Articles from August 2009

For the uninitiated, “plugins” are the software effects that can be plugged in to your DAW recording software to add various effects or virtual MIDI instruments to your recordings. (more…)

Playing drums is a physically-demanding activity, perhaps more so than playing any other musical instrument. A drummer will often be seated behind his kit for hours at a time for practicing, rehearsing, and performing. For this reason, it’s especially important to be comfortable when you play. One key that I’ve discovered to setting up my kit to make playing more comfortable is what I’ll call the “offset bass drum position”. (more…)

Choosing a studio for your recording project is not a decision to be taken lightly. Choosing the right studio can mean the difference between a shining success and a miserable failure of a project. Following the guidelines below can help you along in this all-too-important process. (more…)

Most engineers will agree that the acoustic drumkit is the most difficult instrument to record and get a professional quality sound. It probably doesn’t help matters that I’m also a drummer, so I’m a tough customer to please. My drum recordings have gotten progressively better over time (thanks mostly to some helpful mixing tips and tricks), but I’m always looking for something to help take my recorded drum sounds to that elusive “next level”. (more…)

I’ve wanted a new mixer for the last few years to use in my project studio and for occasional live gigs, but I’ve had a hard time choosing one. I wanted at least 16 channels with XLR inputs (on all 16 channels), 4 subgroups, at least 2 pre-fader Aux sends with balanced outputs (for monitor sends), built-in effects for a touch of reverb (so I don’t have to carry an additional rack unit), and at least 8 direct outputs for multi-track recording. And of course, I wanted all of this for a reasonable price (I’m not asking for much, huh?). (more…)

Introduction
When dealing with live sound systems, a common question that I have both asked and been asked over the years is, “How much power amp do I need to sufficiently power my speakers?” (more…)

Recording in the studio should always be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. So here’s a list of tips that will help you to make the most of your recording session.
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by Jon Goad

Introduction
If you’ve never recorded in a professional studio before, it will be helpful to familiarize yourself with the recording process before you ever step foot in the studio. From start to finish, the process of recording a song includes several steps:

1. Pre-production
2. Setup
3. Tracking
4. Mixing
5. Mastering

(more…)

Welcome to the Silent Sky Studios Blog. I’ve been writing a series of articles for my recording studio website, and I decided it would be much easier to add new content on a regular basis by publishing these articles in a blog format instead. I hope you enjoy!