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Gainstaging Effects

October 8, 2010 by Alan Ratcliffe

When using multiple effects together, whether they are stompboxes or the effects in a multieffect unit’s patch, it becomes important to “gainstage”. Gainstaging is setting the gain (volume boost) of each stage (effect) in your signal path so it does not boost or cut the signal too much.

Effect Chain Order

October 8, 2010 by Alan Ratcliffe

Recording 101/8 - Simplicity

May 24, 2010 by Neps

It’s been quite some time since I’ve sat down to write something to do with either music and/or recording. So sorry in advance for the rambling but, this issomething that has mde me sit back and think and look at how I do things. The time spent away from being actively involved in my area of passion has made me realize a few things that I took for granted for so long. And that is the performance.

Recording 101/6 - FX'ssssssss

May 24, 2010 by Neps

Let me be firstly say that I hope you guys are enjoying the Recording 101 thread. I love to indulge in writing, so it's quite a lot of fun for me to express ideas regarding recording and mixing.. I also still believe that my compressors are my friends, but that is a story for another thread. This time I thought that I'd take a look at effects and how to use them in a mixing environment.

Recording 101/4 - A really quick look at Phasing

May 24, 2010 by Neps

Well, with work being crazy at the moment due to the December rush, I haven't had time to look at the next installment for Recording101. So I thought I'll give a quick explanation regarding phase and the 3-1 rule when double micing an instrument.

The basic idea is that if you for example want to double mic a snare drum and the top mic is 1 cm away from the shell, then mic 2 which will probably be at the bottom should be 3 cm away. This in theory is somehow correct if you would have a single frequency from the instrument.

MIDIguitar 1: Fleshing out your sound

July 6, 2010 by Alan Ratcliffe

Recently on www.guitarforum.co.za I mentioned using MIDIguitar/guitar synth as an an alternative to backtracks for fleshing out the sound of performances.

Recording 101/7 - Mastering... sorcery for home use

May 24, 2010 by Neps

Mastering... An evil word, that as of late hasn't been covered in glory. From the debut album of Arctic Monkeys to Metallica's latest release, people have been divided about the loudness war taking place. And within the industry engineers have been shouting for the heads of the people who push music even louder. Mastering has always been the mystical area where good mixes get polished and made great. And that is how it's supposed to be. But what is meant by polishing..?

Recording 101/5 Hail! The Compressor

May 24, 2010 by Neps

Well, let me 1st say "rock on 2009!" It was a crazy 2008 and for some of us (that would be me) it was a time to re-evaluate why I do what I do.. After mixing 3 Music Productions for TV I really got to hate some of the SA pop music. But this is not the reason for writing today's thread on Recording.

After pondering for a while, whilst walking on the golf course and breaking my 9-iron I suddenly realized.. What the world needs is more compressors. But before you can actually use the thing, how does it work..?

Recording 101/3 - Microphones

May 24, 2010 by Neps

So as I said in the previous set up article, this one will be about Microphones. When you look into the whole process of recording and mixing music, there are a lot of factors to consider. You have your system, mics, monitors, mixing techniques and most importantly, your ears. (We wont go into taste, because Britney Spears' producer might stumble onto this, and then I wont be able to get a platinum selling album with no effort needed from my side).