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Delay & Echo: A Guide to Using Time-Based Audio Effects
Everyone loves delay. One of the first effects pedals a guitarist goes after is a delay. The first thing a kid does on his family trip to the Grand Canyon is scream "Hello?" and wait for the response to come bounding back. Delays and echoes are not only pleasurable but they're a great way to introduce complexity and a sense of fullness to a keyboard […]
How Do I Keep My Apartment Neighbor From Hearing My Subwoofer?
Ah, the classic concern of good music-loving neighbors everywhere: "Can I use a subwoofer in my apartment without getting a noise complaint from my neighbors?" The fact that you're asking this first before you just start bumping the bass is fantastic, because it means you have a chance to be proactive about it. If you live in an apartment, condominium, townhouse, duplex, or any other […]
Eminem Gets Pissy if You Claim Nothing Rhymes With "Orange"
Will the real Slim shady please continue to defy the laws of the English language? There's a common belief that you can't rhyme anything with the word orange. It's one of those old wive's tales that isn't technically true, but it's fun to stump kids with. Many writers over the years have scratched their heads trying to figure it out, mostly just making up words […]
Miking Your Acoustic Guitar Like a Pro: Placement & Techniques
Acoustic guitar has a variety of voicings, from the instrument itself as well as how it’s played. It can be full-range, evocative, and expressive. Driving rhythms can also explode with surprising power. The softest whispers of delicate strings can frame quiet, emotional vocals. The voice your guitar gives depends on so many factors and each of these impacts how best to capture the particular sound […]
How Do We Calculate the First Reflection Panel Wall Position?
We received a fantastic question dealing with one of my own favorite topics, that of acoustic treatment. Unfortunately, buying or building it isn't enough. You have to know where to place it on the wall if you want it to do its job the best it can. And that takes a little math, especially with the first reflection zone... As always, we shout out some […]
Where Should I Start Learning Music Theory?
We received a great question from a decent producer, who like many of us started out in rhythm based genres that don't demand a ton of music theory knowledge. But he's ready to expand his skill set... where should he start learning music theory? In addition, we want to give mad props and say thanks to DonSuite, a composer who had this to say: Yours […]
My Rode Procaster Setup Levels are Too Low & I Need More Gain!
Among the recent questions we've been helping readers out with, there were a couple very technical ones. Here is one regarding the Rode Procaster setup and getting enough gain out of your preamp... We like to shout out the good people that we talk to, even if we don't use their questions for one of these posts. Thanks to William for a great discussion about […]
Recording Studio Pet Peeves That Drive Me Bonkers...
You know what really butters my biscuit? You know what really grinds my gears in the studio? Let me tell you... The Worst Things Musicians Do In The Studio In no particular order, these are the things that drive us recording, mixing, and mastering engineers bonkers: Not wrapping long cables in the over-under fashion I'm aware that not everyone is aware that there's a better […]
The Top 10 Best Mixed Albums I've Ever Heard (2022)
Before we jump right into my list of best mixed albums, let's remind the jimmy rustlers... this is an opinion post. And since it's based around my opinion, it's limited to the albums that I've had the fortune to listen to and become intimately familiar with. These are my favorite albums and songs in terms of mixing. And that means that it started with top […]
Human Speech From a Piano...
I, for one, welcome our new piano overlords. In 2009 at the World Venice Forum, an Austrian composer named Peter Ablinger unveiled his crazy talking piano contraption. While everyone was wondering what exactly was about to happen, he had it read the Proclamation of the European Environmental Criminal Court in a human voice: The video is in German but there are subtitles and the piano […]
Subtractive EQ vs Additive EQ in Mixing
Since you're reading this you're likely familiar with the issue, but for the sake of those fortunate enough to not have dealt with it, let's explain the typical conversation surrounding this topic. It always boils down to some variation of: Cut instead of boost. Attenuate instead of amplify. Never add when you can subtract. People have very strong convictions about this and half of the […]
The Curse of the 27 Club
Chance? Conspiracy? Synchronicity? These are words tossed around by those of us in the know who want to get to the bottom of this mystery. Why have so many musicians fallen to the curse of the 27 Club? What is the 27 Club Curse? During a tumultuous time for music when artists were again using their voices for social action in the fight against corruption, […]
How Do I Link & Monitor the Signal Chain While Recording?
Today's question is an interesting double dose of technical information that's not obvious to anyone who hasn't had the experience of tinkering around with all of the professional hardware and software we use during studio recording. A special thanks goes out to Martin for finding an error in a post about acoustic treatment. Let's hop into our questions: How Do I Link & Monitor the […]
How Should I Use This Alternative Acoustic Treatment Insulation?
Today's question-giver has found a great local source for rigid fiberglass for acoustic treatment. But will it meet the needs for producing professional quality music? Let's find out. Special thanks goes to Eric for correcting us on some details about the LA-2A compressor, one of the best and historically important important compressors out there. It's important to get it right, so thanks again to Eric. […]
Are There Steps to Mixing a Song Like an Order of Operations?
Of the many questions we've received lately, three of them featured a similar theme, The Order of Operations, either in the question or in our answer. Here is the first in full for the benefit of the entire community regarding the steps to mixing a song: Special thanks goes to Artur for taking the time to say shoot us this kind email: Dear LN, Thank […]
Instant Karma: Staind, Christina Aguilera, & the National Anthem!
As John Lennon once wisely told us: "Instant Karma's gonna get you, gonna knock you right on the head!" And that's precisely what happened to Aaron Lewis, the singer from Staind. Hey, Aaron. How do you like your justice served? Scrambled or fried? Christina Aguilera Flubs the National Anthem Now look, seriously... I can't even think about public speaking without my hands shaking and my […]
Mixing with EQ: 23 EQ Tips to Sculpt the Perfect Sounding Song
But all of these knobs and settings are staring back and grinning, daring you to even try to understand what they do. Have no fear. With these 23 EQ tips, you'll have a broad overview of what the knobs do and what must be done for your music to rival the professional mixes. It's nowhere near as scary as it seems on the surface. The […]
Start a Record Label with Ease: Record Label in a Box
Setting up and running a record label is a dream venture for many budding music entrepreneurs. But how do you even get started? Any of us who've had experience with the major label industry knows things are not always what they seem. From being locked into crazy contracts, ripped off, and being censored "guided" on how to express our art, it tends to turn our […]
Funklogic's Palindrometer - Silly 3 Space Rack Filler!
If there's any spot in the studio that lends itself to being anal-retentive and obsessive its the ordering and look of your rack. For me, I have to have each piece mounted in the right order with the right color combinations going on. I'll even turn off the lights and see how all of the LED lights look! That's all completely unnecessary, which is where […]
Kind Lady Helps Man w/ Broken Bike Make it to Dave Matthews Concert...
Twas another hot, slightly overcast day in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The sweat was beading up as even the birds were seeking the shade of the surrounding trees. Emily Kraus rolled along in her car with the windows down, jamming her favorite Dave Matthews Band album as she inched closer to the venue... Emily had been a fan of the DMB since the wee age of 9 […]
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