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How I use Softube’s Console 1
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...
How to get your Music Heard.
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...
Matty Trump’s 5 Favorite Features of Studio One 3
As many of you know I love Studio One 3. It' has helped me move quicker leaving more time to be creative when mixing. In the video below I go over 5 features that I absolutely love about Presonus's Studio One 3. Check them out, and let me know what some of your...
How Do I Make it in the Music Business.
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...
The Ultimate Auto-Tune Tutorial
This is the Ultimate Auto-Tune Tutorial! I noticed that a lot of auto-tune videos didn't show what I feel are the two most important parts of getting the sound: 1. How to fine the Key of the Song. 2. You HAVE to record with the Auto-tune on. So in the video below I go...
Gain Staging in Presonus Studio One
Gain Staging is a significant part of the record, mixing and mastering process. It is even more critical in the digital world than the analog because digital is much less forgiving. My general rule of thumb is to have my meters peak at -18 DB. By keeping your levels...
Mix and Master My Song 2017 Studio Tour
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...
How to Setup a Template in Studio One
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...
Why I sold my Slate Raven MTI2 and bought a Softube Console 1
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,...
Difference Between Mixing and Mastering
What’s the Difference Between Mixing and Mastering? Many new artists may not know the difference between mixing and mastering, or why each is approached separately. Sometimes, songs are not ready for mastering because the song was not mixed well - if at...
Basic Vocal Reverb Effects
Today I go over some of the basic vocal reverb effects I use. I mostly use plates, rooms, and some halls. Check it out and let me know what you think! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmFK6Y7VzLE
Using the Studio One 3 Splitter Feature with Parallel Compression
The Splitter tool in Presonus's Studio one 3 is a great tool. You can split the channel into two, or Left and Right, or even split it by frequency. In the video below I will go over how I use the tool when Parallel Compression. You can use this trick for drums,...
Proper Recording Techniques for Recording a Rap Song
I had a client reach out about how to punch in vocals correctly. So I thought it would make for a great video to show how I got about punching in vocals. I also go over how to add doubles and ad libs to help make your song and voice stand out. Enjoy!...
Why I Switched from Pro Tools to Presonus Studio One 4
I've been a daily Pro Tools user for about 15 years. I got my first engineering gigs because I learned how to use Pro Tools with the ancient audio media three cards. Unfortunately, over the past 3-4 years, I have seen feature improvements in other programs like Logic...
How to use Multiband Compression on Vocals
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!...
4 Mixing Tips that have Nothing to do with Mixing
4 Mixing Tips that have Nothing to do with Mixing Mixing or achieving a mix is a state of mind. A perspective better described as a feeling. We all hear with our ears as well as our bodies but its that something special thats hard to describe that keeps us listening...
3 things to do before Sending your Songs to get mixed
So your songs are ready for the world! Wether they will make there way to iTunes, Spotify, Play Music, CD, Radio, live venues or the club, it is good idea to get them mixed. But how do we prep our music for mixing? While it may seem simple, sending files “wrong” could...
Top 3 EQ Plugins of 2016 (Updated for 2018!)
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
Top 10 Mixing and Mastering Blogs We are lucky to live in a time that so much information is available and free for the most part! When I first started, the only way to learn how to mix and master was from going to school, interning ( which I still think is the best...
How To Take Reverb Off Audio Files
Many times when clients send me songs to mix they will have effects printed on the audio files. This helps me understand the sound they are going for, but the effect can sometimes be a bit much and negatively affect the mix. One of the biggest culprits can be reverb....
The Path to Signing a Record Deal
I've had the pleasure of working with quite a few artists who were independent but went on to sign a major label deal. I thought it might be interesting to go over how a few of them went from a indie artist to a signed act. I think what you'll find is there is no...
Using Different Kinds of Reverbs in a Mix
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...
3 Ways to make your Home Studio Sound Professional
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 that promise that this new plugin has the best "circuit to circuit emulation" of a 60-year-old piece of gear and...
How to Record Vocals at Home
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...
Soundtoys Tutorial
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...
How To Make A Chorus Sound Bigger
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...
How To Make Virtual Synths Sound Warmer
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...
How to use a Pultec EQ
The Pultec Eq is a legendary passive eq that's been used for decades on countless hit records . It was built in 1951 by Ollie Summerland and Gene Shank. The EQP-1A was there flagship unit and was hand built; which is why they still stand up to the test of time....
5 Things Artists Should Know About Record Deals
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 on a...
The difference between mono and stereo tracks
When I first started working in studios the difference between mono and stereo was much clearer. Part of the reason was track count, sometimes you only had 24 to 48 tracks for all your music and vocals. So if a kick drum was only one channel you wanted to make sure...