How-To Guides 5
Analog vs Digital – Is It Time To Make the Jump?
The prevalence of digital guitar amp and effects processors has exploded over the last few years. Although the technology is not brand new, it’s clear that manufacturers have really locked in on the quality and sound that professional musicians require in both live and studio settings. Like many guitarists, I recently found myself at the […]
Two Drum Miking Techniques for Four-Input Interfaces
When most musicians think of miking a drum set, they often picture four microphones right off the bat. One for the snare, kick and a pair of overheads — beautiful simplicity. But where do your overheads go? Where do you mic the snare, or the kick? Today in the studio we’re down to 4 inputs […]
How to Install PRS SE Locking Tuners
Paul Reed Smith SE Series guitars are a great value for the price, and many owners choose to upgrade their hardware and electronics to bring them even closer to the quality level of American-made PRS models. I recently picked up a set of PRS SE locking tuners which are a direct drop-in replacement on PRS […]
Traktor Kontrol S2 Mk3: Video Demo
Native Instruments’ Traktor Kontrol S2 gives you the best of both worlds and makes DJing easier than ever. This compact controller is packed full of features, all arranged in a club-style setup. The Kontrol S2 is plug-and-play-ready with either PC, Mac, or IOS. Remix songs on fly with stems and samples right from the controller. […]
Victory Countess + Gibson Les Paul: A New Take on Classic British Tone
If you’re a guitarist, you know how important it is to pair the right amp with the right guitar, and the time it takes to find the right combination. While there are many guitar/amp pairings that are legendary in many ways, for rock guitarists, there’s one iconic pairing that has stood above many, if not all […]
A Bass DI Might Save Your Mix: Here’s How
In today’s world of recording, there are a million-and-one options for tracking your bass guitar. From “direct-in,” (DI) to amp simulation software, or even traditional miking of a bass cabinet, you’ve got options. Each option has its own pros and cons, so why not limit the cons list and combine two of these techniques into […]
DJ Controllers vs. Standalone DJ Systems
We are going to tackle, in my opinion, one of DJing’s toughest questions: When I upgrade, should I use a standalone unit or a DJ controller? I’m writing this particularly for DJs that are new to the craft or are a couple of years in, and before we start, I’d like to address one thing. […]
Dynamic, Ribbon, and Condenser Microphones
Similar to how an artist’s choice in brushes can widely affect the textures in a painting, different microphone types have the ability to also affect the textures of your recordings in various ways. While there are countless brands and models of microphones, I’d like to focus on three main types used to record music: dynamic, […]
Down to Two Mic Inputs? Use This Technique to Record Your Drums!
Your drum kit is a complicated beast. High and low frequencies collide during every hit, and it’s hard to capture all that complexity when you’re limited by the amount of microphones you can use. Maybe it’s your interface — something like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or the Presonus AudioBox iTwo only provides two XLR inputs […]
