Acoustic Cancellations: Placement and Control to Avoid Them
There is an acoustic phenomenon that has been present at every live concert since the beginning of live music: acoustic cancellations. So many people leaving a concert make wildly…
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Lessons.
Subwoofer Arrays
In this article we will look at the different ways of placing subwoofers in a live sound setup. By subwoofers we mean the loudspeakers that handle the lowest part of the audio…
Processing Dynamics
We lay out the purpose and the role that those machines in charge of dynamic processing of audio signals, known as dynamics processors, can, or rather should, fulfill. Before…
Sequencing Drums: Do You Want Realism?
When we want a track to sound powerful, hard-hitting and real, we need the drums to sound authentic. Today we're focusing on the possibilities for recording drums through…
Power Amplifiers
This is the link in the audio chain we pay the least attention to, and yet it is still one of the most important. The power amplifier is what delivers the energy the loudspeakers…
Mastering, Chapter II: Dress Up Your Work and Make It Shine
In the first article in this series we said it is essential to take into account the different stages of music production and their variables in order to reach the mastering stage…
Mastering, Part I: From Creation to Recording
Mastering is one of the essential processes that must be carried out on any audio product that will be released professionally in the audio market or for picture (video, film, or…
Character and Grandeur for Your Mix: Time-Based Effects
In previous chapters we have looked at different processors commonly used in recording studios (EQ, compressors, noise gates...) while discussing some interesting techniques. In…
Acoustic Drum Recording Techniques: Michel Martín Master Class
A drum kit is perhaps one of the hardest instruments to record. It is a musical instrument made up of multiple elements, most of which have little to do with one another: snare…
Line Arrays: How They Work
Line arrays are specifically designed so that when we assemble several units, the whole behaves as a single sound source. This is what sets them apart from conventional systems.
The Magic of Analog Tape
The 1970s and 1980s were defined by a very particular sound, an almost mythical medium that carried us from our homes straight into the recording studio. We're talking about…
Sound Reinforcement Systems
To understand how sound reinforcement systems work, meaning what we call sound reinforcement systems or P.A. (Public Address) systems, we need to recall some basic theoretical…
Plugins and Delay Compensation
Plugin DelayWhen used in real time, a plugin takes a certain fraction of time to carry out its task. This time is called plugin delay, and its effect is that the signal passing…
Mic Preamps Explained
Most readers are clear on what a mic preamp is and what it's for, but once terms like solid state, tubes, Class A and impedance start coming up, things can get complicated.
The Ills of Digital Audio: Jitter, Aliasing and Quantization Errors
When I was asked to write this article, it was originally supposed to be about wordclock and the equipment available on the market for distributing it. However, as I was planning…
Recording Guitars in the Studio
For some years now, one important factor has made our work as musicians easier. It consists of the vast possibilities that technology offers us in the field of audio recording and…
Miking a Drum Kit: The Challenge of a Production
It is generally agreed that the most critical part of a production is capturing the sound, in other words, the recording itself. This does not mean that the other stages are…
On Equalization: Get the Most Out of Your Mixes
We are presenting a series of three instructional articles in which we look at the most widely used audio processors, discussing some of the techniques commonly used with them…
In the Studio: Recording Electric Guitars
Which mics, where to place them, which preamps, how? Sooner or later you'll reach the stage of "let's record the rehearsal and put it on YouTube," or "Tonight's concert is being…
Want to Know the Best Places to Train? Read On...
Five schools offering their services to help you develop in the musical and technical fields. Different prices, different degrees, courses and specialties. Do you want to work…