Acoustic Treatment and Soundproofing for Dummies - Setting Up Your Home Studio - Part 3
LearningAs I mentioned in the last article, the ideal home studio must have good room acoustics and soundproofing. But, what does these two concepts mean? To answer this question we need to dive into some th…
The Top Overdrive Pedals for Electric Guitar - The Best Overdrive Pedals for Electric Guitar
LearningThe overdrive pedal is one of the most timeless and classic effects for electric guitar, and finding the overdrive of your dreams can be a lifelong endeavor. They have become a true cult object and m…
Tools to give cohesion to your mix - A guide to mixing music - Part 98
LearningToday I'll shortlist the plug-ins that I use most frequently when I want to reinforce the sonic cohesion of a mix. As usual, this is by no means an exhaustive list. Far from that. My only goal here i…
The top studio headphones for less than $50 - The best studio headphones for less than $50
LearningSometimes, $50 for a pair of studio cans might be over your budget, be it because you don't have the money in the bank or you need to buy four at the same time or any other reason you can think of. B…
Using II-V-I and pivot chords - Harmony Basics - Part 19
LearningIn the previous article we saw how to use cadences to modulate to a different key. However, regardless of whether you use a cadence or not, a seamless modulation relies on the so-called pivot chords.
How to use tape machine and mixing console emulators - A guide to mixing music - Part 97
LearningAs promised, this week we'll see how to make the most of tape machine and console-emulating plug-ins.
The 10 Hottest Products of Summer NAMM 2016 - Best of Summer NAMM 2016
LearningThe Summer NAMM was just a couple of weeks ago and we were there, obviously! Here's our report (better late than never...): As usual the world of guitar was omnipresent during the event. Here's a lis…
The whys of using tape machine and console emulators - A guide to mixing music - Part 96
LearningThis week we'll keep on discussing distortion by addressing plug-ins that emulate legendary tape machines and consoles.
How to use harmonic distortion in a mix - A guide to mixing music - Part 95
LearningToday you'll see how to put into practice everything you've learned so far about harmonic distortion.
The Top Tremolos for Guitar - The Best Type of Vibratos for Electric Guitar
LearningFar from being a simple accessory, the vibrato has become an essential element in the playing style of many guitarists. Be it for subtle modulations with clean sounds or dive bombs with fat distortio…
The Top Electric Guitar Tuners - The Best Electric Guitar Tuners
LearningIs there anything more annoying than a guitar that won't stay in tune? Most guitar lovers will say no. While there are several factors to consider, the quality of the tuning machines plays a crucial …
The Role of Cadence and Characteristic Notes in Modulat… - Harmony Basics - Part 18
LearningIt's not uncommon for a composer/songwriter to feel the need to leave the original key of the song he's writing and go explore some other ones. There are many reasons for that: to change the mood (i.…
Getting acquainted with harmonic distortion - A guide to mixing music - Part 94
LearningThis week we'll continue exploring harmonic distortion.
Let's Get Small - Mini-effects pedals make configuring your pedalboard a whole new ballgame
LearningOne of the great things about pedalboards is that they give you the freedom to choose the effects you want for your rig. There is one caveat: Your pedalboard is a finite size, and you can only add ef…
De-Clutter Your Rhythm Guitars - Coordinate your rhythm guitar parts to avoid a chaotic-sounding mess
LearningWhenever you have more than one guitarist playing chords in a song, you risk a cluttered and muddy sounding result if the parts they’re playing are not coordinated in advance. That said, there are pr…
Electrostatic Loudspeakers - The Operating Principles of Loudspeakers - Part 6
LearningAfter our previous discussion of electrodynamic speakers, we'll now move on to describing different categories of speaker transducers, starting with the equivalent of the condenser mic in the speaker…
Using Distortion During Mixdown - A guide to mixing music - Part 93
LearningThis time around, we'll focus on distortion.
The Enemy of the Good is Volume - How to keep excessive stage levels from ruining your band’s sound
LearningMany factors can negatively impact your band’s sound, from lack of rehearsal to bad acoustics to feedback to malfunctioning gear to burnt-out sound engineers. But perhaps the most consistent impedime…
The Right Place for Your Home Studio - Setting Up Your Home Studio - Part 2
LearningFrom the corner of a bedroom to the living room or a garage, the home studio always ends up adapting to the elements. As usual, it all boils down to your own needs, means and possibilities.
Using Buses to Make a Mix More Cohesive - A guide to mixing music - Part 92
LearningIn the coming weeks we'll discuss in detail the so-called "glue" effect, in other words how to make the mix more homogeneous using different procedures. Today we'll discuss a simple method to emphasi…
Unique Electrodynamic Speaker Designs - The Operating Principles of Loudspeakers - Part 5
LearningIn the last article of this series dedicated to electrodynamic speakers we'll talk about some unique and interesting designs. The biggest difference with these two examples compared to previous speak…
The Relationship Between Reverb and Delay - A guide to mixing music - Part 91
LearningTo close the chapter dedicated to the use of delay during mixdown, we'll look into the relationship between reverb and delay.
Breaking the rules is standard procedure for producer/e… - If It Sounds Good, Do It!
LearningPrince, Tom Petty, System of a Down, Tool, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Sevendust are just some of the artists on producer and engineer Sylvia Massy’s discography. The 30-year studio veteran has never b…
What is a Home Studio? - Setting Up Your Home Studio - Part 1
LearningHopefully, one day you’ll go to Abbey Road to record your music, just like the Beatles. But since recording in such a studio is prohibitively expensive for most musicians, you might want to consider …
Fill It Up with Delay - A guide to mixing music - Part 90
LearningThis week we'll look into a somewhat particular use of delay ─ as a way of filling up a mix. You certainly won't be able to use this technique every day, but it can come in pretty handy to "dress up"…
