Static-X’s “Push It”: Inside the Song with Ulrich Wild
The Pros of Earning a Sound Engineering Degree
There are a lot of perspectives and opinions on whether going to college for audio engineering is worth it. One of the biggest arguments against working on a sound engineering degree is that it’s really no substitute for real-world experience…
Foo Fighters – The Colour and the Shape: Inside The Mix with Chris Sheldon
Chris Sheldon is a producer and mixing engineer who’s done amazing work with a number of artists including Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro, Feeder, Twin Atlantic, Therapy?, Bloc Party, and Skunk Anansie to name a few. He started in the music…
Recovering the Satellites – Counting Crows: Inside the Album
I recently sat down with my good friend Bradley Cook and had a rather wonderful chat! A couple weeks ago, we talked about his time engineering Foo Fighters’ “Everlong.” This time around we got to talk about his work on…
The World Famous Hansa Studios in Berlin (Studio Tour)
Rediscovering the 1970’s Resynator Synthesizer
Jane’s Addiction – “Been Caught Stealing” Inside the Song w/ Dave Jerden
Brian May’s Legendary Red Special – Then and Now
Danny ‘Kootch’ Kortchmar: Legendary Guitarist & Producer
Foo Fighters’ “My Hero”: Inside the Song with Bradley Cook
Marilyn Manson’s “The Dope Show”: Inside the Song with Michael Beinhorn
From Lyrics to Mixdown: How to Record a Song
As producers, engineers, and songwriters, we sometimes struggle to transpose the sounds and ideas in our heads to “tape.” We may have all the tools at our disposal to make great music—quality instruments, microphones, all the fixings of a home…
Inside the Song: “Never Say Never” – The Fray with Warren Huart
Recording Drums at Sunset Sound Studio 1
Tom Petty’s “Don’t Do Me Like That”: Inside the Song w/ Shelly Yakus
I recently sat down with my dear friend and mentor Shelly Yakus to talk about his experience recording some of the most iconic songs of all time. A couple weeks back we visited the multitrack from Blue Oyster Cult’s “(Don’t…
Do You Need an Audio Engineering Degree?
Let’s dive straight in. Do you need an audio engineering degree to become an engineer? No. Traditionally, great engineers have learned by doing—starting as an intern in a studio and being mentored by peers to develop their skills. The professional…
How to Start a Band in a Few Simple Steps
Being in a band is one of the most rewarding experiences we can have as musicians. Collaboration opens your songwriting up to new possibilities from other people’s input. You get to step outside of your own head and create a…
The Fray’s “You Found Me”: Inside the Song with Warren Huart
Andrew Scheps: GRAMMY-Winning, Multi-Platinum Engineer/Producer
Alice In Chains’ “Man in the Box”: Inside the Song with Dave Jerden
Ariel Chobaz: Multi-Platinum Hip Hop/Pop Engineer
Ariel Chobaz is a GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum engineer and mixer with handfuls of Billboard #1s under his belt. He mixed a record-breaking number of singles charted by a female rap album with Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday. He and Minaj also set the record for…
Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun”: Inside the Song with Michael Beinhorn
Michael Beinhorn: Multi-Platinum Producer, from Herbie Hancock to Soundgarden
Like so many of the fantastic producers, engineers, and musicians we have the opportunity to talk to, Michael Beinhorn‘s career has been absolutely incredible. A lifelong artist, Michael started first as an illustrator, then a musician, before finally becoming an…
Blue Oyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”: Inside the Song with Shelly Yakus
I recently sat down with my dear friend Shelly Yakus to talk about his experience recording one of the most iconic guitar riffs of all time! Shelly has had a phenomenal career. Not only is he a renowned producer and…
Ed Cherney: GRAMMY & TEC Award-Winning Producer/Engineer
Audio Gain, Volume, & Gain Staging
Many of us have wondered if there’s a technical difference between audio gain and volume. The answer is “yes,” even though the terms sometimes seem to be used interchangeably. The most important distinction between gain and volume is how, or…
Shelly Yakus: One of the Greatest Engineers of All Time
Shelly Yakus has had a phenomenal career. Not only is he a renowned producer and recording/mixing engineer, but he’s also heavily involved with modern recording tech as co-founder/chief engineer of AfterMaster Audio Labs. Shelly is considered by his peers to…
Mixing Vocals: Techniques for a More Exciting Performance
Since vocals are the first thing listeners tend to hone in on, they need to sound their absolute best. The overall sound you’re going for will vary from genre to genre, but the importance of a great sounding vocal is…
Home Studio Ideas: Essential Equipment & Considerations
For aspiring musicians, engineers, and producers, the home studio space is a prerequisite. It’s where you’ll spend countless hours writing songs, recording, mixing, and tinkering! Today, the home recording set-up doesn’t have to cost a fortune—there are many affordable ways…
A Great Vocal Compressor Can Change How You Mix
Vocals are the “face” of a song. They’re right out in front and the first thing listeners gravitate toward and identify with. Whether you’re mixing a massive pop vocal or a straight-forward rock singer, you’ll want to spend a solid…
Carl Tatz: Award-Winning Studio Designer and Producer
David Gnozzi of MixbusTV: Platinum Engineer & Audio Educator
Tom Holkenborg, aka Junkie XL: Multi-Platinum Producer & Film Composer
The Best Tips for Using Reference Tracks
Trying to match the intensity and sonic quality of a commercial release is no easy task. It’s incredibly challenging, whether you’re an experienced professional or trying to mix for the first time. Using reference tracks is an essential technique when…
Adam Ayan: Mastering Paul McCartney, Katy Perry…
Adam Ayan is a GRAMMY-, 5x Latin GRAMMY-, and TEC Award-winning mastering engineer who works out of Bob Ludwig’s Gateway Mastering in Portland, Maine. Adam graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell’s Sound Recording Technology program in 1997 before starting…
Bob Ludwig: The Mastering Engineer’s Mastering Engineer
Eric Boulanger: World Class Mastering Engineer
Joe Napolitano: Songwriter, Producer, & Engineer
Bradley Cook: Recording Engineer (Foo Fighters, QOTSA)
Sidechain Compression Techniques for Better Mixes
Sidechain compression is a very common, but often considered “advanced,” mixing technique. If you’ve made it this far to be curious about it, you’re probably pretty familiar with how compressors generally work. If not, there’s always time for a quick…
How to Tune Vocals
Vocal tuning can really be as simple or as complex as you’d like it to be. Real-time pitch correction with plugins like Auto-Tune or Waves Real-Time is very effective, especially when working with a solid vocalist. In these instances, you…
What is Vocal Tuning?
It’s no secret that vocalists sometimes need a little assistance to hit the perfect pitch. Even the most talented singers can sometimes hover, sharp or flat, around the note they’re trying to sing. An engineer might also have an otherwise…
Michael Romanowski: Grammy-Nominated Mastering Engineer
Al Schmitt: The Most Successful Engineer of All Time
Al Schmitt is a recording engineer and and producer. At 88 years old, with a career spanning 7 decades, Schmitt has won 23 Grammy Awards and recorded/produced over 150 gold and platinum albums. Needless to say, he is the most…
Tricks and Tips to Compress Vocals
Learning to mix an up-front, exciting vocal doesn’t happen overnight. Arguably the most important aspect of a song, a great sounding, competitive vocal has the power to stand out from the pack. But how do we even get there? Knowing…
Creative Techniques for Mixing Vocals
Vocals are one of the most important elements in a song, regardless of genre. It’s safe to say that how you approach mixing vocals can make or break your track. Have you ever heard a hit record, or even just…
Mixing Music: Understanding the Basics
Mixing music requires both technical ability and the creativity to try things that would make a song compelling and interesting to listeners. Mix engineers firstly possess the technical knowledge of audio signal flow, DAW and/or console operation, and how to…
Recording Vocals in Your Home Studio
From a logistics standpoint, recording vocals in your home studio seems like one of the easiest things to do. It’s a single microphone, and an artist and engineer can simply track with headphones, together in the same room, with no…
Music Marketing Tips: How to Have Your Music Heard
The music business in the 21st century is a double-edged sword. On one hand, the web and digital recording have allowed anyone to record and post their music online for immediate consumption. This is an amazing leap from the days when music had…
Chatting with Peter Freestone: Freddie Mercury’s Friend & Assistant
I’m very excited about today’s interview. I feel very blessed to be talking with Mr. Peter Freestone, who was Freddie Mercury‘s personal assistant for about 12 years! As you know I’m a HUGE Queen fan- they’re one of the reasons why…