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Recording

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    Q. How do I make live-tracked metal guitars sound sufficiently wide?

    I’ll soon record a sludge‑metal band and I need some advice. Any techniques for making the guitars sound sufficiently wide in the mix?

    Sound Advice Mar 2024
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    David Mellor - Audio Masterclass Course Director

    Mic Polar Patterns - Part 1 | Podcast

    Understanding which Microphone to use

    In the first of this two-part series, David Mellor gives us an introduction to mic polar patterns.

    Sound Advice Mar 2024
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    David Mellor - Audio Masterclass Course Director

    Mic Polar Patterns - Part 2 | Podcast

    Cardioid, Supercardioid, Figure of 8 and Omnidirectional compared

    A valuable test for recording engineers, David Mellor gives examples of different mic types to emphasise the importance of knowing your mic collection in detail.

    Sound Advice Mar 2024
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    Q. Do I really need an RIAA preamp to record vinyl?

    I want to record some vinyl into my DAW, could a turntable simply be plugged into any audio interface and the EQ applied after amplification?

    Sound Advice Jan 2024
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    Professor Rob Toulson

    Drum Science - Part 3 | Podcast

    Mic positions for recording

    In the final part of this series, Rob Toulson focuses on mic techniques for recording drums and talks us through the issue of frequency cancellation in a multiple mic setup, details how to choose the recording sweet spot in a room and explains the various stereo mic options that are available including the famous Glyn Johns technique.

    Sound Advice Dec 2023
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    Professor Rob Toulson

    Drum Science - Part 2 | Podcast

    Optimising drums for recording

    Rob Toulson explains how to optimise the drum sound for recording by experimenting with drum head, damping system, tuning and drum shell combinations.

    Sound Advice Nov 2023
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    Professor Rob Toulson

    Drum Science - Part 1 | Podcast

    The Science of Drum Sound

    In Part 1, we look at the key principles of drum acoustics and discuss some scientific aspects of drums with respect to making music and creative recording projects.

    Sound Advice Oct 2023
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    Q. How do I record taiko drums without distortion?

    Recently I had to record a Japanese taiko drum ensemble, but I got a fair bit of distortion even though my recording levels never reached 0dBFS. Why was I getting this distortion/compression?

    Sound Advice Jun 2023
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    Meet The Problem Solvers!

    Essential Gadgets For The Recording Studio

    These gadgets might not be the most glamorous devices, but at some point in your recording adventures you’ll probably find you need each and every one.

    Sound Advice Jan 2023
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    The Value Of Hardware In The Studio

    The Hard Way

    Mix engineers used to prefer hardware to software because it sounded better. Is that still true? And if not, is there still a reason to use it?

    Sound Advice Jul 2022
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    Q. Should I compress at the recording stage?

    I’m seeing a lot of conflicting advice about using compression while recording. Some swear by it while others say it’s completely unnecessary with 24‑bit recording and modern converters. Where do you stand on this?

    Sound Advice Jul 2022
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    Q. Should I apply dither after sample-rate conversion?

    If I open a 16‑bit, 96kHz audio file, resample it to 48kHz, and then export it again, still at 16 bits, do I need to apply dither?

    Sound Advice Dec 2021
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    How To Succeed As An Online Session Musician

    Session Smarts

    Two veterans of the online session world share their top tips for success.

    Sound Advice Jun 2021
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    Why Do Bad Musicians Need Good Engineers?

    VIDEO

    A good engineer can make bands sound better than they are. In this video, Sound On Sound's Editor In Chief Sam Inglis explains how to turn musical lead into gold...

    Sound Advice Apr 2021
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    Classical Recording: A Practical Guide In The Decca Tradition

    Book Review

    For anyone with an interest in recording classical performances of any form — whether they’re an amateur, a professional or an academic — this is absolutely essential reading.

    Reviews Mar 2021
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    Q. Is Ultrasonic Noise On DSD Recordings A Problem?

    I recently started capturing my vinyl collection to DSD and hi‑res PCM. The result sounds great but when I examine the audio file in iZotope RX 8 Elements I see a band of ultrasonic noise. Should I be worried about this?

    Sound Advice Dec 2020
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    Q. How should I split my guitar signal for recording?

    I want to split the output from my Gretsch electric guitar, to feed both a Boss Acoustic Singer combo and a computer audio interface...

    Sound Advice Nov 2020
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    Q. What's the best way to monitor any instrument connected to my interface?

    I want to connect my synths and drum machine to a computer DAW and actually make a song, but don't yet have the computer...

    Sound Advice Oct 2020
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    The Artist-Friendly Studio

    Tips For Keeping Musicians 'In The Zone'

    Here are 10 ways engineers and studio owners can ensure the studio works as well for the musicians as it does for themselves.

    Sound Advice Sep 2020
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    Glossary-AZ-image

    Glossary Of Technical Terms

    Recording | Audio Production | Music Technology | Music Software | MIDI | Audio Plug-ins | Acoustics | Live Sound | Electronics | Computers |

    Welcome to Sound On Sound's regularly updated, indispensible explanations of technical terms from the fields of Recording, Audio Production, Music Technology, MIDI, Music Software, Audio Plug-ins, Mac and PC Computing, Live Sound, Acoustics, Electronics and more...

    Sound Advice Aug 2020
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    Q. What mic technique is best for recording stereo ambience?

    What are your thoughts on recording stereo ambience on location (such as in a forest, supermarket, office, or restaurant) for use in movies, podcasts and so on?

    Sound Advice Feb 2020

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