Home Studio Tips

Learn general tips on how to record vocals with home recording studio equipment. Get tips on how to direct a recording session in this free video.

The Sony MZM200 is HiMD Recorder with Electro Luminescent Display and USB 2.0 Computer Connection. The Sony MZM200 includes an HD amplifier and the ability to record in Standard MD Mode ensures compatibility with previous MD Recorders.

The Sony MZM200 Features:

• Bright Organic EL (Electro Luminescent) Display
• 11 Segment Recording Level Meter Display
• Record in Standard MD or HiMD Mode
• Record up to 34 Hrs on a single HiMD Disk
• MAC or PC Upload/Download via USB 2.0 w/ supplied Software
• Clock Stamping of Audio Files when uploaded to a PC or Mac
• 2-Way Power Supply - Battery can be fully charged from Computer via USB or from the included AC adaptor
• Dynamic Normalizer - Provides a uniform volume level for tracks that may have been recorded at different volume levels on the same disc
• Digital Pitch Control
• Archive Data with Low Cost, 1GB Removable HiMD Media
• Skip-Free G-Protection2 Technology
• Includes Stereo Microphone and Quality Earphones

The Sony MZM200 retails for $399.

which the features does one home guitar amp need?1.      lower watter's. Unless you don't worry about the anger neighbor visiting you2.      cheaper. It is important, specially in recession time. Money and hobby .you have to selection.3.      tube guitar amp.

4. emmbedded attenutor. It is importnat gear make you hear good sound in lower Volume.

This video talks about making a guitar at home. Learn how to inlay fret notches for a homemade solid body electric guitar in this video guide to making musical instruments.

This video is classic. This dorky dude creates a home made guitar using a 2x4 and explains how you can do it at home. He gets pretty nerdy and his design is totally minimalist. I can just see you now at your next gig playing your home made 2x4 guitar.

Host David Wills has toured with major artists such as Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston, Chicago and Diana Ross and provides you with a professional's perspective of the Boss BR-600 demonstrated in an informal, easy to understand way.

Boss BR-600 A romantic story of two lovers, with a painful end.

Here is a snippet of a Line 6 clinics . . . As mentioned in the vid, it is demonstrating some practical uses for the combination of Line 6 Pod XT Live and Variax.

Dave Mustaine going over his Line 6 rig in the studio.

Sparking the gear-lust in recording guitarists worldwide, POD Farm Platinum delivers a dream collection of amps, cabs and effects to any DAW. It's packed with the sounds of 78 guitar modern and vintage amps, 24 guitar cabs, 28 bass amps, 22 bass cabs, 97 stompbox and studio effects, 6 mic preamps and Dual Tone functionality, providing the ability to play through two full rigs of amps, cabs and effects at once.

TonePort UX8 delivers the best specs in its class with eight simultaneous channels of 24-bit/96 kHz audio, the lowest noise for recording guitar and ToneDirect(TM) monitoring, which is exclusive Line 6 technology that virtually eliminates latency. The comprehensive I/O boasts eight balanced XLR inputs with high-quality mic pres with phantom power and -20db pads, eight 1/4-inch inputs and outputs, a pair of 1/4-inch guitar inputs, S/PDIF digital in and out, low-cut filters and pads, and more for a truly pro recording experience. Plus, rock-solid drivers ensure a stable, uninterrupted session.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

In addition to releasing its high-end RP1000 guitar pedalboard at the NAMM music show in Anaheim, Calif., Digitech released four other guitar pedals for Mac using guitar players.

The $79.95 base-level RP55 features 80 presets, a built-in drum machine and chromatic tuner. It has 12 amp and acoustic guitar models and can produce 10 effects at once.

The RP155 gives users 100 presets, 60 drum patterns, 83 amps, cabinets, stompboxes, and effects. It also features a 20 second looper and costs $159.95.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

GT-5 is a single end Class A tube guitar amplifier, It is only 5w with one 6.5 inches speaker. This guitar amplifier makes small-room sessions lots of fun! Higher-gain preamp circuit has been added to take the overdrive tone beyond that of the original, and a choice of High- or Low-gain inputs included. With a switch able pentode/triode, you get the only amp in its class to deliver true tonal range from instantaneous punch to deliciously greasy overdrive and with precise control over output volume.

5 watts (RMS) 8 ohms

One 6L6and one 12AX7

6.5 inches speaker

Out speaker jack 8 Ohm

Controls Pre-, Volume and Tone

Hi-Lo impedance input

Toroid power transform

Head phone out

Standby

Single End Class A

Pentode/triode SW(3/5 W)

Embedded Attenuator

color: black and Tweed coving(selectable)

Precise parts used for lowest noise 5W metal oxide power resistors, 600V polypropylene film/foil and polyester military capacitors  Read More »

Mix It Like A Record, the DVD/DAW session based mixing course that critics, pros and users agree is the definitive resouce to learn mixing.

Learn how to mix audio from a multi platinum professional.

Applying eq and compression to your kicks so they cut through the mix.

This is a video test for my upcoming tutorials on drum recording.Here you can see one way of processing the kick for a more controlled sound.

In this http://www.artistshousemusic.org clip, Drew Malamud, producer/engineer and studio director for Studio Plateau out of Montreal, talks about the microphone and acoustical techniques he implements when getting a quality drum sound.

Mixing Drums - Cleaner Snare. How to avoid Hi-hat bleed in the snare's reverb.

In this Record Drums HOW TO, we cover the basics of micing overhead cymbals with the X/Y stereo micing technique. Our goal here is to provide some basic concepts and techniques for capturing a balanced sound and stereo image.

The Korg D888 is an 8-track Digital Recorder with 3-band Track EQ, Onboard Effects, and Phantom-powered Mic Inputs.

T Korg D888 offers 40-bit internal processing, which is better than CD quality and  puts it way ahead of the competition. It also has the right combination of features to deliver awesome multitrack recording with a polished feel to it. The Korg D888 ships with a 40GB hard drive that allows a maximum of 120 track hours with a maximum single record time of six hours.

Korg D888 8-track Digital Recorder Features:

• User-friendly lightweight, compact design
• Eight channels of I/O plus S/PDIF digital out
• XLR and TRS balanced ins with phantom power
• Records 16-bit/44.1kHz uncompressed audio
• Uses universal WAV format for recording tracks
• 8-track simultaneous record/playback
• 40GB hard drive for up to 124 hours of record time
• 64 tracks plus master (including virtual tracks)
• USB 2.0 support for ultra-fast data transfer
• Mounts on a host computer's desktop as FAT32 USB drive
• Each channel has EQ, effect send, trim and pan control
• Tracks can be further edited on a computer
• Eleven studio quality effects
• MIDI output transmits MIDI time code       

The Korg D888 is definitely worth the step up from the units priced just below it. It does everything you can ask and is intuitive, agile, opens up like a mass storage device for EASY track importing and manipulation. The Korg D888 is an incredibly versatile, surprisingly affordable digital multitrack that retails for $699.

The Tascam DP-02 is an 8-track 16-bit/44.1kHz portastudio with internal multi-effects processor and CD-RW Drive with an analog feel. The Tascam DP-02 is great for those who want to switch from cassette four tracks to digital recording.

The Tascam DP-02 Features:

• Two XLR mic/line inputs with phantom power for condenser microphones
• Eight-track recording at uncompressed 44.1k/16-bit audio quality
• Portastudio-based interface with volume fader, pan, effect send, high and low EQ controls per channel
• EQ frequency button to access high and low EQ shelf frequencies
• USB 2.0 interface for transferring tracks, mixes and backup files to a computer
• Dedicated stereo master track for mixdown
• Internal metronome and bar/beat display for song position
• Headphone output
• Stereo line outputs on RCA analog and S/PDIF optical digital connectors
• 40GB internal hard drive
• Multi-effects processor with guitar, bass, vocal and drum programs
• Stereo reverb processor with send/return controls for multichannel mixing
• Built-in chromatic tuner
• Built-in CD-RW burner for CD mastering and song backup

The Tascam DP-02 is very simple to operate and is great for song writers that want to get ideas recorded quickly. The Tascam DP-02 retails for $499.

The Zoom HD16CD is 16-track Digital Recorder with Effects and CD-RW Drive. The Zoom HD16CD recorder features eight balanced XLR-1/4" combo inputs with phantom power. Two high-impedance inputs allow direct connection of guitars and basses, so users can plug into Zoom's guitar and bass amp modeling capabilities. The HD16CD also comes with multi-effects such as reverb, delay and compression for use with instruments and vocals.

Zoom HD16CD Features:

• 8-track simultaneous recording
• Balanced XLR-1/4" phone combo inputs with phantom power
• 16-bit/44.1 kHz linear PCM recording in WAV format
• Over 100 effects for guitar / bass / vocal recording, mixing, and mastering
• Drum/bass machine with touch-sensitive pads and approximately 500 drum sounds
• Built-in CD-R/RW drive and 80 GB HD
• Control surface function for DAW software
• Built-in USB 2.0 interface
• Meterbridge features easily viewable 5-segment LED level meters

The Zoom HD16CD enables 16-track playback and 8-track simultaneous recording. The Zoom HD16CD retails for $699 and an 8-track version, the HD8CD, is also available.

The Boss Micro BR is a tiny 4-track Digital Studio with 293 Rhythm Patterns, four simultaneous playback tracks (plus 32 V-Tracks), MP3 compatibility, onboard multi-effects, built-in rhythm patterns, built-in Mic and Tuner, and USB, an SD Card Slot and more. It only slightly larger than an iPod, the tiny-yet-powerful Boss Micro BR is perfect for musicians on the go.  

Boss Micro BR Features:

• Ultra portable, only slightly larger than an iPod
• Measures just 5-3/8" x 3-3/16" x 7/8".
• 4-track playback, 32 V-Tracks
• Loads and plays MP3 files
• Multi-effects onboard; dedicated guitar input
• Time-Stretch and Center Cancel features (including MP3 files)
• 293 rhythm patterns
• Built-in tuner and microphone
• USB port for data transfer
• SD Card slot for recording media, 128MB card included

Boss Micro BR is the World's Smallest Studio and retails for about $229. Check it out.

The Boss BR-900CD is the big brother of the BR-600. The musician's portable dream studio, all-in-one digital recorder that stands out with its professional effects, realistic drum-pattern generator, vocal-correction and Mastering Tool Kit, digital output, and internal CD burner. With the BR-900CD you can write, record, edit, mix, master, and burn a complete polished CD anywhere, anytime.

The Boss BR-900CD Portable Digital Studio Features:

• Built-in CD-burner and Mastering Tool Kit
• 8 simultaneous playback tracks, 2 simultaneous recording tracks with 8 V-tracks (64 V-Tracks total)
• 2 XLR inputs with phantom power, plus 1/4" and RCA inputs, and digital out
• Pitch correction, chorus, delay, reverb, EQ, and other great BOSS-quality effects
• Programmable drum generator with 294 patterns, plus Tone Load function for custom beats
• Record direct to CompactFlash (128MB card included; record up to 624 minutes with optional 1GB card)
• Record direct to CD-R/RW
• USB port for data backup to computer, plus importing/exporting WAV files
• Runs on batteries or AC power 

The Boss BR-900CD is a portable, reliable 8-Track DAW with Built-in Drums! It has an upgraded digital recorder with CD burner and CompactFlash storage. The Boss BR-900CD features stellar studio effects to enhance your tracks and a built-in rhythm programmer to make creating drum tracks easy. The Boss BR-900CD allows you to transfer audio to and from your computer via USB.

Take your recording studio with you no matter where you go with the Boss BR-900CD.

Mbox has been on my "too buy" list for the last couple of months. Since getting a new laptop, I want to be a little more mobile with my studio. Mbox seems like a great solution. I can use it on my laptop as well as my studio downstairs in the basement. I think I'm going to run Pro Tools downstairs and continue to use Ardour on my laptop. Since I typically record by myself, I'm hoping the Mbox will replace my 001. 

The Mbox features Focusrite mic pres, high-quality components with a 24-bit input-to-output signal path. Mbox is a 2-channel USB audio peripheral that has 24-bit/48kHz sound quality, an XLR jack with 48V phantom power, 2 - 1/4" line-/instrument-level jacks, zero-latency monitoring, 2 - 1/4" monitor outputs, headphone jack, and front-panel volume and mute controls.

I'll post some more once I have the Mbox in my mits, which should hopefully be next week. 

Just a quick overview of the way I do song construction using Cakewalk Guitar Tracks Pro software. There are some cases when I get the opportunity to have a real live drummer do the complete drum track from start to finish like with my Hey Joe covers, but generally I use Smart Loops (a type of acid loop) which are very convenient are actually recordings of a pro drummer's work broken into segments.

When buying a laptop for music production, consider the strength and power of the computer processor, the amount of RAM, the stability and the available tools for the system. Consider buying a Macintosh computer to record music, as they tend to be more stable and powerful, with information from a recording studio engineer in this free video on music recording.

ProMedia Training, the leader in modern accelerated audio and multimedia training, is pleased to present an all-new Accelerated Pro Tools 8 Core Certification Program, January 14-27, 2009, at its state-of-the-art Training Center in Dallas, Texas. Featuring music producers and sound designers, Johnny Marshall and David Rosenblad, these pros will delve deep into using Pro Tools 8 for music and sound design production, as well as offering insight and training tips/tricks for working with Digidesign's world-renown production software.

PMT's Pro Tools Accelerated Core Certification Package is a 40 clock-hour package—offered in an intensive 5-day session—and includes two Digidesign certified courses designed for aspiring engineers, musicians, DJ's and singer/songwriters who want to turn their creativity into reality. We introduce students to proper setup, recording, mixing, editing, loops, plug-ins, MIDI, and much, much more. Throughout the curriculum, students work with sophisticated HD systems and control surfaces, and upon successful completion, take the Digidesign exam for Certification.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

Based on years of creating hardware and software tools that have become a staple of the modern recording studio, Waves Audio announces the formation of the Waves Live Division, a dedicated branch addressing the current and future needs of the live sound market sector. Throughout its history, Waves has brought to market a number of products that have become indispensable components of the live sound signal chain, and with the Waves Live Division, the company now formalizes its commitment to the live sound market, benefiting FOH, Monitor and Live Sound/Recording/Live Broadcast engineers. As part of the Division's inaugural initiatives, Waves will unveil a new Live Division website (waveslive.com) as well as release the D-Show Enabler, making over 50 Waves TDM plug-ins compatible for the live environment.

Waves' history in the live sound market is rich and varied. MaxxBCL was the first Waves product to successfully help deliver the most bass out of PA systems including Line Arrays, and since its introduction over three years ago, it has been used by leading sound companies, improving sound in prominent tours, top live venues, and places of worship around the world. Also, since its release in November 2006, Waves Live Bundle has become one of the most valued processor packages to accompany Digidesign's Venue consoles. Many of the world's top FOH engineers - "Big Mick" Hughes (Metallica, Led Zeppelin), Ken "Pooch" Van Druten (Linkin Park, System of a Down), Phil Strong (Kanye West), Cirque du Soleil's Jonathan Deans and Leon Rothenberg, to name a few - currently use Waves processing in all sectors.

Click on the newslink to read the full article.

The 003 Factory Complete and 003 Rack Factory Complete both come with a Digidesign 003 hardware interface and the new Complete Production Toolkit. The 003 Factory is an interface that with an integrated control surface and the Rack Factory is a rack mountable unit.

The toolkit gives users a variety of plug-ins for both music and post production applications. Among the plug-ins included with the toolkit are Eleven LE classic guitar amp emulator, Structure LE advanced sample player, Hybrid 1.5 high-definition synthesizer, Smack! LE compressor, DINR LE noise reduction, and TL Space.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

Creating a basic session in Pro Tools LE 7 software offers an unparalleled breadth of creative options when developing ideas. Easily import audio and MIDI files and loops. Take advantage of an unmatched range of unique, nondestructive audio editing tools like Beat Detective LE, which enables you to automatically correct timing on individual tracks. Develop MIDI compositions with the Pro Tools integrated, easy-to-use MIDI sequencer. Choose among a wide-range of effects and instrument plug-ins like the Xpand!™ sample-playback/synthesis workstation to develop the sounds you're after, or integrate your favorite ReWire-compatible applications right into your mixes.

-Audio manipulation with world-class editing tools
-Import MIDI, REX, ACID, WAV, AIFF, AAC, MP3, and CD audio files
-Built-in DigiBase™ file management tool
-Beat Detective LE automatic groove analysis and correction tool
-Fully nondestructive editing
-Powerful, intuitive MIDI sequencing
-Real-time audio and MIDI processing
-Advanced virtual instrument integration
-Wide-range of compatible third-party creative software options (AudioSuite™, RTAS®, and ReWire-compatible applications)

In this http://www.artistshousemusic.org clip, producer, engineer & songwriter Aaron Sternke gives an introduction to Digidesign's Pro Tools software, including differences between Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools LE.

Learn tips on how to build your own home recording studio, including advice on microphones, recording software like pro tools and more in these free video clips.

A month ago, we told you about the Alesis.com Show Your Rig Video Competition, in which we invited you to post a video of yourself demonstrating or performing with your Alesis gear. The response was great and we thank everyone for taking the time to make videos. We truly appreciate the enthusiasm you show in your video submissions!

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

Alesis, the world’s leading manufacturer of professional audio equipment and studio electronics, announces that its
iMultiMix 16 USB mixer with professional mixing and direct-to-iPod recording is now available. The mixer will be on display at the 2009 NAMM Show in Anaheim, Calif., January 15 – 18, 2009 at the Alesis booth, number 6400.

iMultiMix 16 USB is the second entry in a new class of iPod mixers that started with the popular iMultiMix 8 USB. iMultiMix 16 USB features a Universal Dock for iPod that enables recording directly to any iPod Classic, 5th generation (video) and 2nd or 3rd generation iPod nano. The mobile recording mixer has iPod transport controls and a control wheel built into the surface for complete control of the iPod while it is docked in the mixer. For clean live recordings of nearly any performance, including home studios, musicians, podcasters and houses of worship, iMultiMix 16 USB is the ideal solution. The USB connection delivers convenient transfer of tracks into iTunes upon connection to a computer. Files recorded into the iPod are CD quality, 16-bit, 44.1kHz WAV files.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article

Guitar World presents an exclusive home studio tour with Dragonforce's Herman Li.

Learn tips on how to use a keyboard to record music at home in this free video clip.

Learn tips on how to keep your cables sorted and organized when recording music at home in this free video clip.

Lay down a piano track in Cubase like other external instruments and then align with the rhythm tracks. Learn to record a piano track for MIDI sequencing in the Cubase DAW from an audio engineer in this free Cubase tutorial video.

I found this cool article which talks about Rick Rubin's approach to recording. There is also a 10 page article in the New York Times about Rick Rubin. Rick Rubin has produced some of my all time favourite records and worked with some legendary bands. Not only is Rick Rubin a killer producer, he has worked with some very diverse acts, such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, LL Cool J, Slayer, Beastie Boys, Danzig, System of a Down, The Cult, Run DMC, The Dixie Chicks, Weezer and Johnny Cash.

If you like Rick Rubin or even some of the bands he has produced, go check out some of those articles.

Tech N9ne is leaving the city for the suburbs, not to abandon his urban roots, but to follow Chuck Chapman and the studio that’s recorded his Billboard-topping albums.

Chapman is pulling up stakes and relocating his operation and six employees to Lenexa after 16 years in the historic Vitagraph Film Exchange Building in the Crossroads Arts District. In that period, he has recorded national artists ranging from rappers such as Tech N9ne to rockers such as Bryan Adams, with a poetic interlude by Jewel.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

Anybody who has ever recorded in studio or garage knows that "Shure" spells "microphone." This year, they finally get into the USB mic action with PG27USB and PG42USB, plus the X2u USB mic adapter.

So many people already own the Shure SM57 and SM58 condenser dynamic mics that it made sense for Shure to create the X2u, a $130 adapter that would let people easily use them with their amateur home recording rigs. This isn't about ProTools, which requires its own proprietary I/O. It's for people using GarageBand and other cheapie programs, who just want some way to ease in their vocals and acoustic instruments.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

A video that talks about mic placement when recording drums. For me drums are the hardest to mic properly and good a good sound when recording. Practice makes perfect!

Here is a simple way to capture an entire drum kit with just two microphones as pioneered by the infamous "Recorderman." By using a string to align both the bass drum and snare in the very center of the stereo image, you will get a very solid center channel and reasonably balanced sound from the kit. You can also compliment this setup with close mikes for a more traditional sound.

This is a nice little video tutorial on proper drum mic placement. This is one of the many videos I will be posting in the Recording Drums series.

Did this in 30 minutes. Called "Red Moon" - as the California Wildfires rampage, with Apple's Garageband. With a drumbeat, a bass and a guitar one can record simple songs in Apple's Garageband within minutes. I used Presonus Firebox directly as audio IN.. Record additional overdubs to make the sound fuller and it's a good start for a song idea. (1 x Bass, 2 X Guitar). The GB footage is actual - but it was too dark to record video - so i just used some home studio clips so you get the idea.

This week we have put together a video showing you how to record bass guitar using a Bass DI box. We will compare the sound quality between running the bass straight in through the mixer as well as going through the Bass DI. If you like this video please subscribe to our channel as we will have more videos soon. Also feel free to check out our site at www.limitless-studios.tk.

At first I thought the e-mail was a joke, but apparently it's not. Microsoft Research today announced the availability of Songsmith, an application that creates music as you sing to your PC.

Sound weird? It gets weirder. Watch the Microsoft promotional video on the Songsmith page above: I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It shows an ad jingle writer, who--stuck on a campaign for glow-in-the-dark towels--is inspired by seeing his tween daughter crooning away with her notebook. Pretty much the whole video is sung.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

In the last couple of years Ableton Live has eclipsed Acid Pro's reputation for groundbreaking music-production techniques. But Acid Pro has another string to its bow: unrivalled ease and speed of use. Version 1 was simplistic but incredibly friendly and quick, and it's remarkable that subsequent releases have transformed it into a sophisticated, versatile production tool without compromising its immediacy.

This latest release builds on the previous version's focus on becoming a more rounded, conventional recording application. There's finally a proper mixer, which pulls together the various mixing parameters into a conventional single-window interface.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

If you Google some of these terms, you'll see that there are trade shows all over the world scheduled at different times. I will be posting most of these to the event calendar, but here's a general list for now.

• Remix Hotel
• From Home to Studio Conference
• AES
• ASCAP
• NSCA Expo
• MIDEM
• MacWorld
• CES
• LDI/ETS
• Voodoo Music Experience
• SMPTE Conference
• TEC Awards
• Pasic
• NAP
• Electronic House Exp
• CEDIA

It was like Christmas, Easter and the Fourth of July rolled into one drum kit. As soon as Thomas Pridgen saw those glorious, gleaming drums, he knew they were meant for him.

Preternaturally self-confident at only 9 years old, Pridgen entered the Guitar Center Drum-Off, and round after round he blew away drummers who were two and three times his age. "I told everybody I knew that I was going to win," Pridgen says. "They asked me, 'What if you don't win?' But it was like seeing a bright, shiny red bike. I knew I had to have that drum set."

Without a trace of nerves, he tore through his five-minute solo, easily winning the Drum-Off finals and making it clear that a new drumming phenomenon had just bounded into the spotlight.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

SurgeX of Pipersville, Penn., has merged its North American operations with Electronic Systems Protection, Inc. (ESP) of Zebulon, N.C. SurgeX is a leading manufacturer of AC surge elimination and power conditioning products for the professional audio, video, broadcast and multimedia industries, while ESP is a leading original equipment manufacturer of power protection technology.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

A brief example of blending frequencies using parametric equalization techniques. In this music production example the recording engineer demonstrates how to use compression and equalization to blend the tones of rhythm tracks. From the producers at Recording School Online.

Recording vocals can be one of the toughest things to do in your home studio. Luckily there are tons of instructional videos that will help you get those great vocal tracks. This one has a focus of microphone technique, check it out.

A video that covers recording vocals. From the "Hypnotic Audio Secrets-LIVE dvd. Part 1 of 5 tips for recording better vocals in your home studio and anything recorded with a microphone.Talks about the top 5 mistakes to avoid when recording vocals.

A nice little video that gives you some tips and tricks for recording vocals. I may just have to create an entirely new category called recording vocals as there are tons of videos out there on the topic of vocals.

Since getting a new laptop, I've switched from Windows to Ubuntu Linux. Linux has a ton of cool audio software that I plan to check out. I'm hoping to be able to scrap my Pro Tools rig and just use my laptop. I'm still working out some of the kinks and doing research.

Ardour is a digital audio workstation. Ardour can record, edit and mix multi-track audio. Ardour capabilities include: multichannel recording, non-destructive editing with unlimited undo/redo, full automation support, a powerful mixer, unlimited tracks/busses/plugins, and timecode synchronization. Ardour is similar to ProTools, Nuendo, Pyramix, or Sequoia. Ardour is aimed at the needs of professional users. Ardour has a flexible "anything to anywhere" routing system, and will allow as many physical I/O ports as your system allows. Ardour also boasts powerful features such as persistent undo, multi-language support, and destructive track punching modes that aren't available on other platforms.

Yamaha created a line of music phones. They have created 5 prototypes of phones that actually make music. These include keyboards, drums, strings, scratching and even some wind instruments. I don't think these will be a hit, but it is an interesting idea. Check out the Yamaha music phones here.

With a drumbeat, a bass and a guitar one can record simple songs in Apple's Garageband within minutes. I used Presonus Firebox directly as audio IN. Record additional overdubs to make the sound fuller and it's a good start for a song idea. (1 x Bass, 2 X Guitar). The GB footage is actual - but it was too dark to record video - so i just used some home studio clips so you get the idea.

Huston Singletary takes you through the process of recording guitar tracks within the Live 7 Arrangement View.

The "Sessions" section in Mix's January 2009 issue offers a look at how session drummers have adapted to the rise in personal studios and decline in major studio session work in "Custom Drum Tracks To Go," which profiles the services offered by veteran Los Angeles–based session pros Dave Weckl and Russ Miller, as well as Virginia-based drummer Craig Sowby. In that article, all three discuss dedicating their own project studios to recording high-quality acoustic drum tracks on a work-for-hire basis. Clients submit their projects directly to the drummer and generally pay a session rate per song, while cartage and studio fees are unnecessary.

Apogee in Santa Monica, Calif., announces compatibility with Digidesign's recently released Pro Tools HD 8. All X-HD compatible Apogee hardware—including AD-16X, DA-16X, Rosetta 800 and Rosetta 200—has been approved for use with Pro Tools HD 8 hardware and software running on Mac OS X 10.5.5 or Windows XP SP 2.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

Guitar World presents an exclusive tour of Yngwie Malmsteen's home studio. For more videos about Yngwie, or to check out other gear reviews and guitar lessons visit guitarworld.com.

Guitar World presents an exclusive tour of Dweezil Zappa's studio, the U.M.R.K. (Utility Muffin Research Kitchen) that inherited from his father, legendary musician Frank Zappa.

The Shane Diiorio band are putting together their first official album this year and we spent one day recording drums, bass and guitar/vocal guide tracks and we have 8 songs to be released! The band played live so it's got a live vibe about it.

I am doing my vocal and guitar parts at home now with my little home studio for you to check out.

The clip at the end is a guitar solo attempt that is not getting used for a song called "Driving to a Standstill".