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Tech Tips

inSync Tech Tips cover over 4,800 music and audio topics spanning 15 years of technological development. Look here to find answers to your tech questions, cool tips and tools for making music, and more.

Drums Tech Tips

Permalink to Propellerhead and macOS High Sierra Compatibility
Sep 25 2017, 6:42 PM

Propellerhead and macOS High Sierra Compatibility

Note: for complete, up-to-the-minute information on macOS High Sierra software compatiblity for music and audio software, visit SweetCare! Our friends at Propellerhead Software have released the following statement... Read more »
Permalink to Steinberg Updates Dorico to Version 1.1
Aug 9 2017, 5:18 PM

Steinberg Updates Dorico to Version 1.1

Steinberg has released the most comprehensive update yet to Dorico, their flagship scoring application. Dorico 1.1 adds the following features: Support for chord symbols, which can be added via keyboard or... Read more »
Permalink to Steinberg updates Dorico to version 1.1
Jun 28 2017, 4:28 PM

Steinberg updates Dorico to version 1.1

Steinberg has released Dorico 1.1, the latest version of their music notation software, with nearly 500 enhancements and improvements. A big feature of version 1.1 is the introduction of support for chord symbols... Read more »
Permalink to Sonoma Wire Works Releases DrumCore 4.2
Jun 2 2017, 3:49 PM

Sonoma Wire Works Releases DrumCore 4.2

Sonoma Wire Works has updated DrumCore to version 4.2. The new release adds UI zooming: right-click anywhere to set the zoom factor between 50-100%. DrumCore 4 fits better on laptops and smaller screens. In... Read more »
Permalink to How Many Takes Should I Record?
May 11 2017, 5:36 PM

How Many Takes Should I Record?

As many as you need, and no more. In all seriousness, modern DAWs let you record as many takes of the same part as you want, but there definitely is a point of diminishing returns. First, unless you are purely... Read more »
Permalink to Rein in the Reverb
May 9 2017, 6:01 PM

Rein in the Reverb

Reverb is an integral part of near every finished recording. It creates space in the mix, and ambience and body for individual instruments. For some types of sound design, a huge, cavernous reverb is an integral... Read more »
Permalink to Powered Mixer, Powered Speaker, or Power Amp?
May 4 2017, 5:34 PM

Powered Mixer, Powered Speaker, or Power Amp?

Q: I see powered mixers, powered speakers, and power amps for PAs. I'm a bit confused which do I need? Does everything need to be powered? A: What we're referring to here is an amplifier for driving PA speakers... Read more »
Permalink to Vocalists: Bring Your Own Mic to the Gig
Apr 18 2017, 7:28 PM

Vocalists: Bring Your Own Mic to the Gig

As a vocalist singing with bands (and that includes instrumentalists who sing backups as well as lead singers), it's possible to get by without owning your own vocal microphone. Often the person in the band who owns... Read more »
Permalink to Peace of Mind: Uninterruptable Power Supply
Apr 14 2017, 5:48 PM

Peace of Mind: Uninterruptable Power Supply

Many people use an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) battery back-up power unit for their computer — basically a UPS is a battery that provides power when the AC from the wall is cut. With a UPS there's... Read more »
Permalink to How to Choose a Kick Drum for Metal: Bigger Isn’t Necessarily Better
Mar 2 2017, 7:57 AM

How to Choose a Kick Drum for Metal: Bigger Isn’t Necessarily Better

It's no secret that heavy metal features big drums smashing away with pounding bass and grinding guitars. It's tempting to think that means you need a huge kick drum in your kit. And some metal drummers do prefer... Read more »
Permalink to How to Add Dynamics to Your Songs
Feb 22 2017, 7:30 PM

How to Add Dynamics to Your Songs

"Dynamics," as we're using the term here, means the difference in volume between the softest part of your song and the loudest. Dynamics give your song peaks and valleys. The quiet moments make the louder moments... Read more »
Permalink to Sonoma Wire Works Updates DrumCore to v4.1.0
Feb 13 2017, 7:10 PM

Sonoma Wire Works Updates DrumCore to v4.1.0

Sonoma Wire Works has released DrumCore v4.1.0. In addition to numerous bug fixes, the update features seven dedicated stereo auxiliary outputs for busing sub-mix channels within a session. The full drum mix is... Read more »
Permalink to How Many Channels Does A Rehearsal PA System Need?
Feb 6 2017, 5:23 PM

How Many Channels Does A Rehearsal PA System Need?

Q: I'm starting a new band, and we're going to need a PA for rehearsals. But how do I know how big of a PA I need? A: Few things are as exciting as getting a band together, finding a rehearsal space, and beginning... Read more »
Permalink to Surgical EQ vs. Tone Shaping EQ
Jan 12 2017, 7:21 PM

Surgical EQ vs. Tone Shaping EQ

Sometimes a precision, "surgical" EQ cut or boost is exactly what a track or channel needs to accentuate or remove a trouble frequency or to control feedback or resonances. But other times, a wider bandwidth EQ... Read more »
Permalink to Make Sure Snare Mic Is In Phase With Overhead Tracks
Jan 4 2017, 8:22 AM

Make Sure Snare Mic Is In Phase With Overhead Tracks

Sometimes, you just can't seem to get your snare recordings to sound punchy. You do all the right processing in your DAW — compress the snare, EQ it to be snappy, but it still sounds lackluster. What you may... Read more »
Permalink to Don’t Skimp On Interface Quality
Dec 29 2016, 8:18 AM

Don’t Skimp On Interface Quality

It's fun to spend most of your budget on "sexy" pieces of gear — guitars, synths, amps, pedals, and so on; basically, the items that you can use directly to make sound and look awesome doing it! But don't... Read more »
Permalink to PreSonus Releases Notion 6.1
Dec 20 2016, 5:42 PM

PreSonus Releases Notion 6.1

PreSonus has updated Notion, their notation software application, to version 6.1. In addition to dozens of bug fixes, the new update includes: New keyboard workflowsEnter notes and chords with QWERTY keyboard in... Read more »
Permalink to Can I Use Unbalanced Cables with Balanced Equipment?
Dec 14 2016, 6:42 PM

Can I Use Unbalanced Cables with Balanced Equipment?

You can — with some caveats. The advantage of using balanced cables to connect between balanced outputs and balanced inputs is that balanced connections have better noise rejection, thanks to a second... Read more »
Permalink to Gotta Gig? Bring Backups!
Dec 5 2016, 7:22 PM

Gotta Gig? Bring Backups!

Yes, backing up your computer data is vital. But this article is about another kind of backup: redundant gear, so that if something goes wrong, you're not out of commission. Today's gear is undeniably solid and... Read more »
Permalink to How to Prepare for an Outdoor Gig
Nov 23 2016, 7:36 PM

How to Prepare for an Outdoor Gig

You already know that an outdoor gig has no walls or ceiling. The main effect that walls have is that they contain the soundwaves you project. Without walls, you may find that your amps don't project nearly as far... Read more »
Permalink to The Importance of Your Workspace When Recording
Nov 21 2016, 6:19 PM

The Importance of Your Workspace When Recording

No, this isn't a tip about applying feng shui to your studio. There's a lot out there on the acoustic properties of a good studio, but let's talk a bit about the ergonomic properties that will help you get the most... Read more »
Permalink to What Can’t You Fix in the Mix?
Oct 18 2016, 5:20 PM

What Can’t You Fix in the Mix?

We've all heard the saying "We'll fix it in the mix" — the idea being that if a performance is a winner, but with a few fixable flaws, it's best to keep that performance and address the few weak spots later in the... Read more »
Permalink to How to Create a “Mic Room” for Kick Drum Mics
Sep 7 2016, 8:47 AM

How to Create a “Mic Room” for Kick Drum Mics

Getting a clean kick drum sound is the Holy Grail of drum recording. Therefore, it's important to minimize bleed from other drums as much as possible. One trick is to isolate the kick drum mic with a "fort" made of... Read more »
Permalink to Sonoma Wire Works Updates DrumCore to v4.0.11
Sep 1 2016, 3:59 PM

Sonoma Wire Works Updates DrumCore to v4.0.11

Sonoma Wire Works has released a bugfix update to their drum instrument, DrumCore 4. The new version, 4.0.11, fixes an incorrect sample rate issue in Sonar X3, a WAV file naming and default folder issue when... Read more »

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Being music makers ourselves, we love geeking out on all things gear. From the tweakiest techniques to the biggest ideas, our experts work hard to constantly supply inSync with a steady stream of helpful, in-depth demos, reviews, how-tos, news, and interviews. With over 28,000 articles and counting, inSync is your FREE resource for breaking news, reviews, demos, interviews, and more.