Tips for Reducing Sibilance Introduction A passionate vocalist can sometimes produce harsh and unpleasant tones when belting into a microphone. If you know how to eliminate vocal sibilance during recording and mixing, you can achieve a much smoother-sounding performance. The "sss" sounds ...

Compression Tips and Tricks Introduction It's clear that compression is one of the most essential tools for today’s producers. It helps boost punch, volume, and consistency in both instruments and vocals, often adding a pleasing 'analog' character to your sound. With the power and ...

Tips for Mixing Back Vocals Introduction Backing vocals are much more than just a few extra voices in a song. Their role in an arrangement is unique and quite specific. Especially in songs with complex harmonies, backing vocals add depth and richness to the lead vocals. It’s also important ...

How To Compress Bass Guitars Introduction The bass guitar is a crucial instrument and forms the backbone of any song, so mixing it properly is very important. When mixing a bass guitar track, one of the most important steps is to compress it after EQing. You can do this by using a good ...

How To Record Guitar Guide Introduction Today’s recording equipment makes it possible for anyone to create studio-quality recordings at home without spending a fortune. Recording guitar well is one of the most important parts of music production. It’s essential to think about how you want ...

Tips for Productive Band Practice Introduction Do you ever leave band practice feeling aimless or like you’re not making the progress you should? Maybe the journey home feels like a waste of time. Whether you’re in a brand new band or you’ve been playing together for a while, it’s common to ...

Song Arrangement Tips Introduction It’s easy to lose focus during a complex mixing process. Mixing and arranging music are closely connected. In music, timbre and texture are two basic elements that can be shaped in different ways. Arrangement refers to how the instruments in a song interact ...

What is Proximity Effect? Introduction The microphone proximity effect is often used to create a pleasing sound, but at other times, it’s simply an unwanted result of how the microphone is placed. This effect can enhance the depth of a speaker’s voice, add extra thump to a kick drum, or make ...

Microphone Polar Patterns Explained Introduction Knowing about polar patterns is key to getting the best possible sound from your microphone. A polar pattern is a vital microphone specification that shows how sensitive the mic is to sound coming from different directions. In this guide, ...

11 Most Common Reverb Mistakes Introduction So, what exactly is reverb? Reverberation is all around us, all the time. It’s simply the result of sound waves bouncing off every surface—hard, soft, tall, short, and everything in between. Every sound we hear is shaped by the space it’s heard in. ...

What is Phantom Power? Introduction Phantom power—sounds a bit spooky, right? If you’re new to home recording, this term can seem confusing. But don’t worry, we’re here to help. Phantom power was actually first used in copper wire-based landline telephone systems, starting with the ...

What is SPL? Introduction Many people come across the abbreviation SPL (sound pressure level) in manuals for microphones, headphones, speakers, and other audio equipment—but don’t always know what this specification means. In today’s world of abbreviations, it’s easy to get confused. In ...