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Dear VIPer,

It started as a little side-project in the spring of 2009. I was working in sales at Sweetwater Sound (which is kinda like a kid working in a toy store). I sold music gear over the phone to customers around the world. Before I left, I was selling more than $1 million worth of gear per year.

But there was a problem: my customers kept getting stuck. I would sell them a starter recording rig, and a few days later I would get the call.

“Okay I’ve got everything set up and installed. Now how do I make it sound good?”

The real question they were asking was:

“Now that I have the tools, how do I learn the craft?”

It’s a good question. A necessary question. But I didn’t have a good answer. I would offer tips and advice over the phone, but I simply didn’t have the time to offer one-on-one training to each of my 5,000 customers. Being paid on commission, I had to go sell more gear.

So I decided to start a little blog and a YouTube channel. I named it Home Studio Corner. Over the last 13 years, I’ve helped thousands of musicians take real, measurable steps towards their dream of creating a body of work (more on that below).

At some point along the way, our paths crossed. You’ve probably watched my videos and read some of my emails (for which I am immensely grateful).

But what’s next?

Body of Work

You’re reading this because you want to create great-sounding music. To do that, you need to first learn the craft. Recording, mixing, mastering. You can learn these core principles inside my trilogy of courses. But these courses are the starting point, not the finish line.

Just like a doctor goes to medical school to prepare himself for a lifetime of practicing medicine, so you can take my courses to prepare yourself for a lifetime of making music, of creating a body of work.

I love that phrase - body of work - because it’s not a one-and-done event. One song or album does not a body of work make. People talk about Tolkien’s, or Tom Petty’s, or U2’s body of work because they spent decades building them, brick by brick.

It’s more about the journey than the destination. When I’m 99 years old, all wrinkly and crotchety, it won’t be the total number of songs on my Spotify artist profile that will matter to me. It’ll be the story each song tells. It’ll be the memories of a life spent building my body of work.

Every song I write, every EP I produce, is another brick in the wall of my body of work. Each brick is a snapshot of who I was at the time, and a reminder of the people who helped me make that project a reality. When I think about Out of Indiana, I remember recording my buddy Ben playing the lap steel part on “How to Fish” at his house in Nashville. When I think about the EP Rain, I remember tracking all those acoustic guitars with Ben Morris in the other room, visiting from Pennsylvania, manning Studio One for me.

Whether you realize it or not, the reason you got into recording, the reason you bought that first piece of recording equipment, is because you dream of creating a body of work, too.

I want that for you.

This is the reason I created the Home Studio Corner VIP Membership. And it’s the driving force behind this new latest version, the Gold Membership, everything inside designed to help you take the next step towards building your own body of work.

Is a Gold Membership Right For You?

To create an ever-increasing, ever-improving, ever-expanding body of work, you need to regularly feed your creative engine.

Your brain needs new ideas for things to try, as well as regular reminders of what works. Binge-watching a bunch of mixing videos doesn’t make you a good mix engineer. (Kinda like when I went through a phase where I obsessively watched a bunch of videos about ultramarathon runners. No matter how many I watched, I didn’t get in better shape. But those videos DID inspire me to lace up my shoes and go for a run. When I stopped watching them, I also stopped going for runs. Interesting.)

When it comes to running my business, I’m the most productive and happy when I’m feasting on new ideas. I read a lot of books, listen to a lot of audiobooks and podcasts, read a lot of newsletters. All those ideas energize me, challenge my thinking, and motivate me to try new things.

Waiting for inspiration to strike is a lot like waiting for lightning to strike.

It’s possible. It might happen, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

A lot of people wait around for inspiration to strike. They don’t work on music until they “feel” like it.

One of my favorite quotes (often attributed to William Faulkner):

“I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately I am inspired every day at nine o’clock.”

People don’t like to hear this. They’ll throw a temper tantrum, insisting that “you can’t force creativity.” (They told me this a few years ago when I announced that I was going to write 50 songs in 12 weeks.) Comments like this usually come from people who haven’t made much music. Mr. Faulkner, on the other hand, wrote 19 novels, 125 short stories, and 20 screenplays. I’ll have what he’s having.

The way we solve this problem inside VIP is through our ongoing challenges. No matter when you join, there is a challenge going on. These challenges have specific criteria (like “Mix this song” or “Record that song”) and specific deadlines. If you struggle with feeling all over the place in the studio, these challenges will give you the focus and inspiration you’re missing.

Blame it on the Beatles

Making music in a vacuum gets old…FAST. When I was in college, a friend of mine loved a local musician who went by the artist name SELF. He would produce full band albums, playing all the instruments himself.

Impressive? Sure.

Boring for him? Probably.

With the addition of technology like EZDrummer and EZKeys, it’s certainly possible to produce great-sounding tracks yourself, without ever interacting with another human being. But is that fun? Fulfilling?

I watched the Beatles documentary on Disney Plus earlier this year. (If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth signing up just to watch it.) I sat in my chair, transfixed by it all. In its simplest form, it was just a bunch of musicians sitting in a room, making music together.

Paul McCartney could have easily played every instrument and sang every part. (If you didn’t know, Paul played drums on the Foo Fighter song “Sunday Rain,” with the late Taylor Hawkins on lead vocal.) But instead of doing it all himself, Paul joined forces with three other dudes, and made something that was much greater than the sum of its parts.

One of the coolest things happening every month inside the VIP Membership is the collaboration between members. People literally all over the world, working on music together. If that seems like a pipe dream for you, one of the bonuses you get when you become a Gold Member is called the Online Collaboration Blueprint. Armed with that and the VIP Forum, you’ll have everything you need for your next worldwide collaboration.

And even if you choose to record everything yourself, VIP gives you a built-in, worldwide community of folks to share that music with, people who will celebrate it with you. That sure beats the “crickets” you hear when you share your music with your friends and relatives.

“That’s sounds great for you, Joe, but I’m not you.”

Of course you’re not!

Your body of work will be uniquely yours, as will your journey. But you’re not as far away from great-sounding songs as you might think.

I’m no savant. I’m literally an average Joe who learned a few simple principles and repeated ‘em over and over until I got great at them.

You can do this. VIP is full of people just like you, each at a different stage of building out their body of work.

My list of members includes doctors, executives, retirees, students, teachers, mechanics - people of all ages from all over the globe. You’re gonna fit right in.

“But Joe, I don’t have enough time!”

I hear this excuse more than all the others combined.

Here’s the hard truth: We make room for the things that matter to us.

When Pam and I were dating in college, I would do this thing that infuriated her (and rightly so). We would make plans to hang out on Friday night, but then on Friday afternoon, a buddy would invite me to go do something, and I would cancel on Pam and go do something else. (I know, I know. What a moron.)

This would understandably make Pam feel like crap, like she was my backup if nothing better came along. Terrible. (Thankfully she called me on it, and I realized I was being a total turd bucket and promptly amended my ways.)

I would have told you at the time that my relationship with Pam was a priority, but my actions (and my schedule) told a different story.

If you say that you want to create a build and grow a body of work, then that desire needs to be reflected on your calendar. If it’s a priority, it deserves to be scheduled.

But still, some people believe that making music takes a crapload of time. It doesn’t. In fact, when you join the Gold Membership, you’ll get instant access to two new courses designed to prove that point, the 21-Minute Mix Sprint and the 7-Day Recording Challenge.

How would you grade yourself?

Take a moment to reflect on the last year of your life. Did you make the music you wanted to make? Are you making the music you were born to make?

If not, when are you planning to do that?

You’ve already purchased all the gear you need, spending probably hundreds (maybe thousands) of dollars on computer, interface, microphones, cables, stands, software, not to mention your musical instruments…and lava lamps.

The point is you’ve already invested in the equipment, it makes sense to invest further to make sure you’re actually using that gear and building your body of work.

If you don’t have the musical output that you wish you had, if you’re only improving by baby steps (rather than huge leaps), if you feel stagnant or bored…this Gold Membership was created for you.

Join us on this adventure. You don’t have to go it alone. You've got your fellow VIP members to keep you company. 

Join Now

What's Included?

When you join the VIP Gold Membership, you get access to a pile of goodies. Here they are:

Mix Critiques Live!

Twice every month, Gold Members have access to an exclusive livestream where I offer in-depth mix critiques. I normally charge $175 for a critique, but as a Gold Member, you get a chance every month to submit your mix for critique from me during one of the two monthly Mix Critiques Livestreams.

Private Members-Only Podcast 

So many VIP members have asked me to bring back the Ask Joe podcast, which ran for several years. It’s BACK in the form of this exclusive members-only podcast. This is a place to get your specific questions answered, to keep you on track. (AND you can still subscribe in your favorite podcast app.) This is also a place where I provide bonus audio training you can't get anywhere-else. 

21-Minute Mix Sprint

Do you believe that mixing has to take FOREVER? Bzzt. Wrong. And this new course proves it. Inside the 21-Minute Mix Sprint, I provide the tracks and the paint-by-number mix instructions. Give me 21 minutes, and you’ll have a great-sounding mix. So. Much. Fun.

7-Day Recording Challenge 

If you’ve never recorded a song in your life, you’ll have your first one done in 7 days. If you’ve recorded songs, but it always takes forever, you’ll discover how fast you really can work. Speed isn’t the goal. It’s a tool, but when you try to do things quickly, your mind doesn’t have time to throw a bunch of distractions and hypotheticals at you. You just get it done. That’s what this challenge does for you. 7 days from now, you’ll have a finished song, another addition to your body of work.

Music Theory 101 

This is a fun crash course in practical music theory. You don’t need a music degree to make great music, but having a working knowledge of music theory is like having super powers in the studio. Plus, we’ll dive into the Nashville Number system and why it’s so incredibly useful.

Online Collaboration Blueprint 

There are VIP members all over the globe who collaborate with one another online. If you’ve never done it before, it can feel daunting. This blueprint walks you through the processes and tools you can use to start collaborating the right way, right away.

VIP Challenges & Mini-Courses

There’s always an ongoing challenge inside the members area, with specific guidelines and a deadline. These are designed to be where the rubber meets the road, where you apply what you’re learning and make some music. We even meet up via livestream to listen to submissions.

VIP Forum 

This is a magical place where VIP members congregate to share music, collaborate, and encourage one another. Vipers are some of the kindest, most encouraging and helpful people on the internet. Only thing we’re missing is you.

What's Included?

When you join the VIP Gold Membership, you get access to a pile of goodies. Here they are:

Mix Critiques Live

Twice a month, I host a private mix critique livestream just for Gold members. This is your chance to get real, specific feedback on your latest project while also developing your own critical listening skills, learning how to spot problems and fix them.

Private Members-Only Podcast 

So many VIP members have asked me to bring back the Ask Joe podcast, which ran for several years. It’s BACK in the form of this exclusive members-only podcast. This is a place to get your specific questions answered, to keep you on track. (AND you can still subscribe in your favorite podcast app.)

21-Minute Mix Sprint

Do you believe mixing that mixing has to take FOREVER? Bzzt. Wrong. And this new course proves it. Inside the 21-Minute Mix Sprint, I provide the tracks and the paint-by-number mix instructions. Give me 21 minutes, and you’ll have a great-sounding mix. So. Much. Fun.

7-Day Recording Challenge 

If you’ve never recorded a song in your life, you’ll have your first one done in 7 days. If you’ve recorded songs, but it always takes forever, you’ll discover how fast you really can work. Speed isn’t the goal. It’s a tool, but when you try to do things quickly, your mind doesn’t have time to throw a bunch of distractions and hypotheticals at you. You just get it done. That’s what this challenge does for you. 7 days from now, you’ll have a finished song, another addition to your body of work.

Music Theory 101 

This is a fun crash course in practical music theory. You don’t need a music degree to make great music, but having a working knowledge of music theory is like having super powers in the studio. Plus, we’ll dive into the Nashville Number system and why it’s so incredibly useful.

Online Collaboration Blueprint 

There are VIP members all over the globe who collaborate with one another online. If you’ve never done it before, it can feel daunting. This blueprint walks you through the processes and tools you can use to start collaborating the right way, right away.

VIP Challenges & Mini-Courses

There’s always an ongoing challenge inside the members area, with specific guidelines and a deadline. These are designed to be where the rubber meets the road, where you apply what you’re learning and make some music. We even meet up via livestream to listen to submissions.

VIP Forum 

This is a magical place where VIP members congregate to share music, collaborate, and encourage one another. Vipers are some of the kindest, most encouraging and helpful people on the internet. Only thing we’re missing is you.

To Recap, Your Gold Membership Benefits Are:

  • Mix Critiques Live ($1176 value)
  • Private Members-Only Podcast ($588 value)
  • 21-Minute Mix Sprint ($99 value)
  • 7-Day Recording Challenge ($99 value)
  • Music Theory 101 ($99 value)
  • Online Collaboration Blueprint ($99 value)
  • VIP Challenges/Forum/Livestreams ($228 value)

That’s a total value of $2,388.

But that’s not even the most valuable part.

What is your body of work worth to you?

What if you made more music in the next 12 months than you’ve made in the last few years? What would that be worth?

What would it be worth to you to finally find a place where you’re always working on something new, exciting, and beautiful?

I know the word priceless gets thrown around a lot, but that’s the value I place on these things personally.

Of course, you’re not paying $2,388 to join. You’re not even paying $1,000 or $750.

You only pay $49/month.

(That’s $1.61 per day. You can’t even get a cup of black coffee at Starbucks for that.)

A Little-Known Secret

I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. There’s a HUGE benefit to having some “skin in the game.” I could offer all this stuff for free to the public, and do you know what would happen? People would ignore it. It’s easy to ignore something that didn’t cost you anything. But when you pay for it, something switches in your brain. You take it more seriously, and you get more value out of it.

Quick story: A few years ago Graham Cochrane and I hosted an in-person 2-day workshop at a studio here in Nashville. There were only 10 slots available, and to build up buzz for the event, we ran a giveaway. One lucky person would get to attend for free.

The winner was a guy from Arkansas, within driving distance of Nashville. Tickets to this event were $1,000. He got his for free.

Guess what happened? He bailed.

The day before the event, he emailed us to let us know he wasn’t going to come. Because it was free to him, he didn’t place any value on it. Had he paid the $1,000 for the ticket, you better believe he would’ve been there, and he would’ve gotten a ton of value from it. Instead, he missed out.

While I obviously benefit from charging you for this membership. You benefit even more. You’ll get the most out of this because you’re paying for it.

But I won’t leave you hanging.

One-Year Guarantee 

In case you’re wondering, yes, my 365-day guarantee applies to this membership. There is zero risk to you. If you decide 11 months from today that this wasn’t valuable, that you didn’t see real results in your own music, that your body of work hasn’t grown, all you need to do is drop me an email, and Pam or I will issue a refund. Easy peasy. That’s how much I believe in what we’re doing. That’s how confident I am that this will be one of the best decisions you ever make regarding your music.

Ready to join?

To get instant access to the Gold Membership, choose your payment option below, click the button, fill out the order form, and begin your membership TODAY.

And if you join before October 15, you'll receive your choice of one of my flagship courses FOR FREE.

Whether it's Home Studio Recording, Home Studio Mixing, or Home Studio Mastering, that's an additional $300-400 value just for joining today. 

Monthly

$49/month

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Annual (Best Value)

$490/year

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If you’re even THINKING about joining, go for it. You can always cancel later if it’s not for you.

Head over to that link and place your order now, and I’ll see you in next month’s newsletter.

Sincerely,

Joe Gilder
Home Studio Corner

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cancel my subscription at any time?

Yeppers. Just shoot us an email.

What if I’m already a VIP member?

If you’re a VIP member paying $19/month or $190/year, you are a “Silver Member.” You can upgrade to Gold any time to get access the extra bonuses and start receiving the newsletter. Your Silver Membership will automatically be cancelled when you join Gold.