You are currently browsing the monthly archive for January, 2008.
This tip arises in most discussions of good equalizer technique: “Use narrow adjustments when cutting frequencies, and wide adjustments when boosting.” There are some great reasons to heed this advice. But they’re not immediately obvious, especially if you’re unfamiliar or uncomfortable with parametric EQs, and they’re rarely fully explained. I’ll explain and demonstrate below, and […]
Read the full post ...Tags: EQ
A few Homerecording.com regulars debate the merits of dithering. The conversation could easily have devolved into a flame war, but the participants kept it civil, and offered some great food for thought. Some engineers even argue over which type of dither is best, claiming this algorithm is more airy sounding that that one, and so […]
Read the full post ...Tags: arrangement, hearing, myths, vocals
I keep a collection of audio samples designed to help check my monitor setup. Test tones, essentially, that I use after I’ve moved my speakers or desk, to ensure the speakers still behave as they should. I’ve included 4 of the samples below, and I hope you find them useful – and possibly enlightening. Each […]
Read the full post ...Over time, I’ve noted several questions that arise repeatedly on the web’s home recording forums. Each question reads as though it should have a simple answer, but none of them do. And indeed, the questions themselves betray their askers’ lack of experience with the subject. In effect, posing one of these questions tells the world […]
Read the full post ...Tags: EQ, FAQs, microphones, miking, mixing, professional-engineers
As a songwriter I’m (far too) familiar with writer’s block, and when my creative energy wanes, I’m not above using outside help to keep fresh ideas flowing. In particular, I own and love Naomi Epel’s Observation Deck. If I sense a creative lull creeping on, I pull out a card and ponder its message (for […]
Read the full post ...Tags: inspiration, mixing
For most home recordists, working with cheap microphones is a fact of life. “Amateur” and “budget-constrained” are practically synonymous in audio engineering. But cheap doesn’t have to mean bad. With a little effort, even the most cost-conscious mic owner can capture great sounds. To that end, here are 7 tips for getting the most from […]
Read the full post ...Tags: EQ, microphones, miking
