Fish(er) Tales

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting! These posts will give you a better idea about what this site is about. Start here, then go here, and here, and then here.Here are various tips, tricks, and more culled from the many chapters of my latest book, SOUNDTRACK SUCCESS : A Digital Storyteller’s Guide to Audio Post-Production (edited a bit for the blog). Production...

I get asked by people if they can see my studio. I always counter with this: “Have you seen a computer in a room?” If they answer yes, then, well, they know what my project studio looks like. There was a time when my studio was filled with gear, but now I rely on a computer, decent monitors, a few acoustic instruments, a MIDI keyboard controller, and that’s about it. I prefer to use...

I’m always on a mission to explore the world of sound. I’ve been at it for a number of years, and it would be oh-so-easy to rest on my laurels and take a business-as-usual tactic. Instead I continue to search for new methods, better techniques, and more useful tools (and that includes software). I’m not one who falls for the false consensus effect. It’s why I don’t use...

It seems like every technical field has its own jargon. And the film sound world is no exception. I’ve talked about this a bit in the past, but there’s always room to discuss more funny words and their actual meaning. Futz Sometimes you need to make sounds take on a specific quality. For instance, you need the music to sound as if it’s coming from a clock radio or a voice from a mobile...

Uh-oh. There’s an audio problem. Now what? When you are right in the heat of recording – whether in the friendly confines of the studio or on-location, some critical piece of gear is bound to fail at the most inopportune moment. A mic may stop working, the mixer may hiccup, the recorder may have issues, et al. It’s oh-so-easy to get flustered when several people are staring you down as you...

If you don’t know who Gary Rydstrom is, then you don’t know an awful lot about film sound. You can read a bit about him and his work on Mix, too. I ran across this quote from him recently and thought it should be shared. Sound effects editing and sound design to me is a lot like knitting. And sometimes I think that it’s like quilting. Or sometimes I even think that it’s like...

What are the keys to survival as a creative audio professional? Here’s a handy list: Live the life of a consummate artist Prepare yourself for the demands of business Write down your goals Research your market and your competition carefully and make a plan Practice your skills, both audio and business skills Be confident in your abilities Education is a precondition to survival in America today....

You might be astonished by how little volume changes have a big impact on a track and a mix. Sometimes the difference between a sound effect or a background sitting in a track or sticking out can be a minuscule volume adjustment. Don’t become frustrated when it seems as if you can’t find the right balance. Keep fiddling with volume until you find the right fit. Consider this advice from award-winning...