Although some of us might not have enough resources to build our dream studio we can always make of what we have. Here are some tips how to achieve a professional listening environment working with the things that you already have. Sometimes these are overlooked yet they play a very vital role, especially during mastering.
A good monitor speaker would mean nothing if not set-up properly. It’s like setting up your speaker at the very end of a tunnel then you are trying your best to create an accurate mix. It just is physically impossible you cannot go against the tunnel
Read more here: https://www.prosoundweb.com/channels/recording/in_the_studio_improving_your_listening_environment/
Recording Tips and Techniques
9 Mastering Tips
Ever wondered how the top mastering engineers work? Do you want to know what’s going on inside their minds during recordings and masterings? And if there are any hacks you could learn from the best wouldn’t you want to know it and be able to apply it?
Here is a compilation the top tips from pros and readers alike. We hope you pick up something from them.
Mandy Parnell – Mastering Engineer / Owner Black Saloon Studios
From decades of experience and big names to back up her credentials, her top tip:
“Make it a point to playback the entire album before you begin mastering”
Read more here: http://www.musictech.net/2018/02/mastering-tips-pros-readers/
In The Studio: Instrument Roles & Creating Space
Don’t let assumptions on the traditional instrument roles limit your decision making when it comes emphasizing which instruments should be strong and which ones should take a step back. It is not always about the vocals has to be loud or the bass having the thump, and so on and so forth. Don’t set them on autopilot what you need to do is understand their individual roles. Start by understanding your song and ask yourself how should it feel. Then you might just realize how to space each entity to support the entire song. Because sometimes things aren’t always what it seems.
Reas more here: https://www.prosoundweb.com/channels/recording/in_the_studio_instrument_roles_creating_space_differentiation/#
Ken Theriot Interviewed On AudioSkills Podcast
Scott Hawksworth runs a site called AudioSkills that is dedicated to helping folks record and produce music in their home studios. He also produces a podcast. His most recent guest on the podcast was none other than yours truly :-).
I’ve been focusing a lot on helping folks get a professional sound from home studios as early in the recording process as possible. This is typically BEFORE they ever get to the music mixing phase.
It’s all about capturing and editing the sounds at the very beginning of the production process in such a way that the audio audio is clean and free from the typical telltale signs of “audio recorded in a bedroom” – things like echo-y room noise, background noise, “thin” sounding vocals, etc.
This is obviously important for both musicians AND the voice over folks. In fact, it’s even more important for the VOs because without music in the background, the audio on voice over recordings cannot suck for even a second. So the better the quality you can capture and create up front, the more professional your audio will sound.
So the topic of Scott’s latest podcast, “Getting Pro Sound from Home with Ken Theriot,” was apt and timely. You can find that podcast episode here: https://audioskills.com/episode/5974/.
BTW, he mentions my free download (eBook with videos) called “6 Mostly Free Tips for Making Your Audio Sound Expensive.” Just click that link to get your free copy.
Thanks for having me on your show, Scott! Best of luck with the site!
How To Give Your Guitars And Vocals Their Own Space In The Mix
Flippo Medas a regular contributor Home Studio Musicians – Audio Issues Audience, shared an amazing trick for those of you trying to create separation between the guitars and vocals.
” I think I just “discovered” a way to get both guitars and voice to have their own space when they risk masking each other. ”
Sidechaining is a great technique for adding subtle motion between the guitarist and the singer. So instead of setting the guitar aside every time the vocalist sings you give them their own spaces. By carving out a broad cut in your EQ in the guitar giving your vocals dominance.
Read more here: https://www.audio-issues.com/music-mixing/give-guitars-vocals-space-mix/