Tips, Techniques & Opinionated Rants

A very useful feature that allows you to stack sounds from...

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:23:04 -0400

A very useful feature that allows you to stack sounds from plugins and play with your midi keyboard. Used to do this on the MPC, great to finally be able to do this on maschine!

Wow, this dude thundercat is the NEXT level

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 01:28:00 -0400

Wow, this dude thundercat is the NEXT level

Hire this man to play on your tracks and you will be happier...

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:05:28 -0400

Hire this man to play on your tracks and you will be happier than a pig in doodoo

Maschine 1.7 missing samples video

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:04:04 -0400

Maschine 1.7 missing samples video

NEW MASCHINE 1.7 SOFTWARE

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:45:42 -0400

NEW MASCHINE 1.7 SOFTWARE

BX XL MASTERING PLUGIN

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 23:33:52 -0400

BX XL MASTERING PLUGIN:

Finally i can make shit loud while keeping my mix intact!!! super geeked

Live Mixing with Engineer Zito

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:28:20 -0400

Live Mixing with Engineer Zito:

Just in case the Backstreet boys music makes you want to throw up in your mouth…..dont worry there isnt much of it. But there are some excellent tips from a top notch live sound mixing engineer!

My favorite mastering engineer and all around cool m’fker...

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 02:23:51 -0400

My favorite mastering engineer and all around cool m’fker Dave Kutch on Pensado’s Place

PROTOOLS KEYBOARDS SHORTCUTS

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 20:49:43 -0400

PROTOOLS KEYBOARDS SHORTCUTS:

If i knew they wouldnt become obsolete i would get some of these tatted all over my arms

Do you love low end? I mean do you LOVE low end!? The #1...

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:52:30 -0400

Do you love low end? I mean do you LOVE low end!?

The #1 Question i get asked is: “How do I make 808’s sound good?” With this kit, the answer would be NOTHING!

This package includes 48 unique takes on the same old sound that everyone uses. I have decided it is time for a fresh take on an old classic.

Many of these were sampled directly from an original 808 machine and then twisted and turned through various gear and synthesizers then sampled through the finest analog gear and digital converters. (Prism, Radar, Lavry). The rest were sampled and combined from various high quality sources.

The Drum Arsenal Vol. 3 features 48 high quality wavs of exclusive samples created by Mike Chav, for MikeChav.com. This collection of sounds has been created with the approach of a producer and the technical skill of an engineer, using the highest quality analog and digital signal processing. Creativity and fidelity is paramount here.

Coupled with the Drum Arsenals 1 & 2 your tracks will sound mixed before you touch a knob or a plugin.

Start your songs and beats off right, replace drums in existing material - surpass the “industry standard”!!!

Drum Arsenal Vol. 4 coming soon!!

Pensado’s place with mixer Steve B. Steve mixed a Game...

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:13:00 -0400

Pensado’s place with mixer Steve B. Steve mixed a Game song that i co-produced, he is the real deal!

An interesting discovery

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:44:00 -0400

I was working in my Sennheiser HD380 headphones earlier and made an interesting discovery. (to me atleast)

When the headphones were on my ears I started to hear the pulse of blood inside of my head due to all external noise being blocked out. I then noticed that the sound of the pulse changed when I moved my jaw. When my jaw was relaxed, it beat normally. When my jaw was clenched the sound i heard was similar to when you kink a garden hose and the water starts flowing out very quickly. I looked this up and there was actually a study that examined blood flow through the cerebral artery and the physical state of your jaw. In fact when ones jaw is clenched the velocity of blood (as shown in an MRI) increased greatly through the brain.

I am no doctor but common sense tells me this is bad and could cause damage to your arteries over time.

It reminded me of something i heard once: That if your jaw is not relaxed, than no part of your body can be relaxed.

Hmmmm.

Badu + String Quartet = awesome

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:12:50 -0400

Badu + String Quartet = awesome

This Looks like something I want!

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:05:23 -0400

This Looks like something I want!

How to save maschine banks and transfer to someone else or...

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 13:19:38 -0400

How to save maschine banks and transfer to someone else or another computer without the dreaded “missing files” box popping up!

This cat is from Detroit. Naturally.

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:49:57 -0400

This cat is from Detroit. Naturally.

THE WAY THINGS ARE AS I SEE THEM: DOS

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:47:00 -0400

Having been around this cesspool of the music industry a couple times now has really allowed me to gain some perspectives that I definitely didn’t have going in.

Having been on the receiving end of bad business and ethical practices as well as having many very strong business friendships has led me to examine the relationships I build and the work i choose more closely.

here are some thoughts that seem like common sense issues, but are rarely adhered to.

Do good business with people. This means keep your word. Be straight forward. Be on time. Help people whenever you are able, but if you are not able to help, let them know. Living in grey areas are not good business practices.

Be very clear about compensation and responsibilities. If you are investing your sweat equity or capital into someones brand, or if someone is investing in your brand, then define the relationship on paper. This will prevent potential misunderstandings and save relationships.

Follow you gut. If you are a leery of someone but do not have cause to be……..BE LEERY of them. Dont wait for the facts to reveal themselves. Stay guarded with those individuals.

Trust is a beautiful thing, but it must be earned over time. Once trust is breeched it will almost never return to what it was.

If someone shows you who they are with their actions or inactions, then believe them. Words and good intentions can only go so far.

Being respectful of people’s time goes a long way.

Give more than you take.

Be fair and realistic.

Try not to let anything fall into negativity, but be willing to cut out those who take advantage, cause stress and are self serving.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked with some phenomenal people that I would catch a bullet for if it came to it. I’ve also experienced and have witnessed others experience some pretty nasty situations that have ended in wasted time, energy and money. Learning how to identify red flags and avoid potentially toxic situations without sacrificing opportunity is just as important to success as whatever talent one may have.

Jack Joseph Puig on Pensados Place. If you havent checked out...

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 13:37:11 -0400

Jack Joseph Puig on Pensados Place. If you havent checked out the Waves JJP plugins, they are fuckin awesome!

Twitter Rant from 2010

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

A while back i was mixing a song that was horribly done. Frustrated, I went on a twitter rant and dropped #23 jewels of knowledge. I was asked to blog them in one place but never did. In reverse order here they are thanks to www.allmytweets.com

#23 vocalists. your headphone mix and volume is SUPER important to your performance. SPEAK UP. 287 days ago

#22 working with artists you gotta be a psychologist. foster an environment that will keep them in the zone. 287 days ago

@djmainevent lol, be my guest. ill copy yours when you do….lol 287 days ago

@LateefDameer i own atleast 6k in mogami. get em anywhere but GC they wont give out price breaks on them 287 days ago

#22 when you stop feelin it, take a break, go to sleep, smoke a joint, live your life. 287 days ago

#21 you cant master everything, work with people who are better than you 287 days ago

#21 use attack and release settings on your drums to perfect the pocket 287 days ago

#20 dont quantize everything. 287 days ago

#19 tune your drums to the track 287 days ago

#18 tune your instruments to the sample. use your ears 287 days ago

@JMoneyRed everytime i gotta wait on technology i think of something new. lol 287 days ago

#18 use the expensive cable. spend that money. 287 days ago

@ThisIsWitness not bad, i dont find myself going to them too often tho….i like eq better than the comp 287 days ago

i am about to murder this guitar on this @slaveangelmusic track #thebase 287 days ago

@idubl the rate varies, just hit me up when you are close to ready and well work something out. 287 days ago

@idubl for final mixes to be released i urge my clients to use a real mastering engineer like dave kutch. 287 days ago

@idubl im not a big fan of maximizers, if im doing a ruff mix may use a touch of psp xenon, or massey l2007— 287 days ago

@idubl the net is your friend. send them my way next time you need one mixed. 287 days ago

smaller and smaller.your movements in the mix at first will be broad, and they will get finer towards the end. usually till the 10th of a db 287 days ago

think of mixing and creating a song like sculpting. you start with a big block, chipping away large pieces, as you move on, the pieces get 287 days ago

fts in the mix. same for predelay. its not about numbers, its about massaging everything until it fits. 287 days ago

one more thing about the reverb times—-you should use the bpm calulator as a starting point, and tweak slightly longer or shorter till it 287 days ago

#17 its okay to push some analog gear into the red, this is what will give you character at times. digital in the red = harsh and distorted 287 days ago

the length and type of verb you use depends on your taste and what the song is asking for. 287 days ago

at 100bpm for a singer with a long verb of 2400ms, (whole note) try predelays of 75ms (64th note) or 150 ms (32nd note). 287 days ago

it is very common to use longer predelays on singers. this is how you can put a HUGE verb on a singer and still keep them sounding close 287 days ago

next use the same rule to calculate predelay. predelay is how long between the original sound and when the reverb begins. 287 days ago

download this http://www.macmusic.org/software/share.php/lang/en/id/1536/Music-Math 287 days ago

eighth note, quarter note, half note and whole note are your main reverb time choices. at 100bpm they are 300ms, 600ms, 1200ms and 2400ms 287 days ago

#16 reverbs —- time to the song. thing in terms of beats and not Milliseconds. how long does the verb take to decay? 287 days ago

but sometimes i will smash the shit outta something if needed. 287 days ago

compression can be used as a tool or an effect. it is also a matter of taste. i tend to prefer a more open sound so i use it sparingly 287 days ago

#15 compression is mostly misused. compress as little as possible and for the right reasons. —-this one is hard to explain. 288 days ago

#14 use some dope drum such as these http://mikechav.myshopify.com lol. 288 days ago

@idubl start mixing with only your vocal and the bass—or whatever the lowend anchor of the song is. then build everything around that 288 days ago

@tundeolaniran about 8 yrs ago i forced @jayelectronica to stop punching and say that shit in one take and he hasnt looked back since. 288 days ago

@L05_ good coice 288 days ago

#13 plugin i personally love. Massenburg eq’s. anything by brainworx, sound toys—-the waves cla and maserati and puig plugins. 288 days ago

chk this website for DIY studio constuction help, bass traps, panel absorbers, speaker placement http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/index.php 288 days ago

use this http://www.eco-buildingproducts.com/products-page/ultra%20touch/16-ultratouch-recycled-cotton-insulation-batts/ 288 days ago

#12 build bass traps for your corners. the more the better. 288 days ago

#11 great converters are very important. as well as a good clock. check lavry, apogee, black lion audio does mods of your existing equip 2 288 days ago

@LateefDameer never used but heard great things from engineers i know and trust. worth the wait apparently. converters are hugely important 288 days ago

@drummeraaron77 from hard because radio doesnt deal well with hard panning, it will change your mix. 288 days ago

@drummeraaron77 inbetween to create an illusion of wide or big. if you want your bvs to be the widest thing than pan them in slightly 288 days ago

@drummeraaron77 if everything is wide then nothing is wide. use your space like a canvas—-use that space wisely, and space everything 288 days ago

@thisisMikeNa it is one of my main hangups in logic. the only workaround i know of is a plugin by brainworx called bx control 288 days ago

@thisisMikeNa have control over left and right pans independently but in logic you dont and they include this wack as directional plugin 288 days ago

@thisisMikeNa ah, i see—-not a rookie question, the panning in logic is fucked and makes no sense. on a stereo track or inst you should 288 days ago

@thisisMikeNa what do you mean by directional mixing? 288 days ago

@SincereCreative i dont have a lot of experience with them….just try them till you find one that fits. try vintage king or mercenary 288 days ago

@TheBatmanOfRap also, radio doesnt deal well with hard panned sounds. your mix will change on the radio if you do alot of hard panning. 288 days ago

@TheBatmanOfRap here is a deep thought, if everything is wide then nothing is wide. use your space like a canvas. 288 days ago

@J_Werdz that creates more work for the mixer. 288 days ago

#10 if you gotta work with something horrible sounding, make it sound like it sounds like that on purpose. 288 days ago

#9 i learned this from one of the best mixers out there—— dont pan anything hard left or right, except maybe reverbs and certain fx. 288 days ago

#8 heAdphones will trick your ass! lol 288 days ago

@J_Werdz words btw 288 days ago

@J_Werdz i find that the yeas and uh huhs need to be at different levels then the adlibs —in my circle, the adlibs mean doubling certain 288 days ago

FYI this has all come about cuz im waiting on logic to bounce files. SMH. thank apple! 288 days ago

@L05_ action tracks to me are random vocal noises, “yeas” “uh huhs” etc 288 days ago

@Intrnational reverbs and fx 288 days ago

@Intrnational the track, but you may need to carve out a little space for the vocal. cut dont boost. tie the vocal in w appropriate … 288 days ago

@Intrnational thats a hard one, you will likely have to compress your vocal a bit to get it in the mix. i would try to avoid processing .. 288 days ago

so do your lead, your like harmonies, ad libs, action tracks, all on their own track. this will avoid confusion and save time in mixing 288 days ago

#9 if something doesnt need to be a “fill in” track….then just do it on your lead vocal track. group like parts on tracks. 288 days ago

#8 this is just a pet peeve of mine—stop recording your lead vocal on a billion different tracks. punch in or sing/spit it in one take 288 days ago

study classics, a great arrangment part and sound wise will mix itself. 288 days ago

#7 create arrangements that work together freq wise. learn what instruments sit in what ranges, and use that to your advantage. 288 days ago

# 5 or 6 —whatever ..lol. this is a no brainer. pick sounds that work together freq wise. if you gotta try to hard, pick another sound. 288 days ago

@TOKZILLA if they are slightly out of phase—as in the kick drum example, you just gotta experiment with the timing, and zoom in on the wavs 288 days ago

@TOKZILLA when things are 180 degrees out of phase they will sometimes sound hollow, artificial and lack a center. 288 days ago

@Intrnational do you mean commercially released 2 tracks, or beats someone has put a “loud plugin” on? 288 days ago

fans are bad. record at night if you have to. if you are in nyc good luck. haha 288 days ago

your room will need to be QUIET for this to work. dead silent if possible. turn off the air conditioner, put your computer in another room 288 days ago

your muddiness , and that general irritating sound we all hate goes away and you will have something a lot easier to mix. 288 days ago

the further you are from the mic up untill a little over a foot, the more blanced it will sound. your sibilance probs dissapear 288 days ago

in other words make your guerilla booth kinda big—like a box that is about 5 ft on all sides—- 288 days ago

carpet on the floor, blankets over glass, reflective ceilings —-give the vocalist space as well as the mic 288 days ago

if your room sounds like shit, this wont work, so you will need to do it guerilla stlye. make an absorbant vocal booth, 288 days ago

#4 when you record vocals ideally you should be waaaaay further fromt he mic then you would think. preferably 1 foot or more. 288 days ago

@TOKZILLA @subvader one trick is to add a little distortion to the subass to make it poke out. subs and booms together are tricky 288 days ago

@subvader @TOKZILLA yessir. 1st fuk with the phase placement—-but also make sure the sounds themselves dont conflict. 288 days ago

@TOKZILLA yessir. 1st fuk with the phase placement—-but also make sure the sounds themselves dont conflict. 288 days ago

listen to as much music as possible thru your studio monitors. learn and memorize how they sound. 288 days ago

most peoples will vary greatly, so experiment with different places, listen—-find the spot that they sound best in and work from there. 288 days ago

some people like them wider. also, try to place them symetrically in your room if at all possible. (equal distance from walls.) 288 days ago

# 3 set your monitors up at ear level. try setting up in an equilateral triangle, with the tweeters pointing directly behind your head. 288 days ago

at any given point, if the wav of one kick is positive, (it pushes the speaker out). and the other kick is (cont) http://tl.gd/6f17ck 288 days ago

in other words, nudging your kicks around by the millisecond or even sample until you hear a “lock” in the low (cont) http://tl.gd/6f16ob 288 days ago

PSA# 2 phase is everything. this may be a concept some of yall dont get but here is a good way to learn what (cont) http://tl.gd/6f167g 288 days ago

PSA # 1. red lights are usually bad. (sometimes they are good:P tho) don’t clip inputs, outputs or plugins…. if you think it sounds better like that, you are prob wrong 288 days ago

Its production/engineering PSA night. If you are a producer you by default must also be an engineer. 288 days ago

Dave Pensado: Into the Lair # 6 Vocal Mixing Techniques

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 23:48:00 -0400

Dave Pensado: Into the Lair # 6 Vocal Mixing Techniques