20 TIPS ON USING EFFECTS IN THE MIX Effects/Processing July 1999

Using Effects In The Mix

The Way you use effects and processors can make or break a mix. Paul White offers 20 useful tips to help you get it right first time.





ADVANCED COMPRESSION TECHNIQUES: Part 1 Effects/Processing December 2000

Advanced Compression Techniques: Part 1

Part 1: Paul White looks at different gain-control elements and their effect on audio.





ADVANCED COMPRESSION TECHNIQUES: Part 2 Effects/Processing January 2001

Advanced Compression Techniques: Part 2

Part 2: Paul White further explores the secrets of successful compression, and explains how to use advanced techniques for mastering your mixes.





ADVANCED GATING TECHNIQUES: Part 1 Effects/Processing April 2001

Advanced Gating Techniques Part 1

Part 1: Paul White explains that there's much more to gating than you might think.





ADVANCED GATING TECHNIQUES: Part 2 Effects/Processing May 2001

Advanced Gating Techniques: Part 2

Part 2: Gates are far more than just problem solvers for reducing spill and noise. They can be used to add punch to drum sounds, put rhythmic interest into sustained parts or even as mixing automation, as Paul White explains. Additional material by Mike Senior.





ADVANCED REVERBERATION: Part 1 Effects/Processing October 2001

Advanced Reverberation: Part 1

Part 1: Paul White looks at how real reverberant spaces affect the perception of sounds within them, and shows you how your digital reverberation unit can simulate this process.





ADVANCED REVERBERATION: Part 2 Effects/Processing November 2001

Advanced Reverberation: Part 2

Part 2: Used correctly, reverb is of the most powerful tools of modern music production. This month, we explore the most effective treatments for some of the individual components of a mix. *





AMPING OUT Effects/Processing September 1994

Using Amps As Effects

We've got so used to DI'ing keyboards that miking up an amp is something that never occurs to some people. Paul White explores the benefits of getting out the mics and plugging in the amp.





AUTOMAGIC Effects/Processing August 1999

Alternative Uses For Auto-Tune

Antares Auto-Tune is a powerful pitch-correction tool which is already an industry standard for tightening up vocal performances. As Paul White explains, however, it has the potential to do much more...





BACKING A WINNER Effects/Processing May 1999

Faking Ensemble Backing Vocals

Paul White comes up with a few tips for using the processing power of your computer audio sequencer to turn one or two voices into a complete backing ensemble.





CANYONS OF THE MIND Effects/Processing June 1996

Psycoacoustics of Reverb

Paul White explores a few ways of taking nature's most common audio phenomenon and manipulating it to create special effects.





DELAYING TACTICS Effects/Processing April 1995

Delaying Tactics

Digital delay tends to be taken very much for granted, but the majority of today's studio effects would be impossible without it. Paul White describes how to set up your own DDL effects from scratch.





EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Effects/Processing February 1997

All About EQ

Paul White looks at the various types of equaliser, and gives some tips on how EQ should best be applied to your recordings.





EXCITING STUFF! Effects/Processing February 1995

Enhancers And How They Work

Exciters and enhancers are often mentioned in SOS, but what exactly do they do to your sound, and how do the various types differ? Paul White explains.





EXTREME EFFECTS: Part 1 Effects/Processing November 2000

Expanding Your Effects Horizons: Part 1

Most people are familiar with basic reverb, delay and modulation effects, but what lies beyond? In the first part of a new series, Paul White explores the twilight zone of effects processing.





EXTREME EFFECTS: Part 2 Effects/Processing December 2000

Expanding Your Effects Horizons: Part 2

In the final part of his short series on pushing back the boundaries of effects processing, Paul White explores many different applications of audio filters, as well as exploring the possibilities of granular synthesis.





LEARNING PROCESS: Part 1 Effects/Processing October 1997

Where To Use Processors And Why: Part 1

Paul White offers a little practical advice on the application of signal processing during recording and mixing.





LEARNING PROCESS: Part 2 Effects/Processing November 1997

Where To Use Processors And Why: Part 2

Part 2: Last month Paul White covered gates and compressors; this month it's up to enhancers to justify their existence...





LEARNING PROCESS: Part 3 Effects/Processing December 1997

Where To Use Processors And Why: Part 3

Paul White explains why a great reverb doesn't always make a mix sound better.





LEARNING PROCESS: Part 4 Effects/Processing January 1998

Where To Use Processors And Why: Part 4

Chorus, phasing and flanging are very common processes, but they don't always achieve the effect you hoped for. Paul White offers a few tips.





LEARNING PROCESS: Part 5 Effects/Processing February 1998

Where To Use Processors And Why: Part 5

Delay, originally called echo, is one of the oldest artificial effects, yet it can still be one of the most impressive - if used with care. Paul White explains the potential problems and how to avoid them.





MULTI STORY: Part 1 Effects/Processing July 1997

Multi-effects Explained: Part 1

Part 1: To start off this short series on multi-effects programming, Paul White explores the key building blocks found in today's versatile units.





MULTI STORY: Part 2 Effects/Processing August 1997

Multi-effects Explained: Part 2

Part 2: Modern multi-effects units provide all sorts of useful processors in addition to the more usual reverb and delay-based effects. Paul White discusses the extras you might find inside your effects box and how best to use them.





MULTI STORY: Part 3 Effects/Processing September 1997

Multi-effects Explained: Part 3

Part 3: Having looked at the various types of effects available, Paul White explains the importance of the order in which these effects are applied.





MULTI STORY: Part 4 Effects/Processing October 1997

Multi-effects Explained: Part 4

Part 4: Paul White looks at how MIDI can be used to turn static effects into dynamic ones.





MULTI STORY: Part 5 Effects/Processing November 1997

Multi-effects Explained: Part 5

Part 5: Paul White concludes his series with an exhortation to unleash your creativity...





NATURAL SELECTION Effects/Processing February 1996

EQ: A New Perspective

You might think that EQ is simply a tone control, but as Paul White explains, it's really a powerful mind-manipulating tool inextricably linked to the survival of the species!





POWER VOCODING Effects/Processing January 1994

Power Vocoding: With the Boss SE50 & SE70

There's more to vocoders than 'Mister Blue Sky' - and with the vocoders available on some current multi-effects processors, creative vocoding is now available to almost anyone. Paul White lets you in on some unusual applications...





PSYCHOTHERAPY Effects/Processing May 1997

An Introduction To Psychoacoustic Enhancers

Paul White looks at the different ways in which the leading enhancers produce their results, and offer some practical advice on where the various types work best.





REVERSE REVERB THE HARD (DISK) WAY Effects/Processing December 1998

Creating Reverse Reverb

Paul White conjures up a nostalgic tape effect using an MIDI + Audio sequencer.





ROUTING AROUND Effects/Processing March 1995

How To Patch Effects & Processors

The roles of the various signal processors and effects used in audio production are pretty well understood by most musicians, but it's not always obvious where they should be patched into the signal chain to give the best results. Paul White explains.





SPACE EXPLORATION Effects/Processing August 1996

Improving The Sound Of Your Reverb

Paul White goes into economy mode and tries to coax an extra degree of realism out of a budget studio reverb unit.





TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT Effects/Processing April 1996

Concise Guide To Compression and Limiting

Paul White looks at the many parameters which govern compression, how to improve your recording technique, and how not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.





THE BIG SQUEEZE Effects/Processing April 1997

Compressors And How To Use Them

These days a compressor is pretty much an essential purchase if you're recording vocals or non-keyboard instruments. Paul White looks at how they operate, and how they can be used both to control levels and to fatten sounds.





UNDER PRESSURE Effects/Processing December 1994

Compressing Your Mix

Paul White proves once again that nothing succeeds like excess. This time he patches in two compressors and a limiter to deal with a minor dynamic range problem...





USING EQUALISATION Effects/Processing August 2001

Using Equalisation

Paul White and Mike Senior explain how to get the best practical results from equalisation by understanding the true frequency ranges of most instruments and voices.





VINTAGE ADVANTAGE Effects/Processing January 2001

Understanding & Emulating Vintage Effects

Modern digital effects units always include emulations of analogue effects such as tape delay and flanging Ñ but none of them ever seem quite like the real thing. Paul White explains how these vintage effects worked, and offers insight into how our modern attempts could be made more accurate.





VINTAGE FX Effects/Processing December 1995

Faking Tape Loop Echo

With so much interest in vintage synths, it's easy to overlook the fact that many classic sounds owed just as much to the tape delays being used at the time as to the instruments themselves. Paul White shows you how to fake the effect.



