When you think about it, we’re still stuck in the last century when it comes to live sound systems, especially in clubs. In almost all cases you’ll find a speaker array on both sides of the stage, sometimes sitting on the stage and sometimes flown. The problem with that is excessive SPL levels up close […]
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Drum recording is too often left to trial and error to when getting sounds. Here’s a checklist from the 2nd edition of my Drum Recording Handbook (written with Dennis Moody) that makes sure that the basics are covered (assuming that the drums sound great acoustically) before you open up the mics. “Like the foundation of […]
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Ariel Hyatt was one of the first in the PR world to realize the value of social media, and her Cyber PR agency has been helping artists and bands with their online presence ever since. Now Ariel breaks new ground with her latest book called Crowdstart, which provides a step-by-step breakdown of how to launch […]
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Just about any music involves repetition, and we’ve proved by our listening habits over hundreds of years that we like it that way. It’s not just the songs, symphonies or operas that are so often built on patterns that repeat (like drumbeats, rhythms, melodies, or harmonic cycles), it’s also the fact that we love to […]
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We all have our favorite mics for recording specific instruments in the studio, but when it comes to miking them live, everything is out the window. Mostly that’s because mounting many mics can be a pain. While you can afford to spend time getting the placement just right in the studio, when it’s live everything is […]
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It’s always a treat to hear the isolated tracks from a hit, especially when they’re from the old days of extreme tape machine limitations. The Beatles “Day Tripper” is an excellent example of how great a recording could be with only 4 tracks as we listen to the isolated bass and drums from the song. Of course, the magic […]
Continue readingMusic publisher Greig Watts is the guest on this week’s Inner Circle Podcast, and his UK company DWB Songs has been very successful in Asia. We’ll discuss the differences in writing for that market, the challenges of getting paid and how he gets around it, writing in an EDM world, and the company’s very successful […]
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When it comes to percussion, we sometimes tend to lump it all in with drum recording technique. That’s far from how it should be approached though, as each different type of percussion needs a special technique in order to optimize the way it’s recorded. Here’s a great video where tablaist Sirish Kumar Manji shows you how to […]
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It’s surprising that so many monitors (speakers that is) are purchased just from a review or word of mouth, since they’re such a personal item. Here’s an excerpt from my Studio Builder’s Handbook (written with Dennis Moody) that covers some things to think about before you purchase your next set of speakers. “1) Don’t choose a monitor because […]
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As I said in my post yesterday, there were fewer audio software companies at AES than one might have expected. The reason is that many software companies are boutique operations with only a few employees, so taking time away from development and spending a lot of money on a show is a critical decision. When […]
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The AES Conference was in Los Angeles at the end of last week, and there was new gear everywhere. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much that you’d call “revolutionary” (which is the norm at gear shows these days), but there were a few things that caught my eyes and ears that I thought I’d share. The Show This […]
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Pamplamoose showed the world just how powerful some DIY YouTube videos could be, garnering millions of views that eventually landed the duo some national television commercials. Jack Conte, half of the duo, built on that success to form Patreon, a way for creators to make a living from their work through subscription payments from their […]
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There are so many guitar amps on the market these days that the choices are probably greater than any time in music history. In fact, just about every make and model from the past has been reproduced, and some of these designs have even been made better than before (if that’s possible). Since companies like Fender and […]
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I’m always amazed how musicians react to their headphones and cue mixes while recording. Some are extremely picky, needing everything to be as perfect as possible before performing, while others can make do with just about anything that closely resembles a mix and a working headphone or two. Rob Tavaglione recently wrote a nice piece at ProSoundNetwork […]
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If you’ve been a Pro Tools user for any length of time, then you know that sometimes the upgrades don’t have a lot to show in terms of user improvements. You’ll be glad to know that in the latest version, Pro Tools 12.6, there are some features that many users may find useful. Here are a few of the […]
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