Review of the Electro-Harmonix Pitch Fork - A Devilishly Clever Pitch Shifter
LearningThe Pitch Fork is a powerful and clean-sounding pitch shifter with some smartly designed features. It can produce shifts of plus or minus 3 octaves, which can make for some pretty cool and unusual so…
Compression as Glue - A guide to mixing music - Part 38
LearningThis 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…
Mastering and remastering - The Loudness War - Part 7
LearningHere's the latest installment in our series of articles dedicated to the race for volume, and its consequences on music, sound and human ears.
Which Site is Best for Selling Gear? - A guide to selling your gear online — part 1
LearningIf you’re a home recordist or a performing musician, chances are you have gear you want to sell. Perhaps you’re thinking of upgrading to something better, or you have extra hardware or instruments th…
These instruments and effects may not be well known, bu… - 5 Cool Plug-ins You May Never Have Heard Of
LearningSome 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…
Sidechain Compression - A guide to mixing music - Part 37
LearningToday we'll continue unveiling new tricks and tips on compression with an installment dedicated to the sidechain.
Parallel Compression - A guide to mixing music - Part 36
LearningIn this week's chapter, we'll tackle a specific use of compression you have surely heard about before, not least in our series of articles dedicated to mastering. I'm talking about parallel compressi…
Conquer Your Musical Writer's Block - How to find inspiration when you're stuck in a rut
LearningIt’s the enemy of creativity, and it lurks in your subconscious, ready to spring at you when you least expect it. I’m talking about writer's block, the dreaded affliction of composers, songwriters, a…
Classic Gear Spotlight: The Les Paul - Part 2 - And the Guitar Was Born!
LearningThe 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…
Formant and Linear Arithmetic Synthesis - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 26
LearningThis time around, I invite you to discover two unusual forms of sound synthesis: Formant and linear arithmetic synthesis.
10 Tips for Better Rehearsals - Common-sense advice for rehearsing more efficiently
LearningRehearsal is an important activity for any band or ensemble. Learning and working out arrangements for new material and going over songs already in your repertoire are key to keeping your group fresh…
Take Your Pick - Alter your tone for pennies by changing to a different pick type
LearningIf you are like most guitarists, you are on a continual quest to improve your tone and/or discover additional tonal options. This can involve spending thousands of dollars on amps, guitars, pickups, …
Serial Compression - A guide to mixing music - Part 35
LearningNow 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…
An interview with Grammy-winning producer/engineer Reuv… - Energizing the Mix
Interview / Podcast“For me, the most important part is for the music to sound alive and to have good energy," says producer/engineer Reuven Amiel, "and I always base the mix on that. No matter what type of music it is,…
Classic Gear Spotlight: The Les Paul - Part 1 - History of the Les Paul
LearningThe tale begins in Winter 1951.
