The use of Gate Effects has become increasingly prevalant in today’s music scene. Typically used for supressing noise, gates are also useful creative tools for creating choppy, glitch effects. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to create a triggered noise gate effect in Logic Pro (though the principles would be the same in any DAW).

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Reason is the most popular and one of the most versatile sampling and sequencing applications available today. Unlike other programs like Fruity Loops, Reason is used by musicians from all sorts of genres: folk artists, rockers, contemporary classicals and, of course, electronica artists.

New to Reason? Feeling a bit lost? Look no further: here’s your one stop shop to all things Reason.

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So, you’ve recorded a vocal, and now you want to mix it and process it so it sounds great in your mix. We’re not going to look at tracking vocals in this tutorial. Instead, we’re going to focus on how to process vocals once you’ve recorded them. Depending on your room, your mic and placements, your pre-amps and inputs and, above all, your skill-level, the quality of your recorded vocal sound is going vary.

Vocal processing can seem like a bit of a dark art when you’re just trying to get by recording your material at home with budget equipment. But, no matter how bad your initial sound is, you can improve it.

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In this tutorial we will explore how to produce a nice thick and crunchy distorted guitar sound using nothing more than your guitar plugged straight into your soundcard, a freeware guitar amp modeling plug-in and some step-by-step technical wizardry. For this tutorial I’ll be using Cubase 4, but the principals would be the same in any audio sequencer.

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With so many things to remember when performing your final mix-down, it can sometimes feel like you’re spinning plates. Luckily, there are a few principles you can abide by to get the most out of your mix-down process. Follow these ten tips from Mo to help keep things in check….

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The guitar is an instrument that knows no genre and no boundaries–one of the reasons why it’s arguably the world’s most beloved instrument. Here are over 30 incredibly useful (and often entertaining) websites dedicated to the guitar and its admirers.

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In this tutorial we are going to explore how we can make a simple four-part vocal harmony sound like a full choir. We’re going to do so by using a freeware VST plug-in called “Clone Ensemble” and a few simple recording techniques. This effect is useful for creating an ethereal sounding backing vocal, and it’s also a lot of fun! I’m using Cubase 4, but the techniques would be the same in any audio sequencer.

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Making music is perhaps one of the most expensive hobbies in the world—that is, aside from tasting truffles. When you’re looking to set up a decent home studio, it’s hard to find a way to stay within budget without ending up with a terrible sound. Here are ten options to minimize expenditure while still getting a decent sound out of your system at the end of the day, by buying smart when it comes to one of the most important types of studio equipment: microphones.

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Mastering your tracks can be a bit of a minefield and is often seen as the domain of the professional. However, if your tracks are just for demo purposes, a DJ set or even use on the net, you may want to tackle the job yourself. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to master a track quickly and easily. Mo Volans shows you how…

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In this video tutorial, Johnathan explains how to correctly set up DJ equipment. He discusses how to properly position and set up your decks, how to achieve the perfect balance between audio volume and quality, and how to set up speakers in a way that’s most useful for you as a DJ. These best practices will help you approach each set in a professional manner.

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