I was helping out a friend in his studio the other day, comparing different drum recording techniques. He was focusing on different overhead techniques. It was actually pretty interesting because we ended up with testing every overhead technique at the same time, which resulted in a lot of mics around the drum-kit. It wasn’t a...
Guitarists are like girls. Can’t live with them, can’t live without ’em. And I should know. I’m one of them. And I also live with a girl…. Point being, we get caught up in our “tone” a lot. Even when our “tone” has nothing to do with the song at hand. I’ve done these mistakes time...
[Quick update: I spoke too soon on Monday when I said Joe Gilder’s Recording Electric Guitar class only had 50 spots. He’s actually accommodating for 100 people, not 50. My apologies.] A reader chimed in with a question a while ago: How can I re-amp a “wet” distorted guitar track? I know that the answer is “you...
Another reader writes in with a question about recording with reverb: I always seem to add a slight reverb or echo effect when recording guitar or voice….It seems to smooth it out…It’s not overdone I feel, but I’ve read this is a mistake? Why would it be. Now, there is a part in Recording Strategies...
Way back when I started playing guitar, I was chasing after the elusive “metal guitar tone.” You know, the ones you heard on the heavy rock albums. Thick, juicy and amazing. I had to have it. I wanted that guitar tone so badly that I tried every distortion pedal in the store. Too Bad a...
Reading recording tips is an invaluable way of avoiding mistakes. Because let’s face it, you’ll make mistakes. It’s OK. But isn’t it better to read someone else’s mistakes and learn from them? It’s easier than doing it on the job. When your client is looking at you puzzled because his whole vocal track sounds distorted....
Got an email from a reader about mid/side recording that I thought you might want to hear about. Chapter 4 of Recording Strategies shows you a step by step process on how to set up the M/S recording technique, but he had some additional questions that you might like to know. It’s a multi-part question...
This is a guest post by Jak Daniel of Surrey Studios. Choosing the right professional recording studio could prove to be one of the most important decisions you make. Ultimately, the end result of your studio recording could be the very thing that makes or breaks you as a recording artist. 1. The Equipment Recording...
One of the most under-utilized recording technique is the polar pattern. If you know how to use the polar pattern of the microphone to your advantage, you’re golden. Your Ears as the Polar Pattern Imagine there’s a guitarist on your right side and a vocalist on your left side. Put one hand over your left...
There’s one thing home recording engineers struggle with. Vision. It’s not that they don’t know how to record. They just don’t know how to start, where to go and when they’re done. Maybe you’re familiar with this process? The thing is, if you have a big project, you need to break it into bite-sized pieces....