Beat English

Beat combines competent hardware and software tests with dedicated reviews as well as reports and interviews from musicians and the music business. We will report on music production with the latest synthesizers and computers, introduce new trends in recording, and always have our finger on the pulse with up-to-date reports. Many well-known specialist report on the widespread music production solutions and experienced editors take care of the most important entertainment and scene topics. This magazine is a platform for musicians and contains a regular demo and MP3 section for readers as well as a download with high-quality sample and music files for creative musicians. Software licenses available while stock lasts. You can check the availability of each product here: www.plugins-samples.com/all-issues

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SOFTWARE HIGHLIGHTS

Navigator: Best of Beat # 236

Magazine

Jennifer Lowpass

MICROPHONES NO MORE RECORDING FRUSTRATION: HOW TO FIND THE BEST SOUND • The microphone is the heart of your sound - whether you‘re a beatmaker, live performer, sound engineer, podcaster, or singer. It determines the quality of the recording even before you adjust the first knob. But which type is right for you? Which polar pattern captures your sound perfectly? What are USB microphones good for, and is a vocal booth really necessary? We‘ll cover the basics, dispel common myths, and give you practical tips for vocals, instruments, and speech so you can avoid common mistakes and get the most out of your setup! Plus, we‘ve included 24 microphones in our buying guide.

Basics

Buyer‘s guide: 16 popular microphones at a glance

Classic mics in a box • Virtual microphone modeling systems emulate the characteristics of various studio classics – all for a fraction of the price of the originals. This not only saves money but also saves space. In this article, you‘ll learn about the different systems available and their advantages and disadvantages.

This gear improves the sound of your microphone! • A good microphone alone is rarely enough. Just getting the recordings „into your computer“ requires an audio interface and a cable. A good tripod, pop filter, or shock mounts can contribute significantly to noise-free recordings. And if you want a premium sound, an additional preamp can be useful.

When smartphone and laptop are sufficient for recording • If you ask major producers, the „voice memo“ is a common topic. It‘s not uncommon for vocal or sometimes even guitar recordings made directly in the moment of creation to be unattainably good in terms of performance and feel. However, the built-in microphones on today‘s smartphones and laptops are also good enough these days. But for what purposes are they sufficient?

What to consider when recording vocals & speech! • Set up the microphone, connect the cable, start recording in your DAW – off you go. If only it were that easy! This is where you often encounter unpleasant surprises if you haven‘t familiarized yourself with microphone setup, i.e., the correct positioning of a microphone. Too quiet, too much space, too indirect, too distorted – but before you spend hours trying to salvage what you can with post-production tools like Izotope RX, good microphone setup is much more likely to achieve your goal. The right distance, the right height, the right position in the room – and your recordings will sound better!

Guitar and bass recording • Guitar and bass are now incredibly easy to record – whether via cable directly into an audio interface or with modern amp modelers like Kemper and others. However, if you want something a little more authentic or want to get the most out of your sound, you can‘t avoid using a microphone. The following section explores the various miking options for acoustic and electric guitars and basses – along...