Paul Vnuk Jr.

Sit down, “plug in” and get creative with the August issue of RECORDING Magazine. You may have guessed that this month is all about plugins, DAWs, soft synths and more! Reviews August is a veritable plugin-a-palooza as we bring you 16 software-focused reviews…more if you consider that many of these are collections and bundles. Kicking off our deep dive in digital land, we start with the latest FX Collection V4 from Arturia with four new plugins and many enhancements. This is followed by the Moog collection of Moogerfooger Effects Plugins comprised of emulations of 8 classic analog stomp boxes. We have three reverbs on tap as we step inside the Hitsville Reverb Chambers from Universal Audio and head out to The Farm Stone Room from IK Multimedia. Then we check out the new Soundtoys Super Plate. In the world of effects style filters, we have Supermodel from Polyverse and the Slate Digital Storch Filter. We also have the “Neve-based” BB N73 from KIT Plugins, the Lexicon PSP 42 V2 delay plugin from PSP Audioware, we get low with the Solid State Logic Subgen plugin, and we take note of Jotter from NUGEN. Finally, in the worlds of effects and processing plugins, we travel into the new AI-powered StudioVerse from Waves. Moving on to soft synths, we tickle the ivories on the new EZkeys 2 from Toontrack and get mechanical with the official Rhodes V8 Plugin. Combining synths and effects, we have the ORANGE VOCODER IV from Zynaptiq. Finally, we check out the JBL 708P 7 Series studio monitors. Interview Classic Hip-Hop production and wizardry with Keith Shocklee. Producer, beat creator, and DJ Keith Shocklee was a founding member of the Bomb Squad, helping craft some of the most iconic hip-hop albums of all time, including Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back and Fear of a Black Planet. Keith takes us on a journey from the early days in his and his brother's studio in their mom’s basement to his current studio and gear choices. Features RECORDING’s 2023 Plugin Bundle Roundup Plugin bundles can be a great, one-stop shop for filling your VST, AU and AAX folders with all the tools you need for a great mix. In this issue, our editor Paul Vnuk Jr takes a look at some all-inclusive top-tier offerings from over 27 plugin companies. In this issue’s Studio 101, Joe Albano brings us an Intro To DAWs as walks us through the history and basic functions of the Digital Audio Workstation. Next, in Session Log, producer Marc Urselli talks about not only his favorite plugin tools but why when to reach for them. This month in Inside the Studio, producer Mark Hornsby takes his studio on the road in the first installment of his three-part Airstream Sessions. In this month’s Fade Out, Aaron Trumm shares his thoughts and opinions on DAW workflow and more. Get plugged in and join us in the August issue of RECORDING Magazine!

This makes sense––especially with the whole Adrenalinn connection 😀

First off...somehow I never knew you played drums, Brian. 😀 Second, how do the Zildjian L-80 cymbals sound miked? Didn't Zildjian have its own mic system for these at one time?

I dream of a Supro someday.

My only studio amp is a Princeton. It’s a surprisingly versatile amp. .

Since July is our guitar recording issue at RECORDING Magazine, and I know we have a lot of guitar players here. What is your preferred method of guitar recording? Do you use a tried and true SM57 in the speaker cone of your favorite amp? Are you an amp sim fan? Have you dipped into the waters of re-amping? Let's talk tracking guitar!

Whether a small combo amp or a giant wall of 4x12 stacks, a pedal board filled with boutique pedals or direct into the amp or even no amp at all using the latest cutting-edge amp sims or plugins––guitarists are driven by tone, and it's the job of the recording musician to capture it. The July issue is all about capturing that tone! Reviews We are stacking the deck in your favor with a host of guitar recording tools. In microphones, we have the 2012 Compact Cardioid Microphone from DPA and the just-released Aztec from Roswell Pro Audio––the company's first tube offering. Next up is a pair of microphone preamps from Lightning Boy Audio––the Dark Storm, which features some special guitar-based tricks, along with its 500 series and Super Storm sibling. We have the 500 series Rotating Limiter from Scott Dorsey's Kluge Audio to bring the clamp down. Then we have the instrument focussed JamX audio interface from Apogee Digital. What's a guitar recording issue without pedals? In that category, we present the latest Select Series guitar pedal offerings from API, the new Amplitube Tone-X Pedal from IK Multimedia, and the Zelzah multi-dimensional phaser from Strymon. For our plugin strummers, we have the hard rock/heavy metal forward Metallurgy Collection from Line 6 and the Voltage Amps plugin suite from Waves. Finally, in the non-guitar world, we dig into the latest firmware update for the Arturia Micro-Freak, and we also have a play with the first synthesizer offering from BABY Audio; come meet the BA-1. Finally, we have a book report on Pete Anderson's new book, How To Produce A Record. Interview In this month's interview, Dave Martin chats with producer and guitarist Pete Anderson (Dwight Yoakam, K.D. Lang, Tanya Tucker, Roy Orbison, Buck Owens) to get Pete's tips on capturing great guitar tracks. Features All of our features in this issue are also all about guitar (and bass). Producer, engineer and bassist Dave Martin offers his time-tested advice for recording bass. In Studio 101, Joe Albano brings us a back-to-basics intro to guitar recording, and Aaron Trumm asks...and answers the question, "How to get great guitar tracks when you don't play or know any guitarists?" Mark Hornsby brings us our second interview in this month's Inside The Studio as he talks with guitarist Robben Ford, and producer Marc Usrelli shares some of his favorite amps, mics and guitar recording techniques in Session Log. There is lots of stummin', pickin', shreddin' and stompin' goodness to be had in the July Issue of RECORDING Magazine!

But you can realistically say that about anything. Why would someone need a $60,000 car? A $30,000 car, a 2.5 million dollar home, a $300,000 home, a vintage Harley Davidson, an $8,000 synth, a $5,000 Les Paul...whatever it is, if it is something you have no need for, don't enjoy, or can't afford. It's easy to judge said object to be unnecessary and superfluous.

I currently play with (and have had the same setup for 20 years) Sabian hats, Sabian Ride, Zildjian thin crash, a second Zildjian ride that I also use as a crash and a small Tosco spash...I guess I am pretty cymbal brand agnostic.

I agree and I say this as a synthesis and high-end recording gear nerd...even budget e-kits are really expensive. Of course when a profession acoustic ride cymbal can fetch $800 I guess it becomes relative at some point.

I have a lot of different views on mics..."of course you do, Paul". There is the side of me that says the mic should never stop anyone from recording a great song––ever. Whether it's $50 or $5,000. A good engineer can ALWAYS make it work. As others have stated, there are some great mics out there from $1,000 on down to $200 today that are spectacular. This was not the case when I started my recording journey in the late 80s...back then, the only affordable large diaphragm condensers were a Neumann U87 and AKG C-414 (neither one was affordable to a high-school/college student back then. Like many, I started recording with Shure SM57s and SM58s and MD421s. My first large diaphragm mic was the then-new CAD E-100 in the early/mid-90s. Then I got an Audix CX-111 in 1998. Soon in 1999, I bought a Royer R-121 (an early model with a different transformer, of which I am told there are many 4-6 ever made). This is the oldest mic in my collection, and I will never part with it. This was followed by my 1st tube mic, an Audio Technica AT-4060. Since those days, as mentioned above, as a reviewer, studio owner and mic freak, there are few mics I have not had the pleasure of using, hearing or reviewing––except any of the Beyerdynamic M series ribbons...oddly those have eluded me my whole life. There are a few observations I have encountered over the journey. Every time I have been blessed to use a bonafide classic U, M, ELA or C series mic, it becomes quickly apparent WHY they are classics because 75% of the time, they just work––on anything. It's why when you see classic studio session photos, you will see these mics in action and typically the same model on most sources with minimal exceptions. There has often also been that moment of, "Yes, that's the sound, and I don't have to struggle with EQ and post trickery to get it." This makes mixing a very simple transition. These are the kind of mics I gravitate toward today. I cringe on forums when I see folks with laundry lists of this is my female vocal mic, my acoustic guitar mic, my accordion mic, my violin mic, my mic for humid days when the moon is in its 3rd phase...yes, I am being a tad hyperbolic, but you get my point, and yes, there are specialty mics I use for snare and kick and guitar cabinet...if one can call an SM57 a specialty mic, for instance. Yes, there are times when a mic does not work, and I need another option, but I would always rather move a mic than change out a mic. Of course, it's not always possible for us all to get $2,000 - $10,000 mics. Even here, though, I would rather have one good main mic I use for everything than 10 mediocre mics that I never know which to grab. My final thought, which then returns to the first thought is, use what you can afford to get the results you need. The balance is, don't be the person with knee jerk reaction that this $200 mic is just as good as this $5,000 mic unless you have personally used both and can actually comment on it and also don't be the person who say, unless you have this $5,000 mic all of your recordings will suck. Just some of my mic thoughts for now, and I may add more. I should state that I record for a living, so having a quality mic locker is important to me. If you only need a mic for an occasional something because you are a keyboard player or, like Craig, prefer to go direct, that will influence your decisions as well.

Thanks for clarifying Bill. That makes sense.

Knowingly stealing, lifting or plagiarizing a piece of music is never a good idea, morally, ethically, or whatever. That said, sometimes a great way to expand your own musical vocabulary or work through writer's block is to learn someone else's song and then try and re-arrange and grapple with the part you like, maybe more style-wise than note for note. Many popular be-bop jazz songs were "loosely adopted and appropriated" swing tunes. Many famous musical artists have admitted that famous song X was inspired by famous song Y. I think, on the flip side that chasing "originality" can be detrimental to musical growth and writing as well. In other words, don't steal but don't get bogged down worrying about if you are being "original".

Not sure I understand the question (and I do not mean that rudely). Is there a specific brand you are curious about? A certain source that you want to capture? A price range? Not being braggy, but as a reviewer of 20+ years and a professional audio engineer even longer, there are few mics I have not heard, used, or reviewed. My favorite mics of all time "price-be-damned" are the Telefunken ELA M250, The Neumann M49, AKG C12 (I have and enjoy the C12VR) and the Chandler REDD Mic. If cost is a concern, I like the mini-K series mics from Roswell Pro Audio and any of the mics from Aston.

As a drummer, I live two lives, I guess you could say. The "normal" drummer in me loathes electronic drums. I need the nuance that only real heads and cymbals can give me. However, recently I reviewed and have been using the first electronic drums that psycho-acoustically get me as close to electronic drums as I have ever gotten, and that is the EFNote kits, especially the cymbals. I am also an electronic percussionist who does tribal ambient music, and in that scenario, I play two Korg Wavedrums––an original from the early 90s and the second-gen from about 2010. More than those, I play an ATV AFrame drum. All three are synth more than sample-based and use mics and sensors to translate actual hits on a drum head into electronic sound.

That's my point kind of...there is a healthy growing subculture that spends time searching out, downloading and listening to vinyl rips. Not CDs or Hi-Rez albums, but digital 24/192 rips of vinyl albums...and I saying I do not understand the appeal.

Maybe this is a topic better served in a new thread... I can understand, on some level digitizing rare, hard-to-find or out-of-print vinyl. That said, I am part of a few forums and Facebook groups where folks are crazy for vinyl rips of everything...meaning albums that are readily available on CD, HiRez digital and such. Don't get me wrong, I totally understand people loving and listening to vinyl on a turntable. I do not, however, get the appeal of listening to digital transfers of that exact same album.

Many forums that I am on do a yearly or twice-a-year pledge drive (like PBS) to keep the doors open––like PBS maybe there could be "perk" packages for various level donations.

A few thoughts from someone who has 14TB of lossless audio, mainly from ripping their CD collection of 2,000+ CDs (I used to work at a CD store). 1. Rip your music to FLAC or ALAC if you are an Apple fan. Once you rip to 320 MP3 there is data you can never get back. If you have to dumb the file down for your car, keep a FLAC copy to return to in the future as today hard drives are cheap. 2. Recording vinyl and cleaning it up may actually take more time than checking CDs out from a library, finding and buying the CD used on Discogs or Amazon sometimes for really stupid cheap. 3. I rarely stream and still put about 150 gigs of music on my iPhone and hit random like my own personally curated radio station on road trips. 4. Lastly, I did not see the answer, but there are very few albums that can't be found on CD or digitally––yes there are thousands of obscure titles, but how many of those are any of us on the hunt for?

I think the tech implications are amazing and quite futuristic. It's the physical part that I think may still be impractical on some levels, such as... I know people who hate wearing headphones for extended periods of time. Do they want something wrapped around their head for a mixing session, a full-length movie, a lecture, a class or a conference? What about folks who wear glasses? Or folks who hate to wear glasses––see above concerns. What if someone does not want to mess their hair up? I know folks who loathe wearing hats for this reason. What if 3-4 people want to watch and experience a movie together? What if I want to lay sideways on my couch while experiencing the movie? Do we really need avatars of ourselves so no one sees us wearing goggles? Will these really be $3k+ in a lasting build? Lets make it even easier for folks to "tune out" and not interact with reality...cuz social media isn't addicting enough? Ok, I'm done with my skepticism; none the less, I could totally be down to get a set of these and live in my own little world. Heck, airlines should give these out to everyone on flights!

I agree with this topic wholeheartedly Craig! I have USB-C hard drives where the cable is loose and wobbly just being plugged in, new out of the box. Glad the format is becoming universal, not so happy that it's a tad wonky on some devices.

RECORDING June 2023 Spatial Audio—Tips and Tools for Immersive Mixing and More Atmos, Binaural, Ambisonics, Renders, Fold-Downs, Objects, Height Speakers...these are just a handful of the latest terms and buzzwords permeating the modern mixing paradigm––The June issue is all about Spatial Audio! Join us on our multi-dimensional audio journey as we dive in and explore the latest technology, tools and tips in the growing world of immersive mixing. Reviews We have nine products on review this month. In the speaker realm, we listen to the KH 150 studio monitors from Neumann and the compact desktop IN-UNF monitor system from Kali Audio. We also get our ears on the latest VSX Modeling Headphones from Steven Slate Audio. This issues interface review is by way of the letters RME as we check out the company's latest Fireface UFX III. From there, we move inside the box with a pair of plugins from dearReality with the new EXOVERB and EXOVERB MICRO reverb plugins. Also, in plugins, we add some Density from Sound Particles, and we take the MDWDRC2-Native Dynamic Range Controller from Massenburg DesignWorks for a spin. Finally, we have the latest sound library from Orchestral Tools, as we have a play with Pēteris Vasks' Strings. Special-Spatial Articles If your immersive mixing journey is just beginning, if you have been at it for a while, or if you are just simply curious––Dolby Atmos is one of the key players in the discussion. The Dolby Atmos Renderer is one of the most vital components to bring your finished mixes into the world. In this issue, mix engineer and Atmos expert Will Kennedy takes us on a tour of this amazing piece of software. Next, we hear from Alex Solano (also a top-tier Atmos expert), who, through the website alexpromix.com, crafts immersive Atmos mixes for both major labels and independent artists alike. In this article, Alex focuses on some of his favorite tools! Carlito “Sway” Cobos takes to Instrumentoz, a "producer's playground––where artists can learn to record, mix and experiment with immersive audio”. If you though Atmos was out of reach, this article is for you! Immersive Audio Plugin Round-Up While immersive audio is cutting-edge and all the rage, the format(s) is also largely in its infancy, and beyond the Dolby Atmos Renderer, many of us have little idea what tools are available to aid us in our mixes. This roundup is here to help. We reached out to many of the companies developing immersive-focused plugins to fill us in on what they have to offer. Features This year's 2023 "Winter" NAMM show falls smack-dab in the middle of this issue's production cycle. Editor Paul Vnuk Jr and Associate Editor Alex Hawley will share their thoughts on this year's show in our special RECORDING NAMM Report. In Session Log, producer Marc Urselli takes us to The Armory in NYC, where he discusses his immersive live mixes for the MONOCHROMATIC LIGHT production he did with Peter Sellars. In this issue's Studio 101, Joe Albano teaches us all about phase! Mark Hornsby gets into the immersive audio discussion with the question “Are all songs meant for Atmos?” in Inside The Studio, and Dave Martin offers his mixing and arranging advice in Readers' Tracks. Finally, Aaron Trumm is back in this month's Fade Out––Bonus points if you can guess what his topic of discussion is. There is a lot to Immerse yourself in the June issue of RECORDING!

Some great looking creative spaces!

As a recording engineer, I typically encounter two types of drummers. The drummer who thinks that it is their job to hit every drum...and cymbal as freaking loud as possible and then tells me, "You're the engineer; you deal with it". And then there are drummers who actually consider the sound of each drum, the sound of each strike AND plays to the mics and the song. When those drummers hit cymbals, I tend not to mind.

to clarify, I will usually do a scratch vocal early in the process, and even then I like to hear and respond to my voice in the mic, rather than the room. However as you said everyone is different.