Category Archives for "Book Excerpt"
- in Book Excerpt , Production , Recording by Bobby Owsinski
14 Sound Replacement Tips For The Perfect Drum Sound
Although you may be great at recording drums and have a great sounding studio with an excellent signal chain, the two chief variables in the recording are the drummer and his drums. No amount of technique or gear can overcome a bad sounding kit or a drummer that hits inconsistently, hence the importance of sound […]
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The 6 Different Types Of Gigs
For an artist, musician or band, not all gigs are created equally, mostly because the stature of an artist and the purpose of the gig dictates the type of venue he or she plays. As a result, gigs can be divided into six general categories of duration; local shows, one-offs, fly dates, mini-tours, full tours and […]
Continue reading- in Acoustics , Book Excerpt , Production , Studios by Bobby Owsinski
The Most Forgotten Items When Building A Studio
It’s inevitable. No matter how many times you’ve built a studio, you have that “Oops, I forgot,” moment at the end. If you’re lucky, it’s something that isn’t major, but a lot of people have been known to do things they’re sorry for later like close up walls before installing the electrical or the mic […]
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Mack On Recording Queen And ELO
With a who’s who list of credits such as Queen, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Electric Light Orchestra, Rory Gallagher, Sparks, Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer, Billy Squire, and Extreme, the producer/engineer who goes simply by the name Mack has made his living making superstars sound great. Having recorded so many big […]
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5 Simple Tips For Miking An Audience
If you’re recording a live performance, then you want to pick up some of the audience to make it sound realistic. Here are some techniques and considerations culled from the latest edition of my Recording Engineer’s Handbook. “Audience recording is both the key and the problem with live recording. It’s sometimes difficult to record the audience […]
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Eddie Kramer On Recording Jimi Hendrix
Engineer/producer Eddie Kramer has a resume that’s a mile long, but the credit that he’s forever tied to is Jimi Hendrix. I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time with him a few yeas ago, and he gave me this great interview for The Recording Engineer’s Handbook. Here’s an excerpt from his […]
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The 8 Constants Of Vocal Recording
By my count, there are 8 “constants” that we find in vocal recording. These are items or situations that almost always prove to be true. Just keeping them in mind can save you a lot of trouble in the search for a sound that works for you and your vocalist. Here are a few tips […]
Continue reading- in Book Excerpt , Production by Bobby Owsinski
Is Getting A Good Mix Using Headphones Possible?
Many producers using home or small studios are forced to use headphones late at night so they don’t disturb the family or the neighbors. That’s obviously not a method that many would recommend for a great mix, but it’s possible to attain something reasonable using headphones if you’re aware of the pros and cons involved, which […]
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3 Techniques For Recording Bass Guitar
Just like the acoustic bass (and just about all instruments), a great bass sound is dependent upon the instrument itself, the player, the amp, and the room. The player has to be able to achieve the tone you’re trying to record with his fingers first and foremost. This excerpt from the 4th edition of my […]
Continue reading- in Book Excerpt , Production by Bobby Owsinski
How To Troubleshoot A Song
You may have been here before. You’re producing a band but the song just isn’t coming together. If you’re experienced you probably know exactly what to do, but even after a couple of steps you might hit a dead end. This excerpt from my Music Producer’s Handbook provides 10 questions to ask in order to troubleshoot a […]
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3 Ways To Position Your Room Mics
Room mics bring an overall finish to the drum sound and help to glue it all together. In many cases, they’ll fill in the sonic holes in the drum mix and make all the individual drums sound more like a complete drum set. That said, many times they are positioned rather randomly without much thought. […]
Continue reading- in Book Excerpt , Engineering by Bobby Owsinski
5 Easy Steps To In-Phase Drum Mics
Phase is important to a great drum sound, but often overlooked. That’s why some drum recordings just don’t sound right, and no amount of processing can make them sound better. Here’s an excerpt for the 4th edition of my Mixing Engineer’s Handbook that outlines 5 easy steps to getting those drum mics in-phase. The chances […]
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5 Tips For More Realistic Pitch Correction
Depending upon how much of a purist you are, pitch correction is either the worst thing to ever happen or a godsend. Regardless of how you come down on the issue, it’s at the very least a necessary evil in today’s music. Here are 5 tips from the 4th edition of my Mixing Engineer’s Handbook that […]
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7 Simple Tips For Improving Your Drum Sound
When it comes to a live drum sound during a tracking session, sometimes the smallest details can make a big difference when you consider that there are usually multiple mics involved. Changing one thing can sometimes make a difference, but sometimes it’s the fact that many small adjustments have a cumulative effective on the overall sound. […]
Continue reading- in Book Excerpt , Gear , Music by Bobby Owsinski
2 Schools Of Thought On Guitar Pedal Order For Better Sound
I was asked by a guitar player recently why his tone wasn’t what he wanted, and the first thing that got my attention was the maze of stomp boxes he was using. Although that wasn’t the only problem with his rig, it was a good place to start, since everything was connected more or less […]
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