Recording strings can be one of the most rewarding recording experiences you can have as an audio engineer. Strings are some of the most expressive and beautiful sounding instrument you can record. So how do you go about recording strings? There are many different guides to miking and processing strings online and a lot of these are great guides to get you started, but experimentation is key to finding what is going to sound the best. Stringed instruments are all very different and sound different depending on what kind of space they are in. So if you get a chance to record strings take the time to try different mic’s and experiment with different placements to find what sounds the best. READ MORE

One of the basics of understanding Audio Engineering is Dynamics. Dynamics are directly related to the volume of an audio signal. There are a few different kinds of Dynamic Processors that you should know. First is a Compressor. What a Compressor does is it makes loud sounds quieter and quiet sounds louder compressing the dynamic range. Second is a Limiter. This does exactly what it sounds like; it doesn’t let the audio signal get louder than a certain volume. Third is an Expander. This is just the exact opposite of a compressor, making loud sounds louder and quiet sounds quieter. Fourth is a Gate. A gate turns down or silences audio signals that are too quiet or unwanted, and only allows for signals that exceed the volume threshold set by the gate.READ MORE

Every single piece of gear, microphone and room we use will have its own effect on our audio signal. This means everything we record has been changed or equalized in a variety of different ways before it even gets to our ears. So how do we get the sound we want when all of these different processes affect our sound? The key is to not over do it. Instead of equalizing, try moving the microphone, or switching it out till you find the right sound. Instead of adding more equalization by boosting certain frequencies try subtracting, or cutting some frequencies. Here are a couple more useful tips that will help improve you skills.READ MORE

Making sure you have the perfect workspace at home is the first step to become more productive. This biggest thing you can do to improve your productivity is develop a workflow that works for you. Having your gear set up and ready to go can be a huge time saver in the long run. If you are a singer, have a microphone set up. If you are a guitarist, have your pedals, amps, and guitars hooked up ready to rock. Being able to sit down and immediately start working can make a huge difference in your attitude towards working at home. Being excited about your space at home is the first step to becoming more productive.READ MORE

If you have a home studio or plan on building one, you are going to want it to look and sound its best. There are many easy and simple ways to create a professional environment without breaking the bank. Having a space that is warm and inviting will help you and your clients create better recordings. There are a lot of DIY solutions you can utilize to save money and still make something that looks good. So how do you go about making your home studio look and sound better? One of the simplest things you can do is get your speakers on stands, and isolate them from the ground. If your speakers are just sitting on your desk they are not going to perform at their best and their frequency response will suffer. READ MORE

Knowing the directionality of your microphone is key to good microphone placement. As you may be aware there are a few different polar patterns to microphones; omni, cardioid, hyper cardioid, supercardioid, and bipolar. To properly utilize a microphones poplar pattern you need to be able to determine its directionality. This seems like something that should be common sense in the studio, but inexperienced engineers can easily point a microphone the wrong direction without knowing any better. So whenever you are using a new microphone, be sure to ask or look up its directionality and poplar pattern. How does directionality and axis effect sound?READ MORE

One of the most useful functions in Pro Tools is Playlists. Many other DAW’s have a similar functions but i find that Pro Tools Playlists really make it easy to organize, listen to, and comp between different takes. A Playlist is basically a track or multiple tracks with in one track. The main use for Playlists is to record multiple takes on one track. Then when your done recording you can go back and choose what takes or playlists you want to use and comp between them. This way every time you want to record another take you don’t have to create a new track that will take up more processing. These playlists can be used on a single track, or a group of tracks. READ MORE

When starting a mix it can be difficult to know what to do first. The key to starting a mix on the right foot is to keep the basics in mind and have a vision for what you want the final product to sound like. The basic that I am referring to are, levels, panning, compression, EQ, and depth. These basics are the fundamentals that every audio engineers uses when mixing. It is important to not over complicate your mixes, this way, it is easy to make changes and go back if needed. There is no “right way” to mix a song, but there are some very helpful guidelines that will help READ MORE

It is often debated among audio engineers and in forums, that high quality cables really make a difference. I am under the belief that it really does. If you buy a cheap mic cable off the internet it will probably work the first few times you use it, but if you don’t take care of it, it will soon start to show signs of wear and tear. It may start to crackle when you touch it, sometimes stop working, or drop to half signal. These are all signs of shorting and bad solder joints. Also if you take a high quality cable, like mogami, and test it against a less cable there is a noticeable tonal difference and even level difference in some cases. This is because cheaper cables are made with low-grade copper and cheap solder that does not hold up. But you don’t need to go out and spend tons of money on expensive cables; you can buy the parts and make them yourself.READ MORE