Mixing / Production

From their roots as a drum & bass act, Pendulum have transformed themselves into a dance-rock powerhouse.

Jack Johnson is living proof that you don't need Auto-Tune, Beat Detective or a million overdubs to record a hit album. In fact, as engineer Robert Carranza explains, he didn't even need mains electricity...

On March 3rd, the world of music lost one of its pivotal figures. Norman 'Hurricane' Smith recorded the Beatles' first six albums, produced the first four Pink Floyd LPs and even enjoyed chart success in his own right.

We find out how much you can do in the mix when the recordings aren't up to scratch — and how much you can't!

Links to Audio files mentioned within MAY 2008's Mix Rescue article.

Roni Size's New Forms revolutionised electronic music. Ten years on, he's returned to his classic album with a fresh perspective.

If sound is leaking from your studio or external noise is ruining your recordings, there are practical steps you can take to improve matters.

A producer from the US who's doing very nicely in the UK, Tony Hoffer has been responsible for some of the most successful indie-rock albums of recent years.

Working straight to DAT, with a minimum of equipment, Chris Denman records more bands in a year than most engineers manage in a lifetime.

Aided by its memorable video and starring role in an iPod ad, Feist's '1234' has been a refreshingly different worldwide hit. Renaud Letang was behind the (vintage) desk during the recording and mixing sessions.

We help a home recordist on a budget to add that elusive polish to his jazz-trio recordings.

Phase interactions are well known for their ability to destructively interfere with recorded signals, but an understanding of the process can turn it into one of the most powerful creative tools available to you.

Here are links to the audio files from APRIL 2008's MIX RESCUE article, for those readers who buy the magazine from the newsagent/bookstore and don't wish to type in all the long filenames.

Iconic rockers The Foo Fighters had a worldwide smash with their record-breaking track 'The Pretender'. Rich Costey was the man behind the mix faders.

Here are links to the audio files from March 2008's MIX RESCUE article, for those readers who buy the magazine from the newsagent and don't wish to type in all those long URLs.

This month we explore a mix in which distortion, reverb and modulation effects provide powerful alternatives to EQ.

Last month, we explained how the business of production music works. But if you want to get into it, you'll need to learn how to make stings, cut-downs and the other elements of a usable library track.

Few individuals have influenced the development of electronic music as much as Karlheinz Stockhausen, who died last December. We look back at his life and celebrate his many achievements.

The Feeling stormed the charts with a debut album recorded in a shed. For their follow-up, they relocated to a country mansion, but elected to stick with the DIY approach.

Whether you're recording real players or using samples, our in-depth guide is your key to polished and authentic-sounding strings.

Designers overcame most inherent problems with digital audio long ago, but for many of us, the experience still isn't perfect. This in-depth guide tells you why — and what you need to know to put things right...