Surgical EQ vs Colored EQ
Searching for the best EQ plugins for mixing usually returns a ranked list, and the ranking hides the more useful question: what job do you need the EQ…
GForce Oberheim Matrix-12 Review
GForce Oberheim Matrix-12 Review: Thick Analog Bass and Inspiring Presets Some synthesizers make their strongest impression through an extensive feature list. Others catch your attention the moment you start playing. After spending time with GForce Oberheim Matrix-12, the bass sounds were the standout. Thick, convincing, and full of analog character, they make a strong case … Read more
TOTAL VI MAX 2: Worth It for R&B Producers?
IK Multimedia TOTAL VI MAX 2: Is This $49.99 Bundle Worth It for R&B and Hip-Hop Producers? A soulful piano progression. A bassline that moves around the kick. An organ that lifts the chorus. A string phrase you can bounce, chop, and turn into the foundation of a beat. Those are the kinds of musical … Read more
UJAM CINEDREAM Review: Worth It?
UJAM CINEDREAM Review: A Cinematic Guitar Deal for R&B Producers? Atmosphere can make a simple chord progression feel like the beginning of a song. A background texture, a slow swell, or a small melodic detail can establish a beat’s emotional setting before the drums even arrive. That is the creative opportunity behind UJAM CINEDREAM—and its … Read more
Native Instruments Massive XL Review
Massive XL Review: Is It Time to Upgrade from Massive X? Native Instruments knows how to make a software instrument feel premium. Inspiring sounds, deep customization, and an interface that encourages exploration are all part of the appeal—and Massive XL continues that tradition. For producers making trap, pop, trap soul, and R&B, there is plenty … Read more
Parallel Compression on Drums
Drums that sound polite usually have the right notes and a decent balance, but the hits lack weight and the tails die too quickly.
How to Tame Harsh Vocals with Multiband Compression
Harsh vocals usually come from one of a few sources: boxy low mids, a bite around the upper mids, sharp “s” sounds, or low notes that boom louder than…
RC-20 Retro Color v2 Review: Worth the Upgrade?
RC-20 Retro Color v2 Review: Is the Upgrade Worth It? Sometimes a sound has all the right notes but still needs something. Your chords work. The melody fits. The instrument sounds good. Yet you keep searching for the character that makes the track feel like yours. RC-20 Retro Color v2 gives you plenty of ways … Read more
Solid State Logic SSL Blitzer Review
SSL Blitzer: Is This $19.99 Compressor Worth It for Hip Hop and R&B? A compressor earns its place in a session when it solves a problem—or gives a sound some personality worth keeping. For Hip Hop and R&B producers, that could mean drums with more body, a vocal that stays present through a busy chorus, … Read more