3 things to do before Sending your Songs to get mixed

Sep 9, 2016 | mixing

Introduction: So Your Songs Are Ready for the World You’ve written the lyrics, recorded the parts, and lived with the demo long enough to know it’s finally ready. Whether your song is headed for Spotify, Apple Music, the radio, or just the aux cord at your next...

Top 3 EQ Plugins of 2016 (Updated for 2018!)

Sep 9, 2016 | Technics

We live in a time that there are so many plugins to choose from. It’s somewhat overwhelming. However, even with the huge list of plugins I have ( I can’t help myself from buying them) I usually come back to the same 2 or 3. Some I use for surgical purposes and others...

Top 10 Mixing and Mastering Blogs

Dec 17, 2015 | mixing

We’re lucky to live in a time when top-tier music production knowledge is just a click away. When I was getting started, the only way to truly learn how to mix and master was by going to school, interning at a studio (which, in my opinion, is still the best way), or...

How To Take Reverb Off Audio Files

Nov 28, 2015 | mixing

Introduction: Why You Might Need to Remove Reverb in the First Place Reverb can be a beautiful thing. When used intentionally, it adds space, dimension, and a sense of realism to a recording. But when it’s baked into a file—whether from a poorly treated room,...

3 Ways to make your Home Studio Sound Professional

Aug 12, 2015 | Tutorials

3 Ways to Make Your Home Studio Sound Professional (That Don’t Involve Buying New Gear) Many people believe that buying expensive gear and plugins will give them the tools to create the album of their dreams. We see advertisements everywhere promising that the...

Soundtoys Tutorial

Jul 7, 2015 | Technics

I gotta say I love Soundtoys plugins. I use them every day when I’m mixing and mastering. The Decapitator is amazing for adding everything from a little weight to full-on distortion. The Echoboy is a complete legend and is heard on countless hit records every...

5 Things Artists Should Know About Record Deals

Apr 9, 2015 | Music Business

After years of producing, mixing, and mastering for tons of indie artists in Boston, I got the great chance to work on an album that would turn out to be the first indie album to go #1 on iTunes. Sammy Adams’s album blew up overnight! Next thing I knew we were...

The difference between mono and stereo tracks

Mar 30, 2015 | mixing

What Is a Mono Track? When we talk about a mono track, we’re talking about a single audio channel — just one stream of audio that gets sent equally to both the left and right speakers. No fancy stereo spread, no panning tricks — just a centered, focused sound....

Setting up a Tempo Based Reverb

Mar 13, 2015 | mixing

Understanding the Role of Reverb in a Mix Reverb does more than just make things sound “big.” It shapes the emotional landscape of a track. Whether you’re working on a stripped-back acoustic ballad or a tightly produced trap record, reverb can either glue the...

How to Prepare Your Songs for Mastering

Mar 10, 2015 | mastering

Understanding the Basics of Song Mastering What is Song Mastering? Mastering, in my experience working with both major label and independent artists, is often the final polish that takes a song from “great” to “ready for release.” It’s the last stage in...

The Best way to Record Vocals at Home

Mar 3, 2015 | Tutorials

Start with the Room, Not the Mic If there’s one thing I’ve learned after mixing thousands of vocals—many of them recorded at home—it’s that the room will make or break your vocal sound. And unfortunately, this is also the part most people ignore. We all love...

How to Separate a Drum Loop

Feb 19, 2015 | mixing

How to Separate a Drum Loop (The Smart Way) When you’re knee-deep in production and stumble on the perfect drum loop—but wish the kick wasn’t buried under a pile of hi-hats—you’re not alone. I’ve been there. Whether you’re making beats in your bedroom or...