Producer's Edge Magazine / Producer's Edge Magazine Forums / Classic Threads

Sam Ash Tip of The Week

Griffin Avid — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:47:51 GMT

October 10th, 2007 / Choosing a Microphone
By Drew Zambrano, Drum/Audio Sales

You need a microphone, but how do you choose one without spending all your time on research?
Microphones are available in so many shapes, sizes and flavors that it’s tough to narrow it down to what you want and what you need. Your first step is to decide how you intend to use the microphone.
For recording, you’ll want a microphone that is very sensitive and capable of picking up everything your music has to offer. Recording professionals know that the most important element in a great recording is a great microphone!
For live sound, you’ll need a mic that is less sensitive to extraneous sounds so it won’t feed back and won’t pick up the noises of the performer’s handling of the mic. However, in a live sound application, you’ll still want to pick up the full dynamic range of the performer with all the subtleties of the sound.
To mic up a drum kit, you’ll need a special set of drum microphones that can handle the extreme dynamic range that only drums produce.
The next step is to match the right mic to the right application:

Condenser mics – The Choice for Recording: A condenser microphone requires 48v Phantom Power to power its diaphragm (this is what actually captures the sound). They are generally sensitive mics that pick up even subtle sounds. They’re most popular in studio recording because of their wide frequency response (the lowest to highest notes it can hear), not to mention their clarity and ability to capture every sound in the room.

Dynamic mics – Good For Live Sound and All-Purpose Use: A dynamic microphone does not require any power. Dynamic mics can handle much higher sound pressure levels (volume), are very common for live use, but also found in studios. These are popular because they are rugged and less sensitive, plus they have less handling noise. (Handling noise happens when you touch the mic or move your hand around on it – pretty much a necessity for singers.) Although it is best to choose separate mics for recording and live sound, if you need an all purpose mic, we recommend one of the better brands with a neodymium magnet, which give you more of the sensitivity and dynamic range needed for recording than other dynamic mics. Polar Patterns… This is the area around the microphone that picks up sound directly.

The most common are:

1) Omni-directional (picks up in a circle): Equal in front, back, and sides – Great for recording a group of singers and picking up the blending of sounds in a recording, but not recommended for live sound, because of its tendency to pick up the sound coming from the speakers and creating feed back.

2) Bi-directional (figure 8 – picks up equal in front and back): Again, best for recording rather than live sound applications.

3) Cardioid (picks up mostly in front): Important for isolating the sound of one performer to one channel of your mixer. This is also the kind of mic that minimizes feedback in live sound applications.

4) Hyper-Cardioid (picks up mostly in front with a slight amount from the rear): What we said for the cardioid mic applies here, too.

Anything else?
Frequency Response. You can find this listed with most microphone specs. It is the range of sound that a microphone can hear. The lower the range, the better for low instruments like Bass drums and electric basses. The wider the range, the most versatile it will be.
Proximity Effect. This is an interesting characteristic with some microphones. Simply put, when you move further from the microphone, there will be less bass in the sound. When you move close, there will be more bass, not just more volume. This is more acceptable at live shows, and less desirable in the studio.
Road Worthiness. Can this mic stand up to being thrown in a case and dragged around to gigs, or does it need to be kept in its case and handled carefully?

Other types of microphones?
There are other types of mics including Ribbon and Boundary. They are used in specific applications because of their unique sound qualities and/or polar patterns.
Which One? More than one?

Microphones are like spices: You have standard ones you use all the time (salt), and others you save for special occasions (curry). Once you have selected a mic suitable for your basic applications, there really is no right or wrong. Many microphone owners have several to cover anything they need, but always have a staple or two.

Griffin Avid MicroKorg Patches Issue 01 and Bonus Issue 01 Heatmakerz

Griffin Avid — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 02:03:43 GMT

Cats that didn't get a chance to snag issue 01 have been asking about the Patches so I asked and the maggies said it was cool to let the dogs out.

http://www.producersedgemagazine.com/forumdownloads/griffinavidmicrokorg00.rar

http://www.producersedgemagazine.com/forumdownloads/griffinavidmicrokorgbonus01.rar

Musician's Friend Tech Tips: Compression

xodus phoenix — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 16:18:44 GMT

TECH TIP: How To Set A Compressor
For Voice and Instruments

By Darius Van Rhuehl

This tech tip will give you real world, practical information on how to set a compressor for various applications. We’ll start with a very brief review of the compressor controls and then get right into it. You’ve probably also noticed that there are different operating designs of compressors e.g. optocompressor, VCA, variable Mu etc., and software variations as well. In the second part of this tip, we’ll discuss what they’re best used for. We assume that you’ve read the countless descriptions of what a compressor does.

There are basically two types of compressor, the leveling compressor and the limiting compressor. The only difference between the two is that limiting compressors have a separate threshold and ratio control, whereas the leveling compressor (also called leveling amplifier) has a single control for gain (or peak) reduction. With leveling compressors, threshold and ratio (slope) are interrelated and change depending on the input signal. While these compressors were initially designed for broadcast in order to control overall levels of program material, leveling compressors such as the Teletronix LA-2A and Summit Audio TLA-50 are in constant use in the studios for vocal and guitar tracking. For our purposes, we’re going to limit ourselves to limiting compressors. (Well I couldn’t say gain-reduce ourselves now, could I?)

Controls of the Limiting Compressor

There are four basic controls that affect compression. In no specific order, they are Attack, Release, Threshold, and Ratio. Put simply, Threshold tells the compressor when to work; Ratio tells the compressor how hard to work; Attack tells the compressor how fast to work, and Release tells the compressor when to stop working (or how long or short a time to return to its natural state).

Hard/soft knee: This is selectable in many compressors. It determines how gradually or abruptly output gain reduction occurs depending on the ratio. A soft knee is a gradual transition, which makes it more "musical" sounding, and particularly useful for vocals or any continuous material. It also allows higher ratio settings should they be necessary. A hard knee is good for explosive or percussive sounds, such as drums and heavy brass.

Makeup gain: This is essentially an output volume control. Its job is to counteract the gain-reduction effect of compression and give you the output level you desire.

How To Set a Compressor For Tracking

These are your basic ballpark, jumping-off-point settings that will work for just about any application. Naturally, the settings you wind up with in your work will vary based on the music and the response of your equipment.

Setting the Ratio: Rule one: Don’t squash (unless there’s a crying need to, or a creative reason). Start with a ratio between 2:1 and 4:1. A ratio of 3:1 is good if your compressor allows or has a variable ratio control, such as the Tube-Tech CL1B.

Setting Attack: This setting will vary depending on what you are compressing. Start with a relatively fast attack time (around 25ms).

Setting Release: This control will vary the most. Start with a medium release (50-100ms) and be prepared to adjust. Too short a release will give you an unnatural pumping effect, and too long of a release will prevent signals from returning to normal levels soon enough, causing subsequent notes not to sound as loud as they should and a dull overall mix.

Setting Threshold: As you run signal (your track or instrument) through the compressor, start to adjust the threshold control (usually counterclockwise) until you see the gain reduction meter read a consistent –2 to -3dB of reduction. That should be sufficient compression to handle most tasks while leaving a decent dynamic range. Another common setting for vocals is to set the ratio at 2:1 and threshold such that no gain reduction occurs during soft passages, with 3dB to 6dB of gain reduction during normal singing.

Review

Putting it all together, the general, applies-to-all-areas setting for tracking with compression is a relatively fast attack, medium-fast to medium release, ratio between 2:1 to 4:1, and threshold set for a fairly constant 2dB to 3dB of gain reduction. This is a basic starting point that will work effectively with almost any compressor for almost any application. In the next part of this tip, we’ll discuss various types of compressors, give you problem-solving and creative applications, and settings that are good starting points for different instruments and vocals.

Are You A DeadBeat Producer Quiz

xodus phoenix — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 06:02:22 GMT

Are You A DeadBeat Producer Quiz

Wow. Lol. Don't take it personal. Post your results. :crying:

C'mon I tested it so I had to take it a few times and er...I did just fine.

iSOUND Artist Newsletter Volume 17 May 2007

xodus phoenix — Tue, 15 May 2007 13:19:05 GMT

Article re-printed with permission.

http://www.isound.com/artist_blog/people_skills_plus_networking_lead_to_great_relati

Monday, May 14th, 2007
People Skills plus Networking Lead to Great Relationships
As we start out on our career paths, varied as they may be, most of us soon arrive at a similar realization... No matter how great our skills, how out of the box our thinking may be, or how impressive our experience is, the most important tool for career success is the ability to build and maintain successful relationships.

It's true not only in the getting-along-with-your-peers sense but also in the broader contexts of creating a network, working with clients and courting new business. Performers will often spend years building professional relationships... creating a rapport... establishing trust... sharing information and ideas... before any serious results evolve. But that investment of money, time and energy and genuine emotion is, more often than not, worth the effort as it puts your career on a foundation for success.

This reality means that cultivating people skills is so much more important than simply relying on a strong stage presence to carry you through. It is critical for your success. Here are six basic people skills that we can all perfect without too much trouble...

1. Tell a compelling story. Who are you and what do you do? What are you really about? What have you done and where are you going? Be able to tell your own professional story and the story of your project or company (if you have one) in an engaging manner that makes others want to be a part of that story.

2. Be good to everyone. I was running for an elevator once and the person inside clearly saw me but jumped for the "door close" button anyway, calling out "I'm late for an interview" as the doors slammed in my face. He needn't have worried about being late... the interview was with me. You just never know who people are and where they might wind up, so it just makes sense to make friends with all people at all stages of their careers.

3. Ask great questions. The whole process of relationship building is about getting beyond trivial niceties and getting to a place of understanding. Over time, move beyond the surface and get to matters of expectations, challenges, objectives, desired outcomes and a definite plan for cooperative projects with each other.

4. Ask for feedback and advice. Don't be afraid to let your guard down, share information and give yourself the opportunity to benefit from the good people you're surrounding yourself with. Vulnerability is a quality that will be welcomed by those that count.

5. Maintain contact. Don't be the person that turns up only when you need something.

6. Know when to call it a day. Not every relationship is destined to lead to great things, although most are worth cultivating to some degree over time. But if you're not clicking, if any rapport is overshadowed by stress and discontent, if the balance of give-and-take is just too far out of whack... let it go and move on.

Posted By Les Vogt @ 12:00 AM
Author's site: http://www.members.shaw.ca/lesvogt
Les Vogt is an independent producer, promoter and entertainment consultant. Contact: lesvogt@shaw.ca

QUIZ: What type of Synth are you?

Griffin Avid — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 07:16:47 GMT

"What type of Synth are you?"

Here's my latest quiz.

Don't forget to post your results here.

Quiz :Are You A Biter Or A Writer

Admin — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 00:23:51 GMT

Here's the link for the Biter or a Writer Quiz.

Inspirational Module: Should I buy more stuff?

Griffin Avid — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 23:14:40 GMT

Inspirational Module: Should I buy more stuff?
Drew Spence

Maybe you’re at the point where a change of direction is needed. Let’s see, you’ve got crates of records against the wall, a drawer full of floppy discs and a few folders full of sample sounds. What now? A new module? A digging spree? Perhaps you want to start over at the beginning and define a new signature sound for yourself. It could be you need a whole new work flow or method. Maybe I need to try a new drum machine or sequencer to get me back in the game.

Many producers pick up on the trends in commercial radio- the types of snares and claps to even the sound of another producer who mines the same genre of music for his main sample work. That could be the answer. Maybe it’s time to inject a little ‘producer whose popular’ into my own chemistry. I might be inspired to create if my tracks sounded more radio friendly.

Going against this entire chain of thought is the ear. It’s not the golden ear engineers claim to have- it’s the ear that decides for you – that almost intangible, inaudible Producer’s Edge.
You may buy many sound modules during your career, but certainly a guiding force will tell you what sounds to use and what presets can be twisted into the textures in your head. You will fall into a workflow that is comfortable whether it’s staring at a screen and visually shaping your tunes or by smashing pads and twisting knobs.

The best source of inspiration is not the current catalogue or clearance sale sticker, but instead the lost art of actually listening, listening to the works that brought you into the music game to begin with. Music and musicians you actually enjoy listening to- not just the commercially successful fodder on the radio. Inspiration may not even arrive from the genre you produce in since excellence stands as excellence no matter the source. There is an inner voice that is combining your favorite music and sounds with a sense of self.

You ask the question ‘What will I add to this culture and what is my unique gift to the listener?’ The gear and equipment we use are simply the tools that enable us to bring about an artistic vision. Sound modules and sequencers should inspire us to release our artistic visions- not define them.

In Pages.

The Great Producer’s Edge Magazine FAQ

Admin — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 10:51:18 GMT

The Great Producer’s Edge Magazine FAQ

Drew Spence, Editor In Chief

The first issue, Summer 2007, shipped in July and we had full orders. Congratulations and a big thank you to the PE staff for an incredible job well done. We’re rapidly approaching the 4^th quarter and we have an even more ambitious second issue on the way. I’ve held back enough issues to honor subscriptions and single issue purchases.

As a quarterly publication, we shoot hours and hours of video each month and the best segments make it to the DVD-ROM bundled with the magazine. We’ve been uploading a ton of content to our Youtube page since it makes sense to share it now instead of waiting for the next issue. Much of the music production based material will remain exclusive to the DVD-ROM and NOT be available on the internet. You can bounce here to see what’s in the first issue. We also don’t handle tech support for any of the products featured in the Youtube videos. You should post questions on our forums or use the resources provided by the manufacturers.

We love feedback. Drop me a line Editor@ProducersEdgeMagazine.com, but I request you stop sending music since it rejects attachments and, as you can imagine, everyone wants feedback on their production. The PROs’ Picks feature is powered from PRO@ProducersEdgeMagazine.com. Press releases and general heads up should still go to info@producersEdgemagazine.com. See you in the lab.

Where?

Issue 01 debuted with strong sales from the news stands. Even so we are working on a nearest store locator to find out where physical copies still exist.

How? To get featured or involved? If you are a talent and feel you have something to contribute to the creative community, feel free to have your agent, publicist, manager or handlers contact us at info@producersedgemagazine.com. You will need a discography, press kit and/or bio. With the huge amount of overlooked talent in the music industry, we do what we can to support the artists and projects that could use that extra boost of promotions, but cannot feature every solid team we come across.

Who? This is mostly a magazine for artists by artists. No one here believes you should be taught how to rap or how to make beats. The road to your own development is paved with dedication, time and determination. In other words Don’t sit on the side of the road with your thumb out and expect a lift. On a road this poorly mapped with this much congestion and this many detours, you’ll need a better vehicle than just your dreams.

Why? As a producer myself, I used to scan the magazine rack and look for something production related to feed my interest. Most magazines were either made for dance music, glossy with zero content or their focus was too rooted in the music of yesteryear to have any relevance to my current goals. Sure I could get by with light reading, but I wanted a magazine I could breathe through. I knew I didn’t want my hand held and I also didn’t care to dream about gear [edit: well okay, sometimes] or the lives of celebrities.

So I sat down with Crystal J and Pedro and came up with a dream list of features. We summarize our efforts.

Don’t just read about music production.

Live it in the pages of Producer’s Edge Magazine.

Producer's Edge Magazine / Producer's Edge Magazine Forums / Classic Threads

Sam Ash Tip of The Week

Griffin Avid MicroKorg Patches Issue 01 and Bonus Issue 01 Heatmakerz

Musician's Friend Tech Tips: Compression

TECH TIP: How To Set A Compressor For Voice and Instruments

Controls of the Limiting Compressor

How To Set a Compressor For Tracking

Review

Are You A DeadBeat Producer Quiz

iSOUND Artist Newsletter Volume 17 May 2007

QUIZ: What type of Synth are you?

Quiz :Are You A Biter Or A Writer

Inspirational Module: Should I buy more stuff?

The Great Producer’s Edge Magazine FAQ

TECH TIP: How To Set A Compressor
For Voice and Instruments