Making a Scene Presents

Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Stacy Mitchhart

Stacy Mitchhart’s musical journey began in Cincinnati, Ohio, in a house where jazz guitar masters like Wes Montgomery and Johnny Smith were always spinning on the stereo. With that kind of soundtrack in the air, it was only natural that he gravitated toward the guitar. But it wasn’t just the notes that grabbed him early—it was the performance. As a kid, he saw Little Richard on television and couldn’t look away. Little Richard’s style, confidence, and larger-than-life showmanship opened Stacy’s eyes to a powerful idea: music isn’t only something you play—it’s something you deliver. That lesson became a lifelong part of Mitchhart’s identity, and today he’s known for a brand of showmanship that keeps audiences coming back night after night.

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Making a Scene Presents Gerry Casey's Interview with Grainne Duffy

Gráinne Duffy is an Irish singer, guitarist, and songwriter from Castleblayney, County Monaghan, who has built an international reputation through powerful live performances, soulful blues-rock songwriting, and relentless touring. Raised in a family of seven, she grew up singing in her local choir and performing in a family band with her sisters—an early foundation that shaped both her confidence on stage and her love of harmony.

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Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Sawtooth Witch

Sawtooth Witch was born out of restlessness and the open road. After years of crisscrossing the country with a string of bands, multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Pat "Doc" Dougherty found himself chasing something he couldn't quite name — a sound that lived somewhere between the genres he'd spent a lifetime soaking in. He found the missing piece when he reconnected with old friend and collaborator Haley Fleming, whose fiddle playing carried the ghost of Appalachian hollers and the grit of a late-night juke joint in equal measure. Together, they started building something that didn't fit neatly into any box — and that was exactly the point.

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Making a Scene Presents - Bus Routing 101: How to Mix Like a Pro Without Overcomplicating It

The Mix Is Not Just Sound. It Is Traffic Control.

Most independent artists start mixing with one simple goal: make every track sound better. So they open the session, click on the kick drum, add an EQ. Then they move to the snare, add a compressor. Then the lead vocal needs help, so they add more EQ, maybe a de-esser, maybe a little reverb. Then the guitars feel too loud. The drums feel too small. The background vocals are jumping out. The bass is fighting the kick. Before long, the session looks like somebody spilled cables inside the computer.

That is where bus routing comes in.

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Making a Scene Presents - TikTok Is Still Music Discovery, But the Money Is Moving Behind Closed Doors

TikTok Is Not Your Fanbase. It Is a Discovery Tollbooth.

For the last few years, the music industry has sold artists a simple dream. Post the right clip on TikTok. Catch the algorithm at the right moment. Get a sound moving. Watch the streams roll in. Maybe a label calls. Maybe a playlist adds you. Maybe lightning hits.

That dream was not fake. TikTok really did change music discovery. A song could come from a bedroom, a garage, a tiny studio, or a laptop on a kitchen table and suddenly land in the ears of millions. That was powerful. For independent artists, it felt like a crack in the old wall. You no longer had to beg radio programmers, label scouts, or magazine editors to let you into the room. You could kick the door open with a 20-second clip.

But here is the part artists need to understand now. TikTok is still music discovery, but the money is moving behind closed doors.

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