Archives for August 2019

Review: Audio Technica ATH-PRO7X

August 21, 2019 by Elaine Sy Leave a Comment

When searching for DJ headphones, you need to consider the loudness, comfort, durability, and how they sound. However, these concerns depend on your preference when DJing. Do you need to monitor at high volume? Do you often use a single ear? And so on…

The ATH-PRO7X’s wouldn’t be the right choice for a DJ or performer that takes their headphones on and off during their sets. These are much more suited to being left alone. The earpads and headband are comfortable and soft. However, it’s not certain whether the material used for the padding will start to flake off after months of sweaty gigs, as many headphones tend to do.

Can a plug-in improve your monitoring acoustics?

August 21, 2019 by Elaine Sy Leave a Comment

The acoustics of the room you are working at affects the sound you hear from the monitors. This is a major problem in recording and mixing. Certain frequencies will tend to resonate depending on the size and type of the room. This has something to do with the air in the room that causes vibration.

Naturally, to cure this perceived imbalance of frequencies, an engineer would apply an EQ correction. But since this is correcting a problem that only exists in the room, and not in the recording, then the recording will actually have a dip at these frequencies. Hence, it’s not good.

5 Tips For Recording Cello (Mic Placement & More)

August 20, 2019 by Elaine Sy Leave a Comment

Among the instruments in the string family, the cello is the most loved by many people. It has a rich and emotional sound which makes it an excellent addition to any production. However, recording the cello can be a difficult process due to mic placement.

One may struggle from having a harsh and scratchy sound when recording a cello. So here are some tips to better improve your technique. Before planning where to position the microphones, it is better to start off with a great musician. In fact, the nature of the cello requires an exceptional player more so than most other instruments.

Read more about this here: https://sundownsessionsstudio.com/cello-mic-placement/

What is MIDI? (A Guide to Music’s Most Important Tech)

August 19, 2019 by Elaine Sy Leave a Comment

The wide range of available tools and techniques is the reason why making music in the digital age is so impressive. Back in the day, you need to hire professionals to play different instruments. Moreover, if during recording an instrument was offbeat, you need to record it over and over until you get it right.

Thanks to MIDI, all of those setbacks are no longer an issue. It is used in almost all tracks that are digitally produced. Hence, it’s one of the most valuable tools in a producer’s toolkit. MIDI allows computers and digital devices to communicate with each other.

Read more about this here: https://www.musicianonamission.com/what-is-midi/

Review: RØDE TF-5

August 16, 2019 by Elaine Sy Leave a Comment

A pair of precisely matched, high-quality microphones is essential if you aspire to make serious, true stereo recordings. RØDE Microphones, an Australian based manufacturer produces an extensive range of microphones which are appropriate to a multitude of applications.

In collaboration with Grammy award-winning classical music engineer Tony Faulkner, they designed the TF-5. It is best suited to critical recording where purity of tone and a natural, clean character are of supreme importance. It is a small diaphragm, externally biased condenser design with a fixed cardioid polar pattern. Also, without added compression, the TF-5 can reproduce all the dynamic range effortlessly, going from quiet to loud without restriction.