SonicScoop’s Top 15 Articles of 2020! Better Mixing, Great Gear, Studio Improvements and More

Actions speak loud in the audio world. Over the course of the last year, you spoke loud and clear to SonicScoop by collectively selecting your favorite articles of 2020.

It was a wholly unexpected year, and you responded by amping up your sonic knowhow in all directions. Mixing, mastering, software, hardware, studio design, people, and places all got your attention.

What are the next directions we should be heading to help you out? Got topics where you’d like to see more coverage? Let us know in the comments below!

Now, tune in to our Top 15 of 2020, and let’s take on 2021 together!

#15) How to Achieve More DEPTH in Your Mixes

“Depth. Immersion. Front to back spatial definition. It’s one thing that is often missing or mismanaged in the work of new mixers. Here’s how to get more depth in your tracks.”

#14) Mastering with Plugins? AND on Headphones? YES. Meet Glenn Shick.

“Bucking convention by relying exclusively on plugins and headphones for major label mastering work, Schick has adopted a “digital nomad” lifestyle that has taken him from Iceland to Thailand to South Korea and beyond. Those who are skeptical that an all-plugin approach can get astonishingly good sounding masters need only listen to Schick’s work to become true believers.”

#13) A Most Prolific Platinum Producer and Mixer: Rich Costey Revealed

“Rich Costey has a dilemma: Let his GRAMMY-winning career as a producer and mixer speak for itself, or shed his shyness and do some of his own talking?”

#12) New Software Review: Neve 1084 Preamp & EQ by Universal Audio

“Though not the first Universal Audio emulation to bear the Neve name, the new Neve 1084 Preamp & EQ is the first and only AMS Neve-endorsed 1084 emulation the world has seen.”

#11) Beyond the Console: How SSL is Updating Its Place in Audio

“SSL may finally be coming out of its shell.”

IK Multimedia’s iLoud MTM Monitors caught your attention.

#10) New Gear Review: iLoud MTM Monitors by IK Multimedia

“In comes IK Multimedia with a continuation on their iLoud Micro Monitors, the iLoud MTM. Boasting ultra-flat frequency response, linear phase response, and the inclusion of the ARC System EQ calibration, these promise to pack a real punch for a very reasonable price. So let’s unbox!”

#9) Online Mixing Best Practices: Six Don’ts and Do’s to Prep for Virtual Mixing

“Artists and producers who follow these Don’ts and Do’s will help their mixer to hit the ground running and not get stuck on session cleanup.”

#8) How to Finish Your Mix Before You Start It

“There’s a powerful concept in the world of productivity: “Finish your day before you start it“. This idea can also be applied to mixing or anything else in music production, with amazing results. In this podcast episode, Justin Colletti of SonicScoop gives insights into how to come up with a plan of attack before diving into your mix, so you can get better sounds than ever before.”

#7) New Software Review: Capitol Chambers & Ocean Way Studios by Universal Audio

“Recent developments in the world of reverb have pushed far beyond the once impressive convolution technology we’ve grown accustomed to. In particular, I’ve become fascinated by what Universal Audio is doing with their proprietary Dynamic Room Modeling (DRM) and the plugins that employ it.”

Will Hensley offered up a wealth of small studio design tips from his Brooklyn bedroom.

#6) Big Mixes from a Bedroom: How to Maximize Small Audio Spaces

“In his Williamsburg apartment studio, Will Hensley shows just how much you can pack into one room while still being extremely productive and highly accurate, keeping mental and physical health a priority especially when working from home. That’s because his mix setup is literally a bedroom studio, expertly tweaked to make the most of every square inch while still displaying sumptuous feng shui.”

#5) The Future of Mastering: Loudness in the Age of Music Streaming

“In this presentation, GRAMMY-nominated mastering engineer Alan Silverman shows how music streaming services have turned the world of mastering for loudness upside down. Explore how the tools and techniques that mix and mastering engineers of the 21st century are changing quickly in response to the automatic volume normalization happening on platforms like Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, Google Play, Pandora and more.”

#4) New Gear Review: Behringer Pro-1 Synthesizer

“…Most of the Behringer synth lineup currently is made up of unofficial clones of previous instruments that already have public adoration. The first of this series was the Behringer Model D, which took Moog’s famous circuit and put it into a Eurorack-friendly enclosure with a few new tweaks. Most head-turning was the price—$299 USD, brand new. Tongues started waving, preorders started lining up, and despite the wait, Behringer’s Model D has lived up to the hype.”

#3) Picking the Right Studio Centerpiece: What’s the Best 8+ Channel Interface for the Serious Studio?

“Having a studio or a remote recording rig means finding a centerpiece that works well with your professional style…For the sake of this roundup, we opted to evaluate interfaces that feature 8 built-in microphone preamps, allowing them to act as an all-in-one solution that will stand up to the needs of a wide variety of users.”

#2) New Gear Review: Zen Tour Synergy Core by Antelope Audio

With more and more kitchen tables, practice spaces, hotel rooms, and other non-studio spaces becoming professional production facilities, the market is demanding more from its smaller-format recording solutions. Musicians need high-end performance and power that is compact, so inspiration can be easily captured anywhere, anytime…Enter Antelope Audio’s Zen Tour Synergy Core, an update, upgrade, and facelift from the original Zen Tour.”

You knew we’d cover Pro Tools! What 9 other DAWs made Matthew Wang’s short list?

#1) The Ultimate DAW Roundup: All of the Best DAWs for Music Production, Compared!

“There’s no end to the number of professional-quality audio programs today. From Pro Tools to Ableton to Reaper to Cubase to Logic, Digital Performer, Bitwig, FL Studio and Studio One, picking one for your work can be daunting. So which is the “best” DAW out there? Or at least, which will make the most sense for your needs and workflow?”

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