Articles
Articles and tutorials on playing instruments, recording audio and setting up a home studio from computer hardware and soundcards to software and microphones.
How to Mix a Pop Song from Scratch
This series is a rough guide on how to go about mixing a pop record from scratch. Many people don't seem to know where to start, so hopefully this series of articles will give some guidance.
Drumming 101
This tutorials series will show any new drummers how to set up their kit, how and what to practice, as well as guiding them into playing rhythms and loops in different musical styles.
Music and Media Subscription Model
The popularity of file sharing demonstrates the popularity of media on demand, with which a subscription model would be the best fit for monetising this market. However, the DRM restrictions on current subscription models such as Napster prevent both CD burning and even syncing with various mp3 players making them less attractive to consumers.
The History of File Sharing
This article should go some way into explaining the birth and collapse of file sharing companies, the effect of record company pressure, and the huge growth of file sharing since Napster. (updated 26/12/2006)
How To Use a Compressor
Most effects processors are fairly simple to use; plug in an equaliser (for example), twiddle the controls, and listen to the output, and you pretty much know what you're doing, and all you need is some experience behind you. Compressors don't fall into this category. Plug them in and listen. What's it doing? Unless someone has told you, then you probably won't know. Play with the controls. What do they do? Don't know either. What do the indicators mean? Difficult to tell. It's all a bit frustrating really...
Setting Recording Levels
Often people ask questions like "What level should I record tracks at?" or "What level should I record my mixes at?". The standard answer that comes back is: "Always record so that your maximum level is just below digital "zero" at the top of the meter." This well meaning advice is - unfortunately - completely wrong. Why? Well, that's the subject of this short article - Recording levels - The Real Truth
Digital Audio - Hearing Is Believing
The following is a discussion that started between me and a friend in a pub in January 2000. It follows on from some very pertinent discussion on the Internet about how "Digital Level Meters" tend to take responsibility away from peoples ears - with disastrous results, and how in the early days of Digital Audio, many of us embraced the early technology because we were "told" it was better. But deep in the back of our minds, we had our suspicions...
Recording Studio Theory
A quick, basic rough and ready guide to recording studio theory by a professional sound studio engineer
The History of AudioMelody
AudioMelody has been online since its humble beginnings in 1999. The name has changed, the software has changed, and the industry has changed. This is how we came into existence.
