Recording

I have heard from a 'proper' singer that changing the mic position when recording vocals can make a big impact on the way they sound. 

I'm planning to start some writing and recording in my basement home studio — only there's no equipment in it!

This is the story of how an inspired rearrangement of an old song created a track that, 50 years on, remains a genuine and enduring classic.

Getting chordal guitar parts to work together in a track can be tricky, and if two players are working the same chord sequence...

In their quest for that elusive 'X' factor, the editorial jury don their sequined jackets and audition another batch of your submitted tracks.

Someone suggested that I could use a USB pen drive to record audio on my laptop. Is this a good idea? How fast are they, and is it really a cheap way to separate my system and audio drives, or are there any problems inherent in this approach?

Producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman developed a massively successful formula for making pop records — and the story of Rick Astleys 1987 smash hit, Never Gonna Give You Up, is a perfect guide to the SAW assembly line...

With reverb, EQ, delay and more at your disposal, enhancing the sense of front-to-back space in your mix can be a challenging affair. We take you through some tips that will give your mix a depth charge!

The editorial team play 'Jukebox Jury' with another batch of your submitted tracks.

The DSD/SuperAudio CD format seems to slowly be coming back into focus, with recent releases from Korg and Sony, after many thought it was dead. Steinberg released software support for DSD some time ago in Cubase, but is it possible today to use DSD with Cubase or other desktop recording systems? If not, what are the alternatives to setting up a DSD workflow for recording, mixing and mastering to Super Audio CD?

In SOS December 2008, you explained how USB and Firewire cables could complete ground loops and result in audio problems. Is the same true of digital audio cables?

Even if youre tightening your belt, you can still upgrade and improve your studio and methods — you just need to be a bit more crafty about how you spend your cash...

In 1977 Status Quo brought in producer Pip Williams to help them clean up their act. The result was a hit album and a best-selling single — 'Rockin' All Over The World'.

The editorial team play 'Jukebox Jury' with another batch of your submitted tracks.

My PC is a few years old now, but I'm keen to try out some recent soft synths and other audio applications. However, I'm not...

A Christmas song was an unexpected move from a group like the Pogues, but the story of heartbreak and pain that is 'Fairytale Of New York' eventually became the band's biggest commercial success.

Sponsored by breed-media.co.uk

For mixing Kraftwerk's synthetic beats and simple melodies with New York rap, 'Planet Rock' and producer Arthur Baker can arguably be credited with creating an entirely new genre: hip-hop. This is how it happened...

Sponsored by breed-media.co.uk

Lately I’ve been thinking that it might be handy to get hold of some omni–pattern dynamic mics. I can imagine they’d provide an interesting alternative in roles such as drum overheads, and the lack of proximity effect should make them useful for close–miking. Do you think they could be useful, and what models would you recommend if so?

With modern DAWs, you can breathe life into the masterpieces you recorded long ago on outdated formats. We offer some advice on making the transfer.