Audio File: Snap, crackle and pop
Ever wonder why there's a button called "loudness" on old receivers? Why would a feature that has to do with loudness be a simple button with only one setting? The...
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Audio File: Seek the knowledge of a master
Like a meandering stream, we've wandered this way and that through the land of tube audio in recent weeks. We've touched on a bunch of points, but we've only begun...
Audio File: One benefit of interchangeable tubes is the ability to customize your sound
"Hamdangler" was the only thing written on the back of the Atlanta Falcons jersey, in a screenshot of the preview photo at the NFL's custom jersey shop online. I will...
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Audio File: Become a master(er)
The art of mastering is an art of confidence, and of knowing when to reject something and suggest starting over.Â
Audio File: Musical chairs
In a world with computer-based mixing, I think there is too little attention paid to the “absolute phase” of the tracks, relative to each other.
Audio File: The phase malaise
“He’s just going through a phase right now.” “The moon is in a waxing gibbous phase right now.” “Fire phasers and photon torpedoes!”
Audio File: Ribbon me this
Inhabiting the desks of late night talk show hosts, and lowering from the ceiling on a pulley during boxing matches, the ribbon microphone has an iconic look and a rich...
Audio File: Nix the two, when one will do
The vocals were fine, but the sound from the guitar was predictably flat and lifeless, and even body slaps with his fingers didn’t hit like they should.
Audio File: Where do the waves go?
“Watch where you point that thing,” I said with a wink to the banjo player in a local bluegrass group, as they each took their places around the stereo microphone...
Audio File: Cozy up to the mic
“It was nice to get to know you,” is a phrase we might use in place of, “This was a pleasant interaction,” so we don’t seem like a robot when...
Audio File: Becoming a pick-up artist
The microphone and the room. The room and the microphone. I started this series on recording talking about this interaction, because I think it’s the most important.
Audio File: Driving the point home
Finding the right analogy to explain an audio concept can be hard, but I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t draw a parallel with cars on these pages.
Audio File: The gift of knowledge
Nothing lights up the eyes of your special musician friend or recording artist like seeing little boxes with tons of spinning knobs and meters and LEDs and such under the...