Information on audio interfaces, microphones, pop shields, computers, stands, etc.
I have connected more than one microphone to my PC several times in my home studio over the years. These were generally when I needed to record multiple sound sources at the same time. Depending on what exactly you are trying to do, there are several different methods of connecting multiple microphones to a computer….
Over the years I have worked with many different audio systems such as audio interfaces, PA systems and guitar amplifiers. Two of the most commonly confused terms applicable to all those systems are volume and gain, and it has taken me many years to fully understand the difference. Volume is how loud the audio output…
If you have ever seen a band play live, then more than likely you have seen a Shure SM58 microphone being sung into. Although commonly known as a great live mic, the SM58 is also often used in the studio as a versatile recording microphone. The Shure SM58 is a good choice for a recording…
Whenever I record vocals in my home studio, I always use a pop filter placed a few inches in front of the microphone. Is this use of a pop filter strictly necessary; could I get away with recording my vocals without using one? A pop filter is necessary when recording a voice directly in front…
If you search online for information about mixing using headphones, you will find many opinions saying that it is not a good idea. When just about every studio, amateur or professional, contains a pair, why is it considered bad to mix on headphones? Mixing on headphones is in general considered bad, as they do not…
You may have a pair of studio headphones in your home studio that you use for your music production activities. If like most of us, your home studio is a multi-purpose room that can be used for entertainment purposes, can you use those studio headphones for listening to music? As a general rule, studio headphones…
It has been a long time since I first started using DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software – about 25 years in fact. Back then, it wasn’t easy to find out what the requirements for using a DAW were. Even today, it is not immediately obvious what you actually need to be able to use a…
Many of us, including myself, have hardware synthesizers or music keyboards in our home studios. With music recording and other software so powerful and easy to use these days, how can we make the most of our setups by connecting our hardware synths to our computers? To connect a hardware synth to a computer, plug…
From time to time when working on my music in my home studio, for apparently no reason I have started getting the dreading popping sounds coming out of the audio interface. Over the years I have discovered several common causes of the problem, and it is usually just a process of elimination to isolate the…
Many of our home studios are multi-purpose rooms that are also used for other things. Adding an extra pair of speakers just for listening to music may not be possible, due to space constraints or other reasons. So, can you get away with listening to music on your studio monitor speakers? As a general rule,…
