The Frequency Spectrum in FM Synthesis - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 22
LearningIn the previous article you learned that FM synthesis allows the creation of harmonically rich sounds. Today we'll see what that means in terms of frequency spectrum....
Improve Your Studio on the Cheap - 9 free or inexpensive ways to make your studio better
LearningThe most direct ways to improve your studio are by upgrading the gear and adding professional acoustic treatment, but doing so requires a significant investment. If you're not ready or able to drop a…
Attack and Release in a Compressor - A guide to mixing music - Part 29
LearningIn this installment, I'll show you a way to set a compressor that helps you understand what each parameter does. This method is by no means the ultimate solution, however it ought to help you grasp t…
A review of the Audio-Technica ATH-M70x headphones - The Hear and Now
Written testIf you’re serious about your production work, you probably should have at least one pair of premium headphones in your studio. They’re extremely helpful both when mixing and tracking, and the more ac…
Frequency Modulation or FM Synthesis - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 21
LearningIn the fifteenth article of this series, I briefly mentioned FM while introducing the different forms of synthesis. Now, the time has finally come to discuss it, but before we do that I must first ta…
Panning to the Extremes - LCR panning can make your mixes come alive
LearningConventional mixing wisdom states that when panning elements in a mix, you’re free to utilize the entire left-to-right spectrum. With the exception of elements like kick, snare, bass and lead vocal t…
The best overdrive pedals for electric guitar - The gritty details on our five favorite overdrive pedals
LearningWith over 100 overdrive pedals listed on just one gear-shopping website, how does one choose the top five? The first order of business is to define the terms: An overdrive pedal should have enough vo…
Understanding Compressor Parameters - A guide to mixing music - Part 28
LearningNow that we've discussed the possible uses for compression, let's take a look at the way a compressor works. To do that, I'll explain to you, in a theoretical way, the different parameters commonly f…
Signal processing and effects plug-ins that won’t break… - 12 Quality Plug-ins for $100 or Less
LearningAlthough top-of-the-line processor and effects plug-ins can be expensive, there are alternatives available that offer quality performance at budget-friendly prices. In this article, I’ll look at 12 s…
The Different Forms of Granular Synthesis - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 20
LearningIn the previous article we introduced the concept of granular synthesis. Today we'll take a look at the different applications for it.
Sonokinetic Capriccio review - Sonokinetic Plays a Capriccio
Written testBest Product awardThe supply of virtual orchestras has become more and more abundant. There's a seemingly never-ending rise in the number of samples, instruments and content available, in general. But what about how t…
A synth expert picks his top 5 virtual instruments - These Are a Few of My Favorite Synths
LearningI’ve been writing about synthesizers since the 1970s and reviewing virtual instruments since the 1990s. Still, when Audiofanzine asked me to pick my "top 5" software synths, it was no easy feat, as t…
Why We Compress - A guide to mixing music - Part 27
LearningIn this second installment dedicated to dynamics processing during mixdown, we'll take some time to discuss the whys before moving on to the hows.
Kurt Bloch talks setup and maintenance for electric gui… - Advice from a Guitar Tech
LearningKurt Block knows electric guitars. He has been working on them for three decades. He started out working on guitars in the bands he was in, and nowadays maintains the guitar collection at Gibson’s en…
An introduction to Granular Synthesis - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 19
LearningIn the two previous articles we looked at the principle behind sample-based synthesis. Among other things, this allowed us to establish that, thanks to digital technology, the frontiers between the d…
