Techniques - The Home Recording Studio

01Oct 2021 by Jon

Free Tools for Composers

Blog, Composing, Home Recording Blogs, Sampling, Sound Design, Sound Effects, Stock Music, Techniques, Virtual Instruments

There are many free plugins and sample libraries available if you know where to look. But what might surprise you is just how good some of them sound! As a composer for production music libraries and I use these free tools in my own compositions. So please try them out for yourself and have fun! In addition, check out my latest video. I'll show you how to create a cinematic percussion track using an amazing FREE sample library. https://youtu.be/kurh2D9Qh3E https://youtu.be/kurh2D9Qh3E Spitfire Audio, Labs. Let’s start with Labs by Spitfire Audio. This huge collection of high-quality instruments has to be heard to be believed. Labs covers a vast range of instruments from mandolins to synthesizers. Furthermore, the collection is growing all the time. So why not check them out! Kontakt Player…

29Aug 2021 by Jon

How to fit acoustic foam tiles

Acoustic Treatment, Blog, Home Recording Blogs, Mixing, Recording, Recording & Mixing, Techniques

If you've ever thought about improving the sound in your home studio you may have considered using acoustic foam. In this post, we explore how to fit acoustic foam tiles. For many home studio owners sticking foam panels to the wall is a worry. If you are renting a space then you might not want to damage the walls. Likewise, if you decide to move rooms or change your studio layout then you may want to move the panels at a later date. Let's take a look at some of the options in this video. https://youtu.be/AP4tNcLTv8s The benefits of using acoustic foam tiles are:- Medium to high frequency sounds are more controlledImproves recording of acoustic instruments and vocalsImproves mixing when monitoring on speakersLooks great on the walls! Depending on your…

03Jul 2021 by Jon

What is a Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone?

ADR, Blog, Home Recording Blogs, Microphones, Podcast, Recording, Recording & Mixing, Techniques

What is a Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone? In this month's post we will answer the question: what is a Large Diaphragm Condenser microphone? Some characteristics of a large diaphragm condenser microphone are:- It is good for recording quieter sounds, instruments or the human voice Delivers warmth and clarity Has a wide frequency response (Low to high frequencies) It has an extended dynamic range (Quiet to loud) Requires Phantom Power This type of microphone is designed for increased sensitivity. Therefore, it requires phantom power. It is likely that your recording device will have an option for turning phantom power on or off. Most importantly, always make sure you turn phantom power on after connecting the microphone. Typical uses Spoken Word (e.g. Audio Books) Narration or Voice Over for moving image Podcasting…

19Mar 2021 by Jon

Home Recording Studio Essentials: What You Actually Need to Get Started

Blog, Home Recording Blogs, Microphones, Podcast, Pro Tools, Recording & Mixing, Techniques

Setting up a home recording studio doesn’t have to be complicated — or expensive. In fact, you only need four core components to start recording, editing, mixing, and playing back audio at home. In this guide, we’ll look at the Home Recording Studio Essentials, explain what each piece does, and help you make sensible choices without getting overwhelmed by gear options. The 4 Essential Components of Any Home Recording Studio Every functional home studio needs these four things: A computer with DAW software An audio interface A microphone Monitoring (headphones or speakers) With just these, you can: Record sound Edit and arrange audio Add effects Mix and export finished tracks Let’s break each one down. 1. Computer – Mac or PC? Your computer is the heart of your studio. It…

10Feb 2021 by Jon

Using AudioMovers for high-quality audio streaming

Audio Streaming, Blog, Home Recording Blogs, Sound Design, Sound Effects, Techniques

Introduction Recently I had to deliver my first online teaching session. The subject was sound design and I wanted the students to hear the audio at the same quality I was hearing in my home studio. For this I needed high-quality audio streaming. I knew what I wanted to achieve with the live stream, but I wasn’t exactly clear how to do it. My goal was to share my screen, while demonstrating Adobe Audition, through the Zoom conferencing App. I needed to route audio from my microphone and also route audio from Adobe Audition and possibly from other apps or my web browser. I also wanted to keep the audio quality as high as possible. So, this blog post is all about how I achieved High-Quality Audio Streaming alongside Zoom.…

18Sep 2020 by Jon

5 Things that have improved my recording & mixing

Blog, Composing, Mixing, Recording, Recording & Mixing, Techniques

Lately I’ve been thinking about what has made the biggest difference to my home recording and mixing. Here, I’ve come up with a list of 5 things that I think have improved my recording and mixing at home and taken me to the next level. Audio InterfacePreampsMonitoringMicrophonesPlugins 1. Audio Interface. A few years ago, I decided to make an investment in a good quality audio interface. I had a budget interface but some technical issues with this interface, which almost ruined a recording session I was doing for a band, prompted me to reconsider. So, I wanted something that wouldn’t let me down. I also needed at least 8 inputs and the ability to connect my Focusrite Octopre ADAT interface to give me 16 inputs in total. This is a…

Category: Techniques