Digital Street Studio and Media Production Update 11.15.12

As a business owner, you try to live by the code "The customer is always right". Well, most of the time. What if you're forced to compromise standards just to keep the customer happy? It's a tough question, especially in this economy. In the recording business, we work with all musicians, some good, some "not so good". Hey, it's an art form and not everyone is Rembrandt. However, as experts in the recording industry, when do we say, " I can not allow this work to reflect poorly on my business". What I'm getting at is there are standards you have to set for yourself and your business. At what point do you sacrifice a payday in order to maintain a reputation? Hope to see you soon in the studio.


Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio &
Media Production
Dover, Delaware

Serving Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Digital Street Studio and Media Productions - Audio Recording Update 10.4.12

Some of you may getting ready to start your next recording project and find yourself at a crossroads. Should you enter the studio, where you know you're going to incur cost?  Or, make the investment in your own audio gear? Well, I'm here to offer some advice.....DON'T DO IT!! Unless you're willing to spend a few thousand dollars, plus thousands of hours learning what it takes to record and produce your own music, leave it to professionals. Yes, I know some will say "well, you own a studio, of course you want the business". My response...."without a doubt". However, I speak from experience. I lived through the learning curve that many of you will not finish. Just because you've purchase your own recording gear does not mean you're anywhere near ready to produce quality mixes. Instead, treat your music like a business. Budget your money and have a plan from start to finish. If other musicians are involved, make sure everyone is ready to enter the studio. Being prepared will save time which equals money.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
& Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Serving, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Digtal Street Studio and Media Productions - Audio Recording Update 9.26.12

Hours of mixing comes at a price. Yes, there's always money associated with mixing but the price I'm referring too is hearing. Make sure your audio levels stay low. This will allow you to mix longer and maintain accuracy. If you find that your mix levels are starting to increase, give yourself a break for a few hours. Hope the infro helps.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
and Media Productions
Serving Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Digital Street Studio and Media Productions - Audio Recording Update 9.21.12

The more time I spend talking to other musicians, not to mention individuals just starting to engineer their own music, I'm finding frustration concerning drum mixes. Their mixes are either muddy or undefined. Also, they lack pop or punch. There's multiple factors that can cause this. First, let's start with the basics. Are you recording with dedicated drum mic's? Are your drums set up for studio recording? (Quality heads, tuning and tightness are crucial) Is the room acoustically treated? These are the basics and need to be addressed first. Second, proper eq, compression and reverb have to be properly adjusted. Without proper eq'ing and compression, your mixes will sound lifeless. So, now that we have that covered, adjust your other instrument levels so the drums are in context. Now, this is considered the missing step and in all likelyhood the reason for your frustration........Bounce or bus the drums to a L & R stereo mix. This opens up the audio field to allow the other tracks to breath and will tighten the drums giving them more definiton. This will give you the ability to fine tune the eq, compression and overall reverb if needed. Hope the info helps.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Stduio
& Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Serving Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Digital Street Studio and Media Productions, Audio Recording Update 9.13.12

Creating the "perfect" mix very rarely happens on the first try. It doesn't matter if you've been engineering and producing for many years. It's very possible, the next day you listen to that same mix you will find elements to make it better. Elements you didn't hear the day before. Basically, give yourself time to turn mixes around. Your mixes will only benefit and so will your reputation.

Chris and Kevin
Digtal Street Studio
and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Serving Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania

Digital Street Studio and Media Productions Delaware Recording Update 9.4.12

Technology is a good thing right? I would have to say most of the time, depending on the application. For example, Protools is a great recording platform....most of the time. With the purchase of an expensive mixing console interface, you can do real time edits and mixes quicker. Downside, that expense has to be incorporated into your overhead. Ultimately, increasing your hourly rate for your clients. So, what's the gain? Well, as I said before you can edit and mix faster. OK, that's great! However, if you're maintaining audio quality at a reasonable cost, why incorporate thousands of dollars into your overhead?? Yes, businesses have to grow and expand with the times. Usually, that growth also comes with a price tag. The hard part is determining when to pull the trigger on such purchases. Keep in mind, demand and region have to be considered when it comes to your business. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Serving Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania

Digital Street Studio and Media Productions Update 8.31.12

We're finding more and more that artists need help bringing their music to life. In most cases, they're unable to locate musicians for the instrumentation they require. That's where we try to help. At Digital Street we can provide the client with only the best studio musicians. Sometimes our clients are not musicians at all but have single line phrase or topics they want to express through music. Providing this service is something that makes us unique and gives us great satisfaction. Hope to see you soon in the studio!

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
and Media Productions

Serving Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Digtal Street Studio and Media Productions Recording Update 8.27.12

I take it for granted sometimes that everyone does not know the inner workings of a recording studio. Techniques, terms, and basic approach can be intimidating to someone coming into the studio for the first time. Thats why it is so very important to communicate a path forward. Explaining how you're going to get from point A to B is good practice. Showing a path forward or schedule is crucial, especially for full length cd projects. The end result will be a good experience for your client and in most cases, more business in the future. Hope to see you soon in the studio!

Chris and Kevin
Digtal Street Studio
and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Serving Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Digital Street Studio and Media Productions Recording Update

While preparing to track your next cd project, don't forget to focus on one key element......TEMPO. Thats right! It's the foundation to everything you do in the studio. If and When someone in the industry listens to your music, the focus will be on key elements like tempo. One of the easiest ways to insure your music is "locked in" is to record to a click track or sample beat. Just recording scratch guitar and vocals at first. Minimal instrument tracking for a percussionist to reference and lock into will be the only tracking needed. Once you have a solid drum tempo recording, all other tracking will be very easy. Not to mention saving time in the mix down sessions. Hope this helps for future sessions.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Creating The Perfect Mix

First let me say the title is misleading. When it comes to recording, there isn't a perfect mix. Your interpretation of a song mixes "perfection" is yours alone. It will, 99.9 % of the time differ from someone else. It doesn't make it right or wrong it's just opinion. Don't get me wrong, there are some general guidelines and eq'ing practices to follow. However, the rest is up to you.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
and Media Production

Serving Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Recording An Album Needs Support

Recording an album needs support. What I mean by that statement is this...After you have the completed album (CD) in hand, you need to get out there and support it. Line up dates, gigs, shows, places where you can sell your merchandise. In today's world, getting signed without playing out or having some kind of a name for yourself is very, very rare. Yes, it still happens but the chances are slim. Also, going down the "high priced producer" road has no gaurantees either. Thats when you pay a producer thousands of dollars to produce your album because he or she has "connections". I speak from experience because I've been there and done that. Where I and so many others fall short is you have to be in it for the long haul.  Most bands and artists that are popular today, play for years before getting contacted by an A&R person. The fact of the matter is labels want to see a following. They want to see a good fan base in place before they will even talk to you. A fan base is developed when you have something to offer. Your music, your songs, your energy. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
& Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Digital Street Studio - Acoustic Solutions Part 2

Okay, we're going to pick up from where we left off last week. Today we'll be addressing cost effective ways to acoustically treat wall corners. Why do we want to acoustically treat wall corners you ask? Simple...we want to absorb or trap our low frequencies. By placing "bass traps" in our corners, we'll absorb tones that would tend to accumulate in those corners. To get started, we'll need the same material as before (T-111, Carpet runners, staples and drywall screws). The only new purchases will be 6" - 8" foam padding and liquid nail (gorrilla glue). If you have a problem locating this material, visit your home improvement warehouse and purchase 4 x 8 x 4" sheets of insulating board. Next, cut your T-111 to fit the height of your corners. A good width is around 18" but it can vary based on your carpet runner. Once that is completed, staple your carpet runner to the T-111. Now, place the carpeted T-111 facedown with the T-111 on top. Cut your foam or board to match the height of the T-111. However, you probably want your width to be 5-6". Glue your foam cut piece to the center of the T-111. Cut and glue a second piece if necessary to insure there is very little void remaining. Once completed, place in corner. You have just created a bass trap. Hope this information helps.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
& Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Creating Acoustic Solutions For Your Studio

There you are, getting ready click the "buy" button on those expensive acoustic tiles. STOP! There are so many cost effective ways to acoustically treat your studio or sound room. First, what materials are present? If you said drywall, metal or concrete, then we have some work to do. If you said brick, glass, wood or carpet? then we have something to work with. Smooth surfaces such as drywall tend to reflect high frequencies poorly and do not have very good insulating properties. To treat this issue, visit your local home improvement store. 4x8 sheets of T-111 will be on the purchase list, along with drywall screws and commercial grade staples. Next, locate a carpet store that sells inexpensive finished end or pre-cut carpeting. For example, a 4x6 hallway carpet will be your first treatment. We know our dimension are 4x6. With that being said, the cut for the T-111 should be slightly less than the carpet dimension (47"x 71") should be a good cut size. Once the T-111 has been cut, place it where you want it to be located. Screw in place with 12 - 14 drywall screws. Note: try to locate the studs in order to secure mounting. Other wise, drywall sleeves will be nessesary to insure a secure mount. Once mounted, place carpet evenly on the T-111. There should be a 1" overhang of the carpet piece? Staple in place and move on to the next mount. If you know what your sizes will be, outline on the walls before hand where you wish to place treatments. This will give you an idea of coverage. The idea is not to cover the entire wall but to leave some gaps. In most cases some reflection is acceptable, unless your trying to create a "dead" room. Keep an eye out for the next post, we'll be addressing bass traps and materials.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
& Media Productions

Recording multiple tracks or just one good one.

When you track in the studio, are you one of those people who need need multiple tracks of the same take? Or, are you one of those people who like to punch in and get one solid take? I tend to lean toward one solid take more often than not. However, I like to rehearse before I press record. Being familiar with the song gives you a head start when coming up with ideas. So, for me, the need for multiple takes isn't nessesary. Keep in mind, there are multiple ways to get to the same point. Don't be against experimenting with new techniques and figuring out what works for you.

Chris and Kevin
Digtal Street Studio and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

All Hail the SM 57

The title gives it away doesn't it? Thats right folks, maybe the most amazing microphone on the planet. The all power Shure SM 57. If Dirty Harry were a recording engineer, his weapon, or should I say microphone of choice would be the 57. This microphone came out over 50 years ago and is still a staple in most studios today. It just does an all around great job of capturing the good frequencies and discarding the rest. In the studio or live applications, the SM 57 is a must.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
and Media Productions

Why most project or home studios fall short.

The title of this blog isn't a slam against home studios, it's more of an observation. Before I had an opportunity to open the doors to my own studio, I started at home. I struggled with microphone placement, general eq'ing, compression, acoustics, mixing.......I could go on but I think you get the picture. My goal was to gain an understanding of ever dynamic I would face in a real, professional studio environment. However, I think most of today's home studios rely heavily on loops or pre-mixed sampled material. And, in doing so, never gain a full undertstanding of engineering and their environment. Yes, it takes thousands of hours to get a handle on most aspects of recording but the end result will give you the tools to become a better engineer.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Recording at home

In today's world of home studios, very few get it right. It's not because it's impossible to do, it just requires more than just plugging into a MAC. Sure, if the bulk of your music revolves around loops and samples, then you may have better success. Why? it's less involved. There are no live drums or guitars. No sound reflection issues or external noises to deal with. With most samples and loops, they've been pre- eq'ed, compressed and effected with reverb or delay. That takes much of the mixing factor away when that work is already completed. However, when you try to record a full band, you may find yourself overwhelmed or frustrated. At that point, you have a big choice to make. Spend the thousands of dollars for quality mic's, software and sound treatment. Or, let professionals give you a great sounding product. Yes, it may cost more but the end result will be of the highest quality. Not to mention, your focus will be on your music.......not learning to be an recording engineer. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Save time editing

"Oh don't worry about, will fix it in the mix" I can't tell you how many times I've heard that. Basically, what it comes down to is ignoring fixable mistakes during tracking, leaving them for the editing stage of final mix. Bad idea! Fix it during tracking so there are very little edits during final mix. Punch-ins are very common and will allow you to take care of mistakes like hurried fills or bad notes. Then you will have a solid performance when "mixing" begins, saving time and money in the long run.....Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio and Media Production
Dover, Delaware

Recording Platforms

Recording music today is very, very different than recording music 50 years ago. In those days you had 4 tracks and the bands did live tracking. Today you have unlimited tracking with the abilility to make a one man show sound like a symphony. Edit's and effect's can be applied with lightning quick speed and accuracy. The only draw back.....digital tends to be less stable than tape. Yes, there are some digital recording platforms that are built like a tank. However, they're few and far between. So.....if your music matters? Make the investment into more than one platform. In the words of a good friend of mine...."it's good risk managment". You'll be glad you did. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio and Media Production
Dover, Delaware

Choosing the right Recording Studio

Recording Studios come in all shapes and sizes. So what are some of the main requirements when choosing a studio? Once again, it's all about "your" specific needs. Let's start with the basics. Is it a professional space? By that I mean is it clean, organized, well maintained. Do they offer the latest in recording and mastering software? Do they have equipment and instruments in-house? If price is an issue, are they affordable? These are just some basic questions to ask before starting your next project. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Sometimes you just need to listen

One thing I've discovered while working with many clients is that they have a certain sound they're trying to achieve. For the most part, many have a great ear for detail and direction. My job, is to get them from point A to point B. Which brings me to my point. You have to be able to communicate with the client. Understand what they're telling you and apply that to their music. There's a lot of room for experimenting and without a doubt, there's more than one way to approach mixing. It's very common to have 2, 3 , or even 5 different mixes of the same song. Allowing the client to maintain ownership of their music is key and really comes down to listening. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Volume and Frequencies

The more I work with sound the more I discover. For example, you're at a bar and the band is playing. It's loud! Okay, our brain only undertands that it's loud. Now, to really understand the difference you have to know a little about frequencies. In our everyday environment sound and frequencies affect us on a daily basis. More often than not, our brain will let us know when something is not sonically pleasing. First response......"it's loud!" or "turn the volume down"! However, the more you understand about frequencies, the more accurate you will be in determining noise issues. An unwanted frequency can make the difference in having a conversation at a reasonable volume or screaming to be heard.  Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio and Media Production
Dover, Delaware

Experiments with microphone placement

Depending on your ability to record multiple tracks at the same time, try this experiment. Set up 3 microphones at different locations in the same room. One within a few inches of the source. The second will be half the distance from the source and nearest reflecting surface (wall or barrier). The third will be turned toward the reflecting surface only a few inches away. Record a short take and listen to each microphone location. Depending on the size of the room and reflective properties, this simple technique may serve useful for future projects. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Playing and recording music to your ability

So often I see...and hear musicians trying to play and record music that is beyond there ability. I say this in a very humble way because I to had learn the same lesson. I knew I would never sing like a Chris Cornell or play guitar like SRV. No matter how I tried or how long I practiced, I would only be as good as my ability. So...I started writing music with that in mind. I heard a phrase years ago and I remind myself of it often "leave the ego at the door". For drummers and percussionist, don't expect to play double bass well if your ability is four on the floor. I would much rather hear a solid pocket drummer than someone playing beyond their ability stuggling with tempo. The same holds true for any other musician trying to play beyond their ability. As a band, look at your pieces and understand what you do well. The Rolling Stones made a career out of it. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Creating Your Own Media Market

At Digital Street Studio and Media we have begun to help artists and small businesses create their own media marketplace. Setting up websites and blogs with audio and video in a concise and organized template creates a business opportunity market around the artist or small business. Putting all this media in place does not however guarantee success. Most artists and business owners get their media all set up but do not consistantly promote their message. If you do not add  and deliver content almost everyday, all the media that you have in place will "wither on the vine". 
Hope to see you in the studio.

Chris & Kevin
Digital Street Studio & Media
Dover DE

How to record guitar

When it comes to recording guitar direct, I think musicians are divided. Some love the tone of an amp and microphone instead of a direct signal. I can't argue with that, mainly because you capture so much more sound. The trade off is signal quality with a direct signal being easier to manage. By going direct you will not have any room noise that a microphone would normally capture. However, the trade-off tends to be a thinner sound that may take a little time to bring to life. There is no wrong or right when it comes to these two different recording techniques, it's just personal prefference. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

How can I make a living as a musician?

How can I make a living as a musician? Well, it's not as hard as you think.....if you're not afraid to work. I find most musicians overwhelmed with direction and what to do first. I've always been in favor of controlling your own destiny. A musician can make a very good living just on a local level. Yes, maybe you have to play 3-4 hours of cover music and the hours are late. However, putting $400 - $800 in your pocket at the end of the evening is nothing to be ashamed of. Also, if you have a cd of your original music available at every gig, you generate even more revenue. So often we get consumed with signing the big contract and touring the world, we forget about the obvious. That every musician has the ability to generate they're own revenue. Maybe a one man acoustic act or a full blown dance band. You decide. Hope to see you soon in the studio

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

Big Studio vs. Small Studio

Having been guilty of this myself I had to write about it. So many times I see musicians caught up in the hype of the big out of town studio. Does the Big Studio offer an impressive resume? Probably. Does the Big Studio come with a hefty price tag? Probably. The real key to finding a good studio is not the resume or equipment list, it's the experience of the studio. Sure, using quality recording platforms like Protools helps, but it doesn't gaurantee quality. Just on a local level I've heard of bands spending upwards of $10,000 to $15,000 to complete their album (cd). WOW! A lot of that is the hourly rate of the studio. When you're paying $80.00 to $100.00/hr for studio time, it doesn't take long to add up. Also, not being well rehearsed will increase that number quickly. However, knowing what I know, it takes only a handful of things to make a quality recording. Quality song writing, talent, experience and gear. It doesn't matter if your on the 30th floor at Sony records or working out of your garage (Foo Fighters). If you know what you're doing, you can record anywhere and still maintain quality. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
and Media Productions
Dover, Delaware

SEO for Artists Website

Artists have websites, or facebooks, or reverbnation sites etc... but many artists do not know how to get there sites in the top spots on google. This is SEO or search engine optimization. Artists need to look at thier sites as a business and work daily to move thier position up the google ladder. The hardest part of this is developing some cyber real estate that the artist can dominate. Once you do get focused, a little SEO management and work could very easily increase your music sales and exposure so you can take your  career to the next level. Hope to see you in the studio

Chris & Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover DE

"I've tried everything"

"I've tried everything!" man, have I heard that before. Especially when it comes to getting broadcast volume from a mix. Most of the time it's adjusting the over-all levels of each track. Basically, try to keep your individual tracks at or below -4db. Also, keep your master fader right around -12 db. This will allow for much more headroom when it's time to master. Finally, don't go overboard with individual track compression, mainly attack and release. By pulling your levels down, you're only looking for enough compression to tighten. This will leave a lot of headroom when it's time to master. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

Making Waves

Every engineer runs into the problem of strong signal gains or volume spikes. One way to combat this problem is at the source. Most of the time it's a strong vocal performance where the vocals have a lot of dymanics. Quiet sections that explode into loud outbursts. One approach is to back the tracking volume down and to apply compression. However, with compression, the attack and release have to be very subtle. Otherwise you will have audible sections where the compression is isolating the wave spikes. Another approach is to manually adjust the gain of the vocals. Once you have the vocal section that represents your ideal volume, highlight the sections you want to adjust. This can be done with most software today and does a great job leveling out the entire vocal take. The same holds true for other tracks as well. If you have balanced tracks, mixing and mastering will be much easier. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

Food for thought

We consider ourselves very fortunate at Digital Street Studio because of our ability to record on more than one platform. That means if one system goes down, we still have the resources available to complete our sessions. Let's face it, in these tough economic times it's very hard for recording studios to survive. The last thing you need is your one and only recording software to go down. Sessions have to be cancelled and that my friends is not good for paying the bills. So,we offer up this food for thought. Find an inexpensive back-up. There are some very good hard disc recorders on the market that will allow for session tracking. This way, you always have the ability to generate revenue while maintaining quality. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

What's does the future have in store for music?

What's does the future have in store for music?....The past of course. Maybe this is wishful thinking on my part but I really think you will see the return of retro sound. We're starting to hear it from the musicans themselves and from folks in the industry. I think we've reached a threshold where music is sounding lifeless and a lot of that is compression related. Also, I think bands and artist's alike want to be able to perform what they have recorded. Furthermore, don't be suprised to see the resurrection of vinyl. Yes, I said vinyl. More bands are starting to have limited runs made due to an increased demand. That tells me that change is coming. Now, will it be the 70's all over again, who know's? One thing is for certain, we've reached a turning point. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digtal Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

How to get your drums to sound great in the mix.

I've been reading a few blogs lately talking about how to get your drums to sound great in the mix. Most of the information you read makes the process sound very involved. Well, yes it can be very involved and frustrating to get a snare to "pop" or a kick to "thump". Especially when it comes to final mixes. The key is in the beginning, before record is pushed and tracking begins. First, you need to have an environment for recording drums. Second, you need microphones that are ideal for tracking drums. Third, a talented drummer doesn't hurt. And last, you have to have a great sounding kit. Basically it's quality in and quality out. You will spend very little time trying to get a snare to "pop" and definiton from a kick if you take the time in the beginning. Hope to see you soon in the studio!

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

Sometimes less is more

More often than not,  an acoustic guitar is the starting point when creating a song. Thats great! However, most acoustic players forget to take into consideration all of the other instruments. So we find ourselves strumming away creating the entire rhythm section. Well, once the song is complete, our first move is to record the song and add the missing pieces. Enter the drums. Normally the drums will carry the beat but what usually happens is a conflict. Once the high hat rhythm begins, we often find that our strumming does not match or conflicts with the high hat. The easiest fix is to simplify your strumming. Allow the drum and other intruments to fill in or to find their place in the mix. Another good fix but a little harder to acheive is to sink with the drums. This sounds great if the drums and strumming rhythm are sinked. May not be easy at first but practice will make perfect. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

Save time editing drums

I've spent years in and out of recording studios. With that being said, much of that money was wasted. Well, I shouldn't say wasted, I did gain valuable experience. Unfortunately, due to our lack of experience and budget issues, our recordings suffered. Most times we shot ourselves in the foot before we even left the gate. What do I mean by that? We never had a solid foundation. In music, your foundation is what supports the entire song. In most cases it's your drums or percussion section. When your marketing your music to the people that matter, one of the first things they focus on is the tempo. If the tempo increases or decreases during a song, you might as well hand them a nail to drive into your coffin. What can you do? Well, try this little technique. Record scratch guitar and a rough vocal track in time to a metronome or click track. Once your satisfied everything is locked in, leave a 4 or 8 count to start the song. However, pull the click out completely once the scratch tracks come in. Your drummer will be able to focus on the music instead of worrying about an annoying cowbell or click track. As the song progresses you will be able to determine if the beat sways or stays in the pocket. Once tracking is complete and your satisfied that your drums are locked in tempo, editing will be minor. There will be no need to shift an offbeat kick or snare hit, your drums are locked in time. Also, by tracking this way you will save many hours of drum editing, which translates into less money spent. I hope this information helps.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

How to do clean "punch-ins."

The phrase "punch-in" is used to descrdibe an engineering technique to fix mistakes in a song. The engineer will record in real time as the correct phrase is played for each location. Punch-ins can be tricky and if not done correctly, very hard to edit. Ideally, the "punch-in" needs to be in a location to allow for a seamless edit. Sections such as chord change, cymbal crash or maybe during a paused section. Either way, an experienced engineer will be able to keep the recording process flowing while "punch-ins" are completed. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

One mix does not fit all

One mix does not fit all. Thats a phrase we use when we're involved in final mixing. Basically, each mix we do is different. We don't take the same approach with every mix. If the mix calls for something different such as placing the bass guitar left or right instead of centered. Maybe doubling instruments to open or widen a mix. There's several different approaches to enhancing a mix, the key is to experiment. Remember, one mix can not be applied to everyone. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

Why do drummers hate recording with a click track?

The answer is simple......it's stressful! As a drummer you're being ask to stay in time for the duration of a song with an annoying wood block sound in your ears. I have seen the best drummers struggle and become frustrated. One thing we've discovered at Digital Street Studio is that drummers really don't need a click while they record. If basic instrument tracking (guitar and vox) have been completed while using a click track, then silence the click track. At that point you have a guitar track that is locked-in for tempo. The drums can now be tracked in time without the use of a click. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

Why should recording studios have more than one recording platform?

Why should recording studios have more than one recording platform? Simple...If you have more than one recording platform, your studio always has the ability to generate revenue. Let's face it, Pro Tools is the industry standard and is a very stable recording platform. However, it is digital recording software and has from time to time been known to malfunction. Malfunction is not a word you want to hear when you have a session scheduled. What do you do?... You need to have a dependable back-up. Some platform that allows you to record without sacraficing bit and sample rate. This will allow your studio to continue generating revenue until your main recording platform is back on line. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

What level of production is right for you?

What level of production is right for you? It may be the best question to ask before entering the studio. If you can determine the level of production needed, you can budget accordingly. For example, let's say you're preparing to record 10 songs and you want radio or broadcast quality. You have a 4 piece band including drums, how much will $1,000 dollars get you . Knowing what I know about production cost, not much. The average band wanting full production can expect to pay a minimum of $350 to reach master quality. Thats based on 8-10 hours / song at our current Digital Street Studio rate. Also, keep in mind that rates vary from studio to studio. Larger studios tend to have higher rates which greatly affect the overall cost. Basically, there are many different levels of production. Set up an appointment with the recording facility and discuss your options. Hope to see you soon.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

The Peak of "Perfection"?

Is it my imagination or is the music industry setting standards that can't be duplicated. What do I mean by that? Musical artist are releasing material that is "Perfect". Well, it's 99.9% perfect. That is after spending thousands of dollars, editing, shifting, pitch correcting, beat mapping, multi-tracking, compressing, eq'ing and completly removing the human element. What you're left with is a ridiculous standard that could never be dupilcated live. Which is the main reason we're seeing more and more performers lip singing. Engineers now can take phrases that are perfectly in time, cut and paste for 3 minutes and 30 seconds, until your left with the "perfect" song. Well, there's only one problem......it's not perfect! WHAT! NOT PERFECT? Thats right, it's not perfect. What makes music perfect is the imperfection. Occasionally hearing imperfections in a song is a human element. The same human element I would hear when performed live. I think many of us expect and welcome those imperfections. More so than something that sounds like a robot. Being in the recording industry, we hear about changes and see trends sometimes before they occure. I think what is coming in the very near future is the return of the human element and an end to...."Perfection". Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

Quality in.....quality out

Ok, let's say you just booked some time at you favorite studio (Digitat Street Studio). What's next? Well, first you will need to evaluate your gear. Strings, cables, amps and everything in between. Make sure you're well rehearsed. This will help insure a great recording and save time. Have a goal for each session. If you're not sure how to plan for each session, speak to someone at the recording facitlity. They will be able to answer any questions you might have. Finally, don't rush through the recording process. Mistakes tend to be over looked when you get in a hurry. Remember, quality in....quality out.  If you stay relaxed and productive, your session(s) will be a great experience. Hope to see you soon!

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

What's the difference between final mixing and mastering?

What's the difference between final mixing and mastering? Basically, after all of the tracking has been completed, you start the process of mixing. This is the process of adjusting levels, panning, and eq's to get a balanced sound. Once those adjustments are made and song mixes are complete, you have a final mix. Most final mixes are left at lower volumes to allow for more more head room during the mastering process. During the mastering phase, the final mix will be tranformed into a broadcast quality mix. Please keep in mind, your master will only be as good as the final mix. So attention to detail is critical. During the mastering phase songs can be placed in a final order and all media (song title's etc,)  information written to the mastered cd. These are just a few of the steps involved explaining final mixes and mastering. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover Delaware

How to get a "Retro Sound" in a modern studio

Many of us enjoy music from the 60's and 70's. You can visit just about any College today and hear songs by Neil Young, Jimmy Hendrix or Pink Floyd. The warmth, engineereing and vintage gear all play a major part in why that music is still popular today. That sound is what we call "Retro". How do we recreate that sound? Well, first you start with vintage gear. Guitars like Fender and Gibson are good starting points. Tube amps, rotary speakers and analoge recording eqiupment also come to mind. The more authentic the gear, the more authentic the sound. Last, we have to look at the engineering of those two decades. Engineering techniques are crucial when creating the "Retro Sound". Simple panning and eq'ing can make all of the difference. Do your research before getting started. Hope to see you soon.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

"I want my music to sound like what I hear on the radio"

"I want my music to sound like what I hear on the radio". We hear this alot at Digital Street Studio. Our job is to make that happen. However, before we get started, we need to establish your budget. Your budget is going to be the determining factor to reach that level. It takes time to engineer, produce, and master to industry standards. Unfortunatley, time = money. What you hear on the radio and on most commercial cd's has thousands of dollars invested. Just on a local level, it is not unheard of to spend 5, 10 or even $15,000  recording a full length cd. "Why does it cost so much"? Perfection! The music industry (Big Labels) will not touch your music if it is not to their standards. Well, let's face it, no one is perfect. So in order to acheive perfection, we start looking at everything with a fine tooth comb. Drums, tempo, and fills. Vocals, pitch, and phrasing. Guitars, rythym, leads.... EVERYTHING! And that's just the beginning. My point...look at your budget and set a realistic goal. Determine what you want to acheive or who you're trying to reach with your music. Sometimes a fully produced 3 song demo speaks more volumes than a full length demo quality cd. Hope this information helps?

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

Wide Fat Mixes

Making your sound really fat and wide is what all engineers want to accomplish in their mixes. A rule of thumb is related to the number of instruments and or parts in a recording. If you have limited instruments you have to make each one sound bigger. If there are a lot of instruments then placement determines sound quality. Using a three dimensional model in mixes helps the sound quality. Imagine a stage with certain instruments on different areas. Some are front and some are back. Some are also on the side. When you hear these instruments together on the stage the sound is wide and fat. Using the "stage" model when mixing will help get you that sound that seems to be wider and fatter than your stereo. Now thats a good mix. Hope to see you in the studio.
Chris Kirby
Kevin Nemith
Dover DE

Why do bands need to record their music?

Why do bands need to record their music? Okay, let's start with original music. If you're playing out as an original artist, you need to have your music available for purchase. Along with live shows, that's how you generate a following, not to mention revenue. Also, having current recorded material allows you to market to the music industry. Next up, the Cover Band. Cover Bands need demo's to promote to the club's. Most club's require a promo package. They need to know exactly what kind of entertainment they're booking. Therefore, your demo needs to be of the highest quality. Remember, these are just a few of the many reasons to record. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

The Best Studio Mic Is....

Well, the title of this blog will get audio engineers talking and writing for days. Every studio has their favorite mics for different applications. One however is consistantly talked about for various applications and consistency, and that mic is the Shure 57.  Every audio engineer has a few of these versatile mics in their locker. The little gem consistantly caprtures the frequency range you need without over doing it. The close mic characteristics of the 57 also is a must in studio applications. For room recordings, this little beast will do the job. With sound quality being everything, most engineers will agree the Shure 57 is a little work horse of sound capture that never lets you down.  Hope to see you in the studio !

Chris Kirby
Kevin Nemith
Digital Street Studio
Dover Delaware

Mixing Live Recordings, How Much Room ?

Recently we have had a couple of projects which require us to mix live recordings. Most live tracks these days come in as a combination of direct, close, and room mic files. Now the fun starts. Some artists want the live mix to be similiar to a studio setting. In this case you knock out the room and mix from the directs and close mics. Other artists want the recording to sound just like what the audience heard during the performance and this requires more mixing of the room mics. In some cases you get a request for a hybrid mix where the song is mixed using the close and directs and when the audience claps or reacts then you bring in the room mics. There is no right or wrong it becomes a matter of preference. With todays technology and equipment live recordings can be spectacular and mixing these performances are a lot of fun. Hope to see you in the studio

Chris Kirby
Kevin Nemith
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

The Good, The Bad, The Compression

In today's world of uber perfected music, we find studios using compression more than ever. If applied correctly, it can make a good song sound even better. It can can make a bad song....well, it can make it better. Not great, but something better than awful. However, there is a fine line between too much and not enough. Use too much and the song becomes lifeless. Not enough, and there's no life at all. If you're not familiar with it, take the time to learn about it's applications. The Good, The Bad, The Compression.

Chris and Kevin,
Digital Street Studio
Dover, Delaware

How can I get broadcast quality on a low budget

How can I get broadcast quality on a low budget? We get this question a lot. Well, theres a few things you can do that will maximize your studio "time". First, what's your budget? A good rule for budgeting studio time is the 1 to 2 rule. For every hour of tracking, allow 2 hours of mix. This rule applies for folks going for the highest quality only. In most cases, a song can be tracked with all instrumentation in a 2-3 hour window. Yes, there are artists who need more time, this is just a general time observation. Second, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. The better prepared you are, the more you will get acomplished. Last, make sure your gear is of the highest quality and is working correctly. Issues such as amp noise, cord "buzz" or "hmmm" can take time to isolate and correct. If you're recording drums, make sure your drums are tuned and heads have been replaced. Taking these few steps before a recording session can and will make a difference. Hope to see you soon in the studio.

Chris and Kevin,
Digital Street Studio

Acoustic Guitars, Recording the "Sweet Spot"

We have great success in the studio recording acoustic guitars using a two mic technique. Audio engineers placement of the mics will depend on the type of playing ( ie fingerstyle vs flat picking), guitar, room,  and available mics. Each recording session will have a "sweet spot" that will record the pure tone and warmth that acoustic guitars can give.  Experimentation with the mic placement is the only way to find the "sweet spot".  You can see our eyes light up when we have a client that comes in for some acoustic guitar recordings. We just can't wait to capture the "sweet spot" of the instrument and the session.. We hope to see you in the studio !
Chris Kirby
Kevin Nemith
Digital Street Studio

The Volume Monster

What is the volume monster you ask? The volume monster is a tall, hairy monster that turns up your volume when your not looking. No, actually the volume monster is a term we use at digital street studio. It's used to describe the music industry's obsession with volume. If you compare a recording form the 70's to what is being produced today, the difference is astonishing! Better yet, just go back 10 years and compare. Yes, with technology comes advancements. Today's standards are pushing volumes to new levels. Ridiculous levels! Just because we can, does not mean we should? Getting a lot of volume from you final master is great! Getting a lot of volume from your final master while sacraficing the tone, not so good. My point, when you record your next project or that next big hit, don't get distracted by.........The Volume Monster.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio

Modern Era of the Recording Business

Everyone can record a pretty good track with today's technology and software. As a matter of fact we have been sent some pretty good home tracks to mix and master. It is not uncommon for our studio to finish an album of music and never have the artist record in our studio. Tracks are recorded in home studios and sent to us by email and we go to work mixing. We then have back and forth conversations by phone and email as the songs come together and mix instructions from the artist come to us. Before you know it the album is complete !  As a professional studio we welcome this approach, and we are glad to participate with artists that have the skill and equipment to record at home. We do prefer to have folks track in our noise controlled rooms, but we understand that anyway we can participate in the creation of music is still a good way for our business to grow. Hope to see you in the studio.   "record your music , capture your creativity"

Creating a stereo drum mix

Well, there you are, sitting in frustration. You can't understand why your drum mix is lifeless. Everything you do is a step in the wrong direction. You'r not trying to change the world, all you want is a quality drum mix to create a final mix. Not much to ask. Okay, here are some steps to get you there. Step 1. Have you recorded your drums with dedicated drum mics. If not, do so! Shure makes a very affordable pack for under $300. As for the snare, an SM57 will never let you down.....ever! Step 2. Okay you have the drum mic's. Placement can be an issue so go with what you know....mic's about 2 inches away from the head are ideal. I like to bring the overheads in from the front of the kit about 3 feet directly above the tom's and crashes. If you facing the drums, the right mic should be placed on a 45 degree angle and opposite for the left. This will open the stereo field when you get into panning the overheads. Step 3. Keep your record level at or below --10 db. This will allow for more headrooom when you do your final mix and most importantly, your master. As you track,compression is a must to really tighten the mix. You don't need a lot so don't go overboard. Step 4. Record a test mix with bass and guitar. This will allow you to create an accurate test mix. Keep the kick and snare in the 12 O'clock position and the toms, from left to right, 8,2, and 4 positions. The overheads can go in the 9 and 3 position. What about the high hat? Don't worry, the high hat will be captured by the SM57 on the snare and the overheads...not to mention the tom mics. Once you eq your high frequencies, you will have plenty of high hat definition. Step 5. This is the step where trumpets sound. This is the most important step, the "secret" to all drum mixes..........Create a stereo drum mix. There..I said it. Basically, mix, bounce or set up bus tracks to get your drum mix down to 2 tracks. A stereo left and right mix. Once you've have done that, you will have the balanced drum mix you've been looking for. With your stereo drum mix, you can now move forward with final mixes. Don't expect to get it right the first time! However, you will now be able to get the quality mixes you've been looking for. Hope this helps.

Chris and Kevin
Digital Street Studio

Studio Hum

Some days are just plaqued by 'gremlins". Depsite power conditioning, electrical interference can really cause headaches in the studio. Most of the time with some tweaks the dreaded studio hum can be fixed. Occassionally however it can get into recordings and really cause problems. We have found that just turning everything off in sequence and power back up again usually solves the problem. Every studio engineer has had to deal with this at sometime or another. It is definitely part of the business.  See you in the studio !  Digital Street Studio, Dover De