ASMR is one of the most popular, if not slightly unusual, entertainment trends of the last several years. ASMR creators attempt to trigger the listener’s “autonomous sensory meridian response”—a tingling sensation that begins at the scalp and moves down through…
Gear
![Who Makes the Best Guitar Stands? [Top 10 for All Budgets]](https://producelikeapro.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Who-Makes-the-Best-Guitar-Stands-Top-10-for-All-Budgets-908x606.jpg)
Who Makes the Best Guitar Stands? [Top 10 for All Budgets]
You may be wondering, “who makes the best guitar stands?” Below are 10 of our top favorites to keep your guitars safe and secure! Keeping Your Space Organized and Functional Is Key We talk about workflow and efficiency in the…
The 6 Best Shure Microphones for Your Home Studio
Shure microphones have a wonderful reputation in the recording industry as some of the best, most reliable, and most affordable mics around. Shure started as a one-man radio company back in 1925, and by the early 1930s were one of…
Audio-Technica AT2020 vs AT2035: Which Mic Is Better?
Audio-Technica has a long standing history as one of the most trusted sources for consumer and professional audio equipment. From turntables and cartridges to headphones and microphones, A-T’s product range is as diverse as it is high-quality. For those looking…
Types of Audio Compressors and Their Uses
There are 5 primary types of audio compressors from the analogue world that software emulates. Different hardware makes use of certain internal components and designs for various styles of compression. If you’ve only ever used plugins, you’d be totally forgiven…
Sausage Fattener | All-In-One Saturation/Dynamics Plugin
Production duo Dada Life teamed up with Tailored Noise to release Sausage Fattener 10 years ago. Over time it’s become a cult classic in the plugin world, known both for its performance as well as its humorous name and interface. Don’t…
Soundtoys Decapitator | Grade-A Saturation
Soundtoys Decapitator is one of the most popular saturation plugins on the market. It gives mixers plenty of variety and control in an easy-to-use package. It can do everything from giving an instrument a bit of analogue character to ‘punishing’…
Softube Saturation Knob | Free Plugins
Softube Saturation Knob has been around for a long time, but that doesn’t make it any less great than it was when it first came out. This plugin from Softube is easy to use, sounds great, and best of all,…
Monitor Isolation Pads | Home Studio Accessories
Monitor isolation pads are a small but important addition to any home studio arrangement. In this article we’ll look at what they are, whether they’re 100% necessary, and how you might make some of your own! What are monitor isolation…
Sonnox Inflator Review: Loudness without Compromise
The Sonnox Inflator plugin has been around for almost two decades. It’s sort of a mysterious desert island tool for many engineers, somewhere in between a compressor and a limiter. The Inflator is able to increase perceived loudness, and it…
Squarp Pyramid Review: 64-Track Sequencer
The Squarp Pyramid Mk3 sequencer is considered ‘the perfect brain for your musical setup, from studio to stage.’ It combines a powerful 64-track sequencer, a looper, a rhythm generator, a real-time effects processor, a MIDI controller, and an I/O interface.…
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 7 Best Electronic Drum Sets for Your Home Studio [2022 Guide]](https://producelikeapro.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/The-7-Best-Electronic-Drum-Sets-for-Your-Home-Studio-2022-Guide-909x606.jpg)
The 7 Best Electronic Drum Sets for Your Home Studio [2023 Guide]
There was once a time when an electronic drum set sounded and felt nothing like the real thing. The earliest electric drums, like the Pollard Syndrum, didn’t simulate acoustic kits at all. They could create a variety of different sounds,…
The 15 Best Analog Summing Mixers for Your Studio in 2023
A summing mixer is a very interesting, if not often overlooked or misunderstood, piece of gear. Like most pieces of hardware, summing mixers vary in mileage; some have no more than a few knobs, while others have a slew of…
Which Free Autotune Plugin Really Works? (Our Top 9 Picks)
Antares Audio Technologies introduced their proprietary Auto-Tune software in 1997. The purpose was to correct off-key pitches in real-time for perfectly tuned vocals or instruments. Autotune is a colloquial term now, frequently understood by artists as a catch-all for heavily…
Cytomic The Glue: Best SSL Bus Compressors?
Cytomic The Glue is an affordable SSL-style bus compressor plugin. The plugins gets its name from the SSL hardware’s famous ability to ‘glue’ mixes together. Even though there are tons of SSL bus compression plugins on the market, Cytomic makes…
Kaotica Eyeball Review: Is It Worth It?
The Kaotica Eyeball is a microphone isolation ball with an integrated pop filter. It’s a big foam sphere you slide over the microphone capsule to protect it from reflections. The Eyeball intends to keep untreated room sound out of your…
In Ear Monitors vs Earbuds – What’s the Difference?
Technology moves fast these days. Everyone has a personal listening device in their pocket, and with those come a slew of choices for how to get that sound to your ears. IEM (short for in-ear monitors) vs earbuds appear fairly…
What is Spring Reverb?
Spring reverb is an early form of synthetic reverb. Similar in principle to plate, spring reverb uses a coiled up piece of metal instead of a flat sheet. What is Spring Reverb? A spring system has a transducer at one…
SPL Transient Designer | Level-Independent Dynamic Control
When it debuted at the Frankfurt Prolight + Sound Fair in 1998, the SPL Transient Designer was mysterious new technology. Everyone who visited the SPL booth had the same question: is it a compressor, or is it a noise gate?…
PreSonus FaderPort: Does Your DAW Need One?
The PreSonus FaderPort gives users tactile control over features in their DAW. With transport buttons and a single fader, it’s main use is for writing automation in a hands-on way. Control surfaces like these bridge some of the gaps between…
Slate Trigger: Industry Standard Drum Replacement
Drums are difficult to mix. Just the sheer number of mics creates unique challenges we don’t encounter with other instruments. This is probably why there are so many plugins dedicated to drum mixing; and Slate Trigger tops the list as…
SSL Fusion: The Vintage Drive You Need?
Founded in 1969, Solid State Logic is renowned as one of the finest manufacturers of high-end consoles and recording equipment in the world. In the ’80s, their famed 4000 E series console set the benchmark for recorded music, becoming a…
The 10 Best Fuzz Pedals to Add Serious Crunch to Your Sound
Keen to learn more about the best fuzz pedals to use for meatier riffage? Look no further than this guide to some of the most popular pedals out there. What Is Fuzz, & How Does It Differ from Distortion? Fuzz…
EZDrummer 2 vs Superior Drummer 3: Which Is Right for You?
Toontrack produces industry-leading virtual instruments and sample libraries, including two popular drum plugins: EZDrummer 2 and Superior Drummer 3. While both are powerful in their own right, they tend to serve different purposes depending on what you’re looking for in…
Vocaloid 5 Review: Virtual Singers in Your DAW
Vocaloid is a very unique type of voice synthesizer software. Initially not meant to be a full commercial product, research on its technology began in 2000. Yamaha then got involved during the development process, and the first version of Vocaloid came out in…
Aphex Aural Exciter | Breathing Life into Recordings
The Aphex Aural Exciter is one of the most recognized exciter effects. Its main job is to add a bit of top-end sheen to a signal while imparting some subtle harmonic distortion as well. Lots of engineers like it on…
Testing the Audient iD24 With a Cover of Kill Bill by SZA
The song "Kill Bill" by SZA has captivated audiences with its catchy sound and shocking lyrics. So we decided to do a cover of this song! The cover features a talented group of musicians including Clark Sims on bass, Bianca…
The 5 Best LEWITT Microphones for Your Studio
Founded by Roman Perschon in 2009, the Vienna-headquartered LEWITT Microphones is one of the fastest-growing companies in the market, on track to become the industry’s not-so-best-kept secret. The design philosophy and manufacturing techniques behind all their products challenge the legacy companies…
Dexed VST | Free Yamaha DX7 Plugin
Dexed VST by Digital Suburban is a free software emulation of the coveted Yamaha DX7. The first successful digital synthesizer ever, the DX7 changed the course of modern synthesis. Free VST Plugins: Dexed Dexed VST is a multi-platform, multi-format plugin…
Tyrell N6 Review: The Best Free Synth?
The Tyrell N6 is a free software synthesizer designed by u-he founder Urs Heckmann. A “compact, sporty synth,” Nexus 6 boasts a huge array of classic analogue sounds in a streamlined, intuitive interface. How the Tyrell N6 Was Born Tyrell…
Avid Pro Tools First | Free DAW Overview
Avid Pro Tools is the industry standard. It’s the platform for virtually every studio because it excels at tracking, editing, mixing, and production. Pro Tools First provides an introduction to the gold standard DAW without committing to a pricey monthly…
UA Console Application Explained
The UA Console application is the key to Apollo interfaces’ Realtime UAD Processing capabilities. It lets you insert and control UAD plugins, as well as route and monitor audio. UA Console: Recording Through Plugins Perhaps the main feature of UA’s…
The 12 Best UAD Plugins in 2023
Universal Audio has a decades-long reputation as one of the premier manufacturers of pro audio equipment. Bill Putnam started the company in 1958 and was a pioneer his entire life. Putnam designed many products under different companies throughout the course…
The 10 Best Small Tube Amp Options for Home Use in 2023
Being a guitar player sets you on a path of tone chasing — there’s no way around it! There are so many ways to tweak the sound of our instrument, from the guitar itself, to pickups, pedals, strings, plectrums, and…
The 8 Best AKG Headphones for Any Budget [2023 Guide]
So you’re looking for a new pair of headphones…you’ve come to the right place. Shopping around can be overwhelming with how many companies are making top-notch stuff. If you’ve narrowed your search to AKG headphones, this list should help you…
The 8 Best Synthesizer Apps For iOS Mobile 2023 [FREE & PAID]
Making music on the go has never been easier! We’ve already covered some of the best DAWs for iOS and Android, and now it’s time to take a look at best synthesizer apps to go along with them. Mobile synthesis…
Flux BitterSweet v3 | Free Transient Designer Plugin
The first transient designer came out in the late ’90s. It was a whole new concept that left lots of people wondering whether it was a compressor, or a noise gate, or something else entirely. The real answer is the…
The 10 Best Dynamic Microphones for Any Budget in 2023
Looking for the best dynamic microphone to fill out your recording arsenal? We’ve tracked down a number of them for various applications. What Is a Dynamic Microphone? Dynamic mics are a style of passive microphone that operate on the principle…
9 Best Open Back Headphones for Mixing 2023 [Any Budget]
Searching for the just the right pair of open headphones to mix on? We’ve done some digging and come up with the best open headphones ranging from $50 to $500 — there’s a pair for every budget! What Are Open…
PreSonus vs Focusrite Audio Interfaces 2023
An audio interface is one of the first things you’ll buy for your home studio. Typically two inputs are enough for the majority of home recordings, and there are tons of affordable entry-level interfaces. In terms of PreSonus vs Focusrite,…
11 Best Saturation VST Plugins Available 2023
Saturation is the secret weapon for adding some grit back to pristine digital recordings. Whether you just want to add a bit of body and richness to an instrument, or make it unrecognizable with blazing distortion, saturation is one of…
![The 6 Best Guitar Loop Pedals for Any Budget [2022 Guide]](https://producelikeapro.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/The-6-Best-Guitar-Loop-Pedals-for-Any-Budget-2022-Guide-909x606.jpg)
The 6 Best Guitar Loop Pedals for Any Budget [2023 Guide]
Many guitarists don’t considerate it, but a guitar loop pedal is one of the best upgrades for your board. From a creative standpoint, loop pedals can completely change the way you write and practice music. What Is a Loop Pedal?…
The 5 Best Studio Desks for Home Mixing [2023 Guide]
The studio desk is the centerpiece of your creative space. It should have everything you need at arm’s length to keep the inspiration flowing! Not only that, but it should be comfortable, fit your space, and keep your workflow neat…
![6 Best Studio Monitor Stands for Your Studio [2022 Guide]](https://producelikeapro.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/6-Best-Studio-Monitor-Stands-for-Your-Studio-2022-Guide-1006x606.jpg)
6 Best Studio Monitor Stands for Your Studio [2023 Guide]
Studio monitor stands can substantially improve your working environment. They’re not the most glamorous of upgrades in the grand scheme of things—considering all of the “fun” studio stuff we could buy—but speaker stands are an easy, effective way to make…
5 Best FREE VU Meter Plugins in 2023
Before people started working in-the-box, VU meters measured the average level of a signal. You’d see them on consoles and outboard gear for measuring input or output level as well as gain reduction on compressors. The default digital meter is…
Neumann TLM 102 vs Neumann TLM 103: Comparison
Neumann is synonymous with exceptional recording quality. Founded by Georg Neumann in Berlin, Germany in 1928, the company has been making the world’s preeminent microphones for decades. It all started with the CMV 3, or the ‘Neumann Bottle,’ which was…
Best Vocoder Plugins 2023: Fun Vocal Effects
A vocoder is an effect we’ve heard in music from the ’70s to the present day. It’s frequently described as the ‘robot voice’ heard in songs like “Intergalactic” by Beastie Boys. Like everything else, vocoders have gone software in the…
SurferEQ by Sound Radix | Adaptive Pitch-Tracking EQ
SurferEQ 2 by Sound Radix is a genuinely innovative equalizer plugin. It’s been around for a while now, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less impressive today than it was at release. Sound Radix incorporated real-time pitch-tracking technology to completely…
Black Box HG-2 Review | High-End Tube Saturation
The Black Box HG-2 is a hardware unit designed to add saturation, harmonics, natural compression, and increased RMS for mixing and mastering. In one tool, it accomplishes what would normally require multiple stages of processing. HG-2 exists as a highly detailed plugin…