The best large-diaphragm USB microphones
LearningWhy buy a USB audio interface when you could simply get a mic to record yourself? That's what USB mics are for: you take them out of their box, plug them in and rock 'n' roll! We polled our French re…
The Andrew Scheps Interview
Interview / PodcastYou’d probably be surprised to discover that one of the top mixers in the world works on just a single pair of monitors, in a non-treated room, from a home studio. That engineer is Andrew Scheps, one…
Setting Up Your Own 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 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…
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 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…
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.
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 Operating Principles of Loudspeakers - Part 7
LearningAnother family of transducers, often put down by audiophiles, is that making use of the piezoelectric phenomenon. Sturdy and not particularly expensive, these transducers have found a place in many s…
The 10 Hottest Products 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…
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.
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 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 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 …
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.…
