SoundToys MicroShift Review - Depth of Voice
Written testAlmost a year after releasing the free Little MicroShift, SoundToys has finally introduced its bigger sibling, a plug-in designed to add space and depth to a wide variety of sources. MicroShift is al…
Learn From Other Mixes - How to Analyze a Mix
LearningJust like painting, photography and, obviously, music — mixing is an art in itself. And, as such, it also requires some training.
Long-Distance Collaboration - Work Together Remotely via DAW File Sharing
LearningSharing tracks over the Internet makes it possible for musicians to work together remotely, whether they're around the corner from each other or around the world.
Mastering at Home - Part 3 - A Great Workflow for Mastering Music at Home
LearningIn this third part of our Home Mastering series, we will write about the process to follow in order to make the right decisions at the right time.
Mastering at Home - Part 2 - Prepare for Your Mastering Session
LearningIn this installment, we'll offer some tips that will simplify your life when mastering.
Zoom iQ5 Review - iPhone with a Higher iQ
Written testIn addition to its H1, H2, H4, and H6 recorders, Zoom has created a microphone compatible with Lightning-equipped iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad models.
Comparing Two Approaches to Drum-Track Creation - MIDI Drums vs. Audio Drum Loops
LearningIf you’re not a drummer, but you need drum tracks for your productions — and assuming you don’t have the budget and facilities to hire and record a real drummer — you’re going to need to use either M…
Toontrack EZdrummer 2 Review - NextGen Virtual Drums
Written testInnovation awardEight years after releasing the first EZdrummer, Toontrack introduces version 2, which gently revolutionizes the virtual drum market. Far from trying to grow in terms of gigabytes, EZdrummer bets on …
Mastering at Home - Part 1 - An Introduction to Mastering Audio
LearningIf you're fortunate enough to be able to afford professional mastering with a dedicated engineer in a well-designed and equipped mastering studio, that's clearly the route to the best quality results…
Universal Audio Apollo Twin Review - Twin Sound
Written test"It would be ideal if UAD offered a less expensive Apollo with only two mic preamps," we wrote in our review of the first Apollo almost two years ago, and also, "Given the choice of transparent-sound…
Panning Strategies - Advice For Placing Elements in the Stereo Soundscape
LearningPanning seems like a simple enough task. You turn the panning knobs to the positions you want your tracks to be situated in the stereo image and you’re done, right? Well there’s more to it…
iZotope BreakTweaker Review - Tweaking the Breaks
Written testThe partnership between artist BT and iZotope has resulted in a new plug-in, the BreakTweaker. Is it just another drum machine or a more advanced tool than it seems?
Phase – The Solutions - Everything about Phase Problems - Part 3
LearningAfter having seen the theory and the cases where you could have phase issues, in this final installment we will see different ways to identify eventual problems. And we will also go through the vario…
Phase — Practical Cases - Everything about Phase Problems - Part 2
LearningAfter a simplified — but not simplistic — approach to the theoretical aspects of phase in our last article, today we will see in which cases you may find yourself having to deal with phase problems.
Doubling Made Easy - What is a fat guitar sound and how do I reproduce it?
LearningOne of the most powerful ways to make a track sound bigger and more impactful is by doubling it. The quintessential example of this is the doubled rhythm guitar part, which can really fatten the soun…
Waves J37 Tape Review - A Wave of Saturation
Written testAs you probably have already noticed, tape saturation is really hip right now. Although already having plug-ins in the same genre, a leading publisher like Waves couldn't simply ignore the current fr…
Understanding Phase - Everything about Phase Problems - Part 1
LearningIf you are into audio, you have surely heard about phase many times — whether in reference to mixing or recording live in the studio — and usually in a negative way.
DAW Automation 101 - Master your DAWs Automation Features to Gain Control Over the Mix
LearningOne of the most powerful features in your DAW is its ability to automate the volume, pan, send and return levels, and effects parameters of the various tracks in your mix.
UAD API Vision Review - A Look into the Vision
Written testSince its inception, the plug-in family for Universal Audio UAD cards has been devoted to the reproduction of analog units. And that's how UA has come to being associated with the biggest names in th…
Polishing and Exporting the Final File - Recording Your DJ Sessions - Part 4
LearningIn the three previous parts, we showed you how to set up the DJ hardware, how to configure your computer to record an optimal signal and some good practices to keep in mind for your sessions. Now tha…
Best Practices for Recording Your DJ Mixes - Recording Your DJ Sessions - Part 3
LearningIn the first two parts of this article, we discussed how to prepare your mixer and configure your computer to record a mix. Now that the hardware is ready, we can now move on to some tips for you to …
Cakewalk Sonar X3 Review - Stellar Sequel
Written testBest Product awardThe year has just begun and, as usual, the new Sonar has arrived with a bunch of new features on the rack.
Setting Up Your Computer To Record Your DJ Mixes - Recording Your DJ Sessions - Part 2
LearningIn the first part of this article, we discussed how to prepare the decks, records and mixer to have an optimal audio signal...
Setting Up Your Mixer To Record Your DJ Mixes - Recording Your DJ Sessions - Part 1
LearningRecording yourself whenever you mix is an excellent habit that will allow you to learn and grow your DJ skills. Listening to your mixes later with a clear head allows you to put things into perspecti…
Organize Your DAW Files to Work Better and Faster - Spend More Time Making Music instead of Fighting your DAW
LearningAs a home-recording musician, you have to wear many hats. You’re the talent, the engineer, the producer, the mix engineer, and often even the mastering engineer (not to mention the studio manager and…
