This applies to Studio One Producer and Pro versions. Artist does not support 3rd Party Plugins.
Home studio, mixing and recording product reviews and tutorials.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Studio One 2 - How To Get Full Acoustic Guitar Sound
Check out how to get full acoustic guitar sounds by layering tracks and proper panning technique.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Studio One 2 - Automating Track Panning To Tempo
A quick and easy way to automate panning to the tempo of your song using Presonus Studio One version 2.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
New EP Session Update 12-19-11
We've had too many sessions to continue naming these posts by the session number so we'll go with the date instead. We spent time last night finishing up two of the acoustic tracks working on panning, note correction and a few other things. I upgraded to Studio One Pro and I'm starting to learn about it's mastering features. This will make things so much easier. One more song to record and we should be working on final mixes and mastering next week.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Recording Drum Tracks: Should They Be First Or Last?
By Shay Godwin
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6693515
Deciding when in your process to record drum tracks is an important decision. Should you record them first? Should they be last?
Both options can work out just fine, but if you understand the advantages of both strategies you can make a better decision for your music.
You may be wondering: "why not record everything at once?" That would be preferable in a perfect world, but often limitations of studio facilities won't allow it (think inputs, separation, etc.).
Additionally, scheduling can obviously be more difficult if you are trying to get all of the session musicians in your project to record together. Having to organize the schedules of multiple session musicians for rehearsals (you need at least one if tracking an ensemble) and recording is a difficult task.
Therefore, many choose to record instruments separately. Increasingly this is done with online drum track services.
Let's first explore the option of recording the drum tracks first in your process.
If your arrangement has been worked out during pre-production, you can have the drummer read a chart or listen to MIDI drum parts you have created.
However if your process is going to be more "organic" and you are not entirely sure what the arrangement will be, it is important to have the session drummer play in a way that leaves space. That way you can have room sonically to let the other session musicians come up with their parts.
You don't want to have a busy drum track that doesn't leave space for a great guitar lick or vocal melody that could be added later.
Some people like to record as they write, an approach which I neither intend to promote nor criticize. The point is, if you record the drums first and don't have your arrangement fully thought out, the drum parts need to be spacious for the benefit of your process.
There are advantages to recording drums first. Certainly studio musicians feel more inspired tracking to drums rather than just click and a loop or programmed drum part. Performances are likely to be more energetic that way.
When drums are recorded first, everyone gets to play to the specific drummer's pocket. If every musician tracks to click that means it is all in time - but the ensemble can be more in the pocket collectively if drums are recorded first for all to track to.
There are also advantages to recording drum tracks last.
The most obvious advantage to recording the drums last is the opportunity for maximum musicality from the session drummer, in terms of the actual parts.
A great session drummer can really shape your composition, as well as accentuate subtleties. Both of these concepts can be achieved more easily when the drummer tracks to the (mostly) finished product.
When tracking last, the drummer can accentuate big guitar hits that were not present earlier in the process, or add some nice subtle interplay in between vocal phrases during an outro - think along the lines of the outro of Sting's "Seven Days"
This is the sort of musicality that listeners associate with tight, well-rehearsed musicians. Recording drum tracks last can "trick" the listener into thinking they are hearing a live recording of musicians who have performed the material many times, due to the drummer's ability to accentuate more specific aspects of the arrangement.
Essentially, the more information the session drummer gets from what he hears, the more specifically musical he can be.
You can weigh these options and decide what is best for your music. Good luck and make sure you enjoy what you are doing regardless of your logistic decisions.
Both options can work out just fine, but if you understand the advantages of both strategies you can make a better decision for your music.
You may be wondering: "why not record everything at once?" That would be preferable in a perfect world, but often limitations of studio facilities won't allow it (think inputs, separation, etc.).
Additionally, scheduling can obviously be more difficult if you are trying to get all of the session musicians in your project to record together. Having to organize the schedules of multiple session musicians for rehearsals (you need at least one if tracking an ensemble) and recording is a difficult task.
Therefore, many choose to record instruments separately. Increasingly this is done with online drum track services.
Let's first explore the option of recording the drum tracks first in your process.
If your arrangement has been worked out during pre-production, you can have the drummer read a chart or listen to MIDI drum parts you have created.
However if your process is going to be more "organic" and you are not entirely sure what the arrangement will be, it is important to have the session drummer play in a way that leaves space. That way you can have room sonically to let the other session musicians come up with their parts.
You don't want to have a busy drum track that doesn't leave space for a great guitar lick or vocal melody that could be added later.
Some people like to record as they write, an approach which I neither intend to promote nor criticize. The point is, if you record the drums first and don't have your arrangement fully thought out, the drum parts need to be spacious for the benefit of your process.
There are advantages to recording drums first. Certainly studio musicians feel more inspired tracking to drums rather than just click and a loop or programmed drum part. Performances are likely to be more energetic that way.
When drums are recorded first, everyone gets to play to the specific drummer's pocket. If every musician tracks to click that means it is all in time - but the ensemble can be more in the pocket collectively if drums are recorded first for all to track to.
There are also advantages to recording drum tracks last.
The most obvious advantage to recording the drums last is the opportunity for maximum musicality from the session drummer, in terms of the actual parts.
A great session drummer can really shape your composition, as well as accentuate subtleties. Both of these concepts can be achieved more easily when the drummer tracks to the (mostly) finished product.
When tracking last, the drummer can accentuate big guitar hits that were not present earlier in the process, or add some nice subtle interplay in between vocal phrases during an outro - think along the lines of the outro of Sting's "Seven Days"
This is the sort of musicality that listeners associate with tight, well-rehearsed musicians. Recording drum tracks last can "trick" the listener into thinking they are hearing a live recording of musicians who have performed the material many times, due to the drummer's ability to accentuate more specific aspects of the arrangement.
Essentially, the more information the session drummer gets from what he hears, the more specifically musical he can be.
You can weigh these options and decide what is best for your music. Good luck and make sure you enjoy what you are doing regardless of your logistic decisions.
Los Angeles-based pro drummer Shay Godwin provides master-quality online drum tracks for any style of music. In addition to being an online session drummer, Shay Godwin is a live/touring drummer.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shay_GodwinArticle Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6693515
Saturday, December 17, 2011
New EP Session 8
We finished the first acoustic track now working on the second. I'm finding that the Rode NT1A is really great for recording acoustic guitars. Once I found the right mic placement the sound has been incredible. In fact it's so good that it doesn't really need any EQ. We're layering two tracks for acoustic each with different mic placement and the sound is great. We'll be doing some recording today and hopefully finish up all the tracking by next week. This is a cool project because my son is releasing this EP on iTunes and will be donating all proceeds to Stand Up For Cancer. I'm a pretty proud Dad!
Last thing... I took the plunge an upgraded to Studio One Professional. Melodyne integration and project/mastering features are well worth the extra dollars.
Last thing... I took the plunge an upgraded to Studio One Professional. Melodyne integration and project/mastering features are well worth the extra dollars.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
EQ and Compression Techniques For Drums in Mixing
By Sarit Bruno
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2796917
Even though the drummer plays the entire kit as a single instrument, the miking of individual drums and cymbals can make for a very complicated mix scenario. The reason I reference country and rock music specifically has to do with the fact that in these genres the sounds of the individual drums and cymbals are not only singled out by individual microphones placed on each of them but also their sounds are exaggerated to create an even more dramatic effect.
Consider, for example, the tom fills in Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight." By contrast, jazz drums are often treated as a more cohesive, unified sound and it's not unusual to use a simple pair of overhead mics to capture the sound of the entire jazz drum kit.
In this article, I'm going to go drum by drum providing EQ and compression settings that will, hopefully, provide you with a jumping off point to getting great drum sounds in your mix. Because of its all-in-one mixing board channel approach, I'll be using Metric Halo's Channel Strip plug-in with its EQ, compression and noise-gate to illustrate my comments about various EQ and compression settings.
Kick Drum
As the heartbeat of the contemporary drum kit, the kick drum sound we've grown accustomed to hearing is both boomy and round on the bottom and has a nice, bright click in the high mid range. It's the balancing act between EQ and compression that gives the kick drum its ability to stand out in a mix. Beginning with EQ, the best way to accentuate the lows and highs is to remove some low-mids. I'm a big believer in cutting as opposed to boosting EQ to achieve a desired effect. As a result, I tend to pull somewhere between 2 to 4db at between 350hz-450hz. Then, after removing some of this low-mid mud from the sound, I can enhance the clicking sound of the beater hitting the head of the kick drum by boosting around 2db in the 2k-3k range. I'm providing approximate dB and frequency range settings because depending on the kick drum, mic placement and, of course the drummer, all of these settings will vary. Use these general ranges as a jumping off point and then trust your ears.
As far as compression settings go, the trick is to preserve the transient attack of the kick drum with a fast but not too fast attack time (9ms in this instance) and then a quick release (11ms) so the compressor is ready to respond to the next kick drum hit. The ratio I use is a relatively mild 2.5:1 and I adjust the threshold until I hear the kick sound I'm searching for. Finally, in order to give the kick drum sound some separation from the rest of the kit, I use a noise gate and adjust the threshold to allow the kick sound to come through while essentially muting the majority of the other drum/cymbal sounds. Also, while setting the attack to the Channel Strip's fastest "auto" setting, I allow for a long (400ms) release.
Sub Kick
This particular miking trick is one that can be used to bring great low-end presence to the kick drum. By way of explanation, a short stand holding essentially the woofer of a speaker is placed in front of the kick drum and picks up predominantly the low frequencies. When blended with the kick drum mic, the sub-kick generates great power in the lowest part of the frequency.
In order to accentuate the most important elements of the sub kick's sound, I tend to use a low pass filter approach to my EQ that removes all frequencies above 500hz and drops off even more dramatically below 100hz. This is to make sure that only the essential parts of the sub kick's sound come through. The sub kick should be felt more than it is heard. In terms of compression, a ratio of approximately 5:1, a relatively slow attack (120ms) and medium fast release (57ms) allow the sub kick's tone to stay present and full underneath the sound of the kick drum's regular miked sound. Then, I'll use a noise gate with a fast attack (20ms) and slower release (200ms) to keep out any other kit sounds that might otherwise bleed into the sub kick sound.
Snare
Along with the kick drum, the snare drum is essential for driving a rhythm track. Poor EQ and compression techniques can leave it sounding thin, dull and generally uninspired. In order to accentuate the best parts of the snare sound with EQ, I'll boost the low end of the snare by 2-3dB at around 80hz, cut 2-3dB between 350-450hz and then boost again, if necessary, for more high-end brightness, by 1-2dB at 5k. These three EQ points are a great place to start to sculpt an interesting snare sound.
Compression on a snare is a real balancing act where too much will take away the energy of the performance and too little will make it practically impossible to find an appropriate level for the snare in the mix. I use a ratio of 2.5:1 with a very quick attack (2ms) and release (11ms). If you're finding that you're losing the snap of the snare, slow your compressor's attack a little but remember that slowing the attack too much will take the compressor too long to grab onto the sound and will leave the snare much less manageable in the mix.
Adjust the threshold settings until things sound right to your ear. This basically allows you to decide how much overall compression you'll be applying. Don't overdo it or the drum will lose its energy but don't go too lightly or the snare won't stand up in the mix. Gating the snare is a trial and error process as well. Depending on whether the snare approach in the song is aggressive or soft will have a lot to do with your threshold settings. Like on the kick drum, I use the very fast "auto" attack and a slower release on the gate in an attempt to keep out the ambient sounds of the cymbals, toms and kick.
Hi-Hat
While obviously a cymbal, the hi-hat is often used more as a rhythmic element than a tone color like some of the other cymbals in a drum kit. Making sure it has its own sonic space and speaks clearly without being too loud and distracting is what EQ and compression are about in this instance. For EQ, I'll again use a shelving approach at around 200hz that will effectively clear out low-end information that is non-essential to the hi-hat sound. If I'm interested in bringing in a bit more high-end shimmer and sizzle, I'll boost between 1-3dB between 6k and 8k again using my ears to tell me what's working. In general, I tend to stay away from compression on the hi-hat as it tends to find is own dynamic range without too much additional help.
Low (Floor) Tom
A well-mixed set of toms can make all the difference between drum fills that are exciting and those that go by without catching the listener's ear. Starting with the low tom, I tend to look for the places in the frequency range that bring out both the boom and the snap (similar to the way I approach the kick). In order to accentuate the low quality of this drum, I've found that a dramatic cut (12dB) at around 500hz allows the drum to speak clearly. Also, to add the high-end snap, a semi-aggressive boost of between 4-6dB at around 3k will do the trick. Compression also adds a lot to this equation. A ratio of around 4.5:1, a slower attack of 120ms and medium slow release of around 90ms will help the sound remain full and resonant. For the threshold, I simply adjust until the tom rings properly. Gating is another major factor for toms as the large diaphragm mics placed on these drums tend to pick up a lot of the extraneous sounds from the rest of the kit.
I set the gate with the quickest "auto" attack and a slow 400ms release and then adjust the threshold until I'm hearing only the low tom come through when it's hit. For the "tweak heads" among us there's a slightly more accurate and labor-intensive way to do this. By going into the actual sound files in your DAW and deleting all but the tom hits themselves, you can create a perfectly gated tom track.
High (Rack) Tom
Like the low tom, the high tom has it's own frequencies that should be cut/accentuated to bring out the sweetest parts of the sound. For EQ, I'll do another big cut of around 10dB at 600hz and I'll make a similarly big boost of around 7dB at approximately 2k. For compression, I use a slightly more aggressive 6:1 ratio slower attack (100ms) and a quick release (25ms). As with the low tom, I'll gate the high tom using the identical gate attack (fastest "auto") and release (400ms). The key to the threshold is to adjust it until only the high tom punches through keeping the channel essentially muted for the rest of the time. A final note on the toms, as all tom sizes, tunings and even drummers are different, you'll need to play with these settings until you find the sweet spots.
Overheads / Room Mics
Given that we've made a real effort to isolate and enhance each of the individual drums in the kit, overhead mics serve the dual purpose of capturing the cymbals and integrating the blended sound of the kit back into the sound of the drums. I pay attention to three specific EQ points in order to give the overhead mics a clean, balanced tone. First I'll use a high pass filter (shelving EQ) at the very low frequency of 40hz to clean up any unnecessary sub-sonic rumbling. Then I'll pull around 5dB at between 100 and 200hz to prevent any low-mid buildup. Finally, if necessary, I'll enhance the overall brightness of the cymbals/kit with a small 1-2dB boost at around 5k. For compression, I'll set the ratio at about 3:1, the attack at around 110ms and the release at a slightly quicker 70ms. The threshold should be adjusted to make sure that the overhead/room sound blends with the overall kit mix. Finally, adjust the volume of the overhead mics in the mix until you pick up just enough of the room to put some air and depth back into the kit.
Limiting the Sub Mix
A final trick to add punch to the overall drum kit is to send all of the individual tracks to a stereo sub mix and place a limiter like the Waves L1 on that stereo auxiliary track. By adjusting the threshold until the attenuation is between 5-7dB, you'll find that the kit has a really satisfying overall punch and presence.
Conclusion
While I've been painfully specific about EQ, compression and gate settings, it's important to remember that every mix situation is different. Use all of these settings as a jumping off point and then use your ears to tweak the sounds until you're happy. Good luck!
Consider, for example, the tom fills in Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight." By contrast, jazz drums are often treated as a more cohesive, unified sound and it's not unusual to use a simple pair of overhead mics to capture the sound of the entire jazz drum kit.
In this article, I'm going to go drum by drum providing EQ and compression settings that will, hopefully, provide you with a jumping off point to getting great drum sounds in your mix. Because of its all-in-one mixing board channel approach, I'll be using Metric Halo's Channel Strip plug-in with its EQ, compression and noise-gate to illustrate my comments about various EQ and compression settings.
Kick Drum
As the heartbeat of the contemporary drum kit, the kick drum sound we've grown accustomed to hearing is both boomy and round on the bottom and has a nice, bright click in the high mid range. It's the balancing act between EQ and compression that gives the kick drum its ability to stand out in a mix. Beginning with EQ, the best way to accentuate the lows and highs is to remove some low-mids. I'm a big believer in cutting as opposed to boosting EQ to achieve a desired effect. As a result, I tend to pull somewhere between 2 to 4db at between 350hz-450hz. Then, after removing some of this low-mid mud from the sound, I can enhance the clicking sound of the beater hitting the head of the kick drum by boosting around 2db in the 2k-3k range. I'm providing approximate dB and frequency range settings because depending on the kick drum, mic placement and, of course the drummer, all of these settings will vary. Use these general ranges as a jumping off point and then trust your ears.
As far as compression settings go, the trick is to preserve the transient attack of the kick drum with a fast but not too fast attack time (9ms in this instance) and then a quick release (11ms) so the compressor is ready to respond to the next kick drum hit. The ratio I use is a relatively mild 2.5:1 and I adjust the threshold until I hear the kick sound I'm searching for. Finally, in order to give the kick drum sound some separation from the rest of the kit, I use a noise gate and adjust the threshold to allow the kick sound to come through while essentially muting the majority of the other drum/cymbal sounds. Also, while setting the attack to the Channel Strip's fastest "auto" setting, I allow for a long (400ms) release.
Sub Kick
This particular miking trick is one that can be used to bring great low-end presence to the kick drum. By way of explanation, a short stand holding essentially the woofer of a speaker is placed in front of the kick drum and picks up predominantly the low frequencies. When blended with the kick drum mic, the sub-kick generates great power in the lowest part of the frequency.
In order to accentuate the most important elements of the sub kick's sound, I tend to use a low pass filter approach to my EQ that removes all frequencies above 500hz and drops off even more dramatically below 100hz. This is to make sure that only the essential parts of the sub kick's sound come through. The sub kick should be felt more than it is heard. In terms of compression, a ratio of approximately 5:1, a relatively slow attack (120ms) and medium fast release (57ms) allow the sub kick's tone to stay present and full underneath the sound of the kick drum's regular miked sound. Then, I'll use a noise gate with a fast attack (20ms) and slower release (200ms) to keep out any other kit sounds that might otherwise bleed into the sub kick sound.
Snare
Along with the kick drum, the snare drum is essential for driving a rhythm track. Poor EQ and compression techniques can leave it sounding thin, dull and generally uninspired. In order to accentuate the best parts of the snare sound with EQ, I'll boost the low end of the snare by 2-3dB at around 80hz, cut 2-3dB between 350-450hz and then boost again, if necessary, for more high-end brightness, by 1-2dB at 5k. These three EQ points are a great place to start to sculpt an interesting snare sound.
Compression on a snare is a real balancing act where too much will take away the energy of the performance and too little will make it practically impossible to find an appropriate level for the snare in the mix. I use a ratio of 2.5:1 with a very quick attack (2ms) and release (11ms). If you're finding that you're losing the snap of the snare, slow your compressor's attack a little but remember that slowing the attack too much will take the compressor too long to grab onto the sound and will leave the snare much less manageable in the mix.
Adjust the threshold settings until things sound right to your ear. This basically allows you to decide how much overall compression you'll be applying. Don't overdo it or the drum will lose its energy but don't go too lightly or the snare won't stand up in the mix. Gating the snare is a trial and error process as well. Depending on whether the snare approach in the song is aggressive or soft will have a lot to do with your threshold settings. Like on the kick drum, I use the very fast "auto" attack and a slower release on the gate in an attempt to keep out the ambient sounds of the cymbals, toms and kick.
Hi-Hat
While obviously a cymbal, the hi-hat is often used more as a rhythmic element than a tone color like some of the other cymbals in a drum kit. Making sure it has its own sonic space and speaks clearly without being too loud and distracting is what EQ and compression are about in this instance. For EQ, I'll again use a shelving approach at around 200hz that will effectively clear out low-end information that is non-essential to the hi-hat sound. If I'm interested in bringing in a bit more high-end shimmer and sizzle, I'll boost between 1-3dB between 6k and 8k again using my ears to tell me what's working. In general, I tend to stay away from compression on the hi-hat as it tends to find is own dynamic range without too much additional help.
Low (Floor) Tom
A well-mixed set of toms can make all the difference between drum fills that are exciting and those that go by without catching the listener's ear. Starting with the low tom, I tend to look for the places in the frequency range that bring out both the boom and the snap (similar to the way I approach the kick). In order to accentuate the low quality of this drum, I've found that a dramatic cut (12dB) at around 500hz allows the drum to speak clearly. Also, to add the high-end snap, a semi-aggressive boost of between 4-6dB at around 3k will do the trick. Compression also adds a lot to this equation. A ratio of around 4.5:1, a slower attack of 120ms and medium slow release of around 90ms will help the sound remain full and resonant. For the threshold, I simply adjust until the tom rings properly. Gating is another major factor for toms as the large diaphragm mics placed on these drums tend to pick up a lot of the extraneous sounds from the rest of the kit.
I set the gate with the quickest "auto" attack and a slow 400ms release and then adjust the threshold until I'm hearing only the low tom come through when it's hit. For the "tweak heads" among us there's a slightly more accurate and labor-intensive way to do this. By going into the actual sound files in your DAW and deleting all but the tom hits themselves, you can create a perfectly gated tom track.
High (Rack) Tom
Like the low tom, the high tom has it's own frequencies that should be cut/accentuated to bring out the sweetest parts of the sound. For EQ, I'll do another big cut of around 10dB at 600hz and I'll make a similarly big boost of around 7dB at approximately 2k. For compression, I use a slightly more aggressive 6:1 ratio slower attack (100ms) and a quick release (25ms). As with the low tom, I'll gate the high tom using the identical gate attack (fastest "auto") and release (400ms). The key to the threshold is to adjust it until only the high tom punches through keeping the channel essentially muted for the rest of the time. A final note on the toms, as all tom sizes, tunings and even drummers are different, you'll need to play with these settings until you find the sweet spots.
Overheads / Room Mics
Given that we've made a real effort to isolate and enhance each of the individual drums in the kit, overhead mics serve the dual purpose of capturing the cymbals and integrating the blended sound of the kit back into the sound of the drums. I pay attention to three specific EQ points in order to give the overhead mics a clean, balanced tone. First I'll use a high pass filter (shelving EQ) at the very low frequency of 40hz to clean up any unnecessary sub-sonic rumbling. Then I'll pull around 5dB at between 100 and 200hz to prevent any low-mid buildup. Finally, if necessary, I'll enhance the overall brightness of the cymbals/kit with a small 1-2dB boost at around 5k. For compression, I'll set the ratio at about 3:1, the attack at around 110ms and the release at a slightly quicker 70ms. The threshold should be adjusted to make sure that the overhead/room sound blends with the overall kit mix. Finally, adjust the volume of the overhead mics in the mix until you pick up just enough of the room to put some air and depth back into the kit.
Limiting the Sub Mix
A final trick to add punch to the overall drum kit is to send all of the individual tracks to a stereo sub mix and place a limiter like the Waves L1 on that stereo auxiliary track. By adjusting the threshold until the attenuation is between 5-7dB, you'll find that the kit has a really satisfying overall punch and presence.
Conclusion
While I've been painfully specific about EQ, compression and gate settings, it's important to remember that every mix situation is different. Use all of these settings as a jumping off point and then use your ears to tweak the sounds until you're happy. Good luck!
Sarit Bruno manages content and editorial line for Audiofanzine.
AudioFanzine offers benchmark testing/reviews of products, software or instruments and articles of a tutorial nature, all of which are systematically illustrated by exclusive videos or audio extracts. Addressing a universal audience, both amateurs and professionals alike, http://en.audiofanzine.com addresses musicians as well as sound engineers, home-studio recording enthusiasts, and audio and lighting engineers.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarit_BrunoAudioFanzine offers benchmark testing/reviews of products, software or instruments and articles of a tutorial nature, all of which are systematically illustrated by exclusive videos or audio extracts. Addressing a universal audience, both amateurs and professionals alike, http://en.audiofanzine.com addresses musicians as well as sound engineers, home-studio recording enthusiasts, and audio and lighting engineers.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2796917
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Studio One 2 - Add Effects On Part of Track With Event FX
A quick and easy way to add an effect on one phrase or note in a track.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
New EP Session 7
We finally put the last touches on my son's new tune. Started recording an acoustic version of a song from his first CD. The song is Live Along Dream. We finished tracking it yesterday and began mixing today. We used the Rode NT1A mic for the acoustic. Mic placement 6" from the sound hole the point at 12th fret. Sounded so good that it doesn't seem to need any EQ! That NT1A is such versatile mic.
We used Beatcraft again for drums rendering each drum instrument separately.
Three more acoustic tunes to record then we can start mastering the EP.
We used Beatcraft again for drums rendering each drum instrument separately.
Three more acoustic tunes to record then we can start mastering the EP.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Music Production Bass EQ Tips - How to EQ Bass
By Gugulethu Mokwebo
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4399258
Today I want to share a few music production tips about how to eq a bass. What you don't know will always hurt you, Whoso neglects learning in his youth, loses the past and is dead for the future. You live and learn, At any rate, you live.
The bass is the soul of a track so without the soul the song will sound dead, so I hope with these guidelines I will be able to help you get to know how to use the eq to get a great sounding bass. If you are recording it yourself you really need to get a good sound from the source, never try to fix a weak recorded sound in the mixing stage.
Bass refers to the lower end of the frequency spectrum. If you are still learning your way around eq use a frequency analyser. You need to familiarize yourself with the eq parameters. You need to handle it with care "The world of bass equalization can be a powerful ally or a dangerous enemy..."
When you are using an equalizer you must always remember to cut before you boost. Cutting between 200 - 300Hz will get rid of the muddiness and allow you to get away with more compression later in the mix. Cut the bottom end of the bass around 40Hz to get rid of lower end rumble, this part of the bass is not mostly audible but you can feel it.
1KHz - 3KHz will make the notes clear which will also help the bass sound punch in the mix. And for presents add between 800Hz - 1.2KHz. Removing the low end of other tracks during mixing will create more space for the bass not to clash with the rest of the tracks. Get a good eq effect, eq also adds a little distortion and warmth. Distortion adds harmonic content to your bass sound, this will give it extra vibe.
Know your speakers! This is crucial, add a sub to your pair of monitors, it will also help improve your equalizing skills. The room you are using can also be the problem as to why you can't get the sound you after, so try to listen to your favorite songs and compare the low end with your tracks.
Short notes will create more space in the mix unlike long tale notes, so less is indeed more my friend. This also applies to eq (less is more). Keep your bass in the center of the stereo image for maximum power. If it's not broken then don't fix it, do everything with a reason as to why you need to cut or boost. Hope this will help you learn how to eq a bass!
The bass is the soul of a track so without the soul the song will sound dead, so I hope with these guidelines I will be able to help you get to know how to use the eq to get a great sounding bass. If you are recording it yourself you really need to get a good sound from the source, never try to fix a weak recorded sound in the mixing stage.
Bass refers to the lower end of the frequency spectrum. If you are still learning your way around eq use a frequency analyser. You need to familiarize yourself with the eq parameters. You need to handle it with care "The world of bass equalization can be a powerful ally or a dangerous enemy..."
When you are using an equalizer you must always remember to cut before you boost. Cutting between 200 - 300Hz will get rid of the muddiness and allow you to get away with more compression later in the mix. Cut the bottom end of the bass around 40Hz to get rid of lower end rumble, this part of the bass is not mostly audible but you can feel it.
1KHz - 3KHz will make the notes clear which will also help the bass sound punch in the mix. And for presents add between 800Hz - 1.2KHz. Removing the low end of other tracks during mixing will create more space for the bass not to clash with the rest of the tracks. Get a good eq effect, eq also adds a little distortion and warmth. Distortion adds harmonic content to your bass sound, this will give it extra vibe.
Know your speakers! This is crucial, add a sub to your pair of monitors, it will also help improve your equalizing skills. The room you are using can also be the problem as to why you can't get the sound you after, so try to listen to your favorite songs and compare the low end with your tracks.
Short notes will create more space in the mix unlike long tale notes, so less is indeed more my friend. This also applies to eq (less is more). Keep your bass in the center of the stereo image for maximum power. If it's not broken then don't fix it, do everything with a reason as to why you need to cut or boost. Hope this will help you learn how to eq a bass!
Thank you for checking out this article please also check out the video version here http://musicproduction-and-djing-lessons.blogspot.com browse this site you will find a lot of good stuff that will help you improve your producing skills.
Peace!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gugulethu_MokweboPeace!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4399258
Friday, December 9, 2011
Multi Track Song Recorder iPhone App - Review
Found this great FREE iPhone app that gives you a 4 track digital recorder on the go. Check it out...
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Vocal Recording Techniques
By Caleb M Sarikey
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6599124
Use the following techniques when recording vocals in your home studio.
Invest in good microphone:
In the long run, it will be worth it to invest a little money into a nice condenser microphone. There is no better way to capture clear, high quality vocals than using a high quality microphone! Generally, the cost of a good microphone starts at around $90 and goes up.
Pop Filter:
Having a pop filter is very important when capturing a great vocal performance. A pop filter is basically a screen that filters out all of the heavy "P", "H", and breathing sounds that otherwise distort the recording. Pop filters are pretty cheap. You can get a decent one for around $20. If you don't have the money or time to get a pop filter before your next recording, you can make a homemade pop filter. Simply wear a handkerchief that covers your mouth. You don't want it so thick and tight that it muffles your voice and effects how you talk, but just enough so it catches those unwanted pops and cracks.
Find Your Distance:
Every microphone is different. To get the best recording out of your microphone, be sure to play around and test it out for awhile before committing to a final recording. Some microphones are very sensitive whereas others require you to be very close to the mic. Find a comfortable distance from your microphone that gives a good volume level of recording, clear vocals, and no pops or distortion. Use this distance as your marking point every time you record so all of your tracks will have equal vocal quality!
Location:
When recording, you don't want to be in a huge room or a room with background noise. When recording at home, or just not in a studio, the most commonly used type of room to record in is a smaller, quiet, and closed room. This assures that there is no background noise or extra feedback from the surroundings.
Overdubbing, Ad-Libs, and Simple Effects:
The techniques of overdubbing and ad-libbing can really enhance your vocal recording. Overdubbing is when you record background vocals over top of the main vocal section that you already have recorded. The most common overdubbing technique is emphasizing the last lyric and rhyming word of each line. Ad-libbing is when you record other background vocals that do not lay directly on top of the main vocal recording. For example, repeating the last word of each line. These techniques provide a more powerful and full sounding vocal recording. Simple effects such as compression, reverb, and echo can also enhance your vocals. Adding a little reverb and slight echo makes the vocals sound larger. These are simple effects that can be found in most free software, such as Audacity or GarageBand.
I hope this information was of great help and that you can use it to improve the quality of your music!
Invest in good microphone:
In the long run, it will be worth it to invest a little money into a nice condenser microphone. There is no better way to capture clear, high quality vocals than using a high quality microphone! Generally, the cost of a good microphone starts at around $90 and goes up.
Pop Filter:
Having a pop filter is very important when capturing a great vocal performance. A pop filter is basically a screen that filters out all of the heavy "P", "H", and breathing sounds that otherwise distort the recording. Pop filters are pretty cheap. You can get a decent one for around $20. If you don't have the money or time to get a pop filter before your next recording, you can make a homemade pop filter. Simply wear a handkerchief that covers your mouth. You don't want it so thick and tight that it muffles your voice and effects how you talk, but just enough so it catches those unwanted pops and cracks.
Find Your Distance:
Every microphone is different. To get the best recording out of your microphone, be sure to play around and test it out for awhile before committing to a final recording. Some microphones are very sensitive whereas others require you to be very close to the mic. Find a comfortable distance from your microphone that gives a good volume level of recording, clear vocals, and no pops or distortion. Use this distance as your marking point every time you record so all of your tracks will have equal vocal quality!
Location:
When recording, you don't want to be in a huge room or a room with background noise. When recording at home, or just not in a studio, the most commonly used type of room to record in is a smaller, quiet, and closed room. This assures that there is no background noise or extra feedback from the surroundings.
Overdubbing, Ad-Libs, and Simple Effects:
The techniques of overdubbing and ad-libbing can really enhance your vocal recording. Overdubbing is when you record background vocals over top of the main vocal section that you already have recorded. The most common overdubbing technique is emphasizing the last lyric and rhyming word of each line. Ad-libbing is when you record other background vocals that do not lay directly on top of the main vocal recording. For example, repeating the last word of each line. These techniques provide a more powerful and full sounding vocal recording. Simple effects such as compression, reverb, and echo can also enhance your vocals. Adding a little reverb and slight echo makes the vocals sound larger. These are simple effects that can be found in most free software, such as Audacity or GarageBand.
I hope this information was of great help and that you can use it to improve the quality of your music!
Caleb Sarikey - Music Producer / Engineer
Do you need HOT hip-hop / r&b beats from a real industry credited producer for your next project? Or platinum drum sounds so you can make banging beats?
Visit my website http://CalebSarikey.com. I offer affordable non-exclusive and exclusive hip-hop, r&b, and electronic beats, as well as drum kits and a few free beats!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caleb_M_SarikeyDo you need HOT hip-hop / r&b beats from a real industry credited producer for your next project? Or platinum drum sounds so you can make banging beats?
Visit my website http://CalebSarikey.com. I offer affordable non-exclusive and exclusive hip-hop, r&b, and electronic beats, as well as drum kits and a few free beats!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6599124
Sunday, December 4, 2011
The Basics Of Panning Drums
The panning of drums in your mix is EXTREMELY important. They are the foundation of your rhythm track and need to be in the right area of your mix. After a lot of reading I found there is definitely a consensus on some fundamentals of panning drums. Like... Kick and Snare are ALWAYS in the center.
Here's a video clip of those concepts. These are not hard fast rules. They're more guidelines on where to start. I urge you to experiment, especially with cymbal placement. Enjoy!
Here's a video clip of those concepts. These are not hard fast rules. They're more guidelines on where to start. I urge you to experiment, especially with cymbal placement. Enjoy!
Friday, December 2, 2011
iMaschine Review - Groove Sketchpad For iPhone, iTouch, iPad
Check out this cool iPhone app from Native Instruments. A portable beat lab with drums, synth, bass and vocal recording.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Getting Phat Bass Tracks With Melodyne
Unfortunately my bass guitar is not the greatest instrument. Despite adjusting it constantly it doesn't have a great neck which results in notes becoming sharp as you go up the fret board. Melodyne to the rescue! Now my bass lines can be perfect using Melodyne pitch correction integrated into Studio One. You can also use the Amplitude tool to phatten up notes. Check out this video I put together that shows how to improve your bass tracks...
Monday, November 28, 2011
New EP Session 6
Further work done tonight on the mix of the main song. In particular the guitars. We layered additional tracks for the rhythm guitars which gave it much more full sound. We also re-EQed the drums and guitars which removed much of the mud and brought all the tracks more to life. We're almost there.. Just a few more tweaks here and there.
Studio One 2 - Stereo Image From Mono Track
Here's a Studio One tip that allows you to turn a mono track into a wide, stereo image. When I first started working with DAWs I searched forever to figure this out. Now its a technique I use on nearly every project. Simple and works well.
Check it out...
Check it out...
Sunday, November 27, 2011
KRK Rokit 5 G2 Studio Monitors Unboxing & Review
I decided to upgrade my studio monitors to KRK Rokit 5 G2's. They sound great and will make a huge difference when mixing. The sonic range of these monitors is phenomenal from the highest bells to the lowest bass. Amazing. Check out this unboxing and review.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
New EP Session 5
Spent some time mixing today. Realized that overall volume was too low and had to adjust. Mixing on my new KRK Rokit 5's is great. Will do a review on these later.
Trying to get all the drums right. Noticed too much sizzle on the crash and open hi hat so made a few changes to correct. Also worked on a few transitions. It's sounding great. Almost there.
Trying to get all the drums right. Noticed too much sizzle on the crash and open hi hat so made a few changes to correct. Also worked on a few transitions. It's sounding great. Almost there.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Alesis Q25 USB MIDI Keyboard Unboxing & Review
I took a trip Guitar Center today with my boys to check out keyboards. They didn't have the 61 key I was looking for but they had a Black Friday Special on this little keyboard priced at $30. I couldn't pass it up. Check out this unboxing and review.
Studio One 2 - Melodyne Quick Look
A quick look at the Melodyne plugin and it's integration with Studio One 2. Melodyne is powerful note correction software. I'm sold. Melodyne comes integrated with Studio One Pro.
Check it out...
Check it out...
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Beatcraft - How To Render Each Drum Instrument Separately
A tutorial on how to use beatcraft to render separate WAV tracks for each drum instrument. Video also shows how to bring them into Mixcraft. This allows complete flexibility of each drum sound when mixing in Mixcraft or any DAW.
What I normally do is use the entire drum render as a reference track first. Once tracking is done for all other instruments and I know the drums are right I'll go back and render each drum separately. Just have to make sure you line up the separate drum tracks to the beginning of the song so they're in sync.
Important: When rendering each drum instrument turn remove all processing from Beatcraft and pan to center. You want the drums flat so you can process them in your DAW. Last thing. You will have to test the volume setting in Beatcraft when rendering each track to make sure info sonic info is rendered. I use 48000/24bit/Stereo when rendering these. Experiment! Enjoy!
What I normally do is use the entire drum render as a reference track first. Once tracking is done for all other instruments and I know the drums are right I'll go back and render each drum separately. Just have to make sure you line up the separate drum tracks to the beginning of the song so they're in sync.
Important: When rendering each drum instrument turn remove all processing from Beatcraft and pan to center. You want the drums flat so you can process them in your DAW. Last thing. You will have to test the volume setting in Beatcraft when rendering each track to make sure info sonic info is rendered. I use 48000/24bit/Stereo when rendering these. Experiment! Enjoy!
New EP Session 4
Worked on the mix of the main song some more last night. I rendered separate tracks for each drum instrument from Beatcraft and then we worked on getting just the sound on all of them. What we do is use a combined drum render for tracking then go back to fix any drum parts that need to be tightened up. When we have it right we render each drum to its own track to give us control of each. You can watch a video on this but clicking the link in the last sentence.
We also started to plan out the panning of the song. I'm going to be doing a video on panning drums so watch out for that. It's amazing... it took us 2 days to track the song... and will probably take at least 2 weeks to mix.
Mixing is really an art form in my humble opinion. You seem to have it right on your studio monitors when playing on your DAW. The you mix down to high quality WAV that sounds right. But the you listen on your iPod and it's missing important sonic info. It's a incremental process but it's really my favorite part of it.
It's cool to mix with my son too. He knows how he wants it to sound but is also learning. Looking forward to putting in more mix time over the holiday weekend.
We also started to plan out the panning of the song. I'm going to be doing a video on panning drums so watch out for that. It's amazing... it took us 2 days to track the song... and will probably take at least 2 weeks to mix.
Mixing is really an art form in my humble opinion. You seem to have it right on your studio monitors when playing on your DAW. The you mix down to high quality WAV that sounds right. But the you listen on your iPod and it's missing important sonic info. It's a incremental process but it's really my favorite part of it.
It's cool to mix with my son too. He knows how he wants it to sound but is also learning. Looking forward to putting in more mix time over the holiday weekend.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Studio One 2 - Cleaning Up Unused Files
This was a Studio One house keeping issue that was bugging me. Here's how to clean up unused files after your project is completed. Always back up before deleting anything just in case.
Monday, November 21, 2011
New EP Session 3
Made lots of progress during a 4 hour session tonight. Finished up tracking vocals and correcting a few stops on a few tracks. Now that all of the notes seem right we'll be getting into the mixing. Started to work on dynamics and mix of the rhythm section tonight as well as the vocals.
The song has a real driving feel to it. Need to get just the right sound for the lead guitar. Will have some time over the holiday to work on it.. We'll probably begin tracking a few of the acoustic tunes too.
I'm continually amazed but the features of Studio One. Mixcraft was fine to start but it really is not anywhere near the robustness of Studio One. Over the 3 sessions we've had so far I would venture to guess that we've saved a few hours compared to if we had recorded with Mixcraft.
Side note. Thinking of getting a new keyboard. The Casio I have doesn't have velocity sensitive keys and is really a toy with a MIDI port. Maybe this weekend I'll splurge for one. Probably go for a 61 key unit that has assignable knobs to control VST instruments.
Last thing.. I've decided to name my studio Hometracks Studio. The name syncs up with this blog and my HomeTracks YouTube Channel so it made sense to me.
More to come...
The song has a real driving feel to it. Need to get just the right sound for the lead guitar. Will have some time over the holiday to work on it.. We'll probably begin tracking a few of the acoustic tunes too.
I'm continually amazed but the features of Studio One. Mixcraft was fine to start but it really is not anywhere near the robustness of Studio One. Over the 3 sessions we've had so far I would venture to guess that we've saved a few hours compared to if we had recorded with Mixcraft.
Side note. Thinking of getting a new keyboard. The Casio I have doesn't have velocity sensitive keys and is really a toy with a MIDI port. Maybe this weekend I'll splurge for one. Probably go for a 61 key unit that has assignable knobs to control VST instruments.
Last thing.. I've decided to name my studio Hometracks Studio. The name syncs up with this blog and my HomeTracks YouTube Channel so it made sense to me.
More to come...
Mixcraft 5.2 - Getting Stereo Sound From Single Instrument Tracks
Here's a quick tip on how to turn a mono track into a stereo sound image in Mixcraft.
New EP Session 2
Finished our session tonight around 10:30pm. My son went to bed and I worked on the mix until now. Worked on tracking all vocal parts for main song on EP tonight. Three part harmonies and such. Finished off rough mix. Great software to help with production. Every time I turn around I learn something new.
We're going to listen to the rough mix a few days on different speakers and headphones and let it sink in a bit. I'm sure we'll have some additions and corrections to make during our next session. Working on music with your kid is unbelievably great.
More to come...
Sunday, November 20, 2011
New EP Session 1
Began a new project last night. My son is producing a new EP. One new song and 4 unplugged versions of songs from a CD he released in September.
We began tracking drums, bass and guitars for the new song... About a 3 hour session. It's a fast paced tune with a hard edge. Lots of compression on all tracks. Studio One made putting the first cut mix together very easy.
This is the first complicated project I've used Studio One for. I'm finding it easy to use, pretty intuitive and most important... The work flow design saves lots of time compared to Mixcraft 5. Stepping up to a pro level DAW was a good idea.
We'll be starting vocals probably tonight. Three part harmonies throughout the song should be fun to produce.
More to come...
We began tracking drums, bass and guitars for the new song... About a 3 hour session. It's a fast paced tune with a hard edge. Lots of compression on all tracks. Studio One made putting the first cut mix together very easy.
This is the first complicated project I've used Studio One for. I'm finding it easy to use, pretty intuitive and most important... The work flow design saves lots of time compared to Mixcraft 5. Stepping up to a pro level DAW was a good idea.
We'll be starting vocals probably tonight. Three part harmonies throughout the song should be fun to produce.
More to come...
PreSonus VSL Software Overview For AudioBox 22VSL
Here's a quick overview of PreSonus VSL software for the AudioBox 22VSL. When I was shopping for new USB audio nterface I wanted to know more about how this worked. Hope this video helps others. PreSonus = highly recommended!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
PreSonus AudioBox 22VSL - Unboxing, Review and Software Demo
Here's an unboxing and overview video I did of the Presonus AudioBox 22VSL USB Interface. I upgraded from a Lexicon Alpha to this little work horse after much research. A great value for $200 considering you get Studio One Artist along with it. Granted I took the plunge to upgrade to Studio One Producer so I could mixdown to MP3s and use 3rd Party VST plug ins. It was really worth the additional $100 considering you also get Komplete 7 Elements which gives you 3GB worth of instruments, loops, etc. Now after playing with Melodyne pitch correction software I'm leaning towards upgrading the Studio One Pro and it's added features.
Back to the AudioBox 22VSL. In hindsight I should have probably spent the $100 and bought the 44VSL to provide more ports... but time will tell. Check out the video...
Back to the AudioBox 22VSL. In hindsight I should have probably spent the $100 and bought the 44VSL to provide more ports... but time will tell. Check out the video...
My Home Recording Studio Set Up
My set up is simple but effective. Here's the list:
Dell Studio 17 Laptop (iCore 5, 6GB Ram, 500 GB Disk, Windows 7)
Presonus Studio One 2 Producer DAW (will be upgrading to Pro soon)
Presonus AudioBox 22VSL USB Interface
Acoustica Mixcraft 5.2 DAW (migrating to Studio One)
Acoustica Beatcraft (drum tool)
M-Audio AV-30 Monitors
Rode NT-1A Condenser Mic
AKG D9000 Dynamic Mic
Marshall MG30 Guitar Amp
Beringer BHL450 Bass Amp
Casio CTK496 Keyboard
Audio Technica ATH-PRO5V Headphones (for mixing)
Sennheiser HD202 Headphones (for artist playback)
2 Tama Stagemaster Boom Mic Stands
Here's a video tour...
Dell Studio 17 Laptop (iCore 5, 6GB Ram, 500 GB Disk, Windows 7)
Presonus Studio One 2 Producer DAW (will be upgrading to Pro soon)
Presonus AudioBox 22VSL USB Interface
Acoustica Mixcraft 5.2 DAW (migrating to Studio One)
Acoustica Beatcraft (drum tool)
M-Audio AV-30 Monitors
Rode NT-1A Condenser Mic
AKG D9000 Dynamic Mic
Marshall MG30 Guitar Amp
Beringer BHL450 Bass Amp
Casio CTK496 Keyboard
Audio Technica ATH-PRO5V Headphones (for mixing)
Sennheiser HD202 Headphones (for artist playback)
2 Tama Stagemaster Boom Mic Stands
Here's a video tour...
Welcome To Home Tracks!
Why did I start this blog? I thought it would be cool to chronicle events related to my home recording activities. I have a small studio set up in my basement which has evolved over recent months to a pretty tight set up. Earlier this year I worked with my teenage son to record his first CD (more on that later). This project was the basis for investing in recording hardware and software.
As long as I can remember I've always wanted a recording studio.
As with most musicians it was always a dream to have a lab where I could create. In fact, I built a sound proof room in my parent's basement when I was in my twenties. The goal was to build it out as a full fledged recording studio but I didn't have the funds at the time and it ended being a rehearsal space for a band I was playing with. I think the room is still there!
Now 30 years later I'm able to put together the tools needed to built my dream. Technology improvements have certainly helped. Over the years tape was replaced by disk space as well as other digital enhancements. This makes it much more practical to construct an environment for recording. So slowly but surely I'm coupling together the components needed to produce high quality recordings.
The knowledge required to produce has changed quite a bit as well. Knowing how to get the most out of a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is a must. However, long standing techniques such as mic placement, compression, etc still hold true. Thankfully there is a huge repository of knowledge on the Internet, especially Youtube. You can find "how to's" for just about everything related to recording which is fantastic.
Over the past 2 years I've spent some of my lesiure time learning and becoming more proficient at techniques. It's a never ending quest for knowledge and maybe that's one of the reasons I enjoy it so much.
Anyway, that's the brief history. Now onto the present and future. I hope you'll follow me along the journey...
As with most musicians it was always a dream to have a lab where I could create. In fact, I built a sound proof room in my parent's basement when I was in my twenties. The goal was to build it out as a full fledged recording studio but I didn't have the funds at the time and it ended being a rehearsal space for a band I was playing with. I think the room is still there!
Now 30 years later I'm able to put together the tools needed to built my dream. Technology improvements have certainly helped. Over the years tape was replaced by disk space as well as other digital enhancements. This makes it much more practical to construct an environment for recording. So slowly but surely I'm coupling together the components needed to produce high quality recordings.
The knowledge required to produce has changed quite a bit as well. Knowing how to get the most out of a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is a must. However, long standing techniques such as mic placement, compression, etc still hold true. Thankfully there is a huge repository of knowledge on the Internet, especially Youtube. You can find "how to's" for just about everything related to recording which is fantastic.
Over the past 2 years I've spent some of my lesiure time learning and becoming more proficient at techniques. It's a never ending quest for knowledge and maybe that's one of the reasons I enjoy it so much.
Anyway, that's the brief history. Now onto the present and future. I hope you'll follow me along the journey...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)