Using Guitar Amp Simulators 101, Part 2
“In the first part of Guitar Amp Simulators 101, we looked at the fundamentals of choosing, setting up and getting started with an amplifier plugin. In this second part, we’re going to get our hands dirty and really get to grips with how to get the best out of our software amps.
“As before, and largely for the sake of practicality, I’m working primarily in Guitar Rig, but many of the techniques we’ll look at can be applied to whatever software you’re using. Feel free to share your own software specific tips and tricks in the comments!”
How The Hell Do I Use Reverb Anyway?!? Basix
“Reverb is one of the things that can make or break a mix. Too much and it will either sound like it’s from the eighties or just plain too cluttered to be able to hear correctly. Too little and you feel like every instrument is attacking you at once.
“Reverb is used to create space in a mix, realistic or thematic, and a different use of reverb can give the same song a completely different character. Give two mixers the same mix and only allow them to change all the reverbs. Chances are those mixes are going to come out very different from one another.
“In the following Basix tutorial I’ll go into the different parameters, reverb modes and use of reverb. With the use of audio examples to demonstrate what I’m getting at, it’s my hope that I can clear some doubts that you have surrounding it.”
Using Guitar Amp Simulators 101, Part 1
“Kicking off a new series of expanded, in-depth Basix tutorials, this is the first in a series of articles designed to guide you step-by-step through the process of setting up and using guitar amp simulation in your recordings. Beginning with the fundaments, we’ll work through some simple scenarios and work our way up to advanced tweaks and tricks. While there will be plenty of guidance and ideas you can take away and use in your own productions, the real aim is to equip you with the skills to develop your own creative solutions.”
Electric Guitar Chord Inversions – Basix
“Playing the same old chords on every song can get pretty tiring and can leave a music career stale in a heartbeat. If you play G – C – D on every song without trying to even embellish it a little bit with interesting chordal work the audience will probably get bored with your guitar playing or production very quickly.
“Using chord inversions is an easy way to spice up your chordal playing, and by familiarizing yourself with the different chord shapes on the fretboard you can pull yourself out of that guitar production hole you’ve dug yourself into.”
How to Compose Song Demos in GarageBand, Part 3 – Basix
“This is the third and final tutorial in a series covering the basics of song demo production in Apple’s GarageBand. The aim of these tutorials is to show you the basics of recording your own song demos, covering the creative process as well as how to use the software.
“In Part 2, we got as far as programming the backing track and recording the guitar parts for a song. All being well, you now have a completed rough demo recording of your song.
“In this third and final part, we’re going to look at some simple steps you can take to polish up your demo and share it with your band mates. Remember, though, that we’re only making a demo; the idea is to develop and communicate a musical idea. While it’s certainly worth spending some time to make sure everything sounds clear and balanced, it definitely isn’t worth tying ourselves in knots trying to get a super-slick studio sound.”
26 Tuts to Jump-start Your Home Recording – Basix
“Most tutorials here on Audiotuts are aimed at an intermediate and advanced levels. But there is definitely room for beginners here too, so each month we publish 2-3 Basix tuts. Here are 26 tuts to jump-start your home recording.
“Basix tutorials don’t make assumptions about what you know. They start from the beginning, and explain all terminology. They are a way that beginners can train themselves up to the level where they can begin to tackle the other tutorials on the site. You can access all of our Basix tuts by clicking “Basix” on the top navigation bar of the site.
“There’s a lot to learn when starting off in audio. These tutorials cover: setting yourself up for home recording; choosing and learning a DAW; best practices for recording and mixing; enhancing your sound with effects and EQ; creating new sounds with synthesisers; capturing the outside world with microphones; composing music and writing songs.”
“The pedal point is a common compositional device with a range of useful purposes. In this tutorial we’ll learn what a pedal point is and how it can be used for a variety of functions. We will study examples all the way from Bach to Hans Zimmer and see how different composers make use of pedal points to achieve similar goals.
“A pedal point is a sustained tone, usually (but not necessarily) in the bass, which remains constant while other elements change pitch above or around it. It’s said that the term “pedal point” literally refers to the pedals of an organ, which the player could press and hold down with their foot while playing moving lines on top.
“Another way to think of a pedal point is a drone.
“The basic functions of pedal points can be split into two categories: creating stability, and creating tension. In this tutorial we’ll focus on the first and more common function.
“A well known example comes from Hans Zimmer’s score to Gladiator.”
How to Mix the Bass Guitar – Basix
“The bass guitar, along with the drums is the foundation of the rhythm section. It needs to sound deep and punchy without overpowering other elements in the mix. We need the bass guitar to groove and supply us with a steady rhythm as well as defining the melodic and chordal structure of the song.
“In the following Basix tutorial I’m going to go through a few of the factors that can make your bass guitar sound better. We’ll be using EQ to sculpt our bass sound, compression to steady our dynamics as well as discussing the use of amping afterwards and the taboo of using reverb.”
How to Compose Song Demos in GarageBand, Part 2 – Basix
“This is the second of a series of tutorials covering the basics of song demo production in Apple’s GarageBand. The aim of these tutorials is to show you the basics of recording your own song demos, covering the elements of the creative process as well as how to use the software.”
Basix: How to Record the Acoustic Guitar
“Recording acoustic instruments can be scary for beginners. In this day and age many people just plug in and play their instruments, electric guitars, basses and synths, never needing to record an instrument except the odd vocal track. True as it may be that we get better sounds out our guitar plug-ins and software synths with every update, we must not forget how to record a ‘proper’ instrument, in the real world.
“The acoustic guitar is a great example of a popular acoustic instrument that is impossible to regenerate in the computer. The depth and richness of the acoustic guitar can never be reproduced without having to physically record it. No plug-in is going to replace the acoustic guitar, so you better start figuring out a good way to start learning how to record it.
“Luckily, the next few words will shine a little light on how you can start recording that precious acoustic instrument of yours.”
