Creating sound for picture is a challenging task, particularly when dealing with the fictional realms so often found in modern movies. Here we have three different angles on sound design from some of the most experienced heads in the business…
Read more…

It has often been suggested that listening to music while studying distracts from the learning process, while others argue that it makes the learning environment more comfortable – and in fact, research shows that music can actually increase cognitive functioning in certain cases. A recent study from Applied Cognitive Psychology aimed to find out whether listening to liked music had a greater effect than listening to disliked music…
Read more…

Following his breakthrough album Pause in 2001, Kieran Hebden has established himself as something of a cult figure on the electronic music scene, even being credited with creating the genre known as ‘folktronica’. However, his production techniques are well worth a closer look…
Read more…

The Foley artist is responsible for the vast array of incidental or atmospheric sound effects that occur in a movie or TV production; this is where Amon Tobin’s album Foley Room gets its name, but it’s quite surprising that he had been so unfamiliar with microphones up until this point…
Read more…

I recently splashed out on Native Instruments’ flagship box-set, Komplete 6 – which has just been updated to version 7, featuring even more digital goodies. Included in Komplete is one of the most powerful samplers on the market, Kontakt…
Read more…

The mobile music technology craze is perhaps epitomised by the sleekly designed iPhone, the fourth iteration of which hits Irish stores this coming Friday. Although not really an ideal platform for making music, musicians have nonetheless found function to fit the form…
Read more…

Continuing the space theme, today I present two different views on reverb. Sonic reflections are very important to how our brain assembles auditory input to create an image of the environment we occupy, and getting these reflections right adds a lot to the perceived realism of a recording…
Read more…

Dancing about architecture may not have caught on just yet, but the former frontman for Talking Heads is still interested in buildings and music. At this year’s TED event, he talked about the relationship between music and the spaces it is performed in…
Read more…

The low-end of any recording always requires careful curation; bass notes contain the most energy, and eat up a lot of headroom within a mix. Whether you’re dealing with a live bass guitarist or a programmed synth bass, it’s difficult to keep everything sounding just right…
Read more…

Most musicians – myself included – prefer to spend their time making music rather than promoting it. But a little promotion can go a long way, and is vital if you plan on making a living from songsmithery; so you’ll either need to outsource your promotional activities, or embrace the network…
Read more…