Layering Audio 101 If you’re aiming for richer, more professional-sounding tracks, you’ve probably come across the concept of layering sounds. The idea is simple: combine (or stack) two or more similar types of sounds together. This can create a result that’s stronger or more interesting than ...

How to Start the Mix! Introduction Let’s talk about what it really means to “begin mixing.” It can be tough to know where to start. What do you do once you’ve imported your session? How does everything fit together, and how do you actually get moving? To help explain, let’s use a ...

DIY Microphone Isolation Shield Introduction Very few people have the budget for a fully enclosed isolation booth with complete acoustic foam protection for vocal recording. Many of us don’t even have the space for a vocal booth in our home or condo. Luckily, there are plenty of low-cost and ...

How to EQ Reverb 101 Intro: How to EQ reverb bus? Most of the time, reverb isn’t added as an insert on a track. Instead, it’s placed on an aux channel, allowing you to send the desired amount from any track to the reverb. This gives you the obvious benefit of controlling how much reverb ...

Hybrid Mixing Setup Introduction Step into the world of hybrid mixing—a cutting-edge approach that blends the warmth of analog gear with the precision of digital technology. Imagine it as owning a high-performance sports car equipped with the latest navigation system. In this article, ...

Types of Microphone Preamps Introduction As a passionate audio engineer, I've always believed that a microphone preamp is like the secret ingredient that brings out the true magic in a recording. However, with so many different types of preamps available, it can be overwhelming to determine ...

Compressing Vocals 101 Intro When you're trying to find the perfect vocal compression settings, there's one key aspect to focus on: you need to hear every word. Sure, color and character are important too, but they're not as crucial. Concentrating too much on these aspects can often distract ...

What is Serial Compression? Introduction Imagine you want to add punch to an instrument while also ensuring it remains consistent throughout the entire song. As we've discussed in previous articles, a compressor is an excellent tool to achieve both of these qualities. However, achieving ...

What Is Multiband Compression? Introduction Using a multiband compressor allows you to divide a track into different frequency ranges, known as “frequency bands,” and compress them independently. You can choose to compress only a specific part of a track’s frequency spectrum or apply ...

What is Sidechain Compression? What is sidechain compression and where should we apply it? Sidechain compression is a powerful yet often misunderstood tool available to every producer. In this article, we'll learn how to use sidechain compression effectively to make your mixes sound perfect. ...