It can be difficult to be objective about your own music, so why not get an idea of what other Broadjam members think?

Reviews are not required, but we encourage all of our members to provide some assistance to each other and get involved in the review process. And in order to receive reviews, you’ll need to complete some reviews yourself.

So, what makes a good review? A good review will be one that is constructive and helpful to the artist. Giving the artist constructive comments like, “the bass line was too far in the mix” or “the vocals were too quiet in the middle” can help point them to some potential weak spots in their song. While giving pro comments like “the melody line was very catchy” or “great guitar work” will let the artist know what they are doing right. Stick to the golden rule – review others as you would like to be reviewed.

This is it – down to the final 5 comments for the Universal Audio Giveaway Blog! Now, you Broadjam members get to vote on which comment write-up should win the prize.

How do you vote? Well, take a look at the five finalists below the rules section and simply leave a comment for which one you think is best. Make sure to reference the corresponding number for each of the comments. We’ll tally up those comments and announce a winner at the end of the month.

Finalist #1 Mike S.’s comment is:
1.) First the quality UA/Bill Putnam put in there legendary products. Then of course the all tube design and the supreme compression you get from it. Also, the DI, the fact that it’s low noise and it’s hand built make a huge difference.
2.) I would use this to add warmth and tone to vocals. I would love to use it to get that Cream S.W.L.A.B.R. tone from my guitar onto the hard drive. I love the neck pick up tone but you get more noise from it. I am not rich and don’t own any vintage vibrolux’s or expensive boutique amps, mics etc. This would eliminate my need for all that to get the recording quality I crave whether mic’d or DI. It would just add a rainbow of warmth and organic sound to everything recorded. You really need something like this to avoid that cut and paste digital sound.
3.) I should win because I need the tone, I live by the tone and I respect the tone. Tone is what this piece of equipment is about. You can be creative to a certain extent but sooner or later it comes down to funds for new gear and I don’t have any. But I still want the best recorded tones available. I should win because this would be a Tone Dream Come True !!!

Finalist #2 Dan Costello’s comment is:
1. The LA-610 MkII looks to be the channel strip of the Muse herself. Always have loved the original, and already love the updates to the classic– lower noise, integrated auto-power-switching, hotter output. Delicious.
2. This unit’s destiny from the moment of conception was to build the new foundation between my beloved AT-4033 and my recording interface. It’ll take every tone and sweeten the sound. And we’re not talking Splenda here, folks– this is the real honey.
3. My ears love what I hear from other tracks I’ve recorded through a SOLO 610 and a variety of mics in other studios. This is what my home studio has needed all along. I’ll make this new LA-610MkII FAMOUS!

Finalist # 3 Patty Tuite’s comment is:
1. Features: The Universal Audio tube recording channel strip emphasizes the ability to bring out the warmth of tube recording. To me,this is really important for vocals and stringed instruments in getting the right tone “color” each artist is looking for. For the price you get to equalize your sound much more than other pre-amp units! Compression settings allow for more adjustments in the sound that gets delivered as well. Another essential feature is the low noise level. It makes a difference in discerning the amateur from the professional!
2. How I would use it: I would use this product as a replacement for my PreSonus TubePre unit. I currently use that as my pre-amp for vocals and guitar when recording. In my band, I now have violinist and I would love to experiment with the LA-610 MkII to add body and warmth to the tone. I think my original songs would be enhanced and improved by using the LA-610 MkII!
3. Why I should win: I think I should win because I would use it for every new recording I make for submission to Broadjam, whether I use my own home studio set-up or another studio! It might even be a factor in improving my chances of getting my songs discovered (you never know who might be listening), so please choose me!!!

Finalist # 4 TroCat’s comment is:
Oh what mighty “air sculptures” I could create with this unit as my first step in the chain of creating a successful and sonically sound hit recording! I have drooled over many things Universal Audio but this little baby is my first desire in the line of audio recording wishes and dreams!
What makes my ears yearn for this delectable piece of gear? Well let me count the ways! First off, UA makes hardware to last the wears and tears of studio life all while delivering consistent quality and colorful tone you can relay on to make your recordings stand the test of time. Second, UA stays tried and true to the classic components and designs that brought them to the forefront of studio technology. And last but not least, made in the USA baby!!
How would I use this lovable little studio wizardry? I would use it to create my masterpieces, my songs, recordings that would be ever so elegant and pleasant to the human ear, and maybe some that will kick your butt too!
Why should I win? Shoot, I’m not sure why I should be the chosen one. That’s a tough one, but what I do know is that the Universal Audio LA-610 would be the one channel strip I would choose!

Finalist #5 bjames’s comment is:
Features that stand out are the fact that you get a sweet mic preamp and great compressor in one unit. Looks like it would be perfect for warming up just about anything! Vocals, acoustic guitar… you name it.
I would use it to warm up my tracks and give my home studio more of the “professional” sound it really needs!! Everthing I produce would probably benefit from this baby!
I should win because my studio desperately needs this upgrade but I unfortunately can’t afford one right now. I have been looking at these like mike myers through the music store window saying to myself “It will be mine…oh yes… it will be mine…” Now, wouldn’t it be good to see a poor schlub get the “girl” for once?!?

Click here to enter the Sonoma Wire Works Weekend Quickie Contest. This is the last chance to win prizes from Sonoma Wire Works, so get your submissions in now! Any style or genre is welcome.

This months winner will receive the following Sonoma Wire Works prize package.

* Discrete Drums Heavy Mental 2 Pro Set – valued at $279

* RiffWorks Standard Download – valued at $129

* KitCore Deluxe Download – valued at $99

* Matt Cameron KitPack Add-on for KitCore – valued at $39

Winners will also receive Broadjam recognition. Click here to enter now.

The Universal Audio Giveaway blog is now closed to comments; as of this posting, no further comments will be considered in the final results. Our friends at Universal Audio will be choosing their five favorite comments. We will then post them to this blog and you can vote on which of the five you think should win the LA-610 MkII preamp!

Enjoy some more photos from the Broadjam street team, which included Primo MoB band Sunspot, during the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas.

Broadjam hooked up with Primo MoB members Sunspot to host a photo scavenger hunt in Austin during SXSW. The winner received a Primo MoB membership, a Sony Loop CD, and a CD package from Sunspot. The band also passed out Broadjam T-shirts to the all participants. Look for a video of the scavenger hunt posted here soon!

Broadjam has another chance to win free gear in a Giveaway Blog – this time amp software! AmpliTube 3 raises the industry standard of sound variety, realism and creative power. With over 160 precisely modeled pieces of vintage and modern gear available in one package, it is the ultimate tone gear collection for players, producers and engineers. Check it out here.

We’ve got another chance to win free gear in a Giveaway Blog! The new AmpliTube 3 software is valued at $349 and the company is giving a copy away to a Broadjam member.

AmpliTube 3 is a massive upgrade of the leading guitar and bass tone gear-modeling software. It raises the industry standard of sound variety, realism and creative power. With over 160 precisely modeled pieces of vintage and modern gear available in one package, it is the ultimate tone gear collection for players, producers and engineers.

AmpliTube 3 contains over 160 pieces of gear, more than double the amount of other packages, including models from the most sought-after vintage collections and modern-day workhorses. You’ll get 51 individual stompboxes and effects, 31 amplifier, preamp & power sections, 46 speaker cabinet models, 15 high-end stage and studio mics, and 17 post-amp rack effects. Plus, with the new AmpliTube 3 open architecture, you can add more packages as you need them, like AmpliTube Fender™ and Ampeg® SVX.

AmpliTube 3 features twice as much gear!

- Over 160 gear models included (with nearly 100 added models), more than double the amount of other packages, from the most sought-after vintage collections to modern-day workhorses
- 51 Stompbox effects, 31 Amps, 46 Cabinets, 15 Studio Mics and 17 Rack effects
- 30 brand new models for the most complete anthology of gear, ever
- 70 re-worked and superior sounding models from packages like AmpliTube Metal™ and AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™
- A new collection of bass gear models makes it also the most complete package for any bass recording or performance needs’ musician or engineer
- Can be directly expanded with packages like AmpliTube Fender™, Ampeg® SVX™ and future packages
- New preset management and keyword system allows you to organize and quickly recall the massive library of included and custom preset tones

How do you win the the new AmpliTube 3 software? Simple! Add a comment here telling us:

1) What features stand out
2) How you would use this product
3) Why you should win

We’ll take comments for three weeks, and then narrow down the comments and have you, our members, select a winner. You just need to be a registered Broadjam member to participate. If you don’t have an account sign up today!

I really didn’t know what to expect when I approached Broadjam about doing mastering for their clients. I hoped I’d get lots of music, make it sound great, and have people be thrilled with the results. After mastering dozens and dozens of tracks, thankfully, that’s exactly what’s happened.

But just in case, I also included a clause in my agreement with Broadjam that if I felt something was unmasterable, I’d have the right to reject it, and the person would get their money back – no harm, no foul. That way if the music really sucked, I’d be off the hook.

Well, I almost had to invoke that clause today, but not because the music sucked.

I start off all my mastering jobs by just listening to a song to get the “vibe.” But after about a minute, I had to stop: The subject matter was domestic violence, and it was so powerful I had to pause. We’re not talking cheap shots; the lyrics weren’t about graphic violence, and the music wasn’t abrasive. In fact, if you didn’t know English, you’d figure based on the music is was about some guy who was unhappy with his girlfriend or something.

However, I do know English – and the song’s emotional impact was undeniable, partially because it did avoid melodrama. I took a break, cleared my head, then went back to it. It was extremely difficult to keep listening to the song over and over again, as I made the various subtle adjustments that go into mastering. Eventually, I did finish the song, and I think I did a really good job – but I was an emotional basket case for hours afterward.

This isn’t the first time by any means I’ve felt a strong emotional connection to the music I’m being sent. Two songwriters submitted songs about losing their fathers, and I’m not ashamed to admit they both brought tears to my eyes (and they both managed to be poignant without wallowing in sentimentality, which is very hard to pull off). Another song was so exuberant that, despite a questionable mix, it put me in a great mood for the rest of the day. And I got one “breakup song” from a lady where by the end, I was really, really hoping she’d taken all the guy’s stuff out of her house, and dumped it on the curb. You go, girl!

So what’s the point of all this? In all my years of writing about music and technology, I’ve emphasized over and over again that technology doesn’t really mean that much: All that matters is the music’s emotional impact. When I listen to a lot of music these days, the technology is fabulous, but the emotional impact just isn’t there.

Well, you guys haven’t forgotten what music is all about. It’s an honor to work with your music, and while we all know that the odds of success is this business are about the same as getting struck by lightning, based on what I’m hearing I can only urge you all to keep following your muse. What you’re doing turns mastering from a job to a joy. Thank you!

The Festival4Stars Songwriting Contest will close tomorrow, March 10th at Midnight CST. All entries receive written feedback, letting entrants know if they will advance to the next round for the Heat 1 entries. There will be a total of 3 heats, giving you plenty of chances to be heard, reviewed, and possibly move on to the later rounds.

Grand prize winners will receive an all expense paid invitation to attend the International Songwriting Camp in London in January, 2011. The camp will be headed by John McGloughlin and other top credited hit songwriters.

So what are you waiting for? Enter now!