Raging Guitar Tones from Home By Frank Gryner (as published in Recording Magazine) We all know that guitar amp and cabinet simulators are an important part of most home studios. They’re a quick and easy tool to aid in songwriting and demo recordings, but can they go the distance on a master record? A lot of us have no choice—whether it is the ever-shrinking label budget or the projects that never had one, we’re faced with the issue of coming up with superior guitar tracks in

Dealing with Drum Ambience by Frank Gryner (as published in Recording Magazine) There are a lot of misconceptions about recording great drum sounds. I find that most engineers place too much emphasis on the type of microphones and their choice of outboard gear, over what I consider to be the top four faclors that contribute the most to quality drum sounds: the drummer, the drum kil, the drum room, and the miking technique in that room . They should all take priority over your

Thinking Like a Publisher by Frank Gryner (as published in Recording Magazine) Remember how long it took you to become a competent songwriter? How long did it take you to be able to make a decent recording? It can take this same kind of time and effort to build the network of industry contacts that will place your hit song in a major film, or in the hands of the artist you’d want to record it. This may be bad news for the shut-in all-star songwriter, but the reality is that i

What Do You Do For Money? by Frank Gryner (as published in Recording Magazine) Unfortunately, the last time I checked, a well-crafted, lyrically compelling serenade outside of your landlord’s door doesn’t preempt the eviction notice from getting tacked onto yours. In fact, most songwriters know all too well the difficulty in establishing real value for their work. While performing rights organizations like BMI and ASCAP are poised to collect the money that’s coming to you fro

Minding Your Own Business of Music By Frank Gryner (as published in Recording Magazine) As many major-label records as I’ve engineered and mixed over the years, I have to say that the projects I’ve found most satisfying were artist-funded independent ones. I’m a big fan of the underdog and there’s nothing I like to see more than an artist’s drive and desire paying off, propelling them from anonymity toward superstardom. It’s this creative spirit and enthusiasm to overcome the

Not-So-Hot for Teacher by Frank Gryner (as published in Recording Magazine) It doesn't seem so long ago when I was the one striking a posture-crippling pose in the seats of the Music Industry Arts program at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. With a roll of Ampex 456 under my arm I often braved the Canada cold at 3:00am-trudging through several feet of snow across the vast campus grounds with hopes of staking a claim to some unused studio time inside. I have to say, after s

Guest Editorial by Frank Gryner (as published in Recording Magazine 2005) With any rapid advancement in music technology comes a need to re-evaluate the recording process itself. I do believe that it's a self-regulating system that allows new music gear to either secure a place in our collective arsenal or eventually fall off the market and into the "bad idea" box. But I contend that there may be more to it than just acquiring award-winning recording equipment and knowing how