MusicRadar - Tuition

37 music production tips from the pros

Future Music — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:51:00 +0000

Head out into the wild world of the internet and it seems that everyone has a music production tip to offer you, but what you really want are words of wisdom from the people who've been there and done it.

Lucky for you, then, that we've collated 37 tips from experienced professionals. If you can't learn something from these guys, we can only assume that you know it all already.

1. Liam Howlett, Prodigy

"Buy Superman albums. Y'know, big theme tunes from films. You get a horn section playing a chord and just sample a short section of that. If I hear a chord I like I sample it."

2. Jamie Lidell

"Putting rhythm parts down simultaneously is the essence of capturing a human feel. And sonically, the spillover between the mics in the room is often your best buddy."

3. Nick Rhodes, Duran Duran

"Having a studio at home is like having a gym at home - sometimes you're just better off going out."

4. The Stafford Brothers

"Use high-quality sounds. If you are over-EQing a sound to try and make it fit it's the wrong sound. Move on and find a new one. Plus, always try and read reviews about gear and then download demo versions of plug-ins to get an idea of what they are like."

5. Paul Hartnoll, Orbital

"Vaughn Williams: why does he always write in E minor? Blannng! E minor always sounds so full of mystery and mood. You can almost smell it. Move your chord up a bit and suddenly it's gone."

Dave Spoon: likes Reason, but digs his 808, too.

6. Dave Spoon

"At Night [2006 single] was completely Reason. I wrote it in about two hours. Reason synths, mixed in Reason, the works - it was a defining moment for me."

7. Steve Angello

"I use Logic's own plug-ins. I want to make it as simple as possible. I want a basic sound that I can create myself. If you know your tools then you're king of the studio."

8. Lifelike

"I always take care to make my mixes sound quite old. If you try to do a record that's 'of the moment' you can't be sure that a DJ will play it in ten years time."

(5 pages; go to page: 2 3 4 5)

Free music software round-up: Week 40

Ben Rogerson — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:16:00 +0000

After a slow start to 2010, it looks like the world's free music software developers are getting back down to some serious work, as the past week has witnessed a good number of updates and releases.

It's an even split of synths and effects in the line-up: three of each.

If you've got a new free music software release, make sure you let us know about it by emailing musicradar.pressreleases@futurenet.com with all the details.

Cos&FX Heather

Platform/format: PC/VST Download

This new 2-oscillator synth uses both additive and subtractive elements to create its sounds and also sports two low-pass filters and two LFOs. The chap who built it believes Heather to be capable of producing cutting basses, large screechy sweeping pads, leads and sci-fi sound effects.

AuraPlug EddieVsHeaven

Platform/format: PC/VST Download

Described as a "freetortion" effect, EddieVsHeaven is trumpeted as "a complete guitar rig in stompbox form". So, it features distortion, amp and cab emulations and can be tweaked with Level, Drive, Low, Middle and High controls. There's also the intriguing Eddielizer switch to contemplate.

Synthgeek sg-modutron mini

Platform/format: PC/VST Download

This single-oscillator synth is said to be capable of tracking pitch, though sounds often change across the keyboard and, sometimes, you may found that keys produce no sounds at all. This being the case, it's probably something you'd experiment with rather than rely on.

(2 pages; go to page: 2)

Ask MusicRadar: what's your favourite DAW?

The MusicRadar Team — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:34:00 +0000

It's often said that there is no 'best' DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) on the market, as different types of users prefer to work in different ways.

If you like throwing lots of ideas together quickly, for example, Ableton Live might be your preferred option, but if you want your computer to work as more of a virtual tape recorder, you may have a preference for Pro Tools.

For this Ask MusicRadar, we want you to tell us which DAW you favour and why. We're not going to be too strict on the definition, here - if you use the software to make music in any way (by generating sounds in the box, recording audio, importing samples or a mixture of all these and other methods), you can nominate it.

What to do now

Tell us about your favourite DAW (or even DAWs) in one of the following ways:

Via MusicRadar (log in and leave a comment below with a link as usual)

Via Twitter (follow @musicradar and tag your submission with #askmusicradar)

Via Facebook (become a fan at http://facebook.com/musicradar and post suggestions on our wall)

Or via ask@musicradar.com (just send an email the old-fashioned way)

Based on your opinions, we'll then come up with a list of the most popular DAWs available today, which we'll present to you in time-honoured gallery fashion.

The 10 best snare drums money can buy

Tom Porter and Rhythm Magazine — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:11:00 +0000

Every month, Rhythm Magazine take the finest drum gear on the planet and thrash it to within an inch of its life. Every week, we post the results in the form of a killer buyers' guide. Following the first ultimate budget drum setup gallery, the 10 best drum kits and the top 7 cymbals, we've another best of the best: the 10 best snare drums money can buy, whatever your need, budget or skill level.

We'll start appropriately with the best beginner snare: Yamaha's Stage Custom Nouveau…

How to make fat compressed beats

Computer Music Specials — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:54:00 +0000

How come some records' beats sound so much fatter than others? Well, it's got a lot to do with the original sounds chosen for the backing tracks, but more crucially, it's down to how they're mixed.

Hip-hop producers have perhaps been the biggest pioneers in this area, although some pop producers have now learnt the required skills and are applying them to more mainstream tracks. Let's find out how it's done.

10 quick drum head tips

Rhythm Magazine — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:21:00 +0000

Where's your head at? Find out with Rhythm Magazine's top 10 tips for choosing, using and abusing your drum heads.

10 drum head tips

1. Heads = sounds

The sound of a drum is said to be 80 percent due to the heads you use.

2. Different heads = different sounds

If you want a different sound, try changing your head types rather than buying new drums.

3. Don't forget your bottom heads

The bottom heads are often the cause of tuning and ringing problems but they're the hardest to reach and often go untouched.

4. In fact, start at the bottom

To tune your toms, take them off their stands and seat them on the floor. Tune the bottom head first and damp it while you tune the top.

5. Feel vs tone

Many drummers say they tune their top (batter) heads for the feel and their bottom (resonant) heads for tone.

Next: hands, plies, angles and, er... hair dryers!

(2 pages; go to page: 2)

Round-up: 4 Korg digital metronomes

Rhythm Magazine — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:56:00 +0000

Accuracy and reliability of tempo are more important to today's drummer than ever. It's simply expected. Drum machines and computer sequencers abound, but the humble metronome is still useful - some would say indispensible - for practising and learning, for nailing live songs, in rehearsal, gigs and even the studio. Korg offers a wide selection…

The four on review here all have multiple beat patterns and time signatures, combining audio and visual guide cues. All except the Beatlab also have chromatic tuning pitches, which may or may not be useful for drummers. They also all have headphone sockets, although only the Beatlab gives you gig-level volume.

First up: the most versatile of the bunch, Korg's Beatlab

Free music software round-up: Week 39

Ben Rogerson — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:39:00 +0000

It's a no-instrument zone in the round-up this week, but don't let that put you off.

Why? Because we've got three new (or updated) effects for you to try: a chorus, an audio capture device and a reverb.

If you've got a new free music software release, make sure you let us know about it by emailing musicradar.pressreleases@futurenet.com with all the details.

Acrobatics Software Vento

Platform/format: PC/VST Download

This is a 4-voice chorus effect – each voice is said to be filtered with a different harmonic variation. The tremolo section has been included so that you can give the sound "extra shine", and the results you can achieve promise to vary from "monophonic tube-flangers to incredibly rich and detailed stereo smearings".

Sonic Assault Capture! 2.0

Platform/format: PC/VST Download

This 16/24/32-bit VST WAV file recorder has just been updated to version 2.0, which adds 'point and click' mouse cueing and replay and also makes some changes to the time display. Audio ranging in length from 0.001 seconds to 10 minutes can be recorded.

Variety Of Sound epicVerb 1.5

Platform/format: PC/VST Download

We're told that this is a major update to the reverb plug-in that made its debut a year ago. As well as being more stable, some of the algorithms have been reworked, with the result being that epicVerb "supports way more dense and three-dimensional reverberation processing".

How to release your first record with Rebeat

Promotion — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:54:00 +0000

With so many online stores to choose from, it can be difficult to make sure that your music reaches as many people as possible. To make matters easier, a number of distribution companies offer aggregation services, which simplify the process of getting your tracks into online stores.

One that you can use at home in your own time is Rebeat, a German service based around proprietary software which guides you through the upload process step-by-step. Rebeat will distribute your tracks to a huge number of online stores, including iTunes, Beatport, eMusic, Musicload, Napster and countless others around the world. The software does costs €99 but that price includes free lifetime updates so it could pay for itself quickly if you have a hit - especially if you're using it to run your own label.

10 quick drum stick tips

Rhythm Magazine — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:27:00 +0000

Aside from your kit and cymbals, your sticks are an obvious, but essential component to your playing. Courtesy of Rhythm Magazine, here are a few pointers about getting the most from your sticks: from picking the rights ones to using them effectively…

10 quick drum stick tips

1. Same tree, different part

Although white wood sticks are popular, brown timber is usually just as good. It just comes from a different part of the tree trunk.

2. Don't be snobbish

Look for cut-price 'seconds' by the major manufacturers. These are often good sticks, which don't quite make the highest criteria.

3. Don't just look for brands

Also check out British-made sticks by Shaw and other companies, which are sometimes unbranded.

4. Are you heavy handed?

If you break a lot of sticks try a heavier model or a type with a thicker neck and shoulder.

5. Alter your angles

You might want to alter the angle of your crash cymbals as well so they don't continually cut into your sticks.

Next: sizes, synthetic vs wood, sweaty hands and sandpaper

(2 pages; go to page: 2)

The top 10 stompboxes we can't live without

MusicRadar — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:32:00 +0000

Just imagine you could only use one pedal for the rest of your life… what would you choose? Distortion, fuzz, overdrive, chorus, reverb, wah-wah, phaser? It's perhaps one of the more soul searching questions posed by Ask MusicRadar, and one with an equally perplexing outcome.

The number one choice of pedal, you see, is so simple in its purpose that you might not have seen the wood for the trees. Scroll through to see what we mean.

This is a gallery of the top 10 essential stompboxes as chosen by you. First up: Line 6 DL4…

How to make a Jordan Rudess-style lead synth sound

Computer Music — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:21:00 +0000

Whipping up a proggy lead such as those used by Jordan Rudess in his Liquid Tension Experiment side-project is pretty simple, and can be done using nothing more than a bit of freeware.