Musician on a Mission Blog - Free Tutorials and Home Studio Advice

Audio Terms: Every Word You Need to Know to Record Your Own Music

Last updated on April 26th, 2018 Categories: Uncategorized

When you’re first starting to learn to record and mix your own music, one of the HARDEST parts is something that would seem the most simple…

“What in the world do all of these words mean?”

There’s a lot of vocabulary and jargon in audio. And because so much of it is based on acoustics and electrical engineering, it can get confusing FAST.

So I’ve made a collection of all the words that I struggled with when I was starting out.

This is meant to be a reference for you. Bookmark this guide – If you’re learning about something new and you come across a word you don’t understand, just come here and check it out.

Mixing with Headphones: 5 Tricks for Radio-Ready Mixes

Last updated on April 25th, 2018 Categories: Headphones , Mixing

PreSonus Faderport Review: Worth It for the Home Studio Musician?

Last updated on April 18th, 2018 Categories: Gear

Since the 80’s, computers have slowly taken over the recording scene.

Gone are the days of massive consoles and control rooms. Now, any musician can get their start with a decent computer, a microphone, and a song.

But with all that’s been gained, there have been some things lost. One key example:

The channel fader.

But the folks at PreSonus seem to have come up with a solution to that loss. A few months ago, I got my hands on the Faderport; an analog-to-digital fader and transport that works with all DAWs.

After using it for several weeks, I’ve got a good idea of what it does for the workflow of a working musician.

Is it worth the money? Let’s find out.

4 Quick Songwriting Tips for Beating Writer’s Block

Last updated on April 25th, 2018 Categories: Songwriting

Vocal Reverb or Delay? How to Create Space Around Your Vocal (Fast)

Last updated on April 24th, 2018 Categories: Delay , Mixing , Reverb , Vocals

Here’s something we all know:

The vocals are the hardest thing to mix.

That’s because they are so important. The entire song is built around them!

One of the most difficult things to get right is the vocal space. You don’t want the vocals to be dry as a bone, but you don’t want them swimming around in the background either.

There’s a balance that you have to find. So how do you get your vocals to sit exactly where they need to in the mix?

Today, we’re going to answer that question. You’re going to learn how to determine which is best for your song – reverb or delay.

Once you know that, we’ll go step-by-step into getting the reverb and delay settings just right. We’ll get your vocal space sounding radio-ready.

How to EQ Kick Drum Like a Pro (3 Quick Steps)

Last updated on April 25th, 2018 Categories: Drums , EQ

The Bass Compression Trick for Tight, Solid Low End

Last updated on April 9th, 2018 Categories: Bass

6 Mix Bus Compression Mistakes (That Will Destroy Your Mixes)

Last updated on April 15th, 2018 Categories: Compression

One of the tricks pro mixers use to “glue” their tracks together is mix bus compression.

It’s frequently used, but rarely done right.

A well-tuned compressor on the mix bus can make a big difference in your mix! But a poorly-tuned compressor will wreak havoc.

Here’s 6 mistakes to avoid when setting up your mix bus compression. Avoiding these should save you from killing your mix – and should get you one step closer to that pro sound.

How to Mix Drums Like a Pro (BASK Technique)

Last updated on April 8th, 2018 Categories: Drums

The Plate Reverb Trick for Loud, Clear Vocals (Fast)

Last updated on April 8th, 2018 Categories: Reverb , Vocals

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