Search results

How does it sound to you? I hear depth in the EH that I don't hear in other pres in that range. It's a weird preamp, but definitely doesn't sound cheap. The Tampa has a tube simulator in it and can sound sizzly. Not a full on distortion, but a really subtle tubeness.

I have the Tampa and don't care for it too much. It's not bad by any means - the pre is a nice tiny bit sizzly to simulate tube behavior and the comp has a nice smooth soft response similar to the LA2a on vocals. If I were you, I'd keep the RNC and spend money on a nice pre. If you like the tube...

I can probably host a 50-60mb wav file for the mastering engineers to download.

You should read my business plan from 5 years ago when I decided to jump into mastering full time. It's pretty funny. There's no way around it, I think I'll always feel like today's work is twice as good as yesterdays. At this point, I'm really really happy with the work that I do, as are my...

Oh yeah, people who have been mastering for 15 years or more can definitely see where I'm at in year 5 and are probably shaking their heads at how confident I sound. I love it. I can't wait to hear things the way they do. Every year just sounds so much better than the ones before it, even just...

As someone who entered the world of mastering as a newbie only about 5 years ago, the whole online mastering "scene" seemed VERY pretentious and unwelcoming. I decided to say "fuck em" and continued learning as much as I could from these and other message boards, a few books, listening to a lot...

I usually use the D112 inside the kick. For $200, it's a great mic. You don't need to upgrade, ever and you can use it on guitar/bass cabs for overdubs. I've also heard of people using it on vocals, but haven't tried it myself. Maybe next session.

Agreed. I have a bunch of mid-level compressors (Joe Meek, Focusrite, TL Audio, plug-ins, etc) but I usually just stick with the Art Pro VLA.

I would actually try raising the volume before applying EQ or compression. Lately, I've been using EQ and compression only when they solve a direct problem. If the mix is too quiet, try turning it up. Does the mix sound right if you just turn up your monitors?

The Pultec plugin is really good, but it's still missing a good 20% of the sound of something like the Massive Passive. 15 years ago, a rare few of us knew about BBS forums and 32 megs of RAM was unheard of. I'm sure plugins will get twice as good every couple years and we'll laugh and what...

Like any tool, there's a difference between use and abuse. When you need MBC, only MBC will do. I still haven't found a really good MBC plug-in. Is the Universal Audio one any good?

The SM7 requires a good dose of power, but not out of the range of most preamps. You'll just have to turn it up to 8-9 instead of 6-7.

Nobody ever got rich by pricing their product based on what it cost to make it.

What sort of tips are you looking for?

Nobody has mentioned my favourite mid-range tube gear - TL Audio / HHB. I've got 5-6 different TL Audio or HHB (same gear, different name) units and I love them all, especially on drums and bass. I've only used the EH preamp once. It's really hot, so make sure you have an adapter to use as a...

Bring the volume down to mix levels so your vocals don't have to be pushed so loud to compete, then mix/master as usual.

The SM57 is rarely the perfect mic for any job, but it'll usually do pretty well. Dynamic mics work best on loud, thick sounds - drums, guitars, bass, some vocals, etc. Condenser mics work best on more delicate sounds - xylophone, vocals, acoustic guitar, etc. Try them both on different sources...

Don't let "producer ego" get in your way. Your studio has nothing to do with these people. Just do what feels right at this time in your life with your experience and 10 years from now you can learn from any mistakes you made and build a nicer, better place. In any case, starting at your age at...

I've found a reason to appreciate everything I've worked on. Step into the shoes of your client and figure out why they're making the album. Then, share that feeling for at least the length of the session. If you have a hard time listening to the recording a month after it's finished, you did a...

Joao put a hell of a lot of time, energy and money into building the mastering room of his dreams. Lucky for me, it's the place of my dreams too. I spend as much time in there as possible. Thanks!