Winter NAMM 2012 News
There's nothing like the sound of real reverb, such as what you hear in a cathedral or symphonic hall. That's because reverb is made up of a virtually infinite number of waves bouncing around within a space, with ever-changing decay times and frequency responses. For a digital reverb to synthesize this level of complexity is a daunting task, but...
Noise gates aren't as relevant as they were back in the analog days, when hiss was an uninvited intruder on anything you recorded. But noise gates can do some really cool special effects that have nothing to do with reducing hiss. This article shows how to make them a lot more interesting, and throws in a bunch of fun audio examples, too. But fi...
I like music with a distinctly electronic edge, but also want a human "feel." Trying to resolve these seemingly contradictory ideals has led to some fun experimentation, but one of the more recent "happy accidents" was finding out what happens when you apply heavy signal processing to multitracked drums played by a human drummer. I ended up with...
Dynamics processing with studio-oriented processors? Been there, done that. But have you re-visited it lately in a guitar context? Dynamics control for vocals or program material is very different compared to guitar. Much of this is because there are many ways to use dynamics processing for guitar (or bass). So, let's take a look at the differen...
It's one of the most used, and most misunderstood, signal processors. While people use it to make a recording "punchier," it often ends up dulling the sound instead because the controls aren't set optimally. And it was supposed to go away when the digital age, with its wide dynamic range, appeared.
Equalization is one of the most important and powerful tools in the recording enthusiast’s arsenal, yet too many people adjust equalization with their eyes – not their ears. For example, one time after doing a mix, I noticed the client writing down all the EQ settings I had made. When I asked why, he said it was because he liked the EQ and wante...
Despite the preponderance of exceptional drum samples and loops on the market, for certain genres of music (notably country and rock) there is no substitute for a great session drummer playing on a well-recorded and mixed drum kit. One thing that samples and loops can’t provide is the great rhythmic instincts an accomplished live player draws up...
As an engineer/producer, one of my biggest early challenges was getting my mixes to sound as polished and balanced as the mixes of songs on my favorite albums. Living in Nashville, I knew the problem wasn’t the players (some of whom had even played on those same favorite albums). I also knew that I was happy enough with the sounds I was recordin...
