Music

A plain guide to indie bands: the two meanings of independent, how groups form and record, who owns the rights,…

A plain guide to how songwriters and performers get paid, from performing rights organizations and The MLC to SoundExchange.

A plain guide to what bands sell at shows and online, and the basic trademark, copyright and labeling rules behind…

A practical guide to forming an independent band: finding members, rehearsing, finishing songs and playing first shows.

Indie pop leans on melody and sweetness; indie rock leans on guitars and grit. Here is how the two genres…

A plain guide to indie folk: where the sound comes from, which instruments define it and how its songs are…

A plain guide to recording a band at home: interface, microphones, levels, room setup and tracking approaches.

A plain timeline of how indie rock grew from independent labels and campus radio into a broad style.

How vinyl records play, which sizes and speeds exist, and how to handle, clean and store discs so they last.