Andy Scalise Interview – Independent and Talented Singer Songwriter 

I’d like to take the opportunity to Introduce you to Andy Scalise,

 

Andy-Scalise-c_3Andy’s been playing instruments and singing from the age of 13, Catching the music and performing bug from a young age, Andy was quick to learn a few things about the world of the music industry as he progressed through his teens…

The music industry is full of very talented people, and to climb the ladder to the top; you need to get a good foothold on the very first run.

After his few, initial uploads to YouTube of original songs, written back in 2008 Andy disappeared into the night. At the time, it must have seemed to many like Andy had given up on his dream.

However, Smarter then most people who want a career in the music industry, Andy moved to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Belmont University to study the music business and learn the art of audio production.

If you have ever read or listened to interviews with artists who have made it to the very top of their game in the music industry, they have one thing in common.

They know and understand the industry like the back of their hand.

It’s true to say; Andy made the right move to attend Belmont University. His dedication to music and his understanding of the business is really starting to pay off for him. I can only see good things happening for Andy Scalise in the music industry.

Whatever Avenue he decides to follow, Audio Engineer, Producer, Singer/Songwriter or management he will go far. Andy’s imagination and the quality of his work shows. It’s really easy to see he take’s his work very seriously and I personally wish him all the best for his future.

 

Andy Scalise Interview A Truly Talented Individual…

What’s the story on your music career so far Andy, you put out some good original stuff on YouTube back in 2008 and then went into hiding is there a reason for the quiet period?

Well, I started playing guitar and singing when I was in 7th grade but I never really played in front of anyone until the summer before my senior year of high school. I finally uploaded a few videos onto YouTube of me playing some original music and remember feeling pretty excited that people really liked them.

Andy-Scalise_3Looking back, I don’t know why I waited so long to finally do that. I kind of went into hiding when I went to college at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee for Music Business and Audio Production; mostly, because I knew I had a lot to learn when it came to being successful in the music industry.

Another reason for the quiet period was because there were a ton of talented people at that school. When you get a bunch of people together who all take music really seriously, a lot of the time you’ll start to notice how they’re really, really critical on what is and isn’t “good music.” Half the time, anything mainstream is looked down on.

I knew that if I was going to play music, it was going to be pop music because that’s what I enjoyed playing the most, and it relates to regular people.
With that in mind, I basically decided that I would just try to take in as much as possible over those four years and try to polish my craft behind closed doors.

After constant exposure to a lot of talented people, I became a far better musician and writer, I learned how to record quality audio myself, and I learned how to make more polished looking videos. Granted, you don’t actually have to go to school for that, but I think the environment I was in was invaluable.

Today, I can create quality content to share with an audience at literally zero costs, and I can do it as often as I want to.

 

It looks to me like you have lots to offer in the talent arena. You’re not just a Songwriter, performer, Producer, Audio Engineer. It seems you also have an imagination and the ability to produce watchable catchy videos. What do you enjoy doing the most?

Thank you! The most enjoyable part for me is hearing something in my head a certain way and then trying to capture it in a recording. There are a million different ways to play and perform a song and there’s nothing like being able to actually show someone exactly what it’s supposed to sound like.

Words can only explain so much because music is an intangible thing. You just have to hear it. When I’m successful at turning a specific idea into something that someone else can hear and feel; that’s the thing I enjoy the most.

 

Looking forward into the future, where do you see yourself in five years from now?

In five years, I will definitely be somewhere within the music industry. If I’m not performing or doing anything on the creative side of things, I’ll find work at a management company, talent agency, or publishing company.

I want to be a part of the music industry because music is something that people can’t go a single day without. It’s something that everyone appreciates and at the end of the day; it’s nice feeling appreciated.

 

I see a lot of collaboration on sites like YouTube, where individual artists get together and pool their talents. Would that be something you would consider seeing as you have a very board talent base you can call on?

Absolutely. The only real collaborating, I’ve done with other artists at this point is co-writing songs. Getting together with someone else and sharing ideas can be a pretty awesome thing.

There have been several times when I’ve had a part of a verse or chorus written down but didn’t know what else to do or where to go with it. Opening yourself up to others and their ideas can often times spark some new magic.

Pretty soon, you’ve got a whole song that turned out way better than it would have if you tried to tackle it all alone. As far as collaboration on YouTube goes, I’d fly out to LA and record with someone like Tyler Ward any day.

I imagine rearranging a song and co-producing it with someone would be equally exciting as co-writing. I think it would be cool to share ideas and see what happens.

 

Your home studio, This is not your usual spare room setup is it; I can see from the quality of your sound and visuals that you take your work very seriously. So if someone came to you and asked what’s the basic setup I need for my home studio, what advice would you give them?

You’re right; my setup is not just the usual spare room setup. However, it did start out that way! I’ve been building on and adding things over the past six years or so, plus I went to school to learn how to record.

If someone came to me wanting advice for a basic home recording setup, I’d tell them to start with the following things:

 

  • A computer (hopefully a Mac)
  • An audio interface w/ pre-amps built in
  • Logic Pro or Pro Tools (Logic is cheaper and seems to offer a lot more)
  • A large diaphragm condenser microphone (you can find some pretty affordable ones)
  • A microphone cable
  • An instrument cable

 

With the items listed above, you’d be at an awesome starting spot and would actually be able to record anything that I’ve put up on YouTube up to this point. Pretty much any large diaphragm condenser will be sufficient for recording vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, hand percussion, and a lot more.

For keyboards, electric guitars, and bass guitar, you can just go DI (or Direct Input) and use the instrument cable to plug the instrument directly into your audio interface. This way, you won’t have to buy several microphones to mic any amplifiers.

Logic’s MIDI instrument library and collection of samples are pretty extensive so if you don’t have the funds to buy multiple microphones or actual instruments, you can still program something like a whole artificial symphony if you wanted. This is actually easier than recording an actual symphony anyway… Fake it ’til you make it!

 

What’s your workload looking like for the rest of 2014 Andy, any plans for producing new stuff in the studio, touring, plans for local gigs?

I’ll be moving back to Nashville in the spring, and once I’m there I’ll be playing out quite a bit. The city has a ton of small gigs called ‘writers rounds’ where artists play original songs. There are so many writer’s rounds around Nashville that you can probably play out seven nights a week if you wanted to.

It’s also a great place for acoustic pop or urban country music. In regard to studio stuff, I’ll be releasing new songs every few months since I can record them all myself. I have a collection of maybe 15 or so songs that are just about ready to record, and I’ll be sharing them a few at a time.

As far as touring goes, I’m going to hold out for several months at least until I get a little more following. If I’m going to spend the money needed to go on tour, I want to make sure I’ll actually be reaching new audiences and getting a return on investment.

When that time rolls around, I’ll start out with a Midwest tour of about four or five shows. Until then, I’ll be focusing on reaching new listeners through YouTube.

 

Any message you want to give for your fans and future fans out there?

YES! I want to thank anyone who listens! Whether you’re someone who has listened to one song one time, or you’re someone who has heard everything I’ve ever done, I greatly appreciate it! I aim to both entertain and connect with people so THANK YOU to those who have listened and felt something from my music, whether it related to something important in your life, or it was something as simple, as ‘I just think it sounds cool.” You’re awesome! I’m going to try my hardest to keep making music and sharing it with you 🙂

 

Andy’s Social Links and Music

Fan mail – andyscalise @andyscalise.com
Andy’s Web Site

YouTube

Twitter

FaceBook

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  1. Cool, it’s good to listen to something which isn’t like the norm.
    Definitely a talented musician.

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