The Disc Makers Blog features studio and recording tips that offer insight on acoustics, microphones, producing, gear, plug ins, and everything in between.
Music arrangement might be the invisible art, but the results can spell the difference between a smash hit and a “nice” song. Dr. Richard Niles has a storied history as an arranger and shares some thoughts and insights in this interview. Read the post.
Going to a professional studio for the first time can be an exciting and intimidating experience. If you aren’t prepared, it can also be much more expensive than it needs to be. Read the post.
If you are planning a phrase-by-phrase approach to tracking vocals in a studio, here are some tips to help make your experience a success. Read the post
It’s great when a vocal performance can be recorded in one cohesive take, but not every session will succeed with this approach. Sometimes, a modular strategy is required when tracking vocals. Read the post.
If you haven’t ever tried to play slide guitar, all you need is a metal or glass slide, some patience, and to apply a few basic tips, as presented in these six videos. Read the post.
If you need to collaborate with others to make your project come alive, when do you look locally and when do you search beyond? Here are some guidelines to help you decide when remote musical collaboration is right for your project. Read the post.
Music is your passion, and your gear is among your most prized possessions. That’s why buying musician’s insurance may be well worth the investment. Read the post.
When I realized my latest recording project needed live strings to add the energy and timbre the song needed, I ended up collaborating with a cellist from Toronto, with stellar results. Read the post.
Excerpted from the 3rd edition of Disc Makers’ revised and expanded Home Studio Handbook, these basic recording tips will help you make the most of your studio time. Read the post.
In part two of our series, we break down two more iconic songs from the Rolling Stones’ library: 1966’s “Under My Thumb” and “Ruby Tuesday.” Read the post.
If you’re new to home recording, or looking to expand your repertoire, using plug-ins might feel intimidating and complicated. It’s really not that hard to start using plug-ins and expand your sonic palette. Read the post.
When Public Enemy released “Fight The Power” in 1989, there were few rules when it came to sampling. While today’s artists face constraints, they’re finding ways to keep hip hop the most vital, and popular, music genre. Read the post.
An audio plug-in is specialized software for better music-making with your DAW, and plug-ins serve a variety of purposes to flavor, enhance, and add to the breadth of your home studio recordings. Read the post.
If you’ve outfitted space in your home for the purpose of recording music, step two is amassing the gear for the task at hand. Here’s a checklist for things you might already have, need immediately, and can put off until later. Read the post.
When mixing music — in your home studio or a massive “A” room — cranking up the volume makes everything sound sweet. At least, until reality sets in. Read the post.