Category Archives for "Gear"
Sometimes we need a little bit of help when it comes to choosing Christmas gifts for the people around us in the music and recording business. If you have no idea what to buy, here’s a list of recommendations that covers a wide variety of items and reasonable price ranges. All of these following products […]
Continue readingIf you thought that crafting an electric guitar was rather complex, you haven’t seen anything yet. When it comes to musical instruments, nothing beats an oboe for complexity. Not only that, they’re made from only one species of endangered African hardwood and can take up to 5 years to make. No wonder they cost so […]
Continue readingGuitar players can never get enough pedals. It’s the perfect wave – the Holy Grail – you’re always searching for THE ONE that will give you that sound that seems just out of reach. Despite boutique pedal manufacturing going through somewhat of a shakeout, there’s always another new gear maker creating a hot new overdrive. […]
Continue readingI can hear you now after you’ve read the title. “Oh, no! Not another connector!!” It’s not as bad as it sounds. Yes, USB4 is coming, but thankfully it’s going to use the same USB-C-style connector that most new computers and connected devices are using. Although we all have plenty of peripherals that still use […]
Continue readingI bet you were never aware that Neumann microphones have different color badges, and if you were, you probably thought they were for decoration. Think again, because there’s a specific reason behind the Neumann badge colors. Knowing them will allow you to identify the type of microphone it is. Neumann mic badges come in 5 […]
Continue readingOn my latest podcast episode: Mic developer Eric Heiserman of Heiserman Audio, perhaps the closest to a vintage mic sound you’ll ever get. The end of music genres may be near in favor of some more practical for today’s consumers. The latest Bluetooth LE standard – finally CD quality 44.1Hz/16 bit wireless audio. Listen to […]
Continue readingWe’ve all been in a position where we needed more power outlets and purchased either a power strip or rack mounted unit that advertised it was a “surge protector” as well. That may or not have been true, and Radial has a great post about what exactly qualifies as a power surge and how to […]
Continue readingI often get asked what plugins I regularly use, so a few years ago I decided to share my plugin thoughts with a personal Top 10 list. Here’s my latest edition for 2022, which isn’t all that different from previous years except that it has fewer compressors, since I’ve found myself using less and less […]
Continue readingRecently some employees at Gibson Guitars were looking through the company’s archives and stumbled upon a canister of film. Much to their surprise it was a tour of the Gibson factory dating back to 1967 that’s been unseen until now. Watching the film I was struck by how much has remained the same in the […]
Continue readingDirect boxes are something that we use every day in recording, yet take for granted because of their simplicity. If you’re not familiar with what they do, then you might be tempted to purchase the cheapest one you find, but there’s a real difference in the sound between brands and models. This excerpt from my […]
Continue readingI’ve posted this one 4 or 5 years ago but since I’m getting questions about the AC/DC Back In Black guitar sounds again, I thought it was appropriate to repost it again. When we listen back to those great early AC/DC albums like Back In Black and Highway To Hell we think of what may be […]
Continue readingIf you’re a guitar player, chances are you’re in love with the distorted sound that’s so easy to create these days, thanks to a variety of amps, pedals and plugins. In fact, it’s hard to imagine a time when guitar distortion didn’t exist, but believe it, there was a time when there was no such thing. […]
Continue readingSometimes we need a little bit of help when it comes to choosing Christmas gifts for the people around us in the music and recording business. If you have no idea what to buy, here’s a list of recommendations that covers a wide variety of items and reasonable price ranges. All of these following products […]
Continue reading“How do I choose a set of studio monitors?” This question comes up a lot, and although I’ve addressed it before, it’s time to do it again. When it comes to monitor speakers, there are certainly plenty of choices, and currently there’s no single favorite. A Standard? It would be great if there was a […]
Continue readingOne of the most iconic and identifiable instruments in the world is the Hofner 500/1 violin bass, sometimes called the “Beatle Bass.” That’s because Paul McCartney used it on all his early tours and recordings and during most of his Beatle’s career. He still uses on when he tours. One of the reasons Macca was […]
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