by Nathan Ruff | Nov 7, 2022
The music industry has come a long way since needing to record a song all in one take, all in one place. Today, the brass can be in New Orleans, the vocals in Nashville, and the percussion in Pretoria. An audio engineer then brings it all together thanks to today’s...
by Nathan Ruff | Aug 10, 2022
So you’ve written a great song or a piece of music, and you want to get it recorded and saved as soon as possible. Thanks to modern technology, you no longer have to wait until you have the money to record it professionally in a recording studio (or try to remember...
by Nathan Ruff | Aug 10, 2022
OPTIMUM MONITORING ENVIRONMENT Normal construction — parallel walls, sheetrock, 2×4’s, plywood, insulation, hollow floors and doors, etc. — may be robbing you of the clarity and proper sound imaging that you need from your monitor speakers. Try these steps for...
by Nathan Ruff | Aug 10, 2022
MICROPHONE SELECTION AND PLACEMENT Standard techniques for miking snare drums, guitars and vocals are well-documented, but sometimes unusual situations can trip you up in the studio. Here are a couple of tricks: If the drum set you’re miking has six or more...
by Nathan Ruff | Aug 10, 2022
This is one of the most evasive and frustrating phenomena ever to invade our workstations. Let’s get rid of it! Use only one A/C “breaker” line for your workspace. No shared appliances (ie: refrigerator, washer/dryer, dishwasher). Do not...
by Nathan Ruff | Aug 4, 2022
You can record a kick drum using two mics and have ultimate control of thickness and punch. Here’s how: Use a mike that has a high SPL (sound pressure level) to mike the inside of the kick, close to the head. Move the mike around to get the best of the...
by Nathan Ruff | Jun 23, 2022
Live music is big business. The highest-grossing tours by major label artists can rake in hundreds of millions of dollars every year. The even more shocking aspect of this objective fact is that they are getting more lucrative all the time. Sure, people talk about...
by Nathan Ruff | Jun 23, 2022
What do you Need to Become a Music Producer? The role of a music producer can be one of the most exciting and creative jobs within the music industry, but it can also be one of the most hectic. If you’re serious about being a producer you need to be fully invested....
by Nathan Ruff | Jun 23, 2022
Everyone, at some point in time, has dreamed of being a rockstar. Finding a massive audience for music that’s a direct reflection of who you are. Finding a platform to create artwork that’s a sincere reflection of your thoughts, opinions, and experiences. However,...
by Nathan Ruff | Jun 23, 2022
If you’re an up-and-coming musician there’s only one way to get noticed. Make work. You need to be producing songs. You need to be out in the streets making connections and showing your abilities. That’s the only way to make headway within the industry. A while back,...
