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…
Virtual Tone Tips for Guitarists - How to get killer sounds with your amp-modeling plug-in
LearningThe debate about real amps versus modeling amps is over. Numerous blind tests among players and engineers have revealed that it’s often impossible to distinguish modeled amps from the real thing, esp…
Signal processing and effects plug-ins that won’t break… - 12 Quality Plug-ins for $100 or Less
LearningAlthough top-of-the-line processor and effects plug-ins can be expensive, there are alternatives available that offer quality performance at budget-friendly prices. In this article, I’ll look at 12 s…
A synth expert picks his top 5 virtual instruments - These Are a Few of My Favorite Synths
LearningI’ve been writing about synthesizers since the 1970s and reviewing virtual instruments since the 1990s. Still, when Audiofanzine asked me to pick my "top 5" software synths, it was no easy feat, as t…
Put Your Best Feature Forward - 10 cool and innovative features from 10 top DAWs
LearningAll DAWS are definitely not created equal. Yes they can all record and edit audio and MIDI, host effects and software instruments, and provide facilities for mixing. But beyond those bread-and-butter…
Get Up to Speed with Apple Loops - A video lesson on using Apple Loops in Logic Pro X and GarageBand
LearningWhether you're a Logic or GarageBand user, you can spice up your recordings with a huge range of instrument loops and sound effects via the Apple Loops that were included with your DAW. Here's a vid…
Review of AIR Music Technology's Advance Music Producti… - One Suite Deal
LearningThe AIR Advance Music Production Suite makes it possible to obtain a large and diverse collection of studio software with a single purchase. It contains 34 virtual instruments, including all the majo…
The Match Game - How to use a match EQ to manipulate your audio
LearningA Match EQ is a specialized type of equalizer plug-in that works by extracting the EQ profile from one audio file and applying it to another, so that the latter sounds more like the former. This type…
DAW Tips for Tracking - Advice to make recording in your DAW more productive
LearningYour DAW is a powerful piece of software, and the more you can take advantage of its capabilities, the better your results will be. In this article, we offer up an assortment of DAW-related tips to h…
The Top Convolution Reverbs - Our readers' choice of the best commercial convolution reverbs
LearningOf all the reverb types on the market, convolution reverbs are perhaps the most intriguing, because their sounds are based on impulse responses from actual spaces such as concert halls, recording stu…
All Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales - Black Friday 2014: All the Deals
LearningFor this new Black Friday / Cyber Monday sale, Audiofanzine lists all the special deals available at audio gear manufacturers and sound library, audio plug-in and virtual instrument developers for ma…
Candid comments from the renowned producer/engineer abo… - Jack Joseph Puig Speaks His Mind
LearningOne of the best known and most successful producer/engineers in the business, Grammy-winner Jack Joseph Puig has worked with heavyweights like U2, Green Day, Stone Temple Pilots, John Mayer, Fergie, …
Video: Altering Pitch with Melodyne Editor 2 - Change pitches in melodies and inside of chords with Melodyne Editor 2
LearningCelemony Melodyne Editor 2 is a powerful plug-in and standalone editor that can do a great deal of impressive DSP, involving both pitch and time. In addition to corrective work, it can also be used c…
The Living Colour guitarist on film scoring, DAWs, amp … - Vernon Reid Talks Tech
LearningWhen you hear the name Vernon Reid, your first thought is probably of his work with Living Colour, featuring his speedy and inventive guitar playing. But Reid is also an accomplished composer, scorin…
A noise-removal tutorial with the Spectral Repair Modul… - A Unique Tool for Cleaning Up Audio Glitches
LearningThere’s no such thing as magic, but after using some of today’s amazingly powerful DSP software, it sometimes seems like there is. One product that definitely has the magic touch is iZotope RX, an au…
Getting Down to "Bassics" - Create Authentic Sounding MIDI Bass Guitar Parts
LearningIf you're a recording musician who doesn't play bass, creating realistic MIDI bass guitar parts can be a challenge. The tips and techniques offered in this article will help you put together authenti…
Improve Your Mix with A/B Referencing - Part 1 - Compare Your Mix to That of a Professional for Valuable Sonic Guidance
LearningReferencing your mix against an existing recording via the process known as “A/B-ing,” is a great way to check the quality of your work and help you overcome inaccurate studio acoustics. Here in part…
Tips on How to Efficiently Use Pro Tools - Power Tips for the Pro Tools Novice — Part 2
LearningIn part 1 of this article, we looked at preference settings and key commands. Here in part 2, the focus will be on the Smart Tool, some important timeline options, and how to create customized sessio…
Power Tips for the Pro Tools Novice – Part 1 - Learn How to Produce Music Faster and More Efficiently with Pro Tools
LearningAvid Pro Tools features industry standard audio recording, editing, and mixing, along with a reasonably well-featured MIDI section. But with an application this powerful, getting up to speed can take…
Carmen Rizzo on the Post-Apocalyptic Music Business, Fi… - L.A. Renaissance Man
LearningTalk about multi-talented: L.A.-based Carmen Rizzo is a two-time Grammy-nominated producer/artist/electronic musician and composer whose credits include Seal, Coldplay, Paul Oakenfold and Ryuichi Sak…
Mastering at Home - Part 13 - Key Tips on Using a Limiter While Mastering Music
LearningThis week we will tackle a landmark in the mastering chain — the limiter.
Cheap Synth Apps with Rich Sound - Five Cool iOS Synthesizers for Under $10
LearningThe quality and variety of synthesizers available for your iOS device just keeps getting better and better. Although many of the top, name-brand synths will cost you in the range of $20 or even more,…
Mastering at Home - Part 12 - EQ Automation When Mastering Music
LearningBefore moving on to the next processor in the mastering chain — the limiter/maximizer — it's appropriate to talk about a topic often overlooked by many people learning to master: Automation.
Mastering at Home — Part 11 - Guide to Mid-Side Processing When Mastering
LearningIn this new installment of our article series dedicated to mastering at home, we will delve into the world of mid-side processing.
Noises Off - How to Use Broadband Noise Reduction Software to Clean Up Music Recordings
LearningMuch as we try to avoid it, there are occasions when noise gets onto our recordings. It could be a live recording where the source was too quiet and background hiss was picked up, or a passage on ele…