Producing a Convincing Drum Track
There’s a lot that goes into producing a convincing drum track, especially when your drummer is a software sampler (such as Reason’s Redrum and NN-XT, Native Instrument’s Battery, or MOTU’s MachFive)....
View ArticleCopycat Cool
There’s a saying, “Copying is the highest form of flattery.” Copying is also one of the best ways to hone your production skills. Taking the time to pick apart and recreate a song done by your favorite...
View ArticleEQ, Before or After Compression?
When it comes time for students to mix their final class projects, a common question I hear is, “Should I put the EQ before or after the compressor? Which way is correct?” There’s not actually a right...
View ArticlePlease Vote for My Reason Bass Line
The Reason Bass Line Battle was a wonderful chance to flex your drum and bass production skills. Just 8 bars of rocking drums, funky bass, and swanky percussion using Reason’s Factory and Orkester...
View ArticleUsing Compression in the Mix
Wondering how much compression you should use in the mix? Maybe you’re skeptical that compression really makes a difference? It’s a difficult effect to get a handle on and to really use effectively....
View ArticleAnother Compression Tutorial
Most of my compression tutorials focus on recognizing what compression can sound like in your mix. Because, if you can’t imagine what properly applied compression will sound like before you reach for...
View ArticleSuper Sidechain Compression
Sidechain compression is a wonderful production trick. Originally, it was used to duck music behind an announcer’s voice on the radio. Each time the announcer would speak the music’s volume would be...
View ArticleHip-Hop Drum Beat and Bass Tutorial
I’ve received many requests for tutorials on writing/producing a hip-hop or dance beat. In theory, this is a nice idea. In reality, there’s just no way you can encapsulate all of the creative and...
View ArticleSidechain Compression in Reason: That Pulsing Dance Music Sound
It’s super easy to sidechain compress in Reason. And this is the key to producing that classic, pulsing synth pad sound you hear in dance music. You know, the synth pad that throbs in time with the...
View ArticleFrom Demo, to Mix, to Master
I often find that inexperienced producers try to make their song sound as loud as possible before they’ve produced a solid mix. But in their defense, it’s difficult to imagine how your song will sound...
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