A really nice little VST plug in that gets great results.
Best of all it's free !!!
Click on the picture for the link.
For free VST plug in's on my website click here.
For free DirectX plug in's on wy website click here.
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Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Pushtec Equaliser
A really nice little VST plug in that gets great results.
Best of all it's free !!!
Click on the picture for the link.
For free VST plug in's on my website click here.
For free DirectX plug in's on wy website click here.
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Minirator MR1Test Generator
A handy little tool for testing your playback system.
In conjunction with a good measurement microphone such as Behringer's ECM8000 and FFT analysis software you can get a good idea of your listening area's deficiencies.
Click on the image to get it from the manufacturers site.
Bob Katz - Mastering God
If you want to know more about the black art of mastering then this is your first port of call. Digital domain, the home of mastering guru Bob Katz.
Lots of great articles to get your education started.
LINK
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Audio Technology Magazine
One of the best magazines I've found for serious audio engineers.
Lot's of articles, reviews and tips to keep you up to date.
An Australian publication that's available elsewhere with online subscription.
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Mixing with your mind
A great book for those that want to really understand the art of recording music.
I bought this when it first came out and have to say that it really makes you think about how you go about the recording and mixing process.
Here's a link to the authors website...
Identify CD-R properties
I discovered this little utility for checking blank CD-R information.
You can download it here from my website...
Called CD-R ID it's no longer in development but still very useful.
Great if you have issues with suspected fake Taiyo Yuden etc.
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A more comprehensive set of disc tools is Nero's CD Speed.
You can get this from my website here
The studio Facebook page
RDMS Recording studio has a facebook page
This is an open group and anyone is welcome to join.
Vocal Clarity
Here's a quick tip for making vocals in your mix stand out a bit more.
Play your mix and as the vocal is in full flight, mute individual channels that occupy the same space. Any muted channels that improve the vocals clarity should then have about 1dB of EQ reduction at 350Hz (medium Q). Repeat process till your happy.
This tip is about getting you to understand the fundamental issue with frequency in the 200-500Hz area. Mud often resides here, as well as an important part of vocal frequency presence.
With a little practice you can be more precise with the reductions frequency and Q.It also shows you how a problem with one particular sound is often somewhere else.
Analogy: A polar bear in snow is harder to see than one standing in a coalmine.
Play your mix and as the vocal is in full flight, mute individual channels that occupy the same space. Any muted channels that improve the vocals clarity should then have about 1dB of EQ reduction at 350Hz (medium Q). Repeat process till your happy.
This tip is about getting you to understand the fundamental issue with frequency in the 200-500Hz area. Mud often resides here, as well as an important part of vocal frequency presence.
With a little practice you can be more precise with the reductions frequency and Q.It also shows you how a problem with one particular sound is often somewhere else.
Analogy: A polar bear in snow is harder to see than one standing in a coalmine.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Behringer Blues
Why is it that every wannabe recording engineer bags Behringer gear?
Yeah, sure, they are built to a price and there's way better out there, but I'm willing to bet that the people Behringer equipment is aimed at have skills way below the capacity of the equipment.
As an analogy... If you were learning to play the guitar would your first axe be a $5000 custom shop Fender or a $300 special? Only a fool buys the very best when their talents do not warrant it.
My studio uses some Behringer equipment (as do a lot of other studio's that are in the business of making a living). Hell, I recorded a top 5 independant album award on a Behringer desk.... So spare me the diatribe of how their stuff is no good and unreliable etc....
Here's a tour of the Behringer factory by Audiotechnology magazine....
Yeah, sure, they are built to a price and there's way better out there, but I'm willing to bet that the people Behringer equipment is aimed at have skills way below the capacity of the equipment.
As an analogy... If you were learning to play the guitar would your first axe be a $5000 custom shop Fender or a $300 special? Only a fool buys the very best when their talents do not warrant it.
My studio uses some Behringer equipment (as do a lot of other studio's that are in the business of making a living). Hell, I recorded a top 5 independant album award on a Behringer desk.... So spare me the diatribe of how their stuff is no good and unreliable etc....
Here's a tour of the Behringer factory by Audiotechnology magazine....
Turn me up !
Turn Me Up!™ is a non-profit music industry organization campaigning to give artists back the choice to release more dynamic records.
Hopefully this will get off the ground and establish sensible levels for mastered music. The YouTube movie on this site says it all.....
Reverb - Mud or Polish
I read on quite a few recording forums the complaint that reverbs make sound muddy. Well, yes it can, but there are reasons for this and you need to understand why. A standard reverb setting quite often adds a tail to the peaks of the sound. This tail, more often than not, then competes with the quieter sounds of your mix. There area few things you can do to reduce this...1. If your reverb has an equaliser then reduce the low frequency content. Mud in a mix is typically below 500Hz.
2. Use the pre-delay function to give the sound some breathing space. This also increases the perception of a sound being in it's own sonic space.
3. Reduce the amount of diffusion and reflections. This gives a cleaner reverb sound.
Remember that a reverbs size is relative to the tempo of the music. Find a room size that works with the beat.
Squashing the life out of music
Yes, yes, I'm not the first to harp on about this subject but here's my 10 cents worth.
Music masters are by and large over compressed. Well, over limited I should say.
For some reason we have all been conned into thinking that if it's loud then it must be good.
Question, how many of you have heard really good mixes played loud in a studio, then listened to the "over squashed" master on the same system?
I believe those that have will agree that you lose something important when you chase insane levels for release. Depth, clarity and seperation ALL suffer.
Why do we do it? Biggest dick syndrome I suspect. It's not how big it is, it's what you do with it that counts !!!
Music masters are by and large over compressed. Well, over limited I should say.
For some reason we have all been conned into thinking that if it's loud then it must be good.
Question, how many of you have heard really good mixes played loud in a studio, then listened to the "over squashed" master on the same system?
I believe those that have will agree that you lose something important when you chase insane levels for release. Depth, clarity and seperation ALL suffer.
Why do we do it? Biggest dick syndrome I suspect. It's not how big it is, it's what you do with it that counts !!!
First thoughts
I've been planning on doing this for ages but time is money so it took a damaged knee to get this started.
I've been recording audio now for over 20 years and in that time learned a few things.
Some from experience, some from education. Very little from recording forums (more on that later).
Yes, I have recorded and Mastered commercial releases. No, I'm not god's gift to the audio industry. I have, however, built up enough practical experience to think that what I have to say may be of some use to somebody.
It occurs to me that the problem with a lot of audio forums is that the people offering advice are no better than those looking for it. Lot's of holier than thou attitude and equipment bias that can be more of a hinderance than a help.
The reality of recording is this..."Use your ears". Don't ask people how a spectral analysis should look for good music ! Compressors, E.Q. and reverbs all have one thing in common. They rely on YOU for the creative effect.
Play around with them, find out what sounds good, what sounds bad and why...
I've been recording audio now for over 20 years and in that time learned a few things.
Some from experience, some from education. Very little from recording forums (more on that later).
Yes, I have recorded and Mastered commercial releases. No, I'm not god's gift to the audio industry. I have, however, built up enough practical experience to think that what I have to say may be of some use to somebody.
It occurs to me that the problem with a lot of audio forums is that the people offering advice are no better than those looking for it. Lot's of holier than thou attitude and equipment bias that can be more of a hinderance than a help.
The reality of recording is this..."Use your ears". Don't ask people how a spectral analysis should look for good music ! Compressors, E.Q. and reverbs all have one thing in common. They rely on YOU for the creative effect.
Play around with them, find out what sounds good, what sounds bad and why...
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