RECORDING INFORMATION RESOURCES
ACOUSTICS AND
MONITORING
Room Acoustics,
Monitoring, Home Studios
ON MICS AND MIKING
Acoustic/Electric Guitar
Bands, Drums, Percussion
Bass, Vocals
ON MASTERING
The Mastering Process
DIY Mastering
Q&A’s
ON MIXING
Drum Mixes
Mix Studio
Multiband Dynamics
Tracking
FOR SONGWRITERS
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Music Business
Production Techniques
Recording Demos
FOR YOUR STUDIO
From The Outside In
Maintenance
Studio Infrastructure
Miking Vocals!
• Vocal Tracking with Mark Hornsby
• Monitoring for Vocal Recording
• The Truth about Ribbon Mics
Robbie Robertson & Bob Clearmountain on the 50th Anniversary Remix of The Band
18 New Reviews:
FEATURED REVIEW
Earthworks SR314 Handheld Vocal Condenser Microphone
A shiny new object bringing studio quality sound to the stage… and the studio as well
Earthworks is known for making high-quality microphones for the studio and stage. Its microphones notoriously reproduce clean, crisp, and accurate sound with an ultra-fast transient response, extended frequency range, and very low noise. I’ve used a pair of omnidirectional QTC40 mics in the studio for years, in a variety of applications. I’ve come to rely on them as a means of capturing sources without coloration. The SR314, as with all Earthworks microphones, is designed to reproduce an exceptionally natural sound with high fidelity and reliability. It’s a high-definition handheld… READ FULL REVIEW
FEATURED ARTICLE
How To Record Great Vocals At Home
The human voice is easily the most recognizable of sounds, at least to other humans. Even before we are born, we listen for, recognize and respond to our own mother’s speech and inflections. In pop music, from Rock to Rap or Rhythm & Blues, we still find ourselves instinctively searching for that fundamental element. While the magic of music lies in its power to imply or inspire a wide array of feelings and emotions, when it comes to details and specifics, only words will do.
This places a great deal of importance on the quality of the vocals, both performance-wise and in a technical sense. No matter how great the song, groove and arrangement are, it can all be quickly undone by the entrance of a weak, pitchy, or… READ FULL ARTICLE
Recording’s Readers’ Tracks is where respected engineer and producer Marty Peters listens to your recordings and critiques them, pointing out where and how you can make them better. Listen to the songs, read the reviews, and submit your own materials online via upload.
Artist Name: Ian Soelins Title: Rainbow Genre: Rock
Ian has submitted an ambitious effort here that uses dynamics to their full extent throughout the track. The intro is moody, with a sparse piano and breathy vocal centering the mix. Things transition to a fuller band sound at the 25-second mark with the inclusion of the bass and drums. From his gear list we would assume the rhythm section was assembled via Ian’s Native Instruments software, and we found the drums to be somewhat inconsistent in their programming and volume. The kick drum seemed erratic at points, while the snare volume appeared to fluctuate. The bass also lacked some definition through our monitors and Grado Labs SR350 headphones. The sonics of the piece change yet again at the 47-second mark with the addition of several electric guitars and a high-mid sound… READ THE FULL REVIEW
REC’s six monthly Sound Advice bulletins offer great advice:
- On Vocals: Useful advice on recording the best vocals.
- On Guitars: Miked or direct, electric or acoustic, ways to capture great guitar sounds.
- On Drums: Great techniques for recording drums.
- On Mastering & Mixing: Practical mastering topics for at-home users and tips on how to mix better songs.
- On Acoustics: Learn how to make your room sound better.
- On Digital Audio: All about digital and computer audio.
SAMPLE BULLETINS
