A review of East West ProDrummer - Drumming with a Pro
Written testThe drum instrument market is a crowded one, and already full of excellent choices. East West, a company renowned for its high-quality instruments and sound libraries, has just thrown its hat in the …
Tread Carefully on Craigslist - A guide to selling your gear online — part 3
LearningCompared to eBay, Craigslist is like the Wild West. Whereas the former is governed by strict rules and regulations, Craigslist is basically a free for all. It offers you the opportunity to sell in yo…
The Trautonium and the Theremin - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 29
LearningIn the previous article we discovered two amazing instruments, the Ondes Martenot and the Ondioline. In this, the second-to-last installment of this series, I invite you to discover two even more ama…
A Who's Who of Software Compressors - A guide to mixing music - Part 41
LearningThe 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…
It Can Happen to Anybody - The Loudness War - Part 8
LearningThis is the next installment in our article series dedicated to the race for volume, its consequences on music, sound and human ears.
The Mad Max composer on his free video tutorial series,… - Junkie XL Gives Back
LearningTom Holkenborg (aka “Junkie XL”) has had a long and successful music career as a producer, recording artist, and remixer — and over the last several years he's become a top Hollywood film composer. H…
Dialing in a Multiband Compressor - A guide to mixing music - Part 40
LearningIn 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.
Good Arrangements = Better Mixes - The road to a good mix starts very early — in the arrangement stage
LearningBefore multitracks were invented, when all recording was done totally live, it was the arrangement more than anything that made the music sound balanced. The composer had to write for the ensemble as…
The Ondes Martenot and the Ondioline - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 28
LearningAs I mentioned in the previous article, I want to end this series by reviewing some rather extraordinary instruments.
In tandem with Advance series controllers, VIP lets you… - [Video] Akai VIP Software in Action
LearningWe 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 …
A First Look at Multiband Compression - A guide to mixing music - Part 39
LearningIn this new installment we'll tackle multiband compression during mixdown.
eBay Selling Tips for Musicians - A guide to selling your gear online — part 2
LearningIn the first installment of this series, we talked about the relative advantages and disadvantages of sites like eBay and Craigslist for selling your gear online. This time around, we’ll focus on eBa…
Stochastic and Graphic Synthesis - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 27
LearningGraphic and stochastic synthesis are not very widely used and, yet, they are quite interesting. Let's see why...
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.
A review of the EastWest Composer Cloud subscription se… - Instruments from the Cloud
Written testSubscription-based plans are becoming more common for music software. While presumably a good thing for the developers, they’re not necessarily so great for users, who have to pay over and over for a…
Sonarworks Headphone Calibration Review - High Caliber
Written testYou all know what it's like to finish a mix that sounds amazing on your headphones and then try to show it to your grandma on her hi-fi system, only to discover that it sounds terrible. The mix is co…
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…
A review of the Blue Microphones Hummingbird - A Bird in the Stand
Written testA mic with a swiveling capsule is not a new concept, but it isn’t something you typically find in a mic as affordable as the Blue Hummingbird. The swiveling feature is no gimmick — it makes a big dif…
