Blog | Sweetwater Studios

How Many Mics on the Drums?

Written by Dave Martin on September 21, 2020.

As late as the 1950s, it wasn’t uncommon to record a group with no microphones specifically for the drums. At an Audio Engineering Society seminar in 2001, legendary engineer Bruce Swedien talked about...

Finding Your Sound in the Studio

Written by Shawn Dealey on September 15, 2020.

Walking into the studio isn’t the right time to decide what your record is going to sound like. I know the feeling of being a kid in a candy store is enticing, but this is the time where having a clear...

Miking Your Acoustic Guitar on Live Shows

Written by Dave Martin on September 8, 2020.

There are a number of reasons to consider playing live gigs using a microphone to amplify your acoustic guitar rather than a built-in pickup and a DI. Perhaps you don’t care for the sound of the pickup...

10 Ways to Get Inspired, and How to Capture Those Ideas

Written by Bobby Dellarocco on August 31, 2020.

Let’s face it, creative blocks are horrible. You want to write something, and you have this grand idea in your head but you can’t seem to make it a reality, so you end up fidgeting with your guitar...

Tips for Song Arrangement in the Studio

Written by Dave Martin on August 24, 2020.

A good rule of thumb is that, when preparing for a recording session, the more time you spend on pre-production, the better your production will be. This is especially true when creating song arrangements....

Collaborating with Other Musicians, Studios & Producers

Written by Dave Martin on August 12, 2020.

As recently as 20 or 30 years ago, it was standard practice for album projects to be completed in a single studio. Tracking, overdubs, vocals, mixes — all were done in the same room, often in an unbroken...

Recording at Sweetwater Studios (Video)

Written by Dave Martin on July 28, 2020.

The Sweetwater Studios team works with singer Carolyn Martin to record the classic 19th century ballad, “Wayfaring Stranger”. Listen in as they arrange the song and get a glimpse of how our engineers...

Getting Ready for a Studio Session

Written by Phil Naish on July 27, 2020.

Recording is one of the most fun and entertaining jobs that exists. It can seem intimidating but should only be a great experience for you and your team. The following are a few hints that can help...

Five Ways to Get Your Foot in the Door as a Studio Engineer

Written by Rachel Leonard on July 20, 2020.

So, you want to be a studio engineer but you’re unsure how to get started. Here are a few tips that can help you get involved with pro studios. Step 1 - Look for Internships! Many studios offer internships,...

A Word About Microphone Bleed

Written by Dave Martin on July 14, 2020.

A lot of our usual setup for a tracking session is about isolation, trying to keep the drums from bleeding into the guitar mics, trying to keep the guitars from getting into the vocal mics, and trying...