I’ve been writing articles for The Pro Audio Files for a while. I enjoy giving back to the recording community and this is one of the best ways I know how. Check out my latest articles here and be sure to head over to theproaudiofiles.com to read articles by a handful of great audio engineers.
A philosophical take on the various roles of an audio engineer.
The post A Philosophical Guide to the Role(s) of an Audio Engineer appeared first on Pro Audio Files.
An article with ideas for using different kinds of tension in your song.
The post 4 Effective Ways to Use Tension in Your Productions appeared first on Pro Audio Files.
An article on the benefit of using simple recording techniques in the studio.
The post 6 Steps for Getting Great Recordings Every Time appeared first on Pro Audio Files.
A limited-space seminar focused on YOU and your mixing.
The post The Weiss Advice Masterclass appeared first on Pro Audio Files.
An article on the fundamental, practical and technical aspects of equalizers.
The post The Complete Guide to Mixing with EQ appeared first on Pro Audio Files.
An in-depth article on the basics of compressors and how to use compression in a mix.
The post The Complete Guide to Mixing with Compression appeared first on Pro Audio Files.
An article with tips, techniques and strategies for improving a thin mix.
The post 5 Strategies for Improving a Thin Sounding Mix appeared first on Pro Audio Files.
An article on some important mixing tools that aren't plugins or hardware.
The post 4 Powerful Mixing Tools You Didn’t Know You Had appeared first on Pro Audio Files.
An article on finding your signature sound as an audio engineer, producer and musician.
The post Finding Your Signature Sound appeared first on Pro Audio Files.
An article on the purpose of mixing.
The post Mixing: Peering Beyond The Bullsh%# appeared first on Pro Audio Files.
An excerpt from Mixing with Reverb
The post The Basics of Spring Reverb (+ Audio Examples) appeared first on Pro Audio Files.
An article on the basics of spring reverb plus audio examples.
The post The Basics of Spring Reverb appeared first on Pro Audio Files.
An excerpt from Mixing Drums with Compression. This video demonstrates how you can manipulate the punch of a snare drum using an 1176 compressor.
The post Tips for Adding Punch to a Snare Drum with Compression [Excerpt] appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article with some do's and don'ts for mix buss processing.
The post Mix Buss Processing: Do’s and Don’ts appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A guide to mixing vocals.
The post The Complete Guide to Mixing Vocals appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article on some great saturation plugins and my favorite uses for them.
The post 6 Favorite Saturation Plugins + Mix Tips appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video on creating special effects to support the arrangement.
The post Tips for Creating Special Effects in a Mix appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article on how to make in the box mixes sound analog.
The post Tips for Making In The Box Mixes Sound Analog appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article that gives tips for recording vocals in your home studio.
The post 5 Secrets to Recording Vocals at Home appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article on eight creative ways to use reverb in a mix.
The post 8 Ways to Use Reverb as a Special Effect appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article with tips to consider for using EQ in a mix.
The post 6 Ways to Make Using EQ Easy appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video on making money as an audio engineer.
The post How Do I Make Money as an Audio Engineer? appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article with tips, techniques and approaches for getting a great drum mix.
The post The Complete Guide to Mixing Drums appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A guide to vocal EQ plus ten problems to watch out for when recording and mixing vocals.
The post How to EQ Vocals (+ 10 Problems to Look Out For) appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article on the basics of plate reverb: what it is, how it works and audio examples on lead vocals.
The post The Basics of Plate Reverb appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An excerpt from Mixing with Reverb comparing plate reverb (EMT140) and spring reverb on vocals
The post Plate Reverb vs Spring Reverb on Vocals [Excerpt] appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A tutorial on creating a gated reverb effect for snare drum.
The post Tips for Creating a Gated Reverb Effect appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article with twenty tips for engineers working in the recording studio.
The post 20 Tips I’ve Learned from 12 Years in the Recording Studio appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A tutorial on creating a reverse reverb effect in the mix.
The post Tips for Creating a Reverse Reverb Effect appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
Matthew Weiss and Samik Ganguly chat about reverb.
The post Talkin’ Reverb with Matthew and Samik appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article with tips for getting the best out of FL Studio.
The post FL Studio is Badass, If You Don’t Make These 7 Mistakes appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article on some great plugins for mixing vocals.
The post 7 Favorite Plugins for Mixing Vocals appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video on the importance of prioritizing health.
The post VLOG #7: Health appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article on five ways to use reverb on drums in a mix.
The post 5 Ways to Use Reverb on Drums in a Mix appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article on seven awesome reverb plugins for mixing.
The post 7 Best Reverb Plugins For Mixing appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
In this vlog, Matthew talks streaming, music marketing, budgets, exposure and more.
The post VLOG #6: Streaming Royalties, Music Marketing, Budgets & More appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article on some of the different types of reverb you can use in a mix.
The post 5 Different Types of Reverb Explained appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
Mixing with Reverb: http://mixingwithreverb.com
Matt McQueen: http://www.gemcitystudios.com/
The post VLOG #5: Decades of Reverb, Royalties & Matt McQueen appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
Mixing with Reverb: http://mixingwithreverb.com
Merlot Embargo: http://www.merlotembargo.com
The post VLOG #4: Reverb, Record Deals, Bhad Bhabie, DIY Ambience appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An overview of the new 6+ hour in-depth mix training course from Matthew Weiss.
The post Introducing: Mixing With Reverb appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
Black Box Analog Design HG-2: http://blackboxanalog.com
The post VLOG #3: Building Credit + Interview with Eric Racy appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
In the second vlog from Matthew Weiss, he covers Facebook, Discogs, Mixing Piano, Analog vs Digital and Delbert Bowers
The post VLOG #2: Facebook, Discogs, Mixing Piano, Analog vs Digital & Delbert Bowers appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
The debut episode in a new vlog series from Matthew Weiss.
The post VLOG #1: Matthew Weiss, Taylor Swift & Black Box Analog Design HG-2 Plugin appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video on the basics of music copyright, ownership and publishing.
The post The Basics of Music Copyright and Publishing appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
How to use compression, tape saturation and more to glue together live drums with sampled drums in a mix.
The post Tips for Gluing Together Acoustic Drums with Sampled Drums in a Mix appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A one-minute mix tip from Matthew Weiss on using soft knee compression on a snare drum sample.
The post Soft Knee Compression on Drum Samples [1-Minute Mix Tip] appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A one-minute mix tip from Matthew Weiss on getting a fat and dry snare drum sound by using an expander before a compressor.
The post Expansion Before Compression on Snare Drum [1-Minute Mix Tip] appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A one-minute mix tip from Matthew Weiss on EQ'ing your parallel compression returns for a beefier snare drum.
The post EQ’ing Parallel Compression Returns [1-Minute Mix Tip] appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A one-minute mix tip from Matthew Weiss on adding punch to a snare drum with parallel compression.
The post Parallel Compression to Add Punch to a Snare Drum [1-Minute Mix Tip] appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An overview of the latest in-depth course from Matthew Weiss
The post Introducing: Mixing Drums with Compression appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
In this video, Matthew Weiss demonstrates a few variations for the Blumlein microphone configuration.
The post Recording Drums with Blumlein Microphone Configurations [Excerpt] appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video with some tips and techniques for recording drums. Learn more in the new course
The post Tips for Recording Acoustic Drums appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A short excerpt from the new course from Pro Mix Academy and Matthew Weiss
The post Recording Drums with Matthew Weiss [Course Excerpt] appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A review of Zulu from Handsome Audio.
The post Review: Zulu from Handsome Audio appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A discussion about arrangement.
The post Thoughts and Ideas on Arrangement appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video discussing the roles of a mixer vs producer in the context of mixing.
The post The Roles of a Producer vs Mixer in the Context of Mixing appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video from Matthew and Samik on building your career as an aspiring music producer or audio engineer.
The post Career Building Tips for Aspiring Producers and Audio Engineers appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video on using multiband compression for bass guitar in a mix.
The post Tips for Mixing Bass Guitar with Multiband Compression appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video comparing six different microphone positions on voice.
The post 6 Different Microphone Positions Compared on Voice appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
The second video in a two-part series on creating bass lines, this one is about creating realistic programmed bass lines feat. Samik 'The Symphony" Ganguly
The post Tips for Programming Bass Lines (Part 2) appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
The first video in a two-part series on creating bass lines
The post Tips for Creating Bass Lines (Part 1) appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video on using bass distortion in a mix and manipulating the emotions of a song.
The post Mixing Bass with Distortion and Keeping Emotions in Mind appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A quick tip for helping a snare and kick drum cut through the mix after you've set up buss compression you like.
The post A Quick Drum Buss Compression Trick appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video on using drum bus compression for tone, thickening and to bring out the inside groove.
The post How to Enhance a Drum Mix with Buss Compression appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An excerpt on creating a lead vocal ambience with reverb and delay from our latest Funk Mixthru tutorial.
The post Creating Lead Vocal Ambience with Reverb and Delay appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An excerpt on compressing a dynamic lead vocal from the new Funk Mixthru.
The post Tips for Compressing a Dynamic Lead Vocal appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An update on the next Weiss Advice Masterclass.
The post Weiss Advice Masterclass in Los Angeles — January 7th & 8th appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An overview of the new Funk Mixthru from Matthew Weiss.
The post Mixthru #6 — Funk appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article on the city of Atlanta's proposed Ordinance 16-O-1454.
The post Why Atlanta’s Music Studio Ordinance Should Not Pass appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video on getting bass guitar to glue into the sound and feel of a record in the production stage.
The post Getting Bass Guitar to Glue to the Sound and Feel of a Record appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video on low end sound design in the production stage.
The post Tips for Negotiating Low End in the Production Stage appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video on structuring a chord progression.
The post A Quick Idea for Deconstructing Chords appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video on adding some excitement to percussion in a drum loop.
The post Quick Tip for Adding Life to Percussion in a Drum Loop appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An overview of the new Weiss Advice masterclass from Matthew Weiss in LA.
The post The Weiss Advice Masterclass in Los Angeles appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An overview of the new Weiss Advice in-person masterclass from Matthew Weiss in Los Angeles.
The post Weiss Advice Masterclass in Los Angeles appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
A video on adjusting pitch envelope of kick drums to support the groove.
The post Sound Design: Adjusting Kick Drum Pitch Envelope for Groove appeared first on The Pro Audio Files.
An article on taking your studio sessions to the next level as an audio engineer.
An article on what I need to improve to be competitive in the music business.
An article on four different problems we often try to fix in the mix, but would be better solved in the arrangement.
An article with advice for pitching and placing songs from Matthew Weiss, Dave Pensado and Bob Horn.
An article with some of my most unpopular opinions on recording and mixing.
A video on using vocal effects to compliment specific moments of a record.
An article on five lower priced audio plugins that are awesome.
A video on treating bass like an additional guitar in a rock mix.
A video on mixing electric guitar in an alt-rock song.
An article on four useful parallel processing techniques for drums in a mix.
An article on three circumstances that can be useful to use multiband compression.
A mix analysis for "Didn't You Know" by Karmin (mixed by Andrew Dawson.)
An article with tips for getting a huge acoustic drum sound.
Matthew Weiss does a mix analysis for the song Losers.
Matthew Weiss does a mix analysis for the song Chandelier by Sia.
A video on choosing a microphone on a budget.
An excerpt from our new Hip-Hop Mixthru tutorial featuring rap vocals from Armageddon of Terror Squad.
A video on growing your own music business platform.
A video on using multiple stages of saturation on rap vocals in the mix.
An overview of the new Hip-Hop Mixthru from Matthew Weiss.
A video on the difference between dBVU and dBFS.
A video on "the magic button" aka mixing the vocals from this video: https://www.facebook.com/theproaudiofiles/posts/1074242292613414
A video on peak vs RMS level.
A video on mixing a rap vocal towards consistency.
An article on some innovative audio plugins from the past few years.
A video on how to fix unbalanced stereo drum overheads with FabFilter Pro-Q 2's EQ Matching.
A video on why you might decide to use multiband compression on vocals in a mix.
A video on how you can use EQ to contour a vocal.
A video on using expanders to tighten a drum mix.
An article on some of the most common and effective uses for mid-side processing in a mix.
A video breaking down the hold function of a gate and how it’s different than release.
A video breaking down the knee function of a compressor.
A video on using multiple different types of reverb in a mix.
The second video in a two-part series on getting a recording studio internship. This one focuses on the resume.
The first in a two-part series on getting a recording studio internship.
An article on the most important aspect of mixing a song.
A video on the basics of gating acoustic drums.
An overview of the new Mixing 101 course from Matthew Weiss
A video on processing the drum buss for additional character.
A video on three different techniques for compressing and shaping the sound of an acoustic snare drum.
A video on mixing toms for power in a drum mix.
A video with tips for bringing life to a static drum loop.
Our second video on editing, this one focuses on manipulating the feel of an acoustic guitar part.
A video on thickening up thin rap vocals but also secretly a tutorial on being effective.
Tips for editing rap vocal doubles to a lead vocal.
Four misused pieces of audio advice you've probably read online recently.
A video on how you can get a bigger sound through arrangement.
A video on managing low end and making executive decisions as a mix engineer.
An article from Matthew Weiss on four ways he's improved his mixing in the past year.
An introduction to the basics of sound.
An article with tips, techniques and approaches for mixing rock vocals.
An article on the most common criticism of Matthew Weiss tutorials.
An article on five different ways you can approach starting a mix.
A new video in the Ask Weiss series on replacing and augmenting drums from Sammy Sabbah: "When mixing a real drum kit, I want to use samples to augment or change the close-miked drums. How can I make the samples not clash with the original drums that are in the overheads and room microphones?"
The latest video in the Ask Weiss series: "What is Mastering?"
An article on how to prioritize your spending for the recording studio.
An overview of the new Pop Mixthru tutorial from Matthew Weiss. Take your mixing skills to the next level.
New video in the Ask Weiss series: "Hey Matthew, how do you personally deal with a lack of motivation and creative blocks when it comes to making songs and/or mixing/producing."
New video in the Ask Weiss series: "Should I go to school to become an audio engineer?"
Ask Weiss: "I am an artist, producer and audio engineer, and I'm not sure which I like the most. Do I want to be a recording engineer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer, an artist? Help me figure this out."
A video with tips for using mid-side subtractive EQ in a mix.
The fourth video in the Ask Weiss series. This question comes from Daniel Simmons: "What's a good way to maintain consistency throughout mixing a whole project? How do you make sure that the tracks have a unified sound?"
The fifth video in the Ask Weiss series. This question comes from Alexander Hartung: “I like the Future House style of bass. The problem is, I always see in tutorials that people mix the sub parts to mono, but if you listen to the music, the bass is mixed wide in the stereo field?“
The story of Matthew Weiss.
This is the third video in the Ask Weiss Series and the question comes from TabascoVolta: “Mr. Weiss, I am mixing a rock album where the drums were tracked with a cracked ride cymbal. The drummer knowingly did this, saying the "sizzle" was part of his overall sound. To my ears, it's just got this awfully harsh jangle that is completely destroying the OH sound. It gives a disgusting crinkle to the overall mix. Re-tracking the drums is not an option at this point. Notching out around 11k-ish has helped a little, but any sort of corrective processing beyond that is just killing the OH sound even more. Any tips on how I can tame the jangle and still have the stereo OHs survive? Thank you sir!”
The second video in the ask Weiss Series with special guest Joey Sturgis. This question comes from Sammy: "When mixing hard rock or metal, how can one achieve a thick and dense sound without sounding messy? In other words, how do I get it to sound full and powerful?"
This is the first video in the new Ask Weiss series. The question is if Matthew think it's possible to create a commercial release-ready mix exclusively with stock plugins.
An overview of the first video in the new Mixthru training series from Matthew Weiss.
An overview of the new mix training series from Matthew Weiss.
A video on using time as an effect.
A video on getting punch in a mix.
A video with some thoughts and ideas for clarity in a mix.
Tips for creating depth in a mix.
Five things that can help get a great sounding mix.
A video on the power of stock plugins in a mix.
How to use EQ to negotiate the relationship between an 808 and low sub rumble as well as general philosophy on static vs moving mixes aka letting the mix adjust to the arrangement.
An article with tips and characteristics to keep in mind for mixing a jazz record.
A review and demonstration of The Hoser XT EQ.
An article on different combinations of effects that work well for parallel processing in a mix.
A video on some of the challenges and approaches for mixing acapella vocals.
A video on using different bell curve slopes on electric guitar depending on the sound you want to get.
An overview of our latest in-depth mixing tutorial: Mixing with EQ
A video on using EQ on the master buss.
An article on some one-time events you can use to spice up your arrangement and mix.
A video on blending multiple snare captures to create a snare drum sample.
A video on some creative sub tone triggering with a floor tom in an acoustic drum scenario.
New video on how you can route a snare drum when parallel compressing a drum buss to get even greater control over your drum sound.
A video on how you can customize your mix to be more effective for a live show.
A tutorial on mixing 808s with a layered kick drum using FabFilter Pro-Q 2 EQ, FabFilter Pro-MB multiband compressor, MaxxBass and Slate Virtual Tape Machine.
A quick tutorial on how you can use a micro pitch shifter to enhance the feel of your mix.
A video with a couple tips for adding impact to downbeats and different sections in your mix.
A video on mixing synth horns in a beat by Sonny Digital with SoundToys Decapitator, EQ and more.
A two-part article on the challenges of mixing EDM. This is part two: perspective of a producer deciding to hire someone to mix the record versus mixing it themselves.
A two-part article on the challenges of mixing EDM. This is part one: perspective of the mix engineer.
Tips for getting a louder EDM record without completely sacrificing the mix.
Five different ways you can approach getting a pumping effect in an EDM mix.
An introduction to Mixing EDM from Matthew Weiss. Includes 4+ hours of tips, techniques and approaches for mixing EDM with three different songs as source material. Includes multitracks for practice and a 40 minute mastering interview with Chis Athens.
A tutorial on how to approach mixing pre-treated a cappella vocals for a remix.
A quick video on how to create a flanging vocal effect with Melodyne.
Five tips that will quickly improve your EDM mixes.
An article on on the pros and cons of doing free trial mixes for potential clients.
An interview with Nir Averbuch from Sound Radix.