A review of the Auratone 5C Super Sound Cube - Mystical Aura
Written testYou just got your main monitor speakers and are already looking for a second pair? Boy are you a compulsive buyer! What's that you said? Auratone is back with its famous 5Cs? Okay, well maybe just th…
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…
Review of the Lauten Audio LA-320 tube-condenser microp… - A Versatile and Affordable Tube Mic
Written testThe LA-320 is the first mic in Lauten Audio’s new "Series Black" line. Lauten, whose product line also features many high-end mics, have put out a large-diaphragm tube condenser with a price point ($…
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…
A review of the PSP 2445 Digital Reverberator plug-in - A Powerful Ambience
Written testWith the release of version 1.2 of its 2445 reverb, PSP now has the official blessing of EMT, the company that made the outboard reverb units modeled in this plug-in. We figured that was a good reaso…
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 …
Video review of Audified MixChecker - Check Please!
Written testThe MixChecker plug-in from Audified makes it possible to reference your mix on a wide range of simulated speaker types to see how it translates. How well does it work? Find out in this video review.
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"…
Engineer Nathan Hamiel on the art of mastering - The Human Factor
LearningMastering, like mixing, is an art form that requires good musical judgment and entails a great deal of decision-making. Just ask engineer Nathan Hamiel (pronounced “Hamel”), who does both mixing and …
Ribbon Speakers - The Operating Principles of Loudspeakers - Part 4
LearningIn the previous article we discussed compression drivers and acoustic horns. Today we'll focus on a technology whose patent was issued in the 1920s and widely used for microphones. However, its usabi…
Using Delay to Broaden Your Horizons - A guide to mixing music - Part 89
LearningAfter having explored depth with reverb, we will now move into another topic that is just as important during mixdown: width.
A video review of the new synth from Lethal Audio - Killer Sounds from Lethal
Written testLethal Audio recently released Lethal, a crisp-sounding "rompler"-style software instrument with a heavy emphasis on EDM, but which will also be useful for pop, rock, hip-hop, and film scoring.
Producer Andrew Wade shares his mixing and guitar-recor… - Studio Tips from The Big Boss
LearningAndrew Wade (aka “The Big Boss”) knows a little something about guitar recording. Wade is a producer/engineer/songwriter who has focused heavily on the pop-punk/Emo genres and has produced music (inc…
Modulate It! - Harmony Basics - Part 17
LearningIn the previous articles... Yes, I know I often begin my articles this way but it's simply because I like things to make sense chronologically.
Using Delay Instead of Reverb - A guide to mixing music - Part 88
LearningIn this installment, I'll show you how to use delay instead of reverb to reinforce the sonic cohesion of your mix.
How to edit spoken-word audio for podcasts, video and m… - Video: Spoken-Word Editing Tips
LearningIn this video, we offer a variety of tips for editing spoken-word audio content for a variety of situations.
An interview with producer Michael Beinhorn - Unlocking Expressivity
Interview / PodcastProducer, musician, artist, painter… Our guest today is someone who has always been looking for a way to let Art be expressed in every piece of music he has worked on. Primarily known and renown for …
Drive it Home - The Operating Principles of Loudspeakers - Part 3
LearningTo finish with this overview of the most widely used type of speaker, we'll discuss electrodynamic cone models. To improve the performance in the high frequencies, the cone is usually replaced with a…
Top 5 reverb plug-ins for giving your mixes professiona… - My Favorite Reverb Plug-Ins
LearningOne of the most useful audio plug-in types in any computer-based studio toolbox is reverb. In this article, I’ll look at my five current “go-to” reverb plug-in choices. But first, a little background.
Slapback and Doubling with Delay - A guide to mixing music - Part 87
LearningThis time around, we'll look at two "classic" uses of the delay effect.
Multitalented producer Greg Wells talks about his craft… - Producing for the Art of It
LearningAlthough he spent most of his childhood playing and studying music, it wasn’t until Greg Wells was 18 that he got bitten by the recording bug. “I got my parents to co-sign a loan, and I bought a Mac …
The Last Note - Recording a clean ending is not as simple as it may seem
LearningWhen recording an ensemble or just overdubbing one instrument, there's one part of the song that gets very little attention: right after the very last chord or note has been struck. Especially if the…
Of Suspensions and Magnets - The Operating Principles of Loudspeakers - Part 2
LearningWe started this series by describing the cone diaphragm of an electrodynamic speaker. It obviously plays an important role in the final quality of a speaker, as the radiating element, but it's far fr…
