What Happens At The -18 “Sweet Spot”?

brandonshireConcepts, Mixing, Plugins, Production, WorkflowLeave a Comment

Common advice is to “gain stage” your tracks by calibrating them to -18. People often leave out whether they mean -18 dBFS or -18 dBVU, both of which would yield vastly different levels depending on the source material. But why choose a calibration point to begin with? Here’s Matthew Weiss from The Pro Audio Files describing the differences between VU … Read More

Task Consolidation

brandonshireConcepts, Mixing, Plugins, Production, WorkflowLeave a Comment

In this 3 part series, I discuss ADHD friendly workflow strategies for audio engineers. But why the focus on ADHD? It’s been said that those with ADHD can be excellent at spotting ways to improve efficiency. As someone who lives with ADHD, I’ve often looked for ways to reducing the mental energy necessary to complete a given task. This has … Read More

Task Automation

brandonshireConcepts, Mixing, Plugins, Production, WorkflowLeave a Comment

This post discusses workflow strategies that are very ADHD friendly, devised from my own research into managing my adult ADHD. If you don’t have ADHD, you should stick around and read anyway. It can be said that the non-linear thinking of the ADHD brain is well suited at enhancing workflow due to the structures and systems we tend to put … Read More

Mic Placement As An Art, Not A Science.

brandonshireConcepts, ProductionLeave a Comment

I see a lot of questions on various discussion groups asking how to best mic specific instruments. Many of the answers will be a mixed bag of various techniques, all of which are valid and should be absorbed into your bag of tricks. But they are all quite different from one another, and will yield different results. Which one is … Read More

5 Plugins To Celebrate Dynamic Range Day!

brandonshirePlugins, ProductionLeave a Comment

Dynamic Range Day 2018 is upon us! To celebrate, here’s a list of my 5 favorite tools to help retain the dynamics of a mix and master! 5. ONE (IK Multimedia) IK Multimedia’s “ONE” is super simple, takes the guess work out of mastering, and gets you good results quickly. The on board metering is excellent for keeping the dynamics … Read More

How To Communicate With Musicians

Neal MiskinConcepts, ProductionLeave a Comment

As a live sound tech I interact with a lot of musicians, from seasoned professionals to amateurs playing their first gig. One thing remains constant regardless of the experience level of the performers, is that good communication helps make a good show.

This article will be in two main parts: tips for technicians and tips for performers. Before that I’ll start … Read More