Rants Archive
04 Apr 2017
Mix Buss Processing For Total Noobs
Mixing is all about balance. Taking the 20, 40, 80 tracks you have, and getting cleaned up, at the right levels, and funneling all those sounds down to a stereo file coming out of speakers and headphones. Since it all comes down to that stereo track, why don’t we start with the mix buss, and
31 Mar 2017
Your DAW Doesn’t Matter (Much)
“Which DAW should I use?” “Which one is the best?” It’s a common question, especially if you’re just getting into recording and mixing. There are dozens of choices out there, and you want to make sure you spend your money right. Guess what? It doesn’t matter. Mostly. Don’t Worry About What ‘Tools’ The ‘Pros’ Are
22 Nov 2016
Reference Tracks: The Home Studio’s Secret Weapon
If you’re like me (or really, almost anyone with a home recording studio), you probably want the music coming out of your studio to sound like, and stand up to, the music you hear on iTunes, Spotify, and the radio. I get it, but if you’re not actually referencing that sort of music while you’re
31 Oct 2016
The Way You Think About Plugin Presets Is Broken (And How To Fix It)
I mentioned in last week’s article that I have a love-hate relationship with plugin presets. There are times they can really help me out, and others when they’re the worst thing about DAW mixing. Let’s break that down a bit and talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly. We’ll start with… The Ugly
22 Sep 2016
Recording With Intent
We live in a world of near-infinite track counts. It’s all too easy to record 16 vocal harmonies, 32 guitar tracks, and 50 different synth sounds. Maybe you’ve read an article or heard an interview from some A-listers, be they musicians, producers, or engineers. Often, they’ll mention a project they recently worked on, and they