articles

The New (and Preferred) Decibel

by Ronald Ajemian

The dB decibel is ubiquitous in the field of audio technology, recording, broadcast, etc. However, a need for a better notation has arisen to avoid confusion on the dB usage for certain...

Water in the Air: How Humidity Screws with Instruments in Your Studio

by Garrett Haines

From guitars to drums to cabinets, many of the instruments we record are made of wood. As an organic, porous substance, wood tries to equalize to the surrounding air in terms of temperature and...

All About Wall Warts

by Garrett Haines

I was reading a review in another recording magazine in which the writer opened up complaining about a device's external wall wart power supply. He went on and on about how irritating wall warts...

Making Classic Country: Kyle & Jason Lehning on Recording Waylon Jennings, Randy Travis, & More

by Larry Crane

Kyle Lehning's recording and production career is one to be reckoned with, featuring artists like Waylon Jennings, Randy Travis, England Dan & John Ford Coley, Kenny Rogers, and George Jones, plus...

James Demeter: Behind the Gear with Demeter Amps

by Larry Crane

Since the early '80s James Demeter has been promoting the use of tubes in pro audio, and in his excellent amps as well. 

Tom Mark: A Career Recording NRBQ

by Lincoln Barr

For over 40 years, NRBQ has been a codeword among fans of American music in all its forms. The New Rhythm and Blues Quartet (or Quintet, if you're referring to the band's original lineup with...

More Dialogue with Kim Rosen: of Knack Mastering

by Craig Alvin, Larry Crane

Kim Rosen built up her mastering skills and reputation at West West Side Music, before branching off in 2009 to set up her own Knack Mastering in Ringwood, NJ. Since going out on her own, she' s...

John Rodd: Recording Soundtracks

by Larry Crane

John Rodd might not be a household name, but it's likely you've heard his work. As a recording and mix engineer, he's worked on many film and television scores, including Elysium, Breaking Bad, The...

by Tom Fine

In the Allen Sides interview in issue #106 of Tape Op, Allen mentioned owning a few Church mics and loving their sound. There's an interesting backstory to that microphone that I would like to...

You Need the Right Kind of Melon: Brian Reitzell & His World of Film Music

by Jonathan Meiburg

You might not know Brian Reitzell's name, but you probably know his work. As the music supervisor and composer for most of Sofia Coppola's films, he's worked with the French electronic duo Air on...

The Wrecking Crew: An interview with filmmaker Denny Tedesco

by Larry Crane

We've seen a lot more documentaries come down the pike lately, and thanks to a multitude of cable channels and video streaming we have ready access to many of these films. And, lucky for us, a lot of...

Pete Weiss interviews Pete Weiss interviews Pete Weiss: Bill Evans, Edgar Winter, and a 19/y/o Max Weinberg

by Pete Weiss

Back in 2000, while on a session break, I got a call at the studio. It was a friendly voice with a subtle New York accent.  "Zippah Studio..." "Hello, I'm trying to reach Pete...