Disc Makers' Pro Studio Edition e-Newsletter

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Virtual Guitar Rigs

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:10:04 -0400

Imagine you live in a house or apartment and are getting ready to record one of your own songs, which will require you to really crank up your high powered amplifier to get the proper tone for a song. For many people, doing so might be an invitation to being evicted from your house. Instead, try out one of the growing number of excellent virtual guitar systems that can provide literally hundreds of guitar, speaker, and stomp box options without ever assaulting the ears of your neighbors. We tested three turnkey virtual guitar systems, including an amazing program that helps you sound exactly like Jimi Hendrix, then share the low-down on how each program performed.

At last January’s NAMM Show, I took some time to test out a number of virtual guitar systems and felt that the offerings of Native Instruments (Guitar Rig) and IK Multimedia (AmpliTube 2, Fender Studio, etc.) were the best-sounding. Each company graciously provided systems to use for this article. I enlisted the help of a neighboring band that has its own recording studio in their basement so that I could play through the systems, and also hear the opinions of a few other guitarists. Ian Keighley, Andy Landgraf, and Hunter Steers provided invaluable assistance and their own perspectives throughout the multiple sessions spent testing the various systems.

AmpliTube Fender Studio SE
First out of the gate was the AmpliTube Fender Studio SE, an entry-level product, perfect for a musician who may not already have a home recording set up. With its plug-and-play guitar jack-to-USB cable, all you need is a guitar and a computer with the AmpliTube Fender Studio installed and you’re in business. We tested it on a PC running an Intel Core 2 Duo with 6 GB RAM.

Vocal Mics in the Studio

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:43:08 -0400

One of the key elements in any popular song is the vocal performance, and an essential part of capturing a vocal performance accurately is the microphone used in the recording. Top recording engineers know how important it is to match each singer's particular vocal qualities and timbre to the microphone that will best capture the power and subtleties of that voice.

This month, Fast Forward brought four high-quality vocal microphones (i.e. list price of $1,000 or more) into the studio and ran each through its paces, recording male and female vocal tracks and some narration. By the end of the session, you'll have a good idea of which of these mics may be worth the investment for your home recording studio and what you might want to look for in studios near you.

The four contenders include: the Kiwi, from BLUE Microphones; the TLM 103 from Neumann; the Black Hole BH-2 from JZ Mics; and the KSM 44 from Shure. I invited my colleague Jeff Crawford, a local producer and engineer over to provide a second set of ears for the evaluation. Two singers were asked to help with the testing, each one bringing a backing track of a song that they were familiar with to use for the test session.

Pro Studio: HomeRecording

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:31:31 -0500

Last month, we covered the basics of home recording set ups. Now we'll look at five essential considerations you should think through before you embark on investing in a home recording set up.

1. What is the purpose of your home recording investment?
Are you planning to write new material, record a demo to submit to a music supervisor, production company or label, or record your first album for DIY distribution and sale? Deciding on the reason you are getting into home recording is the first step to setting realistic goals for you to achieve in this area.

The more musicians and acoustic instruments you plan to incorporate into your recordings, the more like a professional studio space your home recording set up will need to be. That's not to say you can't create the sound of an entire rock band or orchestra in a tiny apartment, you can - using samples and virtual instruments, but if you want the authentic sound of a thumping rock band behind you, you may be better off using your home studio to record demos and going out to a professional studio to cut your album's basic tracks.

2. How good will your finished home recordings need to be?
It's important to strive for the absolute best quality in every recording you make, but don't beat yourself up trying to create the next Sgt. Peppers at your home studio if you aren't set up for that type of recording project. Instead, consider what the next step up the ladder is for your musical career based on where you are at now. It may be that learning to record your own basic demos using some drum loops, guitars and virtual synths may be exactly what's needed to attract the attention necessary to move your career forward. Remember, you can always invest more later on as your recording knowledge and skills expand.

Pro Studio: Home or Away? When it pays to have a home recording rig.

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:30:19 -0500

Talk with any musician who writes and performs his or her own music and chances are that one of the things near the top of their "to do" list is to regularly record their songs. So when does it make sense to invest in buying a home recording rig and when does it make sense to shop around and use a professional studio? This month we'll give you some insight to make the decision much easier.

Studio Wish List

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:30:45 -0500

As the year comes to a close, Pro Studio Edition is making its annaul stop to find out what new and innovative products are popular among recording musicians and studio owners. We'll find out about some affordable mics, a plug in system that is setting a new standard for performance, a two-channel high resolution recorder, and a few other items small enough to be your favorite stocking stuffers.

Our first stop is at Philadelphia's 8th Street Music, where recording and pro audio specialist Tom Tague identified Universal Audio's new UAD-2 Quad as one of the best sounding plug in systems available anywhere.

12 Steps to iTunes Success

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:28:10 -0500

recently was having lunch with my dear friend, music attorney extraordinaire Dan Friedman, who was in town to showcase a band he represents who he mentioned was selling 1,000 singles a week on iTunes.

My jaw almost hit the table. 1,000 singles a week on iTunes?

Who is this band? And how are they doing this? And he coughed up the answer (and luckily for me their phone number).

A few days later, I cold called Greg from Making April, who it turns out are an emo/piano rock band (kind of like Ben Folds Five), and we spent an hour and a half on the phone. Greg generously spilled the beans as to how Making April got to where they are today: selling 1,000 CD singles a week on iTunes and signed to a record deal.

The AES Report

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:30:20 -0500

From October 2-5, 2008, much of the recording universe was in San Francisco for the 125th Audio Engineering Society Convention. With more than 400 exhibitors showing off the latest recording technology to roughly 18,000 attendees, it was a little bit like having the keys to the candy store after hours for those of us who work in the recording industry.

Aisle upon aisle featured equipment and software, while dozens of interesting workshops and after-hours events anchored this year's convention. We'll check out a range of new microphones, plug-ins galore, and a high-end compressor that was turning heads (and ears). Plus, we'll report on some of the emerging trends that are reshaping the record-making business and the business of operating a recording studio today.

Drum Replacement Primer: How to salvage mediocre drum tracks

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:30:04 -0500

Imagine that you have finished tracking your latest project, and the time has come to mix. You've got the vocals sounding clear and lively, the guitar and bass tones are just right, but no amount of processing makes the drums sound like you want them to. Although the drummer's performance was fine, you might be wishing you had captured it differently. Wouldn't it be great if you could change the drum sounds without rerecording the track?

Drum replacement, a technique that Roger Nichols pioneered in the studio with Steely Dan in the late '70s, has long helped engineers and producers fix problem drum tracks in pro studios. Drum replacement is invaluable when your original choice of drums and miking techniques leaves you with sounds that don't quite fit the mix.

Drum Mic Packages

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:31:58 -0500

Although most engineers will tell you they select microphones based on the type of instrument or the tonal quality of a particular instrument, we all have a trusted set of "go to" mics when it comes to recording drums. In the last few years, many microphone manufacturers have grouped sets of drum mics into affordable, easy-to-use packages for both the studio and live performances. This month we put three sets of drum mic packages through their paces to test what kind of performance you can expect.

To focus on each mic's tonal qualities, transient response, and overall sound, we opted to forego using any overhead mics for the evaluation sessions. Although you would rarely, if ever, record kick, snare and toms without overhead mics, we wanted to avoid having any contribution from condenser overheads to better hear the nuances between these various dynamic mics...

Pressure Zone Microphones

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:28:44 -0500

To an untrained eye, a Pressure Zone Microphone (PZM) looks a bit like a switch plate cover or other piece of hardware. However, these unique and often underappreciated microphones provide a host of creative solutions and opportunities in the studio. This month, we'll try out some PZMs and find out how they can help broaden your capabilities for recording just about anything that comes your way.

Before we look at various applications for PZMs, it's useful to consider what led to their invention. In 1978, two engineers, Ed Long and Ron Wickersham, discussed what became dubbed as "pressure zone recording", which consisted of a microphone element mounted less than one millimeter away from a boundary, such as a metal plate.

Summer Gear Review

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:29:17 -0500

It's time for our regular Summer gear round-up, and we''e going to take a look at what��s in demand in recording technology. This month, PSE checked in with two pro retailers, Tom Tague at Philadelphia��s iconic 8th Street Music store, and Geoffrey Clegg at Skip's Music in Elk Grove, CA. We'll profile some useful analog devices, some underappreciated studio mics, and get a quick update on the plethora of compact hand-held recorders that are some of the hottest items on the recording gear scene.

Serving the muse: a lesson learned

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:28:39 -0500

I had a defining musical experience the summer after my junior year in college, a series of events that had a huge impact on my approach and philosophy. The lessons I learned over those two short weeks have stayed with me throughout my career because I do believe they illustrate a fundamental fact about music... and everything I've observed or learned since has only driven the point home.

The first week, I attended a well-established summer music program for six days of intensive class study with one of the foremost and most influential jazz guitarists in the world. Who it was is peripheral to the story... the relevant part is that the prospect of soaking up some of this man's knowledge drew guitarists from all over the world, all equally devoted to mastering the bebop style of jazz. Now, bebop is, in my opinion, one of the most difficult and complex languages in any genre of music, and I have tremendous respect for any musician on any instrument that can master it. But my interest in this workshop was more to broaden my musical horizons... I knew that this master teacher had worked with other musicians I admired that were not strictly jazzers but creative souls looking for a new approach.

Control Room Recording

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:28:34 -0500

The traditional use for a control room is to monitor and adjust sound throughout the recording and mixing process. Sometimes, however, including the control room itself as part of the live recording area can enhance the process in a number of ways. This month we talked with two veteran engineers to learn how they use the control room environment as part of the recording process.

Marketing for Success

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:28:31 -0500

Your studio's success depends on your plan, your marketing strategy, and your ability to connect with your market.
For most recording junkies, it doesn't take much to pull us into the studio. Trying out a new piece of gear, tweaking a mix, or just laying down tracks with some friends would suffice for an evening's entertainment. Many studio owners have spent literally hundreds, if not thousands of hours, mastering their craft wringing the utmost out of both studio and equipment.

Doug Kupper, founder of Hartford, CT-based TapeworksHowever, when the subject turns to marketing studios to maximize potential earnings, a good number of studios simply spread the word to their friends and acquaintances and hope that this will be "good enough." Over time, most studio owners find that this isn't enough to create a steady profit. This month, PSE talks to Disc Makers' Studio Partner and master guerilla marketer Doug Kupper, founder of Hartford, CT-based Tapeworks. Doug has managed a successful studio business over more than three decades using savvy marketing techniques that any studio owner can afford.

In addition, this month's second feature considers how to stage a series of "how to" recording workshops at your studio that can increase traffic, awareness, and future bookings.