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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Before the digital delay there was the tape echo machine and it was cheap enough that every band (and in some cases guitar players) had one. The problem was that most of the models available at the time weren’t exactly “studio-ready,” so they rarely made it into the average studio in the U.S. Then came the […]
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Dynamic processors are all the rage these days as well they should be. It’s a new approach to an old problem with a lot more control. Most dynamic processors are quite flexible and can be used on just about any kind of track, but the new Oeksound Soothe has a primary purpose, and that’s to […]
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Shawn Milke’s band Alesana had been touring almost non-stop since 2004 when he decided to tap the brakes and get off the road for a bit. This resulted in the creation of Revival Recordings, which lives by the inspirational mantra “Good Music By Good People.” Now with distribution through Artery/Sony Red, the label continues to […]
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We’ve just about scrapped the bottom of The Beatles barrel, with almost everything recorded in any way shape or form released already. There is one more piece though that should blow the mind of any Beatle fan. Here’s a series of demos where a familiar song has a different voice of the wrong Beatle. In […]
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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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Another great pioneer in the music world has left the building. If you’ve ever owned a Roland or Boss piece of gear (and I’d go as far as to say that’s everyone), then you’ll be saddened to know that the founder of those fine companies, Ikutaro Kakehashi, has passed. He was 87 years old. Kakehashi […]
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If you’ve ever played a gig in the club then you’ve had an experience where you’re given a microphone to sing into that smells bad enough to make you gag. Even if you use your own mic, it’s accumulating odors and bacteria that build up over time, so eventually you encounter “stinky mic syndrome.” I […]
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Unless you live in a big media center like NY, LA or Nashville (or any big city for that matter), most artists and songwriters probably don’t have access to the caliber of musicians needed to really make their tracks as good as they can be. A company called Custom Tracks is trying to change that […]
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Just when you thought the world’s most prestigious recording studio couldn’t get any cooler, Abbey Road goes and launches not one, but two new recording spaces in the famous facility. The Gatehouse and The Front Room are aimed to be more affordable aimed at artists with budgets that can’t yet afford to work in one of the larger […]
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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. […]
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There’s no question that vinyl is back with a bang, and as a result, so is the turntable business. In fact, most turntable manufacturers both big and small have experienced double digit sales growth in the last few years, a trend that looks like it won’t be stopping anytime soon. But what exactly goes into […]
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Most processor plugins these days fall into roughly the same categories (EQ, compression, effects, denoise and utilities), so when a plugin comes along that starts a new category it’s big news. The plugin I’m talking about is the the Eventide Fission, which uses what the company calls its new Structural Effects (that would be the name of […]
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“Don’t Stop Believin’” is one of those classic rock songs that keeps on going and refuses to fade away. You hear it at sporting events, on television and movies, and on the radio even after 35+ years since it was recorded. Journey had a lot of success at its peak, but this may be song […]
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I’m a purist when it comes to guitar pedals I must admit. Back when I was a serious player, my guitar rig devolved from one with the typical half-dozen+ pedals to none, as my sound came the “classic” way from just the guitar and amp (and sounded great, by the way). The same with the […]
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