How To

Tracking vocals is hands-down the hardest part of the recording process, and not just because all vocalists are divas (kidding!). The voice is the only instrument you can’t tune. It’s also the most intimate instrument to perform in front of other people. The most important thing to remember when tracking vocals is that it’s all about the performance. You can fix a bad note in post, but there’s nothing you can do to turn a nervous performance into confident one. It’s ok if the singer is a little off-pitch, as long as they mean it. Continue reading →

When Stranger Things debuted on Netflix in July 2016, the show's soundtrack single-handedly rekindled the public's love of spooky sounds created with vintage synthesizers. Scored by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein of Austin-based band Survive, the duo predominantly used synths like the Arp Odyssey, Roland SH-101, Korg Mono/Poly to create the sounds of Hawkins and the Upside Down. Instead of recreating the Stranger Things score with similar synthesizers, I had the idea to build it from scratch using some of my favorite guitar pedals. By using only a Meris Ottobit Jr., Meris Mercury7 and Electro-Harmonix Synth 9, I was able to get something extremely close to the sounds of Dixon and Stein's original theme.   Continue reading →

A few weeks back on the blog, I wrote about compressors and the basics of using them in the studio. We’re taking it a step further today by talking about a more advanced function of the compressor called parallel compression and some scenarios where the technique is most commonly used. Parallel compression uses a send and return setup similar to how you would send a signal to an effects processor. It is the combination of the dry signal mixed with a compressed version. In a parallel setup, you can use heavier compression to pull more depth out of the source signal. Since you still have the dry signal in the mix, you don’t hear as much direct compression. Continue reading →

The expansion of power in a DAW is drawing more and more engineers to mixing in the box. Software such as Pro Tools and Logic come stocked with all of the tools you need to do a professional sounding mix right out of the box, and also allow you to add the addition of your favorite third party plug-ins. In the blog, we'll discuss some tips and tricks for setting up your DAW to create a seamless in the box workflow. Continue reading →

Vintage King's Dustin McLaughlin is an avid guitarist who uses his Universal Audio Apollo interface as a pedal platform in his home studio. In our new video, learn how he combines his pedalboard with Universal Audio interfaces and plug-ins to create unique sounds. Continue reading →

The patch bay is often a great mystery for engineers just starting off and to any musician who comes into a recording studio for the first time. With so many plugs and wires, it can be a little intimidating and you might ask yourself, "Where do all those patch points go?" Continue reading →

A compressor is one of the most useful tools an engineer can have on hand during a session. They have been the glue that holds recordings together since their creation, and engineers still heavily rely on them for vocals, voiceover, guitars, bass, drums, the mix bus, and more. Continue reading →

Over the last couple of months, I’ve had the chance to sit in on two Trinnov ST2 Pro installations and detailed listening sessions. When you’re working in a room that isn’t treated properly, most of the time you don’t even notice the problems, you just get used to them and work with what you have. This is where the old car test and listening on multiple sets of speakers in different listening environments came into play. Most of the time when the song leaves your mixing room for the first time, you often say, “Wow, there is way too much bass” or “Where did all the bass go?” Continue reading →