for Windows VST: Antress Modern Plugins January 4, 2010
Posted by Damon Sink in : Digital home recording studios, Mixing, plugins (plug-ins) , add a comment…Sometimes it’s just better for the PC users. If anyone wants to try some of these (Antress Modern Plugins) out and give us some feedback, I’ve heard really great things.
Oh, and did I mention that they are FREE!?!
I am in the process of re-deploying my dual core PC to run some sample libraries and Vienna Ensemble Pro, so I could install them with that outboard rig. Check it out and let’s see.
Happy New Year everybody. We’ve got some cool stuff in store for the new decade, so stay tuned!
Damon
The Studio Files
Warm the Cockles of Your Mix (or tracks) December 23, 2009
Posted by Damon Sink in : Mixing, Project Studio, plugins (plug-ins) , add a commentOK. No idea what “cockles” are, but I just wanted to pass along a bit of Christmas cheer. One of the plug-in companies that I really love is PSP, and they have a stellar deal on their classic EQ bundle going on right now. If you have been thinking about treating yourself to some new eq toys this holiday, I can’t think of a better way to do it at this price.
Check it out here:
And have a great holiday.
—Damon
Sending Your Music to Another Engineer 101 December 13, 2009
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Digital Audio Workstations, Studio Setup , 1 comment so farThe availability and low cost of DAW-based recording sessions allows nearly everyone to record their own music right in their living room. While you can just mix and release your music yourself, its often really beneficial to send your session file out to a more experienced mixing (and/or) mastering engineer. In this article, I’d like to discuss some ways to prepare your session file for that engineer. I mix a lot of projects via “distance” like this, and getting a session organized and ready can really help to speed up the nitty-gritty, leaving much more time for the artistic and creative decisions.
While this article is aimed at artists and music producers who are passing files to an engineer, these techniques will also make over-the-internet collaborations much easier. AND – these are things that will help a lot even if you are seeing the project through until the end. ?Good session organization is applicable in any recording situation, analog or digital.
Mixing 101: The Mute Button November 5, 2009
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Digital Audio Workstations, Mixing, Project Studio , 2commentsTo make great mixes, you need great ears and knowledge of your processing gear/plug-ins – but one of the most simple and most important mixing processes comes in the form of the mute button. In my opinion, the mute button is often more important than any plug-in, whether its the Compressimaxer 40000 that cost $5,000 or a simple DigiRack plug-in. (more…)
Digidesign: Future Here or End is Near?? October 28, 2009
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Digidesign, Digital Audio Workstations, Pro Tools , 6commentsAnyone on an emailing list from an audio retailer knows that Digidesign is slashing prices on both new HD systems and trade-ins.
Here’s a page from Sweetwater offering the trade-ins
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/search.php?s=ptle_pthd_exchange
Unfortunately I must have deleted my original email from Sweetwater, but I remember a 002R/003R trade-in (for an HD2 system with free 192 i/0) came in around $6k… That’s an astonishingly low price. To my knowledge, a company offers ridiculously low prices on their flagship product when one of two things in happening: either they are about to release a new product, or their company is about to fold.
DAW In your pocket: Xewton Music Studio September 8, 2009
Posted by Damon Sink in : Apple, Digital Audio Workstations , 3commentsThis is pretty cool. Anyone get this app yet?
128 track sequencer, full editing capabilities, send the mixes to your computer with wi-fi. I really like that you can stretch the keyboard. This would be pretty cool to use to demo a theme to a client or director, or scratch down an idea that comes to you during a long walk in the woods…
Fast Plug-ins in Pro Tools February 17, 2009
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Digidesign, Pro Tools, plugins (plug-ins) , 9commentsThis is just a little trick in Pro Tools that will make your mixing faster and easier.
We all have our favorite plug-ins (the ones that inevitably end up on a LOT of tracks in most mixes). Even if you are just using the stock Pro Tools plug-ins, changing this preference will make inserting these plug-ins a little faster.
Important message for 002, 003, and MBox Factory Owners February 13, 2009
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Digidesign, Pro Tools, plugins (plug-ins) , 7commentsToday, Digidesign announced that it is offering a very inexpensive upgrade path for owners of 002, 003(R), and MBox Factory bundle owners.
For a small $30 upgrade fee, you get the following plug-ins for your MBox or MBox 2 (pro) Factory: (more…)
Video: The T-Pain vocal effect with AutoTune January 31, 2009
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Digital Audio Workstations, Videos, plugins (plug-ins) , add a commentOne plug-in and the quick turn of a knob, and you have that world-famous T-Pain/Cher/computer voice effect.
Video: Editing out Plosives in Vocals January 31, 2009
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Digital Audio Workstations, Editing, Videos , add a commentThis is a great technique to know when a pop filter fails to do its job. With a little EQ, a gigantic plosive can be squelched to a fraction of its former self.
Video: Organizing a Session Before Mixing January 31, 2009
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Digital Audio Workstations, Studio Setup, Videos , add a commentOnce you are done tracking a session and are ready to mix, its a good idea to spend a few minutes doing some organization and routing. This video will show you how to color code tracks (in Pro Tools 8), how to create aux tracks and sum like-instruments together, and how to create a mix bus with an aux track.
AOTD: VI December 9, 2008
Posted by Damon Sink in : Composing, Digital Audio Workstations, Virtual Instruments , 1 comment so farVI: Virtual Instrument. This can be an emulation of a real instrument like a trumpet or violin, or a strictly synth-based sound. It’s called “virtual” because your computer is creating the sound from digital information and instructions in the VI programming. You play a keyboard controller and the instrument responds. All of this sound generating used to be done strictly by “standalone” (now sometimes called “outboard”) synths–either with keyboards (think DX7) or without (think Roland 1080).
A great resource: Virtual Instruments Magazine
Examples are Garageband instruments, Spectrasonic Triology Bass instrument, NI-Kontakt (sampler), or Play (from East West Soundsonline). Yours truly has too many of these to count. If you are in the market, ask a question and I’ll be glad to help.
Damon
The Studio Files
A new DAW comparison… November 23, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Digidesign, Digital Audio Workstations, Pro Tools , add a commentWith Pro Tools 8 on the verge of release, I think its worth updating the Pro Tools LE features description. Although there are still some features that we are still waiting for in Pro Tools LE (ADC…), version 8 brings a lot to the table. (more…)
From Theory to Practicality – Comb Filtering November 22, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Acoustics, Digital Audio Workstations , 3commentsWhat is comb filtering? What does comb filtering do to the audio? What causes comb filtering?
^^These are all things that people involved in audio (from beginners to professionals) should know. This article will discuss comb filtering from theory to practicality. (Including a preview of a MAX program I’m working on that will do all the plotting and calculations for you…) (more…)
H/W Buffers – friend or foe?? November 22, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Digital Audio Workstations, Project Studio, Troubleshooting , add a commentWe’ve all been here:
You are tracking a great band and they are really grooving this take (the best one of the day). Halfway through the song, the sound glitches, recording stops, and the dreaded “H/W BUFFER ERROR” message appears… which is the equivalent of a big middle finger.
What is a H/W buffer (sometimes also called audio buffer)? Why do you need to change it? What’s the difference between a 1024 sample buffer and a 32 sample buffer? How do buffers affect latency? (more…)