Recording

Do you want your bass end to sound bigger, fatter, louder and meaner? Paul White explores some of the options.

Why is it that some perfectly well-recorded songs sound like demos, while others sound like top commercial tracks? Paul White investigates the mystery of the 'produced' sound.

Last month, Hugh Robjohns described the planning and setting up he undertook in preparation for recording the choir of Cheltenham College. This month, he turns his attention to the recording itself — and the problems of moving between two venues in one day.

Recording a choir on location presents a number of unique technical and artistic challenges. Hugh Robjohns describes how he approached a recent project.

Paul White examines how a simple computer-based studio can be hooked up with a mixer to provide zero-latency monitoring during recording.

Up to 30 percent of SOS readers are planning to buy a CD recorder this year, so clearly many of you have designs on making your own album. Paul White talks you through the process of compiling an audio album on CD-R using a stand-alone CD recorder fed from a DAT source.

Sampled drums may be quicker and cheaper than the real thing, but there is something special about a real drummer hitting real drums. Hugh Robjohns passes on a few ideas and tips on capturing the best possible kit sound.

You don't necessarily need a multitrack recorder or audio sequencer to make a master-quality recording. Paul White explains how good results can be produced using stereo recording techniques married with MIDI sequencing.

The craft of mixing is all about controlling and balancing the relative levels of different instruments. Most of this balancing is done by riding the faders, but dynamic compression can also be a very useful and powerful tool if used appropriately. Hugh Robjohns explains some of the techniques and traps involved in mix compression.

Tired of those sampled string sounds? Hugh Robjohns outlines a number of techniques and tips for recording real live string soloists and string sections.

Audio software and PC soundcards are offering 20- or 24-bit recording capabilitiy at even more affordable prices — but whether the extra data on your hard disk will actually correspond to better sound quality depends on a host of other factors. Martin Walker tells you what you need to know when deciding if you should make the change.

Although most modern synths come with good bass guitar patches, there's still nothing quite like the real thingplayed well — provided you know how to record it. Paul White examines a few alternative approaches.

It was the best-selling single of last year, and signalled a radical change of musical direction for Cher — complete with bizarre vocal processing. Yet, surprisingly, it was produced in a small studio in West London. Sue Sillitoe relates the astonishing tale of 'Believe'.

Brass and reed instruments present some challenging problems to the recording engineer, whether played by soloists or sections. Hugh Robjohns offers some hints and tips.