Hot Recording & Production Posts

How To: Use the Mastering Suite in Studio One

Two books were presented as suggested reading. One was by Bob Katz: Mastering audio; art and science. The other was Bob Alginski: the Audio Mastering handbook. Mastering takes a collection of songs and makes them sound like they belong together by making certain technical changes. The project page in Studio One is where the mastering is done. Drag in your sound content that you will be working with. Make sure you have the most recently updated version. If you are using multiple tracks, you mu...

How To: Make high-quality home music recordings on a shoestring budget

If you're a musician, but can't cover the cost of an expensive recording studio to get your song onto a playable media, then this video is what you need. It will show you how to make your own high-quality home music recording studio on a shoestring budget! If you're trying to get the attention of big music record labels, you need some hgih-quality sounds, but you don't need the high-quality costs! The setup is pretty simple— a microphone, MP3 player, sound mixer, headphones and a good-quality...

How To: Create your own podcast and publish it

Podcasting is a great way of doing your own form of radio broadcasting, among other forms of other recorded media from the comfort of your own home! But, you don't need to have an iPod to do it or listen to it (a common myth). In this video you will learn what a podcast is, how to create one, publish it and then get subscribers!

HowTo: Cremate Yourself into a Vinyl Record

Think you're a music lover? Then arrange to offer up your remains as the final sacrifice to the Gods of Rock. A UK company called And Vinyly offers music fans an interesting post-death "alternative": have your ashes pressed into a vinyl recording of your favorite song, or opt for a personalized recording of your last will and testament.

How To: Make basic, simple sounds with the Moog analog synthesizer

The Moog synthesizer is the most intimidating instrument ever made from a playing standpoint. Sitting down at one, it is possible that without prior knowledge you would be unable to make any sort of sound with one. Fortunately, this video for analog synth beginners will show you how the basics of making sounds using a Moog. Many of these techniques work on other old analog synths as well.

How To: Quantize audio in Ableton Live 8

In this video, we learn how to use Ableton Live 8: Quantizing audio. To find the bars you want to use, find the up and down arrow keys. These will jump the loops back and forth based on the width of the loop race itself. Press play to search around for the best four bar section in your music. Now, set your first attack in your loop by zooming in on the hit. Hover over the audio and create a warp marker to drag from each of the bars. Label it as the beginning of your clip to the end, then save...

How To: Write a song for film or television

In this video, we learn how to write a song for film or television with Brad Hatfield. When you collaborate with other people, you will be invited into a new network of people. The web of people will keep expanding to help you learn new skills and how to write different songs. Try to understand what works for both you and the artist so you don't get emotionally involved. When you write songs for film or television, you will want to listen to feedback and give each other direction on how you w...

How To: Use effects automation in Garageband

In this video, Nick teaches us how to use effects automation in Garageband. Any effects you use on your track will allow you to change the effects over time if you change how you want it. First, load up your track and loop it up by clicking on the loop button. Once finished, load up effects so you can automate them later. Hit the "i" button, then go to the details tab on the bottom. Now, change the effects you would like for automation. For the first one, go with the "au" filter, then for the...

How To: Use clip playback in Ableton

In Ableton, you can set follow actions to tell clips to do something on a timed basis. The time can be immediate or random, but it is automated. This is more efficient than doing the follow actions manually. Go to clip view, type "L". This launches the settings which gives the space of time in which the follow action happens. You can set more than one follow action. You can determine when and how often the action will take place. You can determine when the clips occur automatically. The clips...

How To: Use sidechain compression in Ableton Live 8

In this video, we learn how to use sidechain compression in Ableton Live 8. First, set up your tracks on the software. Open up the compressor and select the sidechain so you can decide how the impulse will sound on the different tracks. From here, change the filter type and anything else you need to change. After this, go and mute your kick drum from the track so you can better hear with the sidechain that you have activated. Continue to play your tracks and play around with how they sound, t...

How To: Change presets in Logic Pro instruments

In this video, we learn how to use Logic Pro: Changing presets in Logic instruments. First, insert the ES2 and add in a preset that you like. You can also use key strokes to step through presets instead of using the mouse to click through all of them. By doing this, you will save time while you are going through presets to audition a bunch of presets to find the one you want. Use the drop down menu within the instrument to find the different presets and then choose one you would like to inser...

How To: Record audio in Ableton

In this video, we learn how to record audio in Ableton. When you are ready to record audio, you will need to first make sure everything is set up correctly. Check the audio input and output so you can choose the sources and configure them so they are correct. You will want to choose the level of input you have and find where the record and on buttons are. There will be a signal of the input when you are recording so you can see what the level of noise is while you are recording. As you monito...

How To: Pan your drums in Ableton

In this video, we learn how to pan your drums in Ableton. First, load an impulse and lay out your drum pattern. Play it back to see how it sounds. Then, pay attention to panning the individual elements of your drum track. When you click on the bottom, you will be able to see where the panning is. Pan in a way so the sounds on the track play off of each other. They should be panned opposite of each other so when you play it back you will be able to hear how the track plays much more smoothly. ...

How To: Understand melodic rhythm & lyric rhythm

In this video, we learn how to understand melodic rhythm and lyric rhythm. First, say your lyrics out loud talking, instead of singing them to see how they speak out loud. You want your lyrics to sound the same in the song as you would if you were singing them. Try to change the tone of words to change up how it sounds while you are singing it. You will see that it makes a big difference when you sing it. When you do this, you will take the the preposition off as the big spotlight note and pu...

How To: Create a song in Studio One

In this video, we learn how to create a song in Studio One. First, click on "create a new song" on the start page. Now, click on the empty template, and click on the continue button. After this, click song, then song setup. Click on the audio IO setup, then you will see a new window with input channels. Add in cross points and channels to the window and then test it out. Before you exit, click on the make default button, then click ok. After this, you will be able to start creating a new song...

How To: Mix your song in Studio One

In this video, we learn how to mix your song in Studio One. First, press the F3 button to show all the instruments you have and then you can click on those to change the settings of how your music sounds. Create different noises and change the beat delay to create a unique sound. After this, you can change the one, beat, volume, bass, and anything else you want to in your song. You can use the compressor to change effects, then adjust any other settings that you would like! When finished, sav...

How To: Produce with Pro Tools

There are courses available on the internet to instruct you on how to use Pro Tools to produce music. There are graded assignments in a workshop environment. You will be able to get feedback on your work from your peer group. The students in classes are at various levels. Some are professionals and some are amateurs.

How To: Enter keyboard notes in the Pizzicato music software

Learn the art of notation in Pizzicato. Pizzicato has three different levels of music software: Light, Pro and Beginner. And with this video tutorial you can learn about entering notes with a MIDI keyboard. You just have to have a MIDI keyboard and the right hardware to connect it to your computer, then learn about all the shortcuts and tools to get your music on the page quickly.

How To: Organize a score in the Pizzicato music software

Learning music with Pizzicato notation and composition software is easy, and this video will show you how to organize a score in either Pizzicato Pro or Pizzicato Beginner or Pizzicato Light. It talks about organizing measures, staves and pages. Learn about default templates, different modes, building a score, adding measures and staves, instrument names, and more.

How to Write a song: Melodic phrases & lyric phrases

In this tutorial, we learn how to write a song using melodic phrases and lyric phrases. Instead of talking in syllables, you want to use a musical phrase. Practice humming your song without using words, so you know the road map of where the music should go. Make sure your words go with the melody of the music, and the lyrics match how the song flows. If they don't, you can create a new phrase so it matches the melody. Play your song and substitute different words to see how they fit with the ...

How To: Get your music heard by a producer w/ Irv Gotti

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to get their music heard. To get their music heard, users should create a mix tape of their best songs. They need to have connections with a music producer or have friends that have connections with a music producer. This will allow the friend to introduce you to the music producer. Users also need to put out their records on their own in public places such as clubs or parties to allow any nearby music producers to listen. This video will benefit thos...

How To: Convert FLAC to ALAC using iTunes and Fluke

One of the many significant problems with Apple's ubiquitous iTunes music player and iPod MP3 players is their lack of native support for FLAC, the highest-quality type of condensed digital music file. This video features step-by-step instruction for converting your FLAC files into ALAC files, which have similar quality and can be played on on your iPod.

How To: Build a vocal booth on a budget

To build a quality vocal booth in your home you'll need to first clean out your closet. Take everything out of the closet including the pole. Wash the walls, sweep and mop the floor making sure everything is clean. Then go out and buy some foam. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on studio foam it would probably be better for you to go to Wall-mart and buy some foam that will be much more affordable. Cut the foam according to the measurements. Do not put it up with duct tape but with sm...

How To: Use the audio effects rack in Ableton

This video is a tutorial for a music producing software program called Ableton Live 8. In this tutorial he shows you how to apply effects to effects to audio using the audio effect rack function. The way this function works is by being dragged into the bottom of the program and being applied as a place to hold various effects. Using the effect rack you can modulate and manipulate the sound waves in the effect. This is a very convenient tool to have in Ableton because it allows you to have mor...

How To: Use & understand compression when digital recording

This tutorial video will show you what the purpose of compression is and how compression works through its parameters. Your instructor illustrates a drum beat and a plucked guitar line. Beginning with how to compress the drum beat, take (download) a drum sound pack without compression and to add compression using the software right click on the drum machine, choose create, and then choose combo on compressor. The virtual compressor has all the dials and adjusters found on any basic compressor...