Published on
May 31, 2010 by
Tim
I like what C.S. Lewis has to say about noise in The Screwtape Letters:
Music and silence–how I detest them both! How thankful we should be that ever since Our Father entered Hell [...] no square inch of infernal space and no moment of infernal time has been surrendered to either of those abominal forces, but all has been occupied by Noise–Noise, the grand dynamism, the audible expression of all that is exultant, ruthless, and virile–Noise which alone defends us from silly qualms, despairing scruples and impossible desires. -C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, Ch. 22, (1942)
Published on
December 9, 2009 by
Tim
This is my current “computing station.” I have decided that multiple computer monitors are almost a must. There are three Samsung Syncmaster T220HDs and one Dell 2408WFP. The studio monitors are Yamaha HS80s.
Published on
June 2, 2009 by
Tim
Arguably one of the best tools available to a sound engineer is the compressor. A compressor is a device that reduces the dynamic range of program material. In a perfect world, there would be little need for compressors. Alas, we live in an unperfect world and due to the varied talent of the musicians we work with, compression is often required to make things sit correctly in the mix.
So how do you actually use a compressor? Well I was prepared to write an entire article on the subject until I found an excelent article written by John Mills. You can find the article here.
Published on
April 29, 2009 by
Tim
Acoustic guitars are used in all types of music; from rock to a solo classical guitarist. Depending on the type of music, the method for mixing an acoustic guitar can vary.
The notes an acoustic guitar is tuned to range from about 80Hz for an open 6th string to about 660Hz on the 12th fret on the first string. There is a lot more to a guitars sound than just the actual notes its strings are tuned to though. Vibrations from the body and noise from fingering or the pick also add to the overall sound of a guitar.
So what is a good starting point? In many mixes, the first place to start is by rolling off the low end. This can be anywhere from 60Hz for an accoustic set to 100Hz for a rock mix. Next, the boominess can be tackled. The boominess of an acoustic guitar usually lies somewhere between 150Hz for an accoustic mix and 700Hz for a rock mix. Finally, giving a little boost around 2kHz and another in the 15kHz range can add some zing and sparkle to the guitar.
That is about all there is to it. Some people might like to add some very light compression, in the 2:1 range, but I usually just prefer to leave well enough alone.
