You are currently browsing the monthly archive for March, 2007.
Most often, we use compressors to tame the dynamics of a recording. Like all recording tools, though, compressors have less-obvious uses for shaping sound. A compressor raises the level of quieter elements in a signal. This tends to “fatten” the recorded sound, which can add a lot of character, especially on drums and vocals. However, […]
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Unless they have cheap wireless internet on the cruise ship, it’ll probably be quiet around here for the rest of the week …
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For those of us on a budget, “cheap” ribbon mics (referenced in the last post) make for a great introduction to recording with ribbons. Most of the cheaper ribbon mics are manufactured in China. Among the most popular: Apex, Shiny Box, and Nady. I have a pair of Apex 210s that make great drum “underheads” […]
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The cheap ribbon mic thread on Gearslutz features recorded samples from a few of the different “cheap” ribbon mics that have appeared recently: There are three main things that make a ribbon mic sound good or bad – The ribbon motor – The housing – The transformer With a cheap ribbon, you can easily alter […]
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Some weeks, I can’t get enough Bob Lefsetz. Here are his thoughts on why CD sales are tanking, and what we should do about it: 4. Embrace The Indie Stores – They survive, they’re loyal. Boost them because that’s where acts develop. I think the CD is dying a quick death, but until it does, […]
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Mixing always takes longer than you expect: We lose track of time when we’re enjoying ourselves. So allow for this, and give yourself lots of time to record and mix. For example, don’t put aside a single day and plan on recording and mixing four or five songs. Instead, set more realistic goals, and you’ll […]
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This interview with Chris Lord-Alge is short, but packed with tips on recording electric guitar and bass. you’re going to get a better sound recording electric guitars on analog than digital. If you’re going digital, you may want to use a bit more compression than normal, maybe dial more low-end because digital is like a […]
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For indie artists and producers serious about marketing their music in the coming decade, Bob Lefsetz has another great rant about the impending collapse of the major labels: unless you make mainstream pop or hip-hop music, WHY BOTHER WITH A MAJOR LABEL? They’re not interested in artist development. Hell, EMI won’t EXIST by time you […]
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The Top Ten Tips for Sonic Excellence features an interview with mastering engineer Art Sayecki. Art offers advice, from a professional’s perspective, for indie artists looking to improve their own mixing and engineering skills: Keep your mixes balanced and not too bright or too bassy. Shoot for soft highs and tight basses. Don’t try to […]
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Some quick recording links for a Friday night: What the Experts Say About Recording. 3 pros discuss some of their studio techniques. On recording vocals: “It’s a big mistake letting the singer record their own vocals. They’re not the best judge of their own voice. They’ll think they sound bad, when everyone else is saying, […]
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Here’s a collection of web forum topics related to recording drums. Many of the tips apply to mixing, however, and you’ll find them useful even if you’re working with a drum machine or drum samples. First, some drum recording suggestions from ProSound: here are some of the few really useful things I can tell you: […]
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These two videos (15 minutes in total) are excerpted from a fascinating documentary about the recording studios in London during the 1960s, including Decca and Abbey Road. Most of us take multi-track recording for granted. But as noted in the video, until the early 1960’s “musicians had to be note perfect” once the tape rolled. […]
Read the full post ...Is the FCC’s Radio Payola Settlement Really a Watershed Moment for Independent Music? While it’s nice lip service from the FCC to request that radio stations program playlists based on “merit,†the reality is that program directors have to make money. And they make money by playing what’s familiar. They’ll sacrifice some low-rated hours to […]
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I advocate checking a reference CD while you mix, to keep your ears honest. The concept works for more than just balancing your final mix, however. Along with my collection of reference CDs, I have a small collection of drum breaks and instrumental sections that I’ve lifted from songs with great drum tones. While I […]
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Most great recordings start long before the tape rolls. Better sources lead to better recordings: It should go without saying, but the “garbage in garbage out” principle applies to recording as much as anything. If the performance you’re recording sounds bad to your ear, there’s not much chance it’ll sound good to a microphone. So […]
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William Whittman (who produced and engineered the track) discusses the recording of Cyndi Laupers’ Time After Time: IN the mix I took the shaker (I just realised we always CALLED it a shaker, but actually it’s the Linn Cabasa), through an Eventide Flanger to make it dance around in stereo a bit and get it […]
Read the full post ...Hometracked’s most-visited pages in February: Great FREE vocal plugin chain 10 hallmarks of amateur recordings The RIAA is not evil Use Tape saturation for better mixes
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