Guides and manuals
Get more from your tools.
Practical manuals for all thirteen plugins, plus techniques for compression, saturation and EQ from Studio 4.
The guides answer questions that come up mid-session: how to compress a vocal, where to start with EQ on a kick or an 808, how loud a master should be for streaming, and whether saturation goes before or after compression. Install guides walk through FL Studio, Ableton Live and Logic Pro, and each manual covers one plugin’s controls and starting points and says which version it describes.
113 articles
Getting started
What music production is, and the first things to learn.
What is music production, and what does a music producer do?
Music production is the work of turning a song into a finished recording: choosing the sounds, arranging the parts, guiding the performances and shaping the result. A music producer leads it. Here is what that involves, how it differs from engineering, and what you need to start.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
How to make a song: from the first idea to a finished track
Making a song is two jobs: writing it (chords, melody, lyrics, structure) and producing it (the arrangement, recording, mix and master). Here is the order that gets a first song finished, with the guide for each step.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
Room correction and room EQ: what it can fix, what it can't, and how to measure
A small room changes the bass you hear from your speakers. Room correction measures it and applies EQ, which helps with some problems and not others. Here is why rooms do this, what EQ can and can't fix, and how to measure with REW.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
Music production for beginners: what you need and where to start
How to start making music on a computer: the gear you need, how to pick a DAW, and a learning path in seven steps, from rhythm and chords to your first mix and master, with a guide for each step.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
What is an audio interface? Do you need one, and what to look for
An audio interface connects microphones, instruments, headphones and studio monitors to your computer, converting sound to digital and back with low delay. Here is what it does, when you need one, and what to look for.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
Best DAW for beginners: free DAWs and trials compared
The best DAW for a beginner is one you can start with today and will keep using. Here are seven options as of October 2026, from free DAWs like GarageBand, Waveform Free and LMMS to trials of FL Studio, Ableton Live, Logic Pro and REAPER.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
Mixing: EQ and compression
Shaping tone and dynamics, from the first EQ move to multiband control.
Human hearing range: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and what it means for a mix
People hear roughly 20 Hz to 20 kHz, most sharply between 2 and 5 kHz, and the top of the range fades with age. Here is the range, why bass needs far more level to sound as loud, and what that changes when you mix.
Updated Oct 28, 20266 min read
How to EQ guitar and piano in a mix: acoustic, electric and piano, frequency by frequency
Where to EQ an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar and a piano: the high-pass under the lowest note, the mud and boxiness bands, pick and hammer attack, and air. Starting settings in dB and Q, and how to keep guitar, piano and vocal out of each other's way.
Updated Oct 26, 20268 min read
Sidechain compression: what it is, and how to set it up in any DAW
Sidechain compression lets one track control the compressor on another, so the kick can duck the bass or a voice can duck the music. Here is how it works, settings to start with, and the routing in FL Studio, Ableton Live, Logic Pro and Pro Tools.
Updated Oct 22, 20267 min read
What does a compressor do? Dynamic range compression, explained
A compressor turns the loud parts of a sound down so the level moves less. Learn threshold, ratio, attack and release, plus limiting, upward compression and loudness.
Updated Oct 21, 20268 min read
FET vs opto compressor: choosing the right response
Use fast FET compression to catch peaks and optical compression to level phrases. Compare FET, opto, VCA and tube compressors with a practical vocal workflow.
Updated Oct 21, 20267 min read
How to use a multiband compressor without smearing your mix
Splitting a mix into bands is not free. This guide walks the crossover phase problem, how allpass compensation fixes it, and when multiband is the wrong tool.
Updated Oct 21, 20268 min read
Low-pass, high-pass and band-pass filters, explained
A low-pass filter keeps the frequencies below its cutoff and removes the highs; a high-pass filter keeps the frequencies above it and removes the lows; a band-pass keeps one band. Here is how cutoff, slope and resonance work, and where each filter goes in a mix or a synth.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
How to mix a song: a step-by-step order for your first mixes
Mixing turns a set of recorded tracks into one balanced stereo file. Work in this order: prepare, pick a reference, balance with faders, clean up with EQ, control dynamics, add space, ride the levels, then check and export.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
Mono vs stereo: what each means, and why you check a mix in mono
Mono is one channel, heard as if from one position; stereo is two channels that place sounds from left to right. When a stereo mix is played in mono the two sides are added together, and anything that differs between them can cancel.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
What is a Pultec EQ? The EQP-1A and the low-end trick
The Pultec EQP-1A is a passive tube program EQ from the 1950s and 60s, famous for broad, gentle curves and the low-end trick: boosting and cutting the bass at once. Here is how its controls work and how to use the trick.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
Mixing with headphones: how to make headphone mixes translate
You can mix on headphones, but they show a mix differently from speakers: a wider stereo image, a bass that is hard to judge, and reverb that sounds louder. Here is what to adjust, which headphones suit mixing, and how to check your mix.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
What is a parametric EQ? Frequency, gain and Q explained
A parametric EQ lets you choose the frequency, the amount and the width of every band. Here is what each control does, how Q maps to octaves, and how bells, shelves and filters differ.
Updated Oct 20, 20268 min read
EQ settings: where to start on vocals, kick, 808, snare and the mix bus
Find EQ starting points for vocals, kick, 808, snare and the mix bus. Learn useful frequency and Q ranges, when to cut, and when to use dynamic EQ.
Updated Oct 13, 20267 min read
A Pro-Q 4 alternative? Bevel EQ vs FabFilter Pro-Q 4
Pro-Q 4 does more, and it should at its price. What the two share, what Bevel EQ deliberately leaves out, and which one belongs in your session.
Updated Oct 13, 20267 min read
FabFilter Pro-Q alternatives: free and paid EQs compared
An honest look at Pro-Q 4 alternatives as of September 2026: TDR Nova and Nova GE, Kirchhoff-EQ, the EQ already in your DAW, and where our own Bevel EQ fits.
Updated Oct 9, 20266 min read
Dynamic EQ vs multiband compression: which should you use?
Choose dynamic EQ for a focused tonal problem and multiband compression for movement across a wider region. Compare the controls with two repeatable mixing exercises.
Updated Oct 5, 20265 min read
A Pro-MB alternative? Harmonic Multiband Compressor compared
What FabFilter Pro-MB clearly does better, where the two overlap, and what the Harmonic Multiband's detector saturation does that Pro-MB does not attempt.
Updated Oct 5, 20267 min read
How to read a spectrum analyzer, pre vs post
Learn how to read a spectrum analyzer for audio: frequency and level axes, FFT size, tilt, smoothing, and pre vs post EQ views. Find resonances by ear.
Updated Oct 5, 20266 min read
Detector-only saturation: make a compressor hear differently
Saturate only the copy of the signal the detector measures and the compressor stops chasing micro-transients and leans on the body, while the audio path stays clean.
Updated Sep 30, 20267 min read
Zero latency compression: when plugin delay actually matters
Lookahead and oversampling buy real quality by delaying the signal, a trade that is free in a mix and poison in a headphone cue. Here is the mechanism and when to care.
Updated Jul 9, 20267 min read
Vocals
Compressing, de-essing and taming a voice so it sits in front of the mix.
What is sibilance? Why esses turn harsh, and how to tame them
Sibilance is the hiss of s, sh and z sounds in a voice. It becomes a problem when those sounds jump out of the mix. Here is where it comes from and how to tame it without a lisp.
Updated Oct 28, 20267 min read
What is a de-esser?
A de-esser reduces harsh s and sh sounds only when they occur. Learn how detection, threshold and range work, and where to put one in a vocal chain.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
How to use autotune: pitch correction that sounds natural or robotic
Autotune is pitch correction: it hears the note a singer is on and moves it to the nearest note you allow. Set the key and scale first, then the speed decides whether it sounds natural or robotic.
Updated Oct 21, 20268 min read
How to EQ vocals: the frequencies that matter, and a starting chain
Vocal EQ is mostly small cuts: a high-pass for rumble, a little out of the mud at 200 to 400 Hz, a narrow dip for nasal tone, then a gentle lift for presence and air. Here is where each problem lives and the first move for each.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
How to mix vocals, step by step
Mix a lead vocal in a fixed order: clean up, pitch, EQ, de-essing, compression, color, space and level. Each step fixes one thing, so the next one has less to do. Here is what each step is for and the settings to start from.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
Vocal doubling and backing vocals: double tracks, harmonies and ad-libs
Doubling a vocal means singing the part again and playing both takes together, for a thicker or wider sound. Here is how to record and place doubles, when to keep them tight or wide, and how harmonies and ad-libs fit around the lead.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
How to compress vocals: settings for ratio, attack, release and gain reduction
Vocal compression settings for spoken, sung and rap leads. Set ratio, attack, release and gain reduction, then try two compressors for steadier phrases.
Updated Oct 13, 20267 min read
Drums, 808s and bass
The low end: tuning, sub weight and making kick and bass share the room.
How to tune an 808 to your song, with a frequency chart
Find the stable pitch of your 808, map its root note in the sampler and check it against your bass line. Includes a calculated note chart and a worked transposition.
Updated Oct 28, 20265 min read
What is an 808? The drum machine, the bass, and how to mix it
An 808 started as the kick drum of Roland's TR-808 drum machine and became the long, tuned sub bass of hip-hop and trap. Here is what it is, how an 808 note is built and how to make it sit.
Updated Oct 27, 20268 min read
Drum patterns: trap, drill, boom bap, house and reggaeton, as grids
Five drum patterns every producer should know, drawn as 16-step grids you can copy into any DAW: house, boom bap, trap, UK drill and the reggaeton dembow, with the tempo and the detail that makes each one sound like its genre.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
How to EQ drums: kick, snare, toms and hi-hats, frequency by frequency
Where to EQ each drum: the kick's thump and click, the snare's body, crack and ring, the toms' tone, and the hats' shimmer. Frequency ranges, Q values and first moves, plus how to keep the kick and bass apart.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
Sub bass: frequencies, mono, and making it heard on small speakers
Sub bass is the lowest part of a track, roughly 20 to 60 Hz: felt as much as heard. Here is where common bass notes sit, why the sub stays in mono, why too much costs headroom, and how to make it heard on phones and laptops.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
How to EQ bass: low end, mud and definition
Where to EQ a bass guitar, synth bass or 808: the weight in the low notes, the mud above them, and the growl and pick noise that make a bass heard. Frequency ranges, first moves, and how to keep it clear of the kick.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
Mastering and loudness
Limiters, true peak, dither and how loud a master should be.
What does a limiter do? Limiter vs compressor, and how to set one on a master
A limiter holds a ceiling the signal cannot cross, and on a master it is also how the track gets louder. Learn how it differs from a compressor, what each control does, and how to set one without losing the drums.
Updated Oct 27, 20268 min read
True peak vs sample peak: what dBTP means, and why masters stop at -1 dBTP
A sample peak meter reads the stored samples; a true peak meter estimates the waveform your converter plays between them. Learn how they differ, how dBTP is measured, and where the -1 dBTP ceiling comes from.
Updated Oct 21, 20268 min read
How loud should a master be for streaming? LUFS targets explained
Understand integrated LUFS, true peak and streaming normalization. Compare playback targets, leave peak headroom and choose loudness that suits the track.
Updated Oct 21, 20267 min read
WAV vs MP3 vs FLAC: lossless and lossy audio, and which to use
WAV stores audio uncompressed, FLAC compresses it without losing anything, and MP3 makes files far smaller by throwing away detail the ear is least likely to miss. Use WAV or FLAC while you work and for masters; use MP3 only for previews and sharing.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
How to master a song at home: the chain, the targets, the checks
Mastering is the last step: gentle EQ and compression to balance the whole mix, a limiter to set the final level and true peak, then checks against references and on other speakers. Here is a simple home chain, the numbers to start from, and what to listen for.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
Mixing vs mastering: what each step does, and where one ends
Mixing combines the separate tracks of a song into one stereo file. Mastering takes that file and prepares it for release. Here is what happens in each step, how they differ, and how to tell when a mix is ready to master.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
What is clipping in audio? Digital clipping, soft clipping and how to avoid it
Clipping happens when a signal goes past the highest level a system can carry, and the tops of the wave are cut flat. Here is what clipping sounds like, where it happens in a DAW, how to avoid it, and when producers clip on purpose.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
Decibels in audio: dB, dBFS, dBu, dBV and dB SPL explained, with conversion tables
A decibel is a ratio on a logarithmic scale, so every dB unit needs a reference: dBFS counts down from digital full scale, dBu and dBV measure voltage, and dB SPL measures sound pressure. Plus 6 dB doubles a signal's level and plus 3 dB doubles its power. Here is what each unit means and how to convert.
Updated Oct 21, 20268 min read
Limiter vs clipper: what each does to your master, and when to use both
A clipper reshapes the waveform instantly; a limiter turns the gain down over time. Learn what each does to drums and bass, hard vs soft clipping, and how to run a clipper into a limiter.
Updated Oct 15, 20268 min read
What is dither? When to use it in mastering, and when to skip it
Dither is a tiny, steady noise added when you reduce bit depth, so the quietest sounds fade into noise instead of distorting. Here is what it does, measured, and when you need it.
Updated Oct 9, 20266 min read
Reverb, delay and saturation
Space, echoes and harmonics, and where each one goes in the chain.
Chorus vs flanger vs phaser: how each modulation effect works, and when to use which
Chorus and flanger mix in a delayed copy of the sound whose delay time an LFO sweeps, while a phaser sweeps notches made by all-pass filters. Here is how each one works, a sourced comparison, and starting settings for guitar, pads, vocals and bass.
Updated Oct 29, 20268 min read
How to add depth to a mix
Depth is the front-to-back picture of a mix. It comes from four cues: level, brightness, how much room you hear next to the dry sound, and how soon the room answers. Here is how to set each one with faders, EQ and one shared reverb.
Updated Oct 26, 20268 min read
What is a vocoder? How it makes a synth talk, and how it differs from a talk box
A vocoder makes one sound speak with the shape of another: it measures how a voice's energy moves across a set of frequency bands and applies those movements to a synth. Here is how it works, how to set one up, and how it differs from a talk box and pitch correction.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
Distortion vs overdrive vs saturation vs bitcrushing: what's the difference?
Saturation, overdrive, distortion and fuzz all bend a waveform's peaks to add harmonics; they differ mainly in how hard they clip, and in how they respond to playing dynamics. Bitcrushing works another way, by cutting the digital resolution. Here is what each does to the wave, how each sounds, and where to use it.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
Types of reverb: room, hall, chamber, plate, spring, shimmer and more
Room, hall and chamber reverbs come from real spaces; plate and spring reverbs from vibrating metal; digital, convolution, gated and shimmer reverbs from processing. Here is how each type is made, how it sounds, and where to start with it.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
Tremolo, vibrato and autopan: what each one moves, and how to use them
Tremolo moves the volume, vibrato moves the pitch, and autopan moves the sound between the speakers. Here is how each works, why tremolo and vibrato get mixed up, and how to set the rate and depth.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
What is a noise gate? Threshold, range, attack, hold and release explained
A noise gate turns a sound down when it falls below a threshold, so hiss, hum and bleed between notes, words or drum hits drop away. Here is what each control does, where to start, and how producers use gates creatively.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
Parallel compression: New York compression on drums and vocals
Parallel compression blends a heavily compressed copy of a track with the dry original: the dry keeps the attack and the compressed copy brings up the body and detail. Here is why it works, how to set it up, and where to start on drums and vocals.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
Glue compression: compressing the mix bus so the mix holds together
Glue compression is a gentle compressor across a mix or a group, so the parts move together. Here is what it does, the settings to start from (a low ratio, a slower attack and a couple of decibels of reduction), and when to leave it off.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
Filter effects and ring modulation: sweeps, auto-filters and ring mod explained
Filter sweeps, auto-filters and envelope filters all move a filter's cutoff over time; a ring modulator multiplies two signals into metallic, bell-like tones. Here is how each effect works and how producers use it.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
Types of delay: slapback, tape, ping-pong and more
Delay records a sound and plays it back later. Here is what makes slapback, tape, ping-pong and bucket-brigade delays sound the way they do, how to time them to the song, and how to keep a vocal delay out of the way.
Updated Oct 19, 20268 min read
Saturation before or after compression?
Running a saturator in front of a compressor does more than add harmonics. It rounds the peaks the detector measures, and that changes every decision the compressor makes.
Updated Oct 13, 20267 min read
What does a saturator do? Saturation explained, with the harmonics measured
A saturator gently distorts a sound by rounding off its peaks, adding harmonics that make it denser, warmer and easier to hear. Here is what it adds, measured, and how to use it.
Updated Oct 13, 20267 min read
What is reverb?
Reverb is the sound that lingers as reflections build up and fade. Learn how early reflections, decay and pre-delay put a voice or instrument in a space.
Updated Oct 12, 20266 min read
Synthesis
How synths make sound, and which kind fits the part.
Wavetable, analog and sample synths: what's the difference?
Compare wavetable, analog-style and sample synthesis. Build bass, plucks and pads for hip-hop, trap and R&B, then use modulation to make them move.
Updated Oct 21, 20268 min read
What is a synthesizer? Oscillators, filters, envelopes and LFOs explained
A synthesizer makes sound from scratch with oscillators, then shapes it with filters, envelopes and LFOs. Here is what each part does, the main kinds of synthesis, and how to start a bass, a pad and a pluck.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
Types of synthesis: subtractive, FM, wavetable, additive, granular and more
A synthesizer can make its raw sound in several ways: filtering a bright wave, modulating one oscillator with another, scanning through stored waveforms, adding sine waves, or chopping audio into grains. Here is how each type works and what it is good at.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
Synth bass: how to make sub, reese and wobble bass
Three synth basses come up again and again in modern production: a clean sub, a moving reese made from detuned saws, and a wobble made by an LFO on a filter. Here is how to build each one, and how to keep the low end solid in the mix.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
What is an LFO? Low frequency oscillators explained
An LFO is an oscillator that runs too slowly to hear, used to move another setting over time: a filter for a sweep or a wobble, pitch for vibrato, volume for tremolo, pan for auto-pan. Here is what rate, shape and depth do, and how to sync an LFO to the tempo.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
White noise vs pink noise vs brown noise: the differences, and how producers use them
White noise has equal power at every frequency, so it sounds bright and hissy. Pink noise has equal power in every octave, so it sounds even and full. Brown noise falls faster still and sounds like a low rumble. Here is why, and what each is used for in music.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
Glide and arpeggiators: portamento, legato and arp patterns explained
Glide, or portamento, slides the pitch from one note to the next. An arpeggiator plays the notes of a held chord one at a time, in time with the track. Here is how each works, the settings that matter, and how to use them.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
Best free synth plugins: Vital, Surge XT, Dexed and more
Six free synth plugins worth installing as of October 2026: Vital, Surge XT, Dexed, Tyrell N6, TAL-NoiseMaker and Odin 2. What kind of synth each one is, what it runs on, and how to choose.
Updated Oct 21, 20263 min read
ADSR envelope: attack, decay, sustain and release explained
An ADSR envelope shapes how a synth note changes over time: how fast it rises, how far it falls, the level it holds while you hold the key, and how long it fades after you let go. Here is what each stage does and settings for plucks, pads, basses and leads.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
MPE and microtuning: what they are and how to use them
MPE lets each note in a chord bend, swell and change tone on its own. Microtuning changes the notes themselves, so a keyboard can play quarter tones or any other scale. Here is how each works and how to set them up.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
Modular synths and Eurorack: how modular synthesis works
A modular synth is built from separate modules, an oscillator, a filter, an envelope and more, that you connect with patch cables. Here is how a patch works, what control voltage and 1 V per octave mean, and what Eurorack is.
Updated Oct 21, 20264 min read
Tempo, keys and chords
The numbers behind a track: tempo, keys and the chords in them.
BPM by genre: tempo ranges for house, techno, drum and bass, trap, drill and more
The tempo ranges producers use for 15 genres, from lo-fi at 70 to 90 BPM to drum and bass at 160 to 180, with half-time feels explained and a source for every number.
Updated Oct 23, 20267 min read
Camelot wheel: harmonic mixing and key codes explained
The Camelot wheel gives each of the 24 keys a number from 1 to 12 and a letter, B for major and A for minor. Keys with the same number, or one number apart, share almost every note, so they usually mix without clashing.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
Major and minor keys: all 24 keys, their key signatures and their notes
There are 12 major and 12 minor keys. Each key signature, from seven flats to seven sharps, belongs to one major key and its relative minor: three flats is Eb major or C minor, two sharps is D major or B minor. Here is every key with its sharps or flats and its notes.
Updated Oct 21, 202610 min read
Music scales: major, minor, pentatonic, blues and the modes, with a chart and the main scales in every key
A scale is the set of notes a melody or chord part draws from, defined by its pattern of whole and half steps. Here are the common ones (major, the three minors, pentatonic, blues and the modes) with a chart, each formula, and the major, minor, harmonic minor and pentatonic scales in every key.
Updated Oct 21, 202613 min read
Time signatures explained: 4/4, 3/4, 6/8, 12/8 and odd meters like 5/4 and 7/8
A time signature tells you how many beats are in each bar and which note counts as one beat: 4/4 is four quarter-note beats, 3/4 is three, and 6/8 is six eighth notes felt as two beats of three. Here is how to read, count and set the common ones.
Updated Oct 21, 20268 min read
Relative minor and major keys: how to find them, every pair, and parallel keys
Every major key has a relative minor that uses the same notes and key signature, three half steps below it: C major and A minor, G major and E minor. Here is how to find any relative key, all 12 pairs, and how relative and parallel keys are used in songs.
Updated Oct 21, 20267 min read
What is MIDI? Notes, velocity, controllers and the MIDI note number chart
MIDI is the standard that lets keyboards, computers and instruments talk to each other. It sends instructions, such as which note, how hard and when, not sound. Here is what MIDI carries, the full note number chart, velocity, the common controller numbers and why your DAW may name the octaves differently.
Updated Oct 21, 20267 min read
Song structure: the parts of a song, common forms, and how sections are counted in bars
Song structure is the order of a song's sections. The most common order in modern pop is intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge and chorus, with an optional outro. Here is what each part does, how sections are counted in bars, and the other common forms.
Updated Oct 21, 20268 min read
Chord progressions for producers: common, sad, pop, R&B and trap, in every key
The chord progressions producers use most, from the four-chord pop loop to sad, R&B, lo-fi and trap progressions, written in Roman numerals and worked out in every key.
Updated Oct 20, 20267 min read
Genres
How to make house, techno, drum and bass, phonk and more: tempo, drums, bass and arrangement.
How to make phonk: the cowbell melody, distorted 808s, drums and drift phonk
A modern phonk beat is a pitched 808 cowbell melody over a heavily distorted 808 bass, hard drums and chopped vocal samples, all pushed through distortion and lo-fi processing. Here is where the sound comes from and how to build each part, step by step.
Updated Oct 21, 20269 min read
How to make drum and bass: tempo, the beat, breakbeats, reese bass and a DJ-friendly arrangement
Drum and bass runs at about 160 to 180 BPM, most often around 174, with a snare on beats two and four, breakbeats layered under the drums and a heavy sub-bass with a moving mid bass on top. Here is how to build each part and arrange it so DJs can mix it.
Updated Oct 21, 20268 min read
How to make dubstep: the 140 BPM half-time beat, sub bass, wobble bass and the drop
Dubstep runs at about 140 BPM with the snare or clap on the third beat, which makes it feel like 70, under a deep sub-bass and a wobble bass made by an LFO moving a filter. Here is how to build the beat, the basses and the drop.
Updated Oct 21, 20267 min read
How to make reggaeton: the dembow beat, tempo, chords, bass and arrangement
Reggaeton is built on the dembow: a kick on every beat under a snare on the 4th and 7th sixteenths of each half bar, a 3+3+2 rhythm, at about 90 to 100 BPM. Here is where the rhythm comes from and how to build the drums, chords, bass and arrangement of a reggaeton track.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
How to make amapiano: the log drum, the groove, piano chords and tempo
Amapiano is South African house music at about 110 to 115 BPM, usually built on a four-on-the-floor kick, busy shakers and percussion, jazzy electric piano chords and the log drum, a wide percussive bassline. Here is how to build the groove, the log drum and the rest.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
How to make Jersey club: the bouncing kick pattern, bed squeaks, vocal chops and tempo
Jersey club is a fast, bouncy club style from Newark, New Jersey, at about 130 to 140 BPM. Its sound is a five-kick bar spaced 4, 4, 3, 3, 2 sixteenth notes, chopped vocal samples and the bed squeak. Here is how to build each part.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
How to make pop music: tempo, chord progressions, song structure and vocals
Pop songs are short, built on a steady beat, a simple chord loop and a chorus with a hook. Here are the tempos and keys of well-known pop hits, common pop chord progressions, the song structure, and how to produce the vocal at the center of it.
Updated Oct 21, 20267 min read
How to make house music: BPM, the four-on-the-floor beat, bass, chords and deep house
House music runs at about 115 to 130 BPM on a four-on-the-floor kick, with claps on 2 and 4, off-beat hi-hats, deep basslines and synth or piano riffs. Here is the beat as a grid, the tempos of house and deep house, the bass and chord patterns, and how to build and arrange a track.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
How to make techno: BPM, the techno drum pattern, sound design and arrangement
Techno runs at about 120 to 150 BPM, usually on a four-on-the-floor kick, and puts rhythm and sound design ahead of melody. Here is the basic techno beat as a grid, the tempos of techno and its styles, the classic gear, and how techno producers build a track from one looping bar.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
Installing plugins
Getting plugins into FL Studio, Ableton Live and Logic Pro.
How to add plugins to FL Studio: install and scan VST3 plugins
Install the VST3 on Windows or Mac, scan it in Plugin Manager, add favourites and fix missing plugins, with a Vitric trial as the example.
Updated Oct 28, 20266 min read
What is a VST plugin? VST, VST3, AU and AAX explained, and which one your DAW uses
A plugin is software that runs inside your DAW to add an instrument or an effect, and VST is Steinberg's standard for them. VST3 is the current version; Apple's DAWs use Audio Units (AU) instead, and Pro Tools uses AAX. Here is what each format is, which one your DAW loads, and where plugins install.
Updated Oct 21, 20268 min read
Buffer size and latency: what to set for recording and mixing, with a latency chart
The buffer size is how many samples your computer processes at a time. A small buffer means less delay but more strain on the CPU; a large one means fewer clicks and dropouts but more delay. Record with a small buffer, mix with a large one, and here is how much delay each setting adds.
Updated Oct 21, 20267 min read
How to use FL Studio: a beginner's guide to the Channel Rack, Piano roll, Playlist and Mixer
FL Studio is built around four windows: the Channel Rack holds your instruments and a step sequencer, the Piano roll holds notes, the Playlist arranges patterns into a song, and the Mixer is where all the audio goes. Here is what each one does, the shortcuts, and the order to use them in.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
How to add plugins to GarageBand: installing and using Audio Units (AU) plugins
GarageBand on a Mac loads Audio Units (AU) plugins, not VST or AAX. Install the plugin's AU version, turn on Enable Audio Units in GarageBand's settings, then pick the plugin from an effect slot or the Instrument slot. Here is each step and what to do when a plugin does not show up.
Updated Oct 21, 20265 min read
How to install VST3, AU and AAX plugins on Windows and Mac: FL Studio, Ableton, Logic, Pro Tools and more
To install a plugin, run its installer, which puts each format in your computer's standard plugin folder, then open your DAW and let it scan. Here are the folders on Windows and Mac, the format each DAW loads, and how to make FL Studio, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, GarageBand, Pro Tools, Cubase, Studio One, REAPER and Bitwig find a new plugin.
Updated Oct 21, 20266 min read
How to install plugins in Ableton Live
Install VST3 or AU plugins in Ableton Live, enable the right folders, rescan and fix missing plugins. Follow along with a free 3-day Vitric trial.
Updated Oct 12, 20266 min read
How to install AU plugins in Logic Pro
Install AU plugins in Logic Pro, find the Components folder and fix validation failures with Reset & Rescan. Includes Apple Silicon and Vitric trial setup.
Updated Oct 12, 20266 min read
Manuals
Installation, controls and practical starting points. Each manual identifies the version it covers.
Kiln Synthesizer: the manual
Learn Kiln installation, presets, oscillators, Glass filters, modulation, effects, Field and Anneal, with exact entry and keyboard shortcuts.
Updated Oct 27, 20269 min read
Colorfield Mix Stage: the manual
Learn Colorfield installation, the shared stage, the six rooms, the listener seat and arrays, the deck, plots, scenes, collisions, Tail mode, every parameter and the license.
Updated Oct 16, 202617 min read
Burnish Vocal Chain: the manual
Install and activate Burnish 1.2, build a vocal chain with its eight stations, import a reference and work with macros, exact values and presets.
Updated Oct 15, 202611 min read
Halo Reverb: the manual
The manual for Halo Reverb: installation and license activation, the eight spaces and their engines, the six-band decay contour, HALO regeneration, freeze, ducking, the era switch, and the FAQ. Covers version 1.1.
Updated Oct 13, 202614 min read
Clearwall Limiter: the manual
Learn Clearwall installation, the Clear, Punch and Dense styles, every control, the meters, Unity and Delta listening, Codec margin, Target and Learn Drive, dither, Master and Live, and the presets.
Updated Oct 11, 20269 min read
Chamfer De-Esser: the manual
Install and activate Chamfer 0.2, learn the detection band, adjust sibilance, choose a style and use its event display, stereo modes and presets.
Updated Oct 1, 202610 min read
Plinth Subharmonic Synthesizer: the manual
Learn Plinth installation, activation, detection, generated subharmonics, Blend, manual override, clipping, presets and exact control entry.
Updated Oct 1, 20267 min read
Stoke Saturator: the manual
Learn Stoke installation, activation, Drive, Tone, Mix, Output, Auto, input calibration, presets and exact value entry.
Updated Oct 1, 20266 min read
Harmonic Multiband Compressor: the manual
Install, activate, and run the Harmonic Multiband Compressor: the Harmonics Engine, the six-band foundation, session recipes, and the full reference.
Updated Oct 1, 20269 min read
Caliper Compressor: the manual
Installation, activation, the four circuit modes, sidechain routing and session recipes for Caliper Compressor. Covers version 1.1.
Updated Oct 1, 20268 min read
Colonnade Delay: the manual
The manual for Colonnade Delay: installation and activation, the two engines and four characters, the depth axis, the echo stage as a control surface, routing, groove, and the FAQ. Covers version 1.1.
Updated Oct 1, 202613 min read
Iron Summing: the manual
The manual for Iron Summing: installation and activation, setting up the Channel and Bus console, Tone and the 32 voicings, Push and Flood, Width, Space, the Bus EQ, and the FAQ. Covers version 1.3.
Updated Oct 1, 202616 min read
Bevel EQ: the manual
The manual for Bevel EQ 1.2: installation and license activation, band shapes and slopes, dynamic bands, per-band stereo placement, the analyzer, the keyboard map, and the FAQ. Covers version 1.2.
Updated Sep 30, 202617 min read