*** NEW POLICY REGARDING USING TRACKS AND STEMS IN YOUR OWN RECORDINGS (please go to the end of this description for more details) If you want to know more about mixing stems, check out the video above.
Being a great musician is more than being able to solo. A great musician has an understanding of all of the music that is happening: what the chords are, what scales to use, what the bass sounds like, how it fits with the drums, what the swing is like, etc...
The Only Way To Learn This Is To Spend A Lot Of Time: LISTENING, CREATING, PLAYING, MIXING, and JAMMING.
THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE.
These tracks give you everything you need to get started.
If you are here just for the stereo tracks, that's great! If you are here to get better at music, you have to get a DAW (like Garageband or Ableton Live). There are lost a free ones out there. This will give you the ability to MIX THE STEMS (If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch this short video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-b925qPpnY) , and RECORD YOURSELF PLAYING. This gives you the ability to LISTEN TO YOURSELF CRITICALLY, LISTEN TO THE INDIVIDUAL PARTS OF THE OTHER INSTRUMENTS, LEARN THE CHORDS AND SCALES, MIX THE STEMS YOURSELF, LEARN ABOUT MUSIC PRODUCTION, and when you are done, SHARE YOUR WORK.
A journey of 1000 miles begins with 1 step. If you do this every day you will get good. I promise.
A subscription will give you access to:
* ALL THE TRACKS, and ALL THE FUTURE TRACKS AS I UPLOAD THEM (1-3 NEW ONES A WEEK)
*SEPARATE TRACKS (Stems) so you can make your own mix. You may use them in your recording projects as a supplement or a foundation (please give credit where credit is due, and if you make a million bucks, you better cut me in on it!
*CHORD & SCALE CHARTS.
*SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE MATERIAL
*AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, YOU get the satisfaction of knowing that you are making all this possible. I don't have any other job and I ain't rich! But I do love to teach, and I am passionate about getting more people to play music, and play it well, Because a world with more good music is a world I want to live in.
HOW TO USE THIS MATERIAL:
1. LEARN THE CHORDS. There's a chord chart provided for most of the tracks here. Learn the chords. To play melody (AKA a guitar solo, it's good to know the harmony!
2. STUDY THE SCALES. There's also a scale chart provided for most of these tracks. The best way to learn each scale in 1 octave bits, starting and ending on a root. This way you will be able to recognize the recurring patterns they form. Sometimes you will have to change the scales to go with the chords, another reason why you should learn the chords!
3. JAM! Play along with the tracks, using the correct chords and scales. DON'T ZONE OUT. Pay attention. Be deliberate. Try to play what you hear, not what your fingers want to do. Do it a lot!
4. RECORD YOUR OWN SOLOS AND RHYTHM GUITAR AND MIX WITH THE STEMS. One of the most important things to do is record yourself and listen critically to your own work.
5. WHAT SHOULD YOU PLAY? Musical styles are like different languages. YOU MUST learn some of the basic licks for each style. I'll tell you that most rock licks come from the blues, so you should definitely learn some blues licks. Luckily there are only like 10 blues licks you need to know. GO LEARN THEM. You'll be happy you did. You will find that there is not much difference between B.B King, Jimmy Page and Kirk Hammet.
5. BE OBSERVANT! Listen to what you are playing and be critical (in a positive way). Notice problems in your playing and FIX THEM. One by one. Invent exercises. You can be your best teacher. Don't crush yourself with unrealistic expectations. Getting good at anything is about perseverance. Find the problems and fix them one by one and eventually, you won't have many. They say 10,000 hours will make anyone a master. Anyway, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY, SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL HAVE FUN!
Thanks so much for your support, I couldn't do it without you guys!
-Renzo Staiano
All music is produced at Neverland Studios in Oakland, Ca. and Santa Cruz Ca.
*** UPDATED POLICY REGARDING USING TRACKS AND STEMS IN YOUR OWN RECORDINGS
If you want to incorporate any backing tracks (or stems) into your projects and intend to upload them to Spotify, Apple Music, and other music distribution platforms... GO FOR IT, you have my permission. BUT! you must follow these guidelines:
1. A 50/50 revenue split.
Many distribution platforms, including Distrokid, facilitate revenue splits for collaborative efforts like this.
*For collaborations distributed through Distrokid, please allocate this revenue split to the email renzo.staiano@gmail.com. If you opt for a different distribution service, please reach out to me via email beforehand.
2. Please credit Now YOU Shred in any accompanying description.
3. Provide links back to Now YOU Shred whether on Bandcamp, Youtube, or other social media platforms, if feasible.
4. DO NOT claim exclusive music rights on YouTube or any other platform. Doing this could potentially cause lots of headaches for both of us. (The copyright bots are always looking for a meal 🤖🎶).
Here’s what you get:
- All the new music I make streaming instantly on your mobile device via the free Bandcamp app, and also available as a high-quality download.*
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Access to subscriber-exclusive messages:
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These back-catalog and subscriber-only releases:
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Gritty Retro Soul Jam Track in 2 Keys (105 BPM)
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Feel The Burn: Classic Rock Jam Track (A Minor - 75 BPM)
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Nostalgic 90's Ballad | Guitar Backing Track in 2 Keys (Aeolian / 60 BPM)
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Soaring Minor Blues in 2 Keys ( 6/8 - 158 BPM)
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Timeless Funk Jam (D Minor - 70 BPM)
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Holy Blues Jam in G (69 BPM)
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Melody Jam Funky Psychedelic 70's Rock Jam (E Minor -78 BPM)
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Exclusive Funky House of the Rising Sun Jam (A Minor - 125 BPM)
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- A 20% discount on all my merchandise.
- The satisfaction of knowing you’re supporting me in a sustainable way.
Join:
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For $5/month, you get everything above.
You’re a subscriberThank you!
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For $100/month, you get everything above, plus:
You will get ONE personal 45 min lesson per month with me on Meet or Zoom!You’re a subscriberThank you!
Now YOU Shred
Oakland, California
Latest Release
Subscribers
It would be awesome if you can make one similar to "the rover" by zeppelin.
ROCK ON!!
(ill be able to jam on a stream for my friend stuck in quarantine)