Review: Sontronics Microphones August 8, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Project Studio, Reviews, Studio Setup , 20commentsSontronics sent The Studio Files some microphones for review.
I cannot wait until their brand becomes more widely distributed in the US.
Before and After: A Guerilla Recording/Mixing Session Walkthrough May 28, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Mixing, Pro Tools, Project Studio , 2commentsEver had one of those projects where you have to record, edit, mix, and master a 3-4 song demo EP in a day? It’s definitely a lot of work, but it’s usually fun and exciting. The goal is to get the absolute best quality and quantity of recording that you can in the absolute shortest amount of time. Fun huh? (more…)
Suggestions for Digidesign regarding Pro Tools LE April 29, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Digidesign, Project Studio, Troubleshooting , 14commentsMany people would agree that Digidesign needs to make some fairly significant changes to the Pro Tools LE market in the near future in order to keep the product competing with the many other fine native DAWs. Unfortunately, many of these suggestions are flamed in forums, presented within language of “poor taste”, etc… Well here is your chance to present your suggestions. (more…)
Review: Violet Designs microphones- Some Serious Bang for Your Microphone Buck April 22, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Project Studio, Reviews, Studio Setup , 12commentsRecently, Violet Designs sent The Studio Files three microphones for review: the Black Knight, the Finger, and the Flamingo Jr. All three of these microphones are a great buy for the home or project studio. I will talk about each microphone individually, and then at the bottom you will find all the audio examples I recorded with the mics. (more…)
New articles, updates, and videos coming soon! April 20, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Chit Chat, General Announcements, Project Studio , add a commentHi everyone
Sorry for the lack of posts recently… things have been REALLY crazy for me. But, new videos and articles are coming very soon! Thanks for your patience. (more…)
Studio Help Files: Email Questions April 2, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : General Announcements, Project Studio, Troubleshooting , 1 comment so farI’ve been getting a lot of questions via email. I thought I might post some of them here (with the answers) in case someone else is having the same problem. Feel free to email me questions, or for a faster response, post in the comments of an article (if that article deals with your question) or just in the comments on the “About” tab above.
Studio Pro Files: Encore Studios March 10, 2008
Posted by Ben Rivet in : Digital home recording studios, Project Studio, Studio Profiles, Studio Setup , 2commentsHey All.
Your Man about Town here, bringing you more from the studio world. We are continuing our sweep of the mid-west with a stop in Dayton, OH. We had a chance to sit down with Bill Sellers, owner of Encore Studios. Bill has been cranking out projects for clients all over the country, ranging from rock, classical, and jazz, to voice overs, jingles, and promotional videos. Bill gave us a tour of his space and showed us his gear. We also got to chat about some of the projects he has done over the years and what he is currently working on. Awesome music, cool studio, and a lot of great stories. (more…)
Upgrade My Studio: Part 1 March 10, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Project Studio, Studio Setup, Troubleshooting , add a commentWhen you have the opportunity to upgrade your studio, there are a lot of options. You could get a new computer, an new audio interface or sound card, mics, preamps, monitors, converters, cables, and plug-ins–the list is endless. So how do you decide which parts of your set up will give you the greatest benefit if you commit to investing more money? Every decision like this is unique, and needs to be approached thoughtfully and pragmatically. To help out, I am going to post some common studio “issues”, and some possible solutions.
Working with phase (and polarity) March 9, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Project Studio, Studio Setup, Troubleshooting , 4commentsPhase and polarity. It is important to understand the differences between them, as they are often confused. They can “look” the same, but its important to remember that phase has an element of time associated with it. Phase is how far along a waveform is in its cycle; if a waveform is combined with an identical waveform that is 180 degrees out of phase, they will cancel each other. Polarity deals with two points of electronics that have a positive and negative charge. By switching those points, the waveform becomes “inverted”. Confusing? Look at the pictures below, a visual always helps. (more…)
Solving problems in your studio March 4, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Project Studio, Studio Setup, Troubleshooting , 4commentsThe internet is an extremely valuable tool for home or project studio owners. A lot of problems can arise in a studio: compatibility issues, hardware problems, computer problems, error codes, improper clocking, cable setups, software updates/authorization, plug-in installation, mysterious pops and clicks, virtual instrument problems, mix problems… etc etc etc. Learning how to fix any issues that your studio experiences is a valuable skill.
So what are your options for solving these problems? Obviously, you want to solve any problems as fast as possible. Problems in your studio hinder creativity, but can also cost you a lot of time and money (especially if these things happen when a client is working). I am going to cover some ways on how to get accurate and fast information for all your troubleshooting needs.
GarageBand update: 4.1.2 March 4, 2008
Posted by Damon Sink in : Apple, Project Studio, Virtual Instruments , 13commentsLooks like a winner:
Apple – Support – Downloads – GarageBand 4.1.2
About GarageBand 4.1.2
This update improves overall stability and addresses issues with the automation of software instrument parameters, FireWire and USB based audio devices and Magic GarageBand.
Transferring between different DAWs without OMF/AAF March 2, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Digital Audio Workstations, Project Studio, Studio Setup , 26commentsMany times, a project will travel from studio to studio during production. Each studio might be running a different DAW, with a different interface and computer. While exporting a project as an OMF or AAF and then importing to another DAW is sometimes possible, a few DAWs don’t allow this (::ahem:: Pro Tools LE….) So, its a good idea to know how to transfer the audio files without the use of OMF or other “universal” file formats. (more…)
5 Small tips (with big impact) for your recordings February 22, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Editing, Mixing, Project Studio , 5commentsHome and project studios often have the goal of making their recordings sound just as good as those of the “big studios”. Obviously this is a very hard thing to accomplish, but there are a lot of little things you can do to make your recordings sound more and more professional. Here are 5 tips to get you going:
1. Timing: Keeping it in the groove
Just about all major releases you hear on the radio have at least one thing in common: impeccable groove and timing. Most often, these songs are tracked to a click, and edited in detail until no spots stick out as “mistakes”. (more…)
Home Studio Setup and Acoustics February 20, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Acoustics, Project Studio, Studio Setup , 4commentsSetting up the gear in your home studio can be really fun. But, what many forget is that the actual placement of gear in your room can have a huge impact as to how well your room “sounds”. When dealing with the parallel walls and small dimensions of a typical home or project studio, even following some basic guidelines in acoustics can make a huge sonic difference. Flutter echo, room modes, and improper speaker placement are all things to avoid.
These tips will help you minimize those issues, so you can get more accurate mixes from your room.
Studio Profiles: Babblefish Studio Video February 19, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Project Studio, Studio Profiles, Studio Setup , 6commentsHey All.
Your “Man About Town” here with some more news from the studios. A recent interview with Steve Falearos at Babblefish Recording Studios in Franklin, Ohio (near Dayton). Steve talks about the studio’s eclectic and unique equipment list, as well as some great tips for bands who are working on projects on their own or in collaboration with a bigger studio. Some great advice from Steve: Know your gear.
Check out the two-part video to see his gear and hear his thoughts about all things studio.
Also see the extended interview for a full recap of our visit with Steve at Babblefish Studios.
Stay tuned to The Studio Files for some audio demos from Steve and Babblefish!
We’ll send a free StudioFiles t-shirt to the first person (or should I say, hoopy frood?) who posts a comment correctly identifying the origin of the name “Babblefish.”
BJSR
The Studio Files