Joaquin Cotler (@ShinyIslands) is a musician based in Brooklyn, NY. In the ten years since finished his degree in music, he’s discovered the many strange sides of being a working musician, from recording and gigging with bands, to writing and performing solo, to teaching and conducting workshops.
This conversation covers the music industry, the struggle of working musicians, how YouTube is changing the game, and how musicians across the spectrum learn, perform, and produce music.
Catch up with Joaquin via his website, JoaquinCotler.com Check out our episode below, as well as some of his tracks embedded after the jump.
Show Notes & Links
The Busy Creator is recorded at a standing deskBBC Radio mounts their microphones in the ceilingShure SM7B micBlake Stratton, [now retired] singer-songwriter, appeared previously on The Busy Creator Podcast“Musician” is an all-encompassing trade, according to JoaquinJoaquin and The Hot Knives on Facebook“Creative-class Hustler” who is part of “The Portfolio Generation”Squarespace can be frustratingDisney used to have working musicians, so did Warner Bros. Not so much anymore.Carl Stalling, composer for Warner BrothersThe Red Hot Chili Peppers needed a guitar player for their tourMark Wahlberg, played the lead in the film Rock StarSir George Martin CBE, legendary producer for The Beatles Ringo got sick, and was briefly replaced by Jimmie Nicol“Ringo isn’t the best drummer in the world. He isn’t even the best drummer in the Beatles.” —John Lennon Jasper Carrott“Baby Blue” by BadfingerCherSteely DanMichael McDonald, legendary studio musicianSound City, documentary by Dave Grohl20 Feet From Stardom, documentary about backup singersWTF with Marc Maron PodcastThe Beach BoysThe Laurel Canyon SoundBob MarleyBurning SpearStax RecordsMotown RecordsMuscle Shoals Sound StudioGold Records & Platinum RecordsSpotifyPharrell not happy with his $3000 check from SpotifyGainSlapbackDemo TapesCasio KeyboardSly StoneRhythm Ace or Rhythm King drum machineCharles Penn’s previous appearances on The Busy Creator Podcast — episodes 1 and 17Ian Anderson of Jethro TullAuto-TuneAnthony KiedisKe$haDr. LukeMax Martin, Swedish songwriter who dominates the pop charts“If it’s annoying enough, it’ll be a huge hit.” ← Click to TweetPerformance ArtAll the songs from 70s sound alikeGirl TalkPitch PerfectAnna Kendrick, my crushTaylor Swift, “Shake It Off”Toni Basil, “Hey Mickey”Bulldog Pitbull, a singer, apparentlyAccounts PayableDribbble, and how designers just flood it with junkVine, not just for twerking videos“toiling away in obscurity”“Wake up early and work hard all day” —Philip Glass ← Click to TweetBenjamin FranklinAmelia EarhartJohnny & June Carter CashDa Sweet Blood of Jesus, forthcoming Spike Lee Joint, out Feb. 10 (Soundtrack on Epic Records)“Space Patrol” by Illegalize : song on iTunes“Doggies Don’t Ride The Train” by Chickentown : album on iTunesJoaquin and the Hot Knives on SoundCloudRatfink on SoundCloudChickentown on SoundCloudIllegalize on SoundCloudJoaquin plays at The Manhattan Inn, in Greenpoint, BrooklynTools
Pro ToolsYouTubeiPhone, or handheld recording deviceTechniques
Diversify as much as possible; don’t rely on one source of income or type of practice (gigging vs. recording)Learn to speak “Pro Toolsese” with the studio engineers; acquire as much technical prowess as possibleBest way to record drums is in a natural room sound. Create a room-within-a-room, and them mic thatConnect your social media accounts DON’T conduct your job interviews by asking candidates to record themselves on YouTubeChange your routine and creativeHabits
Be reliable. Deliver the goods, consistently.Practice on your own. All the time.Wake up early. Drink coffee.Backup your phone; download your recordings and whatnotGet The Episode
Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 41(MP3, 1:00:59, 29.4 MB)Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 41(OGG, 1:00:59, 52.7 MB)Subscribe to The Busy Creator Podcast on iTunes
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