Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The Right EQ

EQ plays a major part of sound. Whether you are mixing down a recording, or building your guitar sound, or anything else that pertains to music, EQ is one of the most important factors you have to deal with. Each instrument in a band has it's place in the EQ spectrum. The human ear can hear from 20 to 20,000 Hertz. Frequency is measured in Hertz. So, each instrument or vocal has a range of frequencies that it operates in. EQ can make a bass drum or bass guitar sound big and boomy to tight and thin. Or muddy and messy, if too much midrange is applied. Try to use common sense and good taste when mixing. Sometimes, less is more, or better. Instead of adding mids and highs, try taking out a little lows instead. Or vice versa. Experiment. What sounds best to you? What sounds best to you may not be what sounds best to everybody else. (You can't please everyone at the same time). But you can try to find a happy medium. Try to make it sound like stuff you hear on the radio or in a movie. Most of all, Have fun! Everyone has their own taste.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Many Things Affect Tone and Sound

As you probably know, there are many factors that affect a musician's tone and therefore, said musician's overall sound. Everything from equipment to how you hold your instrument to the mood you're in at any given time. Also, two musicians can play the same instrument, same settings (if using effects or amps), one after another and get two totally different sounds. Why? God has made us all, yet all are individually unique. Each person has a sound that is peculiar to them. By peculiar, I don't mean strange, but, rather
special to that person.
Coming from a Gospel background, or should I say foreground, I have learned to play more than one style. Always learning to create with the utmost regard to blend with the rest of the band or group. As one guitarist once said, anybody can solo. It takes someone special to know what chord you're playing in. In other words, if you can't play rhythm, and be good at it, first, then you're not the greatest guitarist in the world. Or whatever your instrument may be. Learn the basics first, then learn to improve, and keep improving until you die. Even if you learn one thing per day, that's one thing more than you knew yesterday.

Friday, March 5, 2010

My Bass Hero

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