When you’re using a delay, how do you know whether you should use 1/4 note or 1/8th note? What about the dotted or triplet note divisions? It’s important to select the right delay type because otherwise, you can destroy the rhythmic feel of your song. In this video, I explain the thought process behind that...
I’m a sucker for cello. Put it in your song, and I’ll most likely love it. I’ve used quite a bit of cello in my music — both live cello and MIDI cello. And I have some insights about which is better for different circumstances. The Pros And Cons Of Real Cello Real cello played...
When it comes to superhero movies, the Marvel movies win hands down. What they did with the Avengers across two decades of cinema was simply an incredible feat of strategy, storytelling, and vision. However, the Justice League of America will always be my favorite superhero team. Grant Morrison’s JLA run between 1997 and 2006 is...
Ronan Chris Murphy (King Crimson, GWAR), said in a recent Facebook post that low-end in reverb reduces power and impact in your mixes. And he’s 100% correct. The more low-end you have in your reverbs, the more clutter you’re introducing into your mix. Not EQ’ing your reverbs can make the difference between a clean and...
One of the most frequent questions I get about Step By Step Mixing is: “Will this help me mix my [insert super obscure genre here]?” Whether I’m teaching a particular mixing philosophy, showing an EQ or compression technique, or justing talking about approaching your mixing in general, it’s the #1 doubt people have. All I...
A great song needs a great vocal Vocal doubles are among the secret ingredients used by producers from Sir George Martin to Roy Thomas Baker, from Butch Vig to Rick Rubin. In this post, I’ll show you how to master this super important production technique. Are you ready to make your vocals sing like Freddy,...
Over the last few decades, it’s become increasingly common for commercial productions to use pre-made loops. And while they can add the perfect texture or tone to a track, they can sometimes be difficult to mix. In this blog, we’ll share a few of our favorite tips for working with loops, samples, and two-tracks to...
It’s quite feasible that a number of people reading this article won’t know what I’m banging on about when I mention standalone multitrack hardware recorders – certainly the cassette tape-based variety. Because you do have to be of a ‘certain’ age to truly appreciate what revolutionary devices they were, in today’s modern world, they have...
Michael is an EQ Strategies student and he shared a common story I’ve heard from other students as well: “Muddiness has always been my most difficult problem. I didn’t realize that it’s OK to cut out so much of an instrument (especially below 100Hz or even below 300Hz) — the main goal is to make...
Dabbling in creating your own music doesn’t have to be expensive. If you don’t have money for high-end reference monitors, investing in a good pair of studio headphones can be a great way to get started. In fact, many studio headphones are very affordable while still being high in quality. You’d be surprised what you...