Chord Progressions: Finding Chords That Go Together

Even though we only have 12 notes, there are hundreds of possible chord progressions. This can be overwhelming, especially when we’re not yet comfortable finding chords that go together right away. Luckily, the majority of progressions tend to follow established…

Gain Staging for Modern Recording

A gain stage is any point in the audio signal path where we can adjust the overall level of a track. For instance, this could be with a fader or with the output controls of plugins like compressors and EQs.…

RE20 vs SM7B: Battle of the Broadcast Mics

Today we’re looking at two competitors, the RE20 vs SM7B. Both are celebrated mics, often used similarly for radio, podcast, and voiceover. That’s not all they can handle, though, with the RE20 becoming a a favorite on low-end instruments like…

The 16 Best Piano VST Plugins in 2023 [Free & Paid]

Looking to add some indelible magic to your productions that nothing but a piano can provide? Well, we compiled a “best piano VST” shortlist that’s still ten entries strong. Take your pick of the best free and paid piano VST…

Understanding the Difference Between Gain and Volume

Many of us have wondered, what is the difference between gain vs. volume. Even though the terms sometimes seem to be used interchangeably, there are some fundamental difference. The most important distinction between gain and volume is how, or more…

Everything You Should Know About Booking Studio Time

Booking studio time isn’t the most complicated thing in the world, but there are lots of details that both clients and sometimes studios miss the mark on all the time. As an artist, you’ll need to answer several questions for…

The Ultimate List of Free Pro Tools Plugins 2023

If you’re looking for third-party plugins to expand your growing collection, look no further than The Ultimate List of Free Pro Tools plugins. Whether you need a Pultec-style EQ or a trigger gate for electronic music stutter effects, this list…

Digital Audio Basics: Aliasing Explained

If you record audio using too low a sample rate, a kind of sampling error called aliasing can occur. With regards to audio, aliasing is defined as the misidentification of a signal frequency, which can introduce distortion or other artifacts…

The Ultimate Channel Strip? – Rupert Neve Designs Newton Channel
Today we review the BRAND NEW Rupert Neve Designs Newton Channel, a powerful modern channel strip born from a legendary sonic lineage. Its intuitive design provides classic sound on demand, with all the instantly-recognizable character, musical tone-shaping abilities, and proven…
The 6 Best Budget Synthesizer Options for Your Home Studio [2023 Guide]

A quality budget synthesizer can be one of the best ways to inject inspiration into your productions. With a host of brand-new sounds at your fingertips, you can start experimenting with new approaches to composition and arrangement. Synthesizers are amazing…

The 20 Best Guitar Impulse Responses in 2023 [Free and Paid]

Collecting impulse responses isn’t necessarily new tech. But it is becoming increasingly popular for capturing the sound of a unique speaker cabinet, microphone, and room for guitar. Beyond your amp settings, there’s a whole lot more that affects your recorded…

Fender Santa Ana Overdrive Pedal Review

Every guitarist deserves an inspiring overdrive pedal to push their tones into new territory. Whether you just want to boost a solo or push an amp into gritty distortion, overdrive is a mainstay effect that everyone should have. The Fender…

The 10 Best Mixing Plugins in 2023 (Free & Paid)

Mixing is one of the most satisfying parts of music production. It’s so much fun polishing raw recordings, adding creative effects, and putting the finishing touches on a song for listeners. There are literally thousands of plugins out there that…

Flanger vs. Phaser: What’s the Difference?

Two of the most common modulation effects are flanger vs. phaser. We’ve heard both all over various recordings, and they do have a similar sound. This lends itself to some confusion, but if you know the subtle differences between each,…