Taming a New Studio - How to Control a Monitoring System
LearningRegardless of whether you're mixing in a studio you don't know, just bought a new monitoring system or moved into a new flat, it's crucial for you to get used to your listening environment before sta…
The 10-minute Vocal Warm-Up - A Quick Vocal Warmup
LearningTo get the best possible vocal performance (and to avoid breaking your voice during the first song), singers should warm up, just like sportsmen do. Many different schools offer different techniques …
Automation Basics - What is Automation?
LearningMany of the features in our DAWs come from the analog world, and automation is no exception. In order to understand what it is all about, let's go back to the time when the only digital gear in a rec…
Reverb Parameters - How to Set a Reverb Processor
LearningUnless you're living in a tent in the middle of the desert, you are exposed to numerous natural reverberations every day. Our ears perceive reverberations that our brain interprets automatically to i…
Sidechain - How Does a Sidechain Work?
LearningBack in the analog area, audio effects with a sidechain circuit were rare and usually among the most expensive. So sidechain was used only in big productions to fine tune the processing of certain re…
The Real Blind-Test - Everything About the ABX Test
LearningWhen you want to compare two audio samples, it's often hard to tell if you are actually hearing a difference or if your ears and your brain are cheating you. In fact, hearing is a somewhat unreliable…
Insert Effects and Aux Effects - What is the difference between insert and aux effects?
LearningTo avoid connection errors, it's important to distinguish between insert and aux effects. Their operation is different, so their integration in the audio path is different too. That's why it's import…
MIDI for Dummies - Difference and Relations between MIDI and Audio
LearningIt's not easy for beginners to understand the differences between audio and MIDI since both seem to be useful to make music. But understanding this crucial difference is precisely what distinguishes …
Everything You Need to Know About Tuning a Bass Guitar - How to Tune a Bass Guitar
LearningYou can kill yourself playing badass bass lines, but if you're not in tune with the rest of the band then none of it'll matter. Here are some methods for tuning your bass if you're a beginner.
The Top Virtual Pianos - The Best Virtual Acoustic Pianos
LearningSo, you have an 80 square foot room but you feel Glenn's Gould spirit burning inside you? Don't worry! Long gone are the days when you had to depend on 800-lb Steinways to play a chord. Thanks to VST…
How to Change Bass Guitar Strings - Changing Bass Guitar Strings
LearningKnowing how to properly string a bass guitar is basic knowledge you have to master. It will set the right foundations for a pleasant playing while avoiding some other troubles with your sound. Here y…
12 plug-ins to Sound Original - The Most Original Audio Plug-ins
LearningMost plug-in developers are obsessed with emulating vintage gear, but there are always those who focus on originality. Here is a short overview of some effect plug-ins that could open new horizons fo…
Getting Ready for a Recording Session When You Are a Dr… - How does a drummer get ready for a recording session?
LearningThe best sound engineers on earth can testify that it is quite a challenge to get the Bonham or Chad Smith sound! However, that is no reason to be depressed. Even without a big production, there are …
Our favorite sequencers for music production - What are the best DAWs?
LearningThe DAW is the heart of modern home studios. A sequencer isn't something you should buy carelessly because it impacts the way you work – the whole process, from the idea to its realization. Here is a…
How to Set an EQ - Understanding EQ Parameters
LearningAn EQ changes the level of frequencies in an audio signal. It allows you to define one or more frequency bands to amplify or attenuate them. In order to achieve this, the EQ uses different filters.