A guide to selling your gear online — part 1
LearningIf you’re a home recordist or a performing musician, chances are you have gear you want to sell. Perhaps you’re thinking of upgrading to something better, or you have extra hardware or instruments th…
A guide to mixing music - Part 37
LearningToday we'll continue unveiling new tricks and tips on compression with an installment dedicated to the sidechain.
A guide to mixing music - Part 36
LearningIn this week's chapter, we'll tackle a specific use of compression you have surely heard about before, not least in our series of articles dedicated to mastering. I'm talking about parallel compressi…
How to find inspiration when you're stuck in a rut
LearningIt’s the enemy of creativity, and it lurks in your subconscious, ready to spring at you when you least expect it. I’m talking about writer's block, the dreaded affliction of composers, songwriters, a…
Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 26
LearningThis time around, I invite you to discover two unusual forms of sound synthesis: Formant and linear arithmetic synthesis.
Common-sense advice for rehearsing more efficiently
LearningRehearsal is an important activity for any band or ensemble. Learning and working out arrangements for new material, and going over songs already in your repertoire are key to keeping your group fres…
A guide to mixing music - Part 35
LearningNow that we've seen the basic usage of compression when mixing, I'll walk you through a couple of tips and tricks which I'm sure you'll find quite useful. This week we'll look into a technique that m…
Interview with Grammy-winning mixer Reuven Amiel
Interview / Podcast“For me, the most important part is for the music to sound alive and to have good energy," says producer/engineer Reuven Amiel.
Negotiating tips for when you're offered freelance mixing or session work
LearningIf you’re skilled on your instrument or have developed strong mixing or other engineering skills, you may find yourself offered freelance work at some point. When that happens, it’s important to know…
A guide to mixing music - Part 34
LearningToday, I invite you to continue exploring the possibilities of dynamics processing at the microdynamic level. After having dealt with "punchy" sounds, we'll use dynamics to go for the opposite — "rou…
The Loudness War ─ Part 6
LearningIn this new installment we'll continue discussing the consequences of volume on music, sound and human ears, and we'll see how digital technology has enabled the reduction of dynamic range in recorde…
6 ways to become a better onstage guitarist
LearningAs a guitar player, you have many possible roles in a live situation. You might strictly be a rhythm player, you might also play lead, or you could even be the front person for the band, in addition …
A guide to mixing music - Part 33
LearningAfter looking at some applications of compression at the macrodynamic level in the two previous articles, we'll deal here with microdynamics, starting with how to get a "punchy" sound.
Top Australian engineer Klaus Hill on mixing, mastering, analog summing and more
Learning“I've always mixed people's records,” Klaus Hill says, “it's just something I've always been very good at.” In the eleven years since he moved from England, Hill has established himself as one of the…
Weighing the pros and cons of DIY mastering
LearningFor a long time the mastering process was a bit mysterious. Musicians knew little about what went on in a mastering studio, except that it made their tracks sound better. But thanks to all the inform…
