There comes a time when someone walks into your studio or venue carrying an instrument that you haven’t recorded before. In this scenario, let’s say that the instrument is a melodica. The melodica is becoming a popular instrument, much like the ukulele has over the past decade or so. This is in part due to …
When it comes to microphone placement for voiceovers, some very important factors to consider are the following: proximity, polar pattern, and dynamics. Just want a quick answer on where to place the mic for voiceovers? For most mics, you’ll want to place the mic around 6 to 8 inches away from your mouth in order …
The Akai MPX8 is one of the more famous sampling boards on the market today. Released in 2013, it’s definitely not the oldest sampler on the market (or even close) but it’s still been able to make a name for itself. However, it’s not always the best name and the biggest complaints are usually related …
When you’re dealing with a vocal track, you ideally want the vocals and nothing else present on the track. In some recording circumstances, you cannot help but record alongside other instruments, which will introduce bleed into your vocal track. This is an especially big problem when it comes to drums which can bleed on both …
How to Remove Drum Bleed from a Vocal Track/Microphone Read More »
Slap delay (also known as “Slapback”) is a very simple, but extremely efficient audio effect to add depth to your vocals. Even though this effect has been around since the 50s and is mostly associated with Elvis, blues, and rockabilly sounds, it can add fullness and depth to vocals in just about any genre. But …
How To Mix Slapback Delay For Vocals For A Full Sound Read More »
Let’s assume we have a nasty 808 Sub-Bass the music industry has grown to love. Let’s note first what a compressor actually does. A compressor essentially creates an average output signal of sound. It takes the lowest, softest point of the waveform, and the highest, loudest point of the waveform to create somewhat of an …
Let’s assume your pianist is a seasoned pro, or you’re a programming wizard. Our piano keys and chords primarily sit on the 5th and 6th octave, but can decrease to the 2nd and 3rd much bass-ier octaves, and/or go as high as the 7th octave. I know we’re talking about equalizing vocals with piano, but …
When it comes to pedals and guitars, it’s usually the electric guitar that gets all the attention rather than the acoustic. And I think a lot of acoustic guitar players are missing out as a result. Sure, most acoustic players know that adding reverb where it’s needed can drastically improve your sound but the basic …
It is a dream for a lot of audio engineers to be able to make a full time living freelancing. While many engineers have the technical skills to mix and master audio, that is usually not the issue keeping them from running a successful freelancing business. What holds most engineers back is their fear of …
How to Become & Succeed as a Freelance Audio Engineer Read More »
You’ve just finished in the studio, you’ve perfected your song as much as you can, and now it’s time to hand it over to the mixing and mastering engineers. But what exactly are they going to do with it, and are they even necessary? Mixing and Mastering are two different and distinct editing tools that …
Mixing vs Mastering: What Are They And Why Are They Important? Read More »
