The MIDI Tools app for iPhone from iDesignSound is now available from the app store for free. This simple app helps your device work better with external MIDI devices, and even allows you to play chords. If you have any interest in using MIDI with your mobile recording or production, take a look at this app.
You can read more about this app here: http://www.idesignsound.com/midi-tools-iphone/
Data Storage, Audio Production, And You
Data storage on your production computer is an important topic. Not all hard drives are created equal. A few key points to look at are capacity, RPM, and warranty. You will know best how much storage will suit your needs, but the RPM (revolutions per minute, just like your car) of a hard drive will effect how quickly the drive can access information. Most companies offer a standard one year warranty, but many companies offer a 3 year warranty on some of their products. From personal experience, Western Digital warranty service is hard to beat.
With the decreasing cost of solid state drives, it may be time to add one to your machine. They’re still not cheap compared to traditional hard drives, but the difference in performance has been compared to the difference between dial-up and cable internet connections. These drives do not have any moving parts, so they’re completely silent. The cost-per-gigabyte is still relatively high, so you may want a solid state drive to work from in addition to a traditional hard drive for bulk media storage.
Regardless of what drive you use, don’t forget to back up your data frequently!
There’s plenty of other information to consider when selecting a drive, read the full article here: http://audio.tutsplus.com/tutorials/production/hard-drives-and-audio-hardware-considerations/
Staying Motivated In The Studio
The ambitious dreams and aspirations of childhood are slowly replaced with reality as we age. Whether that’s a good thing or not is up for debate. Are we better off living in the “real world”, being happy with mediocrity and monotony? If you find yourself dreading studio time, or more than a few small parts of your production process, you may be overdue for some soul-searching. Find the excitement and ambition that got you interested in recording in the first place. Even if you don’t become the King Midas of audio engineers overnight, you might find a bit more joy in the production process than usual.
You can read more here: http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/keeping_fresh_the_art_form_of_recording/
How To Record Vocals In A Home Studio
Vocals can be unforgiving when it comes to recording time. As complex as they are, listeners are intimately familiar with what a voice should sound like. Because of this, a bad vocal track or mix can stand out like a sore thumb. Starting off right with a great vocal recording will make the mixing and mastering processes much easier. Remember, there are some things that just can’t be polished.
You can read the full guide for recording vocals in a home studio here: https://www.musicclout.com/contents/article-122-recording-vocals-professionally-in-a-home-studio.aspx
Don't Let Organization Stifle Creativity
While the science behind the function of each brain hemisphere may not agree with popular myths, the fact that it doesn’t take much to interrupt a creative thought remains. Optimizing your workflow can help increase productivity and decrease stress, two things that are hard to turn down.
You can read the full article for the details here: http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/in_the_studio10/