tag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:/blogs/drew-s-audio-blog?p=3Drew's Blog2019-03-19T06:00:37-06:00Drew Allen Brownfalsetag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/56096982019-03-19T06:00:00-06:002021-04-07T07:08:24-06:00What's the hum and noise?<p>Welcome to the problems that home studios, and studios built in homes, have. Noise, it's everywhere! That fridge, the hum from the light, the computer fan, the bird out the window, those stinking cars going by, the neighbor's dog barking, the A/C or furnace kicking on and blowing air! ARGH!!!! It's maddening! <strong>What's even worse is when you unplug anything you can, turn off the heat, get things perfectly quiet, and there's still so much noise in your recordings. </strong>What's a guy/gal to do?!?!</p>
<p>I hear ya, it sucks. Pro studios have voltage regulators running, high end power conditioning, quiet/silent ventilation, sound proof(ish) walls and windows, the whole 9 yards! But we're doing our recordings in houses that weren't made for that and we're not about to put more money into our home to get it to that point than the house and property is worth. <strong>I know these issues all too well, so I thought I'd walk through some of the common culprits and solutions I've come across. </strong>And I've even talked to some of my friends and heard some of their creative solutions too.</p>
<p>Aside from the obvious physical noise causing issues, i.e. animals, TV/radio, fridge, fans, cars, and so on, the main noise issue I seem to see people struggle with is power related. The hard part with this one is that it can come from so many different sources. A bad ground in the house. Too many things on the same circuit. The wrong things together on the same circuit. Audio cables touching power cables. And so on. Some of these things we can fix really easily. Others, not so much. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles.</p>
<p>I would like to say, if there's a grounding issue at your house, <strong>get it fixed! </strong>Maybe you live in an old house where there isn't a ground. Maybe that ground has gone bad. Maybe...a lot of things. If you have a constant 60 cycle hum no matter where you plug your stuff in the house, get an electrician out there asap. Your studio gear and all your electronics need better power. That being said, I've seen certain amps, guitars, mixers, and so on just not like the power in a place and there's not really any issue. It happens, it sucks, but it happens. My buddy Mark told me about an old trick that he's used to solve a non-grounding hum on an electric guitar or bass and it's pretty low tech, but fabulous. Take an alligator clip and attach it to one of the strings down by the bridge (so it doesn't mute the string), run a wire from the string to a piece of tin foil in the sole of the player's shoe, and the issue should be fixed! I've tested it, and it worked for me! <strong>**NOTE** I probably wouldn't recommend this on a stormy day as you're turning the player into the ground. Electrocution is not fun nor advised. </strong>You can also use a device known as a Hum X to correct a ground problem on a single device. It's been hit or miss for me, but I still take it with me for gigs.</p>
<p>Aside from grounding issues, the most common issue I tend to run across and see is a mic or instrument cable touching a power cable. Sometimes this can't be avoided, but that's pretty rare. <strong>If there is anyway possible to get those cables to not touch, DO IT. </strong>Even in my studio, sometimes my cats will go under my desk and get some cables moved so I have to go and separate them by hand. If you're hearing an annoying electrical noise, check and make sure that none of of audio cables are touching power cables. I see this one all too often and it's an easy fix. Honestly, 9 times out of 10 this is the issue I see when there's an awful electrical hum in the audio.</p>
<p>Now, if what you're hearing sounds more like air, or an airy hiss, then you're likely not having grounding or electrical issues. You're having power issues, but not electrical issues. This hiss sound is the sound of the circuitry in your preamp being pushed too hard to run the microphone that's hooked up to it. Take a look at your gain knob on that preamp. If it's turned past 3 o'clock, you're likely hearing this noise. Most interfaces and budget pre's don't have a lot of power or gain to them, and that's an issue for some microphones. The Shure SM7b is known for being a noisy and power hungry mic. Why? Because it needs a lot of gain to get a good clean signal out of it. Most interfaces simply aren't powerful enough to handle it. I suggest having either a nice preamp before your interface or having a CloudLifter on hand for these types of mics. Adding a second preamp, like a Neve 511, will give you enough clean gain and a nicer character and sound than your interface alone. But if you don't have that kind of cheddar laying around, a CloudLifter is a great option. It'll give you a substantial gain boost using Phantom Power and should put you over that noisy edge making that mic usable under normal conditions. You can also use a mixing console between your mic and interface. A lot of people go this route as it gives them more gain, a bit of preamp character, and a usable EQ prior to being recorded. The only thing I would suggest here is making sure that you're using a decent mixer. The preamps in mixers are not always great, and if it gives off bad character, you're simply recording that bad character and there's nothing you can do about it later. Make sure you like the sound that the mixer imparts <strong>before</strong> using it as an extra gain stage.</p>
<p>As far as environmental noises go, do your best. My brother works in Hollywood, and even they unplug the fridge in the next room to get the sound quiet enough. You can buy or make sound panels to block noise. Don't record right next to your computer. If you're using a cardioid mic, point the back of the mic towards the noises to reject as much of that as possible. Use a high pass filter to get rid of some of the excess low end rumble including some cars going by. Use moving blankets on the walls to get rid of unwanted room reverb. And so on and so on ad nauseam.</p>
<p>There are so many things to discuss when it comes to unwanted noise in recording, that I could nearly write an entire book on the topic. The biggest things I could say here is to use your head and test things out. Make sure cables that don't have to touch aren't, and unplug and/or remove anything not needed in the room or from that circuit in your house.</p>
<p>Have questions or thoughts? Write a comment below. And don't forget to <a contents="join the mailing list" data-link-label="Blog" data-link-type="page" href="/blog">join the mailing list</a> to get great updates and ideas coming directly to your inbox!</p>Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/56094592019-03-12T06:00:00-06:002019-03-12T06:00:38-06:00Balancing life while working from home<p>With the introduction of digital audio recording, working on audio from a home studio has become a reality for a solid group of engineers and enthusiasts. Top that off with the cost of equipment getting lower and lower, and you have a recipe for lots of home based businesses. Any one you talk to that knows business will tell you that bricks and mortar (having a building) is expensive. Because of this, more and more people are opting for home studios. But this comes with some consequences that most don't ever consider until their neck deep.</p>
<p>Every home business has some of the same challenges, and a lot of the struggles consist of time. The temptation to be able to work on things "whenever I want" is a beautiful looking snare. But what most people eventually find out, is that it is one of the most devastating decisions you can make. <strong>When the lines between personal time, family time, and business time start to blur, everything suffers. </strong>This is especially true if you have a family.</p>
<p>Having 2 kids has made this fact abundantly clear to me. I had to finally put my foot down and be firm with my clients that I have set office hours. My kids deserve and need regular family time for help with homework, activities, and simply to know they are loved and important. I was afraid this decision would cost me clients. I was already finding it difficult to explain to customers that I had a studio built into my home, not a home studio. Those who know audio equipment, know there's a big difference. But try explaining that to people who don't know anything about this stuff. Let me tell you, <strong>not only did I NOT lose clients when I started being firm with my time, but it was easier to sell clients that I was a professional. Businesses run for certain hours, fly-by-nighters work 24/7. </strong>Little did I know that trying to be everything to every client was making me look bad.</p>
<p>I want to give you a glimpse of what a day in my home and studio looks like for me.</p>
<p>I'm up at 6am to get ready for the day. By 7am I'm in the studio pounding through voice over auditions or voice work that needs that extra deep "morning voice." At 7:40am I get the kids to the bus stop, then I'm either out running errands, in meetings, working with a client out, or back in the studio doing whatever work I have lined up for the day. That work also includes marketing, book keeping, taxes, and all the behind the scenes work that every business has. I'm back at the bus stop at 2:50pm to get the kids. I get them snacks and find out about their day for 10-15 minutes, including giving them any homework help they already know they need. Then I'm back in the studio doing auditions, mixing, mastering, marketing, or whatever I have left to work on for the day. At 5 o'clock, I'm off. I won't work later than 5:30, and even that's rare. 5-9 is family time, and that's too valuable to waste... even my top clients can't afford that price. If there's still work to be done that day, it waits until after the kids are in bed and I'm up late working before I start the day again.</p>
<p>Another thing I do that's counter intuitive, is I am closed on Sundays. <strong>Period. I will not work on Sunday.</strong> I'm available on Saturday's by appointment, but Sunday is sacred to me. It's God's day and my family day. We do church, yes I help out (but that's not work, even though it's what I do for a living), then it's family time. Completely unavailable to clients. I don't even answer my phone if I don't know the number and know it's not a work call or text. It can wait.</p>
<p>The main concept to remember is being firm with your separation of family/personal time and work time. My kids know that I'm on the clock until 5, and after that I'm all theirs. And both sides of that is important. If I worked away from home, they wouldn't see me until after work anyway so they need to respect work time too. <strong>They like to eat so I need to work. </strong>I'm pretty sure they're tired of hearing that line. But they also know and like that I'm home if they need me, and I like that too. A secondary thing that I'd like to point out here is to not under value your time. It's very easy to think that because you don't have as much overhead cost (because you're not paying rent) that you're time is less valuable. You'd be amazed how little paying for rent affects your price and value. Do your math and think in percentages. At the end of the day, it really shouldn't be more that about a 10% difference. Undercutting the competition by large amounts hurts the industry and you. There's a reason that your competition charges so much. Might be a good idea to have a mentor that you can bounce the pricing ideas off of. But don't undersell yourself because you work form home.</p>
<p>Be sure to leave a comment below and sign up for the <a contents="mailing list" data-link-label="Blog" data-link-type="page" href="/blog">mailing list</a>. Until next time!</p>Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/56110222019-03-05T06:00:00-07:002021-04-07T07:08:42-06:00The 80/20 Rule in audio<p>Everywhere in life there seems to be a massive inequality at play. I'm not talking about racial or genders here. What I'm talking about is this mystical equation that I keep noticing all over the place. And I'm not the only one seeing it. You've probably heard of the 80/20 rule before, most of us have. Originally it said that 20% of the people had 80% of the money. And subsequently 80% of the people had 20% of the money. But anymore, I find that I hear things like "80% of the work is done by 20% of the people."</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>It's no secret that I read business books. Audio is my passion, but it's also my business...<em>and I'm guessing it's yours too or you want it to be.</em></strong></span></p>
<p>Lately I've been reading "<a contents="The One Thing" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.the1thing.com" target="_blank">The One Thing</a>" by Garry Keller. I know I know, I'm late on the band wagon. But no one in any of the circles I run has been talking about it. Garry pointed this principle out and made me really think it over and realize that I've been seeing this EVERYWHERE for years! I mean it, everywhere. I was listening to a podcast yesterday where someone brought up the book "<a contents="The 80/20 Principle" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://richardkoch.net/2012/11/the-8020-principle-2/" target="_blank">The 80/20 Principle</a>" by Richard Koch. Yeah, I was sold and ordered it. Way to go podcast advertising!</p>
<p>This very simple rule is more like a law of physics or a law of the land. It's not just in who's making the money or who's doing the work. It's so much more than that. And that's one thing they were talking about on the podcast. They even broke it down to where they could show you that 20% of what you do in your work was giving you 80% of your results. And further still saying that only 20% of <em>that </em>was giving you 80% of the results <em>mentioned before</em>. And so I pondered this for a minute. While chewing that thought it dawned on me: <span class="font_large"><strong>I do about 20% of the work on getting a good sound as I used to, and my sound is 80% better than it's ever been!</strong></span></p>
<p>And it's true! It's a principle I'd been using and just never realized. So I thought I'd give you a quick run down on how you can use this in your studio.</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Step 1 - Take your time and learn your gear</strong></span></p>
<p>Okay Okay, I know I said this would be less work. And it will later on, trust me. A little work now will pay off big time in the long run.</p>
<p>While the "quick tips and tricks" can help move things along, you'll start finding out that they don't always work. The best thing you can do to speed up the recording, mixing, and even mastering process is to slow down and make wise choices with your gear.</p>
<ul> <li>Pick the right mic <ul> <li>If you only have a couple mics, try them all out before picking the one for the job. I've been surprised several times at which mic sounds the best. I bet you will be too.</li> </ul> </li> <li>Find the best mic placement <ul> <li>It really doesn't matter how many people say "this is the #1 spot on this instrument", test it and others <strong>BEFORE</strong> you record. Recording an acoustic guitar? If I'm using 1 mic I like to place it at about the 12th fret and slowly swing the mic stand left and right to find the sweet spot. <em>*Knowing the sound you're going for will also make a <strong>HUGE</strong> difference here.* </em>Also, try different places in the room. You might be pleasantly surprised.</li> </ul> </li> <li>Check the gain <ul> <li>I can't emphasize this one enough. Whether you're going into a mixing board, a preamp, or directly into your interface - check the gain. If nothing else, <strong>make sure it doesn't clip</strong>! I train people to test the gain at the loudest part of whatever is being recorded. Get that preamp to where it doesn't clip at the absolute loudest spot, but get it up there "into the amber". You want plenty of signal to work with, but you can't have it clip.</li> </ul> </li> <li>EQ/Compress going in? <ul> <li>This one depends on your philosophy on recording. The big trend right now is being a minimalist and using the very least, and often times the least expensive, equipment possible. I don't like this. And honestly, none of the other engineers I work with do either. We have our reasons. If you have EQ and compressors as outboard gear, go ahead and tastefully shape the sound before you record. Anything you do now will help in the mixing and mastering portion...if you do a good job. If you are going the minimalist route, then use your mic placement and mic angles to shape the sound to the best it can be before recording. This goes a long way and you'll really notice it later.</li> <li>Extra tip here - unless you're recording something with a bit of low end, now is the time to use that high pass filter. Cut the extra bottom end to clean up tracks. This one thing could be the game changer you've been looking for in the mixing phase, and you can do it when you record.</li> </ul> </li>
</ul>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Step 2 - Mix with a purpose</strong></span></p>
<p>I know I've fallen for the trap and temptation to try every plugin known to man, just to see what it'll do. This wastes so much time, and really, does nothing for the final mix. I now start with EQ, compression, panning, and faders. That's it. Master these 4 basic elements and you're mixing skills will sky rocket. I can't tell you how many mixes that I've done and heard "That's so much better than what we got from 'so and so'. What did you do differently?!" And all I used was those 4 elements and maybe a little tape saturation. And remember, <strong>reverb...it's a privilege, not a right!</strong> A little bit goes a long way and use delay wisely (and in time...).</p>
<p>One last note on this one - <strong>Label your tracks</strong>. Even if you're the only one who will ever see the mixing portion, it'll help so much. Do some color codes and maybe even use markers to map out the portions of the song. Again, a little bit of work here will end up saving a lot of time down the road. And if you have someone else work on it, trust me, they'll want that info. I've been tempted to add a "I had to label your tracks" fee to some of my mixing jobs. </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Step 3 - Master with care</strong></span></p>
<p>A bit of the work I get is mastering gigs. The biggest thing I've learned with these is not to step on the mixing engineers toes. The mixing engineer has already been working with the band to get the sound that they all agree on and want. The only things you should be doing here is getting rid of any remaining mud and bringing the sound up to listening level. Don't smash it, unless that's what they want. <em>*Note - some mixing engineers do rely on the mastering stage to add that fat bottom end. Ask up front what their expectations are with the project.</em></p>
<p><em><strong>I know this seems way too simple (and yet complicated to some). But that's really the base of everything you should be doing.</strong></em></p>
<p>Focus on getting the best sound when you record. Start your mix with only what will bring the greatest impact (volume, panning, EQ, and compression). And don't over think the mastering process. While some music may require more love and attention, this is what will get you 80%+ of the way there.</p>
<p>Leave a comment below, you never know who might need your words of wisdom on this too. And don't forget to join the <a contents="mailing list" data-link-label="Blog" data-link-type="page" href="/blog" target="_blank">mailing list</a> so you don't miss new posts that are sure to help you with your sound!</p>Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/56219772019-02-26T06:00:00-07:002021-03-03T10:13:27-07:00Hear more of your mic and less of your cheap preamp<p>Back when I first started building my studio out, it was most certainly your average "home studio." I now pride myself on my, somewhat, slogan - "A studio built into a home, not a home studio." The phrase home studio has developed a bit of a bad rap over the years. Let's be honest, the quality of equipment coming out for the home studio market is getting better and better. But it wasn't always good. And still today, having amazing sounding gear won't help if you don't know how to use it properly. <strong>In fact, great quality gear will make bad recordings sound even worse because they won't hide any of the problems, they'll make every single one shine.</strong></p>
<p>Now I've been running my Focusrite Safire Pro 40 for a while, and it's a pretty good interface. 8 channels with multiple outs, multiple headphone outs, an assortment of routing options and so on. But it's lacking in something pretty important. Good preamps. Don't get me wrong, they're not bad preamps, but they just don't have the "professional" flavor to them. That, and they're fairly weak. I honestly can't find how much gain they offer, but I can tell you, it's not much.<strong> And not enough to satisfy large diaphragm dynamics like the Shure SM7b or basically any Ribbon microphone.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Weak preamps cause problems. A good rule of thumb is that you should never push a preamp past 75% of the gain. Once you go past there, you'll start hearing the electrical noise. It's better to turn up the volume before it hits the mic.</strong></p>
<p>I've since upgraded to other preamps that are more powerful and give a rather lovely characteristic, to my ears at least. I have Fredenstein, LaChapell, and Neve that I mainly use. But these aren't cheap and are, frankly, a bit more than you'll see in your above average home studio. <em><strong>Most people either don't have the money, won't spend the money, or don't think it makes a big difference.</strong></em> Let me tell you, I struggled for years trying to get my recordings to have that "polished, professional sound." It wasn't until I was talking with one of my mentors, now friend, when he asked me what preamp I was using. I said "I didn't think that made much of a noticeable difference, so I've put my money where everyone says you'll notice it." Boy was I wrong! Now don't get me wrong, I love that I have some decent mics in my cabinet, <strong>but pre's are what take your recordings from "that's nice" to "WOW!" </strong>With good mics and good technique, or course.</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Here's what I tell people to do when they don't have the moolah to start getting into the pre game. </strong></span>And to be perfectly honest, my buddy Mark from <a contents="Placid Audio" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.placidaudio.com" target="_blank">Placid Audio</a> suggested this topic. Thanks Mark, the readers thank you too, I'm sure. ;)</p>
<p>The first form of voice over that was done in my studio was an audiobook. And the author came in to record her voice. This was before I had started ordering preamps, so I was in that boat. I had everything tested, and I was loud enough...ish to record with my SM7b. She, however, was not. I had her project like she was reading to a class. I balanced the mic distance from her mouth and changed the angle to try to minimize the mouth noises, I did everything I could physically do. But she was too quiet. Luckily, I had picked up a nifty new toy to try recording guitars and things with dynamic mics. <strong>So I figured, why not give it a try?!</strong></p>
<p>I plugged the SM7b into this little box, plugged that box into my interface, and turned on the phantom power. <strong>BAM! Headroom! </strong>I was able to turn the gain back to about half way on my Focusrite interface, giving me clean audio that she was loud enough to use. This little box, was a Cloudlifter by <a contents="Cloud Microphones" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.cloudmicrophones.com" target="_blank">Cloud Microphones</a>.</p>
<p>A Cloudlifter gives you up to an additional 25dB of clean gain, just from plugging it in with phantom power. Even with some of my preamps that I use today, I still use Cloudlifters to give me a little more nudge for certain mics, especially ribbons. These Cloudlifters are great! If you need more gain, bam more gain and less hiss from the electronics. But there's another added bonus use for these, and that's what this post is really more about. And that's clarity.</p>
<p>Cheap preamps sound cheap. Like I mentioned before, a good preamp can take your recording from 'meh' to *jaw drop. <em>That might seem a touch extreme, but I jaw dropped when I was finally able to get that "pro" sound I had always chased, and It was simply by using a better pre</em>. But what if you don't have the cash to get a good solid pre? That's where the Cloudlifter comes in handy. While it's not a pre, nor a replacement for a pre, it can help you have less of your cheap pre's character.</p>
<p>Preamps have transistors, or even tubes, in them, and pushing those transistors is what gives a lot of the color of the pre. Color being an industry term for character, or the extra sound it gives the audio. Cheap preamps have cheap transistors. Cheap transistors sound cheap. Like putting a budget exhaust on your car and expecting it to roar. It just doesn't sound right. But even cheap exhausts tend to sound pretty good when you don't really push it. Same concept here. The less gain you have to use to push your pre to give, the less of the character, or color, your pre will impart on your recording.</p>
<p><strong>If you have tested different mics, tried all the mic placements you can imagine, and it still sounds "cheap;" I'd suggest putting a Cloudlifter between your mic and your interface. This will give you more of the character of that microphone and less of the preamp.</strong></p>
<p>Trust me, you can do more to alter and shape the sound of a microphone after it's recorded than you can a pre. If it sounds cheap to you, and you're struggling to get that cheap sound to go away, try this.</p>
<p>Be sure to leave a comment below and sign up for the <a contents="mailing list" data-link-label="Blog" data-link-type="page" href="/blog">mailing list</a> to never miss practical audio advice.</p>Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/56094572019-02-19T06:00:00-07:002021-03-03T10:13:50-07:00Captain, We're Phasing!<p>I'm alright admitting that I like sci-fi. Science fiction writing and films can be wildly entertaining. Have you noticed that a lot of the things they discuss in sci-fi end up becoming reality? And if you take a quick look into the science behind the types of things they're doing, they're usually not too terribly far off the mark on the things that are already here and happening. <strong>I remember watching Star Trek as a kid and hearing them talking about phasing issues when they were teleporting or having issues with the shields. </strong></p>
<p>I don't remember giving it much more of a thought than <strong>"that sounds bad!"</strong> And you know what, that's exactly what you hear people say about phasing in audio. But is that really all there is to it? <strong>Is saying "phasing" or "phase" just a fancy industry term for "that sounds bad?"</strong></p>
<p>In reality, phase is an exact term about a specific thing happening when using 2 or more microphones on a single source. <strong>And let's start by saying that it's not always bad.</strong> I'm not saying that it's never bad, but playing with it can produce some pretty interesting results.</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>What is phasing in audio?</strong></span></p>
<p>Simply put, phasing is when sound waves from the same recording of the same source (ie multiple mics) are out of sync with each other. This happens when microphones are set up in a way that the sound hits them at different stages of pressure. Sound waves are waves of positive and negative pressure going through the air. That's why when you zoom in close to a sound wave in your DAW you can see it go up to a peak and then dip down to a peak at the bottom as well. Positive and negative. If a source is completely out of phase, 180 degrees out, then the positive peak on on one track is matched by a negative peak from the other track, making the audio disappear. 10 + -10 = 0. Try it out on your own. You can duplicate a track in your DAW and then invert the phase on the duplicate. Leave them both panned straight up the middle.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/108568/69dbab74cd91bcd77d69fda079511c0fdd28bcc5/original/screen-shot-2019-01-26-at-11-39-55-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_none border_" /><br>Waveforms zoomed in.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/108568/7ee061d3bf96489cba253e3660debe15c52c69ae/original/screen-shot-2019-01-26-at-11-40-17-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_none border_" /><br>Out of phase waveforms</p>
<p>I've been in audio for a while now, and I don't know that I've ever seen a perfectly 100% out of phase recording like that. It's great for the science talk, but it so rarely happens in practice that it's hard to talk about. (Short of the mics being setup perfectly and someone accidentally hitting the phase button on the mixer or pre amp.) What you'll most likely run into is mics being setup at different distances and having some degree of phasing. You'll notice this because, by them selves, either mic sounds great! But together they sound like poo. If that's the case, zoom in on the tracks and check on the phase. Try inverting the phase polarity on one of the tracks so see if that sounds better. If they're slightly out of phase, there will always be phasing issues, but that doesn't mean you can't get a good sound. At least not sometimes. But there are times when, if you don't like the sound the phasing produces, that the only thing you can do is re-record or pick the best sounding track and ditch the other one.</p>
<p>I use some mics by <a contents="Placid Audio" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.placidaudio.com/" target="_blank">Placid Audio</a> to purposefully play with phasing. These are specific effect microphones and, in my opinion, the best ones money can buy. I absolutely love using my Resonator microphones and playing with the phase to create different sounds. I've been able to get some amazing results that have blown clients away.</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Combating bad phase</strong></span></p>
<p>With the understanding that not all phase is bad phase, what can we do to combat the bad phase? I'm sure you've noticed by now that I'm all about taking the time to record right and not fix things in the mixing stage. This is, yet again, one of those times. The best thing you can do to combat phase problems is to set up your mics properly and do some test recordings prior to the actual recording. Phase issues happen when microphones are at different distances from the source. More specifically, the diaphragms of the microphones. So the first step would be making sure the microphones are the same distance from the source. Use a ruler, a stick, a tape measure, a string, a mic cable...something to get them as close as possible to the same distance.</p>
<p>Yes, there are times we use mics at different distances. I'm sure you've seen room mics. Then you want to use the 3:1 rule. For mics further away, they need to be 3 times the distance from the closer mic as the closer mic is from the source. Meaning if the close mic is 1 foot from the source, the further mic should be 3 feet further back from the close mic. This also works with spacing spread stereo mics. If they are going to be 1 foot from the guitar, let's say, then they need to be 3 feet apart. Make sense? While the 3:1 rule doesn't negate phasing completely, it sure does seem to help and tends to sound a lot better. The true test is to use your ears.</p>
<p>Remember, not all phasing is bad. Sometimes you might find that you really like what it produces. So test things out and don't be afraid to be creative.</p>
<p>Be sure to join the <a contents="mailing list" data-link-label="Blog" data-link-type="page" href="/blog">mailing list</a> and leave a comment below.</p>Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/56094562019-02-12T06:00:00-07:002021-03-03T10:14:07-07:00The Proximity Effect!<p>As a child, I remember thinking whispering was an amazing thing. I could share secrets and say things to a single person without letting everyone else know what was going on. As an adult, I realize how terrible children are at whispering. I find myself laughing at just how bad my own kids are at whispering. But one thing that I notice about having a child whisper in my ear...<strong>they all of a sudden have a deep voice.</strong> Now I'm not talking Barry White deep, but considerably deeper than their voice normally is. Especially my somewhat squeaky voiced 8 year old son.</p>
<p>Have you ever noticed that the closer you are to something, the boomier it is? Try this really fast as an experiment: <strong>Go put your face into the corner. You know, where two walls meet at a 90 degree angle. Yeah, put yourself in the corner. Now say something. Go ahead, I'll wait... </strong></p>
<p>Did you notice that? All of a sudden there was a LOT more bass! That's why you don't really want to put speakers in a corner. And why you see extra sound treatment in corners called bass traps. Bass frequencies build up in these spaces. </p>
<p>Well, did you know that you can use this same principle to get a deeper, boomier sound with certain microphones? Don't go putting them in the corner. Nobody puts baby in the corner. No, but with certain mics you can get a bigger bass response putting it closer to the source. Like, let's say your mouth. <strong>This works with cardioid microphones and is called the proximity effect.</strong></p>
<p>Cardioid microphones are called cardioid because the area that they pickup sound is in the shape of a heart. They get the most sound from directly in front and then bubble out the back sides and reject sound from directly behind it. Like a heart shape. They're directional. This emphasis in front gives these mics a certain effect, there's more bass if the mic is really close to the source.</p>
<p>Mics that are famous for this are hand held vocal mics like the Shure SM58, a lot of large diaphragm condenser mics like the Blue Spark, and a lot of others. Check your microphone information. If it's a cardioid microphone, it'll have some kind of proximity effect.</p>
<p>This proximity effect can be both a good thing and a bad thing, depending on what you're looking for. With voice work, if you need a deeper voice for a project, then lean into it. If you're recording a guitar and there's too much bass, maybe pull the mic away a little bit. The key to using this to your advantage is knowing that it's there. You're already winning!</p>
<p>Take a little time and play with your mics. Test them out. You might find that you really like the sound when you get up close to it. You might find that it's too much. It's always good practice to test things out, move the mic around, and find the position that sounds best to you. Don't make the all too easy mistake of simply setting up a mic and figuring it'll be "good enough." Try to record the best sound possible. While you can often fix the sound during the editing or mixing phase, you can't always. Plus, why do something that needs to be "fixed" from the get-go? Why not take an extra couple minutes to test different mic placements and angles to get the best sound <strong>before</strong> you record? If you do, I think you'll be happier in the end.</p>
<p>Be sure to sign up for the <a contents="mailing list" data-link-label="Blog" data-link-type="page" href="/blog">mailing list</a> for the latest info and news. Have questions or comments? Leave a comment below.</p>Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/56268372019-02-05T06:00:00-07:002021-03-03T10:14:29-07:00Do Mic Preamps Matter?<p>I've never been shy about sharing some of the incredibly embarrassing ways that I've learned audio. I know I went through the school of hard knocks and in some ways that sucks, in other ways I learned and got more practical experience than others. It also gave me 2 really important traits:</p>
<ul> <li><strong>The ability to make the most of any gear</strong></li> <li><strong>A true appreciation for quality equipment and results</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>I've talked in the past about not even knowing what an audio interface was <em>(mind you I was really young and there wasn't all the free help and advice there is today)</em>, then eventually finding differing degrees of quality within the interfaces. Then finding out that I liked the sound coming off my Allen and Heath mixer more than just going directly into my interface. And that got me wondering. But things really changed when a friend of mine spoke some wisdom into me while he was asking me what preamp I was using to record certain things.<strong> I had never given preamps much thought. To me, they were just a means to get enough gain to run a microphone.</strong></p>
<p>That was it, that was all I really cared about them. But as we talked, I began to question my understanding and my beliefs about preamps. What if there was more to it than that? What if the preamp really was the missing link I had been searching for to get my sound to that "professional" level I'd been dreaming of. Let me tell you, there's no magic cure for bad sound. Quality gear can only take you so far, you need proper technique to take you the rest of the way. That said, proper technique can't get you there alone either. I know that's not a popular opinion right now, there are a lot of people touting "get this sound with base level equipment." And they have great points about improving your sound prior to spending a ton on equipment. But look in the background of those videos...they're not using average "home studio gear," and there's a reason for it. You can get better sound with proper technique <strong><em>AND</em></strong> quality gear.</p>
<p>I was never really happy with the sound I was getting off my Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 interface. I knew it was a good interface, but I felt like I should be able to get better sound out of it. So I started buying different mics. It helped a bit, but I still wasn't satisfied. I knew there was still room for improvement. So when my buddy was talking to me about preamps, I did some research. I listened to a lot of audio samples. I was absolutely shocked at what I was hearing. More clarity, definition, better color/character to the sound. But even still I wasn't convinced it was the fix I was looking for. Nonetheless, I saved up some bucks and bit the bullet. I ordered a 500 series rack and a Rupert Neve 511. Mind you, I had already be bypassing my interfaces preamps by using my Allen & Heath mixer for some time. And things were sounding good. I was getting rave reviews from my clients. I was landing voice jobs with it and getting fantastic feedback on sound quality. The music was sounding good. It was fine....but I knew it could be better. And, like many artists, I'm a perfectionist. <strong>After using the 511, I was sold!</strong></p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qu5mXtdFnJg" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>My recordings finally had that body, that vibe, that color, that breath, that texture, that...however you want to describe it. They popped! Things no longer had that "cheap plastic" feel to them. I hope you get what I mean by that. There's just a pro edge that was lacking before, even with my mixer. I've since filled that 500 series rack with different flavors to add more color and depth to the mix. Neve is a known sound and one that is heavily sought after, that's why it was my first. But that sound isn't what everyone is always looking for. And dare I say, it's not the best sound for every occasion.</p>
<p>Checkout the video above and hear for yourself the difference between some of these nicer, and somewhat budget friendly preamps make. I think you'll be shocked how the same microphone can sound so different just by changing the preamp. And that's the point, <strong>preamps really DO change the sound of you're recordings.</strong> If you're not happy with the sound of your recordings, but you know you like the mic and you're using the best techniques you can; perhaps it's time to branch out and start trying some different preamps.</p>
<p>Be sure to comment below and join the <a contents="mailing list" data-link-label="Blog" data-link-type="page" href="/blog" target="_blank">mailing list</a> to never miss more great info, news, and more!</p>Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/56094832019-01-29T06:00:00-07:002021-03-03T10:14:46-07:00Remember the OOPS moments<p>Few things in life are only applicable in only one area. I grew up in the back end of a drive in restaurant, one where several of our recipes were only available at Rusty's, our restaurant. I remember stories of grandma taking months, if not years to perfect certain recipes. Much like in my own studio, many of the best discoveries were simply happy accidents.</p>
<p>Just like in the test kitchen, audio accidents can have surprising implications. I can't tell you how many times I've cringed, <span class="font_large"><strong><em>thrown my hands in the air and said "lesson learned! I'll never do that again."</em> </strong></span>And yet, there have been times when an oops moment has turned into <span class="font_regular">a</span><span class="font_large"><strong> massive epiphany.</strong></span></p>
<p>Like not noticing that the mic moved an inch on my guitar cab, or missing the measurement on my 3:1 mic setup and finding the phasing pleasant, and so on. I've even heard from people who accidentally discovered that angling the microphone removes plosives. <em>(Set the mic to a side but point it at your mouth at under a 45 degree angle).</em></p>
<p>When I first started recording and mixing, I made every mistake under the sun. From the worst mic choice, to "mic placement, <em>what's that?</em>", clipping audio, to incredibly soft audio, to refrigerator noises in the background, to not using an interface, and on and on ad nauseam. There wasn't anywhere near as many resources for learning as there are now. <strong>YouTube wasn't out yet...so yeah, no videos showing me the fast fix. </strong>But I'll tell you what, I learned so much from making mistakes and not giving up. I learned, with just a simple SM57, how to make anything sing. How to make a stereo image from a single recording with a single mic by doubling the track, hard panning them left and right, and inverting the phase on one. Guess what, that's an actual famous stereo technique called the M/S technique or Mid-Side technique and I figured it out on my own (but I didn't discover it first...). <em>FYI, yes, the audio disappears in mono, but it's a stereo technique. And the actual way to do it is with 2 mics set in an XY pattern at 90 degrees from each other (and the one facing left to right of the source needs to be a figure 8). Then you double the figure 8 mic, pan it, and flip the polarity on one track. That way the stereo image is a blending of wide stereo and a direct mono source. Plus, if the audio is played in mono, then you still have a solid track of the source.</em></p>
<p>I want you to take something very seriously here - learn and grow. Never stop learning. As soon as you find yourself being the "big fish" in the pond, find a new pond to swim in. Once I started to get more and more people in my area asking me for advice and help, I knew I needed to find bigger and better mentors. Life has a way of making things happen. I'd say it's God opening doors, you might say the universe revealed my path. Either way, it worked out. I found myself becoming friends with a couple guys who, let's just say, are way bigger fish than I am. And they were nice enough to take me under their wing. You can only learn and grow so much on your own, but always learn. If you're into recording, maybe start helping do sound at your church or local playhouse. You'd be surprised how different, and yet how alike the two forms of audio are. And learn from your mistakes, both the good and the bad ones. Because let's face it, not all mistakes are bad. <strong>And no bad mistake should be the end.</strong></p>
<p>One of the most important things to remember with recording audio is that it's really more art than it is science. And with art and all things beautiful, it's often the "flaws" that people find the most attractive. Always remember to use your ears more than your eyes on a meter. Sound is subjective, and this is your art. You might as well love it.</p>
<p>Make sure to join the mailing list on the <a contents="Blog Page" data-link-label="Blog" data-link-type="page" href="/blog">Blog Page</a> so you never miss out on great learning and great opportunities!</p>Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/56077662019-01-22T17:13:06-07:002021-03-03T10:14:58-07:00Should My Book Be an Audiobook?<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_xl"><strong>Should I really spend the money to turn my book into an <a contents="audiobook" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://a.co/2MnZAlo" target="_blank">audiobook</a>?</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Be honest with yourself, you've spent a lot of</span><span id="cke_bm_2557C" style="display: none;"> </span></p>
<ul> <li>Time</li> <li>Energy</li> <li>MONEY</li> <li>Brain Cells</li> <li>and MORE</li>
</ul>
<p>writing your master piece. The writing, the editing, the re-writing, the cover art, the formatting, the publishing....<span class="font_large"><strong>What a headache! </strong></span>And now people want you go through a process that's just as in depth as the last three main pieces to get <span class="font_large"><em><strong>an audio only version?! It's maddening!</strong></em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><em><strong> Or is it?...</strong></em></span></p>
<p>How many of your potential readers <em>listen</em> to books in the car/bus/train on their commute to work? How many people need the info in your book that can't read it at all due to physical disabilities? How many "I don't have time to read it" excuses would turn into a customer if you could counter with "what if you could listen during your commute or workout or house cleaning?"</p>
<p>Audiobooks have become a very real thing and the demand simply continues to grow! Much like podcasts, they were laughed at in the early days, now you're almost mocked for not having one. If you believe there really is value in what you're offering people, then you're not only punishing them, but you're punishing yourself for not giving them another way to receive that knowledge.</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><em><strong>The question isn't should you, but rather <u>HOW</u> should you make it an audiobook.</strong></em></span></p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://a.co/2MnZAlo" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/108568/b2b4d6b4aa4ffda5246533c52eac32327a0895ef/original/rsz-1rsz-audiobook.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" /></a></p>
<p>In 2017 I wrote a blog post about just that. And it was<strong> HUGE! </strong>I heard from so many authors I lost count. <strong>I gathered a list of the most common questions and decided to write a book giving detailed, step-by-step instructions on the entire process.</strong> Thus "<a contents="Audiobooks: The Definitive How To Guide - What Every Author Needs to Know" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://a.co/2MnZAlo" target="_blank">Audiobooks: The Definitive How To Guide - What Every Author Needs to Know</a>" was born. Being both an audio engineer and a voice over artist gave me insight on this process that seemingly all other books lacked. <em><strong>Don't be fooled by the "Do it for $100" books, you'll likely never get that audio approved by the powers at be.</strong></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><em><strong>There are 3 essential ways to produce an audiobook.</strong></em></span></p>
<ol> <li><span class="font_large"><em><strong>Have a Pro do it</strong></em></span></li> <li><span class="font_large"><em><strong>Go into a studio yourself</strong></em></span></li> <li><span class="font_large"><em><strong>DIY</strong></em></span></li>
</ol>
<p>Each one of these options has some serious pro's and some serious con's. Therefore, the right path for you is something only you can answer. But in my <a contents="book" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://a.co/2MnZAlo" target="_blank">book</a>, I go through all of that for you so that you can make the best decision possible. Everything from expected costs to timelines to how much work it's going to take you. Everything!</p>
<p>You have a few different options as how to get this done. <em><strong>Let's face it, you need to do this and you know it...otherwise you wouldn't be here right now.</strong> </em>Let me help you decide the right path for you.</p>
<p>Do yourself, your clients, and your readers a favor and pick up <b><i><u>this</u></i></b> <a contents="book" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://a.co/2MnZAlo" target="_blank">book</a>.</p>
<p>Also, join my <a contents="Join my mailing list " data-link-label="Blog" data-link-type="page" href="/blog" target="_blank">mailing list</a> and let your friends know about this amazing book and blog.</p>
<ul></ul>Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/35670892019-01-22T16:13:49-07:002021-03-03T10:15:29-07:00The 1 thing all great mixes have in common.<p>This won't come as a shock to some of you, but my passion is in Christian music. Yes I am a Christian, and yes my passion for music overflows into my walk with Christ; or rather my walk with Christ overflows into my passion for music. Seems fitting, God put that passion there to begin with.<br><br>One thing I always end up doing at any church my wife and I walk in to is check out the sound system. I'm always talking to the sound guy/gal and checking out the gear. After explaining what I do, they always get really excited and can't wait to show me all the cool toys. Then the praise team comes up, we find seats, and the music starts. I'm not gonna lie, most of the churches we go into don't have good sound. Don't get me wrong, I have been in a few that the sound was phenomenal, but only a few in my area.<br><br>The funny thing about it is that the churches that seem to have the best audio don't tend to have a ton of gear. A mixer, 1-2 effects, maybe a couple compressors and that's it. Yes they have speakers and amps pushing them, but as far as mixing gear is concerned, that's it. They make the most of what they have.<br><br>While the rest of the churches I've seen are a mix; they either have a ton of gear and claim that the issue is some piece of equipment is bad (which I hear a lot). Or they have a mixer and speakers and that's it. You can get an alright sound with a mixer and speakers, but not a "professional" sound like you can get by adding some minor effects and compression.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">The one thing that all great mixes have in common is a sound engineer who's deliberate and hard working.</span></strong></span><br><br>Yep, the one thing that can make a great mix is <em><strong>you</strong></em>. It's not a bunch of fancy gear. It's not the computer your sitting at. It's simply you.<br><br>Now obviously having a good microphone helps. <em><strong>Bad audio in = bad audio out</strong></em>. But if you have a decent recording, then the thing holding you back from a great mix is really you. I'm not saying you are a problem, or that you should move on to a different career or hobby. I'm saying that if you want a good mix, you are going to have to make it good. There's no secret tool that magically takes audio from basement mix to Abbey Roads mix.<br><br>Live sound and recorded sound have a lot in common. They use basically the same tools, use the same musicians and instruments, and they are both difficult yet fun. However, the 2 major differences are <strong>time</strong> and <strong>environment</strong>.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Time</span></strong></span><br><br>In a short sided view, the recording mixer seems to have a major benefit here as they have all the time in the world. But in actuality, the live sound engineer has the edge here. Why? It's called pressure. There isn't a choice to put things off, and there isn't the choice of fixing it tomorrow. When it's go time, it's go time. This makes the sound guy work hard and work deliberately towards a certain desired end result. They can't spend 3 days EQing a vocal, it's gotta be done in 3 minutes. They can't take 2 hours perfecting a mix, it has to be ready in 20 minutes.<br><br>In the studio, it's easy to takes things slow and get a little lazy - especially if it's your music. What's the rush? That's a bad decision, get to work and work hard on it. But have fun with it, it's music.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Environment</span></strong></span><br><br>This one agains seems to go to live sound. When you mix live audio, you don't care what the mix will sound like in a car or on a home stereo system. People are all in the same room as you at the same time as you. It only has to sound good then and there. However, that can be really tricky. And I see a lot of basic mistakes done in churches all the time. For example, just because things sound great at rehearsal right before service, doesn't mean it's going to sound great when the room is full of people. The human body absorbs sound, and having hundreds of bodies in a room tends to change things.<br><br>When you're mixing recorded music in your studio, what sounds good in your studio might not sound good somewhere else. In fact, this is probably the most frustrating part about mixing. Getting a mix to sound good in your studio, on multiple headphones, in multiple cars, on home theater systems.... This is why it's so important to mix on an extremely flat pair of studio monitors or headphones. Even then it's a challenge. <em>Tip: consistently compare your mix to sample tracks of other songs (professionally mixed and master songs).</em><br><br>Part of what you hear in a mix <strong><em>is</em></strong> the room that you are in. So compare your tracks to professional tracks to get an idea of how they compare. Also, listen to them on different speakers in different rooms, and buildings, and cars... (and headphones).<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Have a plan.</span></strong></span><br><br>Before starting to mix a song, detail out a plan of action. Try to set time limits, goals, and what you want the end result to be. If you set the end result goal to be a radio ready song, then work hard for it, and compare it to songs that are actually on the radio. Time limits seem weird, but really they can be extremely helpful. People tend to work better when the pressure's on.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Is it done?</span></strong></span><br><br>You tell me, is it? It's usually a good idea to take a break, rest your ears and check it out again. It's also a good idea to have another set of ears critique it, constructively. Make a list of things that stand out as problems. Go back and work on them one by one. Then take a break, come back and do it again. And do this when listening to the track on different speakers. <em><strong>Tip: when making your list, listen to the WHOLE song taking notes. DO NOT fix on the go! Wait until it's done and you have a list, then go back and make the changes. Otherwise, you may fix a problem while making another one or two.</strong></em><br><br>Most importantly, have a good time. Yes, mixing can seem like work. But if you love the end result, the work is worth and and becomes more like training than work. Go and make some music, and make it something you love.</p>Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/47064202017-05-12T10:40:39-06:002021-03-03T10:15:44-07:00How To Make Your Book into an AudiobookI've been working in audio for around 15 years, in one form or another. If there was one thing I never thought I would work on, it was audiobooks. That sounds bad, but it's really not exciting work.<br><br>Audiobooks, or audio books (both are acceptable), are becoming increasingly popular and more and more necessary. People are traveling an hour plus to and from work, they're busing cleaning / working out, and so on. We have made our lives so busy that many of us simply can't find the time to sit down and read a book anymore. Not to mention people with disabilities who physically can't read books.<br><br>I've now been working on audiobooks for some time, and that all started with a single author approaching me. She was getting quotes form local studios and was shocked at how expensive they all were. I did some research into how long it should take and what all went into the process. I even found out that there is a normal price range throughout the US. So I quoted her dead center of that range. My quote ended up being just under $1,900, where all of the other local studios were quoting her $6,000 plus! It was insane, but companies overbid work they don't want. This one audiobook changed my business completely, and now audiobook production is one of the main things I do at my studio. Don't get me wrong, I work on plenty of music, podcasts, voice over, and other things - but audiobooks is a staple of mine.<br><br>I say all of this to qualify what I'm about to say - <b>there are basically 3 ways to turn your book into a professional audiobook:</b><ol> <li><b>Have it done by a professional narrator / voice actor.</b></li> <li><b>Go into a professional studio and self narrate (I highly suggest this for <u>most</u> books).</b></li> <li><b>Record it yourself (not recommended unless you are an audio professional already).</b></li>
</ol>Every book is different, so there is no one right way to do this. For most books, I recommend recording your (the author's) voice at a professional studio. People love hearing the author. They don't care if you have a weird voice, they want to hear your passion come through the recording. I really don't suggest doing it yourself. It's much harder work than most people assume. You have to take care of your room and outside noise, get the right microphone, computer, software, headphones, cables, interface, and so on. You have to do everything by yourself, without having an engineer check your levels and help you make sure you read everything right (which is harder than you might think, especially since most books aren't written to be read out loud).<br><br>I'm happy to answer your questions, so feel free to contact me through my <a contents="CONTACT" data-link-label="Contact" data-link-type="page" href="/contact">CONTACT</a> page.<br><br>I also wrote about each of these options in great detail in my book "<a contents="Audiobooks: The Definitive How To Guide - What every author needs to know" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://a.co/fP0QaNv" target="_blank">Audiobooks: The Definitive How To Guide - What every author needs to know</a>." You can find this on <a contents="Amazon" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://a.co/fP0QaNv" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. Be sure to leave a 5 star review if you find it helpful.Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/36239512015-04-02T07:52:47-06:002021-03-03T10:16:01-07:00Set a deadlineI've notice on several occasions that it seems like I do my best work when I'm on a tight deadline. If a client wants their stuff done in no time flat, the pressures on, and I have to deliver. More often than not, things come out better than I could have hoped for.<br><br>And I've been noticing this for years. This used to happen all the time in my computer business. And it's basically every time I end up doing live sound somewhere. It has to work and it has to work now.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><span class="font_large"><strong>Sometime stress frees you from the problems choices make.</strong></span></span><br><br>Okay, that seems like an insane comment. How can choices make problems? Easy, having too many choices produces indecision, indecision makes you second guess everything you do, which then ends up snowballing into a potentially bad (or at least a "could have been better") mix. Really, knuckling down and going all out with a decision usually makes for better results.<br><br>So how does stress free you from these problems? If you're under pressure you don't have time to pick and choose. This means that you'll likely go with what you're most comfortable and most familiar with. This means that you'll get a better sound, faster, and that'll give you more time to work on the problem areas.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Set a deadline.</span></strong></span><br><br>This seems like a business thing, and it kind of is. Even if you only mix your own material, you should still run your stuff like a business. And that means that you need to set goals and deadlines. If you don't, you'll never finish the mix you're working on. Trust me, it can always sound "better." But it might not be so much better, per se, rather different. One of the best things you can do for your mix, is to set a deadline for the finished product.<br><br>Lets say your mixing your own 5 song EP. You just finished recording it, and you'd like for it to be released in 3 months. Well, there's your goal...3 months for release. But you need to leave room for production work, ie mastering, cd printing, merch, and so on. So you really only have maybe 2 months to finish mixing it. If that's the case, set a deadline of 45 days for mixing. That gives you a month and a half to mix 5 songs...which is a TON of time, if you mix all the time that is. If you only ever work on your own stuff, you might only have a few hours a week to mix, so that may be really tight.<br><br>So now you have your deadline. <em><strong>Make sure that it's feasible but still something you have to work to reach.</strong></em> Now what do you do? Work like there's nothing past that deadline. You have to have it done by <strong><em>that day</em></strong>. And guess what, you'll make it happen. Then, when that day is done, the mix you have is the mix you have. Move on with your life and your music.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">What if the mix sucks by the deadline?</span></strong></span><br><br>Then you've hit a fork in the road. At this point you need to be honest with yourself. Was the deadline unreasonable, or were you in over your head? Either one is fine, but you need to be honest with yourself. If you just simply didn't give yourself enough time, then make a new deadline and push even harder. If you're in over your head, it might be time to ask for help or to send it off to a pro. If you're doing a demo EP, and you're over your head - think about setting a second deadline, working hard towards it, and just release it when it's done anyway. A demo is a demo...you're not looking for airplay with it. Do your best and move on.<br><br>This is really part of the learning process. Just like when you first picked up a guitar, you weren't able to play Stairway to Heaven the first time. It took practice. Every mix you do helps to hone your skill. But your skill will never improve if you never mix and you never <em><strong>finish</strong></em> a mix. Sometimes it's best to just finish it, put it out, and move on to the next.<br><br>I hope this little practical tip of setting a deadline and letting the stress help you out helps. Work hard, have fun, do your best. Go and make something you love.Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/36184822015-03-30T08:54:58-06:002015-03-30T08:54:58-06:00Help yourself, learn to solder.One thing that I'm passionate about within music production, recording, and mixing is making things better than they were. This can be as simple as upgrading the cabling in my studio (which I'm currently doing), upgrading a guitar (getting ready to do), or even doing modifications to an inexpensive amp making it sound like a much more expensive amp (which I've done).<br><br>This comes down to trying to make the most of the money I spend. Lets be frank here, much of what we work with here in the studio (and in music in general) is electronic. When you're recording, your working with electronics. Starting the some guitars, the amps, the mics, the cables, and preamps, mixers, interfaces...it's all electronic. So if you want to make the most of the money you put into your gear, you need to...<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Help yourself and learn to solder.</span></strong></span><br><br>I'm being serious, you <strong>need</strong> to become comfortable with soldering on small pieces. If you're like me, you only have so much money in your budget (if you even have a budget), but often times you'll need more than that budget will allow for. So you have to be creative in making things work. And that's cool, you're an artist, you can do it!<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">A current example.</span></strong></span><br><br>So right now were doing some construction in DAB studios (my <b><i>home studio</i></b>). We just finished installing the new door separating the studio from the rest of the house (awesome...but expensive - solid core doors aren't cheap). Guess what, that ate up a solid chunk of our budget for the studio; but there's much to be done. One of the other "required" (by me) upgrades was the cabling. I spent a good amount of time researching cables (a topic for another time) and decided what to use. But I wasn't going to spend the $1k+ to get the pre-done cables (seriously), so I ordered the bulk cable and ends for about 1/4 of the price.<br><br>Guess what, when you order bulk...some assembly is required. By some, I mean basically all. It takes a lot of time, especially if you're doing a patch bay, other rack mount gear in chain, and then the outside mic cables. Since I wanted to be using the same cabling that most major studios use, it made sense for me to make the cabling myself.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Your band mates will love you!</span></strong></span><br><br>Seriously, if you can repair cables, change out pickups on guitars, and make minor repairs on gear - you'll be one of the most valuable people in any band.<br><br>The point of being able to do these things yourself is so that you can make your money last and count. If you spend less money on the necessities, you'll have more money to put towards things that you want that will help really shape your sound. And that's important, because you don't want to use bad sounding gear and try to improve that when mixing. It's important to have a good sound first. Then record the good sound as well as you can. Then mix the good recording of a good sound. And it's easier to do that if you are using good equipment.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Good equipment doesn't always mean expensive equipment.</span></strong></span><br><br>I mean it, one of my favorite amps to play on and record is my little Bugera V5. It's a super cheap amp that many didn't give much credit. But once you do a bright cap mod (and a couple other minor tweaks) the thing sounds pretty good. But then hook it up to a 12" speaker cab (with your choice speakers) and the thing can absolutely scream! True vintage style tube tones!!! Love it. But if I didn't know how to solder, it would have cost me hundreds to get the same sound with that amp, that I literally spent less than $10 to get. Yep, some caps, a resistor, and a fuse later... I also swapped tubes, but that's another story.<br><br>My point here is that you can save money and get great sound, if you're comfortable making modifications. Just like the MXL 990s I modded for a whopping $8 a piece. If you do a little research, and are comfortable soldering, then you can save a ton of money and achieve an amazing sound!<br><br>Go and mod something cheap to be something expensive. Have fun, and make something you love!Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/36273202015-03-27T10:02:13-06:002015-03-27T10:02:13-06:00Get a setup based on what you needIf you're like me, then you read a lot of recording articles and watch a lot of recording / mixing videos. I've found that there are 2 basic categories out there with these. The "go small home studio" and the "go big or leave it alone" studios.<br><br>Man is there a BIG divide here! The small studio guys are super minimalistic, while the big studio guys apparently don't know what most home interiors look like. In life, I've found that many times when there's such a massive divide, it's not because there needs to be. Rather, there's such a massive divide because of over reaction.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Build your studio based on your needs.</span></strong></span><br><br>There's some common sense for ya. But sadly, it's something you won't read or hear in to many other audio blogs / videos. Take a moment and think about what you're really planning on recording. Is it just you? Or are you planning on recording others as well? One/two thing at a time? Or will you maybe need to record more? If you plan on recording drums <strong><em>ever</em></strong> you'll need more like 8 - 14 inputs. (If you've never done drums, that sounds pretty stupid. But it's not uncommon to do 2 kick mics [one in and one out], 2 snare mics [one top and one bottom], a mic on every tom, 2 overhead mics, sometimes 2 room mics, and then sometimes 2 ambient mics. That's 12-14 right there).<br><br>I've found that with what I do, an 8 channel interface and another 2 channel interface works most of the time. To be perfectly honest though, there's another 8 channel interface that links with mine (it has a compressor built into each cannel...sweet) that I really want to get too. 16 channels would be perfect for me and my setup. I basically have 2 rooms to record in, and put drums in one and everyone else in another and we're good to go.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">If you're only recording yourself.</span></strong></span><br><br>Then you have it made! A 2 channel interface, 1-2 mics, a pair of headphones and you're good to roll. The trick is that you are the one pushing the buttons to record and the one playing / singing. But in most DAWs you can set a click intro :).<br><br>This setup might not work if you're planning on recording others though. Other singer songwriters...yes, bands...no.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">If you're recording others.</span></strong></span><br><br>Things are a little trickier, and more expensive here. I love the concept of the minimalist approach, but it just doesn't work if you plan on recording others and want good quality. Especially with the mics. If you can drive to a Guitar Center (GC) then you can try some mics out <strong>before</strong> you buy them. This is <strong>huge</strong>! Finding a mic that works well with your voice is important. But think about that for a second. If it's important to get a mic that works with your voice, that means that not all microphones work with all voices. CORRECT!<br><br>Not all microphones work with all voices or instruments. Which means...you need to have a few to choose from. And it's a good idea to have a few dynamic mics too, as they seem to be less picky with voices. But you're not going to impress the person you're recording with most dynamic mics either. I currently have 7 condenser mics (6 different models - meaning one pair) and 5 dynamic mics. Some will tell you that's too many to have as a choice. But I know their sonic profiles (what they sound like) and have a basic idea which mic will work with which type of vocal. So I typically try 2 maybe 3 for each singer, and pick the best...unless none of those work well.<br><br>Not only do you have to have more mics, but then you need more cables, and probably a bigger interface. All of this costs more money. Graham just came out with his $300 studio setup challenge...which would work great for a single person / singer songwriter. But you'll never get great sounding (acoustic) drums with it. It's a single microphone, a 2 channel interface, a pair of headphones, and the free DAW that comes with the interface. Record one piece at a time, which is fine, but that mic might not sound good on any of the vocals or the instruments.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">My advice.</span></strong></span><br><br>Here's my 2 cents on this topic. It's easy to go overboard with your setup. But quite often it seems like we all tend to get too small of a setup for our needs. I started there too. I recorded a full band on a two channel interface (and yes, the drums sounded like crap - but thats another story - and they actually sounded better than most people expected) but it didn't turn out too well.<br><br>Take some time and be honest with your thoughts on what you're going to record. If 99% of it is going to be you and your guitar/keyboard, then a minimal setup is probably best. Pick out a mic that works with your voice and instrument and get recording :). If you really think you'll be recording others pretty frequently, then you might want a 4-8 channel interface, a small selection of mics (a mix of dynamic and condensers), and a couple headphones (which might require you getting a headphone mixer as well).<br><br>My advice is to be honest with yourself and your thoughts about what and who you'll be recording. Then get what you <b>need, </b>and not go overboard with the things you want. Don't just spend money to spend money.<br><br>Go and make something you love.Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/36121202015-03-25T08:35:00-06:002015-03-25T08:35:15-06:00Use your resources wisely.I think we've all gone through a time or two when we "needed" a couple new pieces of gear/software to make the recording at hand. Only problem, we only had the funding to get 1 of the proper tools. What did you do? What do you do?<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Use your resources wisely.</span></strong></span><br><br>That's so much easier to say than it is to practice. And honestly, it's hard to decide on which piece of gear is the right piece. Much of that is because every situation is different. Really, there's no one right answer and path to choose in this boat. I mean, do you borrow the extra cash? Sell some non-needed stuff? Borrow some gear? Buy the one you can afford and hope it still turns out? Buy used?<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Do some research.</span></strong></span><br><br>I've found that, time allowing, if I research things for a while I can find a solution. Most of the time it's way outside the box, but that's worked for me. Not only has that worked for me, but it's given me some gear and sounds that not too many others have. For instance, while recording an album we needed a few more guitar amp mics. Sadly, we didn't have the $300 to spend on Shure SM57s or 58s. However, doing some research (reading reviews, checking out spec sheets / frequency charts, and listening to demos) we found that we could get a few EV Cobalts for considerably less. Which was great, because we needed 2 more vocal mics too...which we were able to pickup a couple Shure SM48s.<br><br>Are these the best, industry standard, microphones on the market? No, they're not. But they worked, and actually worked out pretty well. So much so that we kept them around. I actually like the sound of the Cobalt on high-hats. And the SM48 is quite the under-rated mic! It's not designed for instruments, but for vocals...it works great. Again, I still use them and I'm constantly amazed by the quality of the sound.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Buy used.</span></strong></span><br><br>I've done a lot of this. It kind of comes with the "working on a budget" card. Craigslist has been my friend, I can say that. But so has the local GC (Guitar Center) from time to time. When buying used, I do <strong>TONS</strong> of research. Oh man, I think I spend more time researching used gear than I do some of my new gear. It's crazy, but again, it's paid off.<br><br>On top of that sweet Blue Dragonfly mic, I've recently picked up a guitar and a low wattage, vintage style, tube amp. The guitar...an early 90's, heavily upgraded, Peavey Predator. It's a Strat knock-off that's American made. The neck is amazing! Kills any Squire I've played. All the "low price and quality" parts were already replaced, and I picked it up for about $100. I'm getting ready to toss in some vintage style, boutique, AlNiCo pickups to finish it off.<br><br>The amp is a little Bugera Vintage 5. It's a 5watt Class A tube amp with a single EL84 power tube and a single 12AX7 preamp tube. Again, picked it up for $100. They went for $200-300, but they're known for being a super dark sounding amp. So they go for cheap now. But they have a power attenuator that allows you to run it at 5w, 1w, or 0.1w, which really helps in a studio environment. I did a bright cap mod and a couple other modifications...and the thing sounds more like a $700+ amp. It's only got an 8" speaker in it, so I run that into my custom pine 112 cab, makes a world of difference! BTW, I'm using Warehouse Guitar Speakers. I think they sound better than most other speakers, and they're so much less expensive. <a contents="Check them out." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.wgs4.com" target="_blank">Check them out.</a><br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Be careful.</span></strong></span><br><br>One thing I try to never do is to borrow money. I've found that borrowing money tends to translate into borrowing trouble. I've sold stuff, I've gotten only what I could afford and made it work, I've even bought weird equipment and made it work. But I won't borrow money to do it. Be careful <strong>how</strong> you get what you get, and <strong>what</strong> you get. Take some time to make your decision, be smart about it.<br><br>Also, if you're buying used and picking it up at somebody's house...be careful and smart there too. See if you can meet them somewhere near they're place that's nice and public. Yeah, you might not know if the equipment is good, but you have a better chance of walking away from the deal.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Have fun.</span></strong></span><br><br>A good chunk of what I've learned by doing this on a budget is to just have fun using what I've got. Or have fun using the equipment I can afford. Remember that the mic guys will always tell you that you "have to have this mic..." The hardware guys will say "these suck, these rock." The software guys will say "only use this plugin!" But really, you'd be surprised what kind of sounds you can get out of some of the "crap" gear. People always seem surprised to see what I actually used to get a sound.<br><br>Go and make something you love!Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/35843362015-03-23T08:40:00-06:002021-03-03T10:16:18-07:00To gear or not to gear?That is the question. Isn't it? I find myself asking that question a <strong>LOT</strong>. How much gear is enough gear? Do I <em>really</em> need another mic? Do I really need a different mic preamp? Do I really need another guitar amp? Do I really need another guitar? Hence the question:<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">To gear or not to gear?</span></strong></span><br><br>It's so easy to buy into the hype that "this will take your stuff to the next level!" But how many next levels are there? If the guitar will, and the amp will, and the cable will, and the mic will, and the preamp will, and the interface will, and the computer will, and the DAW will, and the 1000+ plugins will....<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">When is enough, enough? At what point is buying more stuff just buying more stuff?</span></strong></span><br><br>I was in Nashville about a year and a half ago, and something really stood out to me. All the musicians on the streets and in the bars sounded awesome! But I kept seeing something in common with almost all of them. Their gear....it sucked. Or at least that's what you would think by the labels or the condition of it. But the sound, the sound was amazing. So this got me thinking...<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Is it the equipment or the person handling it?</span></strong></span><br><br>I think we all really know the answer to that one. <em><strong>It's the person handling it, not the equipment.</strong></em> Now granted, give an amazing guitar player and amazing guitar hooked up to an amazing amp and you're likely to hear magic! Give the same guitar to an newb and it won't be so magical. But give an amazing guitar player a junky guitar, and they'll likely be able to make it sound a lot better than you ever thought possible.<br><br>This concept has been solidified in my mind while roaming the streets of Seattle. I've seen the same thing. A guy with a cheap Ibanez guitar and a cheap solid state Peavey amp can sound amazing! <em>Not knocking either Ibanez nor Peavey here (or solid state amps), just an example.</em><br><br>This also hit me at church recently too. Since we're traveling and dealing with my wife's cancer so much, I can't run sound every Sunday. So we've been trying to train up some other guys and gals to run sound, and run sound well. It just amazes me how different it can sound from one week to the next. With the same musicians, same instruments, same amps, same sound gear, just different people mixing - 1 week it's amazing, the next it's like a dead fish in the house. And that can be with the same person on the mixer!!! It's inconsistent, which tells me they need more practice and more support in knowing when a mix sounds good.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">So how much do you need to get started?</span></strong></span><br><br>Very little. In fact, I think it's best to start with 1 mic, a 2 channel interface, a basic DAW (like Audacity or Garage Band), and only the stock plugins. Why? It's more important to learn good technique and get a good sound with the basics than it is to get sloppy with a bunch of overpriced gear.<br><br>Really, if you're just starting out - get a $100 condenser mic, a basic interface and run with it. Play around with different mic placements to find a good spot to use it. Go ahead and watch the youtube tutorials and read the threads you found on Google, but take them with a grain of salt and try it for yourself. Get good sound in, then play with different levels, different EQ settings, different compression settings and get it to sound even better.<br><br>Resist the temptation to believe the marketing scheme that "this is the missing link in your music." It's probably not, and if it is, it probably isn't <em>yet</em>. When you get there, you'll know it. But remember, if it's not sounding good, make sure it's not an operator error before assuming it's an equipment problem. Look everything over, and maybe have someone else look it over with you. Don't be ashamed to ask for help, we're all learning and we're all learning from a bunch of different people. If a guy on the street can make that crappy guitar sound good, then you can make your recordings sound good.<br><br>** I want to make sure I don't give the wrong idea. Gear isn't bad. Having a lot of expensive gear isn't bad. And to be quite honest, I keep getting better gear when I can too. What I'm trying to get across is that it's actually a good thing to earn your stripes and learn how to make lower quality gear sound good before jumping into expensive gear. <em>I just read a post by a guy I follow, who is a total minimalist in recording gear, talking about how he now does a lot more work on the sound <strong>before</strong> it goes into the box. Meaning that he does some eq, compression, and maybe some effects <strong>before</strong> it goes into the interface. Guess what...you have to have hardware gear to do that. </em>Gear isn't bad...just don't go overboard, and make sure you know how to use it and use it well.**<br><br>Go and make something you love, and remember to have fun!Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/35750502015-03-20T09:00:00-06:002021-03-03T10:16:27-07:00A Quick Tip for MUCH BETTER Mixes!I really want to share a tip that I learned a while ago that has made my mixes better, and has taken quite a bit of time off from start to finish. Does that sound good?<br><br>It's a tip that at first can be extremely frustrating. It takes a while to get used to doing this, but in the long run it really pays off. And it'll pay off on your first mix doing it!<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Mix in mono.</span></strong></span><br><br>Thats the tip, mix in mono. Get everything sounding good, everything coming through in the mix in mono <strong><em>before</em></strong> moving things around and getting your stereo image.<br><br>I told you, it's weird and frustrating. We all naturally want to start hearing things where the will be in the final mix. It makes sense, it's just not the best way to do it. Why? Because it's easy to say "I can't hear this guitar that well, I'll pan it to the left and this guitar to the right...now I can hear them both really well." Unfortunately, not everybody listens to things in stereo.<br><br>Yep, I'm sure there are at least a few people commenting that I'm an idiot right about now. Have you ever walked into a gas station or a restaurant that has speakers in the ceiling? Almost always, those are in mono. Why? Because they want you to hear everything no matter where you are. They don't want the speaker in the mens room playing the right side of a track while the ladies room is playing the left, that would be crazy.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Live Church Dilemma</span></strong></span><br><br>Yes, another church story. There's a church that I help out quite a bit as far as sound is concerned. Many churches have now gone to a stereo setup, or alway had been and just never really panned anything. This church is setup in true mono. It doesn't matter if you pan something, it's going out every speaker no mater what.<br><br>Big deal, right? Well it is a big deal when sound techs don't know how to use EQ that well. They constantly couldn't get a good sound if there were more than 3 instruments playing. Again, why? <strong>Because many instruments frequency ranges intermix, and so a lot of the sound gets lost in the mud.</strong> Seriously, it took me almost 2 1/2 hours of frequency sweeping and solid EQ work to get things to sound good and cut through the mix the first Sunday (really Thursday rehearsal). But let me tell you, we had a lot of comments and complements that week.<br><br><em><strong>That's why mixing in mono is so important. And the church experience really cemented that thought into my head.</strong></em> <br><br>Mono forces you to hear everything right up the middle at one time. So if a guitar isn't cutting through the mix, mess with the EQ. Again, remember to do subtractive EQ; pulling more frequencies out than you put in. But try sweeping around and finding a sound that really shines and bring that frequency up a little bit. You many want to pull that frequency out of the competing instrument and find it's sweet spot too. But once you get them to shine, they'll cut through just fine. And once everything sits in place in mono, have fun moving things into position in stereo. And what's cool then is that everything sounds it's best already, so it's just like adding frosting to the cake!<br><br>Now in your DAW, there might not be a mono button. Some interfaces have a mono button (if you're using the headphone out or monitors out - which you should be), but not all do. My Focusrite system has a software application that I run that has one, but again, not all will have that. If you don't have a mono button, and Google doesn't help find the answer; you can pan all the pan knobs straight up. Ever single one, even the two on each stereo track. It's annoying, and for some odd reason I don't think it works as well as a true mono bypass, but it's better than nothing.<br><br>I hope this helps you out, I know it helped me a ton. Go and make something you love. - DrewDrew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/35783082015-03-18T09:45:04-06:002021-04-07T07:09:38-06:00The art of panning. Soft pan vs hard pan. [video]This is exciting! We're getting past the basic "into to recording" type posts and into more of the "how to record and mix posts." In this post we'll be looking at the art of panning.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Mix your songs in mono before playing around with panning.</span></strong></span><br><br>Seriously, mix in mono <strong><em>first</em></strong>. It may seem boring, but it will make the overall experience of mixing better, and give you a better mix. In this case, mixing <em>harder</em> <strong>is</strong> mixing <em>smarter</em>.<br><br>Once you have the basic levels setup, and you have everything coming through the mix and sounding good in mono, then it's time to get into the fun of stereo mixing.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">What makes a mix stereo vs mono?</span></strong></span><br><br><strong>Mono</strong> means that the exact same signal is sent to every speaker. In live systems that have subwoofers, the signal can still be mono - just there is a crossover setup so that the subwoofer only plays the low frequencies of the signal. But the same signal is sent everywhere. If your speakers are setup in a certain way, and you're sitting in the right spot, it will sound like all the sound is coming from directly in front of you.<br><br><strong>Stereo</strong> means that there is a left and a right channel / signal. This gives you the opportunity to send some signals everywhere, some to the left, and some to the right. This creates better definition in the audio and a more natural sound and vibe. If your speakers are setup in the same way and you're in the same spot (as the example in mono) then some of the mix will sound like it's coming from directly in front of you, while other audio will seem wider. Some will also be clearly coming out of only one speaker, either left of right.<br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="kA4myvsdHZA" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/kA4myvsdHZA/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kA4myvsdHZA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="300" width="480" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Hard Panning.</span></strong></span><br><br>Hard panning is when a signal is sent hard left or hard right in a stereo mix. It seems like an odd thing to send all of one instrument to just the left speaker, and all of another instrument to just the right speaker. But I bet if you listen carefully to some of your favorite recordings, it's done like that.<br><br>It's really common to have one electric guitar panned hard left and another guitar panned hard right. This helps people to visualize there being 2 guitar players and easily pick out both guitar parts.<br><br>If you have a single stereo track (like a piano / organ), by default in most DAWs it's set as a hard pan. The left channel is all the way left and the right channel is all the way right. This gives that instrument a wide placement in the mix - it seems to be coming from all around on both sides.<br><br>You can also hard pan "straight up the middle." This is like a mono position, where if your optimally placed between 2 speakers it will seem to be coming from right in front of you.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Soft Panning.</span></strong></span><br><br>Soft panning can be a pretty cool way to separate a mix, but not everything will let you do it. I had a friend trying to mix an album on a Portastudio that would only allow hard panning. If you moved the pan knob at all to the left, it was hard left; at all to the right, and it was hard right. It was really old school, but he made it work and it worked pretty well.<br><br>Personally, I like doing some soft panning - especially with stereo tracks. With hard panning, everything is either extremely wide or extremely narrow and up front. With soft panning, you can place things throughout the entire width of the stereo field. Setting the lead vocal and bass straight up the middle, acoustic 1/4 left and right, organ / piano 1/2 left and right, and one electric hard left with the other electric hard right. <em><strong>This is an example, and it might not work with your mix, but give something like this a try.</strong></em> But what this gives is a full feeling wide stereo image.<br><br>Soft panning gives you a more "modern" feel, while hard panning gives a more "vintage/classic rock" feel. <em><strong>Pan according to what you're mixing.</strong></em><br><br>Give your mix a workout with different panning to see what it sounds like. You might just love the outcome!Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/35809292015-03-16T09:24:28-06:002021-03-03T10:17:19-07:00Using Acoustic TreatmentWe're getting ready to do a little construction here at DAB studios. Now to be open and honest, DAB studios is a home studio setup. We are actually based in a house, that I live in, in a subdivision. So yes, you can actually have a recording studio in your home. <i>Depending on HOAs and other restrictions.</i><br><br>Sometimes you can have an option as to which room in your home you might record. This gives you a wonderful chance to go around the house / apartment and find some "sweet spots." Literally go sing / play your guitar around the house and find a few places that things just seem to sound the best. Then record a scratch track in each place and see which one sounds the best to you. Then you know your "sweet spots."<br><br>Other times you don't have much of a choice as to where you can record. Like in my situation, we have 2 kids in our 1400 sq ft house. I can't just record in the living room and kick everyone else out for a few days at a time. But when we purchased our house, we did so knowing that I would be using part of it as a studio. So we bought a house that has a nice family room / office area that we've since converted into a studio.<br><br>We're finally getting ready to finish the room up. It's taken a while as we've been focused on my wife's cancer (which is vastly more important than a studio). So we're now getting ready to install a solid core door to separate the room completely, install window covers to remove outside interference, and do a little more acoustic treatment work.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Sound Treatment vs Sound Proofing</span></strong></span><br><br>I think it's important to show the distinction between sound proofing a room and installing sound treatment. If you're in a home, good luck sound proofing a room. It's basically impossible. You can cut down outside noise by covering the windows and adding doors and such, but you'll likely never get rid of every outside noise. And honestly, that's fine. Cut as much noise down and out as possible, and live with what you've got.<br><br>Where as sound treatment isn't concerned with outside noise at all. Nope, it's acoustic treatment. This is where you're concerned with what the sound <strong>IN</strong><em> </em>the room sounds like. Is there too much reverb? Because a bad sounding reverb <strong>can</strong> be recorded. And if it's recorded, you're not getting it out, and it sure can <strong>ruin</strong> your recording. So sound treating a room is minimizing echoes and reverberation.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/108568/21f1a426160059e5e99017f713f436b316f5ad16/medium/20150306-151910.jpg?1425680498" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><strong style="color: rgb(255, 140, 0);"><span class="font_large">How can I professionally treat the sound in my room?</span></strong><br><br>There are a several different types of professional acoustic treatment products out there. The 2 main forms are acoustic foam and sound panels. Acoustic foam is a type of foam that get's glued to the walls dampening sound reflections. It's fairly inexpensive as far as sound treatment is concerned, but it seem expensive when you think that it's just foam. <strong>However, do not just glue standard packing foam or furniture/bed foam pads to the walls.</strong> Acoustic foam is flame retardant, while standard foam is not and can easily cause a fire hazard. To the left is an example of acoustic foam here in DAB studios. <em>(Yes, the Strat-0-clock makes it cooler).</em><br><br>Sound panels are actual panels that are essentially thick insulation, in a frame, wrapped in fabric. This type of treatment comes in handy as you can set it between sound sources to minimize bleed. If using this on walls, you typically want them spaced about an inch off the wall. That's how sound panels work best. They lessen the sound going through them, the lower sound bounces off the wall and is weakened to the point that most sound won't go back through it on the way out.<br><br><br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Does it really matter that you treat the sound in your room?</span></strong></span><br><br>That depends - do you want a professional sounding recording? Then yes. If you want it to sound like it was recorded in a garage, then no.<br><br>That's a very generic statement when it comes to sound treatment. If you walk into a high end recording studio, they'll likely have a few studio rooms that have basically no sound treatment. Why? Because the room has <strong>fantastic</strong> acoustics!!! Most rooms don't have good acoustics, and the reverb they produce sounds unnatural and bad in recordings. Especially bathrooms. Please don't make the rookie mistake of recording in the bathroom. Just about any reverb plugin will sound a 1000 times better.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">How can I treat the sound in my room on a budget?</span></strong></span><br><br>There are some really affordable sound treatment solutions that you can do. In fact, I know of several people who have home studios that have spent little to no money on sound treatment. How? They use what they have. You're an artist, be creative!<br><br>But down to HOW they did it and what you can do to help your studio out. Soft surfaces reflect less sound. Sounds obvious, but it had to be said. One easy way to add sound treatment is by simply adding furniture. Put a couch or a comfy chair in the room. That will actually help your sound. But again, use a soft surface, probably not leather.<br><br>The next big thing that most people use....blankets. Not because they're cold. They don't wrap themselves up in them, they drape them on the walls. Using a thick blanket on a wall does just about as much as adding foam or sound panels. It just doesn't look as nice. Being up front and honest again, I still use blankets from time to time. You have to do what you have to do. And the sound is more important than the looks. Don't have any spare blankets? Run down to your local Harbor Freight and pickup a pack of moving blankets, they work great.<br><br>Now mind you, blankets won't block sound from outside nor from one instrument getting recorded by another instruments microphone - but they will minimize the room reverb making for a more flat and cleaner recording. However, I have used a seat cushion wrapped in a blanket as a sound panel between sources before - and it worked just fine.<br><br>That's it for today. Hope this helps you out! Go put up some blankets, foam, or panels and make something you love!Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/35752372015-03-11T10:00:00-06:002021-03-03T10:17:33-07:00How to tune for your tune!I don't want anyone to feel like I'm talking down to them. But at the same time, this blog was started to help people who were just getting into recording. So some posts are going to seem incredibly simple and obvious to some. If that's the case here, just keep in mind that not everyone is on the same page; and that's why we're going to cover a lot of different topics.<br><br>Today's topic is tuning instruments for your song / recording. Or...<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">How to tune for your tune!</span></strong></span><br><br>Yes, tuning your instrument is an immensely important part of recording. And sadly, it's a very <strong><em>overlooked</em></strong> part by many in the home recording and indie scene. How can that be you ask? Easy, home studio's and indie groups are often doing things on a budget and tend to cut corners. But please, don't save your time by not tuning properly.<br><br>Did you know that there are different ways you can tune your instrument? Yep, doesn't even matter what kind of instrument it is. You can tune by ear, tune to yourself, tune by tuner (which can have different results tuner to tuner), and even tune to other instruments. So how do you know which way to tune?<br><br>Most western pieces of music (and not western as in country music, but meaning "of western influence" - basically anything on most radio stations in America) are done in tune to A440, and most tuners are set to this. Their accuracy (the tuners) in reaching that may differ, but they're set to it. So A440 is a good start. Here are a few things to consider when deciding how to tune <strong><em>before you record</em></strong>.
<ul> <li>How many instruments are going to be recorded?</li> <li>Are all the instruments acoustic, or are some digital?</li> <li>Does a certain instrument sound best and give the best results for the song if tuned a certain way?</li>
</ul>In most studios that have pianos, they have their pianos tuned regularly so they stay in tune.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">If you are using a piano, tune to it.</span></strong></span><br><br>It doesn't matter if the piano is acoustic, digital, a keyboard, or a midi plugin on the computer - tune to the piano. Why? Simple, it takes a lot longer to tune a piano than a guitar or other stringed instruments. Plus, it takes longer for them to lose their tuning (if that's even possible - keyboards and MIDI for example). Also, piano's are typically tuned to precise tuning forks, which tend to be more accurate than digital tuners.<br><br>Also, if you're using any kind of MIDI for a note based instrument, tune your instruments to the tuning of the main MIDI panel in your DAW. Simply pick a MIDI synth (or what your wanting) and play an A, or E, and tune. Get the vibrations to go away in your tuning. Close doesn't cut it here, this isn't horseshoes nor is that thing a hand grenade.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">If your not using any MIDI nor a piano.</span></strong></span><br><br>With this you have a couple different options.<br><br>1) Either have everybody tune using the same tuner.<br>- or -<br>2) Tune the pickiest (or hardest to tune) instrument, then tune everything else to that.<br><br>Doing either of these will help to ensure that everything is in tune with each other. Using different tuners, like while at a normal practice, allows for variations in tuning that might not seem bad in a practice or a performance; but they may just ruin a recording. You want everything to be as perfect as possible when recording. <em>Don't expect to make a bad recording sound great in the mixing phase.</em><br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">When should you check your tuning?</span></strong></span><br><br>All the time. It might seem tedious, but I think you'd rather have a great recording than rush things and have a bad recording. Seriously, check your tuning between every take. Especially if your punching in. Really, especially, if your punching in and you haven't in a couple takes.<br><br>Also, if at all possible, if you start recording an instrument for a song - finish that instrument for that song <strong>that day</strong>. Try not to "come back to it tomorrow" if you can help it. It's much easier to keep an instrument in tune for a few hours of playing, than it is to <strong><em>match</em></strong> a tuning later on with the same instrument.<br><br>While this might seem a bit over the top; trust me, it'll make mixing easier and will help you enjoy the finished product more. It's just something to get in the habit of doing.<br><br>Now, go tune your gut harp and make something you love!Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/35550622015-03-09T10:00:00-06:002015-03-09T10:02:06-06:00Is it really important to use acoustic instruments when there's a MIDI sample available?I do get asked this type of question from time to time: "Why are you recording that console piano instead of just using piano samples?" And really, the question kind of surprises me.<br><br>Let's get right down to it, I have a picky ear. Not only do I have a picky ear, but I have a really hard time settling for "that'll work" instead of "that's great." To me, most samples sound like "that'll work." Even when it comes to recording a console piano instead of using a piano MIDI sample. I can typically tell if something is MIDI or acoustic in recordings, and to me, MIDI in a mix of acoustic instruments just sounds cheap. It sounds like the artist was trying to save money instead of produce a great product. Where as, an alright sounding acoustic piano comes across as an artistic take and flare, MIDI comes off as almost lazy. <strong><em>(NOTE: I'm not saying it is lazy or it is bad to use MIDI. If that's your thing, it's your thing and go for it. I'm simply stating it's not my thing.)</em></strong><br><br>I'm not against MIDI. I have a MIDI keyboard on my desk right now next to me, and I have an old electric drum kit behind me that I use for tracking from time to time. I use BFD2 drum samples and mapping, and yes, you can get it to sound really good...but it's not a live kit.<br><br>Now if you're doing electronic music, then using MIDI based instruments makes perfect sense and putting an acoustic instrument in the mix might just produce the same feeling as putting MIDI in with acoustic does to me.<br><br>But my passion in recording is acoustic instruments. And yes, that includes electric guitars and organs. So for me, recording the instruments available in the best way, producing the best possible sound, is what I'm going to do. Really, if the acoustic instrument doesn't sound right, try a different mic placement, or different mic/mics altogether. More often than not, the first mic placement isn't going to be the best; so if it doesn't sound good, move the mic. If I had my druthers, I would have a Hammond B-3 with a Leslie in my studio; and I'd use it for every organ part! But I don't, so I use a MIDI plugin. I'm never fully satisfied with it, but it works and sounds fine.<br><br><span class="font_large"><strong><span style="color:#FF8C00;">Is it really important to use acoustic instruments when there's a MIDI sample available?</span></strong></span><br><br><span class="font_regular">Is it really important? No.<br><br>Is it important to me? Yes.<br><br>That is the difference. While in the big scheme of things, it's not a major deal whether you use an acoustic instrument or MIDI, it just depends on what you're going for. Music is art and art is subjective. That's why there are no "one size fits all" albums.<br><br>Plus, if you don't have an acoustic piano, and can't swing the $1,000+ for a decent one - maybe a MIDI sample is a good idea for you. I just happen to have an acoustic piano. To be fair, however, it was given to me by my mother. She got it from...I don't remember where...and since I'm the musician in the family, I got it shortly after I moved out and got married. So my piano was free. Granted, it hadn't been tuned in over 15 years, so it needed some repair work; but hey, fixing it was a lot cheaper than a new piano.<br><br>Back to the "music is art" thought.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Really, your music is your art and YOU should be happy with it.</span></strong></span></span><br><br>I have a good friend that put out an album that sounded a lot like Owl City's stuff. Very electronic, very auto-tuned, very poppy. Not my bag. But it's what he's into, and he asked me to help him out a bit on it. It was fun, and it was a great exercise to get out of my comfort zone and work on something new. Now this was really different for me, even the acoustic guitar track was MIDI. The MIDI was MIDI and if the vocals could have been MIDI, I'm sure they would have been MIDI too. But it was a fun project and ended up sounding pretty cool.<br><br>All of this has been without considering some kind of fusion. I love fusion, when it works. And that again is what counts. Love it, it's yours. Don't settle for "that'll work," shoot for "this is great!" Now go and make something you love.Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/35653982015-03-06T10:00:00-07:002021-03-03T10:17:46-07:00Compression - your new best friend! [Video]So I'm sitting here drinking my glass bottled Coke. Why? Because there's something about a good cola coming out of a glass container that tastes good. Especially if it's not being watered down by ice cubes. Ahhh... I just took another drink.<br><br>What on earth does drinking a cold glass bottled Coke have to do with mixing audio?<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Coca-Cola found a way to tastefully enhance their product and make me love it more. That's what compression can do for your mix!</span></strong></span><br><br>It's true! It's so incredibly simple that many miss compression all together in their first few mixes. I know I did.<br><br>Seriously, the first album I mixed (for my own band mind you) I manually went in and automated the volume for every track in every song. I did this to musically squash down the spikes and bring quieter parts up to the rest of the mix.<br><br>Guess what....that's what a compressor does!<br><br>I literally spent <strong><em>days</em></strong> mapping out the automation for each track. I was getting so burnt out and it hurt so badly to hear the rest of the band say they didn't like the mix.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">A compressor is basically an automatic volume controller that you can set.</span></strong></span><br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="sGRGKsdqyQs" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/sGRGKsdqyQs/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sGRGKsdqyQs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="300" width="480" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><br>You tell a compressor how loud a track can get before to pull the fader down, how quickly to pull the fader down, by how much to pull the fader down, and when and how fast to put the fader back where it was.<br><br>So how is a compressor different than what I did? Well, it's better at it...and each compressor adds some character to the sound. Some claim to be transparent, meaning that they don't change the sound other than just being a ride on the fader. But this just isn't true. All compressors color the sound in some way. Some more so than others. And depending on what you're going for, that can be a good thing.<br><br>Every compressor is a little different, but they all do the same thing. I'm looking at the outboard hardware compressor on my rack while writing this. I use a dbx 166XL. It's gives a decent feel of the vintage dbx sound, but not as much as an old 160.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/108568/f8986d36d014fe08121c840c75f28c0f3f778ada/medium/20150228-161922.jpg?1425165739" class="size_m justify_left border_" />So here's a picture of my dbx 166XL, channel 2. From left to right the knobs are: Expander/Gate, Release (for gate), Threshold, Ratio, Attack, Release, Output Gain, and Limiter.<br><br>Basically, the 166XL has 3 functions. It's like having 3 devices in one; a <strong>Gate</strong>, a <strong>Compressor</strong>, and a <strong>Limiter</strong>.<br><br> A <span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong>gate</strong></span> is a device that lets no audio pass <strong><em>until</em></strong><em> </em>it's loud enough. How loud? You get to set that. This is used a lot on drums, but not a ton on much else. However, it comes in handy from time to time. <br><br>A <strong><span style="color:#FF8C00;">compressor</span></strong> is an automatic volume controller. <br><br>And a <span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong>limiter</strong></span> is a hard-wall compressor. Meaning that it doesn't just pull back audio that hits the threshold, it stops it at the threshold. Careful with limiters, if you hit that limit too much it can sound really bad. Now onto the compressor section.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Threshold</span></strong></span><br><br>A threshold is a limit that you set for your normal waveform audio. Typically, you'll set your threshold at a point where most of the audio doesn't touch it, only the spikes. See those red LEDs on the top in the middle of the compressor? Those tell you when the audio passes the threshold and by what degree. This gives you a visual so you can tell when the threshold is set where you want it.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Ratio</span></strong></span><br><br>The ratio setting is the ratio that you want the audio that goes above the threshold to decrease by. Remember, this is a soft-wall, not a hard-wall; audio can go past it and the compressor just pulls it back a bit. Use your ears on this one, but the most commonly used settings are 2:1 and 3:1. A 1:1 setting isn't using the compressor at all, and a high 10:1 pulls it back a lot, and probably not that musically. Again, use your ears.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Attack</span></strong></span><br><br>The attack setting sets how quickly the "fader" is pulled down once the audio goes past the threshold. Set too fast of an attack and you may lose the initial percussive of a note. Set too slow of an attack and you might get a weird swell in the audio. Use your ears.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Release</span></strong></span><br><br>The release setting sets how quickly the "fader" goes back to it's assigned setting after the audio goes back below the threshold. Set too fast of a release and the ending of the sustain might be louder than the attack or middle of the note. Set too slow of a release and you might lose a bit of sustain or get a weird swell in the audio. Use your ears, that's what they're there for. (They're, There, Their...sorry, I had to.)<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Output Gain</span></strong></span><br><br>Here is one of the reasons that a compressor is better than setting the automation for every track. Where every other setting on the device adjusts the audio once it <em><strong>passes</strong></em> the threshold, the output gain adjusts the audio that is <em><strong>below</strong></em> the threshold. If you increase the output gain you end up bringing all of the audio closer to the threshold. This <em>can</em> diminish some dynamics, but typically only if you really push it hard. What it does, however, is to add an intensity to the sound. This is where, at least to me, I hear the characteristics of different compressors. If a mix sounds dead, try adding a little more to the output gain on the compressor.<br><br>Lastly, there is the <span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong>limiter</strong></span>. It's the hard-wall compressor. Whatever you set the threshold too, no audio will go beyond that. It's great if you're afraid you're going to blow speakers or you have to gain a mic so hot that you fear clipping. In digital...a limiter will <b><i>ALWAYS</i></b> sound better than clipping. Don't clip the audio (max the audio load). In your DAW, you can use a limiter, or maximizer, on your mix bus to bring the overall volume up. Yep, getting your music as loud as what's on the radio is that easy. Set your limiter/maximizer (same thing) to something like .4-.8 below 0 and bring the gain up. Don't have it limit too much, it'll sound bad. But that's how you bring the overall volume up. You're welcome.<br><br>There you go. A blogpost style Compression 101. The point of this post was to give you an idea as to what a compressor does, and how each part of the compressor makes it work. Go and play with it in your DAW. Guess what...you won't ruin it. You can undo something if it makes it worse. This really gives you a chance to play with it, and figure it out in a more intimate way.<br><br>Go make some thing you love. Cheers.Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/35629672015-03-04T10:07:24-07:002021-03-03T10:17:55-07:00What even is EQ? [Video]EQ, or equalization (equalizer), is one of the most useful tools that is in every studio. Really, it's probably the most helpful tool in all forms of audio work. Equalizers are how you can shape the tone of a sound that is going through a mixer or in a recording.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">EQ, or equalization, is one of the most useful tools that is in every studio.</span></strong></span><br><br>Yes, it's so important I said it twice!<br><br>There are 2 main types of EQ, parametric and graphic. A parametric EQ is the type of EQ that a mixing board has on each channel. You can adjust the high frequencies with a knob, the mids with a knob (sometimes more), and the lows with a knob. They are typically set to a certain frequency range and use a bell curve to change each range. A bell curve looks like a hill or a dip (depending on if you're adding or removing that frequency) on a chart. There are some parametric EQs that you can manually set what mid frequencies you adjust. This is extremely helpful.<br><br>The other form of EQ is a graphic EQ. This is the equalizer that you see in some older stereo systems. They'll have some number of faders in a row with a frequency listed below them (typically). You can push each fader up to boost that frequency, or pull the fader down to diminish that frequency.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Which is better to use while recording and mixing?</span></strong></span><br><br>They both can work, but typically you will want to use a parametric EQ. The reason for this is that it's faster to adjust, and you get quicker and more musical results. By more musical results, I mean that it's harder to tell that the tone has been altered, it just sounds right.<br><br>Graphic EQs work really well for dialing in the basic sound profile for a room. It's a bit more exact and has more ways to adjust it. But as for fine tuning a single track, stem, instrument, vocal (whatever) it's just easier with a parametric EQ. Not to mention, basically all stock EQ plugins for basically any DAW will be parametric. That's because it's easier and makes more sense in recording, mixing, and mastering.<br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="LLcKqTl8t1E" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/LLcKqTl8t1E/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LLcKqTl8t1E?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="300" width="480" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">What's a Shelf?</span></strong></span><br><br>When mixing your recordings and looking at the EQ plugin you may notice that the high and low knobs have options. Like Shelf and bell. Most of the time, the default setting on the low and the high is shelf (especially if you're using a parametric EQ with more than 3 bands - or adjustments / knobs). It's called a shelf because whatever you do to that frequency it does to all frequencies either above or below it. So for the high band, all frequencies above the set frequency with be raised or lowered. With the low band, all frequencies below the set frequency will be raised or lowered.<br><br>Some EQ plugins give you a visual graph, and it literally looks like a shelf when you use this. Whereas the bell setting gives you that hill or dip look, only adjusting the frequencies near what you're changing.<br><br><span class="font_large"><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong>What about High Pass and Low Pass filters?</strong></span></span><br><br>These are labeled in two different ways:<ul> <li>High Pass / Low Pass</li> <li>Low Cut / High Cut</li>
</ul>Either way, they do the same thing. A High Pass filter is a Low Cut filter. A Low Pass filter is a High Cut filter. These are usually adjustable, and they remove all frequencies past what they are set too. So a High Pass filter will remove all frequencies lower than what it's set to (low cut). A Low Pass filter will remove all frequencies higher than what it's set to (high cut).<br><br>These can be extremely helpful, but they can kill the sound if you're not careful.<br><br>A lot of people suggest doing a High Pass (low cut) at about 80Hz on everything but bass and kick drum. That will clear up space in the mix for these to come through and shine. But don't do it if it alters the sound (in a negative way) of another track.<br><br>As far as the Low Pass (high cut), most people leave it alone unless you need to really get rid of something up there (like a high pitched room noise). Then again, a lot of people like to do a Low Pass on the main mix between 14K Hz and 16K Hz (K=thousand). This can help clean up and tighten the high end, and give the recording more of a tube-ish sound. A lot electronic music producers (like EDM producers) music will leave as much high head room as possible and not use this filter.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">If something doesn't sound quite right, how can I use EQ to shape the sound?</span></strong></span><br><br>Here's the bread and butter of EQ and the most helpful advice I can give you - <b>use a subtractive EQ technique.</b> What that means is use EQ to pull out more bad frequencies than to push up good frequencies. Remember, the microphone is the first part of EQ. Try to get the best natural recording you can using different mic placing techniques. Then use the EQ to pull out the parts that are making the track not sound as good as it can. You may end up adding a little bit here or there too, but pull more out than you add in each track.<br><br>The second most helpful advice I can give you is this - <strong>a little bit goes a long way.</strong> If you're recording has 2 guitars, 3 vocal tracks, drums, bass, keys.... a little pull off of each track adds up in the end. You don't need to pull 10db out of a frequency range on the voice (if so you might want to re-record that one using a different mic placement), and you don't need to add 10db to a frequency range either. 3db goes a long way - but use your ears, not the chart.<br><br>Most importantly, <strong>use your ears</strong>. If it sounds right, it is right. Right? Remember, music is subjective. Make something you love and love making it!Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/35607342015-03-02T11:00:00-07:002015-03-02T11:01:58-07:00What type of computer and/or DAW should you use.So you're getting into recording.<strong> Awesome!</strong> Welcome to the club man; we don't have t-shirts, but we have a love for music.<br><br>You've got a good instrument, you can sing, after reading the earlier posts you now have a good inexpensive microphone, and now you're debating how to record. Do you pickup a computer and an audio interface, or do you pickup a digital recording console like a Tascam Portastudio?<br><br>Fantastic question! The answer to this question really depends on<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">What are you recording and what do you want the finished product to be?</span></strong></span><br><br>I know guys who record on Portastudios and get fantastic results. But these are usually old school analog guys who have been doing things the older analog way for 20+ years. <strong><em>This is my experience, not a blanket statement</em></strong><em><strong>.</strong></em> You can do awesome things with Portastudios, but being of the computer and digital age, I find using a computer and a software DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) easier to control.<br><br>However, I do <strong>love</strong> that Portastudios have actual faders and knobs. This gives you a tactile feel for your mixing. Which if you're like me, and used to mixing on a board, that does come in handy. But that's why companies make control surfaces. There are several out there. But they're not a necessity, and they cost a bit of money.<br><br>Portastudios come in different shapes and sizes, but typically you can record up to 8 sources at one time, and mix within a maximum number of tracks. This can mean bouncing multiple mixed tracks down into one track to make space. (Bouncing is like converting or exporting.) So this can work well for demos, recording practices, and recording live.<br><br>But I find getting the effects to work how I want harder than on a computer. So if you're trying to record for something other than demos and internal band critiquing, I would suggest getting a computer and an interface.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">What kind of computer?</span></strong></span><br><br>In a nutshell...something with a decent amount of power.<br><br>Some people swear that you can't do professional audio on anything other than a Mac. Other people swear that the Mac people are clueless. Part of the answer here depends on the DAW you choose. Or, part of the DAW you choose depends on the computer you have. I've done quite a bit of recording on PCs, and they work. I also know of multiple studios in my area that use PC based systems, and they put out good stuff.<br><br>A couple years ago, the band I was in got invited to Nashville to checkout a national tour group. We went, and it was a great experience. First off, the "tour" was a joke. We didn't join them for the tour, but that's a whole story of it's own. We did, however, learn tons of great information from real professionals. Things regarding stage presence, merch table appeal, marketing, distribution, and recording. The guy on recording was pretty clear with us: "if you want to do a professional recording, <em>and want to have the ability to send your work to another studio to have another engineer help mix it</em>, use a Mac and get Pro Tools."<br><br>This hit me hard. I was working in IT at the time, and I had been a huge PC guy. But I took his advice and bought a Mac and Pro Tools. Is my stuff better than before? Yes. But it's better because I have a better understanding of how things work and I have more practice under my belt. It's not better because of my Mac.<br><br>Things you need to consider here:<ul> <li>What's your budget</li> <li>Are you more comfortable on a Mac or a PC</li> <li>Do you already have a fairly high end computer <em>(that's no older than 2-3 years and not running a Celeron processor)</em>
</li>
</ul>A Windows based PC will work fine. But you should have a powerful processor (which changes all the time, right now an i5 or i7), plenty of RAM (again, changes all the time, as of now at least 8GB if not 16GB), and a large hard drive.<br><br>If you want to spend the money and get a Mac, go for it. But make sure that you meet the same criteria as the PC.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">What kind of DAW?</span></strong></span><br><br>There are several different DAWs to choose from. For the most part, all DAWs do the same thing. They all record audio, mix audio, you can add effects, and you can export or bounce audio out into a listenable format. Some are easier to use, some are harder to use. Some have better built in plugins (for effects, eq, compression...), some have a limited set of plugins that aren't very good.<br><br>Then you need to think about whether you're using it for mixing recorded audio, electronic MIDI audio, or a mix of the two. Some are better at different things.<ul> <li>
<strong>Pro Tools </strong>is basically the industry standard. But it's complicated and not the easiest to use. And it's not the best for MIDI.</li> <li>
<strong>Cubase</strong> comes packaged in with a lot of hardware and is a little easier to use, but I didn't find it as functional (but I didn't spend too much time with it).</li> <li>
<strong>Reaper</strong> is inexpensive, fairly straight forward, and functional. I've used it a bit.</li> <li>
<strong>Audacity</strong> is free, about as easy to use as they come, and it works. It might be difficult to get professional grade audio out of it, but it could probably be done. And hey, it's free!</li>
</ul>Like I said earlier, I use Pro Tools. But I haven't always used Pro Tools. I personally have used Audacity, Reaper, and I've spent a little bit of time with Cubase. Pro Tools has a substantial learning curve, Audacity is the easiest, and the others are in-between.<br><br>If you are <strong>brand new</strong> to recording, I would suggest using Audacity (or Rockband on Mac). Save your money for other needed equipment. Take some time and learn the basics of recording on the easiest to use recording software. If you're getting ready to upgrade, check out some of the other options. But try to pick something that's at your level of expertise. Don't be afraid to stretch yourself a little bit, but don't do too much too soon.<br><br>The reason I say don't stretch too much too soon is simply to keep you doing what you should be...recording and playing music. That's why we do this, we love music. So instead of getting super frustrated trying to figure out a complicated piece of software; learn what EQ does, what compression does, what reverb can add when it destroys a mix, delay, and so on. Learn how to use the tools, rather than the interface that brings you the tools. When you can use the tools well, and are making good music with them, then think about moving up the chain, if need be.<br><br>Play music, record music, love music. Make something you love.Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/35603282015-02-28T11:03:01-07:002021-03-03T10:18:13-07:00Why you NEED an audio interface.I'm kind of embarrassed to even admit this, but I guess that's part of the deal. I started doing audio work (or play for me really) in live audio. I would run church sound and do some simple small concerts...<br><br>Then I jumped into wanting to record my own stuff and some friends stuff. I had a basic mixer setup already, so I grabbed a mic, plugged that and my guitar into the mixer, and plugged the mixer directly into the "mic in" port on my PC. (Granted I did get an adapter earlier to plug a mic directly into the PC too.) I recorded and thought "hey, that's not too bad." Until I listened to it in the car and compared it to other recordings.<br><br>Instantly, I knew that something was wrong. So the live sound guy came out in me. Must be the mic! So I researched an affordable recording mic and went and picked up an AKG Perception 200. Not too bad of a mic (not great with my voice, but it worked). I heard a bunch of background noise when using this thing though, so I knew I needed to go somewhere quiet.<br><br>My Dad has a place up in the mountains. So I packed my stuff up and went up there to record. And I did. Let me tell you, that mic made a HUGE difference! But then I compared my recordings to other recordings, and still....it just didn't even come close.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">So I did the unthinkable...and I asked for help.</span></strong></span><br><br>After referring to the pro audio section at my local music shop, I ended up getting a cheap, used, audio interface. It was an old M-Box (and it was basically old when I got it). But after hooking that up, the difference in sound was unmistakable! Now I could only hook up two devices, which was all I was doing anyway, but the clarity of the sound was drastically better! Why?<br><br>Well there's a lot of technical jargon that we could do here, but suffice to say that the internal sound card on your computer is not professional grade.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">What is an Audio Interface?</span></strong></span><br><br>Well, an audio interface is a device that connects your analog hardware (microphones, guitars, keyboards...) to your computer via either USB or Firewire. So in essence, the sound card in your computer <strong><em>IS</em></strong> an audio interface, just not a very good one. Sound cards have a tendency to add a lot of extra noise, and they tend to lose a bit of the signal as well (meaning a loss of clarity - which is bad). Whereas an external audio interface does the conversion from analog sound to digital information on it's own, using recording grade equipment. This not only makes things sound better because of the equipment in the interface, but it also takes the conversion process off the load that the computer is doing. This gives the computer more resources to run the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and other programs, also making it sound better.<br><br>Audio interfaces also have direct hookups for your hardware. There are several different kind of interfaces. There's 1 channel interfaces, 2 channel, 6 channel, 8 channel, and there are even mixing boards that hook up directly to your computer with either firewire or usb. The most common interfaces used in home studios are 2 channel interfaces. Why? Because a single person, maybe a singer songwriter, can only do 2 things at once really...play an instrument and sing. Plus, in recording, you normally don't want too much cross over - which is when you get the same sound on two mics when you're only recording that source with one mic. So if you're recording a guitar and singing, cross over is when you hear your guitar on your vocal track and your vocals on your guitar track. So in a home studio environment, recording less things at a time is usually better.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">So is an Audio Interface only helpful with getting sound into the computer?</span></strong></span><br><br>No. Most audio interfaces will have a few things on it that help out a lot with what you <strong><em>hear</em></strong> once you have recorded, and even while you're recording. Audio interfaces have a full 1/4" stereo headphone jack and a volume control for it. This allows you to hook up professional grade studio headphones without needing an adapter. (Don't get scared by the term "professional grade" here. Good studio headphones can be picked up for $40-$100). Plus there are monitor out jacks. These aren't computer monitors that help you see, but rather studio monitor outs that help you <strong><em>hear</em></strong>. Now studio monitors are a bit more expensive than the headphones, but you can still pickup an inexpensive set for $200-400. But if you're just getting started, go ahead and start with headphones; that's where basically everyone starts. That being said, a good pair of flat response studio monitors will give you a <b>much</b> better representation of what you're mixing than the headphones. But that comes with time.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Drew, do you used a 2 channel Audio Interface at DAB Studios?</span></strong></span><br><br>Sometimes. I have an 8 channel Focusrite audio interface that I primarily use. However, there are times that I still pull out my trusty 2 channel usb interface and use it too. Sometimes I need more than 8 channels at one time, and other times I'm going out to record and only need 2 channels.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><span class="font_large"><strong>What about the Preamps?</strong></span></span><br><br>That's a fantastic question! Different audio interfaces have different preamps. What is a preamp you ask? When you plug a microphone into a mixer, chances are you're plugging it into a preamp. If there's a gain knob, there's a preamp. A microphone is a device that converts sound pressure from sound waves into electrical signals. Dynamic microphones transmit low levels of signals, enough to get there, but not enough to sound loud. Condenser microphones require extra power to make this happen. This is called Phantom power, or +48V (most preamps have a button for that). A preamp is an amplifier that boosts the audio signal <em>before</em> getting any other processing (like EQ, compression...).<br><br>Different preamps sound different. Some naturally have a darker sound. Some have a warmer sound. Some hive a brighter sound. Some sound brittle. Some sound fairly transparent. The best advice I can give you on picking out an interface for it's preamp is to read the reviews. You can even find out what preamp a certain interface uses and research those particular preamps.<br><br>But honestly, if you're just getting started, or you're looking to record other people, getting a good general interface is probably a good idea. With that, just read the reviews on that interface through a few different websites and forums go from there.<br><br>Remember, music is subjective - so make something you love.Drew Allen Browntag:drewallenbrown.com,2005:Post/35547582015-02-26T10:19:36-07:002021-03-03T10:18:37-07:00Do I need a $1,000 - $3,000 microphone to get started?Here's a trap that we all run into a LOT. <strong><em>"I need a better mic! My stuff sounds like crap!!!"</em></strong> If you're like me, you have a life outside of your music recording life. And chances are you have a family, like I do. If you don't, let me tell you, kids are expensive - but they make life worth living.<br><br>If you have a life outside of your audio presence, then you are probably working on a budget. And being on a budget means that either you continue to wait to get the nicer gear, or you make do with the gear you can afford. And man, it's always hard to have someone walk into your studio, or go out to record someone (or do sound for their concert) and have someone say - "Oh...you only have...."<br><br>Personally, I'm a fan of Graham @ <a contents="therecordingrevolution.com/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://therecordingrevolution.com/" target="_blank">therecordingrevolution.com/</a>. I also like to take something that's less expensive and make it sound like something more expensive. There are some things that I disagree with Graham on, but for the most part, we're on the same page. Now on microphones, we're a little different. He's all about being a total minimalist, while I have a tendency to try to walk the line on having what you need, but having a choice too. I don't want to go overboard, my wife may say I already have, but really I don't have that many mics.<br><br>Now if you're running a professional studio, chances are you have some expensive mics. But for us home studio nuts, most of us will never use a Neumann u87, so we settle for a Blue Bluebird - which by the way is a fantastic mic! But most of us didn't start with a $300 microphone, and you don't need to either. So....<br><br><span class="font_large"><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong>To answer the question that this blog is about, no, you don't need a $1k - $3k microphone.</strong></span></span><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="3PhmNViFAOs" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/3PhmNViFAOs/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3PhmNViFAOs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="300" width="480" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br>If you're just getting started into audio, then there are several things to consider.<ul> <li>How much money do you have to spend?</li> <li>What are you going to record? <ul> <li>What type of music?</li> <li>What type of instruments?</li> <li>What type of vocals?</li> <li>Is it going to be a demo or an EP/Album?</li> </ul> </li> <li>What other gear do you already have?</li>
</ul>Some of these are pretty basic, but they're all vital in picking out a good microphone for your purpose. Are you just going to record your electric guitar shredding to show your friends, or are you recording to get your music out there? Do you have an interface already, or do you have to use your budget to get several things?<br><br><span class="font_large"><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong>In all honesty, you really only need a few things to start recording.</strong></span></span>
<ul> <li>An audio interface</li> <li>Cables (XLR mic cables & usb/firewire cable...)</li> <li>A microphone</li> <li>A computer</li> <li>A DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)</li>
</ul>Please don't make the mistake I did when I first started recording. I hooked up a standard dynamic mic to the microphone jack on my computer and used the built in sound recorder to make my first few recordings. Let me tell you, they sucked.<br><br>Use an audio interface, it doesn't have to be a fancy one, but get one. Use a microphone, <strong>not</strong> the one built into your laptop. If you can help it, use a somewhat powerful computer, it'll help. And use a DAW, there are free ones that work fine (Audacity is free and I know lots of people who use it). If you're starting out, it's more important to learn how to use the basic equipment than it is to have a bunch of fancy equipment. You can make better sounding stuff on less expensive gear while learning than jumping into the high end arena and not knowing what to do. Audacity is much easier to learn and use than Pro Tools.<br><br>I digress.<br><br>When it comes to microphones, some of the industry standard mics are $100 mics. A Shure SM57 is one of the most widely used microphones in the world, and it's a $100. I just did an audio seminar at a church and told the sound team - <em>"If you're struggling to get someone's voice to sound right while messing around with the EQ, change the mic; it's the first layer of EQ. And if you don't have much time to try mics, put an SM57 in their hand."</em> Why an SM57, it typically sounds good. I've found that sometimes an SM58, or Sennheiser e835, don't quite cut it, but an SM57 does.<br><br>If all you can afford to put towards a mic, and the mic is recording a bunch of stuff, an SM57 might be a good place to start. However, if you're primarily recording acoustic guitar and vocals, I would highly suggest getting a condenser mic over a dynamic. Condenser mics just have a sound and a feel of "studio." You can really tell in recordings. If you still only have about $100 to spend, you can pickup an MXL 990 for less than that and it'll give you a start.<br><br>Here's where I differ from Graham - to my ear, there is a HUGE difference between a $300 microphone and a $100 microphone when it comes to condenser mics. The $80 you spend on that MXL 990 will get you going, but once you compare that to other recordings, it'll sound like it's in a tin can. And if the mic is causing that issue, there's no amount of EQ work that will really take it out.<br><br><span style="color:#FF8C00;"><strong><span class="font_large">Here's where the fun comes in!</span></strong></span><br><br>For about $8, you can get a mod kit off ebay for the older MXL 990s. That means you need to buy a used one off ebay or craigslist (which means it'll be even cheaper). I picked up a misc. box of stuff from a dead podcast group for $40 on craigslist. It had an old USB audio interface, 3 table top mic stands, 4 pop filters (a MUST HAVE), and 2 MXL 990s. I ordered the mod kits off ebay and prepared my soldering iron. <b><i>(Don't attempt to do any modifications to microphones or other electronics unless you have some experience and comfort level working on electronics.)</i></b> To be honest, the mod for this mic is relatively easy, but you still should know how to handle a soldering iron before attempting this mod. About an hour later, I had 2 brand new sounding mics. They sounded nothing like they had when I picked them up. They sounded comparable to $300 - $500 mics, a HUGE improvement! I still use these mics today, even though I do have one $1,000 mic.<br><br>Microphones add flavor, each one sounds a little bit different and creates a different feeling in the recording. That's why I don't subscribe to only having one mic, <em><strong>if</strong></em> you can afford to have more. I personally have 10 microphones in my studio collection. A mix of dynamics and condensers, but mainly condensers (it's a studio). But I know what they sound like and don't try them all on every source when getting ready to record. I typically try 2 maybe 3 and pick the one that sounds the best.<br><br>So when you're looking to get started, or thinking you need to add on to your collection, don't think more expensive = better product. Think about what your using it for. And if you can, go to a store and try the mic out. Most stores, like Guitar Center, will let you try a mic before you buy it. Or they'll have a decent return policy if it doesn't work for your needs. Use your ears. Sound is subjective, that's why this is art, not science. Make something you love.Drew Allen Brown