Computer Music guides & articles

The number of compressor plug-ins on the market is overwhelming. As you'll surely understand, it would be impossible for me to create an complete list here. Nevertheless, my collaboration with Audiof…

This is the next installment in our article series dedicated to the race for volume, its consequences on music, sound and human ears.

In the previous article we saw how multiband compression can be used at the mixing stage. Today I'll show you how to dial in a multiband compressor to get the best results.

We recently reviewed the Akai Advance 49 keyboard. In fact, we gave it an Audiofanzine Award for Innovation. A big part of the value of the Advance series keyboards is that they include VIP software …

In this new installment we'll tackle multiband compression during mixdown.

This week we'll look into a side effect of compression that's beneficial, as long as you use it wisely. It's the so-called "glue" effect that takes place when you use a compressor on a group of track…

Here's the latest installment in our series of articles dedicated to the race for volume, and its consequences on music, sound and human ears.

Some people become addicted to plug-ins; others become connoisseurs. That is, they're borderline addicts but too refined to splurge on just anything. They need a certain something, which is what the…

Today we'll continue unveiling new tricks and tips on compression with an installment dedicated to the sidechain.

The telephone rings. Pegg's back suddenly stiffens, she adjusts her glasses before picking up the phone. She can tell by the timbre of the voice that asks for Ted McCarty that it's bad news for her b…

Now that we've seen the basic usage of compression when mixing, I'll walk you through a couple of tips and tricks that I'm sure you'll find quite useful. This week we'll look into a technique that mi…

The tale begins in Winter 1951.

Today, I invite you to continue exploring the possibilities of dynamics processing at the microdynamic level. After having dealt with "punchy" sounds, we'll use dynamics to go for the opposite — "rou…

After looking at some applications of compression at the macrodynamic level in the two previous articles, we'll deal here with microdynamics, starting with how to get a "punchy" sound.

Today we'll continue our discovery of the use of compression with an application that will surely interest all of you: An increase in loudness.

In this episode, we'll concentrate on dynamics processing during mixdown, and we'll see how to use compression to give consistency to your tracks. This usage, in my opinion, is the most important one…

In this installment, we'll look at the consequences of the loudness war on music, sound and human ears.

The debate about real amps versus modeling amps is over. Numerous blind tests among players and engineers have revealed that it’s often impossible to distinguish modeled amps from the real thing, esp…

Today we'll continue our series on the volume wars. This time, we'll focus on mainly on compression.

Finding an acceptable level of latency is something everyone making music with computers must deal with at times. For some of us it's child's play, but for some others it can get complicated very qui…

This week we'll proceed with the final steps of the method to learn about the sonic impact of the main parameters of a compressor. After having seen the attack and release times, now it's the turn of…

In 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…

Now 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…

Although 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…

I’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…