Recording

I’ve seen some advice on building quadratic diffusors based on an old BBC paper. What I’m not clear on is when it’s a better option to use such a diffusor than to use absorption.

Is it wise (or even safe!) to power up certain hardware — in this case a Nord Rack 2X — directly from the mains rather than its own on/off switch?

Normally you would use one on top and the other underneath, but in this instance both mics were used on top.

Q What’s the best way to downsample when working at 24-bit and 96kHz?

Obviously a vinyl record is a different thing from a CD or a WAV file, but does it require a separate, dedicated master,...

I want to add another set of monitors for A/B referencing, but my interface has only one set of monitor outputs. I don’...

I’m hoping you can help me use my hardware with my computer! I’ve acquired a few instruments (synths, drum...

I’ve put together a group of commercial reference mixes. I chose them because I liked the way they sounded, but I...

I recently attended a choir workshop in a large, square, empty church. The space had incredible acoustics and we measured...

I like to use a lot of analogue modelling plug-ins when I’m mixing, but while I like the sounds I’m getting in general, I always seem to end up with too much noise. What’s the best way to tackle this problem?

I’m the sound engineer with a group called Flyte, who are heading out on a mini headline tour of 150-500 capacity venues next month. I have the chance to acquire a little digital mixer such as a Behringer X32 rack, but I’m not sure if it would be worthwhile.

Is ‘burning in’ studio equipment (monitors, headphones, tube gear, and so on) of benefit to certain types of...

I keep reading that it’s a good idea to use reference tracks when mixing, but when should I be referencing other mixes...

A lot of the music I’m enjoying seems to be going back to an old-school sound of being swamped in lush reverb. Examples...

A mastering engineer told me that, when playing back source files from his laptop into a high-quality USB-connected D-A, the...

Yamaha no longer make their Subkick drum mic, so I was thinking of making my own from an old loudspeaker. Does it have to be...

I’ve been trying to find a keyboard, sample library, plug-in or synth that provides superb vocalisations for ‘...

Would it be overkill to add more compression to the EZdrummer kit as a whole on the bus channel?

I work in a facility where AES3 110Ω cables have been used to connect some splitter outputs to mic preamps. What kind of influence, if any, can this ‘impedance mismatching’ have on the signal quality?

Paloma Faith’s new song ‘Only Love Can Hurt Like This’ has been recorded out of tune by about 50 cents. This means that unless you have a keyboard that can be detuned, you cannot play along! What would be the reason for doing this?

If a song is in A, you’ll have lots of 440Hz, 220Hz, 110Hz, 880Hz, and so on — but so what? What are you supposed to do with that information? And what about all the harmonics? And all the other notes in the key of A, and all their harmonics?