Outside Scoop: Getting Loudness & Your Mix Bus Right, Best Gear of the Year and More

We hope you’ve been enjoying the new Outside Scoop section these past couple of months. It’s one of many ways that SonicScoop is working to bring you even more great content each week.

As of this week, the format is changing slightly. Instead of providing a recap of just two articles each weekend, you’ll now have the benefit of seeing a greater number of the very best weekly finds in the pro audio world packed into a single article—coming your way every single Saturday.

This week, there were a number of excellent pieces published by LANDR, Synthtopia, MusicTech, Recording Revolution, Bobby Owsinsky, Black Ghost Audio, Sadowick, and Creative Sound Lab. Check out the following content, and then leave a comment below telling us what you think of the new changes!

Loudness 101: How Mastering Levels Affect Your Sound

This article published by LANDR discusses what loudness is, how to measure it, and whether or not you should master your tracks loud. It discusses loudness and its relationship with streaming services, as well as how certain genres call for different levels of dynamic range suppression.

The Best Gear of 2018: DAWs, Hardware Instruments, Monitors and Accessories

MusicTech rounds up some of the best gear of 2018, which includes the best accessory, outboard gear, software/instrument library, MIDI controller, studio monitor, software effect/utility, orchestral instrument, audio interface, innovative product, DAW, microphone, hardware synth, and more. This is quite an impressive list that sets expectations high for products being released in 2019.

Mix Buss Compression (The Right Way)

Graham Cochrane of the Recording Revolution demonstrates how to use mix buss compression using the SSL G-Master Buss Compressor. This particular compressor has a punchy and snappy character to it, making it perfect for preserving track dynamics while applying a gentle “squeeze” to your track.

The 10 Traits Of A Great Assistant Engineer

Have you just been hired as an assistant at a studio? Bobby Owsinski and Al Schmitt summarize 10 things you can work on to impress your new employer. From understanding the studio’s equipment inside and out to admitting your mistakes, this list covers all of the essentials.

Buying Your First Mic: The 4 Step Guide

Buying your first microphone can be stressful because there are so many options available online. You need to decide on a budget, determine the source you’ll be recording, and then select an appropriate microphone. This guide dives into some very popular microphone options at various price points.

How to Turn Your Artist Project into a Business

Have you been considering pursuing your artist project full time? This list via Black Ghost Audio covers 8 steps you can take to turn your artist project into a business. Turning your artist project into a business is one of the first steps you need to take before quitting your day job.

Let’s Talk About Music Production Books

Don’t be fooled by Sadowick’s voice; this isn’t an ASMR video. He covers a variety of different music production books that will very likely help you step up your music production game. The books cover music theory, mastering, dance music, and more.

How to Make Cymbals Sound Less Bright

Creative Sound Lab covers how you can make your cymbals less bright. Forget about using EQs and focus on achieving a quality recording. Getting a recording right means less time spent mixing down the road.

Microsoft Windows 10 Update Will Let You Use More Virtual Instruments & Effects In Your DAW

Microsoft is taking steps to improve performance for DAW users. They’re testing an “FLS Slot Limit Increase,” which will allow users to increase the number and variety of plugins they’re using in a project. While this update won’t do much for people with poorly performing computers, it will provide a better experience for people with powerful computers who were exceeding the previous FLS count limit of 128.

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.

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