Posts tagged as:

hardware

Drum Tuning Advice for Recording and Gigs

by Bobby Owsinski and Dennis Moody October 5, 2009

Step 1: New Heads
There is nothing like a new drum head to give you great tone to work with. I prefer the sound I get from thinner heads such as Remo’s Diplomat, FD and Thin/FD lines. The disadvantage to thinner heads is that they tend to wear out quickly. A general-duty head, such as Remo’s Ambassador line, will last longer and, if new, should sound nearly as good. For recording purposes, avoid heavy-duty heads, such as Remo’s Emperor, PinStripe, PowerStroke, and the Black, Clear or White Dot series. These are all great heads, but they are designed more for live performance and tend to constrict the sound, making it a bit flat sounding instead of bright and exciting. Read more…

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The Beginner’s Guide to Microphones

by Disc Makers September 15, 2009

Audiotuts+ has put together a simple, helpful guide on microphone basics. This is a quick read of the fundamentals and will help you understand the different types of microphones, how polar patterns describe the way a microphone picks up sound, and what other factors you should consider before purchasing new equipment.

At their most basic, microphones are transducers. A transducer is an electrical device that converts energy from one form to another. In this case, the transducer is turning sound — acoustical energy — into an audio signal — electrical energy. Read more…

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When It Pays To Have a Home Recording Rig

by Keith Hatschek September 1, 2009

The Boss BR 600 delivers a powerful all-in-one recording station that is ideal for guitarists.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. There’s no better way to improve your performing and writing chops than to routinely record and critique your own music. So when does it make sense to invest in buying and learning how to use a home recording rig and when does it make sense to shop around and use a professional studio? Read more…

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Disc Makers’ SoundLab: The Orange Room

by Disc Makers August 19, 2009

SoundLab orange room

Brian gives us a tour of the SoundLab’s largest room, the Orange Room. Highlights include designer diffuser panels, high-end EQs, two 400 watts/channel amps, top-notch speakers, and a 50-inch plasma screen. Watch video.

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Disc Makers’ SoundLab: The Blue Room

by Disc Makers July 29, 2009

SoundLab Blue Room

Join Brian as he gives us a tour of the SoundLab’s Blue Room. The room, the gear, and the monitoring system work together to create a top-notch listening environment. Watch video.

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8 Reasons MIDI is Still Alive and Kicking

by Disc Makers July 24, 2009

“Is MIDI dead?” The question seems to be echoed from forum to forum. MIDI was invented in the early 80s just after I got into music. Back then keyboards were primitive, the personal computer had just been invented, and 640K was enough RAM for anyone. MIDI was a solution that fit like a glove in that world. You might be surprised people are still using it today. Read more…

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Pro Studio: Virtual Guitar Rigs

by Keith Hatschek July 21, 2009


Fast Forward’s Pro Studio expert takes some virtual rigs for a spin.

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. Read more…

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