In 1985, Sir George Martin, always a stickler for sound quality, commissioned the brilliant audio designer Rupert Neve to build a no-compromise microphone preamp for his new AIR Studios. The result was the ISA 110 module, featuring a Lundahl LL1538 input transformer that Neve hand-selected for its warm, open, and detailed character. That same transformer […]
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What makes the Empirical Labs Distressor such a lasting studio classic? On this week’s podcast episode, I sit down with Dave Derr, founder of Empirical Labs and creator of the Distressor. Among the things we talk about analog compression, product design, the birth of Nuke mode, FATSO, Mike-E, plugins, and the studio lessons that shaped […]
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Getting the stereo width right on a mix or master is one of those things that sounds simple until you’re actually doing it. Go too narrow and the track sounds flat and lifeless. Go too wide and you end up with phase problems, a hollowed-out center, and a mix that falls apart on mono playback. […]
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I often get questions about the knee parameter of a dynamics processor like a compressor and what it does, so hopefully this post will provide the answers. You don’t see this control on all compressors (especially the vintage favorites), but it can be quite useful in getting a dynamics processor to do what you want. […]
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What separates a talented singer from an artist who can actually build a career? On this week’s podcast episode, I talk with vocal coach, singer, songwriter, and artist developer Patrice Peris about contemporary vocal technique, emotional performance, artist branding, music business fundamentals, and why independent artists need more than a good voice to succeed. Patrice […]
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Most dynamics processors split your audio into a handful of frequency bands using arbitrary crossover points. It works well enough, but it’s essentially a mathematical approximation of something our ears do in a much more nuanced way. The new Bark24 | Dyn from FSK Audio takes a fundamentally different approach by basing its band structure […]
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On this week’s podcast episode, I talk with Ben Montague, founder and CEO of The North American Guitar Global (TNAG) about the business of vintage guitars. Among the things we discuss is TNAG’s acquisition of Carter Vintage and Norman’s Rare Guitars, music retail, guitar collecting, and the business of preserving iconic brands in the guitar […]
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One of the biggest workflow challenges in modern production is the disconnect between the mouse and the music. You have a gut feeling about what a track needs, but by the time you’ve clicked through all the menus and parameters, that spark of creativity is gone. That’s exactly the problem that Softube is addressing with […]
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Last week we covered Part 1 of the glossary of mixing terms. This week is Part 2. Both come from the latest 6th edition of my Mixing Engineer’s Handbook. leakage. Sound from a distant instrument “bleeding” into a mic pointed at another instrument. Acoustic spill from a sound source other than the one intended for […]
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On this week’s podcast episode, I talk with Tom Weir, Grammy-winning engineer and owner of Studio City Sound. We talk about how his studio stays busy by evolving with the business while holding onto the analog workflow and human element that still make records sound great. Tom breaks down how Studio City Sound has expanded […]
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If you’ve ever tried to mix in a bedroom, a hotel room, or any space that isn’t acoustically treated, you know the challenge. Studio monitors are only as good as the room they’re in, and building a properly treated space costs serious money. That’s exactly the problem beyerdynamic set out to solve with the new […]
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Lately I’ve been getting some questions regarding some of the terms I use during my various song critiques and presentations, so that means it’s probably a good time to break out the latest mixing glossary from my Mixing Engineer’s Handbook 6th Edition. 0 dB Full Scale. Abbreviated FS, it’s the highest level that can be […]
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On this week’s podcast episode, I talk with Jonathan Wyner, mastering engineer at M-Works, Berklee professor, head of artistic technology initiatives for BEATL, and past president of the Audio Engineering Society . . . . . . about what AI can do in mastering, mixing, education, and music creation, and where the human element still […]
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Software and hardware amplifier simulators are so good these days that you might think that amplifiers are a thing of the past. If you have a favorite amp with a favorite sound, you still want to use it without blowing the walls down, you already know the appeal of a reactive load box. Two Notes […]
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I can remember when I first started to work in the studio how much musicians resisted using a click track. “It’s unnatural. Speeding up and slowing down gives the music a better feel,” was what you heard all the time. The thing is, they were not wrong . . . but the world has gone […]
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