Tag Archives for " Recording Engineers Handbook "
- in Book Excerpt , Production , Recording by Bobby Owsinski
11 Things To Think About When Recording Background Vocals
Recording background vocals is a distinctly different process from recording solo vocals because of how they will eventually fit in the mix. That requires a different technique for both recording and production in order to get the best result. Here are 11 background vocal-related points lifted from the 5th edition of my Recording Engineer’s Handbook […]
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Distorted Guitar Guitar Editing Made Easy
I don’t know about you but I’ve always found that it’s really difficult to do precise edits on a distorted electric guitar track. Here’s a great guitar recording tip that I got from Richard Chycki, engineer for Rush, Dream Theater, Aerosmith and many more that easily solves the problem. I liked it so much I’ve used […]
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What To Look For When Buying Your Next Direct Box
Direct 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 […]
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Producer/Engineer Mack On Getting Great Guitar Sounds
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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The “Can’t Seem To Get This Sound To Work” Tracking Checklist
Did you ever try to record something that just didn’t sound quite right no matter what you did? It’s a lot more common situation than you might think. While it’s easy to just try a bunch of random things, sometimes that makes you more confused than ever. That’s when it’s time to break out this […]
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11 Considerations When Recording Background Vocals
Recording background vocals is a distinctly different process from recording solo vocals because of how they will eventually fit in the mix. That requires a different technique for both recording and production in order to get the best result. Here are 11 background vocal-related points lifted from the 4th edition of my Recording Engineer’s Handbook […]
Continue reading- in Book Excerpt , Production , Recording by Bobby Owsinski
My Favorite Guitar Amp Miking Technique
There are about as many ways to mike an electric guitar amp cabinet as there are opinions on which music is the best, but there’s one that’s always been my favorite. The reason is that it provides a lot of versatility in sounds, something that we’re always looking for especially when guitars tracks are stacked. […]
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Troubleshoot Your Drum Sound With This Checklist
Like the foundation of a house, the drums are the foundation of a recording. When it’s strong, you can build almost anything on it that you or your clients can imagine. That said, sometimes you just can’t find the right drum sound and can’t figure out why. Here’s an excerpt from the 4th edition of my […]
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4 Ways To Tame Out-Of-Control Cymbal Volume
We’ve all been there. You’re either on stage or in the studio with a drummer that has no idea that his or her cymbals are way louder than the rest of the kit. Everything’s fine until you come to a tom fill or chorus when either the crash (the usual culprit) or the ride cymbal […]
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Get The Most Out Of Your Condenser Microphone
A condenser microphone can sometimes require some extra attention that other types of mics don’t need. Here are a number of tips from the 4th edition of my Recording Engineer’s Handbook that can not only prolong the life of your mic, but also keep its performance as high as the day it left the factory. […]
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8 Tips For Getting A Singer’s Best Vocal Performance
One of the hardest things to record can be a vocalist who is not comfortable with the studio conditions. Even a seasoned pro sometimes can’t do his or her best unless the conditions are just right. Consider some of these suggestions culled from the 4th edition of my Recording Engineer’s Handbook before and during a […]
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5 Condenser Microphone Fallacies That Will Make You Think Differently About Them
Condenser microphones are fraught with fallacies that often lead to misuse and poor results thanks to unreasonable expectations. This excerpt from the 4th edition of my Recording Engineer’s Handbook looks at 5 popular misconceptions about condenser microphones, along with why the real reason might not be what you think. 1. A large-diaphragm condenser has more low […]
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10 Tips For A Better Electric Guitar Recording
There’s so much to more to getting a great electric guitar sound that goes beyond just slapping a miking in front of an amplifier speaker. These 10 tips from the 4th edition of my Recording Engineer’s Handbook will help take that guitar sound to the next level in the majority of situations that you’ll run […]
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Checking Drum Phase By Using Your Ears
The chances for a phase problem are far greater on the drum kit than in almost any other band-level situation because it usually has more mics on it than any other instrument. That said, there is a simple technique for checking for a problem as outlined in this excerpt from the 4th edition of my […]
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Drum Tuning Techniques Every Engineer Should Know
There’s no doubt that getting a drum sound is the number one priority for any recording that has a drummer. Sometimes you luck out and the drums sound great by just putting the mics in front of them, but other times they require more care in order to make them sound the way you want. […]
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