Adding An Effect To Just Part Of An Audio Track In Reaper
Have you ever been working on mixing audio tracks in a digital audio workstation (DAW) program (such as Reaper, Pro Tools, Sonar, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, etc.), and wanted to apply an effect to only...
View ArticleBe Careful Not To Slice Up All Your Tracks In Reaper
Reaper (http://reaper.fm) is an incredible recording program that I use just about every day. But like any piece of software, it only does what you tell it to do. And over the years, I have made many...
View ArticleNew Noise Reduction Tool In Audacity
Audacity ( is a free audio recording and editing software program that can do some amazing things for the price:). We even have a tutorial course with videos showing you how to begin audio recording...
View ArticleWhat Is A Noise Gate?
In audio recording, there are a LOT of terms that don't seem to describe the thing they are actually trying to describe. At least not to "audio civilians" who are not techies or engineers. But today's...
View ArticleGain, Volume, Loudness and Levels - What Does It All Mean?
I recently wrote an article for the Disc Makers blog, Echoes - Insights For Independent Artists, called "What is the difference between loudness, volume and gain?" The main focus of the article is...
View ArticleHow To Finish Long Voice-Over Jobs Faster
Here's a tip to help you record and finish long voice over jobs more efficiently (which translates to much faster). If you are lucky enough to have gotten a fairly long voice-over job, such as an...
View ArticleWhere Is The Track Volume Slider In Reaper 5?
Are you wondering where the horizontal fader or "slider" control went when the Reaper 5 update came out? You're not alone. The default control changed to a rotary knob in the latest version. When using...
View ArticleRoom Acoustics Made Easy To Understand
We are all about making the sometimes incomprehensible world of audio recording easier to understand. All too often, a simple concept is made needlessly confusing by the language used. And then there...
View ArticleYou Can Sound Like Honda's Harmony Singing Sheep
During Super Bowl 50 there was a Honda commercial featuring sheep singing awesome a cappella harmony, breaking out in song to Queen's "Somebody to Love." If you - I don't know - were inspired to record...
View ArticleAcoustic Pop Song With 3-Part Harmony Recorded on 36-Dollar Studio
Is it possible to record a professional sounding song with acoustic guitar and 3-part harmony on a home studio costing only $36? It is if you know how! I recorded the chorus section of my song...
View ArticleLearn To Record Audio From Home In The Next Hour
You've heard me promise that Home Brew Audio could teach you to record audio from home from home in less that an hour....even if you have NEVER done recording before. Well it's true....no really! All...
View ArticleCondenser vs Dynamic Microphones
Ken wrote an article on the difference between dynamic and condenser mics in our post, What Is the Difference Between Condenser and Dynamic Microphones? And because it is often useful to read different...
View ArticleRode Wireless Kit For Better Audio On Your Videos
Here is a wireless lavalier (lapel mic) kit by Rode to help you get better audio on your videos. I harp a lot on the prevalence of bad sounding audio that so many people seem to have on their videos....
View ArticleWhat Does Quantize Mean In MIDI?
When using MIDI (for a review of what MIDI is, see our article MIDI Recording – What Is It And Why Is It Awesome?), one of the coolest things you can do is edit the timing of each note AFTER it is...
View ArticleWhat is Equalization, Usually Called EQ?
EQ...That Thing You Never Knew Quite How To Use Have you ever seen one of these things? They used to be common in "entertainment systems." Right along with your CD Player, Cassette Player, Record...
View ArticleHome Recording For Non-Engineers—It’s Not Hard Or Expensive
Before I delve into the wonders of audio recording, allow me to state up front, in the interest of full disclosure, that I have a Bachelor of Science degree and a Masters degree. I mention this to you...
View ArticleEasy Home Recording Basics – The PC Home Recording Studio
Home recording can be an easy, entertaining and rewarding pursuit. You can create professional audio for your music, podcasts, videos, voice-overs, etc. Only a few years back, studio quality recordings...
View ArticleDigging Into Digital Recording
In case you didn't already know this - if we are recording audio into our computers, we're doing digital recording. This is as opposed to analog audio recording, which is another way of saying the way...
View ArticleReverb Effect Has Many Uses In A Music Mix
Most people know what reverb sounds like at its most basic. All by itself on a single track it can make a voice sound like it's in an empty gymnasium, a cavern, a bathroom, or any number of different...
View Article3 Audio Mixing Habits To Avoid
I recently read an article that has some tips on a few very common mindset traps you should avoid. As I read through them I realized that I have had them all at various times, and it never ends well....
View ArticleShould You Use A Click Track?
I always use some form of tempo guide, like a click track, when recording music. For one thing, it leaves open the option to add MIDI drums or percussion later in the project. But it also allows you...
View ArticleHow Delay Effects Help Us Mix Audio
The use of delays in audio recording, either in between a sound and the reverberation that follows it, or between two otherwise very similar or identical sounds, is very useful for a number of reasons....
View ArticleUnderstanding Sound and Acoustics
I am constantly saying that knowledge trumps gear when it comes to producing good sounding audio. Its actually pretty common for someone to record really bad audio using really expensive gear. That...
View ArticleMixing Music Is Like Cooking
I've often felt that there were tons of similarities between mixing music and cooking. I'd probably see more similarities if I could create meals in the kitchen that didn't involve a bag of some kind...
View ArticleTips For Recording Piano
Recording the piano can be tricky, but it isn't as difficult as you may have been led to believe. Pianos offer certain challenges, to be sure. First there is the issue of variation in types of pianos:...
View ArticleA Cool And Easy Way To Learn About Frequency And EQ
Equalization - or "EQ" for short - is an extremely useful audio editing tool. In a way it's sort of like Photoshop-for-audio. But instead of colors and brightness, etc. EQ adjusts frequency. I know!...
View ArticleHow To Use An Audio Editor To Remove Saliva Noises From Voice Recordings
Using an audio editor, you can REALLY improve your voice over recordings. This article and video shows you how to get rid of saliva noises when recording voice overs. Of course it works for any kind...
View ArticleEasy Home Recording Tips To Avoid Ruining Your Audio
Here is an article that gives the kind of advice I really like. It shows you how to prevent messing something up, as opposed to figuring out after the fact when fixing it is hard or impossible. Sure,...
View ArticleAudio For Videos: Do Not Let Bad Sound Ruin Great Video
The audio for videos, especially the videos produced in a home studio, always seems to take a back seat to the visual aspects involved in the project. I can see why this might be. They are, after...
View ArticlePro Tools First 12 - A Graphically Enhanced Manual
Pro Tools First is the free version of the industry standard Pro Tools, which is now in its 12th version. I recently read an interesting manual for Pro Tools First 12 - something called a "graphically...
View ArticleRecording The Lead Vocal
The lead vocal is usually the central focal-point of a recording, especially when you're talking about singer/songwriter type songs where the arrangement is pretty intimate. Besides the voice, you may...
View ArticleHow to Match Loop Tempos In Reaper
Reaper is great for working with loops. Open the Media Explorer window in a Reaper project and you can audition any loop. When you find one you like, just drag it onto a track! But what do you do if...
View Article3 Must-Know Tips For Getting Quality Audio From Your PC Recording Studio
Ah, the pc recording studio. So many folks have one, yet so few use it to its full potential. Have you ever noticed that sometimes, a really professional-looking website with cool graphics and slick...
View ArticleTips for Recording Your Own Spooky Audio To Scare The Kids On Halloween
It's that time of year again. So I'm bringing this post to the top of the deck for Halloween this year. Enjoy! Do you like to set up scary decorations and try to scare (in a good way, of course) the...
View ArticleThanksgiving-Black Friday-Cyber Monday Half-Off Sale
To say "Thanks" to all our readers and video-watchers, we are having a half-off sale from Thanksgiving Day (Nov 24th 2016) through "Cyber Monday" (Nov 28th 2016). Take 50% off the price of the...
View ArticleSing Harmony With Yourself - Learn How to Record Your Voice on Your PC and...
Believe it or not, it is possible to sing harmony with yourself. No surgery required:). I'm doing it in the video below. Have you ever been singing a song by yourself, and you could just hear the...
View ArticleWhat Does Unity Gain Mean?
Here is yet another term that not only sounds confusing - not quite seeming to describe what it actually means; but actually IS confusing. So why do you need to know what it means? I'm not entirely...
View ArticleVoice Over Recording Tips: Editing Conversations In Reaper
If you have ever been asked to record and edit a conversation between two people, say, for a voice over job, then you are probably aware of the logistical problems this can cause. The client usually...
View ArticleHow to Fix SSS-Sibilance in Your Audio With Sound Editing Software
Why sound editing software can be your friend. One common problem with recording the human voice is sssssomething called ssssssibilance. If you didn’t already know what “sibilance” meant, my odd...
View ArticleHow to Fix a "P-Pop" in Your Audio With A Sound Editor
Here is how to fix a p-pop in a recording using sound editing software. But first... What IS a p-pop anyway? If you do any voice recording at all, you've probably noticed this. When you say words that...
View ArticleWhat Is A Side Chain In Audio Recording?
You may have heard of the term, "side chain" or "sidechain" in audio recording. As with so many things in the audio recording realm, the term sounds more complex than what it actually means. So what...
View ArticleHome Recording Studio - Setting One Up On Your Computer - Part 1
Step by step series showing you how to set up a home recording recording studio in a spare bedroom using just a computer and affordable equipment. Source
View ArticleWhy You Should Not Use A Mixer In Your Home Recording Studio, Pt 1
Should you have a recording mixer as part of your home studio? I say no. I know, I know. You experienced recording folks are going to say "why shouldn't I have a mixer as part of my home studio?"...
View ArticleHome Studio Recording: Creating Pro Audio In 2020
When folks hear the term "home studio" they often picture special rooms filled with expensive scary-looking equipment. But that is an outdated image. I'd like you to replace it with something else....
View ArticleAudio Normalization: What Is It And Should I Care?
If you've heard the term "audio normalization," or just anything like "you should normalize your audio?" you may well wonder "what the heck does that mean? Isn't my audio normal? Do I have abnormal...
View ArticleUsing An Audio Compressor For Voice Over Jobs
Compression is one of the most misunderstood effects in audio recording. And though it is a very useful tool, you can easily harm your recordings with it if you're not careful. So you really should...
View ArticleKen Theriot Interviewed On AudioSkills Podcast
Scott Hawksworth runs a site called AudioSkills that is dedicated to helping folks record and produce music in their home studios. He also produces a podcast. His most recent guest on the podcast was...
View ArticleWhat Is Audio Compression and Why Should I Care?
"Compression" is one of those many audio terms that you hear a lot but maybe don't truly understand. You wouldn't be alone. There are lots of ways to get confused. First of all, "audio compression" is...
View ArticleTerrible Voice-Overs On Great-Looking Videos!
I've complained about this for years. But I'm actually surprised that it still happens in June of 2015! I went to two professional looking, beautiful websites from very well-known companies this...
View ArticleEditing Video In Reaper
Did you know you could edit video in Reaper? Since Reaper is an audio recording program, you won't be surprised that you can't do a whole lot with video, but you CAN do some really impressive and...
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