Studio & Recording

It seems like a fairly simple question: how can I connect my electric or acoustic guitar to a computer, like a PC, Mac or laptop, smartphone or tablet? It may or may not be a surprise to hear that our helpdesk get asked this question a lot, and quite right, since this kind of stuff is not always as straightforward as it seems. In this blog, we cover all the ways and means you can hook up your guitar and start playing and recording.

Sometimes, something happens that means you can’t play any shows for a little while. This not only makes the life of a musician or band a little bit boring, it also messes with that delicate relationship you’ve built with your devoted fans. To keep the love alive, you could easily live-stream a gig from the comfort of your living room or rehearsal space and you can even do it with great sound quality!

You can find one on a lot of different studio-related equipment: the S/PDIF connection. But what does this mysterious connector even do and why would you want to use it? In this blog, we’ll tell you what you need to know about S/PDIF, as well as its professional sibling AES/EBU and the cables required to get it all working properly.

Singers forgetting the next lyric, drummers who struggle to stay in time, guitarists who keep playing that same bum note and buzzing audio gear … For all musicians, sound technicians and producers, these problems might be all too familiar.

While setting up a bunch of audio gear for a venue or studio, you’re going to come across balanced and unbalanced cables. But, what exactly is the difference between these so-called symmetrical and a-symmetrical connections? What kind of plugs do you need to use and are balanced cables pretty much the same as stereo-cables? All of these nagging questions shall be answered in the following blog.

A microphone is one of those devices that you speak into and then it magically enlarges and reproduces your voice, right? Well, let’s just say that that’s a rather blunt way of putting it. One thing that all microphones have in common is that they take sound and turn it into electricity. Dynamic microphones and condenser microphones each do this in a completely and noticeably different way, so it’s about time we share the nitty-gritty with you.

Everyone has their own habits, but not many realize these habits have have a huge impact on your career. Today, Guest Blogger Jeroen Hillebrand from Moon Jelly Agency will go over 5 key-habits to help boost your music career.

Without a doubt, Twitch is one of the biggest and hottest social media platforms in the world right now. In case you missed it, Twitch is a live streaming video platform which is used by over 140 million people every month. In comparison to other platforms that provide a streaming function, like YouTube, Twitch is far more popular due to the great working member-system, the advanced options they provide for streaming and their payout system.

First, the bad news. A MIDI keyboard doesn’t make any sound on its own. Now, the good news. If you thought your MIDI keyboard was broken, it’s not. How does a MIDI keyboard work then? And how do you get sound out of it?

One of the most influential streaming platforms in the music industry, SoundCloud, has helped to kick-start the careers of many previously unknown artists. The open audio platform once started as a website for upcoming artists to upload their tracks, but has evolved to a platform with advertisements for revenue and an option for paid subscriptions. However, the website now has 175 million registered users and continues to function as the main track sharing platform for new artists. Today, Guest blogger Melvin van der Waal from Moon Jelly Agency shines his light on the benefits of the SoundCloud Pro Unlimited subscription.

One of the major talking points in the EDM industry is the role of ghost producers. When it comes to producing your music, many of you spend days, weeks, or even months trying to perfect your musical vision. So, why not use a ghost producer to help you? Today, Guest Blogger Remko de Jong from Moon Jelly Agency will shine his light on the question whether you should or should not hire a ghost producer, and how the use of a ghost producer can influence your music career.

Christmas is coming, and that’s good news for producers! Those music-making studio fanatics we all know and love are hoping to receive a Christmas gift that will satisfy their appetites for studio gear; but, what do you buy the producer who has everything? To help you decide, we’ve compiled a list of ten affordable Christmas gift ideas that the producer in your life is sure to appreciate, regardless of whether they’re an amateur or a professional. Best of all, some of these gift ideas cost less than 10 pounds!