Recording with Purpose

By now I hope you have realized the futility of "fixing things in the mix". Not only does it take more time to "fix" things, but in the end everyone loses. The artist you may represent (even if it's yourself), the listener, your mom... (that is if she listens to your work) Everyone will be subjected to the an over processed audio nightmare! Getting a great take, from a great artist, who gave a great performance, without taking a great deal of time to set up mics and position them properly is like playing Russian roulette. You may get a good take by just throwing up a mic where you think it should go, but you may not also. You may be able to even get it sounding decent after an hour of grueling work and 133 plug-ins. However, what if when you got that amazing take, and incorporated it into the mix later, you thought "Hey that actually sounds pretty good the way it is!"

What if, after saying that, instead of struggling to find the right plug-in to make it sound good, you were struggling to find a plug-in at all to even put on it in the first place. Now, I know that in today's world of gear crazy, plug-in happy, home studios, this seems like some Utopia that is not attainable without the latest Wave's deal or that "Stupid Deal of the Day". Yet, in all actuality it is possible!

All it takes is some time to record with purpose. First you have to decide for yourself what is the purpose of the instrument/s you're recording? Are they supportive, or are they the leading elements that make up the song? Do they need a certain sound or tone to set well? Think about it as if you were recording it into your DAW without any hope of ever changing it again. Does the electric guitar need to be brighter to even out the low-mids that are panned hard left from an acoustic part? Maybe it needs to be darker to even out the hype from the keys? 

The best way to know for certain is to hear it as it is being recorded in real time. Break out the ol' headphones and crank up the monitoring level so you can clearly hear what that mic is doing to the sound. Small movements from a mic can dramatically effect the tone of something so move it around quickly until you get in the ballpark of what your looking for and then slow way down, moving it only by inches one way or another. Once you got that sweet spot, remember where you had and mark it in some way if you can. (Tape, sharpie, chalk, etc. use your better judgment as to which would work best) That way you can get back to that tone again if you should need to redo a riff or overdub.

Ultimately, you want to be thinking about the end result. What would you want it to sound like when it's all said and done? By taking this little bit of extra time up front and getting just the right sound going in, you will save a ton of time, CPU, and hair when it comes to mixing. 

I am starting a series on the YouTube channel where I am going to be covering this and other things related as I work through a song step by step from idea to finished product, follow along with me and make something of your own as well! When its all said and done, I'd love to hear what you got! Until next time, go make some music!

You can subscribe to the channel here: http://bit.ly/HSS_YouTube_Channel

Save Time with MIDI

MIDI Recording

Recording, although fun, we still want to speed things up a bit and get something released! This MIDI tip will help you do just that! I recently laid down a track for a song I am arranging and thought mixing would be easier if I could get all my takes from various MIDI sounds at once. Then I thought, arrangement  would go smoother as well if I had all those sounds at my disposal right out of the gate. Audio engineers tend to over-complicate things. So, as an experiment, I thought I would just route all of my sounds to the same controller and play the exact same part at the same time. After it was all said and done I had every sound I wanted at my finger tips. played the exact same way, and setting right in front of me! That was easy! Now I know that this isn't revelatory to some of you , but anything that saves time now days is worth mentioning. I hope this helps. Watch the video below for a visual on this. Oh, and don't forget to subscribe. I am now uploading a new video every Saturday!

A Better Mix: Simple Steps (Part 2)

In the previous post I included a video about the process and the concepts I used to dramatically improve my mix on the song "Livin' For The Moment". In the video attached to this post I go step by step explaining the concepts. I hope you enjoy this sort of over the shoulder approach. To hear the podcast associated with this post click here. http://bit.ly/HSS_Podcast

Motivation for The Home Studio

Every audio engineer has their moments of motivation, and their moments of procrastination. There are several factors that play on each side. For me, I am usually less motivated when I am tired. For one, I know my mixes will suffer from sleep deprivation, and for two... I usually end up going back and thinking, "What was I thinking?" So I rely heavily on coffee. I love coffee! It not only peps me up but it relaxes me as well. I am a coffee critic. I love trying different brands, different blends, and love to make up my own. So, one oft favorite "Homebrews" is the "Juniorint Latte". Everyone who has had it also loves it! In fact I have had people travel from miles away just to have one!

So, to beak away from the monotony of typical posts, today I hand down to you my "secret recipe". Try it and let me know what think.

Why? Because coffee is good!

Tips For Playing Out

Most of us Home Studio guys and gals are musicians first and foremost. Therefore, from time to time we actually leave our Home Studios to display our talents live. Okay, so it has been awhile since I have played a show outside of my studio, and to more than just my wife and children. So as I was gathering up the gear, finishing up the set list, and generally packing for our weekend "stay-cation" in Bloomington Indiana, I thought I'd compile a small list of things (yes, I love lists) that are needed when you're thinking of playing out or are in preparation for just such a thing.

This is kinda subjective to each musician, as each one will have varying needs depending on what their instrument of choice is, but here goes.

1) A Set List- 

Okay, I know this sounds like the Kindergarten of tips, but you would be surprised how many musicians forget this critical element to a smoothly held show. There is nothing more unprofessional than a singer/songwriter setting for 2-3 minutes going "Hmmm, what should I sing next?" Now, I know that we must change that list at times to accommodate various situations that may arise, but it helps to have structure and guidance. (especially when in front of a crowd)

2) A Back Up- 

If you are a guitarist, this will really hit home. How many times has that High E string snapped at just the "right" time?! It pays dividends to have an extra set of strings on hand or two, and if you are fortunate enough even an extra guitar. I mean think about it, your loyal fan drives a distance, takes time away from their busy lives, and comes to watch a nobody perform. Then they get there and the guitar falls off its stand and the neck breaks! (Lord forbid) Another scenario is that if you are playing an electric make sure to have n extra cable on hand, extra picks, and an extra strap. Maybe that's to many extras, but I am a cautious guy. This thought of extras really can apply to any musician regardless of their instrument of choice.

3) Recon- 

I love using hose fancy military terms to something completely unrelated. Before you play, where ever it may be, know your venues preferences before you get there! Call them, ask questions, it will not only make you look more professional but it could save you a big headache. Some questions you need to ask is as follows:

• Do you guys allow pictures/videos to be taken?

• Are there any rules or specific guidelines that I need to know about?

• What do I need to bring with me? An amp, a microphone, etc.?

• Do you allow monetary tips to be accepted by the artist?

Those are just a few that I can think of. Oh. and do you like how I just squeezed another list in on ya?
Sneaky huh!? Another good thing to do is to go to the venue before hand, if possible, and get a visual on where you might perform, where the bathrooms are, etc.

4) Great Material-

When playing out, you have a short window of opportunity to "wow" your audience. You're not going to hold there attention very long, even if you are good, because for the most part people come to see bands or solo act that they already know and can sing along to. Now, if you are doing covers you might hold their attention a little longer if you're a good representation of who you are trying to cover. But for those of us, like myself, that have a set-list comprised of originals you want to perform your best stuff when the most people are present.

Though this is better caught then taught I hope that these few tips will help in some way to better prepare for a gig. If you have any tips concerning this topic let me know through email, or better yet comment below so we all can benefit! This blog/website has only been open a short while and has already received over 5,000 page views! Just think of all the people you could be helping out!

Have a blessed day!

HSS Studio Tour

I recently watched an old video of mine. It was one that I made to show the gradual progress of turning my back porch into the Home Studio I work out of now. It was an eye opening experience! For one I was able to see that, although I don't have a top of the line Home Studio, I have made some improvements. (Particularly the white walls that now cover the once yellow walls... Yuck)

On a serious note, I could tell that my gear has not grown by leaps and bounds, yet my recordings and my mixes have improved dramatically! This just further solidifies my message that it's not all about gear when it comes to the Home Studio. Yes, I have upgraded a few things. Yes, I have added a few new pieces of gear. I am not against gear at all. But the difference was made when I learned how to use the gear I already had! Take a journey with me and watch the two videos below. The first is the genesis of the Studio, the meager beginning. The second is four years later after making a few improvements.                              (Watch these two videos below)

And... Four years later.

So, as you can see, when I say Home Studio Simplified... I mean it. The fact is that even with these limited resources, I am still making some great music! Let this be an encouragement to you! For one, that you have it better than you thought, and for two that you can do more than you ever thought with only a few key components. Have a blessed day!

HSS Screencast 006-Adding "Glue" to A Mix

In this screencast I give you a quick tip to add some "glue" to a mix. This is not for every mix, but can be useful at times.

Taming The Bass Beast

The bass! That Crazy bass! It seems to be the one element that is hardest to tame, and even harder to set properly in the mix. Yeah, it's there... and yes you can hear it, but if not mixed right it can quickly over power everything and cause your levels to peak on the master bus. This in turn causes the dreaded "clipping".
Clipping in the analog realm was not such a bad thing. In fact many an engineer used it, and are still using it beneficially. Clipping in the digital realm is a whole new story though. Nasty! Just nasty!

Luckily there are ways to take care of these issues. As with most recording tips, these are purely subjective. But as one who has tamed this beast on several occasions, I will share with you what has worked for me.
First things first though, it must be made known that every mix is different and there are no X,Y, & Z solutions. These tips will merely give you another ace up your sleeve, a proverbial trick in the bag, a... Well, you get the point.

High Pass Filters are Your Friend

Ok, so in order to tame this beast you must first know where it lives. The human ear can only hear so far down on the hertz spectrum, and once you get to a certain point you simply "feel" those low notes. Though debatable, 20hz is considered to be the lowest frequency a person can hear. (Debatable because super heroes are real) Therefore one could deduce that anything below that is useless and can be extracted via the trusty high pass filter. Now, while we are on that subject, in would behoove you to throw that HPF on every track in the mix and remove any low end content that is not needed. (i.e. 100hz HPF on Vocals, 37hz on Bass, etc.) This will eliminate a cumulative bass build up over the course of several tracks. Now, you can't remove all you low end, otherwise you will be left without punch and feel, but if done right you will already have a good starting point to taming the beast.

Wooly Mammoths are Extinct

There is an area of the bass guitar that just doesn't sound right. It varies, but usually it is around 500hz. This is an area that is regularly described as sounding "wooly", or muffled. With some gentle EQ'ing one can remove the blanket off the speakers. I like to use a wide cut of about -1 or -2dbs at a Q of -0.5 to -1.0 in the 450-500hz range to remove those "hairy" sounds.

You Gotta Keep Em' Separated

Your humming that right now... Sorry. But seriously, another way to keep all that build up from, well building up, is to use your Pan pots to separate other instruments that are bass heavy. This will leave that center area that the Bass plays well in, less cluttered with other low overtones. (Note: I don't recommend panning out though until you get a decent sounding EQ in mono)

3 Heads are Better than 1?

Another way I have got a great Bass sound in a less populated mix, is to create 2 busses just for my Bass. (Hold on now! Don't crucify me yet) I know, here I am talking about taming the beast, and now I am saying make it a 3 headed Hydra. Give me a minute here though! So here's how it would look. You have your main Bass track right, now create 2 sends that go to 2 separate Busses. Each bus will have the same settings but one will be panned hard right and the other hard left. Now, with your favorite EQ, take away all the low end from those bus channels and throw some saturation/distortion on them. Start with your faders all the way down and blend in the two side channels, just enough to gain a little extra clarity. Though this does not work on every mix, it is yet again another option.

Hawaiian Punch!

Now, you want a punchy Bass do ya? Yeah, we all do at times. This can be easiest to achieve from carefully selected compression and even some multi-banding.

These are just a few tips to get you there. If you'd like to see some of this in action, sign up for the email newsletter. My subscribers receive FREE stuff in there inbox from time to time, stuff that really matters! I don't spam! And I only send out product reminders monthly, or before they are released, to share with my buddies.

Have a blessed day, and I will talk to you... Later.

Five Things Every Home Studio Needs

    There are few things that the Home Studio hobbyist doesn't want in their arsenal. However, if we had our way we'd be over stocked and packed into a tiny corner surrounded by gear. Yet, of all the things we want, there are truly only a handful of things we truly need. I am a big fan of lists, and a huge fan of simple. So, I have compiled a list below of things that every Home Studio, regardless of their genre or size, really needs. Also, if you have listened to the podcast at all, you would know that I recently made a confession. That being, I am a "cheap-skate". I love FREE but cheap is my second favorite. So included in the list are links to good products at a cheap price!

1) Pop Filter

If you have ever heard a recording without one, you remember it, but it's not a good memory. The plosives are annoying, unprofessional, and unable to be removed from a recording. Whether your artist is male or female, if they are laying down a vocal take, this is a must! Click this pic below to get a great pop filter at an amazing price!

2) A Good Set of Headphones

When it comes to hearing the nuances of the acoustic, and making informed EQ decisions, I love to reach for my headphones! In fact, I even do quite a bit of mixing in my headphones! Yes, I said that. In fact I covered this in a previous post here on the site. (Mixing With Headphones) I personally use the Audio Technica Art Monitor Headphones but am really wanting to get my hands on these!

3) An Audio Interface

Getting your music into a digital format has never been easier for the Home Studio hobbyist. There are so many options, and most are very reasonably priced. I personally use the BOSS BR-800 as it has so many options and is loaded with extras, but there are cheaper alternatives. If you are only recording yourself, this item should suffice.

4) Good Cables

When it comes to creating a good signal chain, your cables are key. You don't have to go broke getting them however! There are some really "good" cables out there, and there are some REALLY "bad" cables. I have bought both and can honestly say that the best bang for your buck, in my opinion, are the Hosa Brand Cables. They are of commendable quality and rugged, as well as cheap. (I love cheap!)

5) A Good Condenser Mic

Now I have been rather partial about this mic, but I am just so sold on the quality and versatility that this mic brings to the Home Studio that I can't quit plugging it. It is cheap, it sounds great on a wide variety of sources and it is USB. When your first starting out, this mic will get you up and running quickly! Four polar patterns, excellent sound quality, gain and volume knobs, and latency free headphone monitoring are just a few things to name. I highly recommend this mic!

In fact, I used this mic to record all of the vocals and all of the acoustic guitar on my first album! I hope this helps! If you'd like more great tips like this and videos related to the Home Studio please sign up below for my bi-weekly email list!

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Now Available! HSS-Guitar Purchase Guide

WAIT! Don't buy that guitar just yet! There are some things you need to know first, things that could save you a ton of money, and set you up for a better outcome. 

Wanna know some things that dealers don't want you to know? Wanna utilize the same techniques that have saved me from making big buying mistakes, and kept a little green in my pocket for some accessories?

Check out the "Guitar Purchase Guide"! The first in a series of workshops from Home $tudio $implified. The price is low enough to still make that purchase you're wanting to make, but walk out of the store without regrets!

Listen to HSS Episode 007 found here  (iTunes or RSS Feed) for a promo code!

Great Guitar Care Kit

I clean and refurbish a LOT of guitars. Just this week I have revived 4 guitars that were otherwise cast off as useless. One thing they all have in common however, is that all of them were cleaned using the Dunlop 65 Maintenance Kit. (Disclaimer: I am not endorsed, sponsored, or anything else by the aforementioned company)

Each one of the sprays and oils have their own strengths and all of them do exactly what they say. I have developed a method by which I can turn a flea market cast away into gem, and this 65 system makes it easy! 

My personal favorite is the deep conditioner. On a rosewood fretboard, this oil causes the deep richness of the wood to breath again. If you are in need of a great cleaning system, give this a try!

Lengthen String Life

In the recent video about guitar tones, I mentioned as a first tip how that new strings will dramatically improve your guitar tone. Not only are they easier and more pleasurable to play, but they add beauty to even the ugliest looking guitar. 

The problem is that, as most things in life, good things don't last to long. Strings are of no exception. It would seem that most string brands only last at the most a week before they start to sound dull and lifeless. (Based on frequency of playing) Fortunately, there is something you can do to extend the life of those little jewels.

Here are some tips to help stretch out the lifespan.

1) Wash your hands before playing

Those oils and the acids your hands produce are the bane of new strings.

2) Clean them after every session

With a clean lint free cloth wipe off your strings, on top and underneath.

3) Play with a good pick

Unless you prefer to finger pick, which presents a whole new set of problems for new strings. A good pick will extend your string life. A pick that has been over used will become sharper on one side and can cause string breakage. Also, as covered in the last video, a small tear in the tip can also break a high E in seconds.

4) String conditioners

There are many brands out there, and all of them are good in their own right. The main purpose of a product such as this is to reduce fret noise, coat strings with an oil to preserve their finish, and to generally make it easier to play.

5) Play more

This seems counter intuitive but it works! The more you play the more you keep those new strings in a healthy stretch. Also, if you follow the above steps, you are cleaning them more. 

I hope these tips have been useful. Slap some new strings on that guitar and get to playing some music!