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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On this week’s podcast episode, I talk with Richard Chycki, the multi-platinum mixer and engineer behind work with Rush, Dream Theater, Aerosmith, Mick Jagger, Alice Cooper, and Pink. We had a insightful discussion about decision making in recording, immersive audio workflow, and why Atmos still needs clearer standards for mixers who want their work to […]
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If you’re like most producers and engineers, you’ve accumulated a lot of plugins over the years. That probably numbers in the dozens, maybe hundreds, from all different manufacturers, each with their own installers, license managers, and update systems. Keeping track of what’s installed, what’s up to date, and what’s compatible with your current OS can […]
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While many believe that microphone technology hasn’t really improved in at least 30 years, a host of new mics have taken the technology to the next step. Some have even become classics in their own right and can be found as standard equipment in mic lockers the world over. In this excerpt from the 5th […]
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On this week’s podcast episode, I talk with author, musician, and lecturer Craig Anderton for Part 2 of our conversation, this time about vocal production, mixing strategy, performance dynamics, and the deeper decisions that separate polished recordings from generic ones. From gain envelopes and vocal detail work to inside out mixing, minimal plugin philosophy, and […]
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One of the most tedious tasks in any mix is dealing with level inconsistencies in a vocal or dialogue track. A singer gets excited and the level spikes, then backs off during a softer phrase, and suddenly you’re riding the fader constantly instead of actually mixing. Compression can help, but it changes the dynamics in […]
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I’m sure you’ve heard me rant on about private equity funds that acquire companies only to sell them off for parts just to ensure their investors make a profit. These PE companies generally don’t care much about the users of the acquired company’s products, which is a shame since it usually means that a good […]
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On this week’s episode, I break down the latest music industry news and production trends, connecting the dots between business shifts, platform power, legacy gear, and loudness myths to give you a better understanding of where the industry is heading. If you want a sharper view of the modern music business without hype, this episode […]
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We live in a world where we can record just about anything, any time and in any place, thanks to our phones, tablets, and laptops. The problems come when we want to up the quality by adding a more professional microphone than what’s built into these devices. Yes, there are many small and portable audio […]
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It’s not easy being in the music business. It never was and it probably never will ever be. We’ve all experienced a mental health incident during our careers, but it wasn’t until the last few years that people have felt comfortable talking about it. Ditto Music conducted an artist survey on creative burnout and mental […]
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On this week’s podcast episode, Is AI really coming for your gig, or are most musicians worried about the wrong things entirely? In this episode of my Inner Circle Podcast, author, musician, and lecturer Craig Anderton breaks down what AI actually means for working artists, producers, and songwriters . . . . . . and […]
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Like many mixers, I like to start my mix with three delays already set up: short, medium and long. I find this combination provides exactly what I need for almost any situation very quickly, from adding a little depth, to some glue, to a longer “throw” effect. If the setup is baked into a template […]
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On this week’s podcast episode, what role do commercial recording studios really play in today’s home studio world? I sit down with Sam Rudy, founder of Pro Studio Time, to explore whether studios are still necessary for modern music production, or simply a creative luxury. From writing camps and residential studios to AI disruption and […]
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The one thing we all hate is the inevitable troubleshooting that comes with having a studio. Sooner or later something won’t be working the way you expected, and trying to find out where the problem lies really sucks the creativity from a session. One little device that can make that process go a lot more […]
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It’s hard to look at just about any publication or news feed and not see an article about AI these days. Yes, we’re all sick of the hype, but for those of us in the music industry, the real question is, “Just how much are musicians and producers actually using AI music tech?” Well, now […]
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