A brief chronology of DAWs and audio sequencers
LearningThree decades have gone by since computers revolutionized music production. And the pace of the market is so high that a timeline of the different DAWs and sequencers that have come and gone througho…
Top digital sequencers of 2017
TopAudio sequencers never stop evolving. Household names strive to introduce new features without losing their essence while, on the other hand, you have new players who want to join the race betting st…
Top electric guitar models
TopThe results of our survey on the sequencers most used by the AF community seems to have drawn quite some attention among you. So we've decided to share with you another one we ran on electric guitars…
Harmony Basics - Part 25
LearningIn the previous article you saw how the different voices of a chord evolved to get to another chord, following a very specific voice leading procedure, which is called a "forced" motion. And that's w…
The ultimate guide to audio recording - Part 52
LearningIn the previous article, you saw how to direct record an electric bass. Although such recordings can be pretty good, they have a major drawback: lack of body. This can be a real problem when the prod…
Guide to Mixing - Summary
LearningHave you just finished recording and editing the tracks of your masterpieces? That's great news! But you still have quite some work left to do before your songs are ready to be listened by other huma…
Harmony Basics - Part 24
LearningIn the last article, we saw consonances and dissonances according to our Western point of view, as well as the alternation that governs their use. In the present article you will see how to lead thes…
The ultimate guide to audio recording - Part 51
LearningAfter two articles dealing with the pre-requisites for any bass recording worthy of the name, today we will dive into the heart of the matter with the direct recording of a bass guitar.
A guide to mixing music - Part 147
LearningThe time has come to put an end to this series of articles dedicated to the art of mixing. In this installment, which is unlike any other so far for obvious reasons, I invite you to take a look behin…
The ultimate guide to audio recording - Part 50
LearningIn the first installment of this chapter dedicated to the recording of bass guitar, you saw the impact the instrument itself can have on the overall result. But there's much more to consider before p…
A guide to mixing music - Part 146
LearningFor this penultimate episode, I will show you some tricks that might end up disrupting your daily routine and spicing up your mixes. This article is obviously addressed to people having already some …
The ultimate guide to audio recording - Part 49
LearningAfter the chapter dedicated to drums, it seems natural to continue with the second most important element of groove: the bass guitar. To begin this section I would really like to stress a notion I've…
A guide to mixing music - Part 145
LearningToday I ask you to join me in this somewhat particular article where I'll discuss something that's a bit off topic but you nevertheless ought to always bear in mind: accidents in the context of music…
The ultimate guide to audio recording - Part 48
LearningIn the previous article we looked at some technical solutions that can ease the life of lone home studio owners. Mobile apps, MIDI pedalboards and wireless keyboards can prove very useful, as long as…
For producer/mix engineer Dave Isaac, being a great listener has been the key to success
LearningMusic has been a huge part of Dave Isaac’s life since he started listening to it intently as a child. Isaac, who grew up in Detroit during the heyday of Motown, says that by the time he was five, he …
A guide to mixing music - Part 144
LearningIn a couple of weeks, this mixing guide will come to an end. I'm not kidding! Even the neverending story must come to a conclusion. However, I do love good thrillers, so I left one last twist for the…
The ultimate guide to audio recording - Part 47
LearningYou probably all know that technical tasks are mainly processed with one hemisphere of your brain while the artistic domain is handled by the other one. For reasons I won't get into here, it just so …
A guide to mixing music - Part 143
LearningI must admit that today's topic makes me grind my teeth, but we really need to call things by their name. And, as with any other creative discipline, when it comes to mixing, productivity is importan…
The ultimate guide to audio recording - Part 46
LearningIn this last article dedicated to recording drums, I will give you three advice that ought to make your life easier when tracking drums.
A guide to mixing music – Part 142
LearningLast part in the chapter dedicated to learning. Some of you might think that today's topic is an apology of truisms, but that's not going to stir me from writing what I'm about to write, because I th…
Setting up your home studio – Part 6
LearningSo far we have focused on the room that will accommodate your home studio, its soundproofing and acoustics. The time has come to start thinking about everything that will go inside. Let's begin with …
The ultimate guide to audio recording - Part 45
LearningIn today's episode, we are going to make an assessment of the drum tracks we have exploring different rough mix possibilities. You will see that alone by playing with the volume faders of the tracks …
A guide to mixing music - Part 141
LearningLast week I told you about the basic exercises you need to practice in order to start your way into the complex art of mixing. But that was only the first part, obviously. Before you sit down to mix …
The ultimate guide to audio recording - Part 44
LearningToday I invite you to discuss a somewhat particular topic in this chapter dedicated to recording drums.
A guide to mixing music - Part 140
LearningIn the previous installment you learned how to get to know your mixing tools like the back of your hand. But knowing how audio processors work doesn't necessarily mean that you know how to mix! Indee…
