What are the best reference tracks for indie/alternative bands? | FAQ Friday
From Writing Letters to Studios to Writing Hit Songs | Interview with Gary Go
A complete transcription of the interview can be found below: Warren Huart: Hi everybody, hope you’re doing marvelously well. Sitting here with Gary Go. How are you? Gary Go: Good, thank you, Warren. Good to see you. Warren Huart: Good to…
IK Multimedia Brings the Magic of Sunset Sound to Your DAW
8 Tips for Amazing Low End!
Stem Mastering Explained
If you’ve heard “stem mastering” mentioned in recent years, you’re not alone if you’re wondering what the heck it means! We’ll take a quick look at the “regular” mastering process and how stem mastering differs from it. Let’s refresh. What…
6 Reverb Tips for Clean and Creative Mixes
Learning how to use reverb is an essential mixing skill. Time-based effects have the ability to add dimension to your mix, and give instruments their own sonic space. Reverb is often used to push mix elements further back, but it…
Does tinnitus affect your mixes? | FAQ Friday
An Acoustic Approach to Electronic Music | Interview with Neon Vines
Neon Vines is an Austin-based electronic musician with an acoustic background in classical piano, drum line, and marimba. She attributes many of the techniques she developed as a marimba player to the skills she uses to produce music today. A…
Building a career in music – From small clubs to national tours | Interview & Studio Tour w/ Rodger Carter
Rodger Carter is one of the rare Los Angeles natives working full-time in the music industry. He began his life in professional music by playing club shows on the Sunset Strip at just 14-years-old. A drummer by trade, steady studio…
Mix Bus Compression Tips for Better Mixes Today
Every professional mix/master you’ve heard has benefitted from a splash of bus compression. It adds what we call “glue” to a mix by smoothing out the overall dynamic range of the material. Done well, mix bus compression can take your…
The Different Kinds of Microphones and Their Applications
The more you get into the recording craft, the more you’ll start to recognize different types of microphones and their uses. There’s a huge world of mics out there, but knowing the major types will help you determine what to…
How can you make your mix stand out? | FAQ Friday
Black Sabbath’s Genre-Defining Debut Was Released 50 Years Ago Today
Friday, February 13th, 1970 is inarguably one of the most important dates in music history. On the eve of Saint Valentine’s 50 years ago, Black Sabbath released their earth shattering self-titled debut album. It’s not hyperbolic to say that the…
Kali WS-12 Project Watts Subwoofer | Demo & Giveaway
Our Top 10 Guitar Riffs of All Time feat. Quist
Pro De-Esser Tips for Better Sounding Vocals
Sibilance is what we call the hissing noise made by “ess” and “shh” sounds in the voice. We typically don’t notice it in conversation, but it can get really harsh on a recorded vocal! Naturally, the digital audio world came…
Kick Drum: Killer Tips for the Best Sounding Low End
The kick drum is one of the most important elements of any mix. Together with bass, it forms the backbone of a song and establishes the groove which grabs listeners’ attention. It’s a challenge to get the kick sounding its…
What acoustic guitars would you recommend for a pop/rock mix? | FAQ Friday
From Humble Home Studio to Massive Audio Career with Colin Liebich | Interview & Studio Tour
Colin Liebich: … and I was walking down the hallway and the manager said, “Hey, I’m talking to you,” and I said, “I know. It’s ridiculous.” I literally said that. I was just done with work and I knew it…
Award Winning Storytelling through Sound & Score | Interview with Lars Deutsch
Warren Huart: Hello everybody. Hope you’re doing marvelously well. I’m sitting here with Lars Deutsch. How are ya? Lars Deutsch: Nice. How are you? Warren Huart: I’m marvelous, and we’re just talking about a second ago, this is Magic Corridor…
Vocal EQ Tips for Beginning Mixers
Vocal EQ is one of the ways we get a recorded performance from “dry” to “radio-ready.” It has a huge influence on the overall quality of a vocal, and even just simple moves like filtering can change the sound completely.…
How to Use Parallel Compression
Parallel compression, also called New York compression, is a form of upward dynamic control. An instrument’s dynamic range is reduced not by squashing the peaks, but by bringing up the quietest parts in the material, adding greater detail and excitement…