Recording

Most budding engineers will, at some time, have to tackle a performer who wants to sing and play the guitar at the same time. Mic type and placement can make a big difference to the quality of the result obtained, as Hugh Robjohns explains..

Paul White gives some foolproof step-by-step ideas for creating contemporary and vintage guitar sounds in the studio.

Multi-port MIDI interface and patchbays can seem an expensive indulgence for the average studio. But, as Martin Russ explains in the concluding part of this two-part feature, they can really help you to get the best use from the MIDI gear you already own.

The flexibility of digital multitrack and hard disk recording is undeniable. But what if you yearn for the sound of your old analogue machine? Craig Anderton explains a trick which uses the playback head of a three-head analogue deck to give you the best of both worlds.

Martin Russ's Studio 5LX has changed the way he runs his studio. In the first of this two-part series, he explains how to set up a multi-port MIDI interface, and reveals some of the ways in which these useful devices can simplify your life.

Paul White reveals a few of the less well-trodden paths hidden within your mixer's routing system.

Last month, Paul White looked at ways to tackle the noise and distortion that can spoil a mix. However, even a perfectly recorded mix can still sound terrible, and this calls for different tactics...

Conventional wisdom states that you can't 'fix it in the mix', but that doesn't mean you cant' try! Paul White discusses a few practical salvage techniques in the first part of this short series.

When using effects, it's all too easy to add noise to your mix — and it's not always the fault of your effects unit. Paul White offers a few practical tips for achieving quieter mixes.

Last month, we looked at which elements are most likely to go wrong in the mix. This month, Paul White takes a more positive line, and looks at how to record the right instrumental sound to tape in the first place.

Craig Anderton offers a few tips to help you balance your mix without relying solely on changes to relative volume levels — and gets in touch with his Neanderthal past. Additional material by Paul White.

It can all go without a hitch; recording, overdubbing, even the mixing — but the finest ingredients do not always guarantee a feast. Paul White explains how a little forethought and planning can make all the difference to your final mixes...

What do you do if a valuable master tape that you've had on the shelf for the past 15 years tries to weld itself to the playback head as soon as you try to play it? Swear loudly, then pop in in a low oven, advises master chef Jean-Paul White...

CD-R may be the fastest growing mastering format, but its complicated zip codes and impenetrable protocols have made it anything but user friendly. As prices tumble and software evolves, however, it's an increasingly accessible medium. Mike Collins explains how he's mastered mastering on his Mac...

If you don't have a multitrack but you're keen to start experimenting with recording, good results can be achieved with just a couple of mics and a domestic cassette deck. Paul White shows you how to be a stereo MC...