Theory / Technical

We explain why aliasing in plug‑ins isn’t always a problem — and why oversampling isn’t always the solution.

Mixing gets so much easier when your processing chains are configured to deliver the same results in response to the same levels!

Turn the ratio up, and a compressor becomes a limiter. Go even further and you enter the world of reverse dynamics — and unique sonic effects.

We look at the processes that can add harmonic content to a sound, for subtle warmth or radical transformation.

Get your hands on these SOS Audio Test Files which accompany our SOS May 2023 workshop.

Standard test signals can be incredibly useful when configuring and aligning audio equipment — and we’ve created a set of properly calibrated test files just for you! Read on to find out how to use them and where to find them.

It’s nearly a decade since the LUFS standard for loudness measurement was defined, yet many still seem confused about what it means for music production.

Once the preserve of academic and experimental music, granular synthesis is more accessible than ever and has a lot to offer in all sorts of genres.

Colin Cartmell’s decades‑long tonequest has led him to create some of the best guitar cabinet IRs out there — so we asked him for advice on how to roll your own.

Immersive audio has huge creative potential for music production, but it can be hard to get your head around. Here’s the explanation you’ve been waiting for!

We all know that close miking boosts the low end. But why? New research from DPA Microphones explains that some instruments are more affected by proximity effect than others.

Does your guitar sound dull and lacklustre through your pedalboard? Here’s how to side‑step the tone‑suck trap.

Parallel compression is a powerful mixing technique, but it’s often misunderstood. Read on to find out what it really does — and how it can help you make better mixes.

Have you ever wondered exactly what goes on when classic hardware is recreated in plug-in form? Heres the full story from some of the industrys biggest names.

A new interfacing standard is just around the corner which can carry digital audio, MIDI, timecode and hard drive communications down a single cable, in addition to the digital video and multimedia signals which the likes of Sony, Apple and others are already sending down it. Paul Wiffen, long an advocate of high-speed digital interfaces, investigates and finds that he may just have a new religion to evangelise.

Commercial singles and albums are incorporating ever-more-sophisticated interactive audio and visual content, often using the Enhanced CD format. Janet Harniman-Cook starts this two-part feature with a look at how the format is being used by record companies, and the possibilities that are open to independent musicians.

Subtle timing nuances play a large part in the feel of much of today's rhythm-based music. Martin Walker bangs the drum about creative use of groovy time-tweaking functions.

Setting up your gear for low noise and minimum distortion needn't be a nightmare. Martin Walker gudes you through the process, and shows you how to stand tall, even without headroom.

Paul White looks at the benefits of using a multi-port MIDI interface.

Most contemporary sequencers include facilities that make it possible to automate all the key aspects of a MIDI mix, but all too often they remain unused. Paul White explains how to dip your toe in the water without falling in...

What are MIDI messages and what do they do?