Outside Scoop: Setting up the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 6 Minutes, Streaming from Your DAW to Your iPhone, Adding Clarity to Your Mix, and More

Speakers getting rolled on/off the field at the Super Bowl. Image by Patrick Baltzell.

This week was rich with exciting new music production articles and videos. Including features from powerhouse websites like The Verge and smaller content creators like akthomen, the following list will help bring you up to speed on everything you’ve missed over the past week. Learn how the Super Bowl sets up its halftime show in six minutes, how to stream mixes from your DAW directly to your iPhone, how to add clarity to your mix, and more.

How The Super Bowl Halftime Show Gets Set Up In Just 6 Minutes

The Verge managed to secure an interview with Patrick Baltzell, who was in charge of the audio for the previous 19 Super Bowls, meaning he knows a thing or two about live sound systems. Baltzell explains what goes into a show of this magnitude that is also being broadcast in 180 countries and 25 different languages. He also debunks myths regarding lip syncing, and talks about the most challenging halftime shows he’s worked on.

Streaming Mixes from Your DAW to Your iPhone

Dave Pensado shares how he instantly checks mixes on his iPhone using a plugin called Audreio. The interesting thing about this plugin is that it allows you to stream 16-bit audio directly from your DAW to your iPhone using the Audreio app. You don’t need to waste time bouncing mixes and transferring them to your phone, which makes Audreio a powerful workflow enhancement tool.

The 16 Best New Gear Releases from NAMM 2019

Michael Hahn of LANDR rounds up sixteen of the most exciting new synths, guitar speaker cabinet simulators, and audio interfaces featured at NAMM. Teenage Engineering has come out with three different modular kits that allow you to assemble the included chassis, and integrate a selection of 15 different modules. Also making this list is a brand new audio interface from Native Instruments called Komplete Audio 1 and 2.

How to Produce and Arrange Orchestral Sounds: Strings

MusicTech’s Dave Gale gives a brief history of how orchestras sprout into existence before focusing in on the string section of an orchestra. The string section is comprised of violins, violas, cellos and double basses; each instrument helps contribute to the grandiose sound that string sections are known for. Gale provides some serious insight into how string sections function in real life and then explains how you can create believable string arrangements inside your DAW.

A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding MIDI

The YouTuber akthomen released a video at the beginning of this month that breaks down the basic concepts behind MIDI. If you’re still new to music production, this video is going to help you bypass many of the MIDI-related roadblocks that beginners commonly encounter. Having a general understanding of how MIDI works is going to allow you to start performing arrangements using software instruments and a MIDI keyboard, as well as reduce latency and ensure projects load properly when collaborating with other artists.

Instantly Add Clarity to Your Mix

The Recording Revolution’s very own Graham Cochrane explains how you can use high-pass filters to provide instant clarity to your mix. He explains that “It’s the cumulative effect of strategic high-pass filters across many tracks that gives you clarity.” Learn how to use high-pass filters to create space for your kick and bass, and tastefully remove unneeded frequency content from your mixes.

How to Set Up a Studio Subwoofer

Black Ghost Audio published an article this week that discusses how you can effectively integrate a subwoofer into your current studio. This comprehensive guide includes topics like why you need a subwoofer, how to measure the frequency response of your room, desk and main speaker monitor placement, one versus two subwoofers, where to place your subwoofer, how to set the level of your subwoofer, and how to set the crossover frequency on your subwoofer. Integrating a subwoofer into your studio can be tricky, but this guide will help simplify the process.

Adding Ambience to Sounds With Layers of Noise

You may be accustomed to trying to remove noise from your audio files, but Future Music Magazine offers up a great way of using noise to add ambience to sounds. Some of the creative tools used in this video to further enhance the effect include FabFilter’s Pro-C2, Soundtoys’ FilterFreak, and Valhalla Shimmer.

How to Make Unique Hi-Hats

Echo Sound Works explains how to make unique hi-hats via ADSR’s YouTube Channel. This video uses Alchemy as a sampler to transform a miscellaneous sample into a hi-hat. By adjusting pitch, applying EQ, and adding reverb, you’re able to create hi-hat sounds out of almost anything. The great thing about creating hi-hats in this way is that it doesn’t require a lot of work, but can still provide quality results.

Charles Hoffman is a Mixing and Mastering Engineer at Black Ghost Audio. After graduating from the University of Manitoba with an English degree, Charles completed his education at Icon Collective in Los Angeles, CA.

Please note: When you buy products through links on this page, we may earn an affiliate commission.