Category Archives for "Production"
Every so often I need a cue for a video that I’m working on and inevitably I’ll say to myself, “It’s faster if I just compose something myself.” That’s never the case in the end since it always takes longer than you’d think, especially if you want something that’s really a custom-fit for the situation. […]
Continue readingIf you’re a producer, engineer or musician, chances are that you’ve been asked to work on someone’s recording. That’s all well and good, but how do you get compensated for your efforts? This excerpt from the just released 2nd edition of my Music Producer’s Handbook gives you 5 ways that you can get paid for […]
Continue readingBefore the first session begins, a host of decisions have to be made that range from the mundane to the important. Here’s an overview of the many production considerations a producer is confronted with in a typical project before a tracking session begins. This is an excerpt from the latest edition of my Music Producer’s […]
Continue readingThere’s always so much going on during a tracking session (especially one with a lot of players involved) that it’s pretty easy to get overwhelmed with the details and demands and overlook some of the things that can really help the session along. Here’s a Basic Tracks Checklist from my latest Music Producer’s Handbook 2nd edition book that […]
Continue readingBerlin’s Hansa Studios has long been a refuge for music celebrities seeking to stay out of the limelight while recording. U2, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Iggy Pop and R.E.M. have all used the studio’s unique live room and location to their advantage, and it has resulted in some of their best work. Although it doesn’t mean […]
Continue readingThere’s been a lot of hits from the past that you continue to hear on the radio, but a perennial favorite is “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” from Blue Oyster Cult. The song comes from the band’s 1976 album Agents of Fortune album, where it hit #12 on the Billboard charts and has been around ever […]
Continue reading“Carry On My Wayward Son” by Kansas has been burned into our minds thanks to 40 years of constant airplay, so it’s fun to listen inside the song to what’s really going on. Here’s its isolated guitar tracks, and you’ll be surprised with at least some of them. As with just about any hit, there’s […]
Continue readingWhen signal processing is timed to the pulse of the track, everything in the mix sounds a lot smoother. This applies to compressors, delays, modulators, and especially reverb. One of the questions I get a lot is, “How do you time your reverb to the track?” There’s a step by step tutorial in my Audio Mixing […]
Continue readingI’ve always been a huge Who fan and just as big a fan of producer Glyn Johns work. This video is from an interview at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, November 19, 2012, and focuses on the recording of the seminal Who’s Next. What’s especially interesting is how many of the main parts in […]
Continue readingOne of the things about having your own studio is that you can do a project at your own pace. The problem there is that some artists never know when to declare a production finished and they end up with “the project that never ends,” literally spending years on it. Here’s an excerpt from the upcoming […]
Continue readingThe Beatles, and John Lennon in particular, loved to double track vocals but hated the act of doing it. Not only that, back in the 4 and 8 track days, the doubled vocal would take up a track that could have been used for another element of the production. That’s why Abbey Road chief engineer, […]
Continue readingThe band Toto has some of the most acclaimed studio musicians as members, which is why it’s always a pleasure to listen inside one of their songs. Today we’ll take a listen to the isolated drums, keyboards and horns from the Grammy-winning song “Rosanna.” This one’s a real treat! Here’s what to listen for: 1. […]
Continue readingIn what could become one of the more entertaining court battles in music history, Led Zeppelin is being sued for stealing parts of “Stairway To Heaven” from a song by the 60s band Spirit called “Taurus” more than 45 years after the song was written. The estate of Spirit guitarist and “Taurus” songwriter Randy California filed the lawsuit, […]
Continue readingPaul McCartney is one of the most influential bass players ever, and it’s always very cool to be able to listen to his isolated bass tracks. Today we’ll take a listen to The Beatles “Drive My Car” from the Rubber Soul album. Here’s what to listen for. 1. Listen to the pickup notes at the […]
Continue readingMany times the ear candy of an overdub session can really make or break a song, but sometimes it’s not easy to create to capture that magic. Here’s an excerpt from the upcoming second edition of my Music Producer’s Handbook that can act as either an outline or as a reminder to check a number […]
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