Great Article on Understand Phase

Has your mix ever sounded “not quite right” but you can’t quite put your finger on it? You might be experiencing phase cancellation, a phenomenon that can make certain frequencies vanish from your mix. To help you out, this Studio Basics article will help you understand phase — what it is, why it matters, and what it means to be out of it.

This article delivers some basics on the subject of sound waves and phase cancellation, and how those issues affect the recording and mixdown process. It isn’t intended to be a comprehensive study of the physics of sound waves, but is designed to help beginning recordists avoid some common pitfalls resulting from poor mic placement, reversed polarity, and other common issues

http://www.uaudio.com/blog/understanding-audio-phase/

EQ And Compression Techniques For Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

Getting all the parts of a mix to fit nicely together, and a few simple compression and EQ techniques can help. This is a great article by Cliff Goldmacher

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How to Sample Music Safely and Effectively

Have you ever listened to a hip hop song, and knew that you had heard it somewhere else, perhaps from an an aunt or uncle, way back in your dad's CD/Cassette collection, or surfing the internet? That is the joy of sampling, and today.

Steps

1. Listen to groups/singers known for sampling (Beastie Boys, Kanye West) and get a feeling for how they put in bits of sound to create a natural feel, almost "organic" in nature.
   
2. Search Your Public Domain, or PD Archive. If it is old enough, odds are someone has sampled it. You will notice a sound occurring in many different songs, all seeming to have the same origin. If you listen to Heavy D & The Boyz (And who doesn't?) and on the song "Don't Curse" you hear that funky brass and drum combo looped throughout, you owe that pleasure to The J.B.'s, one of the most sampled groups of all time (you've probably already Googled them by this point), and that particular sample comes from their (Awesome) "Pass the Peas", a very funky song.
   
3. Aim Low, Or Have Cash. What this means is that use only sample songs that sound great, but are lesser known. If someone sampled something from The Beatles, you get your, uh, butt handed to you. Intense pressure from record labels, and the corporate pitbulls under their employ, have caused more lawsuits than 3 Million R. Kelly's.
   
4. Look EVERYWHERE. It can be a cheesy old George Romero horror film from the 1960s, or a mad sitarist from Calcutta. If it sounds cool, and can be cleared, use it. Why not.
   
5. Out of earshot, out of mind. If a sample is iffy, put it deep in the mix. It is kind of sneaky, but if something from Led Zeppelin is just UNAVOIDABLE, put it under 500 other sounds, and hope no one notices.
   
6. Try different effects. Another idea for samples, both clearable, and iffy, is to mix it up. Add effects. Add distortion, flanger, chorus, reverb, spacer, vocalizer, echo, slow it down, speed it up! The music world is your oyster.
   
7. Try and TRY again. If one sample doesn't work out with the rest, a key good side is that there are almost an INFINITE amount of songs to sample.
   

Tips

• Look up your law. If there is a history of trouble concerning one group/singer/song, avoid it. In 2001, over 800 artists INDIVIDUALLY, got sued over 500 lawsuits concerning the catalog of George Clinton, Funk pioneer.
  
• Looks Clear. The Winstons, or Winston Brothers, have the privilege of having one of the most versatile and most used samples of all time. The "Amen Break" is a drum section of "Amen Brother", a song of theirs. Listen to it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiUSbOnEqc4 It begins at 1:27
  

Warnings

• At your own risk. If you use a sample that is big enough, or has gotten used and caused a lawsuit, you are doing so on your own back.
  

Things You'll Need

• Internet
  
• Interest In Eclectic Music
  
• Some editing software (Go for free, like Wavepad or Audacity. Why pay?)
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Sample Music Safely and Effectively. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Great Vocal Recording Tips for Beginners

Love to sing? Think you have the voice to actually make a real recording? If so, read this article to find out how to!

Steps

1. Creating a killer vocal recording is easy if you follow these methods. A great vocal can mean the difference of selling your song and not selling your song. A great vocal recording is created when you have a recording where you hear and understand every word that is spoken or sung, has good presence and detail and has warmth and character. Lets look at some techniques that will have your vocals sounding like a "million dollars".
   
2. Recording your vocal performance is THE most important step to achieve a vocal that will sound detailed and have presence. Before tracking your vocal, you need to make sure you can get the best microphone you can afford. A large diaphragm microphone is the best possible choice for vocals but can be a bit expensive. A microphone like this can withstand high SPL (sound pressure level) making it the number one choice for all types of vocals.
   
3. Mic pre amps supply your mic with 48v phantom power. A really good mic pre will give you some compression and or limiting plus eq and maybe other dynamic processing. You can boost the gain of your mic to get a good hot signal to your DAW. A good Preamp can give your vocal track presence that will cut through your mix and sit properly in the track.
   
4. When recording your vocal into your DAW, be sure to get the level (signal) as hot as possible but NOT IN THE RED. Peaks are not our friends.
   
5. Depending on your type of microphone, the placement may vary. 7 to 12 inches is ideal. If you are using a tube mic allow the mic to “warm up” to operating range. The mic should be at a 45° angle to the subject. If your mic has polarity settings pay attention to set the correct settings.
   
6. A high quality microphone stand is recommended. A shock mount should be used to hold the microphone. This can help with bumps while recording and dial the mic in. You should also have a pop screen for the microphone. This can eliminate unwanted plosives (P's, B's, T's, etc.).
   
7. If you use these keys while recording, you can achieve a "Million Dollar" vocal recording.
   

Make Music With Your PC at Home

How to Make Music Using a Computer

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Here are a few basic steps to kick start your way into becoming a computer musician.

Steps

1. Get access to a computer. You will need a reasonably fast processor and at least 1 gb of RAM.
   
2. Access a digital audio workstation (or daw). If you own a Mac, then you already have a very decent daw called Garage Band. Some other very popular daws are Logic Express/Pro (Mac only), Sonar, FL Studio (PC only), Cubase, Ableton Live (PC and Mac), Pro Tools (only works with Digidesign or M-Audio interfaces). If you are looking to make electronic music, only then you should also look into Propellerhead Reason.
   
3. Get an audio interface. A basic interface usually consists of two input pre-amps that go into two analog to digital converts, two line outputs (left and right) and a headphone output. they are available in USB, firewire, PCI, etc. Usually when you get an interface you will also get a lite version of Cubase, Ableton Live, Sonar, or Pro Tools. This should solve your daw problem if you are a PC user. Some popular brands are Apogee (Mac only), Digidesign, M-Audio, Tascam, Presonus, Edirol, Yamaha, etc.
   
4. Start recording. There are two ways of recording into your computer. One of them is using a microphone (condenser, dynamic, or ribbon) and a pre-amp (usually included in your interface). To record this way, just connect the microphone to the XLR input of your interface, turn on the phantom power (+48V) if you're using a condenser microphone, and set the gain to where it doesn't clip on your daw (go over 0db). If you want to record using an external pre-amp, make sure you bypass your interface's pre-amp and you have phantom power turned on in either you interface or the pre-amp. The other way to record is by using the direct inputs (also known as instrument inputs in most interfaces). This is usually used for recording guitars, synthesizers, drum machines, or any external sources. To record this way, just hook up your guitar, synthesizer, or whatever you are recording straight into the 1/4 input of your interface and set the gain to where it's not clipping. If you are using a guitar amp emulation software (like amplitube, guitar rig, revalver, etc.), then this is how you should record your guitar/bass.
   
5. Check out the synthesizers. There are three main kinds of synthesizers: analog, digital, and software. A synthesizer basically uses waves or samples to create sounds. Different waves produce different sounding tones. Some of the basic waves used are the square, saw, sine and pulse waves. You can also mix different waves together to get different sounds. Some synthesizers also let you morph different waves together, making your own waves. There are other tools that help you alter the sound of the synth, the next most important being the filters. These usually consist of cutoff and resonance and are usually low pass (lp) and hi pass (hp). The filters usually have their own ADHR (attack, decay, hold, and release) modifiers. After that usually comes the amp/loudness ADHR modifiers and effects (distortion, chorus, delays, reverbs, etc). Synths may seem confusing at first, but the best way to learn how to use them properly is to experiment with them. Start by focusing on the Oscillators (waves) and the filters, first.
   
6. Be aware of the dynamics. Compression is always good for keeping your drums punchy, keeping your vocals at a constant level, and also making synthesizers and guitars sound tight. Limiting is used to keeping your tracks from clipping. Maximizers are good for making thing sound louder.
   
7. Add effects. These are also important. Reverbs are used for tasks like making your electronic drums sound like they are in the same room or making things sound like they are far away, etc. Delays are also a good way of making something sound spacey. Chorus and ensembles are usually used to widening and detuning. There are many other effects like phasers, flanges, filters, distortions, and ring modulators that can be used for anything you like.
   
8. Mix your song. For this you will need a good pair of headphones (flat response) and some studio monitors (if you can afford them). Make sure you have a limiter on your master channel so nothing goes over 0db. Start by mixing the kick drum to where it hits 0db, and then throw the bass up as desired. After you are done with that, everything else should be simple.
   
9. Try to keep things off the center. The only things that should be mainly in the center are the kick drum, snare, bass, vocals, and maybe your guitar/synth solo. some good ways to make things wider is by using a chorus effect, turning on the unison on your synthesizer, or delaying the left or right channel by a few samples.
   
10. Practice, practice, practice. It will take you some time to get everything sounding how you want it to. There is nothing like a perfect mix, you should always aim to make the best mix you can.
    

Tips

• Look up more detailed information on the equipment listed here, so you know what you're doing.
  

Things You'll Need

• Computer
  
• Digital audio workstation
  
• Audio interface
  
• Instruments
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Music Using a Computer. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

‘Day ’n Nite’ has made stars of singer/rapper Kid Cudi and producer Dot Da Genius

For someone with such a self-aggrandising name who has already enjoyed major success at the age of 24, Dot Da Genius turns out to be surprisingly modest. The keyboardist, composer, engineer and producer is the studio tech-head behind, and co-writer of, Kid Cudi’s mega hit ‘Day ’n Nite’. Having enjoyed hit status for nearly two years, it will feature on Cudi’s debut album, Man On The Moon: The End Of Day, out this autumn. On the album, newcomer Da Genius will be rubbing shoulders with established hip-hop stars like Kanye West and will.i.am.

‘Day ’n Nite’ reached the top three in the US and the UK, and while Da Genius and Cudi’s original version is the most well-known in the US, in Europe it’s the remix by Italian DJ duo the Crookers that has most caught the public ear. 

Read Full Story: ‘Day ’n Nite’ has made stars of singer/rapper Kid Cudi and producer Dot Da Genius

Studio Monitors: Powered vs Unpowered

Powered vs. Unpowered Monitors

Q: Powered or Unpowered monitors? 

A: Comes down to personal preference. A "powered" monitor is one that has a built-in amp and is self-powered, or has its amplification built into the speaker.  An "unpowered" monitor is not self-powered and will require an external amp for it to work.

Passive / Unpowered Monitors & Amps

To operate Passive / Unpowered Monitors, a separate amplifier is required. If you already own a power amp, then passive monitors may be a viable option.  However, this will add a bit of complexity in the sense you will need to deal with two separate pieces (actually several when you consider cables and connectors) - the monitor and the power amp. Monitors are fairly straight forward, but while figuring out a power amp is not rocket science it's not super easy to set up for the beginning studio owner.

Active / Powered Monitors 

Active / Powered Monitors allow you to simply plug in and listen; no need for amps, wires etc. Many of us don't want to know about ohms, watts, damping, overload protection, crossovers, and the like - it's enough to know that the monitor works, it sounds great and all I really have to do is plug it into my mixer or computer audio interface. The whole point is to get crackin' and make music.  Why worry about that other stuff?


My Studio Monitor Setup

I currently use the Alesis M1 Active Mk2 Bi-Amplified Reference Monitor (Pair) in my studio which I've had for a number of years now.

I highly recommend the following monitors as I've heard and mixed on these monitors in various studios:
Yamaha HS80M Studio Reference Monitor
Mackie HR824mk2 Pair of 8 inch 2-Way High Resolution Studio Monitor
M-Audio BX8a 8-inch BiAmplified Studio Monitor Speakers