I haven’t lost my mind (at least I don’t think I have)…A few weeks back, I was sitting at home alone late at night just jamming out with my guitar and a small practice amp. Nothing special, just something cheap to get some songwriting ideas out.
Limiting isn’t a new process for engineers. Even before the first idea of a limiter came into existence, engineers were saturating tape and pushing consoles to their max – limiting their audio signals without even knowing it.
Background vocals can make or break a mix. Just a single out-of-tune harmony degrades the quality of the entire group in an incredibly noticeable way. Think of the last time you noticed a bad vocal harmony – it wasn’t subtle was it?
While things like vocals are usually the dead giveaways, synthesizers are a close second when used frequently throughout a band’s catalog. You might have noticed something special about them too: nearly everyone has a signature synth sound.
Snare drums are some of the loudest pieces of any drum set, and for good reason. The crack of a good snare combined with the power of a kick drum is the driving force behind every good rhythm section.
You guys must think I’ve lost it, right? Why else would I be talking about putting strings on an instrument that was recorded a month ago? Stick with me, because this one could really salvage some of your mixes…
Top engineers are always looking for ways to take on more creative control in the mix process, and time-based effects are one of the first tools they reach for to get them there.
If you haven’t noticed yet – there’s a common theme that runs throughout every great drum sound of at least the last 2-3 decades. It makes use of some of the most common studio post-processing in some of the most unconventional ways.
When you think of distorted vocals, I bet you’re thinking of screamed lyrics and guttural noises. It’s not hard to see why your mind would go there – distortion has been a huge element of rock and metal since the early days.