Plug a keyboard into a computer, press a key, and a piano sound comes out. It’s natural to assume the keyboard sent that sound down the cable. It didn’t. The cable carried no sound at all. That’s the part of MIDI that confuses almost everyone, and once you see it, the rest falls into place. Read More …
Category: Home Studio
These are the post around the home studio. Some men want a man cave, I want to record live music in my home.
Transients & Punch Notes
Core idea Loudness, brightness, and transients are three descriptions of the same moment, not separate levers Sharp transients need high frequency content, lows are too slow to build a fast edge 50Hz wave takes 20ms per cycle, a snare snap happens in 2 to 3ms Low end still carries impact (chest feel), but the “snap” Read More …
Book Notes :: Music Production for Film & TV
1.Sample Rates Definition: Sampling converts an analog signal into digital data. The sample rate is how many samples are captured per second. Two standard rates: 44.1 kHz — used for audio destined for CD. 48 kHz — required for film and television audio. Why 48 kHz for video: it was chosen to stay compatible with Read More …
Video Monday :: Mastering Free Courses
Master.com Free Courses You do have to create an account to access these videos.
The Instrumentalist vs. The Musician Mindset
The trap References are meant to guide, not dictate Easy to slip from “informed by reference” to “forcing mix to match reference” Two mindsets Instrumentalist: only hears own part, copies reference note for note, ignores that arrangement/tracking/instrumentation differ, boosts highs just because reference curve is bright, ends up harsh/brittle Musician: hears whole piece, knows where Read More …
The Week I Switched DAWs
I had a few short pieces finished. I was into a fourth: “Haunted House”, and the music was already set in my head. The hard part was never going to be the writing or figuring out the melodies, chords, whatever. The hard part was getting a video file into Ableton without it choking. I spent Read More …
Video Sync on a Budget
A guide for film, TV, and potentially game composers who need two computers to stay together, without spending money you don’t have. The Problem Scoring to picture means your DAW and your video player have to agree on time, frame for frame. Studios solve this with dedicated video hardware. I’m not a studio yet so Read More …
Scoring a Film With Two Old Computers
You don’t need a powerful machine to score a film. You need your computers to agree on what time it is, and to not fight over the same resources while they do it. This guide is for composers working with older hardware and no budget. The idea is simple: your desktop makes the music, a Read More …
Adding Motion and Depth with Delay Effects
Pads are often used as an almost unheard glue, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring This is one idea to add a bit of motion. In the world of music production, adding depth and interest to your tracks is essential. One effective way to achieve this is through the use of delay Read More …
Adding Air and Punch
As a home studio enthusiast, you know that achieving a polished sound often requires a bit of extra magic, especially when it comes to pop vocals. One effective technique to make your vocals stand out is to add some “air” to them, giving them a breathy quality that jumps out of the mix. Here’s how Read More …