Thinking Musician

If you’re an independent musician trying to stand out today, you’ve probably noticed that the music world is changing faster than ever. Between streaming algorithms, AI, and blockchain, it can feel like the ground keeps shifting under your feet. But here’s the thing—change isn’t the enemy. It’s the opportunity.

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Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Jimi Primetime Smith

Jimi “Primetime” Smith has lived and breathed the blues his entire life. A veteran guitarist and vocalist, he’s performed with legends like Otis Rush, Albert King, Albert Collins, and Etta James. Though his humble nature often keeps him under the radar, his recent surge of attention is making sure blues fans finally know his name.

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Making a Scene Presents Gerry Casey's Interview with Preacher Stone

Preacher Stone was born from guitarist Marty Hill’s vision of creating a world-class Southern rock band—one that carried the torch lit by legends like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, and The Allman Brothers, but with its own modern grit and swagger. Hill’s idea came to life when he teamed up with powerhouse vocalist Ronnie Riddle, whose raw, soulful delivery gave the songs their authentic Southern edge.

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