Creative Edge Music

Understanding The Proximity Effect Don't get too close...! The Proximity Effect describes how bass frequencies build up as we bring cardioid or bidirectional microphones closer to a sound source.  Many dynamic, condenser, and ribbon microphones fall into one of these categories.  Primarily affecting frequencies below 100 Hz, up to 16 dB of proximity-related boost can occur when the microphone is placed very close to the source. This apparent bass "boost" results from a combination of two things: the deliberate decrease in microphone transformer output at high frequencies, and the inverse square relationship of acoustical energy with respect to distance traveled. 1. Deliberate Decrease in Microphone Transformer Output at High Frequencies Believe it or not, most microphones are designed intentionally to decrease transformer output at higher frequencies. But why? Microphone designers decrease transformer output at high frequencies because high frequenci...

Why Sound Diffusers Are Often Better Than Absorption The EpicVerb AERO4, a QRD Acoustic Diffuser The importance of sound diffusion in recording studios cannot be overstated enough, in my humble opinion.  However, too many of us opt for absorptive treatment when confronted with a choice between the two.  Home studio enthusiasts in particular are susceptible to overdoing it with too much acoustic absorption.  Since we are taught that rectangular (or worse, square/cube) shaped rooms create all sorts of acoustic problems, we have this knee-jerk reaction to attack it with oodles of absorption. What does that accomplish, though?  Even if you achieve control over your room's acoustics, you may wind up with a dead, unnatural sounding space.  This is sub-par for recording of any type, and while you might be able to get away with a fairly dead room for mixing purposes, it's not ideal.  Mixing in a dead room can lead any engineer to make a mix too wet with ...

Flights Over Phoenix Flights Over Phoenix is an alternative rock band originally from Boston, MA and now residing in Los Angeles, CA.  The first thing that grabbed me with their music was the extreme musicality in Keith Longo's vocals.  His voice contains a natural richness and tone that steps out of your speakers to greet you right at the beginning of " Find You in Heaven ." The next thing that stood out to me was the incredible production quality of their audio mixes, which is something I'm always sensitive to.  As you listen through to all their material, you can tell they invested the proper time and/or money to produce a high-quality musical product. Last but not least, Chris Santillo's guitar parts and Alex Stark's keyboard work fits perfectly with the rhythm and feel of each song.  This may seem obvious, or that it should be a given for a halfway decent band, but with Flights Over Phoenix's crossover blend of rock, pop, alternative, and ev...

How to Record an Electric Bass S earch the web for jokes about being the bassist in a band and you'll, no doubt, have no problem finding pages of material .  Though they (or should I say "we", as a professional bassist for over 20 years) are the butt of many a joke, the role of the bassist in just about any genre of music is one of the most important aspects of a mix; yet the nuances of capturing the performance, tone and vibe is often over looked.  Let's take a look at what it takes to get the best sounding bass tracks that fit into a mix with a minimal of effort during mix time. Capturing bass, or any live instrument for that matter, follows a hierarchy of importance in getting the "perfect" take: 1. Start with an Awesome Bassist At the top is the player him/her self.  The right person for the job is the single most important aspect of getting a great take, with minimal effort.  A well seasoned bassist, that knows their instrument and that has a...

Buy Boo Ray's Six Weeks in a Motel on iTunes I recently had the fortune of getting a hold of Boo Ray , Nashville's #1 rated Country / Americana / Southern Rock artist according to ReverbNation.  What a great, down-to-earth guy to speak with! His music from Six Weeks in a Motel reminds me keenly of my trip out to summer NAMM last summer.  Whenever I walked down the main strip in downtown, there was a fair share of country rock blasting from at least one venue on each block, not to mention everyone carrying guitar cases!  Like I mentioned in my recap article , this is akin to seeing tons of surfers carrying their surfboards near the beach in California. The next time I head out to Nashville, I can imagine getting off the plane, hopping in a cab, heading downtown and finding Boo Ray at The Stage or one of the other popular local spots.  His music is very reminiscent of the local scene, and has a certain "it" element to the musical composition that just works....