23Media

1. Tips for better low end [text]

2. Compression basic [text]

3. Sample chopping with recycle [flash video]

4. EQ Masterclass [text]

5. Basic synthesis [flash video]

6. Dynamic basics [text]

7. Reader Poll

8. Mixing-using analogue tape emulation [flash video]

9. Links

10. Propellerhead's Reason- Sidechaining in Reason [flash video]

11. Audio frequency table [text]

12. Turn cds into records

13. Useful I-phone applications

When I’m mixing a song, nothing is more elusive than achieving a perfectly balanced low end. Bass frequencies present unique challenges, and if often takes experimentation, skill, and compromise to deliver a tight and deep mix. This said, when Recording received an email from a reader wondering how to get that “big bass sound heard on today’s recordings”, I set out to compile some of the tips I’ve picked up while trying to make professional mixes.

Tip One: Make sure you’re mixing the “right” bass and kick sounds. Sound choice is difficult because we often don’t know if something works until long after it’s been recorded. The classic example of this is the need to add kick samples when mixing. Be sure to listen to great records in the style you are tracking and educate yourself as to what has worked for the professionals. Should you have used a synth bass or an upright bass instead of a bass guitar? Did you get the right electric or synth bass sound for the style? Is the kick sound dated, too weak, or too overbearing? Changes to production, arrangement, or instrumentation, although difficult when mixing, can sometimes be the only solution to a low-end dilemma.

Tip Two: Make sure the bass is playing the right part. This may seem unrelated to recording, but a good mix can’t be achieved if the kick and bass are fighting. Sloppy performances or parts that do not support each other will make the low-end muddy. Well-defined in-the-pocket bass lines are essential for a tight mix.

Tip Three: Compress the bass and kick. The subject of compression has been extensively explored in Recording’s drum and bass columns—check out articles on compression in this library to learn more. Gentle compression on the kick and heavier limiting on the bass help insure that these two instruments are not erratic and stay at the level you desire.

Tip Four: Use eq to carve out a “home” for every instrument. Although a well-recorded, full-bodied instrument might sound fabulous in solo, eq is often needed in mixing to cut frequencies that are masking other parts. Is that wonderfully rich rhythm guitar covering the bass? Thin the guitar (and other thick instruments) with a low-cut filter and reserve for the bass its own place. As a side note, I often think of a mix as a layer cake, with individual tracks occupying their own frequency layers. I eq the kick to sit at the bottom, the bass layered above that, followed by guitars and other instruments in their own respective sonic layers.

Tip Five: Thin the bass to make room for the kick. That’s right, I just suggested cutting bass from the bass, a move that might seem counter-intuitive when on a mission for deep low end. The truth is that a thick bass will often muddy a mix and cover the kick with unnecessary super-low frequencies. Try putting a low-cut filter on the bass, and gently sculpt away frequencies below 100 Hz. This can help define the bass, while simultaneously saving the bottom frequency range for the kick.

Tip Six: Use midrange to make the bass and kick appear louder. Is the bass hard to hear yet already big enough? Try boosting 800 Hz to 2 kHz and allow harmonics, attack, and squeaks to define the bass in a frequency range far from the touchy low end. You can do the same with the kick, brightening its 2–4 kHz beater snap so the drum pops through the mix independent of its low-end content.

Tip Seven: Use multiple speakers when mixing. This is standard technique for all professional mixers. Check your mix on small speakers to see if the bass and kick can still be heard. Use big speakers to see if your bass is too big. Listen in your car and also check the mix on headphones. Remember that your mix might be played anywhere and you want your low end to be as compatible as possible with every environment.

Tip Eight: Walk around the room when mixing. Millions are spent to manage low frequencies in professional control rooms. If you are working at home, make sure to listen to your mix from multiple locations, as your control room is probably radically uneven in low-frequency responce

Tip Nine: Make a reference disc and compare to it while mixing. Burn a mixed CD of professional recordings you know and love, then compare to these references to see if your low end is thin or too big. You can also use this disc to help learn new speaker systems. Listen to this reference disc in your car and on headphones, as this will better educate your ears to interpret your own mixes.

Tip Ten: Experiment with multiband compression on the stereo buss. Multiband compressors and limiters have grown to be quite popular in today’s DAW environment. Multiband compressors split the signal into two or more frequency ranges, then independently limit each band. Using a multiband compressor on the stereo mix can be a great boon, as low frequencies tighten nicely without affecting the rest of the mix. Be careful, though—there’s a reason I left this tip for last! Overdone multiband compression can quickly take all life from a mix, and using these compressors effectively takes lots of practice. Once you get good with them, though, they’re just one more tool you can use to give your tracks the slammin’ low end they deserve.

Eric Ferguson is a recording artist and engineer in Los Angeles. Learn more about his work at www.bluecupmusic.com.

Life has many unanswered questions. Why do we exist? What is our purpose? What is the meaning of life? What was Mona Lisa thinking? And, of course, how do I get a tight low end in my mix? I probably hear this question more often than any other in the world of recording music. And, to be honest, it’s something that I myself often ponder and even struggle with, like a well-matched arm-wrestling opponent: I know I can win, but it doesn’t always prove easy.Tweaking the low end in a mix often revolves around listening on many different sources like car stereos, “boom boxes”, and yet smaller computer speakers. Different systems will attenuate or boost different frequency ranges, perhaps re-shaping your mix for the better but usually for the worse. Whatever happens, keep making comparisons until you find an average sound spectrum that works for everything.

While in the midst of this process remember that a mix’s low end isn’t just the bass guitar, or even the kick drum. It’s the sum of the whole. Acoustic guitars, electric guitars, vocals, and many other instruments can have a lot of low frequency content, all playing a role in the mix. Here, however, we’re going to specifically look at the bass guitar and how compression can be used to perfect a mix. Let me begin by pointing out that bass compression isn’t always needed. There are two typical reasons for compressing a bass (and most things in general): getting the notes to “sit” in the track and not poke out, i.e. limiting dynamic range, and/or because you like the sound of the compression.

The reasons for needing to limit dynamic range are obvious, especially with players who aren’t up to snuff. The bass needs to be even from note to note; otherwise some notes will be thunderous, earth-shattering affairs while others get lost in the mix. Listen to any pop music and you’ll notice how even the bass tends to be. Provide a solid foundation at the base and the tune will rock. With an uneven bottom level, however, the mix will teeter and never sit up straight.

The second reason for compressing bass may not be as obvious. Often, with an excellent player, the notes will be incredibly even to begin with and you won’t find it necessary to control the dynamic range very much if at all. This is an ideal situation, but you may still want to compress, even if only a small amount. The sound of the bass guitar, in rock music especially, has become largely defined by compression. 1–2 dB of gain reduction at a soft ratio may be plenty to get that sound, but still have some life and breath in the instrument. Now don’t squash that bass just yet... Check out these techniques for bass, and adapt them to your style and situation. We’ll cover the basics of compressor parameters in Part 1, and get into bass squashing trickery

in Part 2 next month. Here I’ll insert my standard disclaimer: these techniques may or may not work for you and are not hard and fast rules. Experiment. The good ol’ attack and release times... While preparing to write this article I asked my good friend Nick for any hot tips on the topic of bass compression (he always manages to glean neat ideas from the depths). He lightly chuckled and simply said, “Experiment a lot with the attack and release times.” Hmmm. Not the hot tip I was looking for, but it did illustrate the most important rule (actually, the Golden Rule) for compression of any signal: experiment a lot with the attack and release times. So, let’s review attack and release, as well as the general workings of the compressor But first, the Threshold... Before attack and release, we need to decide when to compress: the threshold, the volume at which the compressor starts compressing. If the sound never gets higher than the threshold, you aren’t doing any compression. On the other hand, if it’s constantly higher than the threshold, the compressor will be squashing all of the time. Therefore, the lower the threshold, the more often you are compressing. ...and Ratio Now that we’ve decided on when to compress, we need to decide on how much to compress. This is expressed as a ratio—2:1, for example. In the case of 2:1, if the sound’s original volume goes 2 dB above threshold, it will only gain 1 dB on the output. As another example, at a ratio of 4:1, if the bass hits a note 8 dB louder than the threshold, a change of only 2 dB will be heard out of the compressor . Even fairly mild ratios can really cut down your dynamic range. Now we attack the attack and release! The attack time is the speed at which the compressor begins squashing once sound has crossed the threshold. It’s like reaction time. Once the sound crosses the threshold the compressor waits the length of the attack time before it compresses.

The attack time will greatly affect the initial sound of a note. In the case of the bass, a fast attack will soften the initial sharp plucking while a long attack will let the pluck through, causing the body of the note to be squished.

The release time is the speed at which the compressor lets go after the sound has traveled below the threshold. With a fast release the compressor will let go almost immediately after the sound goes below the threshold. A long release, however, will keep compressing for a while, even after the sound has gone below the threshold. And this is key to understanding release times. With an exceptionally long release the compressor will almost always be compressing, basically overruling the attack time setting. In the case of the bass (especially with sustained notes) it’s important to remember this relationship in order to preserve range (if that’s your goal). Now that we know how these parameters affect our bass sound, it’s time to get tricky. See you next time. Justin Peacock  is a recording engineer in northern Colorado.

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EQ can be the difference between a quality recording and a disaster...
There are many urban myths surrounding the use and abuse of equalization in the studio, and sorting out myth from madness can be a tricky business. Often, when questioned, famous record producers and engineers will state: 'I don't really use EQ'. However, if you get the chance to work with these people, you'll discover that the EQ is frequently switched in. What they are really saying is that whenever possible, they try to avoid using equalization as their primary sound-shaping mechanism. In fact, in most cases, they still use EQ as much as
anyone else in order to make quality recordings without changing the fundamental character of the sound - this is just good recording practice.  Unfortunately, many sound professionals don't like discussing exactly what they get up to with EQ, fearing they might give away their personal secrets. And that's why we've decided to bring you the facts about EQ - no
nonsense, no hype, just plain and simple truths to make you more confident about when to (and when not to) reach for those knobs.
Why use EQ? The name 'equalization' comes from the original intent of the invention - to make the final recorded sound equal to the original source, making up for inadequacies of both the equipment and the recording environment itself. This
is an art that is, unfortunately, being lost. In the first part of this article, then, we will explore several different equalization techniques that are used during the first part of the recording process: track laying. Some of these are
old, and some are new - but all are techniques that you should be aware of. All are quite unrelated to the kind of
creative sound-shaping that many people resort to all-too-quickly when recording and mixing a track - we'll be ooking at those in next month's article.

Noise reduction
A fundamental part of recording is to get the best signal down to 'tape', and extraneous noise can be a nuisance.
This can be EQ'd out, but when it comes to getting rid of unwanted noise from a signal, it's better to get the sound right at source, solving the problem once and for all. If you persistently get, for example, a hum on your electric guitar, it's much better to track down and remove the source of interference for good, instead of remembering to
roll off the bass every time you record. If you don't take this kind of action whenever possible, it can substantially limit your ability to make more extreme, creative adjustments later on.
Unfortunately, there are many sources of unwanted background noise when recording, such as rumbles, bumps and bangs, popping, hums, hiss and instrument spill. Let's take a look at what we can do about them...Rumbles
Background rumbles can come from a number of sources. In a purpose-built studio, air conditioning systems are a
prime suspect. Nearby traffic (and in locations such as central London, tube trains) can generate very low frequency rumbles that aren't noticeable when standing in the room, but on a high-quality microphone at a high gain setting, can be unacceptable.
Because these sources of interference are so very low frequency in nature, they are often unnoticeable when monitoring on near fields, such as the Yamaha NS10s found in most studios. So it's a wise move to listen to the

microphone signal at a decent level on large, main monitors to begin with. Once you're sure there are no bumps or rumbles taking place, then you can relax back into using the (much less tiring) nearfields to continue the session. To deal with ultra-low frequency noise using an equalizer, it is almost always a good idea to switch in the low frequency roll-off filter that most modern mixing desks provide. If your desk doesn't have adequate filters, then make sure you get a quality microphone with one built-in. This will not detrimentally affect your recording, as most ultra-low frequency noise is well outside of any frequency range that is musically useful for the instrument or person being recorded. The exception is obviously when you are using a microphone to record a very low frequency sound, such as a bass guitar, cello, or other low -frequency instrument, where keeping ultra-low frequencies is paramount.
Analogue tapes tend to lose top end naturally during the wear and tear of music production anyway, so you need to protect the top end as much as possible. If you are recording instruments such as sharp-picked or rhythm guitars, it can be worthwhile to add just a little extra brightness at about 4-8kHz, to compensate for the loss in top
end that the analogue tape will have by the time you come to mix it.
On a digital machine, you have much more flexibility. Even so, it's still not a good idea to roll off too much top on anything during the recording stage, because
many project studio digital recording systems have relatively noisy D-A converters on them, and the hiss will be noticeable when boosting the top end during mixdown. So, as a general rule, don't overdo the 'sweetening EQ' during recording. In the rushed environment of track laying, it's very easy to get it wrong, with the result that the
monitor mixes will suffer until you get a chance to do a proper mix. And even when you get to the final mix stage,
it can be hard to undo the mistake while still keeping a natural sound.
Naturally, you want to get the sound a good way towards how you expect things to be in the final mix, but it is a
difficult balance between getting a workable result and boxing yourself into a corner. Doing anything too severe when recording restricts your options for doing different kinds of remixing and experimentation later on.
Finally All of the above techniques can, and should, be used to good effect while tracklaying, for two reasons: firstly, to
ensure the cleanest possible signal is being recorded, and, secondly, to free up as many resources for the all -
important mixdown session, where EQ can be put to much better use as a creative, rather than a correctional, tool. While this attention to detail can be time-consuming, the process of filtering out unwanted sound, damping
harmonics and flattening an unnatural frequency response is a fact of recording life, but one that can reap huge rewards in terms of the quality of your final mixes.
When to apply EQ: recording or playback?
One of the main considerations when applying equalization - or any other kind of signal processing - is whether to
apply it during recording or playback. It can be agonizing trying to decide which. There are three basic considerations: first, is the EQ in any way destructive to the sound? None of the techniques described in Part One of this article can be considered destructive to sound - quite the opposite, in fact. All of the techniques are designed to create a pure, clean sound.
Second, will it take time to set it up in future? In the case of hardware mixers, the answer is obviously 'yes' - and it
seems pointless to waste time at the beginning of each subsequent session redoing all those clean-up tasks that
can be done just once, at the start.
And finally, will you want to use the EQ module for something else later on? The answer, again, is almost certainly
'yes'. When it comes to mixing - a subject we will deal with in detail in the next issue - you will want to use the equalizer to do more creative things to the sound, so there is little point tying it up doing basic clean-up tasks that
you can do while recording. On a desktop computer system, you might be forgiven for thinking that you can leave all EQ'ing until mixdown.
After all, the EQ settings will be automatically recalled next time you reload the project file. But there are three reasons why this is not a good idea: first, a bass-heavy, close-miked sound, or a sound that contains loud unwanted harmonics, eats into the valuable headroom of your soundcard. By the time you've filtered these
undesirables out, the signal level may have dropped substantially and the signal quality will suffer. This is less of an issue with the new generation of 24-bit soundcards, but it's a serious consideration with 16-bit cards.
It's far better to get a good signal out of a quality mic amp with an excellent analogue equaliser, and capture that sound on your soundcard, than to pump any old lo-fi sound in and try fixing it later in software.
Having lots of equalizers running at once on your desktop system eats into valuable CPU resources. It is much better to record a great sound going into your computer and use CPU resources for more important things, such as effects or more tracks.
Finally - as is also the case with hardware mixing consoles, when it comes to mixdown, you will want to use the EQ on the channel for new, creative tasks, not for correcting something you could have recorded properly in the
first place. Need more EQ?
You might have more sources of specialised equalisation available to you than you think - even if you don't have dedicated outboard equalisers. Most modern digital outboard equipment is exceptionally flexible. For example, a
Yamaha A-series sampler can be used as a sophisticated EQ when recording live sound sources - even at the same time as you are using it for sequenced sample playback. Similarly, some outboard processors can be pressed into service - for example, TC Electronic's M•One has a fully-parametric EQ andDrawmer's DS 201
comes with hi and lo-pass filters.

EQ: the downside
EQ can damage sound, as well as enhance it - remember that EQ affects more than just frequencies. An unfortunate side-effect of EQ is that it also affects the subtle timing relationships between the different frequencies, meaning the sound is no longer 'phase-coherent' across the audio spectrum after adjustment. When people complained about the harsh sound of early CD players, scientists soon realised that the human ear is far
more sensitive to this timing information than was originally thought.
Certain types of EQ also introduce subtle ringing artifacts into the sound. If you over-rely on EQ to achieve the sound that you want - especially the EQ that's built into your desk - these factors can conspire to create a mix that sounds cheap and unnatural and, worse still, gives people a headache. If, on long mixing sessions, you find that
you're getting frequent, painful headaches and you are not otherwise ill, there's a good chance that you have been over-EQ'ing the mid and top frequencies of important elements of the mix.
Despite these considerations, if you attend a recording or mixing session, even with people who claim they don't use EQ, you will still probably find that the EQ is switched on within almost every channel of the desk.

Types of EQ:

1. Filters
Simple filters come in two styles: either a single button for rolling off the bottom end or two rotary controls marked LF and HF. These control how the sound is 'trimmed away' at either end of the audio spectrum, although usually the roll-off is preset and varies with each manufacturer.

2. Shelf
These are capable of both boosting and cutting the sound starting at a given frequency. There's usually one each for top and bottom, with the low frequency shelf EQ working at around 80 to 150Hz, while the high frequency shelf EQ will cover around 8 to 12kHz. Unlike roll-off filters, the amount of boost or cut remains uniform to the ends of the spectrum, giving a level gain change to the affected frequencies.

3. Sweep
A sweep EQ allows for frequency selection, with the cut or boost affecting only the area surrounding the
specified frequency. On simpler systems it isn't usually possible to control the width of the sonic 'area' affected,
and this width varies depending on the manufacturer. Some manufacturers like to keep the area fairly broad, as
this is more musical, but others prefer to keep it narrow, as this is more useful for correcting harmonic problems.

4. Semi-parametric
A sweep EQ on its own is of limited use, so these sometimes come fitted with a switch or button that can change the bandwidth covered, giving a choice of narrow or wide response. The whole assembly is often named a semi parametric EQ.

5. Fully parametric
Top-of-the-range mixing desks are fitted with fully parametric equalization, whereby you control the frequency, gain and the bandwidth of the EQ. Often, four of these units are packed together, and a switch on both the first and last unit allows them to be optionally used as shelf high and low frequency EQs, respectively.

6. Graphic
Graphic equalizers allow you to adjust fixed frequencies over the entire spectrum. These are best employed where a large number of subtle adjustments to the signal are needed - for equalization of a control room's main monitors, for instance, or for final equalization of a finished mix while mastering.

7. Passive and Valve
With many equalizers, audible 'ringing' is introduced into the signal, due to the electronic feedback techniques
employed. Alternatively, passive EQ cuts the sound across the whole spectrum. In this way, when you boost a signal, you're not really boosting it - the signal is just passing through the passive circuitry unhindered. Valve EQs often work in the same way. Their smoothness often has little to do with the valves; it's usually down to the fact that the circuitry is passive, not active.

8. Software
The beauty of recording on computer -based systems is that all the above-mentioned EQs can be relatively easily
modeled or simulated in software. The benefit of having quality EQ plug-ins is that these can be used on as many tracks as you wish, an obvious benefit over hardware EQ that can only be used over one sound source at atime.
Jezar Wakefield 01/01

Long before Kurt Cobain popularized the quiet, restrained verse leading into an explosive chorus in the early ’90s, music had a long tradition of contrasting quiet and loud passages. (Remember learning about pianissimo and forte in grade-school music class?) Unfortunately, much of today's popular music plods along at roughly the same volume level for the entire song, and overcompressed recording and broadcast techniques have compounded the situation. We've grown accustomed to music that has little dynamic content, and that's a double shame because — thanks to 24-bit digital technology — we now have the greatest ability in the history of recording to accurately capture and reproduce music with a wide dynamic range.

Think back to some of your favorite anthems. Most of them probably contain memorable sections that contrast with other parts of the song. Sometimes they can be slow builds (“Stairway to Heaven,” “In the Air Tonight”), sharply contrasting verses and choruses (“Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Roxanne”), or sparse versus dense music and vocal arrangements within a song (“Smooth,” “Independent Women”). If a great song does maintain a constant energy level, like Marvin Gaye's “Sexual Healing” or Prince's “1999,” it's usually intended as a hypnotic or groove-specific effect. You can bet some other major feature, such as a great vocal performance, is holding your attention. Dynamics are not just important in the studio, however. Changes in intensity also do wonders for material performed live.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Before we go on, let's establish a broader definition of the word dynamics. In its simplest sense, dynamics implies variations in volume or level. As I mentioned earlier, dynamics also embodies perceived changes in energy, attainable through a multitude of methods, including making one section louder or softer than another, thinning out or adding to the instrumentation, modifying a particular passage's tessitura (range of pitch), adding and subtracting background vocals, or changing the lead vocal's stylistic delivery. The list goes on and on. Some of these things you probably already do naturally, but it's always worth reevaluating your performances to see if you're overlooking additional ways to make your songs even more compelling.

COLOR MY WORLD

One of the great things about art is that basic concepts often apply across different disciplines. For instance, here's something painters have long known that also applies to music: if you want to make an element seem lighter, surround it with darkness. The contrast gives more meaning to each.

The concept of contrast is equally true in music. If you want a chorus to come off as bigger and louder, try lowering the intensity or volume of the verse or prechorus a notch or two. When you finally do get to the song's chorus — arguably the most important part — you still have room to build. The change in dynamics will recapture listeners' ears if they start to drift away, causing them to refocus on the chorus. By the time their ears acclimate to the new timbre and intensity, you drop it back down for the next verse or throw in a harmonic and/or melodic change during the bridge. That's the game — change things enough to keep listeners interested.

DROPPING OUT

Sometimes changing volume is not a viable option, however. For songs that need to maintain a consistent rhythm-section intensity as dictated by style (like rap, funk, and heavy metal), there are still plenty of other ways to create tension and release.

Even songs in these genres have brief sections where significant parts of the instrumentation drop out. The drums might cease for two bars; the bass will play in a higher register than normal; the vocal is processed through a distorted AM radio plug-in; then everything gets thrown at the listener simultaneously for the hook. The point is, it's still possible to create dynamic interest within a song, regardless of its style or genre (see Fig. 1).

Whether music is recorded or performed live, one basic rule holds true (regardless of what record company execs think): too much repetition is boring. The ear quickly becomes accustomed to melodies, timbres, energy levels, ensemble combinations, and so forth. The listener will lose interest if you don't make periodic changes to the overall sound. This is especially true in a live performance, where you can't always change timbres and instrumentation between songs as easily as in the studio. On the other hand, in live performance you are freer to take your music (and your audience) on a roller-coaster ride of intensity, which on a recording can be either impossible or commercially inadvisable.

Although a lot of ear-candy songs (tunes that rely heavily on trendy palettes of sounds with little variation) currently dominate the radio waves, the artists instinctively know that the repetitiveness of their radio success won't fly during a bona fide concert — fans wfToget bored. Have you been to a concert by any of the teen queens or boy bands lately? They rework practically all of the songs into much more exciting arrangements than the original recorded versions.

RULES OF THE ROAD

So what's the key to making the songs in your live show more dynamic? Here are some basic rules to follow.

Rule no. 1: No recorded arrangement is sacred. If you're in an original band looking to get signed, you're probably sticking pretty closely to the arrangements on your record or demo when you play live. While you don't want to drift too far away from your sound, you don't have to mimic your record completely, either. Just because an arrangement works on a recording doesn't mean it's ideal for a live show. Try to identify the songs that lack energy, and pay attention to audience response. Other band members can probably point out a few weak spots you may not notice, especially if you're one of the principals.

If you're in a cover band, one of the best ways to stand out from the competition is to heighten the intensity and dynamics of the arrangements as if the tunes were your own. Again, the fact that a group may have played a hit song in a certain way doesn't mean you should use the same arrangement in a live setting. Any group of good players can cop a record, but if your group can really work the crowd's energy with each song, you're sure to be a hit.

Rule no. 2: Make the audience strain a little to hear you in some spots. Then let ’em have it! Try the simplest idea regarding dynamics. Reevaluate the volume of the band as a whole. Make sure you're not taking away the impact of the chorus by blasting through the entire song at full throttle — such a lack of contrast will cause all of it to have less impact. And remember: a listener's nhan can get bored very quickly.

Rule no. 3: Set up the important parts by thinning out what precedes them. If you're mimicking your recording onstage, you may also be filling in all the holes, just as you did when recording. Try dropping out some instrumentation to clear the way for the band's sound to kick in with greater impact — for example, all the guitars and keyboards at the second verse for two or four bars, or maybe the drums. Forget what you did on your demo, or at least don't be closed-minded about new ideas. Experiment.

FADE OUT

Maximizing the arrangement's dynamic interest is a great way to heighten the intensity of your live show, and it doesn't require new gear, more band members, fog machines, or flashy new stage clothes. Try it — you'll be surprised what a difference it can make.

Guide to Media and Press Kit Printing
By Trisha Schulz

Never underestimate the power of the press. Media and press kit printing is a necessary tool to effectively market your business and get your message broadcast to prospective clients and investors. Not only are media kit folders an impressive way to increase your media exposure, but they are generally an inexpensive way to get your business noticed. Even the priciest press kits are infinitely cheaper than most forms of advertising.

Since the impact of your media kit folders is long-lasting, make sure to choose the right company for your press packet printing.

There are several factors to consider when choosing a company to print your media and press kits, including:

1. Quality
2. Press kit pricing
3. Services such as custom press kits
4. Effectiveness

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Review all the options for press kit folders and contents Which style gets your message across? Which ones are neat and to-the-point? What kind of features are you looking to include in your media kit folders? If you're going to go to the effort to send it out, you better make sure it'll get the job done.

I recommend: Not sure what your press kit should include? You only get one shot to make a first impression, so make it count. Be sure to include a personalized cover letter and up-to-date company information. Check out more media kit printing tips from Gaebler Ventures.

Compare media kit printers to find the right one for you Each media kit printing job may influence a different choice in printer. Your main goal is to match the particular job to the printer who can provide the lowest price for the highest quality. Different printers can also offer different techniques, specializing in a certain effect that might fit your particular need.

I recommend: Don’t hesitate to ask lots of questions or even request a sample. What better way to see what a company can do for you than to see what they did for someone else?

Consider service and quality in printing press kits Your press kit folders are only as good as your printer's service. The right press kit printers will help you manage the process of printing media kits and provide you with essential information throughout the process. A printer's knowledge is key to help you meet your needs. Whether it's recommending a certain technique, ink or even the paper size, choosing the right media press kit printer can make a big difference.

I recommend: Online services offer a gamut service possibilities, from do it yourself to full service. For examples, see VistaPrint's three different options: complete help, upload your own design, or use a type of press kit template.

Shop around for press kit printing bargains The right printing service, in the long run, can help you become more efficient with all of your media and press kit printing needs. That will not only keep money in your pocket but may even save you time. The most expensive aspect of printing media kits can be the material costs. Next, keep color designs simple to save money on ink. If you have your job printed on color paper, that can keep ink costs low.

I recommend: Press kit pricing ranges widely. Know what it'll cost before it goes to print. Many online services, like Color Printing Wholesale, offer instant pricing.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

* Relying on only one printer can sometimes mean you are settling for less quality. Some printers may accept a job even though they don't have the particular know-how or equipment to do the job right. They may also end up contracting the work to someone else.
* Always ask for cheaper options on paper type and ink, but be careful not to skimp on quality.

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Vinyl Cutter Etches Music Grooves onto Unwanted CDs

Aleks Kolkowski has discovered a new use for old CDs: He created a tool that will them into vinyl-style records that can be played on any record player. Attendees of the Manchester Futuresonic 2008 Festival were invited to bring their unwanted CDs and DVDs to his display at the event to have music physically etched onto them by Kolkowski’s vintage vinyl cutter. Even better, he apparently let people bring their own WAV files so that they could have whatever song they wanted cut onto the disc.

The resulting CDs are sort of like a DIY version of the vinyl disksspotted in November. Drop them onto any turntable that has a 45 RPM speed and these CDs will play a vinyl-ish version of the WAV file. They aren’t going to sound as good as high-quality vinyl records, but it’s a neat trick, though with maybe one more version advance it may be the end of cheesy dj mediums (final scratch, etc)

I’ve heard more than one person say that they think the future of music formats belongs to digital files and vinyl. If that’s the case, his technique could become a lot more popular.

Optimal Media Production -These fellers make avinyl/CD hybrid, which is just like a normal CD except that on the top, it has vinyl grooves etched in. Place a VinylDisc on your turntable, drop the needle at the start of the track, and you’ll hear up to 3.5 minutes of music at 33 RPM.

Sonic Kollectiv - Vinyl/Disc compilation a spin, and it sounded decent — not as good as 180 gram, but certainly good enough to warrant consideration from bands and labels looking to offer something new to their customers: a CD that everyone can play, with a secret bonus track in the grooves on top for those who have record players.

Other weird offerings from Optimal Media Production include etched vinyl, perfumed CDs, and a partially metalized disc that makes"specially chosen images float through the room, seemingly three-dimensional and extraordinarily vivid.

Now these are a good reason to get an i phone!!!

We just received the word about a cool new music creation application for the iPhone called JR Hexagone Pro that supports direct export to your SoundCloud account.

The app was developed by Amidio, a company specialised in the creation of music apps for the iPhone. Here’s how they describe JD Hexagone:

It’s a loop generation tool that uses artificial intelligence and advanced randomization algorithms to produce constantly changing sonic structures. The app is able to create and modify many type of drum loops, melodic sequences or rhythm patterns in realtime. You can also engage built-in Stutter or Chorus effects and control them with the iPhone’s accelerometer.

The application comes with a vast library of original samples and loop presets. Your loops get exported as .WAV files and you can export to your SoundCloud account or hard drive.

Here’s Jordan Rudess introducing the app in a 10-minute video.

JD Hexagone Pro