An Introduction to DIY Mastering
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…
Adjust and Process Groups of Tracks at a Time
LearningOne easy way to improve your mixing efficiency is to use the flexible routing capabilities in your DAW's mixer to create subgroups. Also referred to as "submixes," they let you create custom subsets …
Reduce or Eliminate Leakage When Tracking Drums and Other Instruments Together
LearningSo, you’ve got a band, you’ve got some recording gear, and you’re ready to start cutting your album in your home studio. If you’re recording with a drummer and you want to do a “live” basic-tracking …
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…
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…
Helpful Advice for Before, During, and After the Show
LearningAs a musician, you've probably experienced the near-euphoric feeling of playing a gig in which everything is going right: you’re playing well, the crowd is into it, and the sound is good. Conversely,…
Comparing the Pros and Cons of Both Types of Setups
LearningUnless you're one of those guitarists or bassists who flat-out refuses to consider a digital multi-effects pedal, it’s worth comparing the merits of both approaches before deciding which type of setu…
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.
Tips and Tricks for Recording Doubled Parts, Including Big, Fat Power-Chord Rhythm Guitars
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…
10 Toys for Every Guitarist
LearningGuitarists are well-known for their countless effects pedals, exotic strings and other not-always-indispensable thingamajigs. So, here's a list of 10 useful and/or eccentric toys that you can buy wit…
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.
Survey On the Best Compressor Pedals for Guitar and Bass
LearningFor those who have a tendency to hammer their electric or bass guitars with a heavy attack, or can't play consistent rhythm parts throughout an entire song, a compressor might be the solution. A comp…
Master your DAWs automation features and 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.
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…
Basic techniques for slide guitar playing
LearningHere are the essential techniques and basic information you need to get started playing slide guitar