Perhaps even more important than equalization, the process of making instrument volume levels even throughout the duration of a song is paramount to achieving a great mix.
Volume levels should be somewhat dynamic for creative purposes, but for many instruments–particularly bass guitar and vocals–the volume should be relatively even. Otherwise, you risk listeners ability to hear every word or every note.
So…how do we do this? There are two major ways. First, you could go through and even out the levels with manual fader riding. But…that takes a lot of time and time is money as they say. So…what else? Compression.
Compression is basically automatic gain riding. You set how the compressor should react to a signal that goes over a set level (called the Threshold) with attack and release controls.
You can also use a compressor creatively. Here are a few video tutorials to watch on the subject of compression:
If that tutorial wasn’t good enough, watch this one:
The type of compressor you use is also important. Once you learn the basics with a standard digital compressor that is built into most DAW software, it’s time to move onto hardware emulations. Watch this video for a brief overview of the compressors top audio engineers use:
There are also plugins that automatically ride volume faders for vocals and bass such as
and
Finally, here are some videos on how to do parallel (New York) and serial compression tricks:
What is an equalizer? It is volume for frequencies.
What are frequencies? They are periodic vibrations that are audible to the human ear. In layman’s terms, they are the parts that make up a sound wave.
Equalizers were invented originally for telephone systems. They were used to increase audible perception of electrical signals that are sent over long distances. Without the help of EQ, telephone calls would be frustrating to understand.
In the same way, equalizers help audio engineers create better audio signals. Could music be made without equalizers? Sure. You would need access to a large microphone selection and place it in the perfect spot in front of a high quality instrument along with using high fidelity (expensive) microphone preamps.
Most of us don’t have the luxury nor the time, so equalizers are a great substitute for audio that wasn’t recorded perfectly.
EQs are also employed during the recording process for the very same reasons. Even if a studio has a large collection of microphones and very nice preamps, they may not have the time to audition each microphone to hear which one works best for a particular instrument or voice. EQs are time and money savers.
So, how do you use them? My favorite way is layed out in this video:
I use that technique in every mix because it simply works. Now…what are some of my favorite equalizers? Watch these videos:
I have an affinity for clean equalizers like DDMF IIEQ Pro at the start of a chain. Then a “character” equalizer like an API 550b, Neve 1073 or Pultec next. Rounding everything off, a nice dynamic equalizer after compression may be needed. So yes, I am a fan of serial EQing to get the job done.
In this just released DGTRS promotional video, many truth bombs are dropped. Take a look at two different paths people who are passionate about audio engineering have the choice of taking:
College tuition in the United States is very expensive. For the recording arts, is it worth going to school or should you spend it in another way? The decision is yours.
Drums are one of the hardest instruments to record. Here are a few excellent video tutorials on the topic of drums recording. First, take a look at the Focusrite Academy video series. Then, play the videos below:
That should be enough to cover the art of recording drums. If you haven’t already, read the How to Tune Drums article.
This article contains Amazon affiliate links that support this web site.
There are a number of excellent articles online about the art of tuning drums. The Drum Tuning Bible is among the best. If for some reason that link ever goes down I have archived it in PDF form here: DrumTuningBible
Next up, some video tutorials! But before that, I recommend the Tune-bot Studio to make life easier. If you need to tune drums in a noisy environment then the Digital DrumDial is a good alternative.
When recording musicians with real acoustic instruments, I suggest that they bring them over the day before. This is so that the instruments can be acclimatized to the studio live room’s temperature and humidity.
Wood, metal and other materials contract and expand so if you don’t give instruments a chance to settle to a new environment then they may have trouble staying in tune.
Also, for guitar players who aren’t “in the know” they should stretch new strings before putting them on a guitar. Checking intonation BEFORE booking studio time is also a very smart and necessary thing to do.
The same is true for drummers and fresh drum heads. They need to be palm stretched before being tightened onto lugs.
Headquartered in Winter Park, Florida, Full Sail University is a school that you have probably heard of. They spend a ton of money on marketing so their name is widespread throughout the audio production community. And they have a beautiful campus. It’s very high tech and eye appealing.
Here’s the thing…you don’t need them. In fact, going there may hinder your ability to land a job. Or better yet, to start your own business. How so? Number one, the expense.
According to https://www.fullsail.edu/admissions/tuition a Music Production or Recording Arts program will cost $72,000 . SEVENTY TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS! That is ridiculous! In case the web page changes, here’s a screen shot for posterity:
Full Sail University on campus tuition, June 2017.
(Update: As of July 9, 2017 the Full Sail University Recording Arts program now costs $78,000!)
Now, don’t get me wrong. FSU may provide a quality education. I have read numerous complaints from current and past students that a lot of teachers/professors or whatever they are called at FSU tell students to solve problems by going on Google/YouTube/etc. Wait…what?
You’re supposed to be the teacher! Anybody can go on Google without paying tuition at FSU. Why don’t YOU look up the answer and then get back with the student. Isn’t that your job?
The other major complaint that I’ve read is that material is rushed. If you teach brand new concepts too fast then it doesn’t sink into your brain. Especially if you are just READING about something and NOT doing. Learning about audio engineering should be hands on from day one if you ask me. That’s number two. How often do you get to use all of the fancy high end gear that they love to advertise on their web site and at open house (behind the scenes) events? If Full Sail has students in a classroom learning too much theory and not enough practical information then they are doing a huge disservice to their students.
I cannot vouch for the quality of a Full Sail University’s education when it comes to audio production. What I can say is that it is VERY difficult to find a job in this career field. And you do not need to go to FSU to learn how to produce/record/mix music. You can call up any number of studios with the fancy high end gear and offer a bribe. Money talks, so if you want to gain experience in a real world studio one way to get your foot in the door is with cold hard cash.
Another path to take is by reading through the web sites like the one you are on right now. I started Don’t Go to Recording School last month in order to save a lot of wannabe audio engineers the debt and frustration.
What’s in it for me, you ask? Well, it’s really simple. If you decide to open your own studio and need some guidance, I hope you consider my consultation services. They are way cheaper than tuition at most colleges. That’s if you don’t want to read through all of the articles on this web site which will put you on the path to not only being a good (and eventually great) audio engineer) but also as a successful business person as well,
If you aren’t interested in consultation services, at least when you go to buy audio gear for your studio I hope that you use the various Amazon affiliate links that are scattered throughout this web site.
That’s it. So, back to Full Sail.
Don’t just take my word for it. Questions about Full Sail pop up often on the audio production message board Gearslutz and others. Here’s one, here’s another and another. Find more with this Google search.
At one point, Full Sail University sued the guy who made FullSailSucks.com, took ownership of the domain and shut it down. That’s how they treat former students, I guess. You can still see remnants of the site on Archive.org though. In my opinion, Full Sail is afraid of the truth getting out there. If they ever sue me, they better bring the full football team because I refuse to get sacked. I’m not afraid of lawyers or judges.
Reviews on the school throughout the internet are mixed. The ones on Yelp are the most interesting but you may have to dig deep to get to the juicy ones. The word on the street is Yelp gets paid off Mafia style by Full Sail but that may or may not be true. You be the judge on why the negative reviews are hidden by Yelp.
The one place they can’t shut down is this YouTube channel. They have a few videos of interest.
My advice? Hit the ground running and start calling up studios. Skip the middle man. See if the studios have any internship openings. If they don’t, persuade them with that green and gold. A spot may just open up when the smell of greenbacks wafts through the phone line. I would rather spend two years interning at a few different studios then spending two years at Full Sail. And hey, maybe one of those studios will offer you a job if you’re good enough?
If that doesn’t work, open your own studio. Read every article on this site and if you still need some guidance give me a call at (718) 303-2543 to set up either a Skype or in-person consultation. A British lady will answer the voice mail if I’m not available.
If you want to hear more opinions from other audio engineers on this subject, watch the following videos:
As the saying goes, “attitude is everything”. In business, this is often the case. Whether it’s the way you talk to/treat employees or customers, the way you handle your business can make or break it.
This is very true when it comes to running a recording studio business. It not only affects your bottom line but it can also affect the success of a music production.
It all starts with first impressions. How does your studio’s web site look? How about the social media pages? When someone calls you do you answer the phone or does it go straight to voice mail?
Is the physical studio looking good or is it an unwelcoming space? High end studios often times offer amenities like a full kitchen, place to shower, green rooms to watch TV/play video games/hang out and sometimes even a place to sleep!
The environment has a lot to do with the studio’s vibe. What color are the walls? Decorations? How about the lighting? Bright overhead fluorescent lights are nice for setting up equipment but low wattage incandescent lights or even candles can help set the mood. All of this stuff matters. This is where doing some research on your competitors helps out a lot. What do they offer? What do their facilities look like?
Having a great attitude even when you are feeling down can go a long way to better recordings. Don’t make the mistake I used to by bogging customers down in technical talk. Set things up and give them a great recording! If you are going to talk while setting gear up, talk about their project or something else music related. Or…anything else if they don’t want to talk about music!
Music producer Warren Huart made an excellent series of videos on this topic and more. I would start with this one and then go down the playlist.
A lot of advice on various audio engineering topics are on this web site and Real Home Recording. But, it’s very important to know what cannot be taught. These two videos are must watches:
Just like if you watch or read advice on getting a job or dating that will do nothing for your career or love life if you do not try things out yourself. If these videos didn’t motivate you, then watch this one:
As your studio grows you will accumulate a lot of cables. At some point they will turn into “spaghetti” and it will be quite the mess! You’ll waste a lot of time figuring out which cable is which and where it needs to go. Take care of this before it becomes a problem by labeling that cable!
