Mixing / Production

Legendary songwriter and Kinks frontman Ray Davies got his first taste of recording in 1964, and hes never looked back.

From humble beginnings in provincial Norway, the Stargate team have gone on to become one of Americas leading hit factories. Songwriter and producer Mikkel Eriksen explains how their hard work and talent brought success.

Having tackled his room acoustics, David Balen found himself plagued by a confusion of excess hardware. Our job was to get him back on track.

Dave Stewarts career has spanned several generations of music technology (from National Health band in the 1970s to hits with partner Barbara Gaskin. For his latest project, he faced the challenge of bringing his old multitracks and MIDI sequences into the computer age.

New to the world of video production and unsure what gear to buy? Our guide to the five best options in three software and hardware categories will get you started in the right direction...

We mix a track twice in the search for the right feel, apply EQ techniques for clarity and sheen, and complete the picture with stereo width enhancement.

These audio files accompany the Mix Rescue article for May 2010 (www....

A look at fitting IronGear Texas Loco stratocaster pickups, plus general tips.

From subtle warmth to screaming walls of noise, distortion is one of the most versatile effects in the studio engineers armoury.

In a rare interview, legendary engineer and producer Humberto Gatica explains how he and singer Michael Bublé breathed new life into big-band swing music — with stunning results.

What do you get when five American jazz musicians lock themselves in the studio with a collection of Steeleye Span albums? Through a series of reinventions, Midlake have won critical applause for their music and plaudits for their self-production skills.

This month, we show how manipulating the phase relationships of some tracks in your mix, plus a little disciplined pruning, can revitalise a flat-sounding track.

These audio files accompany the Mix Rescue article that featured in SOS April 2010.

Some of the latest advances in electronic music technology have been geared towards acoustic music — played by robots. For his latest album, guitarist Pat Metheny assembled an entire automated orchestra to back him.

I recently recorded a steel‑strung, finger‑picked acoustic guitar track. The problem is that it sounds very 'spiky' and I'm...

Even with access to the best gear, and commercial experience under your belt, paying attention to your studios acoustics can still pay massive dividends...

Thanks to years of experimentation with budget equipment, brothers Peter and David Brewis have developed into one of the UK's best and most interesting studio bands, with a sound that is very much their own.

Flying the flag for a distinctively British sound, and scoring some huge hits in the process, Cenzo Townshend is one of the UKs hottest mixers. He gives us the inside track on Florence and the Machines hit Youve Got The Love.

Following their unlikely breakthrough into the mainstream, Flaming Lips made a conscious return to the outer limits with their recent album Embryonic. Dave Fridmann manned the controls.

Just where do you look for that final 20 percent that puts your mix on a par with commercial tracks? Find out, as we apply a little polish to Zeno's track 'Signs'.

These audio files accompany the Mix Rescue article that featured in SOS March 2010.