Recording Secrets For The Small Studio

Veteran Sound On Sound magazine contributor Mike Senior shows you how to achieve commercial-grade recordings even in the smallest studios, by applying power-user techniques from the world’s most successful producers.

Recording Secrets For The Small Studio is an intensive training course specifically designed for small-studio enthusiasts who want a fast track to release-quality results. Based on the backroom strategies of more than 200 famous names, this thorough and down-to-earth guide leads you through a logical sequence of practical tasks to build your live-room skills progressively from the ground up. On the way, you’ll unravel the mysteries of many specialist studio tactics and gain the confidence to tackle a full range of real-world recording situations. User-friendly explanations introduce technical concepts on a strictly need-to-know basis, while chapter summaries, assignments, and extensive online resources are perfect for school and college use.

• Learn the fundamental principles of mic technique that you can apply in any recording scenario – and how to avoid those rookie mistakes that all too often compromise the sonics of lower-budget productions.

• Explore advanced techniques which help industry insiders maintain their competitive edge even under the most adverse conditions: creative phase manipulation, improvised acoustics tweaks, inventive monitoring workarounds, subtle psychological tricks…

• Find out where you don’t need to spend money, as well as how to make a limited budget really count.

• Make the best use of limited equipment and session time, especially in situations where you’re engineering and producing single-handed.

• Pick up tricks and tips from celebrated engineers and producers across the stylistic spectrum, including Steve Albini, Roy Thomas Baker, Joe Barresi, Tchad Blake, Bruce Botnick, Joe Chiccarelli, Neil Dorfsman, Jack Douglas, Geoff Emerick, Paul Epworth, Humberto Gatica, Nigel Godrich, Andy Johns, Eddie Kramer, Kevin Killen, George Massenburg, Hugh Padgham, Alan Parsons, Jack Joseph Puig, Phil Ramone, Bob Rock, Elliot Scheiner, Al Schmitt, Bruce Swedien, Butch Vig, Tony Visconti, and many, many more…

Read reviews…

– “Perfectly targeted… A book I’d be happy to recommend unreservedly to enthusiasts, students, and experienced practitioners alike.”

Amazon reader reviews:

– “Stellar… a ton of great ideas.”

– “There are nuggets of engineering wisdom on nearly every page… If you buy only one book on audio recording, this should be it!”

– “Wow, this is everything you will ever need to know about recording in one book! I could’ve skipped years of mistakes if I’d had this book earlier.”

– “Another winner! Should be required reading for anyone trying to get better results from their home studio.”

– “Goes deep where most books on the subject are superficial… I learned more in this book than I did from school!”

Free On-line Resources! Demonstration Files, Backing Stems, Studio Best-buys…

The book’s extensive accompanying on-line resource pages provide hundreds of in-depth audio demonstration files, the 'Recording Secrets' Library Of Mic Positions, detailed budget-friendly hardware/software recommendations, and lots of links to further reading.

About The Author: Mike Senior is a professional engineer who has worked with Wet Wet Wet, The Charlatans, Reef, Therapy, and Nigel Kennedy. He specialises in adapting the techniques of top producers for those working on a budget. Since 2007 he has been a regular writer for Sound On Sound magazine’s popular Session Notes, Mix Rescue, The Mix Review columns, proving time and again that you can achieve commercial-grade results with affordable gear – once you know how!

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