Custom Launchpad modes for Logic Pro — 9to5Mac:

After exploring some techniques and functionality to bolster performance potential last time around, today we are taking a look at custom Launchpad modes and creating our own bespoke controls for Logic Pro. Continuing our journey towards complete creative hardware dominance over our instruments and tracks in Logic Pro, these custom made templates allow us to quickly and simply throw some widgets around to personalize hardware control over just about every parameter your trackpad can find. Used in combination with Logic Pro’s particularly powerful Learn assignment functionality, Novation’s Components Editor is a simple and effective way of expanding Launchpad hardware control well beyond the factory limitations.

Mike Senior at Cambridge Music Technology.

Snare-drum Multimiking: Four Recommended Microphone Positions To Mix & Match

In this video I demonstrate the sound of four different recommended microphone positions you might use when multimiking a snare drum, showcasing the sound characteristics of each mic position with audio examples. In addition, I discuss how you might go about combining them at mixdown.

His books — “Recording Secrets for the Small Studio” and “Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio” are excellent sources of information.

Recording Secrets For The Small Studio

Recording Secrets For The Small Studio is an intensive training course specifically designed for small-studio enthusiasts who want a fast track to release-quality results. Based on the backroom strategies of more than 200 famous names, this thorough and down-to-earth guide leads you through a logical sequence of practical tasks to build your live-room skills progressively from the ground up. On the way, you’ll unravel the mysteries of many specialist studio tactics and gain the confidence to tackle a full range of real-world recording situations. User-friendly explanations introduce technical concepts on a strictly need-to-know basis, while chapter summaries, assignments, and extensive online resources are perfect for school and college use.

Mixing Secrets For The Small Studio (2nd Edition)

Mixing Secrets For The Small Studio is a best-selling primer for small-studio enthusiasts who want chart-ready sonics in a hurry. Drawing on the back-room strategies of more than 160 famous names, this entertaining and down-to-earth guide leads you step-by-step through the entire mixing process. On the way, you’ll unravel the mysteries of every type of mix processing, from simple EQ and compression through to advanced spectral dynamics and ‘fairy dust’ effects. User-friendly explanations introduce technical concepts on a strictly need-to-know basis, while chapter summaries, assignments, and extensive on-line resources are perfect for school and college use.

7 Sidechaining Techniques Worth Checking Out | Production Expert

Sidechaining was once regarded as a purely functional mixing tool, now sidechain compression has become a key weapon in the creative arsenal of producers across all genres. Here are 7 tips to help you get more from it.

The iZotope tools allow for sidechaining dynamic EQs. This is similar to using a compressor to change dynamics of a frequency band based on external levels.

Livestream Audio Workflow — In Depth How To | Production Expert:

In this article Steven Demott describes his journey into livestreaming and gives a detailed walkthrough of the setup he’s using for high quality online streaming of music performances.

Confused By Reverb? This Might be The Plug-in You Need | Production Expert

If you haven’t checked out FabFilter’s Pro-R reverb you absolutely should because reverb presents some specific challenges to the UI designer. Reverb is complicated. it’s a fact, and broadly speaking there have been two common ways to address this in a UI. Either present just a few controls and let the user dial in a room, hall or whatever, adjust decay time and an HF damping and get on with it (i.e. present simplicity at the expense of control), or present a comprehensive set of parameters and scare off some of the users.

The FabFilter “Beginner’s Guide to Reverb” should be required homework before using any reverb. Most of the controls are available in lots of ‘verbs’ — but the Pro-R interface is sooooo pretty.

The presentation really presses home the points of how the pieces really work…