When it’s time to mix a recording, you need a strategy - Mixing - The 12 Step Program
LearningMixing is not only an art, it’s the crucial step that turns a collection of tracks into a finished piece of music. A good mix can bring out the best in your music—it spotlights a composition’s most i…
Add that Final Polish to Your Mixes - Mastering Basics for Musicians
LearningThe article title alone is enough to cause some professional mastering engineers to run to various forums and start complaining. "That's what's wrong with this industry, these kids don't know how to …
And Mastering Loses... - Speakers Meet Mastering
LearningOne of the main functions of mastering is to make a mix transportable: In other words, it should sound good over any playback system
When Noise Attacks Your Signal, Fight Back! - Seven Ways to Reduce Noise
LearningIs noise really a problem? After all, analog tape hiss is almost extinct. We have 24-bit converters with signal-to-noise ratios that far exceed that of the CD. Low-level hum? Today's signals have ple…
Make Your Timing Tighter Than Tight - What Does "Sample Accurate" Mean Anyway?
LearningIf you think that "sample accurate" has something to do with random drug tests, you're probably browsing the wrong web site. But if you've heard the term applied to digital transfers, loop timings, e…
Proven Ways to Enhance Your Vocals - Recording & Processing the Ultimate Vocal
LearningSo what’s the best way to record vocals these days? The answer, of course, is that anything goes if it gives the sound you want. Following are some of the possibilities.
It's Possible to Get "hot" Masters without Losing Dynam… - Big Sounds without Overcompressing
LearningI was driving along one of those Floridian roads that goes between the coasts, and is flatter than the Spice Girls without auto-tuning . . . in other words, a perfect place to crank up my car's CD pl…
Sometimes Little Improvements Add Up to Big Ones - Quieter Recordings - One dB at a Time
LearningThe whole is equal to the sum of its parts…as anyone who ever used analog tape will attest. Who can forget that feeling of hearing yet another contribution to the noise floor whenever you brought up …
Panning According to Craig Anderton - Panning Laws Revealed
LearningThe idea of panning seems pretty obvious, right? You turn a panpot (real or virtual) to place a sound somewhere in the stereo field...
To Your CPU, Mixing Is the Ultimate Power Trip - Mixing in a Plug-In World
LearningYou gotta love plug-ins, but they’ve changed the rules of mixing. In the hardware days, the issue was whether you had enough hardware to deal with all your tracks. Now that you can insert the same pl…
Tips for Mixing Rap Vocals - Mixing Rap Vocals
LearningIf I had to pick the most frequent question I get asked on a regular basis – it would have to be “how do I mix rap vocals?” Or some variation thereof. At least once a week, if not more often.
All About Dithering - Much Ado About Dithering
LearningIt's a dirty job to go from high-res audio to 44/16, but someone's got to do it.
The Secrets Behind Wide, Spacious, Pro-Sounding Mixes - How to Create Wide Open Mixes
LearningHere are some secrets behind getting those wide, spacious, pro-sounding mixes that translate well over any system.
Exploring the Art of Filthy Signal Mutation - Extreme Drum Processing
LearningI like music with a distinctly electronic edge, but also want a human "feel." Trying to resolve these seemingly contradictory ideals has led to some fun experimentation, but one of the more recent "h…
How to Compress a Guitar or Bass - Dynamics Processing Meets Rock Guitar
LearningDynamics processing with studio-oriented processors? Been there, done that. But have you re-visited it lately in a guitar context? Dynamics control for vocals or program material is very different co…
Curve Analysis and Acquision Software - Curves of Steal: Fabulous Frequency Felons
LearningBob Ludwig, Doug Sax, Bernie Grundman - they're masters of mastering. They produce hit after hit, with nothing at their disposal other than...well, experience, talent, great ears, the right gear, and…
The Next Big Thing in Guitar Distortion - A Guitarist's Guide to Multiband Distortion
LearningIf you're a guitarist and you're not into multiband distortion...well, you should be. Just as multiband compression delivers a smoother, more transparent form of dynamics control, multiband distortio…
How to Get the Most Out of Them - Multitrack Drum Libraries
LearningMore drum libraries are showing up in multitrack format from companies like Discrete Drums, Wizoo, East-West, Reel Drums, etc. Although these are sold on the basis of being useable out of the box for…
How to Master Your Music at Home - Mastering: The DIY Guide
LearningMastering is one of the few creative processes that still finds itself quite high up on a pro-audio pedestal. The creation of music, the recording, mixing and production is all within the hands of th…
Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions - Audio Mastering
LearningTom Volpicelli of The Mastering House answers the top 10 common questions about mastering.
Exclusive Interview Reveals Production Tips and Tricks - Infected Mushroom Sound Alchemy
Interview / PodcastInnovators, geek tricksters, obsessive-perfectionists, un-serious, electronic-rock geniuses? Time will tell, yet The Legend of the Black Shawarma, Infected Mushroom’s 7th album release will certainly…
EQ and Compression Techniques Pt.2: Drums - EQ and Compression Techniques Pt.2: Drums
LearningDespite the preponderance of exceptional drum samples and loops on the market, for certain genres of music (notably country and rock) there is no substitute for a great session drummer playing on a w…
Recording Bass - In the Studio with Michael Wagener Pt.4 - Bass
LearningWe've already dealt with drums and guitar, now it's time for the bass...
Recording Electric Guitar - In the Studio with Michael Wagener Pt.3 - Electric Guitar
LearningAfter having detailed how he records drums, Michael Wagener tackled guitars in this episode.
Introduction to Audio Encoding - Audio Encoding: What Lies Ahead?
LearningIn today's high definition world, we want the best quality in every film, picture, and sound we encounter. Blu-Ray DVD's seem poised to take over the market, pushing the inferior DVD's down the sa…
