Artist features articles & Resources

If you are one of our regular readers, you know we cover a broad range of topics, including active learning strategies, learning to play new instruments, and much more. In this blog post, we are going to cover several basic graphic design concepts. This article will answer common questions like “What are the elements of design?” and “What is the elements of design definition?” It also breaks down each of the individual graphic design basics. After reading this article, you shoul

Do you want to learn how to animate, and want to start learning with some free animation software? Wondering where to find the best free animation software to unlock your creativity and learn the ropes? You're in the right place - and yes, you heard that right. You don't have to pay a dime to get very good animation software to build those great animations. And even better - the fact that this software is no-cost doesn't mean it's not high quality. In fact, when you see the awesome features o

Wondering how to make it in the music industry? In this guest post, TakeLessons Teacher and music industry veteran Nick Gunn shares 15 tips musicians can't afford to ignore...  I’m not particularly famous (in most people's eyes) and I’m certainly not financially wealthy (in Wall Street's eyes); I’m just a guy who has pretty much done it all in the music business with some major successes, and some even larger major flops! Just so we are all on the same page: I am a part of the appr

Growing up on indie rock, The Walkmen were among my favorite bands in high school and college. Though they are now on "extreme hiatus", members of the band continue to make great music that I can love as an adult too. The band's bassist Peter Matthew Bauer embarked on a solo career with his 2014 album Liberation!, an album that pairs spiritual themes and literary references with catchy rock hooks and psychedelic vibes. I got the chance to talk with Bauer about his musical background, his s

Indie-folk group Decker is a band on the move. When I called guitarist and singer Brandon Decker for an interview, he was signing the paperwork for a brand new van for the band. "I think it's the nicest vehicle I've ever owned. It's gonna be very nice to not have to worry about being stranded roadside." Decker admitted. And with their busy touring schedule, Decker needs reliable transportation now more than ever. I chatted with Decker about his musical roots, his prolific songwriting

Every songwriter runs into writers' block at some point in their career. To help you dig your way out of the dreaded doldrums of songwriters' block, we put together 25 songwriting tips and prompts plus great songs to inspire you. Check out these songwriting tips and find your muse today!   Bonus: Take the quiz to find out what you should write your next song about! Write about your day. Think your life is boring and you have nothing to say? Check out the lyrics to this

If you've spent any time checking out rising musicians on YouTube, you've probably seen Danielle Ate the Sandwich's popular original songs or cover videos. Danielle is a uke-slinging singer-songwriter with a dash of comedy who touts inspirations like Paul Simon, Death Cab for Cutie, and Katy Perry. I got the chance to talk with Danielle today about her musical upbringing, writing the songs for her new album The Drawing Back of Curtains, and her personal journey of growing up as an artis

Congrats on getting the big gig! Whether you're preparing for your band's first show or your album-release party, these tips will help you learn how to promote your band, make your best impression on stage, and get invited back to the venue to do it all again. Share this Image On Your Site <p><strong>Please include attribution to TakeLessons with this graphic.</strong></p><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p><a href='/blog/how-to-promote-your-band-infographic-z01'><img src='/blog/wp-content/up

From going viral on YouTube to touring the world, Walk Off The Earth has made an impressive mark on the music scene, and from the looks of it they are just getting started. Their album Sing It All Away will be released this month, and the band has been touring heavily in anticipation of this release. Singer and guitarist Ryan Marshall gave us a call this week to talk about his inspirations, life on the road, and his complicated relationship with country music.  How did you get st