Blog - The Home Recording Studio

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 versus Closed-back Headphones

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

When it comes to audio mixing, there are two main types of headphones to choose from: open-back and closed-back. Both types of headphones have their own advantages and disadvantages, so it's important to choose the right type for your needs. Open-back Headphones Open-back headphones have a more natural soundstage than closed-back headphones. This is because the sound waves are not trapped inside the headphone cups, but can instead travel freely through the air. This gives you a more accurate representation of how your mix will sound in the real world. Open-back headphones are also more comfortable to wear for long periods of time. This is because they allow your ears to breathe, and they don't create as much pressure on your head. However, open-back headphones have one major disadvantage: they…

04Feb 2023 by Jon

Lofi Guitar Effect Tutorial

Blog, Home Recording Blogs, Recording, Techniques

How to create Lofi Guitar Effects In this video, I explain how to create a Lofi Guitar effect by using my Boss GT1000 Core. You can also download the patch to use if you own the Boss GT1000. Watch the video to find out more: https://youtu.be/s0WPXnXadEQ https://youtu.be/s0WPXnXadEQ How to create Lofi Guitar Effects In the video, I show you how I created my Lofi guitar patch using a combination of different effects. The most crucial effect that I use is the Echoplex Tape Delay. This gives you access to the Wow & Flutter controls that help to make that 'wobbly' lofi guitar effect. If you don't have a Boss GT1000 you can still create lofi guitar effects using whatever hardware or software you access to. Here are some examples of…

22Jan 2023 by Jon

Binaural Microphone Review – SR3D

Blog, Field Recording, Home Recording Blogs, Microphones

In this binaural microphone review, I will compare two different microphones from SR3D. So, if you're looking at buying binaural microphones or just curious about binaural audio then read on. What is Binaural Audio? So what is binaural audio? The easiest way to explain this is to think of how we hear sounds as humans. We've got two ears! Consequently binaural audio uses two microphones, one for each year. In addition, the microphones are spaced to a similar distance to how our ears are spaced. The microphones are usually omnidirectional, so they pick up from all around. However, with binaural audio, there is a dummy head and fake ears to simulate the physical barrier between the two microphones. SR3D Pro XLR and DIY Binaural Kit SR3D Pro XLR Binaural Microphone…

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…

14Sep 2022 by Jon

HOW TO PRODUCE HIGH-ENERGY HIP-HOP

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

In this video, I show you how to produce high-energy hip-hop. Watch as I break down one of my high-energy Hip-Hop tracks, showing you the sounds and techniques I use to produce this popular genre. https://youtu.be/cin_4NJPx1c When producing this type of track it's important to have the right references in mind. Consequently, this will help you meet the brief and stay within the genre. Here are some of the characteristics of High-Energy Hip-Hop:- Very much influenced by 90's Hip-HopLargely sample-basedVintage feelSoul and Funk samplesTempo between 90 and 100 BpmUse of spoken word samplesscratchingRepetition, contrasted with variation in samples and structure If you need inspiration check out artists such as DJ Shadow, Public Enemy, Fat Boy Slim, and De La Soul. More specifically, you can find inspiration from Audiojungle Author, Coffee…

06Sep 2022 by Jon

How to create 60 second edits like a pro

Blog, Composing, Home Recording Blogs, 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…

24Apr 2022 by Jon

Recording the sound of nature: Stereo microphone shootout

Blog, Field Recording, Home Recording Blogs, Microphones, Recording, Sound Effects, Techniques

Stereo Recording Shootout In this stereo recording shootout I test two different stereo recording techniques. One, a mid-side (M/S) stereo setup costing over $2000. The other, a pair of inexpensive stereo omni-directional mics. Can these $100 microphones compete against the higher priced alternatives? So, join me for this stereo recording shootout as I record the sound of nature. The Location I recently visited the Welsh countryside and took the opportunity to record the sounds of nature. Understandably, it's difficult to make good recordings near cities or towns. For example, traffic, and other noise can easily ruin recordings. So, while I had the chance I compared two stereo recording techniques. Read on to find out how I made the recordings. Listen to the results In the video below I explain the…

18Apr 2022 by Jon

The Ultimate Lo-Fi Plugins?

Blog, Composing, Home Recording Blogs, Recording & Mixing, Techniques

Are these the ultimate Lo-Fi plugins? Introduction In this post I take a look at Vulf Compressor and Tupe by Goodhertz and ask the question: are these the ultimate lo-fi plugins? Whether you make lo-fi hip hop, chill-wave or vaporware there are a growing number of lo-fi tools. Tape emulations, vinyl emulation and vintage compression, for instance. Some of my personal favourites include:- Waves J37 & Lo-fi SpaceChow DSP Chow TapeArturia Tape Mello-fiCaelum Audio Flux Mini and Tape Cassette,Klevgrand DAW CassetteYum Audio Lo-fi Pitch Dropout I've had good results with these tools (many of them are free) but I have often wondered if there are better options. Read on to find out more, including a secret 50% discount! Goodhertz? I have heard good things about Goodhertz plugins for quite some…

24Mar 2022 by Jon

FREE Cinematic Piano by Heavyocity

Blog, Composing, Home Recording Blogs, Sound Design

Free Cinematic Piano This week, Heavyocity announced the release of a free cinematic piano. The piano is the first instrument from Heavyocity's 'Foundations' range and works with the free Kontakt Player. In this video, I give the new instrument a full test and demonstration. https://youtu.be/wBJi9OB-fZY Heavyocity Foundations - Free Cinematic Piano Demo Heavyocity Foundations Piano If you are familiar with Heavyocity you'll know they offer a fantastic range of high quality orchestral, cinematic and hybrid instruments. Personally, I love their range of percussion instruments and own the epic 'Ensemble Drums' collection. The Foundations Piano didn't disappoint me. The interface allows you to blend the soft dynamics of a grand piano with an expertly crafted sound design layer. The instrument is highly customisable although the presets provide a great starting point.…

Category: Blog