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.EQ, short for equalization, helps you adjust the tonal balance of sound files. It is probably the most-versatile sonic-shaping tool useful for both fixing problems and creating unique sounds. One...

Need a dependable method for promoting your creative products and/or services? Try the lowly Frequently Asked Questions or FAQ format. This is essentially a question and answer approach that lets you ask and answer the most common questions about what you offer. Written right it can be a effective promotional tool. How do you do it? Try this. Lead with a headline that states the problems facing those...

I get asked a lot of questions by readers of my books, students, and other aspiring audio industry citizens. The most asked question is about jobs. Are there any audio jobs out there? My answer is yes, with an equivocation. Too many people trying to break into audio production think only about music production. Indeed that makes sense as most people get interested in audio via music. Yours truly included. The...

Here’s some sound advice on creativity for film/video sound designers and mixers from top-notch sound designer Randy Thom. 1. Learn your craft thoroughly, reading everything you can about the traditions and conventions of the craft, as well as experiments on the modern cutting edge. 2. Begin each project with few assumptions about the methods you will use. Let the needs of the project, most...

Need original music for your projects? Here’s a handy checklist to help you out: Selecting Your Composer Collect demos from 3-5 composers Listen and evaluate their work Narrow choice to one or two candidates Interview each about style, fees, deadlines, and project ideas Choose your composer Using Music Effectively Determine who your audience is Choose appropriate style to complement audience...

It’s winter here in Illinois, one of two seasons we have (the other is road construction season). So, snow and cold can sometimes put one in a foul mood. To top this off, the Illinois Legislature passed a 66% income tax hike on residents. That’ll hit hard in the wallet soon. Next this little zinger came from Amazon: “should Illinois Governor Pat Quinn sign a just-passed tax bill,...

The House Ear Institute is working hard to spread the word about hearing loss prevention. Their latest effort is aimed at teens and includes an extensive Website. There’s even a little ear-based icon a.k.a. Earbud! On the site you’ll find information about hearing and how to protect it. The Virtual Hearing Conservation guided tour is especially well-thought and executed. It’s an information-packed...

Sorting through some papers, I ran across a clipping from an old Electronic Musician magazine featuring the Fostex X-15 Cassette Multitrack – the one that featured the Beatles Sgt. Pepper. The X-15 was my first foray into multitrack sound recording, and my first non-musical instrument purchase (I already had some guitars and keyboards and  such). It was so cool how I could now overdub and work...