External Hard Drives for Audio Production Recording & Mixing

There are a lot of hard drive options out there and as technology advances, the options keep getting better and better. The main thing to consider is the transfer rate that will send information back and forth to your computer. Most DAWs require a drive that rotates at a minimum 7200 rpm for audio. Of all the dries that the studio has used over the years. Glyph has been the one that outshines them all. We started with those Glyph Key hot-swappable drives that were easy to move from studio to home and be able to take our work with us to keep ahead of deadlines. Now everything is much more streamlined. The Blackbox series from Glyph has been rock solid for us over the past few years. The rotating drives offer a lot of storage for a very reasonable price. You can snag up to 10TB for under $330. That’s a lot of storage space! The 2TB option is listed here and is a great starting point for any engineer.

If you want to up your game a bit, you should look at Solid State Drives. These rugged drives do not have a rotating disc, but instead have flash memory that can be recalled instantly. The price point on these SSD drives is a bit more because of the new technology, but they are worth every penny. This 1TB model is very slim and slender and travels quite well. We have one that goes with the mobile recording setup and it has performed admirably. Priced at $199.95, this drive is affordable for the amount of time you will save on your workflow. If you need to move your setup on a regular basis, I would suggest that you consider the SSD version. You will have a rugged drive that can take a few bangs and jolts and keep performing at the level any professional demands.

Good Mics for Podcasting

Starting a podcast is a great idea now that we’re all stuck at home for the foreseeable future. You probably have an idea of what you want to talk about, so I’ll just cut to the info on microphones. There are a lot of options and some are affordable and some are outrageously expensive. Let me share with you some of the options that I have successfully used and been pleased with the results.

FIFINE Studio Mic Bundle

If you’re on a tight budget, the FIFINE Studio package is what you need. This bundle has a decent mic that will give you sound that is suitable for any podcast situation. The scissor arm and shock mount will allow you to position the mic for easy use and comfort if you’re tracking a lot and don’t want to be hunched over for a desktop mic. The pop filter will help you tame any rouge plosives that may happen as you talk. This will also help keep the mic clean. The 8’2” USB cable should be long enough for yo to position the mic any way that you like. Plus at $59.99, this bundle is affordable and provides you with a great setup for your new podcast endeavors.

SHURE MV51

This mic is great for more than just podcasting. However, I think it is best suited for podcasting based on the audio quality provided and the way that it connects to your devices. The USB connection on this mic offers options for connecting to a laptop or an iOS device. The MV51 is a bit more versatile and has a really cool look. The controls on the front of the MV51 make it really easy to adjust volume levels and mute the mic when you want to cut the feed. If you’re going to be doing a lot of podcasting, you might as well do it in style. The headphone output on this mic makes it really easy to connect and get going in a snap.

RODE PODCASTER

The Rode Podcaster is one of my favorites. It’s powered by USB and has a headphone output right on the mic. This package from Amazon includes a shockmount and boom arm to make your podcasting experience smooth and professional. Not much else to say about this mic because it acts as your interface and provides you with quality audio ideal for your podcast. Now if you have a newer computer with the USB-C connection, you’ll need to get an adapter for this mic. Not to worry, I’ve got a link for that adapter right here.

Rode NT USB Mini

This mic is a great option for a desktop mic that offers you all the necessities of a Podcast mic. This lil’ guy pack a big punch in a small frame. The USB connection on the mic is USB-C. Great for all the new laptops. The cable in the box is a USB-C to USB-A connection. So this will work with all the older laptops or desktops, too. The volume control on the front is easy to manage and this mic is really a great option for anyone on the go since it has a stand and is small enough to fit in any laptop bag. Just plug in your headphones and you’re all set to start tracking out your next podcast episode.

These are just a few options that I’m suggesting. There are many more possibilities. Be sure to budget for what you need and feel free to leave any questions or comments and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

The Black Friday Blackhole of Deals

As the biggest shopping day is now upon us, I urge all students to take caution in what you purchase. Your studio and software toolbox is going to continue to grow and it should. Just keep in mind that you shouldn't spend your entire bank account on gear that you may not use right away. It's good to build up your studio over time and get familiar with what you add to your studio so that you can be efficient with your tools. It's a good idea to take the time to learn what you have in your studio and become a wizard using your tools. 

Tell me what you're looking to buy. I'm always interested in what has your attention right now and what you think will improve your workflow and overall production. 

Here are some really affordable options that I would recommend that will not break the bank and add some very useful tools to your studio. 

1. PSP is one of the plugin companies that may not be familiar to you, but they have some great plugins. The NEX reverb and the HertzRider are currently on sale for $20.

2. The new releases from iZotope are tools that will improve any workflow.

3. Flux Pure Limiter is on sale for $39 and is a great limiter to use on individual tracks and your master bus.

4. Looking for some great video editing software that is affordable? Check out FILMORA from Wondershare.

5. Sonnox is offering 50% off most of their software. Now is a great time to go grab that Inflator plugin.

6. Plugin Boutique is offering some great deals + iZotope Nectar Elements for free with any purchase.

I'm sure you will get some great deals this weekend. Just be sure you have some cash left in your pocket to pay the bills. 

Gain Staging

Getting the right levels in your mix is the very first part of the recording process. Paying attention to your input levels can pay dividends when it comes to the mixing process. Proper levels will yield a much more streamlined workflow when it comes to sitting down to mix.

So you maybe asking yourself, “What are the proper levels that I should be trying to achieve?“

The answer to this question can vary. You have to have a vision for the end result. If you don’t have that vision, then you should focus on getting levels that optimize your A/D converters. Most interfaces are calibrated for a sweet spot around -20dBFS to -16dBFS. Hitting this area as your target RMS level will almost always give you ideal tracks to mix.

Now if you’re sitting there scratching your head and not quite sure what all that means, don’t worry. Here’s a good rule of thumb to follow. Most meters in DAWs have a color coded display. Typically green is at the bottom followed by yellow, orange, and red. If you get your average level to hover right around where the green and yellow meet, then you’re in the ballpark. This means the middle point between your peak levels and your noise floor is close to that point where the meter changes colors.

Now of course it depends on what you’re recording. Different types of sound sources are going to give you different levels. Drums are going to have very sharp attacks that will yield higher peaks. Where as a vocal that isn’t too dynamic may just hover in the same area with little movement. One of the biggest problems that I see other engineers make is the level of their monitoring. Having your monitors up too loud or down to quiet will not truly give you a representation of the signal level. This is why you have to trust the meters and your DAW and let them show you what is actually happening with you levels. These are just pretty lights for you to look at while you’re working on your tracks. These are useful tools that can mean the difference between a good or bad mix.

It’s always a good idea to leave yourself some headroom when you’re tracking. You will want to have some space to mix and that is virtually impossible when your input levels hit -3dBFS or higher. Just be reasonable when you set your levels and keep in mind that you will be blending multiple tracks to mix down to your final print track.

Should You Be Mixing On BlueTooth Wireless Speakers?

You probably have an Amazon Echo or Google Home wireless speaker in your house. Almost everyone has a BlueTooth wireless speaker and they are only going to become more popular. The portability of these small sound systems is going to start setting new standards for music production. Now that music lovers can take music with them anywhere they go, you’ll have to consider what your mixes sound like on these little sound systems. So Yes, you will need to start using these little monsters as part of your post-production workflow.

One of the ways you can start to incorporate these speakers into your workflow is to mix down an MP3 of your track and load it up on your smartphone. You could also put it on a streaming platform that allows you to keep the track private. Either way, you want to try and recreate how others will potentially listen to your music once it is publicly released.

You’ll need to check levels and listen to how the compression reacts to the small speakers. I just listened to a few major award-winning tracks on 2 of my wireless systems. When the bass line came in on both of them, the sound got swallowed and started pumping the cones. It didn’t sound very good and I actually removed the songs from my playlists. Now these songs may sound good on a larger system, but they didn't not make the cut for the smaller wireless systems. This is a big deal! If your mixes do not translate well to these little bundles of joy, you’ll find yourself looking for another job. That doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, so let’s look a few of the options that you can consider.

ANKER SOUNDCORE 2

I’ve had Anker Soundcore speakers around my home for a few years. They seem to last a long time on a single charge, so they’re good to have anywhere in the house or even in the backyard. You can now buy the new version and pair a few of them to a single source. This is good if you want to have sources to monitor in different parts of your home or studio.

They come in black, red, and blue. So you can pick a color that works with your studio decor. Right now there is a $5 coupon on almost every wireless speaker, so don’t wait and buy one today.

AMAZON ECHO

The wireless speaker system that is projected to be in every home in the USA by the year 2025. If you don’t already own one, it might be time for you to pony up and get one. To be honest, you could have more than one Bluetooth speaker in your studio to check your mixes. This line of devices will be the most common and probably should be one of the options you choose to use. I don’t recommend the little Echo Dot. Yet, it is popular, so maybe you do want one to use for reference. The nice thing about this line is that is has a SUB! For those of you that love bass, this may be a good option to check out.

New studio membership benefits

The studio membership program has been quite successful and has helped musicians get the assistance they need to complete their recordings and distribute their music to the world. Part of the new studio membership is the in-studio musician training that will give all studio members access to our staff to get assistance with every aspect of their musical career. This will include professional feedback for everything from composing songs to stage performance. The goal is to provide constructive feedback that will help musicians make critical decisions about their public appearance. Not just online, but in-person, which will help develop stronger relationships with managers, bookers, promoters, and most importantly the fans.

We have 2 options for studio membership right now and may add more in the future. Both options for membership come with our in-studio training. Paired with our online services, each member has access to our services wherever they are for any occasion. So if you have plans to work on music videos or start to plan your upcoming tour, we are here to assist you with every step of the process.

High and Low Pass Filters on Vocals

IK NAMM Slam 2020 Sale + Up to 50% off!

EQ settings for vocals sometimes feels like you’re trying to find buried treasure. An endless task of moving knobs and listening to the changes just seems overwhelming. Then comes the conversation about filters on vocals that almost always arises in every session.

There are a few things you can do to improve your vocal recordings and get them to sit in a mix. The first is using filters on your EQ to tighten up the high and low end spectrum. Filters on most EQ plugins have 3 main settings.

1. On/Off

2. Frequency

3. Curve/Slope

The first is obvious, so moving on to the second. Frequency is the point where the filter starts to engage. This is the point in the EQ spectrum where the audio is starting to be lowered or attenuated. On a High-Pass Filter (HPF) you are allowing the high frequencies to pass as you filter out the low frequencies. On a Low-Pass Filter (LPF) you are allowing the low frequencies to pass as you filter out the high frequencies. When these are used properly, you can clean up a recording to focus on the audio spectrum that you do want in the mix.

Brainworx bx_hybrid V2

For example, when you set your HPF to 50Hz it is only starting to attenuate the frequencies at that point. How much attenuation is based on the third parameter, the curve or slope. This is measured in dB octaves that are listed as 6dB, 12dB, 18dB, 24dB, and 30dB. These are referred to as ordered harmonics and a 6dB curve is a 1st order harmonic. This means that the signal level drops 6dB per octave. A second order harmonic is a 12dB slope and the signal drops 12dB per octave. The higher the slope the more severe the drop in audio signal becomes and approaches a “brick-wall” response, which is not usually favorable to your audio signal.

For vocals I like to use a 12dB slope for both the HPF and the LPF. Sometimes I’ll use a different setting if the mix needs some tweaking. For the HPF I typically start around 80Hz and then adjust the frequency based on the tone of the vocalist and the style of the music. It does take some time to train your ears to recognize the sound that you want for a mix. I don’t recommend making these changes with the track in solo mode. It’s better to have your track in the mix and listen to how the EQ adjustments affect your track and mix. Using a HPF correctly can help cut down on the rumble in a vocal track and tame some of the plosives that may happen if your vocalist is too close to the mic.

The LPF on vocals can be a bit more difficult to dial in. In many cases, the vocal spectrum in the high frequencies is OK to leave in the mix. If you’re trying to cut down on sibilance, it’s best to use a de-esser. However, if you want to shape the vocal to reduce the amount of high frequencies it has in the mix then you can use a LPF to get the job done. I’ll usually start around 10kHz with a 12dB slope and then sweep the filter frequency up and down to find a spot that works for the mix. Rolling off these high frequencies can make more room in a mix for other instruments or backing vocal tracks. Depending on the arrangement of the music you can get a tighter sound by filtering out these higher vocal frequencies.

For more info and visual tutorials, check out my audio mixing master class.

Working on the mix

Today's blog entry is just about getting yourself in the right mind frame for mixing. Focus is essential and that comes with proper rest. Your mind, body, and ears should be well-rested before starting on your mix.  When you take fatigue out of the equation, your mix will have a sense of power and intensity. 

View fullsize

Getting setup for a session at Shine On Studio

As you start your mix, it can be a good idea to align yourself to a reference track. Give your ears some time to adjust to a mix that has a similar energy. Absorb the sound from the reference track to put you on the right path for your own mix. This will map out the focus you need to start your mix.  

I personally like to start mixing at a lower volume on my monitors. This allows me to challenge my ears and focus on the pieces of the music that need to be the foundation of the mix. These core elements are the source of energy that puts the music into motion. Once you have all of these elements in the right place, the rest of the mix can be layered with the accent sounds.  

The mixing work you do may take some time. Give yourself the time needed to make wise decisions. You can change your mind about the mix and that is part of the journey. A good mix is one that has been given the proper amount of attention. It is OK to take breaks to restore your energy and get your focus back on track. You can take the time you need and sometimes what you need to do is step back for a while and review what you've done with the mix. 

Procrastination and anxiety are not your friends. It's a good idea to keep them out of your routine when working on a mix. You do want to stay in contact with your client throughout the progress of your mix. If you're making reference copies to review, share them with your client for feedback. Sometimes they may like an aspect you are considering to revise. Remember that this is their music, so you want them to be pleased with the final decisions. 

I hope these words encourage and guide you to be a good mix engineer. Just remember that it takes time to craft a masterpiece. 

UAD vs. Native Plugins

Everyone is in the plugin business these days. It’s the modern way to work on audio production that has embraced the digital world. With so many options for plugins, there are some things to consider before you blow your kid’s inheritance on software. First thing is what DAW to choose and that should also go with what plugins are included with that DAW. Most of the DAWs out on the market all come with a decent set of stock plugins. So you have to consider if those stock plugins will be sufficient to get you going and give you the tools you need to start mixing the way you want. Now if you feel that you need to add to your toolbox and get some additional plugins to fine tune your mixing there are a few things to keep in mind. All the plugin companies have formats that should be compatible with most of the big DAWs, so you have quite a few options.

View fullsize

UAD Fairchild Compressor

Focus on plugs that give you something that you don’t already have in your system. Mainly a new tool that will enhance your mixes and give you the control you need to shape the mix. Compressors are bountiful and there are many different types out on the market. What do you need that you don’t already have? More color? Better transient control? The best way to find out is demo a few plugins and see if they give you the edge that you need. Most of the plugin companies will offer a trial period, which is exactly what you should do before investing. Even if you watch a video or someone tells you that you should buy a plugin, I always recommend running it through the trial period to give yourself some time to find out if it’s what you need.

Most companies offer native plugins. These are plugins that work with the DSP processing power of your computer. They’re great because you don’t need any extra hardware to run them. The only limitation is the processing power of your computer. One of my favorite native plugin companies is Plugin Alliance. These plugins are modeled emulations of some great pieces of gear and they sound great. The audio quality is clear and gives you the sound that your mixes need.

Now if your computer doesn’t have the power to run these native plugins, you can look into getting a UAD system that provides the DSP processing for your plugins. Universal Audio has a line of interfaces and satellite boxes that allow you to run the UAD plugins. The Apollo system has many options and price points and this makes them a good option for any studio setup.

You can get the same plugin on both UAD and Native platforms. So do you need to have both versions? I’d only say yes if you need to delegate your DSP processing. I’ve used both platforms and I don’t notice any big differences between the sound. I’ve done null tests on the plugins and they cancel out when the phase is inverted. The main difference is the way the plugins run on the system and the price. UAD is a bit more expensive, but does free up the DSP on your computer for other plugins and processing.

I recently asked a question on the Plugin Alliance forum to find out how everyone felt about the differences between Native and UAD plugins. You can read the comments here.

If you have anything to add to this discussion, please leave a comment.

Prism Sound Titan

I’ve added a new flagship interface to the studio to add more clarity and depth to our production. I met Frank Oglethorpe at an event in San Francisco and got to hear the Atlas & Titan in action. The audio detail was giving me chills and put me in a space where the music was visual.

The Titan was in a small studio room that had treatment on the walls. It was an ideal situation to test out the ability of the DA and hear some recent mixes I’d just finished vs. mixes at the hosting studio. There was a difference in the low end where the frequencies had more depth without the mud. I immediately knew I had to demo a unit at my studio to hear if the mixes benefited from the converters in the Titan. 

Engineer David Hughes at Shine On Studio.

I connected with Jeff Briss from Cutting Edge Audio and got the approval from Frank to demo a Titan. When it arrived, I wasted no time connecting it to the HDX system. The first mix I played came to life and filled the room with rich detail and precision clarity. My eyes got large and my ears were saturated with excitement. This was such an amazing experience that I knew a Titan was the missing piece for the studio. 

I’ve had the Titan now for a few months and the response is exactly what I want to hear from my clients. Everyone loves the full sound and clarity that the audio has on every system they playback their music. This was a serious investment and it has already paid dividends that make it worth every penny.  

I highly recommend Prism Sound and their audio interfaces. Send me a message and I’ll hook you up with info on how you can connect with the right people to demo a unit for yourself.  

Mixing | Keyboards & Synthesizers

Keys and synths can appear to be an easy task to mix. They have dedicated outputs and don't require microphones. This very fact is what makes them difficult to tame sometimes. Their EQ spectrum can be all over the stereo field and this can make them unruly when it comes time to mix. My approach is to save the keys & synths for last. I like to mute them and address the drums, bass, guitars, & vocals first to get a nice even balance. Then the keys are like the icing on the cake. They layer a nice thick sound over the mix and it allows you to use surgical EQ to get the pockets filled to your taste. Keys are sometimes the glue that pulls a mix together and sometimes they cloud up the mix and make it murky.

Approaching keys with care can give you more control over the final balance of the mix. In some mixes, it would be a good idea to add some light delay on a 16th note. This can give the appearance of a wider sound for the keys in the mix.

Piano tracks typically benefit from proper EQ and a silky sounding reverb. The mood of the track will lead you to what style and depth of reverb to use. I love to hear a dark reverb with long tails, so I like to use a low pass filter on the reverb return. This allows the initial attack of the bright notes to shine with a very pleasing trail of dark tones following behind them.

Mixing Guitars | Solos

The guitar solo is the peak of the performance. The solo can catapult the song into the top spot on the charts. So let me take a moment to explain some techniques for mixing a good solo.

Solos usually come in towards the end of a song, so there is some build up to the solo. Rhythm guitars are laying the foundation for the solo to be built upon. Don't let the rhythm guitars steal any thunder from the solo guitar. Automate an EQ low pass filter to roll off some of the rhythm guitar's shimmer. This will open up space in the audio spectrum for the solo guitar to shine a bit more brightly.

Pan the solo guitar off to one side. If the vocalist is doing anything vocally over the solo, pan them to the opposite side. Try to isolate the solo guitar as much as possible to make it pop out of the mix. The panning and EQ can all be automated and this will allow a smooth transition in and out of the solo.

Adding a delay to the solo is a great way to make it sound bigger. If you've got the solo guitar panned to the right, then pan the delay to the left. A quarter note delay is personally my favorite, but use a delay setting that compliments the music. Use filters to shape the tone of the delay and make it appear to drift off into the distance. Roll off the low end up to 400Hz and pull back the highs to around 9KHz. If your delay has a feedback setting, adjust it to taste for the echo effect you desire.

These techniques should give you a good starting point to make your solos shine and get all the attention they deserve. Please leave any comments or questions and I'll get back to ASAP.

Vocal Mixing | Reverb EQ Secret

Vocals love reverb to some degree. Sometimes just a touch of reverb helps the vocals find a pocket in the mix that is just the right spot. Other times, it's cool to drown the vocals in reverb for an emotional effect. Either way, it's always a good idea to treat your Reverb bus with a little EQ.

Abbey Road studios has a great way of making their reverb tracks sit just right into the mix. It has to do with how you EQ the reverb. 

If you have a nice EQ, find the pocket where the vocals have a little bit of a nasal range and scoop it out. This is usually somewhere in the low mid range between 300 Hz and 500 Hz. Sweep around in the EQ spectrum until you find the frequency that doesn't seem to just sit right with your ear. If there are multiple frequencies that don't seem to work not to both of them out or as many as you need.

This will create a more open and natural reverb sound to your mix without having to boost the signal. Give it a shot and send us your feedback.

Recording Hip Hop Vocals Tips and Techniques

Vocals are the core of Hip Hop and recording them can be the make or break moment. All Hip Hop artists that come to record at Shine On Studio are looking for "clean" vocals that have transparent clarity and rich tone. Now, how do you capture these vocals to produce the next big hit song? There are a few steps that are crucial to the success of the track and they need to be taken care of before arriving at the studio.

First, the throat needs to be in good shape. This means no drinking cold fluids before coming to the studio. The iced coffee and 7-Eleven Slurpee are an absolute deal breaker. A cold throat is constricted and cannot provide the quality vocals that are needed on a hip hop track. Room temperature water or hot tea are a good idea to relax the throat and keep in loose for the performance. If your suffering from a cold or allergies, honey is a good way to soothe the throat and prep it for the session.

Second, warm up before the session. Just as athletes stretch and get loose before a game, vocalist need to warm up their voice before a performance. Recording is a permanent process and once the recording is complete, it is etched in stone for all time. When fans are going to listen to your recording over and over for the rest of time, it is a good idea to make sure you put your best performance on the tracks.

Writing your lyrics down is a good idea, but rustling papers in the vocal booth is a really bad idea. Here at Shine On, we've installed a magnetic board in the vocal booth for vocalists to hang their lyrics up on the board to keep the papers still, but also easy to see. Music stands also work, but you don't want to be looking down while singing, so a magnetic board or a cork board at eye-level is a really easy way to keep the head up and the throat straight.

Headphones are really important and the right pair can improve a vocal performance. It's good to have closed headphones that go over the ear to keep the bleed to a minimum. There are many types of headphones out on the market, but closed headphones work the best for tracking vocals. The Shure SRH840 headphones are a good choice for quality and performance at an affordable price.

These are just a few key tips and techniques that you should use when recording vocals. For more info on getting quality recordings, contact the studio staff.

Recording Drums | What Preamp to Use

Your preamp collection will constantly grow as your studio expands. Acquiring different types of preamps will give you more options on how to shape your sound and tone. Transistor preamps can give you a nice sharp sound that cuts through a mix and brings out the attack of transients. Tube preamps can give you a gritty or distorted tone that is saturated with all of those impressive characteristics of old analog recordings. Then there are preamps that blend the transistor clarity with the tube warmth to allow you to dial in the right amount of tone for your mix.

A new preamp on the market is the Warm Audio WA273-EQ. This is a clone of the coveted 1073 preamps that have defined the sound of rock music. A stereo pair of these on your overhead mics and you're all set to track slamming drums. You could add this to your existing rig and find many different ways to get the tone that you want out of it. I've used this on just the kick and snare to get big powerful tracks that sit just perfectly in the mix. The built-in EQ allows you to shape the tone as your recording and really cuts down on the post-production work. I've done EP and demo albums for bands in less than 4 hours because this preamp takes all the guesswork out of post-production. This preamp is one of my Swiss Army tools that can be used on tracking virtually anything, but drums are articulatly sculpted with these discrete premaps. 

Tracking drums is an art form that can take years to develop as you experiment with different combinations of gear. Mic selection is a major factor, but for this article, I'm just going to focus on the preamp selection. The first thing you have to consider is the context of the song. Your preamp choice will mostly revolve around the mood and performance of the song you'll be recording. Jazz and Blues tracks are usually mellow and have a little fuzz on the drums. In these recordings, I lean towards my tube preamps to give me that coloration to blend the drums into the mix. Rock & Pop songs like strong transients, so lean more towards my transistor preamps. Preamps can be mixed and matched. Try tube preamps on your Kick & Snare with transistor preamps on your Overhead mics. This will give you a nice blend of the tones.

The Universal Audio Twin Finity preamp is a workhorse in the studio. The tone blend between tube and transistor make this a must have preamp for every studio. Use this preamp on your kick drum and just by moving the tone blend pot, you can hear the transients saturate or sharpen. I'd suggest you add this preamp to your wish list this year. If you want a little more bang for your buck, check out the UA 4-710d. This is a 2u rack mount version with 4 Twin Finity preamps that also have an 1176 style compressor built into each channel. A very versatile preamp box that gives you 4 options to shape and sculpt your drums.

The Manley Force is another excellent choice for a versatile tool in the studio. The headroom on these preamps is immense. Making it possible to use ribbon mics for your overheads or room mics. Built in HP filters and impedance selectors allow you to get the warmth you want matched with the mic your using. The Manley Force is more than a drum preamp, it offers many useful features for tracking all instruments, so this should be on your radar as you upgrade your studio.

Hope these tips and recommendations give you a better idea on how to strengthen your studio. Happy recording!

Podcasting 101 - How to start up a Podcast

You have an idea or a topic that you want to discuss and now you've decided to turn it into a podcast. Good idea! Now where do you start? Let me get you started on the right path to becoming a successful podcaster.

Start with a script or an outline of the topics and points that you'd like to cover. It doesn't have to be verbatim text that you plan to record, but there should be some main topics with some additional notes or ideas that will help you keep the conversation flowing. It may be good to emphasize a few points as a review, but try not to repeat yourself. There's nothing more boring than listening to someone talk about the same thing over and over without implementing new ideas as they go along. Keep it moving and keep the listeners interested in the topic.

OK, now you have your ideas written down and you're ready to record. But wait, you don't have a microphone. Not to worry, you probably have a smartphone, right? If so, you have a handy little recorded right in your pocket. Now the audio quality might not be stellar, but it is a place to start. You want to try and get the best recording quality that you can and most modern smartphones do a decent job of recording voices. I'd suggest that you find a quiet spot to cut down on the ambient noise and maybe use the headphone cord with the built in mic to keep your sound consistent. Plus, the earbuds will serve as your monitors.

So maybe you're not thrilled with the idea of recording on your phone. Not to worry, there are some options that will get you going and not break the bank.

Behringer Podcast Studio Package

If you're on a tight budget, but still want to get a decent setup for your podcasting, you're in luck. Behringer has a podcasting package ($99.99) that includes a mic, mic cable, mini mixer, headphones, tripod, and some accessories to get you everything you need to be the podcast star you're destined to become. This Podcast Studio will give you the ability to record your voice and also patch in some audio devices if you want to have music or sound effects added to your episodes. With this efficient setup, you'll be able to get a clean recording that will be professional and easy to control. There are not many packages out there that can compete with this one. The versatility of this setup will allow you to be creative, but also be mobile for those sessions where you want to hit the road.

Now if you're looking to be a little less complex with your setup and want to have something that is a little more plug-and-play, the BLUE YETI is a great option. This is a USB mic that allows you to just plug right into your computer and start recording. There is a headphone jack on the bottom of the mic that will allow you to monitor your recordings and also enjoy that sweet sultry voice of yours. This mic has a built in stand, so you're ready to go right out of the box. With all the controls right on the front of this mic, it's almost fool-proof. Now there is one bonus to this mic, it comes with the Presonus Studio One Artist software. This is excellent audio editing software that will take your production to a whole new level. Plus, you can use this software to compose your own music. You really strike gold with this mic if you're willing to put a little cash upfront. Now you'll need to purchase headphone or use your earbuds, but at $149.99, this package is well worth the investment.

The RODE PODCASTER is a really nice all-in-one USB package that gives you excellent quality for a reasonable price. ($229) This bad boy has a built in headphone amp that allows you to monitor your recording directly through the mic. The USB cable connects to your computer and viola!  You are now ready to rock and roll with your podcast. You will need a mic stand for this smooth criminal, but not to fear, there are many great options.

In the world of podcast microphones, this one stands alone. The audio quality is quite nice and if you want that radio announcer sound for your voice, this is the mic for you.

Now that you're all buffed on where to start and how to get the audio recording going, it's time to start making your podcast. Be sure to use decent audio editing software and clean up your recordings. Trim off any coughs or dead air and keep the audio flowing. This will ensure that your audience keeps their focus on the content. It would also help to use some music that you have created in the segues and at the introduction of the podcast. Music can give you a more polished and professional sound, so try your hand at making some music.

Just as a footnote, be sure to give credit where it is due. If you research information, be sure to reference where you found the information and anyone that was involved with your podcast production. Karma is real and it will come around if you pay it forward.

Mixing with Headphones - Which Ones to Use?

   This is a question that seems to come up quite often, so here are my thoughts and some recommendations for mixing with headphones. First thing is that it is OK to mix with headphones. Lots of great albums have been mixed on headphones and you can get a professional sound. For many DIY musicians and home studio engineers, the mixing room is not always optimal for sound. A decent pair of headphones will give you a more accurate presentation of your mix.

    Now here is a main factor to consider, the quality of your headphones really does matter. Not all headphones are created equal. Some headphones are designed specifically for the studio and others are designed for listening and playback. So how do you know what is the difference between headphones? Most studio headphones actually put on the packaging that they are studio headphones. But words don't necessarily mean that you will get the quality needed to mix properly. It is always advisable to listen to a pair of headphones before you commit to buying them. I don't recommend buying headphones because of the name brand or because someone famous endorses them. Companies are in the business of selling their product, so you can't just take their word or reputation for granted.

   I've owned lots of different headphones over the years and some are good for recording, some good for mixing, and some good for listening and enjoyment. Every pair of headphones I've owned have had their own strengths and weaknesses. It just takes time for you to get used to the sound your headphones provide so that you can be productive in your mixing choices. If mixing with headphones is the route that you plan to take for your post-production, I'd suggest getting a decent pair of headphones. Many of the headphones in the $99 - $199 price range will give you a decent representation of your mix. Let me give you my experience with a few different models that are out on the market.

Sennheiser HD 280 Headphones

Buy Now

   When I was starting out, I used Sennheiser HD280headphones for recording and mixing. These are great headphones for all applications and music. They have rich detail in the low-mids and don't get too harsh in the upper frequency range. That's a bit of good news for your eardrums. These headphones are comfortable and do collapse down for easy transport from one place to another. I'd say the big plus for these headphones is the price. At under $100, these are some of the most affordable professional headphones you can buy. Especially if you're on a budget and would rather spend your money on gear or mics. The ear pads can be replaced when they get old and worn out, so you can keep the feel of these headphones in a feels-brand-new fashion at any point.

Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro

Buy Now

   I moved on to a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro studio headphones. I was initially impressed with the comfort, quality, and sound of these headphones. I demoed a pair at a local pro audio shop and a few minutes later walked out with a brand new pair for the studio. Now these are a bit more price-wise, but you get quite a bit for your money. The large ear pads are extremely comfortable and they don't squish your ears against your head. This was a huge plus right off the bat for me. For $199, I felt like I purchased a quality pair of headphones that would give me many great hours of recording and mixing. I used these headphones for about 2 years and mixed some of my favorite albums with them. Yet as the years went by, I started to be a little more critical of my mixing and felt that these headphones were not giving me enough detail on the high-end. This was frustrating, so I went back to search for a new pair of headphones. However, I do still use these headphones for recording and mixing from time to time. I still like the comfort and the relaxed feel they provide. Most of my clients prefer this pair of headphones when they're tracking and I agree that these are headphones that you can wear for a long period of time and not get too fatigued.

Buy Now

   After some research and field testing of some different headphones, I decided to go with the Shure SRH840 professional studio headphones. There are a few reasons I chose this pair of headphones and I still feel like these are the right pair for most studio applications. The ability to easily replace the ear cushions and the cable are big advantages, so I'm already a little happier. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The sound quality of these headphones is transparent and dynamic. The drums that I've mixed with these headphones are crisp and punchy without being too muddy or boomy. I've also been able to get a better vocal balance in my mixes with these headphones. Having a good vocal balance can really make or break a song. You have to have faith in your headphones to give you a clear representation of your mix. To be able to trust your ears and rely on your headphones is crucial.  These headphones are comfortable for short periods of time, but a long studio session can be rude to your ears and neck. These headphones are a little heavier than some other pairs I own and I notice that my neck can get cranky if I rock the headphones for too long. Overall, these are the best pair of headphones that I could find under $200.

Now one thing to keep in mind is that I don't solely use headphones to work on my mixes. I also use the studio monitors, but I regularly check my mixes with headphones. I recommend taking regular breaks if you are using headphones. Give your ears some time to recover and unwind from the constant noise that is only inches from the eardrum. These are just a few of the headphones that I own and/or have used in my career as a musician and producer. There are so many options out there and manufacturers keep improving on the designs, but I stand by my original statement that you need to go out and actually put the headphones on and listen to them for yourself.

Sometimes it is good to use earbuds to check your mix. You may be asking yourself, "Why would I use earbuds to check my mix?" Well, good question. The main reason is that your mix will most likely be heard on earbuds by the majority of listeners. Mobile music is the new trend and everyone has earbuds with their phones and MP3 players. So get in the game and make sure you are covering all your bases.

I did just purchase a pair of the Focal Spirit Professional headphones as a personal pair for my own listening enjoyment. I haven't had enough time to evaluate them, but my first impression is that they are on par with the BOSE noise-cancelling headphones. The ear cushions are quite snug and I don't know if I would use them for mixing. When I have more experience with them, I'll post my thoughts.

Producing Music - Where to start

Producing music is something that takes time to craft and comes with lots of experience. If you're one of the gifted few that can just produce w/o experience, you may still get some insight from this post.

Producing is the construction of music. You have to make choices about the project as a whole and this will include things like EQ, panning, compression, lengths of the delay, when to delay, when to chop up the vocals, when to add guitar solos, how the song begins and ends, and everything else that happens in between. This is not an easy task, but it does have huge rewards that are long-lasting if you do it right.

To achieve this goal, you need to do a bit of homework. Start by listening to some of your favorite music. Pay close attention to all the little details. Take notes on when each instrument comes into the mix and where it is panned in the stereo spectrum. Then pull apart the mix in small bits as you explore every aspect of the sound. A well-produced mix has many layers and when you examine each layer, you will understand how the producer constructed their masterpiece.

To keep you on the right track, start reading some books about producing that have been written by the masters. "Behind the Glass" is a great perspective of what it's like for producers working in the world's biggest studios with some of the most famous musicians. Gain some insight on what will be ahead of you before you cross that bridge.

Once you think that you have a good grasp on how to produce, go and find a small band that is just starting out and see if you can produce them. If you can produce a band that has very little experience in the studio, then you're ready to start your career as a producer. It is no easy task to work with musicians that have never worked with a producer. If you succeed, that is one of the most difficult hurdles to overcome. You've got a lot ahead of you and the rest will fall into place as you move along. You may not succeed right away. In fact, it will take time to get settled into the role. Keep plugging away at the challenges that arise and you will find ways to overcome them.

If you want to start even smaller, just try to produce one song on your own. Do some MIDI composing and get some samples together. See how long it takes for you to come up with the melody and rhythm. This will give yo some insight as to how long it will take when you work with other musicians on their production.

Plugins - An open discussion

There are way too many plugins out there and you may feel confused on which ones to buy and incorporate into your workflow. Here is an open discussion for you to ask questions and get insight for all those plugins. I'll regularly post any new releases or deals that I come across for those plugins that you should consider adding to your system.

Using Playlists in Pro Tools

View fullsize

Playlists feature in Pro Tools

There are times when you need to be a powerful audio engineer and knowing your tools is ever so crucial.

Pro Tools is by far the most powerful DAW on the market. No other DAW is even close to offering the same ability to streamlining a workflow for professional use in the studio.  I've tried to use Logic and Studio One, but they just don't offer the speed and professional touch that I need when it comes down to tracking and mixing clients that need to be meticulous with their production. 

I've spent years behind the console and doing endless takes on vocal tracks. Now that I've had the experience of working with multiple DAWs, I'd always turn to Pro Tools for the ease and professionalism that is available. It's not even a competition in my opinion. Being able to pull up multiple playlists with ease and then auditioning them with the track is just so convenient in Pro Tools. 

Now utilizing the playlist feature is the first step. I've had many sessions come to my studio in the past few months and almost none of them took advantage of the playlist feature. This is just a shame and makes me ever so sad. Punching in is a part of studio life and it is a good way to make sure you get a solid performance out of the musicians.  Yet, there is a slim chance you will get an excellent mix out of a session if there is only one vocal performance to mix. The best tactic is to let the vocalist do multiple takes of the track and let them focus on a linear performance. Keeping them in the moment and capturing the emotion of the track is your job. If you are starting and stopping the performance, it will come out disconnected and lack the flow to keep the music moving.

So here is where you start, let the vocalist do an entire take of the song from beginning to end. This can be a scratch track, but orient yourself to the flow and the emotion that the vocalist puts into the track. The most important thing is to just sit back and listen. Don't stop the recording for any reason. Well, unless the vocalist stops singing or asks to stop, but then start them back up again. Once you have this first main track, you can now discuss the road map for how you want to record the rest of the takes. Some vocalist will want to break down the recordings by verse or even by line. I'd suggest that you at least get them to do whole takes of the verses and chorus.

With every pass of the recording, be sure to create a new playlist. You can do this by clicking the drop down menu just to the right of the track name. Choose the "new" option to create a new playlist for recording. There will be a pop up window that asks you to name the track. Just let it auto-name the track and it will add .01 to the end of the track name. This will increase to .02 for the next take and so on. This will be an easy way to keep track of the takes and allow you to streamline your mixing after the recording is finished.

To make sure you have enough material to work with during mixing, I usually suggest at least 3 takes of vocal recordings. However, you can do as many as you feel is necessary or that the vocalist wants to track. Next post we'll get into more of the editing side of the playlist feature.