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The rapid development of digital audio systems has led to a “democratization” of audio production technology, which, until recently, was solely in the hands of audiovisual media professionals.

Lecture given by engineer José A. Medina (Uniphonic) at the Second International Meeting of Audio Specialists.

In the last article, we analyzed the fundamental concepts related to mixing. We saw how to approach a mix from the beginning, some tips on how to make the mixing process less traumatic, and how to create our own mixing philosophy. Now we will start to analyze the different technical processes involved in a musical mix.

After the brief introduction to equalization and dynamic processors in the last article, in which, much to our regret, it was necessary to delve into quite a bit of theoretical explanation, we have reached the point where it becomes necessary to offer some practical advice to fully exploit what was previously explained.

What a great drum recording session we had yesterday led by the fantastic Brandon Torres. We got to enjoy a marvel of a snare drum that we hadn't used yet, a Mapex Black Panther Sledgehammer 14" x 6.5". As many of you know, we record samples of all the drums that come through our hands. So that you can enjoy it too, we leave you a link to download the samples we made of this wonderful snare drum. We recommend you try the OH, it's an absolute wonder how it sounds. The files are in TCI format for Slate Trigger.

How nice of the people at Eventide. Very grateful to be considered on their website as a featured user of their products and for the licenses they have gifted me, especially for the H3000. I was looking forward to that plugin.

In the previous installment, we saw how any equalization should be applied knowing at all times what we want to achieve as a result. Something similar happens when applying any modification to the dynamics of a signal. This time we will see the different tools we have when modifying both the dynamics of the tracks individually and the dynamics of a set of several tracks.

This time we will address one of the most difficult elements to use in a mix: the compressor. Keep in mind that the compressor is a device that can give us a lot of satisfaction, but also many headaches, and its correct use is largely what defines a professional.

With this article, we aim to ensure that simply by knowing certain characteristics of a microphone, you can understand its potential uses, regardless of whether you are familiar with the most popular models.

Theoretical knowledge is a factor that enhances the skills acquired through experience. Sometimes, it even becomes the first step in exploring new paths that lead to new experiences.

More and more musicians are overlooking what it means and the implications of carrying out a musical production. I suppose those who know me personally have heard me say that nowadays a high percentage of albums released are just "extended demos". Recording a musical work on a support is not just about arriving at the studio, recording, mixing, editing, mastering, and done.

Much has been written about the so-called volume war. It has almost always been from a technical point of view, addressing partial aspects of the topic. Moreover, frankly, I'm a bit tired of trying to explain my view on this matter to my clients, so to avoid repeating the same speech over and over, I have decided to write about it on my blog.

In all the time I have been working in recording studios, I have met all kinds of people. Some open-minded and others as closed as the door of a cloistered convent. But if there is one thing I've learned from this job, it's that there are no rules.

Lately, I've been receiving many help requests from amateurs and people starting in small studios about their mixes. It seems that to make something sound clear, everyone's first recourse is to increase its level. Since I can't help personally, I'm going to talk about a concept in this entry that can help you a lot.