Recording

A hugely successful new album marks The Red Hot Chili Peppers' returns to form — and incredibly, it's nearly all in mono. Engineer Jim Scott talks to Paul Tingen about the recording process and the group's refreshingly direct approach to production and mixing.

Most jobbing producers would regard jetting off to exotic locations to spend a year with one of the most famous artists in the world as a fantasy. For programmer and producer Kipper, however, the dream became reality — thanks to Sting. Tom Flint caught up with Kipper in his Surrey home studio.

With their first Top 10 chart placing and massive radio play, Travis' recent single marked a commercial breakthrough for the band. Sue Sillitoe talks to producer Mike Hedges.

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.

Gareth Cousins talks to Hugh Robjohns about the craft of recording music for film, and his work on the recent British blockbuster Notting Hill.

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

The release of a new album by ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett is usually a cause for celebration amongst his substantial body of fans. Paul Ward talks to him about the making of his latest, Darktown, and wonders whether it might find him an even wider audience....

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

After many years of planning, Rick Wakeman has succeeded in putting on a show that is a worthy successor to follow his theatrical '70s son et lumière extravaganzas — Return To The Centre Of The Earth. Paul Ward was present as production of the album of the story neared completion at CTS Studios in London.

Blanket coverage in the music press and wall-to-wall radio play have made Gay Dad the hottest new band in the UK. Matt Bell talks to singer Cliff Jones and producer Mark Frith about the recording of their second hit single, 'Joy'.

Few people can truly be said to be multi-talented, but jazz and soul legend Marcus Miller is undoubtedly one of them. Paul Tingen talks to him about his approach to making and recording music, and looks inside his Camel Island studio.

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.

Miriam Stockley is one of the premier session singers in the UK; but it's taken her until now to record an album of her own. She talks to Sue Sillitoe about recording the album in her new home studio.

The first single from the Manic Street Preachers' This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours album entered the UK charts at no.1 — even though the band had adandoned their traditional power‑chord approach in favour of acoustic guitars, string machines and unusual synth effects. We talk to Dave Eringa, the producer who oversaw this successful change of direction.

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.