From the Studio
Production Tips, Gear Reviews & Tutorials
Real knowledge from 30+ years behind the console — mixing techniques, synthesis deep-dives, gear reviews, and studio insights by Claudio Passavanti.
Featured Article
The Fairlight CMI: Your Most Frequently Asked Questions, Answered
From Art of Noise to Terminator 2, the Fairlight CMI is on records you've heard a thousand times — here are the 13 most-asked questions about it, answered by an expert.
132 articles
The Man Behind Jam & Spoon on Techno, Trance and the 909
An hour with Jam El Mar of Jam & Spoon: why genre labels don't matter, the Berlin that gave birth to techno, a 909 bought from a wedding musician for 500 marks, and the best DJ advice I've heard: do it in the groove.
I Recreated Another Brick in the Wall, Kids' Choir and All
Real bass tuned down to D, guitars I had no business playing, and a men's chorus and a whole class of kids made from my own voice with SoundID VoiceAI. Rebuilding Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2).
I Split "Big in Japan" Into Stems and Found Things Nobody's Heard
Pulling Alphaville's Big in Japan apart with LALAL.AI turned up backing vocals buried in the mix and a bass playing fifths. Then I rebuilt it as a deep house remix at 122 BPM, starting with a shaker made from pure noise.
Two Producers, One Synth, One Track: A Techno Masterclass With Jam El Mar
Jam El Mar of Jam & Spoon came to the studio and we built an early-nineties techno track out of nothing but the Martinic Prodigy and a 909. Tempos, kick tuning, why a high 909 snare is house and a low one is techno.
A.I. Survival Guide for P****d Off Musicians
The Amen break, a 1982 union motion to ban synthesizers, and 40 years of the same argument. Where the AI critics are right, where they're wrong, and the six ways AI actually gave me my week back without touching my music.
ASM Leviasynth: A Digital Heart With an Analog Filter
300 waveforms, an oscilloscope that teaches you what you're doing, filters that double as oscillators, and an FM matrix underneath it all — with a real analog filter on the end. A walkthrough of the ASM Leviasynth.
I Finished My Commodore 64 Synthesizer
Seven episodes in: a proper detachable enclosure, a dead SID chip brought back to life, two vintage SIDs running hard left and hard right, and a free virtual version you can play right now.
Rhodes Clav Pro: The Most Convincing Clavinet I've Played in Software
Modelled on the Clavinet D6 — and I have a real black D6 in the studio to compare it against. Panel by panel through the Rhodes Clav Pro, including the trick hiding in the mechanical-noise control.
Carbon Electra 2: The Synth That Thinks in Music, Not Just Sound
A modern synth built around music, not just sound. Wave Terrain oscillators, Scale Lock, and chord sequencing make Carbon Electra 2 one of the most inspiring instruments I've played in ages.
The Rarest Hammond On Earth
A 1956 Hammond C3 rebuilt into a flight case, refinished by a drum company, carried down a ship's staircase in Lyon — and the Italian musician who spent his school-book money on Brian Auger records at fourteen and ended up owning it.
The Theremin Explained
The theremin is a single oscillator electronic musical instrument with two metal rods used to control pitch and amplitude by … read more
Roland D-50: Digital Brain, Analog Soul
Roland D-50: The Digital Revolution That Shaped the Sound of the ’80s In the ever-evolving world of synthesizers, few instruments … read more
How To Use Reverb in Your Mix
Reverb is one of the most powerful tools in mixing — and one of the most misused. Get it right, … read more
Singer’s Vocal Range Chart
Whether you’re a singer, vocal coach, or music producer working with vocalists, knowing the standard vocal ranges is essential. Combined … read more
Note To Frequency Chart
One of the most powerful – and most overlooked – tools in a mixer’s arsenal is the Note to Frequency … read more
Parallel Compression Explained
Discovering parallel compression was a big “a-ha” moment for me. It was a moment that forever changed the way I … read more
How Can I Make My Mixes Sound Professional?
“How do I make my mixes sound like a real record?” — I’ve been asked this question thousands of times. … read more
How To Make The Kick Drum Punchy
Do you know why most commercial records have such big and punchy kick drum? Have you ever tried to match … read more
How Audio Compression Works
Understanding how audio compression works is pivotal for anyone engaged in music making and mixing. This process is one of … read more
How can I make my mixes louder?
To start things off, don’t expect to slam a limiter on the bus, crank down on it, and get your … read more
How To Make Your Mix Sound Professional: 10 Golden Rules
Every mix engineer has a checklist — a set of principles they return to on every session. After years of … read more
Sequential Circuit – Prophet 5
A Synthesizer Like No Other When it comes to synthesizers that have left an indelible mark on the music industry, … read more
Minimoog: The Legendary Synth That Shaped Modern Music
The Moog Minimoog: A Syntheser Journey from Earth to the Stars There aren’t many synthesizers that can claim their sound … read more
Doctor Mix Studios Gear List
Mixing Desks: Thermionic Culture: Fat Bustard Yamaha Nuage: Comprised of 4x Yamaha NIO500-D16, RIO1608-D2, NCS500-CT, and NCS500-FD Outboard Effects: Aphex: … read more
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