The Little Misunderstanding
by Larry Crane
In issue #84 I wrote an End Rant entitled "The Big Misconception." In it, I railed against the concept that a computer could replace an entire studio. I still say it can't really do as such, and to...
End Rants
Sporadic and regular articles from our contributors.
My Unwritten (Until Now) “Rules” in the Studio
by Larry Crane
During a recording session, there are many small details that can subtly derail the ideal flow of the work at hand. Outside of the technical end of capturing music, I think we all bring other habits...
The Big Misconception
by Larry Crane
Here's the scenario: You're reading an article in a magazine about the current state of the music business. You come across the inevitable part where the journalist talks about how empowered musicians...
End Rant #83
by Larry Crane
So you just graduated from recording school? Congrats to you! But here are a few things you might not have learned in school: You will initially blame the musician for not having the right sound,...
Bad Investments???
by Larry Crane
A reader in our letters section [Tape Op #75] recently bemoaned the fact that a virtual instrument plug-in he had purchased was no longer functioning properly and that he had received no support from...
Four Tracks and an Attitude
by Luther Russell
As a teenager in 1985 I slaved away all summer as a prep cook to buy a $500 Tascam Porta One 4- track cassette recorder. I proceeded to do what a lot of musicians of my generation did: record like...
the iPad as a True Instrument?
by Tom Freeman
I'm an iMusician — I like making music on iPhones and iPads. While I also like making music with a drum machine, in the studio or on a guitar, I consider the iPhone and iPad to be musical...
Please Check all that apply:
by Scott Craggs, Chris Garges
Dear Mastering Engineer, I'm sorry that I was: ?? unable to attend the mastering session. ?? unaware of your work. ?? unaware that the band is using you to master the project I did for them. But...
Burnout?
by Larry Crane
For years I've thought about possibly interviewing a number of people who quit recording music for a living; people who had worked full time in studios and eventually decided that moving on to another...
An Argument for Specialization
by Paul Abbott
We live in the era of technology democratization. As musicians, we now have affordable access to nearly any bit of technology you find useful. Powerful DAWs and plug-ins, exotic microphones, amp...
Proprietary Information
by Thomas Day
Forty years ago I began my career repairing industrial electronics equipment. Right out of tech school with a wife and a kid on the way, I worked on precision measurement equipment by day, and played...
Gear Manufacturers: Please Help Me Make Records
by Larry Crane, Garrett Haines, Steve Silverstein
I was sitting in my studio working on a mix session recently when it hit me — there were certain pieces of recording equipment that I tended to avoid. Over the years we've tried to weed out gear...