URBAN METHOD

At first, I read the news that The Sing Off was cancelled and didn’t think much of it.  TV shows come and go these days like Congressmen, Styles of Jeans, and Pop Stars.  Then I got to thinking…  I was on that show with amazing musicians, and more importantly, amazing people as the contestants.  Then it started to sink in and the reality (no pun intended) of the situation started to hit home.

I had to step back from being on The Sing Off and the opportunity given to Urban Method by the shows executive  producers, Sam, Debbie, Josh and  Joel.  I realized that the show was so much more to me than the excitement and success of Urban Method and being on national TV.

Here’s where I get emotional…  (just a warning)

As soon as the show aired, I found that the show had an immense effect on young people all over the country.  I travel quite a bit mixing a cappella shows for Take 6 and every time I would walk into a concert hall, a young person would call out to me, “Tony from Urban Method”!  In talking to each and every one, I found that they were inspired by the show in so many ways.  By the competition.  By the characters in each group.  By the personal stories told on the show.  By the music, being so raw and from the heart.  By the diversity of the groups and individual members.  By the family friendly language and content.  By the hard work that it took to do each episode.  And by the talent that would come across their television every Monday night for 2 hours.  (Now I’m totally choked up) 

Not only were they inspired by our performances, I was inspired by their obvious new drive toward music and life.  I think the contestants were pushed to succeed as a group, conquer fears, and work hard to a goal, and that came across loud and clear to everyone watching the show.  We made it through each week with pure passion for music and life.  Now to meet these children and young adults that looked up to us, makes me realize that the show is much more than what it seems to the NBC Executives that pulled the plug.  I bet if they look back at television shows that were legendary, they would find that most of them started off with lower ratings.  But the best shows of all time became legendary because they showed heart (I’m reminded of *M*A*S*H* here).  The Sing Off showed heart and I see it every time I talk to a student, or child, or fan about it.  They have passion for the show that goes beyond the ratings.  It affected people to change.

The Sing Off wasn’t just a reality show that showcased talent, it inspired people to chase their dreams no matter who they are and where they are from.  That’s what good entertainment and good TV should be.  I know the Executive Producers of the show would agree, it was incredibly inspiring.  I’m sure they wanted the show renewed.  NBC Execs did not.  My hope is that the show will be bought out by a new network and land on your TV again soon.

Make sure to go and sign the petition to show your support of television like The Sing Off.  Also, read with the judges have to say.

As I tell the students at the schools I’ve visited…

“If you have a dream in life, chase it because you love it and never stop.  Your dream will soon become your reality and your future!”

Tony Huerta

Urban Method and Sonic Audio

Come join Urban Method as they perform live for the Sound of the Rockies CD release concert.

Hosted by the Sound of the Rockies.  This will be an amazing vocal concert.  Don’t miss it!

Related show

• Artist: Urban Method
• Date: Saturday, June 16th 2012
• Time: 7:00pm
• City: Urban Method in Denver, CO
• Venue: Newman Center
• Address: 2344 E Illiff Avenue
• Venue phone: 303-993-3501
• Country: United States
• Admission: $18-$28
• Box office: 303.871.7720
• Buy tickets
• Notes: Catch Urban Method in concert at the University of Denver Newman Center!
• Add to Google Calendar | Download iCal

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

Here is Urban Method’s first music video, Me & You.  Written by UM’s very own, Liz Ager.  Check it out and share it with everyone you know!

Recorded February 25, 2012 LIVE ar the Paramount Theater in Denver, Colorado.  Audio by Sonic Audio and Video by ZumiProductions

A quick thanks to all of those who helped us pack the house at the Paramount Theater last night in Denver. We had a chance to unveil an original song, some cool new tricks, and rock the songs you came to love from the show. Make sure you tag yourself on the Facebook pic Tony took on stage!

So what’s next?

Now it’s time to put it all together. We’re going to hit the studio and write. That’s right, original music. We’ll be putting music videos together, creating new and exciting content, and building OUR show. The plan is to have that done by summer time (2012) and then hit the road.

Until then…

thank you so much. Our friends, our family, and our newest supporters….we couldn’t do this without you!

Much love.

UM

How’d you like it?! We made the top 3 and now we need your votes. You can help us become the champions of The Sing-Off. The show is in it’s 3rd season and we’ve seen Nota and Committed win it all. Now, vote for Urban Method in 3 ways…

TEXT “2″ to 97979

PHONE 877-674-6402

ONLINE http://www.nbc.com/sing-off/vote/

Check out All of the Lights from Kanye West here.

We’ll soon post the Mashup from Earworm featuring Peggy Lee’s Fever and Nelly’s Hot in Here!

Prior to Week 6 Taping:  Hip Hop Week

I’d like to start off by saying that I’m so proud of Urban Method and how far we’ve come on the show!  When I chose the members of the group and asked them to try this “Sing Of” thing, my hope was that we would make it on the show.  That was it.  Make it on the Sing Off.  Then, as we started to rehearse for the first times, I realized that we had more than a shot to do well in LA.  People probably don’t know that the first time we actually sang together as a group, was the shooting night of our audition video for the show.  Find it on Youtube under Urban Method Video.

Now that we are past week 5 where we ripped up some Poison and got the audience dancing, I found that the group is pulling together in new ways.  We were shoved into working on the show and with each other 12-15 hours a day and sharing rooms in the hotel after starting the group only 2 months earlier.  We have started to find a balance of power and personalities.  It’s amazing to sit back and watch as the different personalities and talents just flow during our rehearsals.  I’ve found that the quality of our performance improves when everyone gets their voice heard and has input toward our arrangements.  So, GO URBAN METHOD!  I hear the feed back we are getting on Facebook and continue to be proud of how hard the group works, how hard they want to win the show, and more importantly, how they remain professional and have become friends with a common love of music as our direction.  We let the music direct us and it flows from the heart every time we get on stage.  Hopefully that is what sets us apart, not only on the Sing Off, but in the future as we move forward.

Tony Huerta

As I performed on the show in Urban Method as a singer, I was always yearning to be on the other side of the mixer. It was odd for me to be singing again. With that said, let me fill you in on the production side of TSO3!

First, the stage mix and microphones. We used Sennheiser 5000 series mics which enabled the crew to use 48 wireless channels at once. They’re about $2500 a piece and compete with the Shure UHF-R KSM9. They’re awesome for normal vocals. Our monitors were run on an M7CL Yamaha digital mixer through 12 monitors under the grates of the stage, as side fills in the “box” walls, and flown. With a large stage, it could be hard to hear, but Andre the monitor engineer gave us exactly what we wanted.

Next, the front of house:
We had a JBL VerTec Line Array and subs under the audience. We had a hard time feeling the subs since they were under the bleachers not under the stage. We were mixed on a Yamaha PM5D. Although this is usually the most important part of a production, actually it’s not… The most important feed is the recording feed to the TV truck outside the soundstage. That is where the show is tracked and mixed later for airing. It takes the mix engineers and video production crew about 6 weeks to mix and edit the show.

Comment with your questions…

Tony

Now, Vocal Bass!
In the last blog, I went over the tricky essentials of mixing vocal percussion.  Now, how to build the ultimate rhythm section by adding the bass vocalist.  First, I send their low end to the subwoofer on an Aux send and brighten the track. Think of tracking the bass as though it were a real bass. The goal is to make the bass huge without being muddy at 100 Hz or 200 Hz through 400 Hz.  Never put a high pass filter on a vocal bass.  The human voice is so dynamic and even though most basses can’t sing notes down to 50 Hz, they have natural sub-harmonics that will sound and ring down there.  Let it thump and be sonically low.  I prefer the Shure’s Beta 58, or the Sennheiser 965 Hyper-cardoid microphone.
The key to mixing bass is not the sub-low end of the spectrum.  Sure, they must have a low and large presence; but, it’s actually the low mids and highs that define the performance.  I EQ out frequencies that create a muddy mix.  100 Hz is a culprit to many bad mixes since it takes over so much sonic room and covers the rest of the group.  Also, I take out 200-300 Hz to clear up the mud of the mix.  Then I brighten 4.0 Khz and 12Khz and above to create the perception of the bass cutting through the mix.  Vocal basses don’t have strings to pluck, so you have to provide the EQ to overcome that.  With your bass mic being routed through the subs via an Aux, you are in a win/win situation.
Watch for the next sound for A Cappella installment, effects!
Tony (Urban Method)

Urban Method reacts to the 4th episode of the SingOff in the video but here’s a quick recap. This was the 2nd bracket singing their 60s songs and their radio top 40s. With the Deltones, Sonos, Pentatonix, Dartmouth Aires, North Shore, and The Collective all performing, it made for a great night of music.

This week judges called the number of Sonos, the well-accomplished and well-revered group of innovative song makers. Their style has truly inspired the a cappella world and their departure from the show is both a surprise and to many a disappointment. Their performances on the show seemed to have made noted improvements over their first showing and they revealed their hit remake of The Jackson 5′s “I Want You Back” to which the judges responded quite negatively.

Their version of the song has been the catalyst for many new things in a cappella over the last few years since it’s release. Their new album is anticipated and their ability to use effects and pedals will be a welcome return to their style for both the audience and most likely the group itself.

Next week will be the convergence of all 10 remaining groups as we look forward to a week of Guilty Pleasure songs! Stay tuned for what Urban Method has in store!