Although there isn’t as much use for CD’s in the production process as there used to be, many of us still like to have our finished album or mix on a professionally presented disc.

For all you Mac users, this tutorial will show you how to use Apple’s Waveburner to get that finished project on to a CD with individual track markers and a professional polished sound. If you are a Windows user and would like to see the equivalent in an application like Wavelab please let me know in the comments section.

Continue Reading

There seems to have been somewhat of a resurgence in acid style synth programming of late. So … I thought I would do a tutorial on how to create that classic acid sound with a standard subtractive soft synth, a heavy dose of glide and some distortion.

Continue Reading

This tutorial will help you to stop looking at your gate plug-ins as boring noise removal tools and get you using them as creative tools and effects.

Continue Reading

This is the second part in a series of screencasts about subtractive synthesis. In this part we take a close look at modulators, LFOs and external controllers. Hope fully these two tutorials will give you a basic all round knowledge of a standard subtractive synthesiser.

Continue Reading

It’s often pretty straight forward to create and program a basic beat. The real challenge comes when we try to introduce a groove that gives our track soul and character.

There are a few ways to do this of course and useful methods include using recorded performances, MIDI sequencing and even entire drum loops. All of these techniques can really add to simple beat, but if you are a fan of getting things down quickly and producing really satisfying results, then you may want to try a different approach.

This tutorial looks at how we can build a groove using existing loops in our library without using them in their entirety. The result is an original groove that often feel as if they have been ‘played’.

Continue Reading

Most of us use MIDI sequences in our projects at some point in the production process. Even when you find the perfect pattern that really compliments your other parts, you can still be left wanting. Even with extra processing and effects a simple pattern can sometimes sound a little dry and clinical.

The answer often doesn’t lie in reprogramming the sequence or using heavy effects processing. A more simple approach can be using one or two extra synths layered with your original pattern. This can add depth and pace to the whole piece and often make the part more exciting.

Lets take a look at the entire process, from recording the original part right through to mixing the layered sounds into your existing project.

Continue Reading

This screencast looks at an ongoing project that is now near completion. This stage looks at how to create different kinds of fills to introduce new instruments. It also shows how a little programming can help introduce new sections of your track.

Continue Reading

This screencast is the first tutorial in a series on synthesis. This first installment shows a basic guided tour of Subtractor in Reason and covers oscillators, filters and envelopes.

Continue Reading

Propellerhead’s new killer app Record has finally landed. Its an affordable all-in-one recording and production solution and after spending some time with both the beta and final release, I can safely say its about the most CPU efficient DAW I have ever used.

I thought it might be useful for some of you who are using Record, or thinking about purchasing it, to see a run through of some of its key sections. This tutorial will simply walk through the different modules of the monster channel strip in Record’s main mixer.

Continue Reading

Reason 4 has some great instruments and processors. Even if it’s not your main DAW, it’s a wise move to check it out and use it as a Rewire slave.

Scream 4 is one of the standout plug-ins in Reason’s arsenal and can create some really extreme distortion and saturation effects. One of its lesser known modes is the tape compression setting, this can work wonders on just about any sound but really shines on drums.

Continue Reading