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Tweak's
Guide
to recording success

In the Guide you can learn all the basics of how the latest recording technologies work, step by step, from  easy-to-read pages to in-depth articles that seasoned audio professionals will appreciate.

Noobie Overview 

updated 10/31
Comparison Charts

 

Recent Articles

 

 

Essentials

Alesis MultiMix 12FIREWIRE 12-Channel Mixer with Firewire
The Alesis MultiMix FireWire 12 Mixer is part of the new line of MultiMix mixers featuring FireWire data connectivity. . Tweak: I use it and it sounds great for the price.

 

Audio Interfacing

Best audio interface over $1000

poll

RME Fireface 800

Best soundcard under $100  poll

MAudio Audiophile 2496

 

Tip # 3 Stop Comparing your Music to "OPM" (other people's music)

Your music is about you!  Not them.  Yes. it's a scary journey.  But that is where your personal treasure trove of musical gold lies.  Don't be an imposter.  Dig yourself

 

 

Recording, Composition and arranging department

 

What?!  U'r already a Producah? Oh that's tight! So take Tweak's Test and see if you really got it poppin'.

 

 

Digital Sampling

The MV8800  Roland MV8800

Downloadable Sounds at zZounds (Hey that rhymes!)

 

 

VG99

 Roland VG99

Epiphone Zakk Wylde

Epiphone 1958 Korina Flying V Electric Guitar

Taylor 814CE

Tweak's Guitar Gallery

Enter 
It's Cool Inside

Martin   Taylor   Gibson    Jackson

Fender    Epiphone    Ibanez

Electric Guitars

Amplifiers

Acoustic Guitars-Steel

Classic Guitars-Nylon

More Guitars


 

zZounds Beat Suite
large product image
Tweak:  No matter what kind of music you do, including stuff no one has ever heard before, this suite can get you there.   Komplete is a killer collection of software synths, samplers, virtual drum machines and effects.  The Firebox is your audio interface.  Comes with Cubase LE, your recording software.  The MPK49 is a flexible controller that lets you play all your great new virtual instruments. Add a Mic, stand, your computer and you have a fantastic way to work.

21 Ideas for Home
Studio
Rigs
"now interactive!" at studio-central  

If I were starting out today, I'd click this

Tweak's Recession Buster Rig
"Make the music while we live the blues"

Just add your computer (with firewire) and cables.

 

Great sound at low cost
"EZ to get started software based system"

Discuss this Rig!

 

Entry level Mixer Based System
"inexpensive but works and sounds good"

Discuss this rig!

 

PC DAW Firewire Studio with motorized faders
"Power for the buck"

Discuss this Rig!

 

Dream Mac Studio
"Awe inspiring solution for composition, recording, mixing and mastering!"

Discuss this rig!

See More Studio Rigs   

Looking for SSL? The Line is here.

 

 

Putting Together your Recording Studio

 

 

The Virtual Recording Studio: Software Instruments, Synths and Samplers



Basic Theory

Drum Soft Samplers

 

Soft Synth Reviews

Tweak: Minimoog V (software) Sounds amazingly like the hardware

Reason Articles

Samplers

 

Sample Playback Instruments

See all articles on Software Synths and Samplers

About This Site

On this site you will find everything you need to know about producing master quality music in your home studio. You will find a gold mine of studio information,  and many often guarded recording industry secrets.

100% Pure Original Content, Tweakheadz Lab is the real deal!

Tweakheadz Lab has its own community forums, where you can meet others and ask questions. You will find people who really know this craft as well as people just starting out.
Tweak's site is the best site for learning music gear and is affiliated with the BEST online music gear stores on the internet: zZounds!
You are safe surfing at TweakHeadz! You might notice the funky look and feel of this website.  That is because it's all hand written in html by me! There's no evil popups or scripts or click schemes designed to trick you to buy stuff.  I do use images from zZounds database (with their permission) so for maximum enjoyment, allow your browser to Load images from zZounds.com
In addition to being your webmaster and forum administrator, The Tweak is a sound developer and composer, as well as a teacher in real life. TweakHeadz Lab has been serving the World-wide Community of Professional Electronic Musicians since 1996.
Thanks for Your Support!

TweakHeadz Lab  | Studio-Central | Audio-Pro-Central | About Tweak's zZounds and SameDayMusic Affiliations | Site Map | Privacy Policy |
 ©2008 TweakHeadz.com

About the
Forums

Read About the Community  Register! (It's free!) and you get:

  • Direct access to the Tweak and a quality community of great folks
  • Free constructive Review of your Songs by other members!
  • Personal messaging
  • Gear reviews and comparisons
  • a Vast database of questions and ANSWERS!  Over 30,000 questions answered
  • Integrated with many of Tweak's articles for a seamless learning experience. 

 


Tip # 6 Whatever you are creating, don't take it so seriously that you can't have fun with it!

If you are having a good time with your creations there is a good chance people will notice that. 

Tweakheadz is iPhone friendly

 

 




Google
 
 

Recession Buster
Dealz found at zZounds:

that I find particularly sweet!


New Mixers at zZounds!

large product image
Sonar 8 is shipping


Version 8 Producer includes many new instruments to get you going

 

Spectrasonics Omnisphere
Software Synth
it's here, its hot!

Universal Audio UAD2 Solo DSP Card
2.5X the DSP power of UAD1. Includes UA Mix Essentials II and UAD $50 Voucher. High-bandwidth PCI Express card.  Tweak: If you crossgrade from a UAD-1 before the end of the year, UAD will transfer your licenses for free. See their site. 

zZounds now carries Ready Acoustics Bass Traps

Keyboards and Modules



Roland Fantom-G8 88-Key Sampling Workstation

Those Fantom X 88's are going out at low prices

  Blofeld module

Yamaha MM6--great for hip hop!Best multi-timbral synth under $600
 poll

Roland Juno D was de-throned by the Yamaha MM6

What is Tweak buying?  Now the proud owner of a V-Synth GT  And yeah, I am tweaking its knobs off!

large product imageReview: V-Synth GT

 

Fantom G, Motif XS, Or Korg M3?  Our readers say:

Fantom G

poll

Tweak has the Motif XS

Review


The Fantastic Motif XS

 

 

Microphones and Preamps

 RE20SM58SM57
What do all these Mics have in Common? All of our members know.  Do you? Start reading the Guide today!
 

Rode NT1aThe Best All-Purpose Condenser Mic for $200 
poll

Rode NT1a

Best  microphone preamp $100-250

DMP3

poll

 

Tip # 2 Knowledge
IS Power!


Great Performances
+recording technique
+ Inspired MIX
+ Mastering
= Professional Quality Production

Let Tweak shorten your learning curve.  Learn, Experiment, Gain Experience--that is the true road.




Sequencers and Daws

Tweak uses Logic

Tweak: $500 has never bought a better sequencer.  You can spend more, but you'll get less!  See my review

large product image

Tweak: Cubase is the most popular sequencer in the world.
 

What does
$49.99
buy today?



 Ever wonder what it would be like to browse a whole music store by price? With the Tweak's database of products,  you can!  



Big Mixers are back!  Check out the Allen and Heath Line

Allen and Heath ZED436 36-Channel Mixer with USB Interface
 

New Lower prices on Tascam DM 4800 and DM3200 digital mixers

 

Tweak's BookStore

Tweak's BookStore has three Amazon A-stores and now sells Pro Gear and World Instruments As well as Books and Music



Accessorize Yourself

Strings

Cables

Foam

Sticks

Picks


Tuners

Pickups

Blank

Media

Power

 

Cool Quote

"There is _no_ theory. You have only to listen. Pleasure is the law. I love music passionately. And because l love it, I try to free it from barren traditions that stifle it. It is a free art gushing forth, an open-air art boundless as the elements, the wind, the sky, the sea. It must never be shut in and become an academic art."

Claude Debussy

More quotations

Hear Tweak's Latest work with Christina on "The Secret Door" Released Nov 14

Christina Morgan
Christina Morgan

 

Tweak's Music
hundreds of songs online

 

 Tweak's "Planet Wonder"

hi-fi      Download

has once again reclaimed  #1 in the "experimental sounds" genre Soundclick on 2-7-08. Yeall! We are Hotern' yo homy! Tek Respekt yo!  

there's more in the jukebox

 

Best large condenser around $100 
poll

Studio Projects B1



Tip # 4 Headroom is more important than Loudness 

Making your tracks "as hot as possible" is an analog throwback that no longer applies to digital.  Recording at 24 bit, you'll get a better sound, and a better mix, if you give yourself a generous cushion between your signal and 0db on the meters.

 


Mixing, mastering, and monitoring

 

Best monitors under $300

  poll

KRK RP5G2 Rokit Powered

Best monitors $300-$500  poll
The KRK RP8--good call for a home studio monitor
KRK RP8G2 Rokit Powered
 

Tip # 5 Bass Kills

Many tracks have unneeded bass which when summed together can destroy your mix

 

Best headphones under $100  poll


Sony MDR 7506

 

 

Working with Video

There were over 175 user polls in our forums on last count (And that was a while ago!)

The TweakLab is now powered by LogicPro 8  and Final Cut Studio on an Apple G5 (soon to be Mac Pro)

 

It's
NEW!

(New Arrivals and stuff you can Pre-Order)

it used to be new
bLOwOuts





  The Best Site for Learning Music Production