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As a kid, the first effects box I ever got my hands on was a Boss digital delay pedal. My friend Ryan and I, fueled by our passion for music, saved every cent we had. On a trip to NYC, we bought this pedal from Manny’s - the famous music store that has sadly been torn...
How to De-ess vocals De-essing is a simple process that takes the slithering sibilance out of your vocal takes. This process is also known as de-sibilizing. Sibilance occurs in the consonants such as; s, z, c and sh. The problem frequencies occur around 2k and go up...
How to Create Future's Vocal Effect Chain I've always been fascinated by the unique vocal styles of various artists. One artist who particularly stands out is Future, known for his distinct sound that has captivated the hip-hop world. Recently, I stumbled upon a Sound...
If you haven't noticed yet, I really like Midi Controllers. I'm constantly on the search for a way to stop using my mouse. I find turning knobs helps me to listen more and look less. I feel if we are looking at the frequency we don't listen as much. I was so impressed...
Deconstructing a Mix | Part 2: Drums & Bass This is part 2 of the 4 part series, deconstructing a mix of Sammy Adams song, "Remember". Today we are going over the Drum in Bass sections. This song has a ton of drums to go over so let's get started. The Drums were...
Deconstructing a Mix: Sammy Adams - "Remember" Part 1: Session Setup This is the first video of a four part series where I will deconstructing a mix I did for Sammy Adams's song "Remember". I'm super excited to share this with you. I will break down the eq,...
The Role of Producers and Songwriters In today's episode of music biz Monday, we are going to talk about the role of producers and songwriters. These are the people who write the music and lyrics for the songs you hear on the radio everyday. So let's jump right in...
This week on #MusicBizMonday we will be talking about how to get artists on your beats. It's fun to sit at home and make beats all day but if you don't get artist on the actual tracks your career will go nowhere. I'm going to go over four tips which include: local...
Softube's console 1 is a hardware unit that controls plugins in your DAW. It has three different channel strips and you can use select Softube and UAD plug-ins with it. I was on a search for a way to control my plug-ins by hand. After trying three or four different...
This week on music biz Monday we are going over how to get your music heard. The two main points I'd like to touch on is content and where to put the content. I believe if you stay consistent with posting solid content the fans will slowly catch on and you will start...
I am super excited to announce the first addition of music business Mondays. This will be a weekly blog post where I will share my experiences in the music business. I'm blessed to have made a living working in the music business for over 15 years. During that time I...
I had a few request to go over my single flow I use when mixing and mastering. So I decided I would do a studio tour as well as go through my signal flow. Knock two birds with one stone if you will! So without further ado, here is the Mix and Master my Song 2017...
Template's are a great way to get your session setup so you can just open up a song and get straight to be creative. It is also a huge time saver. I have all my reverb, delays and other effects ready to go as soon as I open a new session up. I also have my other buses...
I have been looking for a way to "touch" my DAW for years. The Avid ICON was terrific, but I couldn't justify the price tag. So when the Slate Raven came out, I was intrigued, to say the least. I thought it might finally be the answer to doing multiple fader rides,...
Introduction I've encountered numerous tools and techniques that can significantly impact a track's final sound. One such indispensable tool is reverb. It's fascinating how reverb, when used skillfully, can transform a flat, lifeless track into a vibrant, emotive...
Multiband Compression is a tool I use everyday when mixing and mastering. It gives me so much control over carving and manipulating the sound. I the video tutorial below, I go over some of the ways I use multiband compression when mixing vocals. Enjoy!...
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...
Reverb is a fascinating subject. Yet so many of us seem to not understand when and how to use it. For the most part I use 3 different kinds of reverbs. Plate,s Halls,and Rooms. They each have their own purpose and work well for different instruments. So lets go over...
It is so easy to record vocals at home these days. All you really need is a mic, a computer and your ready to go. The only problem is you don't have a engineer that can set the mic and levels up properly. Many projects that are sent to me are recorded poorly. The most...
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...
One of the questions I get asked the most by clients is how to make a chorus sound bigger. Many people believe there's a special effect that will suddenly make their chorus sound huge and epic! Unfortunately that is not the case. While reverb, delay and other effects...
Virtual synths are great. You get tons of sounds, amazing amounts of flexibility, and you can carry them all around in a laptop. Gone are the days of shlepping around stacks of keyboards and spending hours syncing them up with MIDI. Unfortunately the only complaint is...
When presenting your music you want to make sure it sounds the best it can. One of the main concerns is to make sure that the volume is the same. I highly recommended you get this done by a professional mastering engineer, but if you can't afford it or don't have the...
How to Master Automation in Pro Tools: A Professional's Guide Hello there! I'm Matty, a seasoned mixing and mastering engineer. Today, I'm excited to dive deep into a topic that's close to my heart and crucial in the world of digital audio production: How to Use...
So you got your song all mixed and you can't wait to put it out, but the only problem is you have one swear word( or many) and radio won't play it. Luckily there are many ways you can edit swear words to make the song still sound natural. The best time to do it is...
This week I go over how I set up a Pro Tools session before I start a new mix or song. Being organized is huge when it comes to mixing and mastering, so make sure to check this out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iuai2_Fun3Q
Leaving off where the last post ended on EQ and Compression, I wanted to talk about effects I use for Hip-Hop Vocals. Hip-Hop Vocals are usually pretty dry but in the video I show you how you can use slap delay, harmonizer and light reverb to make them stick out in...
Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of working with many major labels and contributing to numerous #1 records. Some of the artists I've worked with include Kelly Clarkson, Travis Barker, and Sammy Adams.
My extensive experience in the industry has equipped me with the skills and knowledge to help musicians elevate their sound to a professional level. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting out, I can provide you with the techniques and insights you need to overcome any challenges in your mixing and mastering journey.