Blog | Sweetwater Studios

Compressors Explained

Written by Dave Martin on December 23, 2020.

Some of the items used every day in the recording studio make sense on an intuitive level: The primary function of a microphone is to convert sound waves to electronic signals; the primary function...

CD Duplication vs. Replication

Written by Julie Doust on December 14, 2020.

With the digital world evolving more and more, many artists have turned to releasing their songs digitally, but surprisingly there are still many people who want to have that physical product in hand...

Ensemble Recording with One Stereo Microphone

Written by Dave Martin on December 1, 2020.

The usual recording process for most contemporary music: record basic tracks, overdub the rest of the instruments and the vocals, then edit, comp, and tune as needed before mixing each song. But there’s...

Putting Your Best Foot Forward

Written by Dave Martin on November 10, 2020.

Most of my friends are extremely creative: I know singers, songwriters, musicians, actors, authors, painters, sculptors, woodworkers, potters, gardeners, and chefs. In short, my friends are much like...

How to Get a Studio Internship

Written by Rachel Leonard on November 3, 2020.

So, you want to become a studio engineer and you need a good place to start gaining some hands-on experience. An internship is a great way to do that! Internships are usually unpaid but can really help...

5 Tips from a Producer for a Smoother Session

Written by Dave Martin on October 27, 2020.

During the production process, mutual understanding is paramount. What some musicians might call a “bridge,” others may call a “pre-chorus,” and still others will refer to as “the middle eight.” The...

A Discussion with Studio Engineers Phil Naish, Dave Martin & Bobby Dellarocco

Written by Phil Naish on October 12, 2020.

Earlier this year, Sweetwater Studio engineers Phil Naish, Dave Martin and Bobby Dellarocco met up virtually with Niclas Jeppsson from 'Your Audio Solutions' for a round table interview where they discussed...

Building the Right Vocal Chain

Written by Dave Martin on October 6, 2020.

The first item in the vocal chain isn’t, as you might expect, the microphone. It’s the singer. Why? Because the singer is the source of the sound. Everything else in the chain is there to capture and...

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...