The Official Blog of Musicians Institute
IN THE KNOW
Music Business Internships: How MI Can Connect You to the Biggest Labels and Music Companies in the Industry
Preparing you for your future in the music industry is something we take seriously at the Musicians Institute. There’s a great deal that goes into that promise, including offering innovative educational programs and staying competitive in course offerings. Music...
Beat Production 101: Live Drums vs. Drum Machine vs. Hybrid Drumming
A great beat can elevate almost any track. Whether you are crafting a raw indie rock anthem or producing an electronic dance banger, the choice of drums can define the energy, groove, and emotional impact of your music. The ongoing debate between the warmth of live...
Unearthed from the Archives: Unpublished Don Mock Guitar Performance at Musicians Institute
Every once in a while, a piece of music history resurfaces. This time, it comes straight from the Musicians Institute archives. We recently uncovered a rare, unpublished video of Don Mock at Musicians Institute. Mock, one of MI’s original guitar faculty members,...
Everything You Need to Know About Music Publishing: From Copyright to Royalties
Did you know that publishing royalties account for nearly half of all music revenue, yet thousands of musicians miss out on this income without even realizing it? This startling fact reinforces the need for transparency in music publishing. Many talented musicians...
The Complete Guide to Music Promotion for Independent Artists
Why Music Promotion Matters Creating great music is just the start, but getting it in front of fans is the challenge. Strategic promotion is what separates hobbyists from professional artists. An incredible sound and a strong artistic vision isn’t enough in today’s...
EART Guitars Donates Guitars To Musicians Institute Library
We’ve got some exciting news for our MI community! EART Guitars has generously donated a collection of their stunning instruments to the Musicians Institute, and they’re now part of our MI Library for students to check out, play, and enjoy. These guitars aren’t just...
#TBT
#TBT: Jeff Porcaro of Toto
For this weeks #TBT post, we bright back this gem from the Musicians Institute vault, a special clinic from Jeff Porcaro, one of the most revered drummers in modern music. MI is lucky to have this footage, as his life was tragically cut short when he was only 38 years...
#TBT Michael Ruff Visits MI ( With Sheryl Crow as Back-up Singer)
A while back, we shared this pretty sweet find from the MI vault: a performance by Michael Ruff, with a very young Sheryl Crow singing backup! Ruff is a multiple Grammy Award nominated songwriter and producer, who has released many solo albums. He has written, toured...
#TBT Jaco Pastorius
Jaco Pastorius is widely considered one of the most influential bassists of all time, so to celebrate our first #TBT post, here are some Jaco performances that’ll inspire you to get you back into the practice room real quick! Opening for Joni Mitchell. Weather Report...
PROFILES
A Conversation With: Aaron Mercier of Mercier Guitars
Aaron Mercier is a guitarist for Kings Of Carnage, and a Musicians Institute alumnus who is keeping very busy in many areas of the music industry, both as a performer and a man behind the scenes. On a recent visit back to the MI campus, Aaron spoke to The Mix about...
Panelist Spotlight: Adam Blackstone
Musicians Institute is proud to bring some of the best working musicians onto our campus to inspire our students and give them insight into what a career in the music industry holds. With this new series on our blog, we will start to highlight upcoming clinicians or...
The Life And Career Of MI’s Own: Francis Buckley
Grammy Award®-winning record engineer Francis Buckley’s broad range of experience has seen him occupy the studio seat for breakout bands, established chart-toppers and Hollywood films. Buckley started out working at W.E. Studios in Redondo Beach in 1979. He then went...
GUEST ARTIST
Mateus Asato & Fredrik Halland Guitar Jam Session
Alumni Mateus Asato and Fredrik Halland come back to MI for a special jam session. Who do you think killed it? Let us know in the comments!










