tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9892029672979538432024-03-12T18:21:38.177-07:00MoJBeatz ProductionsWelcome to MoJBeatz Productions! This is an open discussion about tips and basics about producing and engineering music. Newbies and aspiring producers are welcome to post, read, and offer help to all the subscribers to the blog! Along with providing useful info on audio production, I will be displaying some of my latest productions and news about my recent adventures in the music industry. Enjoy!Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-76115964431113504732013-05-25T18:54:00.003-07:002013-05-25T18:54:45.917-07:00Digital Music Industry- The Game ChangersThank you all so much for taking the time to vote on my poll! I was surprised that quite a few people thought that Spotify has generated the most revenue for the digital music industry over the last 15 years because Spotify has only been around for about 3 years.<br />
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Apple's iTunes store has generated the most revenue over the last 15 years. Even though iTunes has only existed since January 2001, The iTunes store typically generates $600 million dollars Annually, a whopping $500,000 a week. So over the last 15 years we can estimate that iTunes has generated close $9 Billion dollars for the digital music industry. Apple Inc. is actually the worlds second-largest information technology company by revenue, second to Samsung.<br />
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Let's take a look at the stats of the other digital music providers I included in the poll:<br />
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<b style="text-decoration: underline;">Spotify</b> was developed in 2006 by a team of developers located in Sweeden. Over the last 5 years Spotfiy has really taken off as one of the leading music streaming services. They currently have a whopping 6 million paying subscribers and 24 million total active users. Based on the current subscriber rates Spotify is bringing in somewhere between $360 million and $720 million a year from subscribers alone. The company is making a few hundred million from adds as well so we can estimate that Spotify brings in close to a billion dollars a year in revenue! If we look at the last 15 years iTunes still takes the cake because of their consistency and the fact that they've been around 5+ years longer than Spotify.<br />
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<b style="text-decoration: underline;">Pandora Radio</b> Savage Beast Technologies was the first name of the company until it was renamed in 2005 to Pandora Media. I enjoy the name Savage Beast Technologies but the Greek meaning behind Pandora is also pretty cool. Pandora has actually been losing revenue over the last 5 years. Mainly from paying their artists to much and losing money from stock. The highest recorded revenue in 2012 was $75 million dollars thanks to loyal subscribers and ads. In my opinion Pandora needs to start coming out with fresh ideas and products that will generate them more revenue and popularity or they might become a thing of the past very shortly.<br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Napster</u> started off as a peer-to-peer file sharing company until they ran into legal difficulties over copyright infringement. It was acquired by Rhapsody in 2011. Napster actually only operated between June 199 and July 2001. At its peak the Napster service had about 80 million registered users which is a lot more than Spotify and Pandora put together. Metallica was actually the first band to file lawsuit against Napster when they found out their demo song "I Disappear" had been available before it was even released. Napster was not intended to be a revenue generating business, they where focused on making any song or album easily accessible by the average music connoisseur. It's hard to put a finger on how much annual revenue Napster generated when the company was still around.<br />
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Overall the biggest Game Changers in the last 15 years has definitely been Apple's iTunes and Spotify.<br />
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Thank you so much for reading! Comment and let me know what you think!<br />
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Also please check out:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/musicofjustin">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/musicofjustin">SoundCloud</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/musicofjustin">Youtube</a><br />
<br />Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-65844988755225635112013-05-22T13:55:00.000-07:002013-05-22T14:11:53.815-07:00It's Been Over a Year!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Since I've posted anything
and I apologize about that! I've had a couple hiccups in my living situation
for the last year, but now that everything is settled in, I'm ready to post
more useful and entertaining content for all of my subscribers!</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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As we all know, the digital music industry has grown substantially over
the last 15 years and is expected to hit over 50 billion in revenue by 2015.
This gives me hope that there is a promising future for any person that wants
to jump into the music industry as a career. I'll be creating a review based on the biggest game changers in the music industry over the lats 15 years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">I'll create a poll to gather your opinions on main topics to hit upon on this review! I look forward to collectivley creating a review with my subscribers! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">I'll leave you today with a new original song I produced from my home studio! I hope you enjoy =)</span></span></div>
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<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KL55pOKB5Bo?hl=en_US&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KL55pOKB5Bo?hl=en_US&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-26919196406963658262011-12-06T19:43:00.001-08:002011-12-06T19:47:07.850-08:00IHeart Radio<span class="normal">Hello all,</span><br />
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<span class="normal">Well today I have some interesting news for you guys!</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xludoUBh3uE/Tt7hopKFeOI/AAAAAAAAACs/mY9wq62KP-I/s1600/iheartcvs_contest-786836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xludoUBh3uE/Tt7hopKFeOI/AAAAAAAAACs/mY9wq62KP-I/s320/iheartcvs_contest-786836.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="normal">Clear Channel Radio, the leading media company in
America with a greater reach than any radio or television outlet,
announced that the New iHeartRadio, its free, industry-leading digital
radio service, will extend its commercial-free programming on its Custom
Stations through April 1, 2012.<br />
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The New iHeartRadio brings users a best-in-class customizable digital
listening experience that combines the best of both worlds to deliver
everything listeners want in one free, fully-integrated service: More
than 800 of the nation's most popular live broadcast and digital-only
radio stations from 150 cities, plus user-created Custom Stations which
provide listeners more songs, better music intelligence, more user
control and deeper social media integration.<br />
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iHeartRadio is consistently in the top 10 downloads of free music apps
for the iPhone and in the top five for Android; and given its 65 million
listening hours a month, 44 million downloads of iHeartRadio mobile
apps and more than 12 million fans across Clear Channel station and
radio personality Facebook pages, Clear Channel continues to be one of
the most popular digital music destinations.<br />
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"The New iHeartRadio has exceeded our expectations and more importantly,
those of our fans -- since it launched in September at the iHeartRadio
Music Festival in Las Vegas. It offers our listeners everything they
want from a digital radio service in one completely integrated, free
experience," said Brian Lakamp, President of Clear Channel Digital.
"Because Custom Stations are only a feature of the New iHeartRadio, we
have the luxury of being able to extend our commercial-free Custom
Stations till April 1, 2012."</span>Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-66185923148639360832011-12-02T23:36:00.001-08:002011-12-02T23:56:44.290-08:00Another New Production + Beat Making TipsGreetings!
Well I have been working extensively on getting all of my webpages back up and I'm just about finished! My parents are hosting my grandparents 50th anniversary tomorrow so hopefully that will give me an opportunity to show my family some of my newest beats! My cousin will also be helping me through out the evening setting up my own url and customizing my facebook and youtube page! I'm am indeed in-store for an eventful night!
I want to thank everyone that has still been consistently checking out my blog and new posts, my fans are the only thing that keep me working as hard as I do!
I have been at work producing as much beatz as I can as fast as I can xD This new one is entitled Status Arrogance. When I wrote this song, the main thought that was going through my head was, "Confidence is a key aspect in being successful, so let it explode in everyone's face that doubts you." This production took me two days to completely write, track, and mix. Although I am not completely satisfied with the final result, it still sounds better than most of my older beats.
Remember to subscribe to me on youtube, it is greatly appreciated, and feel free to leave a comment about your thoughts on the song! =)
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/db1VX-Nm138" width="420"></iframe><br />
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Now on to the beat making tips! I will be providing 5 main tips in making your beats sound more professional and creative!<br />
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Beat making, the best loved part of making a music track, well for me anyway. Get the drums wrong and the tracks fails. No one can listen to it, no one can dance to it. So instead of making a "waste-of-time-track", try out these tips to get the most out of your beats:<br />
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Beat making tip #1.
Always use quality products. Whether you are making top beats or grime riddled tunes, quality sounds will show your intention to your future. Can't be bothered and bedroom musician are what hissing, and clicks within a beat promote. Now most of us are bedroom musicians, but you always should be giving off professionalism. That is the point, you can be a bedroom musician but still produce quality tracks. A poor sample library is the easiest way into any recycle bin. Hardrives are now large enough to have thousands of quality sounds. If you are downloading on dial-up get a download manager to pause downloads if they are too big. Let nothing stop you in pursuit of finding quality sounds.
Please Note it is quite hard to make grime tunes without them sounding like a distorted mess, and that is why NIN (Nine Inch Nails) are so good. There is more processing and more quality within those tunes to make them that dirty. As a side note, 8-bit Commodore 64 sounds are cool within the right quality drum sounds, but by themselves they are nostalgic but can not seriously carry a track without help.<br />
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Beat making tip #2.
Ask any woman how to make their hair feel fatter/ fuller bodied/ better...and they will say...layer. That is exactly the same with any sort of beat or percussion noise. I have a great little note that I give myself when I try to find a great beat...don't look, there is no such thing as finding the perfect beat. I have found that there is always something wrong with anything that I download. I have to alter the sound to make it useful. I have to layer. Sure the sound I downloaded is say a good kick, but it should be fatter. So what do I do? I figure that I need a lower end kick, and apply that, to get a little bit deeper/ fatter I will also incorporate a sub bass sound. It is not uncommon for producers to layer beats up to 5 times with various other percussion loops complimentary to the initial loop. I have to say it is uncommon for producers not to layer.<br />
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Beat making tip #3.
Taking tip one and tip two into consideration, what else can we do to make a beat feel...fatter, more sub level? EQ? Well yes, and no. There is no amount of EQ to put onto a beat for it to sound deeper. Why? Well EQ will only work on frequencies that are already there. There are many a musician (a large percentage) that will EQ everything. That is not good. You have then got a situation where every sound is fighting for a place in the same mix. So adding EQ to something that has not got the range in the first place will do nothing. So what do you do? Either get rid of the kick that you downloaded and get one with a bit of sub boom in it, or do tip 1 and 2- there is no other way.<br />
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Beat making tip #4.
The kick is the favourite sample going, and unfortunately it is the most troublesome. This is seen in the Dance and Electronic music scene. BANG BANG BANG, goes the thudding kick and nothing else is recognisable within the beat. So what do we do to avoid over kickness? Make sure that the kick is playing on a separate channel so that it doesn't interrupt anything else, and you don't interrupt anything else when you alter it. Apply some compression to the kick, then adjust the make-up gain so that it starts to settle in and ultimately sound right with your other loops.<br />
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Beat making tip #5.
To sparkle up your beats why not add some processing power to them? Adding a slight amount of Overdrive can make your flat beat beef up a little bit more. Adding some Reverb can also add some depth, however it can also loose the drums original Oomph, and make the drum sound farther back within the track so be careful when you reverb. Add and remove, add and remove- always keep on checking the beat within the track at many different points to see if it sits well throughout the track. The newly processed beat might sound really funky next to your bassline, however if you have vocals, the bass and beat combo might sound too overpowering. Always check and monitor any processing that you do.
Here's a fun video I found while browsing on youtube. I like the way he formats his videos by showing you every aspect of his production<br />
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Like always, thank you for reading the blog! Stay tuned for more frequent updates, tips, and new beats!
Peace!Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-41646278229913782932011-11-28T22:45:00.000-08:002011-11-28T22:45:16.242-08:00New Beat!Hello everyone! I know it has months since I've posted anything in my blog, but that pattern is going to change here shortly. I am opening my own independent instrumental production company that will be leasing out beats and instrumentals to anyone who needs them!<br />
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Without further ado, here is my latest production "Transparent Sins" <br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/giEg-1Uo_5U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-56008499656096486252011-06-12T21:05:00.000-07:002011-06-12T21:05:16.920-07:00Quick EQ Advice<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KdpGOUM2sCA/TfWMWfer-FI/AAAAAAAAACg/0lge-FjnugQ/s1600/plugin_fx_equo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KdpGOUM2sCA/TfWMWfer-FI/AAAAAAAAACg/0lge-FjnugQ/s400/plugin_fx_equo.jpg" width="400" /></a>This issue has popped up way too often, EQ techniques. <br />
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People are always asking for EQ charts. <br />
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For EQ, I don't believe in charts. They don't help. You need to master the sweep technique. Once you have that down, life gets much easier.<br />
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1) Don't think of EQing as something you are supposed to do like X. It's not like you are trying to do the Electric Slide on a wedding dance floor where every move is choreographed. (I have to be really crushed for that one! What a stupid dance! I'll do my own dancing thank you very much and it won't involve Nazi-style no-brained marching moves!) <br />
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2) Listen to a track. If it sounds good, don't do anything to it.<br />
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3) If there is something that sucks about it, identify the problem in your head. Let's say the vocals are kinda boxy sounding. Say to yourself "that boxy stuff sucks". <br />
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4) Grab a parametric EQ. Boost by 8-12dB with a kinda sorta narrow Q / bandwidth. Start at 20Hz and increase the frequency until you start to hear that problem get WAY WORSE. Granted, you will be causing other problems by boosting so much that were otherwise fine. Ignore them. That's why #3 is so important. When you make the problem worse, stop increasing the frequency. You've found it. <br />
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5) Now, instead of idiotically boosting 12dB, try cutting. Start small (1-2dB) because your ears will be goofed from the sweep. If you want more of the frequency at hand, boost it a few dB. (Definitely do not start with 12db!)<br />
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6) Keep mixing<br />
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7) If that same problem pops up again in a minute or two, just use more.Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-36071109499505539152011-06-07T12:35:00.000-07:002011-06-07T12:35:07.484-07:00Studio Monitor ReviewHello everyone! To become an effective audio engineer, you must be able to listen to your mix through quality sound to be able to master it. Studio monitors are a must in any home studio, and professional studio. Because studio monitors pick up more frequencies of sound then regular speakers, they can make a mix sound 10 times better. Now on to the review.<br />
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Today I have chosen three products that I feel are the best bargain for the sound they produce. Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1) Behringer B2030A Truth $250-$300 </span><br />
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<div class="bodytext">Clearly the speakers are built to a price and are economically constructed from plastic-laminated E1 MDF, though this is actually a good cabinet material because of its density and self-damping properties. You might not get natural cherry-wood veneer, but the overall impression is smart. The long-throw bass/mid-range driver features a polypropylene cone with roll surround mounted in a cast aluminium chassis. The port exits comprise separate slot-shaped moulded inserts set into the baffle on either side of the tweeter.</div><div class="bodytext"><br />
</div><div class="bodytext">The active crossover, which is set at 2kHz, utilises fourth-order (24dB/octave) Linkwitz-Riley filters, and the speakers are also designed to be used with or without an optional subwoofer, though they manage a perfectly decent low end without one. Separate high- and low-frequency limiters look after the self-preservation interests of the drivers, and there's an automatic standby mode that puts the amplifiers into sleep mode if the speakers aren't used for more than five minutes. They wake up almost instantly on receipt of an audio signal.</div><br />
In my own studio, with all the EQ switches set flat, my first impression was that the monitors sounded slightly brash, with less depth of bass than I expected. This situation improved noticeably when I dropped the tweeter level by 2dB, so it is important to adjust the EQ settings to match your room and monitor positions. Once optimised, the speakers delivered a very decent level of performance given their budget price, though their shortcomings were still evident when they were tested alongside my Mackie HR824s. I found that the subjective depth of bass was less than I expected based on the technical spec, while the tweeter sounded slightly 'forward', but they still delivered a fairly good overall balance and proved capable of discriminating between good mixes and not-so-good mixes.<br />
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If you are on a very tight budget, then the B2030As offer very good value and they can be made to perform perfectly adequately in smaller rooms, provided that you take due care with their placement and experiment with the EQ switch settings. I think the designers have used their available manufacturing budget extremely well in producing a useful and good-looking monitor at such a low UK price point, though there's no denying that spending more money will buy you better performance and greater accuracy. With monitors you generally get what you pay for, but in this case it's probably fair to say that you get slightly more than you pay for! Although clearly aimed at the budget-limited home-recording enthusiast, the B2030As could also serve a valuable part in the more professional studio by acting as a secondary monitor for checking how mixes might translate to a domestic playback system.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2) Mackie MR5 $135-$200</span><br />
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As with the MR8s, the two-way, active MR5s have a built-in tweeter waveguide to control dispersion, as well as the usual array of acoustic controls on the rear panel — so you can tailor the response to suit your room and the location of the speakers within it. High-frequency adjustment of +/-2dB is available by means of a slide switch, and the low end can be set to flat, +2dB or +4dB. All the baffle elements surrounding the drivers are smooth, in order to minimise diffraction, and the drivers themselves are powered by Class-A/B MOSFET amplifiers (rather than the more efficient but arguably less smooth-sounding Class-D circuits that are starting to become popular). These amplifiers include active protection circuits and deliver 55W into the woofer and 30W into the tweeter, with more than 50 percent extra power in hand for short peaks. A 24dB-per-octave crossover operates at 4kHz, and an overall frequency response of 60Hz to 20kHz (+/-3dB) is quoted. There's also more than enough level (113dB peak per pair at one metre) for sensible listening in a nearfield environment.<br />
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<div class="bodytext">The MR speakers certainly look the part but at around half the price of the Mackie monitors we've come to know and love, surely there are some compromises? Actually, there aren't too many. The sound of the little MR5 is punchy, with decent separation between instruments, a smooth mid-range and a non-fatiguing top. However, in my studio (11 x 16 feet), with the speakers a couple of feet from the end wall, the low end seemed just a bit hyped on the flat setting. Moving the tweeter up to its +2dB setting helps redress the balance but my impression is that the low end has been tuned to flatter drums (kicks and toms sound really punchy) and the result is that the balance between bass notes isn't quite as even as it could be. I can't imagine ever wanting to use the +2dB bass setting, let alone the +4dB setting, so having 2dB of switchable bass cut or boost would have been a better option, in my book. Nevertheless, for such a compact and affordable model, I was extremely impressed with the overall sound. These speakers managed to put across the detail in a mix without getting noticeably harsh or gritty at the top end. The stereo imaging is pretty decent (as you'd expect from a physically small speaker), and the phantom central image is reasonably solid too. I tried stuffing a pair of socks into each bass port and actually got what I felt was a much tighter and better controlled low end — although I'd have to experiment a little more to be sure exactly what type of sock is most effective!</div><div class="bodytext"><br />
</div><div class="bodytext">You might expect that swapping to the larger MR8s — with their greater bass extension — would be overkill, but that actually turned out not to be the case. They reproduce the deepest notes with no sense of effort, but there's definitely less of a sense of hyping up the 80-90Hz region than with the MR5s. In fact, all sounded well balanced with everything set flat. The overall sense of clarity was improved, with less lower-mid ambiguity, and although half the price of a pair of HR824s, they weren't that far off in terms of performance. The old 824 Mk1s have a bit more air around the top end, a touch more overall clarity and perhaps slightly better stereo imaging, but the overall character is not dissimilar.</div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
Taking into account both price and performance, I can really recommend these speakers for home studio use, though if you find the MR5s a bit too bass heavy, as I did, you may have to visit your sock drawer or make up a couple of foam bungs to tame them. The MR8 is a much more serious prospect if your budget and room size can stand it.<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3) KRK RP6 G2 $175-$200</span><br />
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<div class="bodytext">Overall, the RP6's cabinets measure 321 x 225 x 266mm and weigh 11kg each. The cabinet design appears to be a fairly conventional front-ported MDF box, with the sculpted baffle fixed to the front, and recessed into this is a further baffle plate that holds the two drivers. Being active, the drivers are electronically crossed over and bi-amped, with an overall amplifier power of 68W (50W woofer and 18W tweeter) and a fourth-order crossover operating at 2.6kHz. This arrangement yields an overall frequency response of 49Hz to 20kHz ±1.5dB, with a maximum SPL per pair of 107dB at one metre.</div><div class="bodytext">A one-inch Neodymium soft-dome tweeter with ferrofluid cooling handles the high frequencies, and this is recessed into a shallow waveguide moulded into the baffle. Both drivers are magnetically shielded, so these speakers can safely be used close to CRT monitor screens.</div><div class="bodytext"><br />
</div><div class="bodytext">These RP G2-series monitors turn in a very decent performance and — just as importantly — don't display any obvious vices that attract your attention. Although you'll never get floor-pumping bass out of a six-inch monitor, the Rokit 6 G2 produces a very credible bass sound at normal listening levels, coupled with a detailed mid-range and smooth highs. The sense of fine detail isn't as enhanced as with KRK's more sophisticated (and correspondingly more expensive) monitors, but it certainly isn't anything to be ashamed of — especially when you look around and see how much you can pick up a pair of these monitors for 'on the street'. The stereo imaging is similarly more than adequate, and the phantom centre image is stable. The Rokit Powered 6 G2s produce a tighter bass end when they are set up on a solid mounting surface, so for the test session I placed them on my Radial Primacoustic damping platforms: these benefit any small shelf-mounted monitors, helping to eliminate the stability of the shelf from the variables involved in a subjective speaker test. </div><div class="bodytext"><br />
</div><div class="bodytext">Perhaps the best accolade I can give these monitors is that, after working with them for a few minutes, I just forgot about them and got on with my studio session — which is a very good sign. Monitors with problems, or those that are designed with excessive coloration, usually keep attracting your attention, making you wonder if what you're hearing is really the way your mix sounds, but there were certainly no such distractions here.</div><div class="bodytext"><br />
</div><div class="bodytext">Obviously, the KRK RP6 G2s have been built to a price, and you'd be able to purchase more accurate monitors if you spent enough money. But if you're looking to invest in a pair of tonally well-balanced speakers that will get the job done for around the $150 'on the street', there are very few models I'd actively recommend — and the RP6 G2 would certainly be one. </div><div class="bodytext"><br />
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I hope I have provided my readers with some useful information! Thanks for reading, comments always welcome!Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-57995792347691227862011-06-06T12:37:00.000-07:002011-06-06T12:37:05.349-07:00A Very Useful Video on Mixing DrumsHello guys, today I found a very useful video about professionally mixing drums in pro tools. He uses waves mercury to mix down his tracks. Let me know if you find this video interesting at all!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-oRT29ZRf5s" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Thanks for staying loyal and reading my blog! Comments are always welcome! And check out my poll on what review I should do next!Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-55576399600703435892011-06-04T12:57:00.000-07:002011-06-04T12:57:45.237-07:00A Drum Cover By MeSorry about the delay for the last few days, college has thrown me off a little.. Well enough about me, here is a drum cover I did 2 days ago. I was mainly messing around, but some of the fills I incorporated sounded half-way decent since the kit was mic'd. Too bad when I imported the video into youtube it flipped it upside down! Oh well, try to enjoy it either way.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7fQetd8WOS8" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Thanks for checking out my drum cover! Shoot me a comment, let me know what you think!Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-70177953529130442682011-05-29T14:06:00.000-07:002011-05-29T14:06:37.021-07:00How to Mix Drums Without SamplesHey guys! Sorry it has been so long since I have posted! But I'm back after a fun weekend of graduation=) <br />
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My two cents about producing drums "straight up" without samples:<br />
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Drum replacement has made us lazy. Too few of us are learning the craft and some of us that know it aren't flexing their skills. And the 'craft', so to speak, has very little to do with compressin' -n- EQ'in, but has everything to do with maximizing the player and the kit in a room in front of some microphones. This is the real deal right here: player, kit, room, mics. Live and die by those ingredients, because all the +15db at 62hz isn't going to help an improperly tuned kick drum sound amazing.<br />
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First off--know what you are looking for. There are many different kit sounds, but you have to pick one. Have some idea in mind what you need to accomplish for the track. This is going to take into account the style of music, the arrangement, the drummer's style, the kit, their preferred tuning, esthetic preferences of the band and yourself. Have an answer to the following questions:<br />
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dry versus roomy<br />
bright versus fat<br />
realistic versus hyped<br />
wide stereo image versus realistic stereo image<br />
vintage or modern flavor?<br />
straight up or gimmicky?<br />
balanced kit or mostly kick-n-snare?<br />
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By compiling a little mental list of 'this versus that' you've come a long way towards giving yourself the important END GOAL of what your engineering needs to accomplish. Keep in mind that all of these goals have nothing to do with mixing/processing/screwin' around with the audio in post--they have EVERYTHING to do with your room placement, tuning, microphone selection and placement, and guidance you need to give to the player. This is the *missing link* so many people seem to grope for answers for... it's about making decisions, having a clear picture in your head, and making it happen with the setup.<br />
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First thing's first--getting the kit places in a room. Obviously your familiarity with the room is going to be a big help here, you should already know the sweet spots for boomy, sweet and cracky. If not, open your ears and take a walk through the space and listen to the acoustics. For those of you not as familiar with the physics behind acoustics here are some guidelines that will hasten your search for 'the spot':<br />
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1.) Generally avoid the center of the room--largest build up of room modes here. Potential boominess lives here. Avoid the middle of width and length, AND height. Sticking your mics at the halfway point, for example, on the cymbals is a potential "gotcha" situation depending on the space. Definitely avoid the middle ground.<br />
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2.) Think in thirds. Be a third of the total distance off both walls. This is a good starting point. Have your overhead mics two-thirds off the floor or so... same with room mics--which should also be obeying the rule of thirds--make sure that it's away from the walls by that distance as well as height.<br />
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3.) Room corners can be your friends if you want a more "rock" sound. To avoid nasty comb filtering effects stick a gobo or wall in the corner so it's "rounded off" a bit. Near center of the room works great for more "pop" drum sounds.<br />
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4.) Room mics should--in my opinion--be dramatically different in sound/feel from your overheads. Choose different mics for starters. Get them pretty far away if you're going for an ambient approach (i.e. "roomy"); if you want something a bit tighter a single microphone in omni that's about 5-7' closer should work. Speaking of room mics: if you want a more stereo kit you should experiment with mono microphones in spaced pairs with some baffling in between them--signals become more stereo when one side "hears" differently than the other from reflections and time delay--make the most of what you're going to get! Another thing to consider: if you want a 'tougher' and deeper room mic sound set their height to one-third off the floor; if you want a more airy and ambient sound put them at two-thirds height. The 'tougher' setup is going to get more kick/toms/snare; the 'airy' setup tends to accent strike harmonics and especially cymbals. EVERY CHOICE OF YOUR SETUP SHOULD REFLECT YOUR END GOAL!<br />
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This may be a no-brainer, but it is so important it bears repeating: your drum sounds are only as good as your drums and tuning. Call a professional if you have to. Use new heads. Avoid coated heads. The best sounding drum heads have very, very short lifespans... use those. Remo Ambassadors and Emporers rule the day. In my opinion any other choice is just stupid because these are the best sounding heads used on probably a few hundred thousand records that you love. Man up, just get the Remos, make sure they're new and tuned like a champ. A well tuned drum set with quality heads like Ambassadors should give you an erection just hearing them in the room. Until you draw wood, you're not ready for mics.<br />
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Make sure the kit is in great condition. Take care of all the little problems. To wit: oil the kick chain and pedal, oil the high hat pedal, make sure the felts are new-ish and appropriately locked down (not too tight, not too loose), make sure all the laminate and binding is solid inside and out, make sure the drum mounting lips are smooth without divots or bumps, make sure the lugs are secure and quiet, make sure the kit isn't going to fall over--tape the bitch if you have to, make sure the throne doesn't squeak, make sure the snares aren't resonating with the kick/toms (retune if they are), make sure the sticks are good to go and new, make sure the kick isn't going to "walk" on you, make the drummer take off their rattling jewelry, make sure the drummer doesn't have their cell phone on them and knows the punishment if someone texts them during a take, and so forth. If you find the slightest odd noise you need to troubleshoot it and take care of it with extreme prejudice.<br />
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When it comes to microphone choice... well that's getting pretty personal. One man's secret weapon is another man's trash. You know your mic collection--USE IT. The important question, except at the most lavishly equipped studios, is one of allocation--you only have "X" mics to go around. You may have to make compromises. However, your BEST mics should be on the most important elements based on your goal. If a super wide stereo image is no big deal but a beefy room sound is--put the more expensive mics as the rooms instead of the overheads. You get the picture.<br />
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Since we're talking about mics, let's spend a moment on placement. Pay special attention to "problem children" that are going to make hitting your audio goal difficult. If your end product is going to be kick/snare centric you're obviously going to have to spend a minute to make sure your kick and snare mics are isolated as much as possible from the other elements. No matter what, you should take a minute to make sure the goddamn high hat isn't squaking 5's in your snare mic--this is going to screw you every time no matter what. Do whatever it takes to get the high hat out of your snare mic and vise-versa. I know some guys that put the 'hat mic BEHIND the drummer pointing at the hat--using the player's body as a shield to block out the snare. Hey--it works! Whenever possible avoid those clip on mics and use a stand--the less wonky low end sympathetic resonance you can eliminate the more you can let the low end sing 'loud and proud' in your mix without things getting weird.<br />
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Word of warning: don't use two mics on a single source (like kick drum) unless that's what you NEED to do. Most engineers I know just do it because they think it makes them badass. I dunno. Use what you need and nothing more. Sometimes you may need two mics, sometimes you may not need any. Keep your goal in mind, and what/who you're working with.<br />
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After you've covered the basics: kick, snare, toms, overheads and rooms, you can start thinking spot mics. Looking for an ultra stereophonic image? Then spot mic your cymbals; make sure they are in phase, and edit or gate the suckers. When they hit the cymbal you hear that mic, and about 500 ms later it's gone. Does wonders for the stereo image. Just ask Bob Rock, he's famous for these kinds of capers... and it sounds great. Don't worry about getting everything, just get the things important to your end goal. Maybe that means spotting the ride, or the chinas. Whatever it takes, you're there to deliver. You're the man with the plan.<br />
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Now that you've gotten a bazillion microphones on the kit comes the moment of truth--phase check. This is a pain, it takes some time, the band will whine and complain, the drummer will think you're daft, but it is critical that the mics are in sympathetic phase with one another. Use a phase meter, use your ears, zoom in on a snippet of recorded audio and eyeball it for Christ's sake, but do it. Make adjustments. If you are lucky you'll have some of those amazing IBT boxes that let you tweak the phase angle (or just use the UAD plugin). Every time I've been hired to mix a project I didn't record and the drums sounded funky there were always a few mics out of phase.... kick OOP with the OH's, or the middle tom a little bit out. Don't let this be you. This is also why the "less is more" school of drum miking can sound so... well... phase coherent, realistic, punchy and fresh. Once again use what you need and no more/less.<br />
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Let's talk for a minute about outboard gear. If you have it--USE IT! Throw on the compression, get the EQ happening right here and now. Screw options later. If the kit sounds fantastic, what other options do you really need? Obviously don't spend five hours EQ'ing the snare, but paint some bold, broad strokes. Hell, the client is paying for that outboard, might as well use it. Besides, how are you going to know that you've got *THE* sound until you run it through the ropes? This is the old school stuff. And if you've got gates--use them! Gate the kick and snare now. Gate the toms. Make it happen. Do some damage. Once again, this is how they made those records from 20, 30 or 40 years ago you live and die by. Make choices, be an engineer. Plus, all that stuff will be available during mixdown for other things. Saves time to have a bitchin' drum sound by just pulling up faders when starting your mix.<br />
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Last but certainly not least is the player. Unfortunately you're stuck with this guy. You can't swap 'em out like a mic, or tweak them like an 1176, or even fire them like an intern. This is the guy you have to work with. So look out for them. Make sure they are properly rested, know when to tell them to take five minutes for a break. Don't let them drink too much or smoke too much. Be encouraging. Point out the good twice as often as the bad. Let them know you're on their side. Let them know all this hard work during the setup was for THEM. Remind them how much you love recording drums and how there's no such thing as a great record without great drum tracks. Boost their confidence, give 'em a hug now and again. You know... bullshit them. :)<br />
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Okay, now that you've recorded some stellar drum tracks with passion and skill it's time to mix them. While I don't want to get into the depths of mixing drums at the moment (because it would take a month... fiddly subject), there are a few things to keep in mind.<br />
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1.) Did I mention gates were your friend? Well, chances are you're going to need them hardcore mixing without drum replacement. Sometimes, in this crazy world, you may find yourself copying the snare track and gating it really hard for one track, and only gating it a little bit for the other. Do whatever it takes to get that happenin' sound. There are no rules except there's no excuse for bad engineering.<br />
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2.) Commit to not using triggers. Don't wimp out. So what if it doesn't sound like the last 30 Seconds to Mars album... without triggers and Autotune they wouldn't sound like it either. Use older albums as your frame of reference, not today's generic "IQ 80 drum machine" albums.<br />
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3.) Realize that it's not going to sound perfect like a sample replaced album. Revel in the authenticity of each unique note that was created by a living, breathing human applying stick to skin. Take comfort in the knowledge that vibe is everything.<br />
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And don't forget there are a whole host of other options! Try recording drums first, cymbals on a second take--eliminates most of your bleed problems. Or maybe just eliminate the high hat from the main take and overdub it later (I swear they had to be doing this in the 80's, the high hat is so far to the left or right stereo image). Experiment with overdubbing kick or snare on top of the main track (better hope the drummer has rockin' timing and you used a click!) There are a million options to try. Unfortunately none of them are particularly fast ways to record drums."<br />
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Here's mine. ;)<br />
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No professional by any means. But tonight I tried a few new things with great success, and wanted to share them. This is to get you in the right place generally if you are starting out. This is for a natural sounding Pop Rock kinda thing. Somewhere in-between clean and dirty. If you don't like these ideas make your own tutorial! No flaming please. We all mix different. This is for beginner beginners.<br />
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Setting the General Mix<br />
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1. group all your drums into a group.<br />
2. Send them all to a stereo bus<br />
3. Set some generalized levels (hopefully you've got some room mics, if you don't, add a reverb bus in the mix and send it to your stereo bus as well, not a really long reverb either, keep it simple stupid, also 100% wet) and make sure things are in phase.<br />
3. Add brightness to the stereo bus (compare to brightness of favorite mastered CD) Do not do any more EQing here.<br />
4. Find the oomph of your snare and boost it. (if you have two snare top mics boost only one of them, probably the one that captured more low frequencies)<br />
5. Cut the snares oomph frequency from all the other parts of the kit (assuming your rack tom's oomph is below that) including the room.<br />
6. Cut out a low shelf in the overheads hats ride room mics rack and snare below 100<br />
7. Duplicate your stereo bus and nuke it with compression/limiting and mix it under the volume level of your normal drum bus. Take off some of the high end eq. (depending on your plugins used this could add "plugin delay" which will make your drums sound terrible. See bottom.<br />
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Toms<br />
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1. Duplicate your tom tracks<br />
Set a will be for the brightness and attack<br />
Set b will be for the resonance and fullness<br />
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2. Solo your toms and boost the high mid frequencies to get the desired attack/punch. Remove the low end frequencies.<br />
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3. Add a gate, use the side chain frequencies to capture the high mid area. Set the fastest attack and a pretty short release with no hold.<br />
Lets say 200-300ms If the kick and snare come through its fine... Maximum threshold, leave no bleed.<br />
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for set B eliminate all high frequencies above the resonate frequency, set a gate on these with a long release time. 3 - 4 seconds and make sure the attack isn't creating bad artifacts. use the side chain EQ and center in right on the resonate frequencies.<br />
Also leave no bleed here either.<br />
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if you do this right you should have all the attack with no cymbal bleed<br />
and all the resonance without having a bad pongy sound when the toms aren't being played.<br />
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Finish it up<br />
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Add some EQ and compression here and there where it seems necessary on the kick and snare... very light stuff because your compressed drum buss is already doing the job. Your cymbals should all be bright but you can clean up your hats lower and mid frequencies.<br />
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Make sure the hihat is coming from one concentric point. IE gate the snare and outside kick if needed, but leave the bleed at somewhere like negative 10, adjust the ratio so you aren't losing the quieter hits. if you had two top snare mics... you need not worry about this because you don't need to gate your oomph boosted mic most likely.<br />
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THE IMPORTANT PART<br />
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Check your plugin delay.<br />
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If you are using protools you can buy a plugin called mellow muse which you insert as the last plugin on every track.<br />
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Or... Apple click the volume and you should get a new display which will tell you your plugin delay. You can use the time adjuster plugin (it comes with protools) at the end of each track to match the delays.<br />
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Match your drum bus's to eachother. (if stuff was sounding really bad inbetween the drum bus's this is where it gets fixed)<br />
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At this point you should be definitely in the ballpark. Make sure your tracks aren't peaking.<br />
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And here's my random video of the day!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2REG3-Wb5gM" width="425"></iframe>Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-70263979825551376202011-05-24T13:01:00.000-07:002011-05-24T13:01:24.012-07:00Mixing Vocals on ProtoolsHello everyone! Today I found a video on mixing vocals in protools that was very helpful for me when I watched it. It shows how to effectively use EQ and compression on vocals in a mix to make the vocals sound less fuzzy. I thought this guys voice was funny too haha.<br />
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I also found this completely unrelated video.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ty62YzGryU4" width="560"></iframe>Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-3568206422325878422011-05-22T13:19:00.000-07:002011-05-22T13:19:39.951-07:00Condenser Microphone ReviewHello! After the rapture yesterday I thought it would only be appropriate to write a review on three condenser microphones that I think are the best for a engineer on a budget. Well the first question you might ask yourself is, what is a condenser microphone? Well it can be simply described as, a microphone consisting of a capacitor with one plate fixed and the other forming the diaphragm moved by sound waves. So basically it's a microphone used for studio recordings of vocals or stringed instruments. Now that you know what a Condenser microphone is, lets get on to the review.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1) MXL 2006 $169.95</span><br />
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he MXL 2006 is a condenser type microphone with a cardioid pattern. Its greatest use is as a dynamic microphone thanks to its amazing levels of sensitivity, which are unmatched. Users’ MXL 2006 microphone reviews suggest to the device in a well-insulated recording environment, otherwise it will record the sound of the heartbeat of the person in the next room!<br />
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The MXL 2006 microphone comes in a pretty solid brass casing that does not dent easily. Although it requires an external power source, it does not have a power switch, so as soon as you plug it in to your mixer you are ready to go. You WILL need a mixer to record using the MXL 2006 as you will need to regulate the amount of sound the microphone picks up.<br />
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Experienced users’ MXL 2006 microphone reviews mention the product as a great choice if you’re going for a recording of live acoustic guitars. With the correct placement of the mic and minor adjustments to the levels of pickup on your mixer, you will be able to record the guitar in the best way possible. Most users have described the sound recorded through the MXL 2006 microphone as ‘silky’ which speaks volumes for the exact quality of recording through this awesome mic. In fact, it is said that with the proper levels set on your equalizer, the MXL 2006 will not sound any different from a mic 4 times its price! Such is the great equilibrium of sound maintained by this truly magnificent microphone.<br />
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<u>The Good</u><br />
The microphone picks up absolutely every sound. The microphone’s casing is very sturdy. Shock mount helps to eliminate unwanted noise when moving the microphone around.<u> </u><br />
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<u> The Bad</u><br />
The fact that the microphone picks up absolutely every sound can be a bad thing as well. The microphone doesn’t come with an XLR cable, which is rather annoying.<u> </u><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2) MXL V69M-EDT $399.95</span><br />
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A tube condenser microphone that stands above the rest, the MXL V69M-EDT, nicknamed the ‘Mogami Edition’, gives rich quality sound recordings that sound crisp and full-bodied. Although Chinese brands such as MXL are not considered to be the best in the microphone business, the MXL V69M-EDT dispels these beliefs at the flick of the on switch.<br />
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Although tube microphones are said to be better on the lower ranges and not that good in the upper ranges, the MXL V69M-EDT microphone plays a whole different ballgame with great performance on the upper mid-ranges as well, which makes it ideal for recording vocals and acoustic musical instruments. Acoustic guitars will sound harmonic and the various frequency ranges will be mixed nicely without any unwanted peaks in the recording. In essence, this microphone gives a nice ‘vintage’ sound that could only be expected from tube microphones.<br />
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The manufacturer MXL V69M-EDT microphone review specifies that the device requires a dedicated power supply of 110V/230V in order to function. As is to be expected, the only complaint about this microphone is that it does not capture the higher ranges of sound as nicely as we would like, which is a common bane of all tube microphones. <br />
However, the MXL V69M-EDT microphone has gone a long way towards solving this problem.<br />
In conclusion of this MXL V69M-EDT microphone review, it should be said that the product delivers value for the money it costs.<br />
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<u>The Good</u><br />
This microphone is ideal for a recording artist with a low budget. It gives quality recordings with great pickup on the lower and mid ranges. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">The Bad</span></u></span><br />
Although this microphone handles the upper-mid ranges well, it does not work that well with the higher ranges.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3) AKG C 3000 B $299</span><br />
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AKG makes a lot of great products and the C 3000 B is no exception. If the price tag on the 414 is a bit daunting, then the C 3000 B might be a worthy alternative. With a proper frequency range from 20Hz-20kHz, the C 3000 B has bright highs and warm lows. The -10dB switchable pre-attenuation allows it to handle very loud sounds without distortion or feedback. Since it is able to handle high sound pressure levels, the C 3000 B is perfectly suited for live sound and touring. Integrated windscreen, shockmount and hard case are all included. This microphone a great buy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>The Good</u></span></span><br />
Approximating the quality of its pricier counterparts, AKG’s C 3000 B can withstand very high sound pressure levels, which makes them great for live sound and project studios.<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">The Bad</span></u></span><br />
The AKG C 3000 B might be a little pricey for a novice and a pro might benefit from investing in a slightly better model.<br />
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Like always thank you for reading, and I hope this review on three great condenser mics may have helped aspiring engineers in their choice for studio recordings.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-75498294326967124582011-05-21T14:26:00.000-07:002011-05-21T14:26:08.952-07:00Drummer Spotlight<span style="font-size: large;">Today is my 18th birthday!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thought I'd just throw that in there before I got to the drummer spotlight =). Today I will be featuring a video of Tony Royster Jr. This is one of my all time favorite drum videos and I got a lot of my influences from it.</span> </span>The crazy thing is, this kid is only 12 in this video!! That's right, 12! When I watched this video I really focus on his technique because it amazes me that someone so young could have that great of technique. So without further ado... Tony Royster Jr.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/J6T4OwacRL0" width="425"></iframe><br />
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Like always thank you for watching!Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-40517201149415590922011-05-20T12:39:00.000-07:002011-05-20T12:39:41.265-07:00Yahoo Music?Hey guys! Today I'm am going to be talking about the music page on domains yahoo. This music page is interesting because it focuses on the most popular musicians and chart toppers only. Yahoo is mainly known for there e-mail services, but I have always used yahoo radio until the rise of Pandora. <br />
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Today I took a look back at there music page and I was very dissatisfied. Before yahoo's domain got modified it featured upcoming artists, and news about important aspects of music. Although Yahoo Music has some nice new features like being able to create your own playlist and feature constant updates on songs, I feel like I miss the old yahoo.<br />
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I was even thinking of buying a domain name yahoo could host, where I could feature my own music page..<br />
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Thanks for listening to my rant! Until next time! Live, breath, sleep.. Music.Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-72744501555143389422011-05-19T06:49:00.000-07:002011-05-19T06:49:14.092-07:00Micing a Drum KitGood morning everyone! So today I am bringing you a great video I came across for micing drums. It shows us step by step the proper methods to get some of the best sound possible out of a kit. Remember, not all kits sound the same though! And the mics they are using are very expensive. Enjoy!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/awOLcgTxUx0" width="560">&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;So&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;</iframe><br />
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So there you have it! Detailed instructions on how to get a great studio sound out of a drum kit with micing them! Like always thanks for reading!Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-45940343686025273432011-05-18T12:51:00.000-07:002011-05-18T12:51:38.208-07:00Kick Drum Mic ReviewIn the world of audio engineering, getting a great kick drum sound for a manageable price is difficult! So today I will be giving a review of 4 kick drum mics that I feel are worth the buy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1) AKG D 112 Bass Drum Microphone $199-$250</span><br />
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The ultimate bass drum microphone! This microphone was developed for clean kick drum and bass guitar performance with a powerful, punchy sound. Absolutely free of distortion even at high sound pressure levels, very low diaphragm resonance, a relatively narrow-band rising high frequency response at 4 kHz and an extremely robust construction are the outstanding features of this microphone. <br />
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Favored by recording engineers worldwide for its faithful sonic recreation of various flavors of kick drums as well as other low-frequency instruments, the D112 is often referred to as the "best kick drum microphone ever made." This reputation is well-deserved, as it's proved itself to be one of the most versatile kick mics in production today, and a product that continues to distinguish itself from its competitors. No matter the kick drum make or drummer style, this workhorse can handle SPLs as high as 160 dB, and features a substantial and low resonance frequency below 100 Hz, where much of the "boom" from a kick drum can be found. A windscreen is included, as well as a stand adapter. Good results can be obtained by positioning this mic about 1.5" outside the drum hole, slightly off-axis. Overall a great kick drum mic for its price =)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2) Electro-Voice PL33 Dynamic Supercardioid Kick Drum Mic $99-$140</span><br />
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The PL33 is a professional-grade supercardioid dynamic microphone designed to deliver the power, punctuation and snap of kick drums in any size sound reinforcement system or recording studio. With its tight low end, kick drum-modified mid-range and high frequency response, the PL33 delivers all of the percussive impact detail professional drummers and sound system engineers require. Features: Frequency contoured for “dialed-in” kick drum sound / ultra-fast transient response / supercardioid polar pattern / excellent off-axis rejection / powerful Neodymium magnet structure / fine mesh Memraflex grille.<br />
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For the price this baby is unbeatable! It captures all the highs and lows frequency of the kick drum, and sounds really nice!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3) Shure Beta 52A $150-$200</span><br />
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The Shure Beta 52A is a high output dynamic microphone with a tailored frequency response designed specifically for kick drums and other bass instruments. It provides superb attack and "punch, " and delivers studio quality sound even at extremely high sound pressure levels. The Beta 52A features a modified supercardioid pattern throughout its frequency range to insure high gain before feedback and excellent rejection of unwanted sound. A built-in dynamic locking stand adapter with an integral XLR connector simplifies installation, particularly if the microphone is to be placed inside a kick drum. The stand adapter keeps the microphone<span id="ps-extra-desc" style="display: inline;"> position fixed and resists slipping, even when subjected to sharp blows and strong vibrations. A hardened steel mesh grille protects the Beta 52A from the abuse and wear associated with touring.</span><br />
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Shure has been known as a workhorse of the mic industry for years, receiving tremendous market share among live musicians and sound professionals. The Beta 52A is known primarily for its durability, price, and solid sound. To be fair, there are die-hards who swear by this mic, and insist that any results less than stellar can always be traced to those unhappy users either misusing or just being plain ignorant of proper EQ settings during recording. Whatever the case, the Beta 52A remains a top choice for kick and low-frequency instruments that can be found in almost every studio's arsenal. Features include a frequency response shaped specifically for kicks and low instruments, a supercardioid pattern, and integration of a neodymium magnet for high signal-to-noise ratio output. Placement varies among engineers, with some advocating for inside-the-drum, while others prefer using it as a doubling mic outside the hole, or near the beater.<span id="ps-extra-desc" style="display: inline;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;">If you have the money to buy it, its the way to go.</span></span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">4) Audix D6 Kick Drum Mic $199-$250</span><br />
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The Audix D6 is the perfect choice for solid kick drum sounds. The cardioid pickup pattern does an excellent job rejecting sound from external sound source to keep the sound of the kick drum pure and clean. The D6 boasts a VLM (Very Low Mass) diaphragm to react quickly to the attack of the beater, and the 30Hz-15kHz frequency response sports big bumps right where you need it for earth-shaking lows without sacrificing the attack. For other low-frequency instruments such as bass, the D6 fares equally well.<br />
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<b>Audix D6 at a Glance:</b><br />
<ul><li>Tuned specifically for kick drum and low-frequency instruments</li>
<li>Sounds good no matter where you place it</li>
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<b>Tuned specifically for kick drum and low-frequency instruments</b><br />
The D6 is designed specifically to tackle kick drums and other low-frequency instruments. There is 14dB of boost at 60 Hz, 15dB between 4 and 5K, and 17db between 10 and 12k. The tailored response of this microphone makes it ideal for use of 22" bass drums. The D6 capsule features the same legendary VLM technology that has made the D series percussion and instrument microphones very popular for today's live stages and recording studios. The VLM diaphragm ensures that the mic responds very quickly to transients, ensuring the attack isn't lost.<br />
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<b>Sounds good no matter where you place it</b><br />
Drums are one of the hardest instruments to record, especially when trying to replicate the sound of a previous recording. The D6 is designed to sound good in any position and it is not dependent on finding the "sweet spot" of the drum. This is great since you know that time after time, the kick will sound great!<br />
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<b>So there you have it! My review on the best 4 kick drums worth the buy. I hope this post helped any aspiring music producer make a choice on which kick drum mic to roll with. Like always thanks for reading. </b><br />
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Live, Breath, Sleep.. Music.<b> </b> <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-60700779903305919672011-05-17T09:52:00.000-07:002011-05-17T09:52:36.264-07:00Let the Beat DropHey guys! I'm happy to say that my tattoo is healing nicely :D So this morning I would like to show you guys a song that I recorded and produced from my home studio. I used FL studio 10 and my trusty plugin, Nexus! Some positive feed back would be greatly appreciated! So without further ado.. Let the Beat Drop!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kjnslvgpivs" width="425"></iframe>Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-11688964496171857132011-05-16T19:34:00.000-07:002011-05-16T19:34:01.835-07:00New Tattoo!!Hey guys!! So I'm am excited to say that I finally got my tattoo, and I thought I'd share it with all of you =) It didn't hurt as bad as I thought it was, but check it out tell me what you think about it! I came up with the concept myself!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w71WZeCOw_c/TdHeZJ8hFpI/AAAAAAAAAB0/UOen6Z2W_fY/s1600/2011-05-16_16-54-08_134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w71WZeCOw_c/TdHeZJ8hFpI/AAAAAAAAAB0/UOen6Z2W_fY/s320/2011-05-16_16-54-08_134.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Like always thanks again for checking out my blog!! post a comment and I'll return the favor! Until next time... Live Life!Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-62088914771783129472011-05-16T06:32:00.000-07:002011-05-16T06:36:01.632-07:00New Banner!Big thanks to spartan094! He did an immaculate job with my new banner. Excited to say that things are finally starting to get rolling on my blog =) Remember to comment and let me know of any improvements I can make to the site; I'll return the favor!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks once again to Spartan094, you can find his website at:</span><br />
<a href="http://iyqstudios.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">Spartan's Website</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Remember to keep an eye on the blog as I will be updating daily! Thanks for reading!</span></span>Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-58168423120198919632011-05-15T15:11:00.000-07:002011-05-15T15:56:56.390-07:00How to Process Vocals for an Amazing Professional SoundTutorial Details<br />
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Program: Logic Pro 8<br />
Difficulty: Beginner - Intermediate<br />
Completion Time: 1 hour<br />
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Persuading a problematic vocal recording to play nicely with the rest of your mix can seem like a futile task. Well-recorded vocals and poorly-recorded vocals both need to be correctly prepared, and the processes we’re going through today will help you turn your untreated vocal take into a polished and commercial sound.<br />
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Note: this tutorial contains embedded audio that will not display in a feed reader. Click back to the site to read the tutorial with audio or download the Play Pack at the end of the tut.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. Get Rid of Background Noise with Gating</span><br />
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The first thing you’ll probably notice about any vocal recording (good or bad) is the presence of background noise, ranging from subtle to annoying. This can be caused by anything; a computer in the studio, traffic, background conversation and, of course, headphone output bleeding onto the microphone.<br />
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Before the core of the vocal signal can be tackled and processed efficiently, as much of this background noise as possible must be removed. You have a few options here as there are plenty of techniques available, including manually editing the areas of noise or even using automation to lower the level of these regions. Although perfectly valid techniques, the most convenient tool for tackling the issue is a noise gate.<br />
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Noise gates are supplied in one form or another with pretty much every DAW (digital audio workstation). Products such as Cubase, Logic, Ableton and Digital Performer all include feature-rich gate plug-ins out of the box. I’m using Logic Pro 8 here, but the techniques are generic and can be used with any software and similar plug-ins.<br />
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Once you have selected your gate plug, it’s simply a case of setting the threshold so that the body of your vocal is heard but the areas of silence or noise are muted. Even with the most precise setting here, you may notice that your vocal sounds unnatural when coming in and out. This can be solved with some tweaking of the attack and release settings. Some gates will have extra controls such as hold time and gain reduction amount to get an even more natural sound.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Dealing with Low Frequencies</span><br />
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Once your vocal is playing back without any noise it’s time to start thinking about a chain of processing that will compliment the vocal and bring out the best in the performance. The order that I have here is by no means set in stone and is simply one way you can work. Once you have a good understanding of each process you can mess with the order of the processors as you see fit.<br />
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It is important to filter out low frequencies and it is always a good idea to do it early in your chain as this will allow any plug-ins after this point to operate at optimal capacity since they won’t have to process large amounts of unwanted low frequency energy. Many problems due to vibration, further noise during the recording and so on can be eradicated with this simple process.<br />
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I have used an EQ plug-in with the high pass filter engaged. Watch the slope and frequency you use here, as these will need to be adjusted depending on the type of vocal you are working with. For instance, I was able to filter quite a lot of low end as I am working with a female vocal.<br />
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3. Controlling Dynamics with Compression</span><br />
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Of course, it’s likely that in any vocal performance the singer is louder at some points and quieter during others. This may be because the piece requires lots of dynamic variance, or just that they were too close or too far away from the mic at times. Whatever the cause, if your take contains these issues you are going to want to fix them and this is where dynamics processing comes in.<br />
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The use of compressors to control dynamics should be no secret to even a beginner in the field of production. Even the most simple production software will include some form of compression plug-in or limiter that is capable of evening the peaks and troughs in any audio signal. Vocals react especially well to compression and once the correct attack and release settings are applied, pretty large amounts of gain reduction can be used without introducing any negative side effects to your sound.<br />
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Again, if you are not sure how to set up a compressor, start with an initiated patch and try some subtle settings to begin with. You can resort to presets to get the ball rolling and tweak things as you go. Once you have a compressor working correctly on your vocal, you should be able to enjoy an even and more powerful overall sound. If you still feel there are some wayward dynamics leaping out of the vocal channel, some light limiting can be used to put a cap on things.<br />
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4. Take the Hiss Out with De-Essing</span><br />
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If “ssss” and “ch” sounds are causing spikes in your vocal recording, these need to be processed out. This unwanted artefact is called sibilance and is pretty hard to avoid during the recording process.<br />
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You can tackle mild cases of sibilance with a high pass EQ or low pass filter. You may even prefer reducing the gain of the problem areas manually in an audio editor, but again, the easiest route is to use a processor called a de-esser, an automated process designed especially for the job.<br />
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De-essers are pretty common plug-ins with a simple set of controls. Usually one would set the frequency of the problem area and then move onto the sensitivity or threshold setting to ensure the process only kicks in when needed. If you are in any doubt try using the plug-in presets as a guideline and starting point.<br />
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You can hear the de-esser working on the ‘its’ section of the vocal here. Be careful – over use of the process can effect the signal in undesirable ways and make words sound unrealistic and illegible.<br />
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5. EQ and enhancers</span><br />
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After using compression and de-essing, it is possible you may have lost some of the important higher frequencies in your vocal. Although dynamics processing has obvious bonuses, it can leave the signal sounding slightly dull. These frequencies can be dialled back in with the use of subtle shelving equalization or the use of an enhancer.<br />
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In this case I have used Logic’s own EQ to add some upper mids, just to claw back some of the ‘air’ lost in previous processing. Be careful here as you can end up re-introducing the sibilance you spent time removing in previous steps. ‘Less is more’ is the way forward here. Keep things subtle.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. Keep Organized with Grouping</span><br />
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Although there was no use for it in this example, as there is only one vocal track being used, setting up groups or busses can be extremely useful. It is not uncommon to have several similar vocals playing on numerous tracks in any one project. If this is the case, send them all through a master buss and apply your chain of vocal processors to it. Not only will this give you a more cohesive vocal sound but it can save CPU resources as you are only applying the plug-ins once.<br />
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Of course backing vocals and ad libs may need to be sent through their own buss to avoid confusion and masking. It can also be useful to apply different more subtle processes to these secondary vocals to create some contrast between them and your lead part.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">7. Adding Reverb and Delay</span><br />
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Finally, to add space and an ethereal quality you can use some delay and reverb effects. These can be used as inserts, but become especially useful when used in a send/return configuration. This way any automation on your vocal track will not effect the processing and any tails will stay intact. Also the delay and reverb can be used on any channel in your mix. Try not to swamp the vocal with extra effects as it will lose presence and clarity.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">8. Pitch correction and other trouble shooting</span><br />
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There wasn’t a huge amount left to do to this vocal as everything was working nicely after all this processing was applied, but in some cases extra work may need to be done. For instance, if the singer was a little shaky (or tone deaf!) you might feel the need for some pitch correction. This process was made famous by the Antares Auto-Tune plug-in, but there are plenty of other options. Logic 8 has a great bundled pitch correction plug.<br />
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Another final alteration you may want to make is the use of automation to reduce the level of any remaining problem transients. If you aren’t happy with any sibilance or pops that have managed to find their way though the chain of processors, you can simply apply a small dip in the volume automation lane. This will really help to soften the area and eliminate the problem.<br />
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Final ProductMusicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-25981485838275416792011-05-15T09:25:00.000-07:002011-05-15T09:26:04.081-07:00Beatbox Battle!Today I am bringing you a fun spotlight on beatboxbattle.com. This website is the main sight to see tournaments near you, videos, and events. The cool part about this website is that it is all about beat boxing! Based out of Germany, Beatbox Battle is a world championship where 48 different countries compete! Enjoy!<br />
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Babeli ended up winning the whole thing after an intense 6 minute battle. Props!Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-16144312977107544372011-05-14T23:26:00.000-07:002011-05-15T09:15:47.776-07:00Late Night Spotlight!Being a decent drummer myself, I have browsed around Youtube trying to find any drummer that impressed me. Well tonight I'm featuring a drummer named Luke Holland. Luke is from Peoria, Arizona and has an arsenal of different playing techniques. He has a ton of awesome drum covers, and is one of my biggest influences! So without further ado! <br />
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So Badass!Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-39467075684799773142011-05-14T08:25:00.000-07:002011-05-14T08:28:13.443-07:00Dubstep TuTorial!<div style="background-color: white; color: black;">Hello all! Today I bring you a dubstep tutorial for Fl studio 10. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;">Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, United Kingdom. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;">I have taking some of the best video tutorials I could find, and broke them all down for a in depth explanation on how to create dubstep. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: white;"><br />
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</div><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>1) The Beat</u></span></div><div style="color: black;"><br />
</div><ul><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's pretty common to use two different sounding kick drums because two different frequencies mix better then just one.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Use two different snares for a louder and nicer "Pop" sounding hit.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is important to use 3-4 different kind of high-hats.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tempo= 140 Bpm. This is the standard tempo of any dubstep song.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Make sure to add a bunch of sound fx and vocal samples. Remember Dubstep is unorthidox!</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>2) The Bass</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">The bass is the most important part of dubstep. Without a good dirty bass line, you don't have a good dubstep song. Useful plugins to make the bass line are Massive, Blue, V-Station, etc.. Ohmicide is a great distortion plugin to add as well.</span></span><br />
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<ul><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">In this example we will use 3x Osc, a plugin that already comes with Fl studio. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">To get that "Wub Wub" Sound in Dubstep we most first go into the plugin itself and click on the instrument properties cut, then mess with the LFO. (The frequency of your bass sound.)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>The next step is setting the amt all the way up and setting the speed of the LFO in steps so that it is in sync with your tempo.</li>
<li>Messing with the filter in the instrument properties can help you find a better sound as well.</li>
<li>A side note: If you are using different bass plugins, it is important to detune, change octave, and use uni-voice to get that dubby sounding bass.</li>
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So with this knowledge you can create a basic dubstep melody, and mold it into a song. Thanks for reading!Musicofjustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02284169430525789630noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989202967297953843.post-32427191055863873982011-05-13T23:39:00.000-07:002011-05-13T23:39:24.551-07:00My Most Recent Youtube Video!Okay so this week I decided to do a drum cover of a popular hip-hop song by Wiz Khalifa called Roll Up. I was not able to record the video with my drum mics because my audio interface was malfunctioning. But I still thought I incorporated some pretty difficult rhythms into my playing! Let me know what you think!<br />
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<ul><li><span style="font-size: large;">Community College</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Depending on where you live community college can be considered one of the best routes to go to educate yourself about this career. Here in Arizona, Mesa Community College</span> </span>features a very developed and well known audio engineering program. Overall, community college is a safe route to go, plus it saves you a lot more money than going to a university or a tech school.<br />
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<ul><li><span style="font-size: large;">Tech/Vocational School</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tech school is the more pricey route to go, but if you have the money to spend, and your heart is really in to this career then by all means go for it! From my experience tech schools can be helpful because most of them offer an internship at the end, (Some community colleges do as well.) and offer in depth learning about the subject. The one down side is the money! It's not worth it if you have to take a $20,000+ loan because you will be paying back for the rest of your life.</span></span><br />
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<ul><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">No School</span></span></span></li>
</ul><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Surprisingly enough</span> <span style="font-size: small;">school is not necessary for this career path. One of the chief engineers down at Salt Mine Studios in Mesa, AZ told me "Why spend the money on education when you can use that money to buy equipment and learn how to do it on your own?" With our day an age technology is advancing at a rapid pace, most of the curriculum taught at these schools can merely be found on the internet! But this road is risky because it requires more time and more effort. I would advise some business training if you take this route as well because it will be harder to find customers without a degree or certificate unless you can show them recordings that will blow them away.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well that's my 2 sense! Thanks for reading! </span></span> </span></span><br />
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