Home Studio Training Grounds Podcast Archives - Unstoppable Recording Machine

URM Home Studio Training Grounds Ep 6 | Bass Guitar

“Bass players need to be treated with more respect and also I think that more time should be spent on finding a good bass player.” – Eyal Levi

If you’re a musician looking to get your home studio off the ground, this show is for you! Eyal Levi and Ryan “Fluff” Bruce sit down to talk shop about all the things they wish they knew when they were getting started.

In this episode they focus on an incredibly important but often overlooked part of any metal mix: the bass guitar. Some of what they cover: why bass is the secret ingredient to great metal guitar tone, some tricks for recording bass (it’s not quite the same as guitar), and how to use synth and MIDI bass guitars for reference.

Get the Complete Beginner’s Guide To Recording Rock & Metal at http://recordingmetalguide.com

1:56 – Bass is the element that gives a recording some balls and teeth

3:12 – How bass is an afterthought in metal music sometimes

10:28 – Playing appropriately hard and tuning the bass properly

15:05 – Using a synth bass as a reference

18:34 – Paying attention to your strings

URM Home Studio Training Grounds Ep 5 | Vocals

“Most vocalists are coming from a place of insecurity, which is okay, because they are putting it all out on the line. It’s the most emotionally difficult instrument because they are the instrument.” – Eyal Levi

In this episode they tackle what is probably the most fragile part of any recording: vocals. They talk about the keys to tracking a great vocal performance: how to read the vocalist’s state of mind, creating the right environment for them to do their best, and how to record great vocals in a home studio.

Get the Complete Beginner’s Guide To Recording Rock & Metal at http://recordingmetalguide.com

2:19 – Why vocals are one of the hardest things to record

3:54 – Being in a weird situation with a black metal singer

6:55 – Ways to get super DIY with recording vocals

10:42 – Why the listening environment is important

18:39 – Hear back units and what personal mixers do

21:04 – Vocalists needing to hear what they want to hear

URM Home Studio Training Grounds Ep 4 | Programming Drums

“What drummers have that a machine doesn’t have is feel. That’s the thing that makes people move. That’s what makes people get physically inspired by music.” – Eyal Levi

In today’s episode they talk about the biggest hurdle for many musicians: drums! Or more specifically, the ins and outs of programming MIDI drums for those who don’t have access to a drummer (or drummers who simply can’t record their kit at the moment).

They cover the finer details of what makes programmed drums sound human, how to think like a drummer, and what software you’ll need to get started.

Get the Complete Beginner’s Guide To Recording Rock & Metal at http://recordingmetalguide.com

2:40 – How the software for programming drums has improved over the years

4:15 – The main people have with programming drums and how to fix it

12:08 – Which velocity you should avoid, especially for cymbals

13:41 – Don’t program drums in a way that someone can’t actually play them

21:44 – Preferences when it comes to the software and picking the drum sounds

URM Home Studio Training Grounds EP 3 | Choosing The Right DAW

“You shouldn’t choose your DAW based on trying to prove a point” – Eyal Levi

In this episode they dive deep into a hot topic: choosing the right DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). They touch on why you should NOT pick your DAW based on other people’s opinions, the pros and cons of many popular DAWs and most importantly, how to pick the one that’s best for YOU.

Get the Complete Beginner’s Guide To Recording Rock & Metal at http://recordingmetalguide.com

1:43 – Why your choice of DAW really isn’t that big of a deal

8:52 – Why they used Reaper for the beginner’s course

17:09 – Don’t be afraid to try new DAWs and use what works best for you

26:04 – How ProTools became the industry standard

URM Home Studio Training Grounds Ep 2 | Recording Guitars part 2

In this episode they continue digging into guitars, focusing on how to get the best results when recording: the proper way to play when recording (and why it’s not the same as playing live), why it’s so hard to program guitars, and the critical importance of simple but often overlooked details (for example, the RIGHT way to use a tuner).

Get the Complete Beginner’s Guide To Recording Rock & Metal at http://recordingmetalguide.com

1:44 – How playing guitar can be expressive and also have limitations

4:24 – Why isn’t the guitar a good melodic instrument?

10:38 – Guitar riffs should have a primal reaction

13:43 – If there’s a right or wrong way to go about how you play when you’re recording

22:03 – Finding the humanizing details in your riffs

26:21 – Why you need to invest in a good tuner even if it sounds elementary