Check out the biggest and best collection of music production tips and tricks from experts. There are tutorials from Grammy-winning producers and some of the leading names in music production.
Virtually all engineers owe something to the gear they learned on that got them into the things we all love. Sandwiched firmly in-between the MIDI revolution and the current DAW era, here Luke gets misty-eyed and shares the gear that got him recording.
Behringer has introduced their latest product: the Precision Stereo Compressor/Limiter, named the "369". This new addition to their catalogue aims to offer high-end performance at an accessible price point. We have the details.
oeksound's adaptive tone shaper sets out to make things just sound better. With some pretty complex processing under the hood, we explain its controls, including ways to set and forget how Bloom's Amount control can influence the sound.
Many sing the praises of collaborative workflows. After all, it promises seamless remote working across borders. But here we talk about the single biggest factor spoiling the remote collaboration dream that nobody seems to be talking about.
iZotope has just released RX 11 and RX 11 Advanced. We have all the details of what’s new, a first-look video, and our verdict of this latest version of the popular audio restoration software.
With remote audio recording and mix review now a part of the engineer’s toolkit, one well-established solution now offers an option for all things MIDI. Here we show you how to trigger instruments and more using LISTENTO.
Most engineers understand that quality of their loudspeaker monitoring is only half the story. With a number of options now available to help engineers actually remove the effects of the room itself, here we take a look at some options for speaker calibration in 2024.
Bogren Digital has launched the Trivium Ampknob Bundle, featuring three guitar amp simulation plugins: Rhythm, Lead, and Bass. Bogren Digital say this bundle was developed in close collaboration with Grammy-nominated metal band Trivium and renowned metal producer Jens Bogren.
Universal Audio has announced the launch of three new microphones in their Standard Series: the SD-3, SD-5, and SD-7 Dynamic Microphones with Hemisphere Modelling. We have the details.
Although good stereo recordings can be made with two mics and a little luck, knowing what can be achieved and how to get there can make stereo capture come into its own. Here we talk about the things that can help panoramic recordings really shine.
For want of a better title we were talking the other day about certain pieces of studio gear that we swear by but don't get the attention they deserve. Sometimes overshadowed by siblings in the same family, or just not regarded as very cool, here’s some stuff that you may want to check out, in no particular order.
It seems that Apple may have created the ultimate advertising irony with their new iPad advert, and some creatives are getting hot under the collar about it.
To mark its 25th anniversary in 2024, Adam Audio is launching a limited edition of its A4V and A7V studio monitors. These models will sport a high-gloss arctic white finish and be available from June 2024 exclusively through selected Adam Audio retailers and the company's own webstore.
LEWITT has launched the CONNECT 2 audio interface, described as offering a high degree of user-friendliness and powerful features for creators who value quality sound production. We have the details.
Apple has introduced the latest versions of its music production software, Logic Pro for iPad 2 and Logic Pro for Mac 11, both set to, in their words; “transform professional music creation.” The updates, which will be available from May 13, incorporate AI to assist artists with songwriting, producing, and mixing tasks. We have the details.
As we hit the second quarter 2024 the list of things to keep engineers interested kept on growing. With the whole gamut of mics, speakers, software, and hardware covered in this month’s offering, here we round up our favourite arrivals from April.
Everyone likes familiarity, but sometimes engineers find themselves on unfamiliar ground in a new DAW. Whether you’re working on location or have decided it’s time for a change, here we talk about the things that really matter to get the job done.
In this article, a follow up on Russ’ popular article on his first studio, Julian shares details and his thoughts on his first set up, a mixture of long-forgotten rubbish and a very desirable classic. In those pre-internet days it was all just stuff he could find and afford…
Templates promise a streamlined workflow, consistency, and a reduction in mundane setup tasks. But could these conveniences be subtly undermining the very creativity they aim to support? In this article we consider the pros and cons of using templates for the creative professional.
In this article Julian suggests 5 technologies which changed the sound of music, leaving a sonic fingerprint on the sound of records so significant that it wasn’t just engineers who noticed the difference, the listening public were just as aware. As such they represent watershed moments in recording history.
Any audio professional worth hiring is always going to try and do their best on a project, but how far is it possible to go from hired-help to collaborator? We explore this question.
Whether it’s for managing recording disasters or supercharging existing sounds, replacing or layering up drum sounds is yet another DAW technique that keeps on giving. Here we round up reasons to fly in new sounds and some ways to do it.
The audio production market is flooded with software tools promising to revolutionise the creative process. The choices are vast, but so are the claims. The integrity of these marketing claims is more important than ever. We call out some of the more dubious claims and say why they matter.
Now in its second decade, Harrison’s Mixbus sets out to bring the American console manufacturer’s sound and workflow into the box. Here we give an overview of Mixbus 10 and its new features, get some user opinion, and some background from the people behind it.
With layered acoustic and electronic sounds a great way to supercharge any drum part, up until recently getting those could be clunky. We show you how to get fast, streamlined results in just a few moves.
My first home studio sounds like something made by Fisher Price, now there’s a thought for a good kids gift. However, in this article, Expert’s founder Russ Hughes tells us what his first home studio consisted of. Read it and weep!
With acoustic guitar underpinning a number mixes, getting it right with a virtual one could be a tall order. Luckily UJAM hope to have a solution with their latest nylon-strung flavour for digital troubadours across the board. See and hear it for yourself as we check it out…
With a new generation of tools using either advanced algorithms or AI to do what they do, engineers can achieve more than ever in the mix. Whether it’s a fresh take on an old favourite, or the latest restorative fix, here we take a look at what can be achieved with these magic modern helpers.
This article explores the provocative comparison between generative AI and pornography, examining their implications for human expression, connection, and the erosion of creativity's essence.
This decade has seen some big changes in how the industry gets things done remotely. With a number of competing platforms letting audio pros do their thing wherever they are, here we round up some of those out there and what they offer.
GrooveCell is the new rhythm based virtual instrument introduced in Pro Tools 2022.4. It’s a great addition for Pro Tools users but we’ve identified 5 areas where this rhythm VI could be improved.
Back in November 2018 Avid bundled Falcon from UVI with all versions of Pro Tools. Today we can announce that Pro Tools users will find the latest version of UVI Falcon for Pro Tools. We have the details…
In this article, we identify a selection of new features, which we would like to see in a future version of Pro Tools for both music production and audio post-production applications.
We have had a number of queries about the inner working of the Session I/O Setup window, as it's a part of Pro Tools so few of us ever visit, when we do, it can be confusing because Avid has made improvements since we last used it. To help reduce the fear of the I/O Setup window, Pro Tools guru Mike Thornton explains everything you need to know about the Pro Tools I/O Setup window.
Composing in Pro Tools, what is it like? In this article, composer Walter Everton, shares some of his tips and tricks he has found out the hard way. It includes a detailed look at his own template, and why he thinks you should build your own template.
Want to learn how to mix music in Dolby Atmos? In this free expert tutorial, Matt Lange walks you through, in detail, how he mixes a track in Dolby Atmos. He has made the Pro Tools Session available for you to download for free. Don’t worry if you don’t have Pro Tools Ultimate or the Dolby Atmos Production Suite because there is a free 30-day trial bundle available as well.
During Avid’s Pro Tools Carbon launch event François Quereuil, Avid’s Director of Audio Product Management announced that Antares had produced Auto-Tune Hybrid, a DSP version of their popular tuning software, which took us by surprise. In this article, we share what we now know about Auto-Tune Hybrid from Antares.
We compare the cost of entry of the Avid Pro Tools Carbon audio interface with the Universal Audio Apollo x8p and the Apogee Ensemble, all similar priced audio interfaces with both native and DSP powered plugins.
This article focuses on the creative potential within the recently released Pro Tools feature, Folder Tracks. Usually, Folder Tracks are used for session organization; however, with powerful viewing and routing options found within Pro Tools, we can turn this unsuspecting feature into something incredibly creative and powerful.
Tom Bullen shows how Import Session Data and Match Tracks, two Pro Tools features that you have to know about.
Whilst people are working from home, self-isolating, or putting newly found free time towards personal development, our friends at HHB, a UK based pro-audio dealer and installer, have put together a free starter guide and Pro Tools template to help users get to grips with mixing music in Dolby Atmos.
In this video from NAMM 2020, Avid’s application specialist, Jeff Komar takes an in-depth look at working on music projects with Dolby Atmos natively, in Pro Tools, with the power of HDX, Avid S4, and MTRX. Watch to see Jeff give some insights into techniques for mixing music for Dolby Atmos.
Universal Music and Dolby remix some of the world’s most popular music in Dolby Atmos using Avid S6 and Pro Tools | HDX. In this video, Avid brought together a panel of practitioners already mixing music in Dolby Atmos hosted by Avid Product Specialist Jeff Komar.
In this excerpt from F. Reid Shippen Mixing Ingrid Michaelson Reid explains a trick to get a bright pop vocal using a, EQ, a limiter and the polarity invert button. By using a combination of aggressive high pass filtering, limiting and by blending this processed duplicate out of phase with the original Reid shows his technique for adding presence and brightness to a vocal.
I’ve been in music production for around 40 years and in that time I’ve heard some horror stories. A particular favourite was the one about the tape assistant who hit record on a vocal drop in, only to find he had the SMPTE stripe track armed too! Anyway, here’s mine and it has little to do with gear.
Vocal samples are some of the most versatile sounds to work with. They can easily be cut, stretched, and transposed to fit just about any genre or style. In this free tutorial, Daniel Dixon, from iZotope shows you three unconventional ways to use vocal samples in your music.
There are many significant junctures capable of enhancing or undermining the quality of a song’s vocals. In this article, iZotope Contributor Philip Nichols shares some common vocal production practices—some to use and some to avoid. Of course, it’s best to start at the source.
In this excerpt from Episode 6 of “Greg Wells Start to Finish,” Greg shows us his workflow and discusses his strategies for setting Antares Auto-Tune.
Waves have been running a ‘coming soon’ campaign on social media that there was a new something on the way. Now we know it is OVox, a “next-generation voice-controlled synth and vocal effects processor designed to create a limitless palette of vocal morphing, tuning, harmonizing, vocoder & talkbox effects and beyond, with depth, clarity, and intuitive control. Available as a plugin or standalone app”.
In this free extract from Start to Finish: Greg Wells - Episode 3 - Setting Up The Vocal Chain from PureMix, Greg walks us through his preferred settings on his preferred compressor for vocals.
Ducking a track against the vocal is a common technique but have you ever thought about how you can better target what gets dipped in the track to make room for the vocal? Surfer EQ from Sound Radix is the perfect tool for this. Find out more in this free tutorial.
Revoice Pro is known for, among other things, its unique ability to automatically transfer pitch and timing characteristics from one audio file to another. It’s easy to overlook how great a tool it also is for basic vocal tuning. It’s not only accurate and pristine sounding, but it’s also intuitive and straightforward to use. You can fly through a file in no time. And now, with the release of Revoice Pro v. 4.1, it's easier to use than ever.
Need big gang vocals for your track but you only have one vocalist? In this article learn about a trend called the Millennial Whoop, which appears to be taking over pop music and in a video tutorial we explain a production concept we refer to as “The Room Of People Singing Happy Birthday” and show you how to get gang vocal results just like you hear in the charts today, but with a single microphone and one vocalist. This is an especially cool production technique for home studio producers.
Join producer and songwriter Paul Drew as he shows how to create great pop vocals using Waves plug-ins in Studio One. In this final episode Paul uses delays to give some cool effects to the vocal.