Studio & Recording

Michael Jordan has already passed the 60 year mark, and with that height comes plenty of wisdom. That he’s a legendary figure within basketball is undeniable, but his popularity stretches far beyond the court, and in the age of memes, Jordan has dropped some pretty inspiring one-liners. Can musicians and producers learn something from the GOAT of all GOATs? Definitely. Here, Guestblogger Rutger Steenbergen puts seven of Jordan’s best quotes in a more musical context.

Sampling has been a part of the music-sphere since the eighties, where snippets of forgotten gems or stone-cold classics are spliced into new tracks. Whether it’s a snatched bit of the vocals, melody, bass line or drum beat, sampling has boosted the feel of some pretty big hits. Some purists see it as stealing, but our Guestblogger Marlies sees it as a smart and creative way of recycling fragments of music and even introducing old smashers to a new audience. Here, she presents the top 10 most sampled songs of all time and lines up her own sample-heavy favourites.

The number of audio interfaces on the market right now goes through the roof. Many audio gear manufacturers have their own line-up that includes everything from budget-friendly to high-end models. If you’re thinking about getting into music production or recording, you might be looking to pick up an audio interface. Read on to learn whether you really need one and how much money you should fork out.

Podcasts have long transcended their status as being nothing more than roughly 30 minutes of chitchat at a roundtable. They’re big business these days, with big-name PR agencies launching one after the other. Thankfully, not every podcast has to be a huge project that involves years of research.

An extensive hardware-based set-up versus a laptop-and-DAW rig: what’s better when it comes producing tracks? It’s an endless discussion and guest-blogger Michiel Buisman knows that he couldn’t possibly settle it once and for all here. But, like he says, he’s smug enough to think he has something to add to the debate. Here goes.

Done recording your podcast? Then it’s time for the editing phase. If you prefer to keep things vanilla, this won’t take too long, but if you’re looking for a more professional radio-sound complete with jingles and background music, then you’ve got your work cut out for you. Read on for a step-by-step guide!

Busy making music on a computer in your living room or bedroom simply because there’s nowhere else you can do it? Why not make something that’s more in keeping with the interior design and build yourself a stylish production studio? Here, Guestblogger Michiel Buisman takes an old and battered upright acoustic piano, empties it out and adds some extreme mods to turn it into a fully equipped studio workstation.

Guestblogger Niels Winter compares his experience of recording in a fully decked out professional studio and at home. Both options come with their advantages and disadvantages, but one thing is certain: recording your own songs – especially if you’re working on a complete album – is a big job that takes a big investment.

While working with analogue gear is great and rewarding, it can also be complicated and costly — but it doesn’t have to be! The 500 series format, also known as the Lunchbox system, is known for keeping things simple, affordable and overseeable for smaller studios that are looking to build a serious collection of synth and FX hardware.

Ever wonder how some producers churn out a track a day while it takes you months to finish just one? Guest-blogger Melvin Rijlaarsdam shares his top ten tips for speeding up your music production workflow without compromising the quality of your tracks.

Guest-blogger Hens Zimmerman returns to show you how you can draft up tracks with Ableton Note before turning them into fully-fledged songs in Ableton Live.

The imaginative power of a podcast is a great way to take your audience on a journey in their own head. Step by step, you evoke mental images through storytelling, but what’s the best way to tell that story? Guest-blogger and radio DJ Sander de Heer is here to explain the nitty-gritty.