You record a clean acoustic guitar take. The performance feels great in the room, but back at the desk the strums are jumping out 8 dB louder than the picked verses. You spend twenty minutes nudging the threshold, watching the gain reduction meter wiggle, second-guessing whether you are crushing the body of the instrument or … Read more
One harsh “s” can pull a listener right out of an otherwise beautiful vocal. You have EQ’d it, compressed it, added air, and now the sibilance is sharper than ever, hissing on every chorus. A good de-esser fixes that in seconds, but a bad one leaves the singer sounding like they have a lisp. The … Read more
Are your hi-hats sounding dull and buried in your mix? It’s time to unleash their true potential. In this guide, we’ll delve into the art of EQing hi-hats like a pro. Get ready to add clarity, sparkle, and rhythmic energy when mixing hi-hats as we reveal the secrets of perfect hi-hat sound shaping. Understanding Hi-Hat … Read more
Get ready to take your mixes to the next level with the power of stereo. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the exciting world of mixing in stereo and uncover the secrets to creating a wide, immersive soundstage. What Mixing in Stereo Actually Means Mixing in stereo means using the full left-right space of … Read more
You open the session. The drummer rushed the fill in bar 16. The kick is drifting behind the click in the chorus. The snare top and bottom mics are fighting each other. There is a 4 dB hiss under every silent bar. You load a compressor and try to mix your way out of it. … Read more
Mixing drums is an art, and mastering reverb is the secret ingredient that can elevate your mixes from good to mind-blowing. Imagine your snare drum taking on a three-dimensional quality, filling the sonic space with depth, impact, and sheer power. In this blog post, we’re about to embark on an exhilarating journey through the world … Read more
Are your drum mixes missing that certain “oomph” and excitement? Look no further. Compressing tom drums is the secret ingredient to injecting life and energy into your tracks. Whether you’re a seasoned producer or an aspiring engineer, this step-by-step guide will equip you with the knowledge and techniques to achieve pro-level results. You’ll learn how … Read more
Your acoustic sounds warm and rich on its own. Then you drop it in the mix, and it turns boomy, boxy, and cluttered, with a harsh pick attack and a low end that fights the bass. So you boost the highs for sparkle, and the harshness gets worse, or you cut the lows, and the … Read more
De-essing is an essential part of mixing and mastering music, especially when it comes to vocal processing. Sibilance, the harsh hissing sound produced by the “s” and “sh” sounds, can be particularly problematic in vocal recordings. A de-esser plugin is a tool that allows you to reduce or eliminate these unwanted frequencies and enhance clarity. … Read more
There’s something magical about the sound of a well-mixed acoustic guitar. It’s warm and intimate, and it has a way of drawing you into the music. But getting that sound just right can be a challenge, especially if you’re working with less-than-ideal recording conditions. In this post, I’m going to share some of my favorite … Read more