The sound of a marimba is sweet, woody, subtle, and warm. It’s perfect for delicate melodies and accompaniment. Modern plugins, though, are obsessed with turning every sound into pads, textures, and ambiences, and marimba is no exception. If you’re looking to incorporate the sound of marimba in your productions, you’ll want to check out the…
Because the harmonica is often among one of the first instruments grade school children learn, many people have fond (or not so fond) memories of the instrument. Whether in folk, country, bluegrass, or even the blues and jazz, the harmonica (or blues harp or “mouth organ”) is an instrument that adds texture or flavor to…
Visualization can play a very important role in mixing and mastering, making oscilloscope valuable tools in music production. In this guide, we’ll be looking at a mix of oscilloscope VST plugins – those that have been designed with spectral analysis in mind, and those featuring oscilloscopes in some capacity. So, let’s get into the best…
As an affordable alternative to professional grade Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), Reaper quickly grew a cult following and today is one of the top 10 preferred software recording applications among professionals and independents alike. Its own ReaPlugs have received a lot of praise and are fantastic stock effects. You can even download them and use…
Cubase is loved by producers, composers, songwriters, and more, and in a way, it set the standard for Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) to come. Cubase comes with many of its own virtual effects and instruments, and there aren’t many gaps in its feature set. But since it does play well with third-party plugins, it’s well…
It’s far more accessible to learn the guitar today than ever before, and using the internet is a popular method. Whether you’re retired or have some extra time on your hands, online lessons can help you pursue the guitar. The following resources are worthwhile for your consideration. Each has unique features that make them ideal…
We often hear stories of successful singers who were “born with talent” or grew up singing in churches. And it’s easy to compare yourself to others who seem to have it all figured out. But here’s the part they don’t tell you – just because you’re singing all the time doesn’t necessarily mean you’re good…
What if you could manipulate any sound and turn it into something completely different? It’s like the very epitome of modern electronic music, and even film scores, right? But futuristic sound design no longer requires layers and layers of overdubs from different sources using different mics, complex processing chains, reversed found sound samples, re-amping, and…
From stringed instruments to synthesizers, tuning is a normal part of instrument maintenance and performance across a broad range of instrument types. If you regularly use real instruments in your studio, or if you work with people who do, then your studio setup could certainly benefit from the addition of a virtual tuner and wouldn’t…
There is a near unending supply of amazing instruments across the world. These instruments often represent the very esthetic of the culture from which they stem. India is home to an array of instruments that define the sound of their traditional music – sitar, tabla, sarangi, tambura, vina, and more. These have become fast favorites…
Oberheim is one of several manufacturers that dominated the synthesizer soundscape of the 70s, 80s, and beyond. Its sound? Classic and immediately identifiable. To this day, Oberheim products (such as the OB-1, OB-X, and Matrix-6) are still very much sough-after, and often emulated by soft synth developers. In this guide, we look at the best…
As a prolific creator of high-quality VST plugins, Waves is near unmatched in their ability to pump out audio tools to help producers, composers, and songwriters everywhere. While their array of products doesn’t include every type of virtual effect or instrument, as you’re about to discover, they cover more ground than most developers ever do….
The free, open source, cross platform compatible audio recording and editing application, Audacity, is a go-to among podcasters. But some music producers like to experiment with it or even use it as their primary production tool as well. There is no denying that Audacity has its limitations, but support for various types of plugins (VST,…
Loopers. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Their primary function is to repeat a segment of audio that can be used as a jam track, but DJs and producers alike have found plenty of other creative uses for them as well. Since there are many types of looper VST plugins out there,…
Interested in incorporating the sound of a whistle in your productions? There are many types of whistles out there, not to mention vocal whistles and even articulations (with specific instruments) that produce a whistle like quality. Here we’ll be looking at all of it. If a whistle is what you need, a whistle you shall…