Blog - The Home Recording Studio

05Aug 2023 by Jon

Universal Audio PolyMAX Synth: Get It for Free

Blog, Composing, Home Recording Blogs, Mixing

Universal Audio are one of the leading developers of audio plugins and hardware. Their plugins are known for their high quality and authentic sound. Recently, Universal Audio have released some of their plug ins and instruments as native plug ins, including the PolyMAX Synth. So these will work with any audio interface and any DAW. In this blog post, we will take a look at UAD PolyMAX and show you how you can get it for free. What is Universal Audio PolyMAX Synth? PolyMAX is a vintage-inspired synth with fat analog tones from the golden age of poly-synthesis. PolyMAX is a subtractive synthesiser with two oscillators, a state-variable filter, and two envelopes. It also features a variety of modulation options, including FM, SYNC, and LFO. PolyMAX is inspired by classic…

03Jul 2023 by Jon

Budget vs Pro Mics on Piano

Blog, Home Recording Blogs, Microphones, Recording, Uncategorized

Can budget microphones really compete with high-end microphones when recording piano? In this piano microphone test, I compare two omnidirectional condenser microphones at very different price points to see how they perform on a real acoustic piano in a real-world recording environment. The test took place in a pretty special location — the John Lennon Suite at the Hard Day’s Night Hotel in Liverpool, complete with a beautiful white baby grand piano. This was a great opportunity to put a pair of microphones to the test and let you hear the results for yourself. 👉 Watch the full piano microphone test video here:https://youtu.be/UiaxBd_O4ME https://youtu.be/UiaxBd_O4ME The Piano Microphone Setup For this test, I used two pairs of omnidirectional microphones, both well suited to capturing the full frequency range and natural resonance…

05May 2023 by Jon

Introducing Imagine Piano

Blog, Home Recording Blogs, Recording, Sound Design

Imagine Piano was recorded at the iconic Hard Days Night Hotel in Liverpool, England. The setting is rich with musical history and atmosphere. With two carefully sampled velocity layers and authentic key release samples, this instrument captures the full nuance and personality of a very special piano. To ensure incredible depth and realism, the piano was recorded using six different microphones, organized into three groups: Two pairs of omnidirectional microphones One XY stereo pair of cardioid microphones Each microphone group has its own distinct character, and users can blend them freely to sculpt their perfect piano sound. Whether you want something soft and natural or bright and detailed, Imagine Piano offers the flexibility to create a sound that fits your track perfectly. All samples were recorded with the sustain pedal…

01Apr 2023 by Jon

Open-Back vs Closed-Back Headphones: Which Are Best for Mixing and Recording?

Blog, Home Recording Blogs, Mixing, Recording, Recording & Mixing

When it comes to audio mixing and recording, choosing the right headphones can make a huge difference to how accurately you hear your music. One of the most common questions home producers ask is: Should I use open-back or closed-back headphones? In this guide, we’ll break down the key differences between open-back and closed-back headphones, their pros and cons, and when you should use each type in a home recording studio. What’s the Difference Between Open-Back and Closed-Back Headphones? The difference comes down to how the ear cups are designed: Open-back headphones have perforated or vented ear cups that allow air and sound to pass through. Closed-back headphones have sealed ear cups that isolate sound inside the headphones. That design choice affects soundstage, isolation, comfort, and how suitable they are…

04Feb 2023 by Jon

Lo-Fi Guitar Effect Tutorial (Boss GT-1000 / GT-1000 Core)

Blog, Home Recording Blogs, Recording, Techniques

Creating a convincing lo-fi guitar sound doesn’t require exotic gear or complicated signal chains. In this tutorial, I’ll show you exactly how I built a lo-fi guitar patch on the Boss GT-1000 / GT-1000 Core, explain the key effects that give it that wobbly, degraded character, and show you how to recreate the sound even if you don’t own this unit. 👉 Watch the full video tutorial here:https://youtu.be/s0WPXnXadEQ https://youtu.be/s0WPXnXadEQ You can also download the patch for free if you own a Boss GT-1000 or GT-1000 Core. What Makes a Guitar Sound “Lo-Fi”? Before diving into the patch, it’s worth clarifying what we actually mean by lo-fi guitar. Lo-fi guitar tones typically include: Pitch instability (wow & flutter) Subtle distortion or saturation Reduced clarity or bandwidth Modulation and ambience that feels…

22Jan 2023 by Jon

Binaural Microphone Review: SR3D Pro XLR vs DIY Binaural Kit

Blog, Field Recording, Home Recording Blogs, Microphones

If you’re interested in binaural audio recording or you’re thinking about buying a binaural microphone, this review will help you decide which option is right for you. In this article, I review and compare two binaural microphones from SR3D: The SR3D Pro XLR binaural microphone The SR3D DIY binaural microphone kit Both were tested in a range of real-world scenarios, including indoor and outdoor recording, quiet ASMR-style sounds, and louder environments like fireworks. 👉 Watch the full binaural microphone review video here:https://youtu.be/… https://youtu.be/ni9QtCV2HKU What Is Binaural Audio? Binaural audio is designed to replicate the way humans hear sound. We have two ears, spaced a short distance apart, and our brain uses timing, level differences, and reflections from our head and ears to determine direction and depth. Binaural recording mimics this…

09Oct 2022 by Jon

Record Audio For Screencasts – with separate audio feeds

Home Recording Blogs, Microphones, Mixing, Podcast, Recording, Recording & Mixing, Techniques, Uncategorized

In this post, I will demonstrate how I record audio for screencasts and video tutorials. I'll show you a FREE application that allows you to record audio for screencasts with separate audio feeds for my microphone and system sound. Why do I need separate audio feeds? Most screen recording applications will record a mix of microphone and system audio. This means you don't have any control over the individual levels once the screencast has been recorded. In my videos, I like to demonstrate audio techniques by playing audio and talking at the same time. If I record my system audio too loud people won't be able to hear my voice and there is no way to fix this afterwards. How to record separate audio feeds In this video, I walk…

02Oct 2022 by Jon

How to Claim Your Spotify for Artists Profile Before Your First Release

Audio Streaming, Home Recording Blogs, Techniques

Releasing music to Spotify for the first time can be confusing — especially when you don’t yet have an Artist page that’s easy to find. In this guide, I’ll show you how to claim your Spotify for Artists profile before your first release goes live, so you can pitch your track to Spotify editorial playlists and get your launch set up properly. This walkthrough is based on my own experience claiming a brand new artist profile using DistroKid, but the same general process applies to most distributors. 🎥 Watch the step-by-step video https://youtu.be/wlkNl4ZHRas Why You Should Claim Your Spotify for Artists Profile Spotify is one of the biggest streaming platforms, and getting your music in front of listeners often comes down to visibility — and playlists are a big part…

14Sep 2022 by Jon

How to Produce High-Energy Hip-Hop (90s-Inspired, Sample-Based Workflow)

Blog, Composing, Home Recording Blogs, Mixing, Sampling, Stock Music, Techniques

High-energy hip-hop is a hugely popular style in sync licensing, stock music, and modern production, and it’s also one of the most fun genres to produce. In this tutorial, I break down one of my own high-energy hip-hop tracks, showing you the sounds, samples, and production techniques I use to capture that upbeat, vintage-inspired feel with a modern twist. 👉 Watch the full video breakdown here https://youtu.be/cin_4NJPx1c What Is High-Energy Hip-Hop? The style I’m focusing on here is heavily influenced by 90s hip-hop, particularly sample-driven records that blend funk, soul, spoken word, and turntable-style rhythms. Common Characteristics of High-Energy Hip-Hop Strong influence from 90s hip-hop Largely sample-based Vintage, dusty, or lo-fi flavour Funk and soul samples Tempos typically between 90–100 BPM Spoken-word and vocal phrase samples Scratch-style sounds Repetition balanced…

06Sep 2022 by Jon

How to create 60 second edits like a pro

Blog, Composing, Home Recording Blogs, Mixing, Sound Effects, Stock Music, Techniques

Do you compose Stock Music or Production music? Then you need to create edits of your tracks. In this guide, I show you how to create 60 second edits like a pro! Why do I need to create edits? So, you've created your track and you want to upload it to Stock Music Libraries like Pond5 and Audiojungle. However, if you want to maximise your chances of selling, you need to create some edits. Here's why: Edits add value for the customerCustomers may need longer than the track you have created - this is why we make Loop editsCustomers need short, concise edits for certain mediums30 or 60 seconds is a common length for TV or Radio commercialsYou can sell edits as separate tracks (on certain libraries), increasing the potential…