Digital vs Analog

Here we are in the year 2014 still talking about which style of mixing is better, analog verses digital mixing and what it does to the sound quality of audio files. This argument or debate among engineers seems to be a bit pointless nonetheless if you ask me. Both sides make valid points when it comes to what they choose to use and why they feel one is better than the other. This is like guys debating which car is better a Cadillac or a Mercedes Benz. People will just have what they like and why they like it and this it. That is the beauty of Life, you have options and in the world of audio mixing we have a world of options. Even though I mix in the box (from my computer) I also like sitting behind the large console doing recordings and mixes. The feeling of being a mad scientist for sound quality is something I get when I am in a recording studio versus being at home mixing from my computer. The Power is in my hands.

Back in the 90’s this would not be much of a conversation to have because the world of recording and mixing music was mostly still being done on big analog consoles in large, luxury studios. Digital mixing was something that was new and still had a long road ahead and a lot of bugs to work out before it could be compared to the age old tradition of analog sound quality. Analog was the king of mixing since the beginning because there were no other options but now there is. Digital recordings and mixes have gotten better over the years and I now feel they are equal to or greater than analog when it comes to sound quality. There has been much success and plenty of hit records that have been mixed in the box. There has been much success and plenty of hit records that have been mixed on large consoles in the years since the inception of digital audio.

To sum it all up, the choice is yours; there is no right, wrong or better it is all in personal preference.

You can go and read these two articles to form your own opinion on the topic Digital vs Analog and Summing .

Invasion of the in Home Studio

Have you ever had the dream of being inside of a big luxurious recording studio creating the music you love, dream and live for as I do?  You still can, but you better hurry up before they are all gone. The invasion of the home recording studio, also known as a project studio, is underway.  Recording music is no longer what it used to be.  The days of going to the big recording studios, sitting behind the big soundboard are far and in between.  More and more artists are moving to a more do-it-yourself style of making music.  With today’s computers and plug-ins becoming increasingly powerful recording music from home is becoming increasingly easier.

Artists now have the power to create, produce and mix music in the comfort of their own home.  They are cheaper in cost and easy to build in any room of an apartment or home.  If done right and with the help of a mixing engineer (assuming we all have a friend that is a mix engineer and knows what he or she is doing), you can capture great sound recordings and mixes.  I would not suggest mastering in your home or project studio that is another animal in itself.  Because of this ability and the fact that it looks like it is not going anywhere soon the reason stated above makes the invasion seem real.

The invasion is real, but not as fast as everyone is thinking. Big name artists still use these big studios. Big record companies still use these larger studios with these huge soundboards to record and capture music. How else do you think they record those luxurious strings from a Philharmonic Orchestra you hear in the background of your favorite song?  Big recording studios offer creative freedom with fewer distractions.  They are being used in other industries like television and film.  So do I think they are going anywhere?  No and plus they are cool.     

You can read these articles to gather your own opinion Soundon Sound and ProSoundWeb.