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 …

Portfolio :: Jack Missed His Flight

This was the first full piece I’ve scored since splitting my processing workload across two machines. Something felt slightly off in the timing when I reassembled the pieces. Might just be me, might not. Let me know if you see/hear it too. Aside from that, this one was a lot of fun. I’ve been digging Read More …

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 …

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 …

Taming Snare Leakage in Overhead Tracks for a Tighter Sound

As an amateur home studio enthusiast, you may have encountered a common issue: your overhead tracks sound great, but there’s just too much snare bleed. This leakage can muddy your mix, making it difficult to achieve the clarity you desire. Fortunately, there’s a technique you can use to gain better control over this leakage and Read More …

Perfecting Snare Delay Timing for a Cohesive Mix

To achieve a polished mix, it’s essential to time your free delay to the BPM of your song. This ensures that the delay complements the snare without clouding the overall sound. Avoid processing the snare drums separately from the other instruments, as this can disrupt the cohesion of your mix. To get the timing just Read More …

Unleashing Snare Definition

As a home studio enthusiast, I’ve discovered that achieving the perfect snare sound can sometimes come from unexpected methods. Today, I want to share a unique approach to using a compressor that can help you get the snare definition you’re looking for. First, I start by playing the song and focusing on the snare.  To Read More …

Expanding Your Bass Sound

As a home studio enthusiast, I often find myself in situations where the bass needs to stand out, especially when working with synth bass or imagine it is a power trio setup. The challenge is to create a wider sound without losing the essential low-end presence that keeps the mix balanced. Today, I want to Read More …