A guitarist since in 1996, Sergio played guitar in The Junior Varsity from 2002-2007 and a handful of times since, as well as playing in many other bands. In addition to guitar, he plays drums and owns and operates recording gear. Sergio is a sci-fi fan, a lover of dogs, and big, loud amps. Sergio is the Senior Guitar Copywriter at zZounds, as well as the manager of the Guitar, Bass, and Drums categories, and is audio engineer for Gear Wire.
Guitar Amp Microphone Placement
Recording electric guitars seems like a pretty easy feat of engineering. All you have to do is place a microphone in front of a speaker and call it a day, right? As it turns out, there’s a little more to the equation than that. In a process where fractions of an inch can dramatically change […]
Analog vs. Digital Delay
The analog vs. digital delay war has been raging for several years now. Those in the analog camp love the lush repeats and rounded character of the trails. Digital delay folks know that those razor sharp repeats will continue to cut through any mix and keep the true sound of your guitar intact. While volleys […]
Eric Johnson on his Thinline Stratocaster
For over 40 years, Eric Johnson has dazzled audiences with his unique style of shredding. Throughout almost his entire career, he’s has used a Fender Stratocaster as his axe of choice. While he’s had his own signature Strat and pickups for some time now, Johnson and Fender have collaborated once again with stunning results. Introduced […]
To DI, or not to DI
If you’ve spent some time on any stage or in any studio, you’ve probably seen or used a DI box before. What is it about these magic boxes that seems to make every engineer’s job easier? Let’s take a look behind the curtain to reveal a little bit of information about DI boxes, as well […]
Using a Boost Pedal with Overdrive
Overdrives and boosts, considered by some (me) to be a rock guitarist’s most used effects, help establish the foundation for tasty, clipped tone. While we all know and love the effect overdrive pedals create, boosts have somewhat of a mysterious air about them. Clearly, it’s easier to hear how an overdrive affects your overall tone […]
Using Auxiliary Tracks for Reverb
As one of the earliest and most natural recording effects, reverb has been a part of our listening experience ever since any one of us first listened to recorded music. As such, it’s also one of the first effects used by budding recording engineers as they start using DAWs. At first, it might seem perfectly […]
Justin Meldal-Johnsen: A zZounds Exclusive Interview
As a master tonesmith both on stage and in the studio, Justin Meldal-Johnsen has worked with a number of acclaimed artists, showcasing his refined sense of sound in a variety of ways. From the hard electronic sound of Nine Inch Nails and the mellow grooves of Beck, to producing pop-punkers Paramore, JMJ’s versatility and vision […]
How to Intonate Your Guitar
Besides knowing how to change strings, knowing how to intonate your instrument is a skill most guitarists should learn. Keeping your guitar intonated keeps notes in tune throughout the length of the neck, with the pleasant side effect of making your guitar more enjoyable to play. Let’s face it, nobody wants to play a guitar […]
The Big ’80s Snare Sound
Although the 1980s have come and gone, the impact the decade left on studio techniques (and snare sounds) still lives on today. Yes, some studio tricks from that era can be quite over-the-top, but if you’ve never indulged yourself in how they’re done, you might be missing out on a broad palette of sounds. In […]
