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Legalities of Sampling Music
In the world of Hip Hop and Rap, music sampling has become a major part of our Industry. This is the process of using a melody, harmony or sound that has been pre-recorded and is owned by someone other...
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Vocal Production: Getting the Right Vocal
The vocalist is the star of the song thus they should be treated as such, whether it’s live or studio, they need to be at the forefront of the mix and as a mix engineer, it’s your job to make sure that...
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Top 10 DAW Software
There are a lot of DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) out there to choose from, so here’s a list of the top 10 DAWs for audio production, for all platforms in no particular order of popularity,...
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3 Tips for Better Recording of Acoustic Guitars
Bright, well-rounded tones from a great acoustic guitar always sound awesome, so I’ll share some tips for bringing out the best in your acoustic recordings. 1. Mic Placement- This matters with...
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Important Things to Remember when Recording Drums
One of the most popular questions we hear in the Recording Engineer courses here at Pinnacle, next to getting a great guitar sound, is how to get a huge drum sound. Like everything else in industry,...
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Life At Pinnacle College – A Student’s Perspective
What is Pinnacle College? Well, Pinnacle College is a school for recording engineers and students who want to learn audio production for film, games, television and more. Founded in 1972(formerly known...
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Digital Recording Vs. Analog Recording – Which One is Better?
For many years there have been discussions, articles, blogs and even fights about what is a better medium to record and mix to and from, Digital or Analog? Each one has its pros and cons, but what it...
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Processing Tracks When Recording – Deciding When To Do So
“Should I record my tracks with or without processing?” This is a frequent question among new recording engineers and the answer isn’t really a definitive yes or no. The real answer is that it’s really...
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Building Better Backgrounds for TV or Movies – Part 2
If you haven’t read Part I yet, you can find it here… Picking out the sounds for your background is, of course, the fun part but you have to know how to place these sounds into a session and place …...
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Common Questions about Using a Limiter when Mixing
A common question that is often asked by new mixing engineers and beginners in the field is, “should I mix into a limiter?” The answer is no. The reason being is that you won’t actually know that...
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Spotlight: Adam McGinty, Recording Engineer Program Student
Introducing Pinnacle College Student Adam McGinty, sound designer, post production engineer, composer, and audio engineer. Adam is scheduled to graduate from the Recording Engineer program at Pinnacle...
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Working with Time Based Effects
Time based effects such as Reverbs, Delays, Flangers and Chorus should be routed as a Parallel Effect “NOT” as a direct track insert. A Parallel effect is the use of Auxiliary Returns as Effect...
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The Art of Mixing
A Mixing Engineer is one of the most creative positions in the studio. It is the perfect blend of science and art. The Mixing Engineer is responsible for the blending “setting levels” of the...
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Student Spotlight: Ron Bowen
Ron Bowen graduated in the 80s from Pinnacle College, formerly Sound Master Recording Engineer School. He recently sent us a letter talking a bit about his career since graduating. You’ll find the...
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Student Spotlight: David Grant
David Grant graduated from Los Angeles Music Academy in 2005 with a degree in drums. He then re-located to Sacramento, CA in 2006 to join a band called ProperDose. David has recorded drums for numerous...
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Four Tips for Controlling Sibilance
Sibilance can be an extreme annoyance when recording and mixing vocals. Sibilance is a bunch of “S”s and “T”s that pop right through the vocal. It brings attention to the vocal, but not in a good way....
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Sound Engineer Career Paths
Toward the end of the 1990’s I was working as a waiter in a restaurant by day and by night I co-wrote songs and played guitar in a band I was in at the time. During that time it occurred … Continue...
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40 Quick Engineering Tips
1. Try splitting your vocals into 3 separate tracks. Bright, Natural and Compressed for that extra control! 2. Control the drums dynamics with automation. 3. Before you master it. Listen to it! The...
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