SOUND ON SOUND
To find the exact phrase, put the words in quotes or join them together with a plus sign e.g. live+recording or "live recording".
To find, say, all live recording articles that mention Avid, enter: live+recording +avid - and use sidebar filters to narrow down searches further.
This clever new plug‑in can be used by vinyl cutting engineers to help get the best results from their tools and medium — or simply as a way to learn more about vinyl mastering.
Can a plug‑in really convey the impression of 3D spatial panning on both headphones and stereo loudspeakers?
Zoom’s AMS interfaces are small, simple, and extremely tough.
Cnōc and Cruïnn promise to bring something new to your modular system with their own distinct brands of Instruō ingenuity.
Not all hardware loopers are created equal. This is quickly discovered when you dive deeper into creating sonic architectures...
Musician, sound designer, educator and all‑round electronic sound sorceress, Lisa Bella Donna has built a reputation for herself as one of the most eminent synthesists anywhere.
Vector Wave is an extraordinarily playful multi‑levelled cluster oscillator with multiple modes, nuances, vector synthesis and FM algorithms.
Audio files to accompany April 2023's Cubase workshop.
As part of Japan, Richard Barbieri soon became the thinking person’s synthesist, famous for his rich and textural electronic backings that beautifully complemented the work of other band members to forge what is still a unique sound to this day.
Expressive E’s Osmose is a synthesizer like no other.
Will Purton is a London-based recording engineer, mixer and producer nominated in the Rising Star category for the 2023 Music Producers Guild Awards.
Lyndhurst Hall at AIR remains a favourite destination for Hollywood composers, rock bands and pop stars, and it's just emerged from a stunning renovation.
Universal Audio are bringing their cutting‑edge mic modelling technology to new markets with the more affordable Sphere LX.
Sonarworks’ SoundID has improved stereo monitoring in countless studios worldwide. The new multi‑channel version is designed to do the same for immersive audio.
Paul White takes us through the history and evolution of guitar synths, from early attempts at creating onboard sounds and audio-to-MIDI pickups, through to using pedals and plug-ins to emulate synth effects.
Daniel Moyler is a freelance mix engineer who was awarded Engineer Of The Year at the MPG 2020 Awards and won a 2021 Grammy for his engineering work on Dua Lipa's album Future Nostalgia.
Countless hits were recorded using Ampex tape recorders and their characterful tube input stages. These preamps promise that legendary sound in a convenient format.
It’s nearly a decade since the LUFS standard for loudness measurement was defined, yet many still seem confused about what it means for music production.
The audio examples available on this page accompany my SOS April 2023 review of the Weight Tank compressor by Locomotive Audio. I’ve provided before and after examples along with the settings I used and a few thoughts on what I was trying to achieve with the compressor in each setting.
01_Drum Room_RAW
A mono drum room mic without any processing applied.
02_Drum Room_WT-Comp
This is an example of the WT-Comp being used to add character and excitement to the drum room mic. The attack was on the fastest setting, the release set at 11 o’clock and the drive setting was engaged. Around 7-8 dB of gain reduction was applied.
03_Bass Guitar_RAW
A bass guitar captured via direct input without any processing.
04_Bass Guitar_WT-Comp
An example of the WT-Comp used on a bass guitar DI to add more dynamic consistency. With upwards of 10 dB of gain reduction applied, you can hear how the compressor makes the part more solid but at the expense of a little low-end and a general change in tone. For this example, I had the drive setting engaged, the attack at 2 o'clock and the release at 3 o’clock.
05_Acoustic Guitar_RAW
An acoustic guitar recording with no processing.
06_Acoustic Guitar_WT-Comp
With the WT-Comp in its ‘round’ setting this is an example of I used the review unit to make a strummed acoustic guitar part sit more confidently in a mix. The attack was set at 2 o'clock and the release at its fastest setting.
07_Electric Guitar_RAW
An example of a slightly driven picked electric guitar recording.
08_Electric Guitar_WT-Comp
With the attack at 2 o’clock and release at its fastest setting, I used the WT-Comp to add more saturation and make the guitar part cut through the mix more easily. The drive setting was used and as much as 10dB of gain reduction.
09_Female Vocals_RAW
An example of a female vocal recorded without any processing.
10_Female Vocals_WT-Comp
In this example, you can hear how the WT-Comp adds more weight to a female vocal. I found I had to tread quite carefully on vocals and this has just 3-4 dB of gain reduction applied with both the attack and release set at around 12 o'clock. This is in the ‘round’ setting.
11_Male Vocals_RAW
An example of a Male vocal recorded without any processing.
12_Male Vocals_WT-Comp
For this example, I used the same settings as for the female vocal but with the drive setting engaged to add more harmonics to the vocal. I generally preferred the WT-Comp on male vocals that benefited from the extra low-end weight and a more coloured sound.
It’s equalisation, Jim... but not as we know it!