Uncategorized – Page 4 – Audio Geek Zine

Guest Post: How a Vinyl Record Is Made

Published November 26, 2012

Barry Gardner operates SafeandSound Mastering based in London, UK a studio proficient in mastering dance music.

How Vinyl Is Made

More vinyl is being pressed in 2012 than in any year since since the advent of digital music release formats such as the CD. There are numerous reasons why some artists are choosing to release a limited run of vinyl as part of their music distribution strategy. Some people love the warm sound of vinyl which is in part down to the medium and the methods of mastering for the format itself. Many fans have a soft spot for the sheer physical size of the artwork on a 12 inch release and find the vinyl version a highly desirable and collectable end product.

Vinyl_by_RocknRollwoman — Vinyl by RocknRollwoman

Vinyl is a very physical medium and the reproduction of sound is largely mechanical which means that when mastering for vinyl great care has to be taken by the engineers in order for the music to translate well to the format. We have to remember that the format was developed way before the first digital look ahead limiter. This means unlimited versions of the tracks must be supplied in order to get the best possible sound quality (normally at 24 bit resolution). With a digital file it is possible to use extreme limiting, very wide stereo images and any desired EQ curves. Vinyl is not the same and not a forgiving medium and unless fairly strict sonic guidelines are adhered to the end results can be lackluster or in the worst scenario not play at all.

Because of the resurgence of vinyl in the music distribution chain I thought it would be a good read to provide the basics of how vinyl is manufactured.

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Mixing Acoustic Guitars

Published November 2, 2012

Acoustic guitars are one of the most dynamic and expressive instruments used in modern music. They have a broad frequency range covering almost the entire audible spectrum. The instrument can serve many different roles in an arrangement as a harmonic, melodic, or percussive element. All of these factors will affect how you approach both the recording and mixing acoustic guitars.

Context
The first thing to do is think about its role in the song/mix. Is the guitar the main harmonic instrument? Is it supposed to enhance or thicken other harmonic instruments like electric guitars? Is it enhancing the melody, playing arpeggios or single notes? Is it a percussive element more like a shaker just to fill out the rhythm section? Figure out the goal, then you can begin processing.

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Dave Darlington: Mixing Jazz with Waves Webinar

Published November 1, 2012

Waves has published a new webinar video that is pretty cool. Dave Darlington goes through one of his mixes and explains how and why he’s…

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Guest Post: How To Get The Best Deals On Audio Gear

Published October 31, 2012

This guest post comes in from Barry Gardner chief engineer at SafeandSound Mastering

How To Get The Best Deals On Audio Gear

The music industry is constantly changing and despite some promising positive signs on both sides of the Atlantic, we are still in a recession. However, I am not writing this to dwell on that matter, but to try and give some advice on saving money. Often saving money means buying at the lowest cost, so we will discuss that first. One thing is a fact, many in the music industry are in the same boat and that as a musician, producer, or engineer can be used to your advantage.

Buy right, buy once
Now buying a quality product at the lowest price is quite different from buying a lower quality product at a cheap price. Quality items are built better and last longer they will endure more wear and tear. Whilst initially a low cost item may seem like it is too good to be miss a high quality item will usually out live it many times over. It is often a false economy to to let your ‘gear lust’ get the better of you and spend rather than save that extra few months in order to get the right piece of kit first time which does not leave you wanting in following months.
It is worth considering other peoples impressions as well. When you identify yourself with industry standard equipment be it guitars, effects pedals, keyboards, and music tech equipment, people tend to have a different perception and even level of respect. It could be deemed as a bit shallow and ultimately the music produced is most important. However it does have a subtle effect on other people who you are likely to deal with in the music industry. You can see this as an an investment in your own skill set, confidence, reliability of your performance or work, and giving yourself the best chance by not letting substandard equipment get in your way. Professionals choose professional equipment.