Recording

The standout track from the Beastie Boys' smash hit Ill Communication album nearly didn't make it onto the record at all — and when it did, it was the eight-track ADAT mix that made the final cut.

Daft Punk spent four years and over a million dollars on their quest to revisit the golden age of record production. Mick Guzauski and Peter Franco were with them all the way.

This month the SOS staff take a listen to Grip-Like Vice, Stus Rollins, Megan Hook & The Bright Forever, Darren Lock and Gerald Krampl.

I recently came across a plug-in that incorporates both VU and PPM metering, and it got me thinking: what exactly is the difference between the two?

A repeat booking is a good chance to improve on everything that went wrong first time around!

Audio files to accompany the article.

Originally intended for another group, ‘Kiss’ was quickly reclaimed by Prince when he heard David Z’s arrangement. Despite record company scepticism, the track became his third number one single and rejuvenated his career.

Dakhla, Gilli Moon, Matthew Gough, Phre The Eon, Ashley Reaks, Paul Thomas Butterfield, Andy Jones and the Norton Rockets.

I could really use some advice! I've got a Shure SM7b mic, a Golden Age Project Pre 73 MkII preamp and an M-Audio Fast Track...

We are a small band playing venues with capacities of around 150-250 people. My question is: should we mic up the drums when...

I've read many articles in which you mention phase and comb filtering but I'm not really sure what these terms mean or how...

I use a laptop live for sequencing and soft synths, but I can hear an annoying whining sound through the PA, which definitely...

Mic choice and technique may be important, but the other half of the recording battle is working to make musicians feel relaxed enough to deliver a great performance.

Audio files to accompany the article.

If you’re looking to build a studio, there’s masses of information out there — but no substitutes for professional advice and experience.

Pulp’s infectiously catchy commentary on the joys of class tourism helped propel the group to fame after nearly two decades of obscurity. Engineer David Nicholas tells us how ‘Common People’ was recorded.

Audio files to accompany the article.

The harmonica, or blues harp, appears on tracks in many genres. Despite its apparently simple construction, it’s an amazingly expressive instrument — and there are almost as many ways to record it as there are to play it.

This month we feature: Vadim Mikhailov, Mr Smith, Jeff Lowe, Rough Twist, Kristy Gallacher, Wilderspin and SuperCool-Guy.

When I look at the waveform of a vocal recording, it looks lop-sided, with the waveform going further above the zero-crossing...

I have a question about recording percussion — in particular, tuned percussion. Why is it that some sound engineers can record without a massive impact when a mallet strikes a bar, and others can't?