I’ve never done anything consistent for 6 years straight – other than be married to my wife, be a daddy to my daughters, and create content for The Recording Revolution.
This past week 6 years ago I wrote my first ever post on TRR and I’ve dropped (hopefully) helpful and encouraging articles and videos every week since.
And to celebrate these past six years I want to give one of you $600 towards a home studio upgrade!
Can I Give You $600 Towards Your Studio?
One of my favorite things to do is give.
Whether it’s giving money to my church, to struggling friends and family, or to total strangers at a busy intersection asking for change – giving is truly a joy.
Also, The Recording Revolution is founded on giving. I give away 95% of my material – absolutely free! Always have, always will.
So it’s with great joy that I’d like to hook one of you up with $600 worth of home studio upgrades!
Entering to win is simple – use the widget below, accomplish one or more of the “tasks” and you’ll be entered to win. The more “tasks” you complete the greater your odds of winning become.
On Friday October 16th at noon EST (12:00PM) I will draw a winner at random. Easy peasy!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
6 Of My Most Popular Posts
Also – if you’re you’re new to the revolution then I want to welcome you.
I didn’t know 6 years ago that I would be creating free training content for over 200,000 people a month in over 40 countries.
In fact at the time I was literally only writing for my friends – some of the best musicians I knew who wanted a little guidance on how how to buy and setup a home studio.
I had no intention of this thing ever blowing up and becoming one of the most trusted resources for recording and mixing online.
I am truly humbled and grateful and if I have helped you make your music better in any way, it was an honor, truly.
With over 800 posts and videos, The Recording Revolution vault is deep but here are 6 of my most popular posts over the past 6 years for you to enjoy.
4 Core Concepts You Must Know In Order To Mix On Any DAW
Why You’re Better Than You Think You Are (Or The Psychology Of Confidence)
How To Use Multiband Compression To Get Instant Mix Energy
The One Mixing Hack That Not Only Gives You Better Mixes Every Time But Makes You A Better Mixer
Why I Mixed My Latest EP At Starbucks (And 4 Lessons I Learned Along The Way)
Thanks again for enjoying all the content on The Recording Revolution. Your support has been incredible. I’m excited to continue to bring you the best training I can, week in and week out!
Do Not Create Another Song Until You Read This Guide
(Price: $17 Free Today)
Discover the 6 Steps for Creating a Radio-Worthy Song From Scratch
Hi Graham,
great, thank for all content so helpfull to us!
Ive been watching your videos now for 2 years and I can tell you you’ve been a big influence to me. I used to dislike mixing or trying to learn but your little tips have made recording and mixing a hobby of mine. The biggest take I’ve gotten from your websites and videos are you can get a professional sounding recording with the way you setup your recording session or studio
Graham is one of the reason music making is transforming into new level. Helped me a lot and inspired also. Always a subscriber. Love.
Amazing 6 years now! Congrats gram, hope u doing it a long time! You help people all over the world, to show how great an easy it camn be sometimes! Keep doing what you doing with all your passion!
greet
RD
Agreed
The biggest thing I’ve learned (from TRR and now experience)- Recording is truly about honing in your own skills, not stacking up tons of equipment. The more I record the more I am convinced that someone with budget equipment who knows what they are doing can make an immensely better recording than the kids who has tons of gear but has no idea what to do with it.
Biggest Frustration- Mastering EQ! It’s not just how to adjust parameters, but knowing what it is that I’m after and how then to accomplish that using EQ. TRR does a FABulous job on teaching EQ, I just need more time marinating in it and practicing it 🙂
THANK YOU!
Dean Davis
College Station, Texas
Its great watching your videos & being able to see another engineer going through his workflow & sharing it with the world.
Cheers Graham
Great Graham!
Thank you for your superb tutorials!
Thanks for all the great info. The biggest frustration for me right now is finishing and mostly releasing my songs. Them being the first substantial release.
The best thing I learned from TRR, is the article on creating Headroom in the mix, I was skeptical at first, and didn’t even bother with it…..but when I tried it, it was like magic, I could hear nuances that I never heard before, and each track stood on it’s own without competing with other tracks. The biggest problem or frustration at moment is laying down a good vocal part to a new song I wrote. Up till recently, my primary problem was mixing/mastering a finished song…..that’s where Graham, and TRR came in!!
hi Graham, my most valuable lesson from your posts is on how to minimize my options and maximize on my skill. this has helped me focus on improving my mixes rather than on geer lust. my greatest frustration in my studio is on acoustic treatment since i am using improvised material although i am considering purchasing acoustic treatment materials from auralex. thank you for your continued support
Awesome, Graham!
Keep up the good work! Congrats!
HI Graham!
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again… you’ve helped me so much. The free stuff, ReThink and Dueling Mixes all offer a mentorship that simply is not available to most people now (particularly me as im 32 with a full time career already, in a country where i do not speak the native language fluently). I used to have harsh, shrill, boomy, boxy, unbalanced mixes which did not translate outside my DAW (and honestly didn’t sound that great in my DAW). You have helped me overcome that in under a year. I am playing my mixes to people, offering to mix other people’s music for them and loving it. I get so much more gratification from this art and craft than i did a year ago. RecordingRevolution, I salute you!
modson
Hi
I learnt so much from your posts: the most important lesson is that you don’t have to spend money on very expensive gears, when they are less expensive gears that can produce equally good sound if you learn and understand what you are doing.
cheers to 6 years Graham!
steve-o
I look forward to the next 6 years, thanks for your hard work over the last 6.
Happy anniversary!
And thank you! You certainly have helped me.
As I always told you. I’m grateful for all the knowledge that you share with us. God Bless you Graham
6 years of knowledge giving GRAHAM you have my respect, Hope i win 😀
Best thing I’ve learned from this site is that it’s a combination of small things that make the difference and not big, swooping moves.
This pretty much sums up what I was trying to convey. Everything from being minimal in compression and EQ’ing to making certain you start with a song/story to capturing good emotive performance. Heavens to Besty, Graham…thank you for enabling me to do what I enjoy 3rd most in life.
Always great information. Congrats on the anniversary, Graham!
Yeah, really excellent stuff. Without a doubt though the most important thing I learned was to spend more of my time in the recording phase, instead of trying to force it all together in the mixing phase. Really changed how I looked at music production.
Thanks so much for all Your great content, help and tutorials ! They help me so much ! I hope to meet You once personally. Graham, You and The Recording Revolution are awesome !!!
Congratulations on 6 years of excellent and very helpful content you have worked very hard to produce. As a qualified music educator, specialising in Audio, I have found your resources invaluable to direct my students to for further extra-curricular study.
Well done, mate!
All the very best,
Jonny
Thanks for all the help, great tutorials!
This website and blog, as well as your YouTube has taught me so much. I have grown from knowing practically nothing about mixing and sound. To having started my own home studio and recorded music for myself as well as helped to record and mix multiple friends. Countless hours of music have been put to cd because of you. Thanks so much! And many blessings!
I need to find out how to start using my equipment. Is there a beginners corner here on recording revolution that would explain stuff to me?
That I can do this! Getting professional recodings seemed unreachable do to obstacles like money, talent and experience. Graham helped me with all of those. God bless you Graham!
The things you have been showing over the last year or so that I found have been very helpful and a big insight to me and my mixing. They have made the mixing process soo much more creative for me as opposed to robotic.
You are a genuine dude and I think I can speak for everyone when I say we really appreciate your time and effort!
Best thing learned,
mono mixing (this is a game changer)
thanks for everything Graham
Congrats on six years! The biggest thing I’ve learned from reading your articles and watching your videos that, aside from some killer techniques, I don’t need a ton of fancy gear to make great sounding music.
Keep making great content, Graham! Always loved watching your videos and reading your blog!
Have a nice day!
Jess
Graham has helped me learn how important is to learn how to listen to your mix, not just do moves because they are what your supposed to do, but rather listen to what the mix needs.
Graham your basic mixing in mono and compression and EQ moves give me better mixes every day. thank you for what you doing
I’d have to echo what Mitch said…it’s the subtle combination of small RIGHT EQ moves, compression decisions and other mix moves that result in huge and noticeable changes. Mixing in mono was also an incredible tip!
Keep up the great work, saved me a fortune on buying new gear to get that shine ! The secret was to learn how to mix and you made it possible! Thank you
Thanks for teaching the importance of mixing in mono and at low volumes. My one frustration with my recording is customer acquisition. I’m into the work part, but I’m not really good at the salesman part.
The biggest thing I learned was about subtractive EQ. I had always been EQ’ing to boost. That was a big game changer for me.
Right now, my “frustration” is just in getting my mixes to sound as polished as possible.
Through your site I’ve been able to produce, mix, and master an EP for my church releasing this Sunday. Couldn’t have done it without your tutorials and advice. Thank you!
The best thing I leard from Recording Revolution is actually many small aspects that in combination make huge difference.
If i’d have to take one thing it would be mixing/eq in mono.
Currently in my studio i’m struggling with motivation and creativity blocks when it comes to mixing and songwriting so your ‘life’ related vlogs really make a difference to me.
Keep it up!
Thx for the gift mate. Keep up the good job.
So grateful for your wisdom!
Keep the good work!
Very cool giveaway. Best of luck everyone.
Hi Graham
You have one of the best blogs of mixing and production on the Internet!!! Is awesome that you get 6 years on-line, thanks for all the help!!
There is no way to sum everything up to the biggest thing that I learned from your site. I have learned so much from you, its crazy! All of the tutorials that you offer give me a new way to think about solving the problems that occur when it comes to mixing. I love your blog and your videos. Congrats on 6 years of TRR, and cheers to many more to come!!!
Recording revolution helped to quickly get a grip on the process of recording and mixing before I applied for the audio engineering program at Luleå Tekniska Universitet.
Thanks Graham!
Thank you for everything you do, graham!
Graham, you’ve made my mixed 10x better with your tips and tricks. At least 10x! From basics like EQ-ing in mono and compression to the practical tips regarding setup of my DAW with templates etc.
Keep it up the coming 6 years!
God bless you!
Thanks a lot Graham for all the useful information you provide us with! The biggest thing I’ve learnt from you? That’s kind of hard cuz you teach us a lot of awesome stuffs: Mixing all the tracks in the center (mono) before actually panning them. There’s the awesome reference track tip! There’s also that one tip where you showed us how to increase clarity of the vox by adding a heavily compressed duplicate! I have also learnt from you to not to rely too much on the figures on the EQ graph and to rely on the ears instead (coupled with the reference track of course. haha). I believe i have really improved on my mixing (my tracks have gotten from downright crap to semi decent. hehe) and thanks for playing such a huge part in that, Graham. Biggest frustration? Hmm, must be the fact that i’m stuck with a Blue snowball USB mic, which makes anything and everything sound thin and harsh. I’ve been planning on getting a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 + SM57. But then again i’m on a tight budget. Hahaha. Anyway, thanks again and keep being the amazing and helpful guy you are.
-Akash from Mauritius.
Graham, thank you so much for this chance! I’ve been a big follower of yours for the past 3 years. You’ve singlehandedly helped me be on the right track to mixing and mastering excellence.
Hey Graham, I think one of the most valuable lessons you’ve taught us is to get it right at the source. Thanks for drilling it into us!
I think the largest issue that myself and others have in the home studio is that we get so caught up in the technical side of production that we lose the fun of making music, which eventually leads to not making the music we love – any ideas for instant inspiration and removing these technical distractions from our minds?
Cheers!
Thank you for everything you teach Graham. I’ve learned a lot from you and I appreciate the basics such as gain staging, EQ and compression techniques, and all the little tips along the way. All of it make up more than the sum of it’s parts. I hope to keep learning and pass on what I learn to others as well. As my mixes are getting noticeably better I find more and more people asking me how I do it. Your site is one I point them to first. Thank you.
Graham, I have learned almost everything I know about mixing from you. I just got into this craft not long ago at all but I feel confident in working on my first project soon. Thank you so much for all you give myself and many others everyday.
I never miss any of the content here, thank you for all you give!
The biggest thing that I’ve learnt from The Recording Revolution is to have a sound mindset when mixing, mastering, and last but not least, producing.
That and all the countless tips and tricks in the 5 minutes to a better mix-series, I’ve watched every episode of them in all 3 series, and I watch all your new videos as they’re uploaded, and I learn so much from you.
Whenever I encounter someone on music forums and such asking for good tutorials, I always say The Recording Revolution – because your videos and posts are always on point and you talk in such way that a beginner for msuic production can understand your thoughts.
My biggest frustration right now is partly that I have a lot of underruns in my DAW.
I don’t have any major issues when I make my own music as there are plenty of workarounds, but as I’m a sounddesigner, I need to shove in as many presets in a product demo, and then you don’t have much time freezing audio, and that’s when the worst underruns happens.
Imagine dropping perhaps 50 instances of Xfer Serum in a DAW project, that is some heavy stuff!
I’m currently saving up for a homebuilt $2000 badboy PC that will handle a lot of heavy tasks I have to deal with, and hopefully these $600 will push me in the right direction 😉
This has helped my home studio tenfold.
Cheers!
The biggest I have learn from TRR is that its not about the gear you have but how you use them and this goes for software plugins as well as microphones.
Thanks for your help with my studio techniques learning Graham! 🙂
Thanks Graham for being so giving!
This has brought so much confidence and clarity to my mixing and clarity to my tracks! Priceless gold especially around reductive EQing! My biggest studio frustration is simply my lack of confidence in my listening environment and knowing if the monitor position is neutral!
mixing in mono was the greatest tip evarrr!
Continue to make this kind of videos, because it helps alot of people, like me 🙂
Biggest thing I learned was to simply put all my effort into better my skills as an engineer and producer rather than looking to buy new equipment to solve my problems
Graham! thanks so much for all the amazing stuff you do. One of the things I appreciate the most and have learned from the Recording Revolution is to keep things simple in a mix, and how the faders themselves are nearly 80% of the process.
My biggest frustration in the studio I suppose is just not having enough money to buy new sample cds lol. My workflow has matured over the years and I don’t have too many issues that I run in to besides the occasional glitch in Cubase.
Anyway thanks for offering this prize!
Hey Graham,
The best thing I’ve learned from TRR is that skills are more important than gear.
Thanks,
Tyler
Hi graham! Fom your videos i learnt how to gain stage , eq and mix with fewer plugins throughoput this whole time, im so grateful!
Thanks for informative and helpful posts and website.
Congrats on six years!
Best thing I’ve learned is the benefits of mixing at certain points in mono, and biggest frustration is overall lack of sonic quality versus reference mixes.
Thanks for everything you do!
Gear is not important
Hi Graham! Congratulations on 6 years of helping people make better mixes! Here’s to many more!
Cool more free stuff to add to all the great things you do
Hi! I’ve used and loved RR for a few years now and one tip I’m so grateful for is to mix in mono and my biggest frustration is my lack of a computer that can properly handle a large project.
Awesome tutorials!!
The biggest thing I’ve learned is the power of carving out space in a mix using subtractive EQ.
The biggest frustration in the recording and mixing process for me is having to set everything up and be my own engineer. If I want to record vocals, I have to get my mic, stand, and cables out of the closet, set them up, plug them in, test levels, etc. and it’s just very time-consuming.
The most important thing you could give me, and allready have, is probably the confidence to make something with the small budget I have managed to set aside so far.
Knowledge is power, but confidence and patience are key.
My biggest frustration currently is the missing piece. I still need that one mic for guttural vocals, that makes those really shine. No mic I’ve had the money for,yet , was worth the upgrade.. Also.. My drummer insists on recording live drums and I just don’t have the capital to sustain 8 mics just for him, yet.
I know I’ll get there eventually, but I’ll need a new interface right after. Hah.
Excelent information, Graham!
I’ve learned there’s nothing separating me from great sounding music besides practice!
Best thing Ive learned is that you dont need a commercial studio to make good tunes. My biggest frustration would have to be that I cannot decide which genre to focus on. I dabble way too much I think.
The biggest thing I have learned is, that it is about my skill and not about my gear + all I need is better recording phase + just good EQ and compression and that is pretty enough to get better sound. The biggest frustration is how to mix tracks recorded with stereo technics (Blumlein, M/S, XY, Decca tree…). Thanks for all content.
Hi Graham,
Best thing I’ve learned from you is how to string together the various technical info “modules” I already had a little experience with (how to adjust an EQ, compressor) into a meaningful and beneficial workflow (why to adjust the EQ, why to adjust the compressor) to obtain results instead of being lost in the dark with no real process in mind!
Most frustrating thing so far was seeing you mix on iPod headphones in a Cafe…. I know that gear isn’t everything and this is a recurring theme (and rightly so), but please give us at least a small chance to feel we can achieve something! 😀
Best thing I’ve learned here is to use some basic equipment, and then learn how to position it in the room, how to get the most out of the tools you have, and simple ways to mix.
After subscribing to your newsletter and following your tips and tricks I can hear my mixes improving. I guess that’s the best thing I’ve learned from you – I have improved across the board and now I know that improving further is not impossible even if I don’t own a huge recording studio. Thanks so much. 🙂
Thanks for your philosophy of generosity. It goes far.
It’s a great opportunity, thank you Graham!
It’s not how much you spend on your gear/tools what counts!!
Good lessons!
The biggest thing I learned was the mindset. It’s not about the gear, but about how you use the resources you have. Thank you for that!
You have become a huge influence in my process to develope my recording skill set. Thank you so much Graham!
I still use LCR for everything and low pass!
Biggest thing learned: keep a bigger perspective on things, and remember that you’re foremost creating music to be enjoyed and experienced by many, not a mix to be complimented by a few. The mix is the vehicle, which is often sometimes easy to forget, but TRR always brings me right back on track (pun not intended, and I feel bad about it).
I thought I knew about levels. But watching your videos I’ve started to realize you can’t simply say you “know” how to do levels properly since it varies from song to song.
I’ve really learned what to listen for and how to achieve the best mix for my needs.
Biggest frustration is probably my DI. It has some serious latency issues and just makes the experience very unsmooth. I would also like to have a better mic with a proper popfilter (I currently use a homemade one with a cut out from long stockings) for vocals.
Congrats Graham!
The best thing I’ve learned from the Recording Revolution is that you CAN accomplish your musical goals. You just have to learn the tools nessissary and then actually DO something with what you have learned. Stop procrastinating, stop thinking you need to learn every thing that has ever been published on how to do this or that, and just CREATE! Manage your time better and stop making excuses.
My biggest frustration in my studio right now is prioritizing. I have a laundry list of plans, and if I let my ADD kick in, I just do a little but of each project and then jump to the next. I’ve been focussing on finishing one thing at a time. Get one Goal finished, then move to the next and finish it, etc etc.
It helps me stay sane and focused. Sometimes I fall off the wagon, but I’m working on it;)
Thanks Graham
What is the biggest thing you’ve learned from The Recording Revolution?
I loved your advice about keeping it simple and limiting my options. Also, I’ve just started mixing in mono and it’s been really useful.
And what is your biggest frustration right now in your home studio?
The biggest frustration in my home studio is not having a place where I can properly use monitors for mixing. Since I’m in an apartment complex, I can’t listen to my music loud enough to make proper mixing decisions. I have to use headphones, which I’ve gotten very used to and quite good at.
As bad as I think my work is compared to the pro, it’s still valuable for the band I’m working with.
Never underestimate your skills and keep on learning!
And my biggest frustration right now is the acoustic treatment of my room, I’m still working on a DIY corner bass trap but I didn’t had the time to finalize it yet.
Thanks for all your helpful tutorials and tips Graham. I’ve definitely learnt a lot from you. Keep it up!
You’ve taught me the joy of using mixing as an art. Not taking it too seriously and enjoying what you do!
The best thing I’ve learned is something that I don’t need new converters! Sadly, I spent some money trying some out. Thankfully, after resale, I didn’t lose too much.
Great work all this years 🙂
Keep it up 😀
Biggest thing I’ve learned? Probably to trust my ears and instincts. Biggest frustration in my current studio is forgetting to trust my ears and instincts. 🙂
It´s always great seeing the effort you put on the site, specially in the mailing list and the free content on youtube. I have felt blessed to find a site such as yours,
thank you
The biggest thing I’ve learned from you (and Joe) is that even though making music is the greatest thing in the world, it requires a lot of work and effort to get the results you want. You guys have inspired me to keep pushing through and finish what I’ve started.
Graham, you have been a total blessing to this community. I have been following you and your website for 5 years, soaking in the information you have provided. I thank you for what you have done in revolutionizing our lives in making it possible to diy our music. Keep up the good work you do but then again, you don’t need me to tell you that
Biggest thing learned from TRR: stop focusing on gear, start doing! Frustration: scheduling time for recording and mixing, and getting the right levels through my Apogee Duet.
Dude, you are awesome!
Recording revolution has been just that for me, a revolution. Got me back into recording without breaking the bank. Well done and many more!
The best thing I’ve learned from tRR is that I already have the tools I need to get great mixes: my ears, and judging my mixes vs. other pro mixes! The most frustrating thing I’m experiencing is learning to mic well. The pro mixes I can’t quite match probably sound as good as they do because they used great mic technique!
This is pretty awesome of someone to do. You have so much knowledge to share, and every bit of it is useful.
The biggest thing I have learned about is mixing in mono and these philosophies: mixing is not about gear, it’s about skill; and mixing isn’t about magic moves but rather a lot of little changes that add up to a big difference.
What I struggle with the most right now is feeling confident in my use of compression. How much is too much?
Hi Graham and HB to The Recording Revolution.
Thank you for everything!
Hello Graham,
thank you for doing this!!
The biggest thing I’ve learned from The Recording Revolution is, that an awesome sounding music can be created in very small home studios without having a bunch of expensive gear & plugins, and that the main tool is always our ear.
My biggest frustration right now in my home studio is, that more often than not, I cannot “take out” the sound I have created from the studio.
Keep it up Graham! Many more years to come 🙂
Hi Graham! Thanks for you awesome work! I only watched your free YT videos so far but they were of great help to me. The biggest thing I learned was the idea of mixing in mono cause I’ve never ever thought there was any reason to do so, but you opened my eyes on this =) Of course there were more little things which I learned. As for the biggest frustration – well, I still need to learn much about mixing vocals because it’s my weakest point now.
I wish all other producers good luck no matter who wins it’s the knowledge that’s the most valuable. Keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Ruslan.
Congratulations on the six year anniversary, Graham!
The best thing I’ve learning is mixing in mono, it helped me achieve great mixes from songs that I had been stucked for a year or two. I could believe how powerful this technique was!
Right now I’m really struggling with vocals. I’m having a bad time taking the vocals to the top of the mix but at the same time not being the main focus, as I want to make the arrangements to be heard and appreciated.
Graham! Thanks for all you do!
Best thing I learned and accomplished are that less is more in a mix…
Hi Graham,
Congratulations!
The past years, I learned so much from your very clear video’s and newletters. I improved my mixing and listening dramatically.
Since a month I joined Duelling Mixes, which is fantastic. Very friendly, supportive, knowledge sharing people over there. I learned a ton already, just by listening to all different mixes choices and reading all feedback.
Thanks very much for making this possible!
All the best, Coen
What a great resource this is! I recommend it to all my friends and family who are musician hobbyists needing a little extra guidance.
A better teacher than I could ever be!
The thing that I’ve learned that has helped me the most is keeping the arranging and mixing processes separate. I used to wander into mixing while arranging when I heard something that wasn’t right and I would waste tons of time not getting anything done. Thx Graham, congrats on 6 years.
I learnt to keep it simple and keep it about the music. I’ve learnt that using very little you can accomplish very much. And that no amount of fancy expensive tricks can save a mix.
The mixing tips are very helpful as I look to do more recording in the future.
Hey Graham. One of the most helpful tips I learned was mixing in mono at low volumes. It has really helped clean up my mixes.
Graham…you’re Recording Revolution Movement is incredible. The main thing I have taken away is….simplicity. Take it to basics and improve your own skills with whatever gear you have and you can’t go wrong. The greatest tool in any mixer/producers arsenal is themselves. Saying that, the biggest frustration in my own home studio at the moment is proximity to neighbors! I need to soundproof the wall I share with my neighbor much better…noisy tykes!
I’ve learned so many neat tricks from you. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the future
Thnks for the gr8 site!
Congrats on your 6 year anniversary XD It’s been a pleasure following you for these past few years 😀
The best thing I’ve learned from you is that it’s always about the music, and the importance of te recording phase.. If the song is bad, no-one will like it, no matter how good your mix. If the drums sound like a muddy tin can while recording, you can’t make them sound like a perfectly tuned Kumu-set (before some wise man arrives, yes, I do know about samples.) My greatest frustration at this moment is the absence of dependable monitors and acoustic-treatment materials.
One of the best things I have learned from the recording revolution is to simply not record so loud. This among manny other tips have helped me achieve a lot more than I expected of myself
You have, by far, the most useful offering of recording and mixing guides anywhere. I love the way you explain the fundamentals. My biggest takeaway has been to do things in moderation (and in mono) so that I don’t overcook my mixes. Now if only I can get my monitoring setup perfected…
Hi Graham! Thanks for your advices, tips & tricks you provide. And thanks for encouraging people saying that “the most important gear in your home studio is you!”. Think again before upgrading your home studio.
Thanks Graham. You’re a valued resource.
For me, the most important things i learned were subtractive EQing and mixing in mono. That definitely made my mixes a lot better.
Thank you so much for your outstanding work here on TRR 🙂
Hey Graham! I appreciate all your info and perspectives on home recording. Especially your including “doing it” and doing it “musically”.
I may never have the latest, but I AM making music with what I have.
6 great years of home studio knowledge. Can’t wait for the next 6! Thank you very much for sharing all of this with us!
Thanks for all the good info over the past 6 years. The EQ information has been the most useful to me. I’d like to learn more about how to uses busses in mixes, such as how to use a bus for reverb so instead of putting reverb on each track I control the amount via wet/dry send to the bus (I think?) Thanks for everything!
Discovered Recording Revolution on YouTube and have been keeping up with all posts and tutorials since then. My mixes have been real good since then!! Thank you
Hi, greeting from Italy! With you I learned I don’t need expansive gear to achieve good mixes
Biggest thing I’ve learned here was using volume automation in mixing. Biggest struggle in the studio is too much white noise in my DI tracks.
6 years already? Holy knowledge bomb!
Thanks for the tips you always share with us!
The biggest thing I have learned from your blog is that we don’t need many tracks and plugins to achieve good mixes, we only need a great song and good recordings. That motivated me in working more on the arrangement and songwriting with the bands I work with, and so far it has worked great.
Biggest frustration in the studio, maybe referencing in other environments and realizing my mixes don’t translate so well!
Right now I’m working on that, and on my live drum tones, as I’m wanting to track more live drummers as opposed to mix midi drums. Thanks!
I learned how to eq in a home studio with little to no equipment but what frustrates me the most is figuring out how to remove small noise frequencies in my vocals and getting the modern feel I’ve been hunting for.
Happy birthday Graham and thanks so much for all your wisdom. Why not buy yourself a really cool plug-in to celebrate 6 years of unremitting kindness. But remember – expensive kit doesn’t make great mixes. That one’s down to you yourself! That’s what you taught me. Thanks man. Anything I can do for you – I’m your man.
yes!
The biggest thing I learned from you Graham is to do a lot with as little as possible, to work with a clear vision. Dumb things down to bare minimum and start with good decisions instead of trying to process because I didn’t know what I’m after.
My biggest frustration right now is not having a proper room to mix in and not getting the clarity and punch I’m hearing in my reference tracks.
Thanks for all your help!
To stop chasing new gear!
The best thing I’ve learned from Recording Revolution is your ‘less is more’ workflow & my biggest frustration in my home studio atm is the lack of space, which makes bringing more than 2 players in abit difficult.
The most useful thing I get from you is the regular reminder that it’s not what you use, but how you use it that is important, and that’s really good advice!
This is my *other* favorite
The biggest thing you have helped me experiment with is mixing in mono! It really is easier to eq tracks when they are placed on top of each other instead of 3 feet apart.
Yeah, the mono eq thing has been really useful for me too…
The best thing I’ve learnt from Graham was getting the balance right by just using volume faders and gain staging.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from the recording revolution is to spend more time on the recording phase of the song and getting that perfect take which in turn results in spending lesser time and energy on the mixing phase. Thanks Graham for all the useful content. Big fan of your approach!
Great Giveaway.
The biggest thing I learned from The Recording Revolution was about gain staging and EQ’ing in mono. I have returned to recording after many years and when I was doing it back in the day everything was analog so the biggest mistake I was making was that my levels were too high – not leaving enough headroom. My biggest frustration right now is mastering (and time).
Congrats, and God bless you!
Hey Graham,
the biggest thing i learned from you is that in mixing it isn’t about the gear, just about your experience and taste. One of my biggest frustrations is getting things done. Its simply overwhelming to sit in front of 20+ tracks trying to think of the big picture. It could be pretty easy, but i’ve yet to figure out how to not let the minor things distract me from the big picture decisions.
Thank you so much for everything you do. And yes, gear makes it more fun, so i would be really happy to win.
Daniel
I’m glad that sites like these exist. The Recording Revolution has helped me become better at mixing and mastering.
Biggest thing I’ve learned is that you don’t need a perfectly treated listening environment to be able to mix or master (when it’s even possible to accomplish it at Sturbucks with some headphones). My biggest current frustration is time management! I haven’t been able yet to find a way to mix on a more professional level while studying something non-audio related and earning enough money to pay the bills. Anyway, congratulations on your blog and business and I wish you much success! Thanks a lot for everything you do!
Hi Graham. The biggest thing I’ve learned, I think is how to EQ properly. Really, it was hard to choose since I’ve learned a ton about all aspects of mixing. Biggest frustration right now? A lack of microphones…
Content/Information is everything!
Huge thank you for that!!!
I’ve learned a ton of stuff from Graham! The 2 most valuable lessons would be mixing in mono, and using reference tracks. The biggest struggle for me right now is getting better recordings in my acoustically untreated room. Happy Anniversary TRR! Thanks for all your help!
Hi Graham,
The biggest thing I’ve learned is to not let creativity/results be held back by thinking you need certain gear upgrades for the task, just practice and perfect with! The biggest frustration right now is to not over-analyse that reference track during mixdown. It’s too easy sometimes to forget that it’s simply a guide and not supposed to be a duplicate.
Keep on doing your thing Graham! Here’s to 6 more years 🙂
Hey Graham, thanks to all your videos I’ve improved my skills to the point of actually charging people for my work! Thanks!
Thanks so much for all your material!!! It has helped me so much in my attempts to be a better mixer. Owning a studio and transitioning to full time has been hard financially and mentally for me, but seeing the success of guys like you is an inspiration to continue following my dream. THANK YOU!!
Oh, and as far as the biggest thing I’ve learned it would defiantly be proper use of compression. I used to just squash things with it to make it sound tight but you’ve really opened my eyes when it comes to compressing tastefully to help smooth things out without killing the dynamic range. Also I’ve learned that I don’t need hundred thousand dollar outboard units to be a good mixer!
Thanks for then great advice and tutorials Graham. You’ve helped me quit chasing gear and focussing on improving my own skilss- a way bigger win 🙂
There are many things I’ve learned; however, the biggest thing I’ve learned from Recording Revolution was 5 Minutes to a Better Mix: Proper Gain Staging. That lays the foundation for everything and Mixing in Mono has to go along with that. The biggest frustration right now in my home studio is not having a fully treated room. I’m able to mix music in a nice, large apartment, but ultimately, I’d like to own my own home and put my studio there.
I haven’t learned much, but that is because I’m new to the site. I did enjoy the first couple of videos and understanding the sweet spot on the mix. That helped greatly.
Biggest thing I learned is focusing on the essentials instead of gear. That is so huge! I joined Total Home Recording and I’m stoked about that since I think it will help at getting insight into how to record and mix better, but also the orchestral sampling stuff that I’m doing now.
The best piece of advice from Graham is LESS is MORE. It’s hard not to fill up every channel with copious amounts of plug-ins in hopes to create something special – search for simple big wins, not BS.
I am Nigerian. And I’ve been making beats for a while. I was looking up videos on YouTube that’ll help me setup my home studio, and also, boost my mixing techniques since no one around my area helps. I stumbled on one of your videos on setting up your home studio. Your free tools have been helpful and encouraging so far. Thank you for the time you spend, and knowledge you give. Cheers.
Congratulations on your continuous hard work. It truly shows to so many people. On elf the most vital things I’ve learned is that it’s not always about the equipment. That you can learn to use what you have and make it work best for what you do. You said in a video one time “More options lead to paralysis. Less options, more focus.”
I carry those words with me on a daily basis, you can truly apply that to anything in life.
My struggle in a home/dorm studio is just finding a consistent method of doing things and becoming more in tune with what I have.
Thank you very kindly and many more years of success to you!
Hello Graham! One of the best things I’ve learned so far is how to make drums pop out. I use drum loops so I’ve picked up some of your hints and tricks, and they worked like a charm! Thank you!
One memorable thing I’ve learnt from this site is the use of the High Pass Filter
Thanks for helping up and coming producers like myself sift through the industry. It’s really helped me alot!
There is not a specific thing I learned from your blog. I think the biggest thing your blog did to me is that I am now more aware of the full flow from writing music to finishing the mix of a song. It especially became clear that working on details in a mix is important but that it can also keep you from completing a full mix or album, which is for me far more important in the end!
Thanks Man
One of the many things that i took from TRR is that you don t need all the pro studio gear to do good music (if u have it or you can afford its great!) and that in every case the weak link is still gonna be you, so the most important thing is to work on yourself. Thanks for all the knowledge and cheers from Argentina.
It’s not the gear that matters but the gearhead is what i’ve learned..
Thanks for your time and enthusiasm!
thank you very much for this blog. it has helped me alot.
the most helpful tips for me were probably about masterbuss mixing and mixing with the faders before using plugins.
thanks!
Limiting my options by switching to Mono and only focusing with EQ and compression and then switching back to stereo. Big help i got from Recording Rev.
I have learned that knowledge is more important than gear, that is the best thing i have ever heard. Thank you Graham
Biggest thing I’ve learned – how much mixing in mono helps with EQ decisions.
Struggling with – recording.
The most valuable thing I’ve learned from The Recording Revolution is the power of simplicity.
Best thing I learned is that a lot of the time you do not want to capture “as clean recordings as possible”. You have to give your client field of expression. Because you mix/record him, not yourself.
Hey,
biggest thing I have learnd from you until now: focus on skills, not on equipment.
biggest frustration for me right now: learn the stuff i own – get to know the plugins. what comp/eq works fine for what task and so on.
My name is Mark. I am a 26 year old producer/engineer. I have been working on projects for artists, as well as myself, for over 5 years. One of the most important things I’ve learned from Recording Revolution is the allow my creativity to flow with mixing. A lot of us get caught up in the semantics and watching the screen but I’ve really learned to use my ears. My mixes have went from being sub par to very dynamic with this system.
One of the frustrations I have with a home studio is that I live in a duplex apartment. I have three children, a wife, and complaining neighbors. I can hear what’s going on outside in most of my recordings. Although it’s edited out, I would like a relatively quiet session. I’m also stopped to run errands while I have clients in my home.
Besides that, I am happy to have found this system. I’m not saying that school isn’t important, but I know I don’t have time or funds to go back. This system helped me tremendously. Thank you.
I have learned a ton from the recording revolution. It was the first place I learned anything about mixing, and that today is still the most valuable thing to me. I have a solid foundation in what making a song really even means. I still struggle with Eq and just making things separate in the mix without sacrificing tonal depth.
WOW! Graham, you’re doing so awesome stuff!
The biggest thing I learned from TRR, hmm, let me think…
I think the best and biggest thing I learned over the years is to work and to make music with what you have and to do it well! And to get the heck out of your equipment, your home studio, your talent, and your mind to make killer music!
Since I knew that, I am literally every day in my home studio and I just make music, the much and the best I can and I learn and have learned a lot!
Ok let’s move on to the biggest frustration.
The biggest thing I’m upset with right now in my home studio is that I tend to focus on too much little things for example in a song, but I think the key is to look at the whole song and then decide what needs to be done in the song. I tend to just go through the song part by part and look what could make it special or just different but that’s not the best I could do, in my mind. I think you have to look at the whole song and decide what doesn’t fit or sound well and to change it THEN.
I hope you’re all doing awesome music!
Tristan
Thank you for all of your tips in helping me thrive in my home studio! I am currently comfortable with my equipment but a new mic to experiment with would be amazing : D
Biggest thing I’ve learned was that there’s no secret formula for better mixes. It just takes practice, while using some cool tips and tricks to enhance certain parts of the song to keep it interesting. My biggest frustration is getting the mix to sound great on different devices. I like to hear my mixes on at least 4 different sources, and it usually will sound good on 2 and just ok on 2. Makes it hard because you don’t know which one to believe.
the biggest thing I learned from TRR is that it’s not so much the gear you have to work on, but the talent & the taste you have. They both work together.
I have learnt in these 2 years I have known TRR it’s not about the gear it’s about the mixer! So powerful. Biggest frustration is getting others to think the way we do now.
Keep at it Graham – God bless!
“What is the biggest thing you’ve learned from The Recording Revolution? And what is your biggest frustration right now in your home studio?”
The biggest thing I’ve learned is that it might still be possible for me to make some money doing something I love. The biggest frustration is that I haven’t made it happen yet.
Thanks for all the great content!
Hi Graham,
thanks for taking away the illusion that I need more gear to get better mixes.
I have learned that you don’t need a bunch of plugins to make a great mix. My biggest frustration is I don’t have any equipment.
The best thing i have learned from TRR is probably a brand new and much more efficient workflow through an entire project.
I’d say my biggest frustration is is still the lack of consistency in sound of going from my studio to a different system such as a car or similar. Which i think some room treatment would fix a lot.
Good morning Graham. Your tips have been awesome thanks a lot. My songs sound good because of your tutorials.
My biggest take away from this site is that you can apply a lot of 4HWW to mixing not just business 🙂
Pareto’s Principle, Parkinson’s Law etc
I think I can post this comment thousand times, just not to be eligible to win the gear, but honestly I think that your newsletters have helped me a lot to mix and master better!For eg. EarlierI was busy in smashing plugins to the mix tracks, and now I can churn out better with just EQ and Compression!! If speaking true, your newsletter’s content and the way of your representation, is better than Joe 😛 Even if I don’t win those gears, no worries…. because you have taught me to work and get best with minimal of my gears!! 🙂
good luck making music everyone.
And when luck isn’t enough, go get Graham’s life-saving tips!
I’ve learned lots of little tricks of what to look for when buying studio equipment, as well as very useful mixing and recording tips that are easy to implement without costing a fortune.
Thanks! Best thing I’ve learned is to ditch a lot of plugins and use the tools you already have. Game changer.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from The Recording Revolution is that although expensive gear is “cool,” it is the engineer who makes or breaks a recording. Practice makes perfect!
Thanks for this site and resource! The biggest thing i’ve learned is that my greatest bottleneck to achieving the mixes and production quality I want is myself and my skills, not my equipment. Thanks for helping me constantly improve my skills and get closer to the sounds of my dreams.
Thanks Graham for all that you do! The biggest thing I’ve learned from TRR is proper gain staging and headroom in the digital environment. I’d say my biggest frustration right now in my studio is just having the time to get in there and create stuff.
I am an avid recording revolution follow as of about a year and a half ago, but it such a short time my mixes have improved and such a fast rate! I have made my studio work into a part time job and am able to do music as my job between studio time and playing gigs. It’s such a great thing to be able to do and I thank you for helping me a long on this journey!
I can’t say enough for how the content at TRR has set me off on the right foot in my recording / mixing ventures.
I recorded an album with my band years ago. Solid week in tracking sessions all day everyday. That sparked my interest like none other. Since then however I’ve barely managed to make the studio dream a part of my life… work kids real life all set in and I set it aside for years.
In the last year though I’ve set aside all the excuses and got some basic gear started reaching out to all my musician friends and dove back in. And Graham / TTR has been %90 my sole mentor and training resource. I like to take small tidbits of knowledge and run with it on my own as far as I can, but ever roadblock I’ve come up against has been answered thoroughly and in short order by TTR.
again can’t say enough. SUPPORT THIS SITE!
Biggest current frustation in my home studio…?
Currently I’m wishing SOMEBODY out there would put together a course or book on a full run down of STUDIO GEAR explained. as with anything else we are all learning as needed and there are always holes in our learning. And what gear does what and how to use it when and how to run signal flow etc etc etc. What’s a converter? And why? And how do you hook it up.
I’d like to see out there a full handbook or course for guys like me to reference anytime we have a gear question or hear someone mention gear we are unfamiliar with.
ANYBODY…..? 😉
I found tour blog when I was trying to record and mix the demo tape of my band. I learnt some things that were really useful.
Thank you.
Hi Graham,
First and foremost i want to congratulate you for the awesome work you have done this past 6 years. Thank you for inspiring so many people and for making us believe in the recording revolution. Lastly , i would probably be a “gear head” if it was not for you since you made me realize that it was possible/realistic to have a home recording studio with the ” 5 essentials “! Again thank you!
Sincerely, Sylvana White
Only just started following in the last couple of months, but have learned more about recording and mixing in those months than in the previous 5 years.
Lot’s of little gains, no giant leaps.
cheers Graham and here’s to 6 more years of heplping..
Eq in mono and acoustic treatment is the biggest thing Ive learned in the recording revolution.
Biggest problem: when i record with only software synths and keyboard – no fysical instrument, the mix becomes harsh, lots of frequences flying around in the mix – hard to make it clean and keep the sound.
Biggest lesson: It’s the technique, not the tech.
Biggest frustration: writing good songs.
Join the mailing list. Its a must ! Those little quick tips worth millions !
I have learnt alot from all the tutorials you have posted till date..
Most i learnt was the chain of creating a balance.
But there is still a main concern which not always but comes to me like a boomrang is the level while balancing which i always get carried away for and get stuck.
But more than that if you can tell some tips on levels or giving perspective to mix. Ofcourse i know that you teach all in the courses u have designed. But still if you could do some short tutorial on this would be great. Thanks
Hi man I hope You have been enjoying all this time teaching us great tricks! I know we did.
Wow. Impossible to pick what has helped me most over the years, but what’s helped most recently has been what I’ve learned about compression! Simple but huge difference in my mixes. You’re “Re-Think” series has been a life and time saver for me, which is important because the most frustrating thing for me is being too busy to get to apply the lessons learned in the studio right away :-
Hello! I think the biggest thing I have learned from TheRecordingRevolution is just how to efficiently use what I have. I no longer worry about needing plugins or specific gear for things when they aren’t necessary. That being said, the biggest problem in my home studio is that I need a bigger interface! It is usually okay when I am recording one at a time on my own, but I want to get better at recording drums and a bigger interface is necessary to practice different techniques and whatnot for recording a full drum kit.
Congratulations Graham, 6 years is a lot longer than most anything lasts, and you’re still getting it done. Strong work.
i learned how to solve most of my home studio problems easily… 🙂
Thank you Graham for all your videos. I have learned so much about mixing and am no longer turning knobs and sliding faders aimlessly till something sounds okay. Now my mixes are starting to sound good beyond my headphones.
I would say my biggest frustration with a home studio is not having a proper room and a busy curious toddler. But it is really cool that my toddler is so interested in making music and mixing. My son loves turning the knobs to see what effects they have and hitting up the keyboard. Unfortunately it makes it hard to get work done.
Thank you again for your site and all your help.
Hi Graham! Happy birthday to TRR!
Best thing I learned from you over the years was mixing in mono!
Ironically, its also the thing that most frustrates me sort of. What frustrates me the most is getting more clarity with my distorted guitar sound, but I’m getting there. Thanks Graham!
Mixing in mono. Thanks!
Being new to this whole recording and mixing thing, TRR has been my ‘go to’ guide; not only for tips and tricks but for a healthy mindset to the process. The two biggest things I’ve learned are:
1- Cut frequencies before boosting them… makes things sound so much better and natural, and
2- Don’t get discouraged… keep working and getting better at the craft and your mixes will sound better.
My only frustration in my home studio right now is the way my room sounds. I know I’m not going to get the pro studio sound, but I think I could do better somehow.
Hi Graham, my na me is Davi and I’m from Brazil.
think the best thing I learned in TRR was the mixing itechnique.
As for my bigest frustration in my hone stududio is the fact that I can’t afford buynng some nice monitor.
Thanx for trvs and tips, hoe TRR lasts forever,
Congrats on 6 years! I’m curious now as to how long I’ve been following your stuff!
Biggest thing I’ve learned is that with a little passion and know-how, great things can come out of small budgets.
Biggest frustration is having vocal tracking in my home studio coincide with my neighbors mowing their lawns! Ugh.
The biggest thing for me that I learned was from your video where you said to step back a few inches to record. As a rapper, I see a lot of videos of other rappers pretty much making out with the mic so I thought I was supposed to get close as well ( I never got within kissing distance though.) Something that small made a BIG increase in the quality of my recordings.
As for my biggest frustration, that has to be myself. I could lie left and right all day but the only thing that causes me problems is myself. Consistency is a huge struggle for me. So much so that I’ve recently ordered a big dry erase board to write down priority tasks for the day.
I know it seems weird to admit a flaw like this but I did it for any commenters who may be scrolling and also dealing with consistency that before we even try to win a contest like this or even buy our own gear, it is an absolute NECESSITY to have that beat into your head. If you don’t have focus and consistency in your mindset, all your going to do is waste somebody’s time or money. Most of the time it will be your own.
Top down mixing hands down the best tip I’ve received.
Thanks Graham – I would say the greatest thing I learned was replacing drums (I’m kind of new) I had a kick and snare that just weren’t working – couldn’t afford trigger and found a lesson you had on manually replacing sounds with a sample.
My biggest struggle right now is cleaning up the midst in a mix. I can get decent individual sounds but sounds muddy when the mix is combined.
Thanks for your lessons and happy anniversary trr. You’re an invaluable resource!
Thanks Graham. I learned that i don’t need to upgrade my gear, but to upgrade my skills by mixing as often as possible. I am struggling with the overuse of plugins. I make the basic mix sound ok, but then I keep adding a plug in here and there and think, yeah it sounds better …a few hours later it’s plug in overkill everywhere – Doh i think I need to seek help. Thanks for all your hard work and tutorials Graham.
The greatest thing I have ever learned from The Recording Revolution is the New York compression technique for drums, where you have the natural drum sound, and combine it with a completely overcompressed drum sound, to end up with a HUGE sounding drum sound. I use this on most of my mixes, and use it in various ways to end up with different results, I also experiment with how it will work for other instruments atm.
Thanks Graham!
Here’s to many more!
I’ve learned so much from you Graham, from people EQ to compression and everything in between. My biggest frustration right now is getting clients in to my studio. Thanks for a great 6 years! Here’s to many many more!
Aside from all the access to outstanding recording and mixing material, the most important lesson taught here is the act of giving and expecting no reciprocation.
Much appreciated and may Gif bless you bruh!
1) Biggest thing I’ve learned: All you need to make fantastic music is a love for creating music, minimal gear, and good musicality. It’s not rocket science!
2) Biggest frustration: Getting myself to actually write and record an entire album, despite some good success with a few “singles.” Hint: It’s not my gear!
Thanks Graham for 6 solid years. I’ve been a subscriber for a while and have really enjoyed your products as well as your free advice!
Blessings,
-Brock Frazier
Biggest thing: believe in yourself….always and learn everyday something new to make your little music so big!!
Biggest frustration: I have no much time to play with my music!
bye,
davidhyno
Hi!
I have actually learned all of my first steps in recording, mixing and mastering. There’s so many things I don’t know from where I should start. Most important thing must be the notion, that there are no absolute rules of the trade, only opinions (of experts but opinions nevertheless). Another important thing fo me was to learn that mixing is not a black art reserved only for the people with golden ears and special equipment and that I could reach satisfactory results all by myself. Empowerment, man, that’s what you’ve given me. Thanks a million for that. I’ve thought about writing to you for a long time and this is what I would have written anyway, constest or not. That 600 quid would make my whole goddamn year thou !
Keep on doing what you do, empowering people!
Thanks so much for everything Graham. You’ve helped me develop as a musician so much over the past 2 years since I came across your blogs (and saved me a ton of money haha)!
Best thing I’ve learned from Graham is that you won’t get better recordings with expensive gear if you don’t even know how to make the best out of the things you already own! Thank you Graham 🙂
Thanks for all the videos you uploaded and the tips you have shared throughout the years it helped me.
Best thing I’ve learned is that, while good gear and mics are awesome, they’re not necessary to create a great recording/mix. Watching you do mixes with stock plugins has proved this time and time again.
TRR was instrumental in helping me record and mix my first album. Thanks!
I’ve been blown away by the help given on this website. Simplifying the flow of how I approach mix has been one of the best things I’ve learned. I’m currently using in-ear headphones (and my car) to do my mixing. I would love to have a pair of good studio monitors to really get a good sound base for my mixing sessions.
Biggest thing I learned is that less is almost always more! The biggest frustration currently is not being able to afford any condenser mic for recording acoustic guitars.
6 years and still going strong, congratulations and thanks for being a great teacher.
The best thing I’ve learned from this site is just the fact that I need a get up and do it attitude if I want to make it work. I feel like people are looking for a lot of quick fixes and a lot of easy outs to get what they want and Graham has helped me remember that the only thing that stands in between me and my dreams is me, not my gear. He’s also given me some of the basic “you need these five things to have a home studio” type advice that’s really helped me get what I NEED to record music. I think my biggest frustration in my home studio right now is simply not having that much experience and feeling a bit overwhelmed trying to figure out how to do the things I want to do in my daw, the kind of stuff that’ll mostly just come with practice 😛
Thanks Graham, you’ve helped a lot!
This blog has been incredibly helpful for my music. I can’t say how many times people have thought my recordings came out of a professional recording studio, thanks Graham!
Congratulations and thanks for all the information and shared knowledge.
I learned you don’t need expensive gear to make good music. Just need to learn how to use the tools you have. Thanks TRR
I was a “Gear Slut” just buying electronics just because I thought I needed to. GRAHAM has taught me that ” Less could mean More”. I had to go to “GEAR REHAB” so I could stop the madness. It’s not what’s on the outside, it’s what’s on the inside that makes “Creativity”. Thanks GRAHAM.
Awesome web site! Awesome instructor! Happy anniversary!
Greatest thing I’ve learned from Graham is that it’s not all about the plugins or gear, but getting better at your craft of mixing.
best regards from Ukraine ! thx for useful infos ! 🙂
TRR is INVALUABLE….! Changed how I listen to music….again! Can’t say THANKS enough!
1 – I believe the biggest thing I’ve learned from The Recording Revolution was the paradox of choice and it affects us creators (and music creator, more specifically). And that’s only the tip of the iceberg – I’ve learned much, much more.
2 – My biggest frustration right now is getting my album mixed! I’m not a mixing engineer. It’s definitely not my favourite part of the process. But it’s fine, and actually fun for some part of the time. Actually, it’s great! However, it doesn’t compare to the love I have for composing and producing. I’ve started that album over 2 years ago… TWO YEARS!!! But back then I didn’t even think of making it an album, so it is not the same. I’ve written, composed, arranged, recorded and produced most of the project last year, and this, of course, was not non-stop production. So when I got a beginning-to-end version of the album I decided to have a break before I started mixing the whole thing. And that was basically in the beginning of the year. Yes, it was a ridiculously long break, and I hadn’t planned on that. I’ve still been making loads of music, and learning and experimenting a lot, but haven’t made progress on that particular project. It’s a shame, but I’m ready to get back to it. Maybe it’s been so difficult as it’s a super personal and intimate album, charged with harsh emotions.
Probably the most educational website out there. Have learned tons of stuff. The most valueable “you don´t need expensive gear to make great mixes”
Thank you Graham for being a great teacher!!
Like you say, it’s not about what you’ve got, it’s about how you use what you’ve got! I enjoy reading your blog!
One thing i enjoy about The Recording Revolution i that they showed me how to make a better mix on vocals and my Beats. like i watched so many you tube videos and but still couldn’t get it till i came to this site and i downloaded “The Best Mix” or something in that ball park, and it said Less is Better, and my mix have been on point since then. My Biggest Frustration, is that i have all i need in my Home Studio But quality Studio Monitors and a Mixer/Board to be able get all my inputs synced.
Hey Graham, leaving one here for the contest:
The biggest thing I’ve learnt is the “mixing in mono” trick (or hack). Helps a lot!
What I’m currently struggling with is getting the added “oomph” in the low end. It sounds fine on my near-fields, but when I take a mix to a bigger room with a bigger hi-fi stereo system, it’s like half the lows are missing. It’s not something I can hear on my own monitors and I have no idea where I’m going wrong or what to look for on all those analyzers.
It’s not about the gear! It’s about my skills!
The one that stick to my brain probably forever is the $300 studio challenge.
I have LESS than $400 worth of equipment in my home studio, I once thought “what can I do with these cheap gears? I’ll probably save some money first before start to record again”
and then you came up with this $300 studio challenge and it really, really inspired me. cause what gear you use doesn’t matter, right?
greetings from Indonesia! 😀
I think I might have seen all your videos by now and read most of the blog posts. So helpful. Thank you so much for this.
Congratulations Graham! I’m sure I can say for everyone that we look forward to the next 6 years of TRR!
The biggest thing I have learned is that you do not need the abundance of fancy pricey ‘pro’ equipment to make a killer recording and mix. Also the biggest frustration for me at the minute is not being able to afford any gear! All I can do is learn for now until I get an interface etc. Hopefully this will change soon!
Hello!
Thank You for Sience!
I’ve learned that mixing in mono has helped me develope a better balance. My main frustration is my interface.
Awesome site! great info here, thanks for the give away
Hey Graham.
Thanks for all the help through the years!
I learned lot of things over the years. But biggest thing that I learned from you is that you can make music even in Cheap home studio.You don’t need to spend lot of money to it. Instead of that we can spend time to develop your skill.So we can make music in any place.Skill is the key not the gear.
I’ve learned a lot, but the one thing that continues to stick with me is that you don’t need a multimillion dollar studio to create good music.
Hi!
The biggest thing I´ve learned from you, is how much of a difference it makes when you parallel compress lead vocals. I have always been having trouble with the vocals. I could never make the details pop out, so I turned it up until I could hear it all, but then it was too loud.
Parallel compressing the track solved my problem. Thank you!
Right now, my biggest frustration is making clean lead vocals sit right in the mix in a metal song. I like to work with a lot of different genres, and feel that I can make it work most of the time, but those clean vocals with huge guitars… nope… (probably too huge guitars… that might be the problem)
The past 6 years of info from his videos (both YouTube and from online store) have given us more than $600 toward our studio. For me, a milestone for TRR was seeing Graham on Pensado’s Place! Keep Going Graham!
Graham, this blog and videos have changed my attitude about not only recording, but also playing music and life in general. Don’t wait around until everything is perfect (you have the right gear, you have the right experience, whatever,) just do it!
I found the recording revolution around 4 years ago. I had just started to get serious about mixing. I could never understand why my mixes just never sounded professional. The first video I found was Graham talking about mixing in mono. I tried it and it blew me away with how much it helped my mixes get clarity and focus. I’ve been hooked ever since. I’ve since purchased many videos, the most helpful have been the basics, EQ, Compression, mindset and approach. What I love about TRR content is that it teaches you a new frame of reference – a new way of thinking about a problem, not just the moves, but WHY the moves. This is a much greater gift. I
I still struggle with the low end balance, I still make the mistake of adding too many plugins, and too much compression at times. TRR is one of the few things I’ve watched on the internet that has truly uped my skill level and made me a better mixer. I can’t thank you enough.
Biggest thing I’ve learned is summed up like this, and I live by it now: Method > Materials.
Biggest frustration lately is just lack of time, really. I end up with lots of works in progress and no completed songs.
It’s been 6 yrs ? already ? lol,,,
Hmm,,, gives me an idea for a song,,, lol,,,
Zzzzooommmm>>>>
The biggest things I have learned from this site are; trust your ears, a price tag isn’t everything, and the arrangement is king. X
Great iniciative thanks for all Graham
Thanks for all the hep you have given me over the years Graham. I really can’t thank you enough.
All the best,
Luke
Thanks Graham for all the content that you’ve put together over the past 6 years, I’ve learned so much from your work! I would say that the biggest thing I’ve learned is micing techniques. And my biggest frustration in my home studio right now is getting the acoustic treatment right.
My biggest lesson learned from TRR was how to muddy the repeats of a delay, to make it sound more natural.
My biggest frustration at home is keeping my DAW interface and files organized. I struggle trying to find what I am looking for.
Hey Graham,
Cheers for all your hard work over the past 6 years. Your 1 hour mix series was really interesting to watch and I’ve picked up a lot from that.
Keep up the good work man!
Biggest thing I’ve learned is how critical it is to get things right when you record and why that makes every step afterwards so much easier. Fixing recording mistakes in the mix is just wasteful and teaches bad habits.
My biggest frustration in my home studio is a less-than-optimal room set up. I have very little space to move my amp around, the room is the hottest in the house and doubles as a storage room so the environment is very cluttered and distracting. Fortunately, we’re moving into our new home at the end of the month so all that frustration will go away!
Thanks Graham!
I love your site because it always reminds me that you make better music by making better music. It’s so funny how when I had less gear and knowledge about recording, I was writing so often. The Recording Revolution has really helped me to get back to a place of making the music central to my process (songwriting, melodies, sounds, and arrangements) rather than my gear. I am now able to remember more regularly that learning things like recording and mixing and sweetening tips and tricks are for the purpose of making a *song* better, not in and for themselves.
Thanks for all your work Graham!
The biggest thing I have learned from the recording revolution is that making great music doesn’t require all the techy gear that everyone says. I have always waited to make music til I have that next thing, but Graham, you have encouraged me to think more about the music and the simple mixing rather than gear. I don’t really have much going on with my (if you can call it this) home studio. I have an interface and a laptop and studio headphones and that’s about it! But with the tools that you have taught in recordingrev, I know that’s all I need! So thanks for your daily encouragement to be creative and musical! You have inspired me greatly!
I consider myself very fortunate to have come across The Recording Revolution. Have learned so much from you Graham; even in the relatively short time I have been here. One of the biggest things (for me) that I have taken away thus far, is that you can record amazing audio with whatever setup you have, so the best thing for anyone to do is not wait for that next piece of gear that you ‘need’, but to just start recording, have fun, and make some beautiful music come alive.
Graham, congrats on 6 years of TRR. I’ve learned quite a bit from you, especially mixing in mono and at low volumes. Those two things alone have revolutionized my mixes. Right now, my biggest frustration is not having enough time to create. That’s more of an excuse than a frustration.
Hi graham,thanks for all your advices and content,lately I’ve been really depressed because I can’t produce and mix good,an what I do is crap,what could I do?
Thanks for everything! Always my go to reference for knowledge and experience in the field.
I’ve truly learned a lot about mixing from watching your videos ever since I was 15, I am 19 now and I can honestly say that from everything I’ve seen or researched online, the recording revolution has been the most helpful overall, and I am very thankful for all the knowledge you have put out on this site and on youtube. There’s a lot of technical stuff I can name that I’ve learned that has helped me along the way but I’d say the best thing I’ve learned is the simple advice that you don’t need a lot to be a good engineer and that It’s more about how you use the gear that you have rather than how much gear you have. My biggest frustration right now at my home studio is recording because I haven’t had the chance to install acoustic treatment in my room so the recordings tend to have noise in them. Hopefully I get that problem fixed soon. Once again thanks for all that you’ve done for me and everyone else with a home studio and happy 6 year anniversary.
Biggest thing learned – small wins add up to one big win.
Biggest frustration – low quality monitor speakers – can’t trust them.
The information from TRR is invaluable. The biggest lesson I have learned here is that it’s not about the gear but rather the knowledge of what you can accomplish with your gear. With the right knowledge, it is all possible.
I think the 20 minute mix with just moving faders and pan pots has been the most useful. Those adjustments before throwing a plugin on are the most important.
Not having a comfortable desk has been driving me nuts usually doing my mixing on my laptop on the kitchen table or on the couch lol.
Thanks for the awesome information all these years Graham. Congrats on 6 years of TRR.
Biggest thing I’ve learned from Recording Revolution is to focus on the big wins.
My biggest frustration right now is putting into practice all the things I’ve learned from various tutorials and trainings, without having someone to sanity check, or quality check for me along the way.
Hi Graham,
Just wanted you to know that I love your lessons and reading articles on your website. Also, very much appreciate what you do for us “little guys” in the music world 🙂 Thank you for that.
There are 2 most valuable things I’ve learned from you:
1. That you don’t need much to make good music
2. To translate techniques to other genres that aren’t exclusively vocals-oriented
My biggest frustration right now is pretty outdated computer that I work on – It’s inching near 10 years now . And the complete lack of room treatment – echo is sometimes killing me.
So, I guess again two again. Heh.
Have a good day 🙂
The biggest (and most encouraging) thing I’ve learned from TRR is that SIMPLICITY of approach (not complicated, expensive gear) and MUSICAL QUALITY (of songwriting, arrangement, and performance) are the true keys to getting good recordings. My biggest frustration at the moment: I’m a musician and performer, and I know how to do that, but I want to get into recording, and I’m very much an ignorant beginner there. So I’m just trying to take baby steps to learn the basics. Hopefully I’ll eventually get somewhere with it.
Hi Graham
Things i have learnt in TRR are the many tricks in mixing. And good mixing doesnt neccessarily depend on having expensive gears. Plus mixing in mono which is really great n totally new to me.
Thanks for this giveaway!
Biggest thing I’ve learned : It’s knowing the gear…not buying the gear that counts. Learn what you’ve got rather than what you think you need.
Thanks for all the fab content Graham…I’ve learned so much it’s untrue, thanks for all the sharing.
Graham, congratulations!
Especially on your way of life – giving/sharing!
I learnt a lot from your positive way of looking at things and your down-to-earth approach; simple things make a big difference…
Regards and God bless,
Roelof
Best audio training I have found in the web. Thanks Graham!
Hi Graham! Thanks for the years of awesome info, you’ve really helped me tackle the monster that is mixing, and make it seem practical instead of rocket science.
I think the most valuable piece of info I learned from you is subtractive EQ, it really helps make room for instruments that need to be in the forefront without compromising the audio space. I think the hardest thing for me to tackle is still miking on drums, but that’s probably because my studio rig is mostly mobile, and I’m never in the same room for drums twice. The techniques from your two mic and three mic videos definitely help.
Thanks again, Graham! Congratulations
The biggest thing I learned from following TRR for some years now, is the perseverence to get mixes right, doing simple things first. My early mixes were overprocessed with virtually every trick in the book applied to specific tracks. I also tended to treat tracks seperately more as a sort of preprocessing before the actual mixing. I’m much more focussed on integration of the mix now, listenening deeper in the mix and trying to determine which big changes it needs first. Then I itterate on smaller issues. I may well end up treating a track heavily, but now I know much better when and why to do it.
TRR Staff, Graham, thanks a lot for all your insights shared over the years. I’m referring peer home-studio keppers here in the Netherlands happliy to your many useful internet-posts !!
The best thing I have learned from The a Recording Revolution is to be original. Instead of trying to imitate the engineers you look up to, take what you learned from them and add your own style to it. That’s what makes us all unique, is our diversity!
My biggest struggle in my home studio is my acoustics. I do not have the proper acoustics in my home studio so it makes it hard to mix to the best of my ability. I have four parallel walls so I constantly hear the sound reflecting causing a bunch of echoe and buildup. Thanks for everything Graham!
This is a great giveaway. Thank you! I’ve loved the site before, and this only helps.
Hi!
The biggest thing that I’ve learned from TRR is the psychological approach to running a home studio; Make the most out of the gear you have and invest in yourself; in your playing, recording, producing, mixing skills etc.
I would also like to point out the rethink mixing series, which has been a huge help for my mixes
Currently my main struggle is to learn how to market my studio skills and get a job in a professional studio or gain clients of my own.
I’ve learnt that good mixes come from the source and it’s not all about expensive gear!
My biggest frustration at the moment is that I want to network more and keep practising and learning.
I think the biggest thing I learned from you, Graham, is that you really don’t need the pro gear to get the pro sound. Investing and buying new stuff is fun, for a short amount of time. I think what makes it so satisfying is when you see/hear that your mixes are getting better, not because of the gear you use, but because of you. I want to get better, and not my gear, this I learned thanks to you:) My biggest Frustration? Time! I would love to spend more time making Music. And then when I finally get time to work on something I can’t fully get into it. I don’t know, i can’t concentrate and can’t feel the music when I have to work on it in 30 minute blocks, once a day.
The biggest piece of knowledge I got form TRR was that I don’t really need better gear or software. What I have been struggling with the most is sticking to that knowledge.
Thanks for everything Graham.
This is a great giveaway! Thank you!
I think the biggest and most helpful thing I’ve learned is exactly what equipment I need for a home studio, and that I can have a home studio that’s within my budget! The biggest frustration right now, is that I don’t have an ideal location for my studio. (Could do it, and am planning on doing some in this location, but am looking forward to plans to build a studio.)
Biggest thing I’ve learned is that the key to any good mix is to allow the listener to listen to it easily. To that end, the simplicity is the key. Also, I’ve learned a lot about time management.
On another note – I’ve learned to trust myself and yet to be aware that there is always more to learn every day.
The Best ever thing I learned from recording revolution would be mixing in mono. And, mastering is my biggest frustration right now.
Thanks for all you do!
Best thing I’ve learned: keep working on mic placement and don’t settle for the first sound.
Worst frustration: recording area is too small and very noisy depending on time of day.
Thanks for all you do! This is my first reference point for all things recording!
You have given, you have impacted knowledge, you didn’t hold back, you didn’t give up at the most early stages when it wasn’t easy . I see the passion, the sacrifice, the vision. You’re not legend, only few have ever lived, who choose to share their secrets, their knowledge.
I see you!!! We see you!!! Congratulations.. Happy 6 years, welcome to the journey to perfection: (Seven) 7.
Hi Graham,
I’m trying mixing in mono and as simple as possible. That’s the biggest trick I’ve learned so far! Thank you so much for your blog!
What is the biggest thing you’ve learned from The Recording Revolution?
The biggest thing I have learned from The Recording Revolution is to keep it simple and be strategic on how I approach every mix. I have learned that it is not necessarily about the expensive gear that you need to have a great mix but it is being knowledgeable and being expert at the situation you are given with requirements. I have realized that with good strategy, eq and compression can make your mix sound great without expensive external plugins.
And what is your biggest frustration right now in your home studio?
The biggest frustration right now is my studio monitor not being accurate to the mix I am working on. It takes many tries and effort to reference multiple times before I feel the eq is correct on the final mix.
Thanks for all the helpful tips! You’re awesome!
Happy anniversary Graham! The best thing I’ve ever learned from TRR since I’ve joined in 2013 is the big difference you can do in a mix with such little moves and the determination to do your best even when your gear is not. My biggest frustration in my home studio right now is the room acoustics, where I live there is almost no one that can give you advice about the matter, so frustrating.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from TRR is mixing quickly. For me now, I get great results when I run through mixes quickly, relying on my ears as opposed to watching how I’m tweaking. Once something sounds right, I move on, even if I didn’t EQ this, or compress that. The first few minutes really do handle the bulk of the mix for me.
Thanks! 😀
I was so fortunate to have found your youtube channel several months ago. I had just retired and was wanting to put together a small home studio. Thanks to you I now feel confident in knowing what gear I need, which won’t drain the wallet, and I’ve gained some much needed recording/mixing knowledge along the way.
Very grateful for all you do.
Hi Graham,
I’m trying mixing in mono and as simple as possible. That’s the biggest trick I’ve learned so far! Thank you so much for your blog!
Hoang My
Thank you Graham for all of your awesome content. It’s truly enhanced my recordings.
The info you provide has helped me so much. Keep it coming. >>> SED
Thanks Graham for all the advice over the years. The biggest thing that I have taken away from your instruction is that it is possible for me to create a professional sound if I put my mind to it, and I don’t try to pretend that I have a multi million dollar studio.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from TRR is that mixing in mono makes a big difference. I used to mix just in stereo, and then at the very end, after my mix was “done”, I’d listen to it in mono (just to see how it sounded) and every time my vocals would completely disappear. I had no clue what I was doing wrong. Eventually, I figured out it was a weird compression think I was doing, but I only figured it out once I tried mixing in mono. It has helped me tremendously.
My biggest frustration with my home studio is that it’s not actually in my house. It’s at an office building where my friend and I were given half the space to use, but we can’t work during the day because of normal office work hours. Also one of the workers brings his dog, which hates me and tries to bite me every single time I walk in the door. Not totally audio related, but frustrating nonetheless.
The best thing that I’ve learned here is that you don’t need 15 microphones and thousands of dollars of gear to make great recordings, especially when it comes to drums.
My biggest frustration right now is always mixing through headphones and never getting to hear it on a monitor except for my old karaoke machine that I use as a mono monitor lol.
I learned almost everything about music production from recording revolution. I started following your blog when i was in school and now i study science of music.
I really love the way you keep things simple and not profit oriented but helping people wherever you can.
I’d be really happy if i was the chosen one for your giveaway. 🙂
I really want to thank you for encouraging me (and everyone else) to keep on producing music and to keep on keeping on even if times sometimes dont look so good. I’m sure many people wouldnt have done it (including me) without your help.
Congrats graham on the past 6 years and i wish all the best for the following 🙂
Thanks!
Keep up the good work!
I have learned that I have all of the gear required to create a very professional sounding recording. My biggest frustration is in EQing. I have used advice from this site which has helped tremendously, however it seems my pianos just have too much mids sounding boxy. I have played with the eq for weeks unable to get the professional sound I need. It drives me insane!!! I will continue trying until I get it right!
Thank you for TRR! It has brought me so much valuable information and I am grateful!!!
Best thing I have learned from TRR is that less is more and mixing better music is just pure learn do and repeat process. Also you don’t need all these fancy gear. I am thankfull that you have shared your techniques with us.
Hey Graham, you’ve helped me a lot over the last 5 years! I remember when your 30 minutes to a better mix was still new!
I’d have to say the most important thing you’ve taught me is how to properly EQ and that it’s the little victories that get the big one. I totally trashed a couple songs because I just didn’t grasp what EQ was really meant for until one of your videos showed me the way.
And honestly, my biggest obstacle is my inability to find time or consistent clients.
Thanks for everything Graham!!
I think the most important thing I’ve learned from you is too keep things simple, and to not worry too much about absolute perfection. Applies to both writing music and mixing!
Biggest frustration for me would probably be recording drums, I make do with a single dynamic mic thanks to some of your tips, but I could really use a better mic setup…
Anyway, thanks for everything Graham!
Learning to record drums with 1 mic was eye opening! Less work and hassle.
My biggest frustration is getting the mix to sound good on all speakers.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from RR is having the confidence in yourself, and learning when to let go of a mix. I’ve learned that our early mixes will inevitably be worse than our later ones, but that the only way we’ll get better is to just mix and learn from the mistakes we made for next time. If you nitpick, you’ll never finish a mix.
Since discovering The Recording Revolution, I’ve been hooked to watching your videos and reading your subscription emails every day. The most valuable thing I’ve learned so far has been to just hunker down and do the work. When it comes down to it, no piece of gear or technique will get you to churn out great content unless you actually go out there, put your nose to the grindstone, and start working. Ironically, my biggest frustration in the studio now is just that: finding the motivation to schedule in time to work on stuff and create. I love music; I have a degree in composition and have always loved creating with notation software, but recording is a relatively new endeavor for me. I feel it’s an absolute necessity for me to get a handle on it in order to keep my creative toolbox stocked and content flowing.
Keep it simple, less is more and above all else use your ears rather than depending on gear to accomplish your musical aspirations and creations.
Sage lessons based upon established, tried and true efforts to create inspiring sonic tapestries to share with those on similar musical paths.
Congratulations on 6 years of sharing & caring……………. continued blessings and inspiration.
You along other people have helped me so much getting my feet of the ground. I’m most definitely suggesting you to other young enthusiasts. Cheers from Estonia 😉
The best thing I learned from you is that I have the equipment I need to begin recording–I don’t need anything close to a $2,000 microphone to be successful. Thank you.
I didn’t know much at all about recording and the I found TRR and Graham has taught me so much. My biggest frustration, though, is that I haven’t actually recorded anything to apply what I’ve learned.
Im just getting started in pod casting for my church and it is all new to me. I enjoy watching your posts on basic how to’s and it has helped me already. You listed several ways to get started with basically what you have. The post on the $300 studio was helpful and it is what I did
Keep up the good work and God Bless
Pastor Frank
I am very impressed with TRR and the way you explain everything so clearly. It’s almost like being there. Happy 6th anniversary.
The best thing that I’ve learned from following along with your videos is to always trust my ears and that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for all mixes. Thanks for all your hard work, Graham!
I really appreciate the down-to-earth philosophy of TRR. Less gear, more ear. Mixing in mono has been the biggest boost for me so far.
I produce electronic music (not DANCE music!) So until now have had no need for mics in my studio. ..I’d like to practice these techniques soon but admit I’m a little scared to spend some money on a mic setup. Maybe a nice $600 check will help…
Graham, you are the Man !
6 years of motivation and attitude, 6 years of golden advices, thank you 6 x365 times !
The biggest thing I’ve learned here is how to take a step back, and think big picture: how to focus on purpose, not on details. So a mix has to focus on those items:
_ “What emotion do we want to bring”?
_ “how to improve the arrangement, then the recorind process”?
_ “What does the song need”?
_ Top down mix.
_ Referencing with known pro tracks in the same genre.
_ Listenning to mix translation through different speakers/headphones.
What I struggle with is to know my room sound better: I can’t use acoustic treatment because I mix… In my living room! My monitors are great, but I guess I still have to listen to different systems all the time to make shure my mixes translate well? That’s fine.
A gain, Graham, thanks for everything !
Hi Graham, first things first- Congratulations on 6 years! I pray for many many more! The thing that’s been most helpful to me that you’ve taught isn’t technical. Through your perseverance on the site, hearing all of the personal thoughts you have on how to still have a successful recording business while being a husband and father has been of greatest benefit along with constant reminders that great recordings come with time and practice, not flashy new DAW or Plugin. I still struggle a bit with compression but I’m getting better thanks to you. Your master courses on CreativeLive taught me so much more about the reasons why I should use compression and eq, not just how to use them. You have been an inspiration to us all the follow TRR. Thanks for everything, Bro. Keep Grinding!
Hi Graham,
For me, the biggest game changer was learning how to be more surgical with compression, rather than hitting everything with a hammer. Finessing my tracks has made a world of difference. Thanks for doing what you do, and for your ReThink Mixing course!
Hey Graham. The best thing I’ve learned from this site and your videos is the importance of keeping the right mindset and focusing on the important things when mixing. Watching you working and mixing songs taught me how a thoughtful approach to the gear I already have and to the way I manage my tracks can make a huge difference. When I started following you about a year ago I already knew how to use a compressor or an EQ, but I still I would fail to see the bigger picture, leading to disappointing mixes and not knowing why. Since then my songs saw an incredible and unexpected improvement and I’m really proud of it. Keep up the incredible work man, I wish you all the best! Greetings from Italy 🙂
The biggest thing I learned from you was to mix at a low volume & also to be creative when mixing.
My biggest frustration is the acoustics in my room, it is not treated.
I put what I learned, but not my biggest frustration. Right now, I’d say my biggest challenge is getting my mixes to translate across different speaker systems. What sounds great in my studio and on headphones doesn’t always sound good in the car or an iPhone.
The best thing I leaened from the website was that it’s not the gear that makes the engineer
My biggest frustration: the location in which I’m recording and mixing in
Hi Graham came across Recording Revolution through YouTube, wanted to thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge with the world.
Thank you for all the valious information you share with us!
Thank you. The biggest and the best thing I’ve learned from this site, from you, is that less is somethimes more. That’s the biggest true. So thank you for that.
And my studio really sucks, I don’t have money for the equipment, so money is the biggest problem for me now.
I remember the first time I discovered 30 days to a better mix. I learned something from every video. And ever since then I have enjoyed the benefits of your guidance. Thanks for sharing your experiences with all of us.
Thanks for your stuff. Simplicity, keeping in mind the basics and humility are m’y favorite tricks from you. I just need more time to play…
The best thing I learned from recording revolution is (cliche as it sounds) less is always more. My sounds are now a lot more pleasing to listen to since I’m not filling them with stacks of plugins and other things that take away from the song more than they add.
Right now however, my biggest struggle is finding the discipline to stick to my deadlines. There’s always on more mix revision to be made. And not always for the better…….
Great!!
Hi, I am an Alumni from the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Tempe AZ, although I learned a lot from the school such as learning how to calibrate a 24 track reel to reel tape machine, basics of electronics, ( which I have an associates in Computer Electronics and Engineering Technologies from ITT tech) and getting my hands on some killer equipment, ( LA2A, SSLG+ recording consoles, a NEVE console and a Neotek console,) the one thing they did not really teach you is how to run your own home studio, they were catered to getting their students into large pro studios which is cool, but now days not too practical. The biggest thing I learned form Recording Revolution is how to get great results with the equipment you have. That too me was and still is priceless.
As far as my biggest frustration, I think it is time, I still work full time as an Audio Visual Techincian, also play in a band, and try to do as much recording as I can. I am struggling to find reliable bands to record as they all seem to be a little flaky, ( and at this moment my partner and I are doing the recording for free in order to get our names out there). Also I need to figure out how to make a successful business with our recording. We currently are in two locations, all the recording is done at my partners house and the mixing and mastering done at mine as we can not afford a space to base our studio at right now.
All in all I watch your videos and learn a lot, event from the stuff I already know. Thanks.
Perhaps if you charged money to record the bands they wouldn’t be as flaky. Just a suggestion.
If you pay for something, you pay attention to it. If something is free you often don’t take it as seriously.
Thank you for all the valious information that you share with us!
This is amazing! Thank you Graham!
I’m a new subscriber, but I’ve read blog posts every once in a while for a year or so. Something I’ve learned exclusively from here was to EQ in mono. My mixes have gotten a thousand times better, but they’re still not where I’d like them to be. Something that frustrates me that I’m still trying to learn to do, is how to sit my synths above my vocals but still have the vocals be effortlessly heard. I know I’ll figure it out in time and practice! Anyway, thank you!
The most helpful thing ive learned is the power of limitations it has helped me understand my gear and save me money
The most frustrating obstacle I face in my home studio is getting artist willing to pay for my services because the second i start talking money they disappear off the face of the earth and I honestly believe im putting out work that they would agree is very quality work but they just dont want to pay
You showed me that you don’t need to spend alot of money to get good recordings. A good song, great performance, and decent mixing will get you alot further than expensive mics, preamps, etc..
The most important thing I have learned from Graham is that we have a tendency to think that we can not do good mixes if we don’t have X or Y gear/software. Just by overcoming this thinking makes your recordings and mixes better.
Thanks for sharing your good work over the last six years!
The best thing I’ve learned from this site is to stop wasting my hard earned money on new gear thinking I’ll get better recordings and mixes.
Congrats!
5 minutes to a better mix is my all time favourite! 🙂
Love this blog!
Biggest thing I learned from TRR is you can do so much with very little. When I first started thinking about building a home studio, I almost fell into the trap of having to get the most expensive gear to make high quality recordings. I’ve learned that I can create quality without having to break the bank!
And what is your biggest frustration right now in your home studio? My biggest frustration is refining my ear to listen for when and how much to use EQ and compression. Work in progress!
I’ve learned to KISS, stupid, from the recording revolution… Lol
Thanks Graham, you’re the best! Looking forward to another six years, then another and onwards and upwards! :0
I ve been really getting into these blog post that youve been doing..PURE GENIUS.The info u put out is extremely useful and actually helped me. Thank You.
The biggest thing I learned is that I do not need more stuff, but need to mix more.
Ironically I now try to win more stuff. 😉
(I also love that god is part of the picture. Don’t worry, I’m a liberal Episcopalian and don’t deny anyone his rights.) 😉
Thanks for always sharing your experience graham, I enjoy it so much that i joined Dueling Mixes last month after your audio income and i really love your approach. You are awesome. Best thing i have learned is to mix in mono.
Thanks Graham!!! I am so excited to have this! I hope you pick me! You rock!
So thankful for what you give. I spend a great deal of time helping talented people on a budget take their music to another level. Thanks for helping me to make that possible!
Your tutorials showed me “why” things are done. Most tutorials show you “how” something is done without also explaining when that strategy should applied. The videos made sense of years and years of disconnected tutorial data.
Most importantly, I noticed an IMMEDIATE improvement in my mix. If you want to take your music to the next level, regardless of experience, this is an opportunity I wouldn’t pass up. Peace Graham!
Thanks Graham, you’re the best! Looking forward to another six years, then another and onwards and upwards! 🙂
Maybe one of the best things i’ve learned from the recording revolution is to simply make the best of what you have. Utilize your tools as well as you can. And that’s one thing i’m working on, is getting the best captures I can. It really comes down to having your initial source be as good as it can be instead of trying to force something to sound good. Thanks Graham!
The biggest thing I’ve learnt from TRR is the balance between realising I’m not a professional level studio but still treating myself like one to a certain extent: setting aims/ goals/ deadlines to help push me further. The biggest frustration is having an 8 year old computer that struggles to run my DAW!
Best thing I’ve learned here, besides so many other very usefull stuff was about forgetting the gear and take advantage of what we have. Things get better with the same gear if we explore new ways to use it, and use it wisely.
Best thing I learned is that I can make great recordings and mixes simply by learning my gear and applying some simple principles to get my recordings sounding great on tracking day.
Biggest frustration, lack of time.
I Have quite learned a lot of things from your sharing Graham, but the best of them all is the way to get the best end product from the gear that i already have because i used to have this mentality that big producers get great sounds just simply because they have expensive gears. This knowledge has completely redefine how i arrange and select my instruments for performance.
May God Bless u more,
Greetings from Tanzania.
Wow, I’ve learned so many things that it’s hard to say what is the biggest. Here’s one thing though, I learned that when I don’t understand something, then I probably need to hear Graham explain it. An example is when I upgraded from Focusrite 2i2 to 18i20 it came with a software mix control that gave me some trouble until I found Graham’s video on the subject. In fact, during the last year I’ve learned to trust the advice given on Recording Revolution.
All I can say is thank you, Graham!
Since discovering The Recording Revolution, I’ve been hooked on watching your videos and reading your subscriptions emails every day. The most valuable thing I’ve learned has been to just do the work. When it comes down to it, no piece of gear or technique is going to get you producing quality content unless you buckle down, put your nose to the grindstone, and get working. Ironically enough, my biggest frustration has been just that: finding the motivation to schedule the time to get stuff done and create. I love music; I have a degree in composition and always loved creating in notation software. But recording is a relatively new venture for me. I think it’s critical for me to get a handle on it in order to keep my creative toolbox stocked and my creativity flowing. Thanks for all the great content, Graham.
Thank you Graham for this amazing 6 years you have put into building this community. I have learned pretty much everything about mixing from your site and videos. This was the first site/channel that I stumbled upon some 4 years ago that actually made any sense for a complete beginner. Besides that, I find your various equipment reviews highly valuable and of great reference.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from Recording Revolution was concepts on how to approach a mix. These would include mixing in mono, bus compression, two most important tools for a mix engineer (eq and compression) and how to properly use them, mix sweetining and reference tracks.
Right now, the biggest frustration in my home studio is knowing wether or not, my recorded audio is the best it can be in terms of sound quality. Maybe it is a matter of taste, but knowing when the audio entering my DAW is sonically at it’s best would help.
Thank you once again and I wish you six more amazing years! 🙂
TRR has taught me a lot, most importantly though Graham has taught me to record at lower volumes for cleaner results. I still struggle with attaining paying clients, all in time I suppose.
Hi, one of the biggest tricks i got here is going back to mono mixing to be sure that there is no frequential conflict between the different sources.
The biggest problem with my room is the acoustic, it is a small room so i have quite some probem withe the bass frequencies reponses here, i’m still a strudent so i can not afford this kind of material event if i built it myself (wood is really not something cheap)
thank you very much for the knowlede you share here
I’ve only just started visiting this site, but I’m making it curriculum for my first ever attempt at an album. From what I’ve seen so far this is a premium source of information for home recording – thank you for doing this!
One of the greatest things I’ve learned from Graham and The Recording Revolution is to just get in the studio and start cranking out my music instead of sitting around dreaming about it. Just taking a little time each day to sow some seeds into the gifts the Lord has given me. The only struggle that I have is that working on the business part of your music sometimes takes up so much of your day that you sometimes don’t have enough time to record. Time management and deadlines are the key! This post really helped me find and save some time. http://therecordingrevolution.com/2013/07/01/the-tim-ferriss-approach-to-mixing/ Thanks Graham!
Graham, thanks for all you do. Great content. Tons of free stuff! And excellent advice for immediate use in my home studio. Thanks again!
Best thing I’ve learnt….it’s not new gear that is going to fix your mixes 🙂
The most important thing I’ve learned through the recording revolution all this time is how to make the most of what you got. Equipment, plug-ins etc. And also how important eq and compression are to every part of a mix. My biggest frustration right now in my home studio realm is the lack of acoustic treatment in my area which leads to misleading mixes.
Thanks for all the help you give, the information is so valuable in a time where everyone is recording!
Happy anniversary dude! Thanks for sharing lots of first class information. Aldo to be honest with your blog and share all this philosophy. I’ve learn a lot in many ways but I think the most I have learned its to get a proper way to work, the right process when I’m either producing or mixing. I’m still frustrated, coz I just can’t learn a 100% my DAW. I’m working on it anyways. And yes, no more updates. Cheers!
Love your work and helpfulness and how you bring your faith into what you do. I live in Virginia but my dad is in Tampa. Are you ever available to show your studio. Would be fun for me to meet you when I visit my dad, since I’ve watched your vids for so many years. Keep up the good work and I’ve enjoyed your courses.
The biggest thing i’ve learned is that it’s not the gear that makes the biggest difference, it’s how you use it. And my biggest frustration in the studio right now is that the room I use to record drums is not soundproof and whenever I record drums, it’s just really too loud for me to be able to hear clearly the drums in my monitors.
Not only have you taught me so much about technical mixing (heavy bus, cut through kick, bass sat, how to actually use compression ) but your philosophical posts have helped me in all aspects of life. 80/20 and Parkinson’s law alone have transformed my life.
In in Ny, and unbeknownst to me, my step brother in Israel began to follow you as well. It took about 5 minutes of sharing techniques to figure out we’re both quoting you! Thanks!!
1. What is the biggest thing you’ve learned from The Recording Revolution?
2. And what is your biggest frustration right now in your home studio?
1- That I can make an awesome album in my own Home Studio just with passion for what I do and having lots of fun.
2- That I don’t have a pair of Studio Monitors, I use an amp and my pair of Studio Headphones. And I would love to have a pair of Monitors so I can hear what I do in another way. I feel incomplete in a certain way.
I’ve learned so much here as I struggle getting my home studio setup. Thanks so much!
Graham I must say your hard to come by. I have looked for mixing tips everywhere on the net and found a lot of tips but non to the standard and precision yours are at. I mix projects regularly and I am pleased to have you as my arsenal. No mix lately is finished till I have checked of your checklist of mixing tips. Well done!!!
Hi Graham,
i learned from you how to focus on the most important tasks and parts (and how “fast mixing” works…).
Thanxallot,
Niels.
The biggest things I have learned is to have a plan, top down mixing, subtractive EQ, mixing in mono, and using reference tracks.
Congrats on being around for 6 years. Here is to many more!
Thanks for you help all these years!
Chris
Thank you Graham for all your help and encouragement.
Biggest thing I’ve learned is to not blame the equipment! You can do a lot with what you have if you know how!
Graham,
This is by far the best forum/site I have come across this year. Information is power! The Recording Revolution has given me the tools and confidence I need to step out from behind the drum kit and start making and recording my own music. My hope is to continue to progress and to become much more efficient in the mixing stage. Keep dishing out the power, Graham! Thanks again and God bless!
Thank you so much for all the content you have created and so generously shared over the years. The Recording Revolution has helped me in so many ways. There were many years I just thought if you were going to produce music, you had to be in the multimillion dollar studios with all of the best gear. The biggest thing I learned is that you proved that as long as you know what it takes to get a good mix, it doesn’t matter the gear you do it on. Because of you, I’m finally working on my EP that I’ve been wanting to make for years! The current most frustrating thing to me is my lack of studio monitors. I know it’s possible to get by with other alternatives such as strictly headphones or a cheaper set of speakers, but it would definitely help to complete my home studio setup and would be extremely helpful!! Although gear isn’t the most important part, it sure would be nice and helpful to have a couple of upgrades to help complete this project.
Thanks you Graham, for being a great recording coach and just an awesome guy!
Kirk
Thank you for the past 6 years, Graham! The thing I’ve learned from you that has had the biggest impact on my music is the method: having steps and phases to my mixing rather than “mixing” all willy nilly.
My biggest frustration right now is a lack of space: my living room doubles as my studio space and so I can’t leave anything set up for extended periods of time.
I think the biggest things you have taught me are mixing in mono, don’t record too hot, and most of all to stay humble and don’t be entitled!
Ive been following TRR for years now. I have learned so much valuable information. My favorite part about trr and what seperates it from everything else is that Grahm teaches you that knowledge is king. Your blogs really helped me realize thag i can stop focusing on gear and focus on whats important which is learning how to properly use the gear you have.
My biggest struggle has been getting clean recordings from the source with such a bad sounding room.
The best and most important thing I’ve learned from the recording revolution is your philosophy. The significance of limitation, efficiency, and adaptability. This kind of influence is a rarity and has helped me improve far beyond the studio. Thank you Graham. Also, my biggest frustration for now is not having the time to spend all day utilizing your skills to make great music. Congratulations on six years Graham! You’re making a great impact.
Dude, thank you for not giving up on TRR!!! You’ve seriously helped with so much!!
J
The biggest thing/ most important thing I’ve learned from The Recording Revolution is the idea that you do not need thousands of dollars worth of gear in order to get mixes that sound good.
My biggest struggle currently, when it comes to recording, is since I do not own a set of monitors l wonder how accurate of a mix I am getting through my studio headphones so I find my self playing back the recording many times through many different sounds sources. Though this is not a HUGE problem necessarily, and is a good habit regardless, it does serve as an inconvenience when recording with my band or by myself etc.
Thanks for all that you do. All your stuff is great!
..and a testimonial from Mr Pensado.. it doesn’t get better than that!
The biggest thing I’ve learned from The Recording Revolution is that the most important asset in my home studio is me. Yeah, it’s important to have the right gear but it’s doesn’t matter if I have a $4000 microphone but no knowledge and wisdom how to produce an amazing vocal performance. I am truly bless to have stumbled upon this website because it has given me the creative confidence in knowing how to produce music and churn out a mix the way I envision it in my head. However, the biggest frustration about my home studio is connectivity and processing power. I currently don’t have an audio interface between my outboard gear and my desktop and in-turn my desktop doesn’t have the processing power to support and audio interface. I’ve been wanting to save up for a refurbished Mac Laptop ever since Graham has inspired me with the realization that the power to produce great music is not in the pen, but it is in how you write your name. Thanks!!
The Top-Down Mixing approach, among all the things I learned from TRR, would probably be my most “life-changing” (in mixing) lesson for me. It has made me actually FINISH mixing tracks. I used to struggle a lot and focus solely on individual elements of the tracks and but the Top-Down Approach made me look at mixing on a bigger picture first before anything else. Thanks Graham!
The biggest thing I’ve learned from the recording revolution is that what we do is about the sound and not the gear we use to accomplish it. The one thing I am worried about in my project studio at this time is that it might not be the ideal acoustic space. Thank you Graham for sharing your experience and thought process,
The best: five minutes to a better mix séries.
The frustration: small portfolio
Hi Graham!
It feels a bit strange to admit it but I have to say that I learn the most when I find that I don’t agree with what you write or say. It makes me question my own take on things and gives me a deeper understanding of why I think that way, and sometimes it makes me change my mind about things.
My biggest struggle right now is probably to overcome mental issues that keeps me from producing music. It is a long process of hard work and there’s no magic pill to it and nothing money can solve.
I have also found myself in deep need for better monitoring (new speakers and room treatment). I find myself mixing more on headphones since they give me a better representation, but it’s not the best thing to mix on cans all the time either. So that’s what I will improve next whenever I can afford to.
Thanks for everything Graham!
Warm regards from Sweden
I’d say one of the most helpful tricks I’ve learned from you that I always go back to is using a hi pass filter on virtually every track to clear out unnecessary low end to make space in the mix. Starting out I would obsess about headroom and this was a revelation to me ha ha. The biggest challenge with my home studio currently is my setup. It’s very modest. Right now I do everything in the box which is great but some of my gear needs some repair. I’m using a 2 channel M-Audio fast track pro that has one working channel left. I had a pair of Berringer headphones but the apartment I was living in had a break in and were stolen so I’m using either my monitors or earbuds which is okay but yeah ha ha a new interface, new headphones, an sm 57, and in a perfect world, the portable vocal booth pro 2. I do a lot of session work as a vocalist so these would be amazing additions. Anyway Thanks Graham for your generosity with your information. Here’s to at least 6 more years -Aaron-
What mass of stones do YOU think it takes to espouse teaching something online while eschewing the manufacturers who stand to make money from the enterprise? Thank you, Graham, for your integrity. With exponents!
Cal
Spending more time up front listening to the song and getting the static mix more solid and making better use of mono mixing are probably the two most powerful and helpful improvements that Recording Revolution has shown me. Very grateful to Graham for this as it has definitely made the music I work with better. I’m still just trying to find more time in my day to actually sit down and mix though. Still working on that.
Hi Graham, I could not be any more thankful for the work you’ve put in to help all the home recording studios out there, well done, Happy 6th Anniversary!
Happy anniversary, Graham! Keep up the excelent work, there is absolutely no one like you on the whole worldwirdeweb! Really, man, congratulations!!!! Hope to hear more from you on this following years!! Greetings from Mexico! if you ever come by give me a call
You taught me how to get better results with way less plugins and processing.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from your blog is that I can produce great soundong tracks without investing 1000’s of dollars in gear just by applying a fee simple principles.
Good Graham and Co.!
I’ve been following you since year one. Ran across it by mistake and can honestly say it was one of the greatest mistakes ever. Can’t believe it’s been 6 years already. What a great 6 years. Thanks for the great content. Wish you another 6 and beyond…many blessings!
your emails and videos inspire me!
Thanks again!
I’ve been following Graham for almost 4 years and have learned a ton. You’re a great teacher, thanks!
Good morning Graham. How are you? I hope you had a great weekend. Thank you very much for all the tips and tricks. Wishing you all the best
Hey Graham!
Thanks for learning me almost everything I know about mixing! Love the work!
And thanks for the oppertunity to win 600 dollars, it’ll shorten my wishlist of gear for sure ^^ (If I win ofcourse)
Well the Recording revolution to me has been a blessing sent by God! I loved music but i felt i was missing something! The first time i heard about this site I was watching videos on YouTube and then I stumbled upon the Recording Revolution! The first video I saw was the 5 Key Home Studio Components! I feel In love with the idea of creating a Studio in my house and you really encourged me to do it because I thought i was gonna spend thousand of dollars on gear just to record and mix but you showed me that spending so much wasn’t necessary!!! I started en December of 2014 and my Studio has grown! Already have clients and everything! Ive learned a lot these months! One of the new things i learned was mixing in Mono!!! Wow never new that existed and that it could help the mix a lot! Now my mixes have way better clarity and It has totally helped me a lot! Thank you Graham for making the Recording revolution!!! God has blessed you in a huge way! Your are on of my inspirations! Thanks a million!!! God Bless you!
Thank you for 6 years of knowledge Graham. Here’s to 6 more!!
The biggest thing for me was learning to concentrate on the music and the big picture. Not the list of things I still need to buy. Setting a schedule and even a timer and just doing it! Once I got my EP finished and some time passed I didn’t hear the gear any longer. I was thankful for having recorded it, I was hearing the music. It’s great to become better at what you do, get better equipment… but what good is it if you get nothing finished?
My biggest concern right now is deciding what the big picture needs, what might be the equipment I need the most right now… And which instruments/microphones/software I can buy later. To keep on making music without distractions.
biggest thing I’ve learnt is definitely just to learn how to use what you’ve got, you’ll get good at it, rather than using an array of gear. my biggest problem in the studio at the moment is getting mixes to translate to other speakers.
The best thing I’ve learned is that it~s not about the gear you use but about the skills you have.
My biggest frustration right now is mastering :/
The 1hr mix series was awesomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Love your videos, you’ve helped me a lot to grow as a mixer/producer!
With your advice i learned that i can do better thing with the same equipments.
Winning that prize is not important.Because i saved more than that because of you!
Thank you for all.
Biggest thing that got me hooked was the tutorial about the Saffire Software – thanks!
Biggest frustration is focus and time – getting things recorded and mixed in my home studio.
One of the most useful tips I’ve learnt from you is mixing in Mono! Definitely made all of my mixes sound way cleaner once back into stereo. The only thing I’ve been struggling with right now is hardware and saving up to invest in some. I’d like to own a good set of studio monitors, that’s all I need now for a complete home studio really.
Thanks for everything, Graham!
Biggest thing I’ve learned from TRR is to make great use of a hi-pass filter on many/all tracks that to free up more room for kick/bass, resulting in a cleaner, more pronounced low-end.
My biggest frustration comes from programming drums, in that I write a lot of technical transitions that would be extremely easier to track if I had a MIDI kit. I realize this is a Gear Acquisition Syndrome issue, but I stand by the belief that it would be an invaluable creative tool that would yield hours more of completed songwriting.
Thank you so much for everything.
I’ve learned that learning beats gear every time.
I’m in the midst of a move right now so that’s the biggest frustration.
Hi Graham. It’s difficult to say which is the most important thing I’ve learned from you but at the moment I’m finding mixing in mono to be a revelation!
The biggest thing I’ve learned from TRR is to mix vocals last. This simple tips had made a huge difference, just the mental note to get the music balanced and tight before even touching the vocal track.
Thanks for all the knowledge shared with us.
Mixing in mono was the greatest lesson that i’ve learned and i’m still trying to develop my mix.
Best thing I’ve learned is to focus on making music than spending my time to search for new gear!!
What I have learned is that the world of studio recording is moving rapidly, with technology changing all of the time. My greatest frustration is that by the time you learn this technology and hopefully master it, it changes again. This is not unique to studio recording, as the technology in many industries is moving more rapidly than the learning process.
i don’t remember how i initially found your site, but i have visited many, many times, and recommended it many times.
it is a fantastic resource, and no excuses allowed.
thank you!
Sooooooo much information you have put out in these 6 years !! Congratulations, and I look forward to more. 🙂
Thanks to Graham and this site, I have been able to run sound at my church and begin building a home recording studio. I am excited for my dreams to come true and it’s all because of the inspiration from Graham 🙂
Ive learned a lot from this site, mostly how to better organize my mixing sessions and how to keep a steady workflow.
My biggest frustration right now is that I want to make money with my mixing skills, but its not easy.
here’s to 6 more years! TRR is more than technical tips, it’s about the heart that goes into making music and the patience, hard work and dedication it takes to master the recording craft. the most important message from Graham (and it applies to everything, not just mixing) is to believe in yourself and never, ever give up!
the biggest limitation in my studio has been the lack of space between tracking room and control room (i mean, it’s the same room). But i am vacating an extra room in my house that will soon be a dedicated control room!!!
Thanks for everything Graham!! seeya soon!
I have learned to stop spending money I the latest and greatest and to learn to use what I have in my studio. Thanks Graham for all your great advice.
Thanks! You’re a great guy! Your posts help people a lot.
Its great to see someone give so much and ask for so little. Congratulations on your 6 year reign, I’ve learned a LOT.
I’ve came to learn that it’s not the gear it’s me, it’s not whatever I got the best gear there is, it’s how I use it and how I express my self, and right now I’m frustrated about my identity do I want to prudoce or take the weight out of my shoulder and concentrate about getting my vocal and playing skills to where I want them to be 😉 thank you! You are awesome keep going and share your self!
The thing I like about TRR is the quality content. I liked the fact that mixing should be quick, because in long run you can learn a lot, but I really do like to be between the fast and slow concept of mixing. I like to mix moderately (not fast and not slow), but with the goal in mind.
At TRR I learned about compression, EQ-ing in mono and many other things.
My frustration now is the inspiration to create good content. Not gear, not money, but quality products, that I feel I like doing. That’s all for the moment. Thanks for the opportunity, Graham.
Awesome! Congratulations Graham!
Congrats on 6 good years! Thanks for all the help-
Graham thanks for everything you’ve done these past 6 years. I’ve only been following you for the past 1-2, but you have saved me an incredible amount of money and time and taught me so many things that have helped me to grow. Thanks!
I have learned so much since joining your site. Thanks so much.
YEA!!!! Graham is the Best!!!
The biggest thing I learned was to record better and keep my hands off of too many plugins.
The thing I struggle the most with is actually to get a well balanced mix.
The best things I have learned have to do with the ReThink mixing courses – consistently following a workflow – the sum of multiple small mixing moves makes the biggest difference – and gear does not keep me from creating great mixes.
thanks Graham
The biggest thing I’ve learned is that making good music doesn’t take fancy equipment and a college degree, just practice and some pointers. Right now my biggest frustration is I can’t afford even the basics, like a decent microphone. (Not even a USB one heh)
Having bought a couple of Grahams courses I can honestly say they have improved both my mixing and identifying skills in knowing what to do and when beyond all recognition. Biggest frustration is a severe lack of space. Often having to work in a room where others are meaning most of my time I’m working through headphones, which isn’t ideal. Seriously considering joining duelling mixes probably in the new year. Sounds like fun to me!
hi, try helped me a lot. Graham is so houmble, thats great!
I think my favorite mixing hack I’ve picked up is EQing in mono. It makes my EQ decisions seem so much clearer. I also loved the plug-in detox. I feel I get much better results lately because instead of playing with 10 compressors, I’m using the two that I now know best. Mixing puts me in my zone. It is my little happy place. Your site encourages me to mix more. I love taking new techniques I read about from you and applying them to a mix. Thanks for all the great teachings!
learning a lot from Graham…looking forward to more…
Thanks!
I enjoy learning all of the new material that you post, my mixes have become better because of it. I am still frustrated with vocals, but that just might be me not liking the sound of my voice. Keep up the great work and I am always appreciative for what you give us.
Thanks for a great blog and helpful youtube videos. Keep up good work!
Hey Graham, I never really comment but one thing I will say is you always have a solid common theme and that is that with guidance anyone can produce quality mixes regardless of gear, that really is important to grasp, by the way loved the drums with 1 mic overhead! Keep going brother, J
Thanks as always, Graham. The biggest thing I’ve learned from you so far is a focus on technique and practice as opposed to buying the latest and greatest gear to get the job done. My biggest frustration is my fear of failure that stalls my efforts to create great music, like you always say. If it weren’t for that I would be doing so much more in the studio.
The Recording Revolution is a great sight. Graham breaks everything down into nice bite-size chunks.
The biggest thing I’ve learned so far is MIX IN MONO!!
My biggest frustration is all the clutter I have in my space. It doubles as my office too.
Congratulations Graham!
The biggest thing I’ve learned here at TRR is to mix in mono at conservative levels!
And the biggest frustration still is my fascination about gear and plugins. This sometimes has kind of a paralyzing effect on me. But every time I get your weekly advices, my mix receives a major boost 🙂
Thanks a lot!
The most important and biggest thing I’ve learnt from you is subtlety. I used to think big changes meant big difference but now I know that subtle changes can also make a big difference and not only that but a difference in a better way. So thank you Graham!
Graham, you have taught me that subtleness in multiple areas of your mix goes a long way.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Specifically i think on of the biggest things I’ve learned is how to get a better separation in my electric guitars. However my biggest frustration is keeping in mind the complex three second rule: every three second of a big name record something is changed; added, or taken away. Thanks for this chance and opportunity.
Hey Graham! I think the most influential peice of knowledge you’ve given me is simplicity, keeping low track counts, save time mixing and don’t waste what time you have on plugins. Your philosophy behind recording and mixing is always fascinating. Thanks! Happy thanksgiving from Canada!
Listening in mono is some of the best advice recommended and it helps eradicate some of my home studio deficiencies in my cluttered and small basement studio.
The biggest thing I learned from The Recording Revolution is how possible it is to make solid recordings without expensive equipment or extensive mixing knowledge. You just need a great song a great instrumentalist, and the mix will be very easy.
What is the biggest thing you’ve learned from The Recording Revolution?
Hard to say since I’ve learned so much.. Basically the art of listening.. compression and eq, the fact that it’s NOT about the gear which I preach now too, but not too much, cause I’m too busy making music haha!
And what is your biggest frustration right now in your home studio?
My lack of songs I’m releasing, time to get popping.
Well done Graham,
you are an inspiration
Biggest thing I’ve learned from Graham is to collapse to mono when making eq moves – very helpful!
Biggest frustration right now is not having a dedicated studio space and having to work at home where there are neighbors making too much noise or the construction/traffic outside is too distracting, etc.
I’ve learned from TRR, that you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on equipment and that less is definitely more. Right now I’m frustrated because I don’t have the space or the time to get back to recording, because of renovations. Excited for when I finally get back to it!
Thanks Graham
Thanks for all you do!!
Happy anniversary Graham, we appreciate you!
One of the most important things I’ve learned is to focus on small but crucial moves in the mixing process. These small moves combined with each other has given me the hefty results I want in my mixes.!
Good luck to everyone!
Congrats and thank you for providing the most informative website around.I would not be where I am without it.
The most important thing I learned from Graham is that it’s never the tools, it’s the person who uses it that counts. Easier said than done, though. I’ve had so many moments of frustration when my mixes just don’t seem good enough. And no matter how much I’d like to think that maybe I need an analog summing box or a new compressor or reverb, I know that’s not true.
I also love the concept of limiting your options (which is something I almost never apply lol). It just seems to make sense.
Great, no-nonsense approach to recording and mixing techniques. Love this stuff!
I’ve learned so much from your youtube series’! All of the little tips add up so much. One of the most helpful things I’ve learned was the vocal widening techniques, that’s really going to help me in future mixes. My biggest frustration right now is trying to learn how to use my room to get good sounding recordings because I’m having a lot of trouble getting a closeness in my vocal tracks. Thanks so much Graham!
Graham,
First of all I want to extend my heartfelt thank you to you for all you do to help fellow engineers around the world! Your site, and your educational material is top notch!
There are two “biggest things” I think I have learned from TRR and they have to be that the small changes in EQ & compression that you make across a number of tracks really add up to big changes in the overall mix, and that we shouldn’t be chasing the latest gear or plugin to ‘fix’ our mixes-practice and knowledge will make us better at our craft!
Your message is being heard! Thanks again brother!
God Bless!
Hey, Graham! It’s hard to say what TRR helped me with the most, since almost everything I learned about mixing was learned here and at Dueling Mixes. So thanks a lot for that 🙂 My biggest frustration is my audio system, I really doubt if I’m hearing all the frequencies I need and if my mix will translate well on other systems.
I think the biggest thing anyone can learn, is to use the tools you have and not want some magic tool that fixes all. It takes a lot of work and study to become great at anything you do in life. Thank you for bringing back reality to the new and younger mixing engineer.
I would really love to win this time! Best thing I learned from TRR: Get the most important mixing tasks done in a short time! Problem I am facing now: Make a complete arrangement out of some sketches/loops.
Most beneficial advice was the overall concept that I could get professional results with the plugins and hardware I already owned.
Most frustrating home studio factor, other than getting extended periods of quiet time, is figuring out how many of modern sound techniques are done without resorting to buying samples. Trying to build a library of drops, builds, fills, etc.
The Recording Revolution has done more to further the quality of my recording and mixing than any other blog or site I’ve ever encountered. The amount of information available and range of topics is incredible. Graham has helped me achieve that last 10% I’ve been searching for. I look forward to receiving more help with my mastering skills in the future. For me, mastering always seems to leave my mixes flat and lifeless. Thanks again for all the help.
This isn’t Phil at CRAS is it?
Nope, from Spokane.
Congratulations Graham!
Hope more and more years to come.
😉
Great blog, loads of knowledge! Keep going!
Best tips: Mono mixes, and work with just the strictly necessary plugins!Keep it on!
the smart start to mixing free download was the best thing that ever happened to my mixes. It got me thinking in terms of headroom right from the get go. Thanks so much!!!
When I first decided to start recording from home I watched the video about the key things to have to start my home studio. This was the most helpful video by far because I had no idea! My biggest problem now is having enough money to treat my room properly. Thanks for all you do Graham you’re and inspiration to all!!
Thanks for all your help Graham. I’ve learned so much from you, but the most important is to limit yourself and do great music with what you have!
Great!…hoping to win……………………… Thanks man
I’ve been following you for about 3 years and I’ve learned so much it’s ridiculous! Time is probably the most frustrating thing for me right now.
Yoooooooo!!!!!
Congratulations on 6 years. Here’s to another 6 (at least!)
Biggest thing learned? Probably the top down mixing strategy/buss compression. Mixing in mono is a close second.
Biggest frustration? Time, as in there are not enough free hours in the day to do everything I want to do. A related frustration is any time I have to stop in the middle of something in order to figure out how to do a particular thing in my DAW, be it some new editing thing I have not done before, some routing thing, etc, etc. You get the idea. The good news is as I check these things off the list, my workflow speeds up considerably.
Cheers!
I’m following the TRR for a few years already and I believe that all of my perspective is influenced from this content. Keep things simple and narrow you options.
I actually haven’t learned a lot because I subscribed for my children who are very gifted musically. And we all desire a recording opportunity for them to play and learn at home but we have not been able to invest in that yet! So your giveaway would be awesome to win! 🙂
Hey Graham,
I’ve got to say thank you for the mass amount of valuable content that you have put out, most at no cost to the end user! You truly are a giver. My current studio home frustration is just making the time to get in and practice what I am learning. But still I press on! Thanks again Graham! God bless.
You’ve helped me out in more ways then you’ll ever know. You’ve help me become more confident that I can do this, and you’ve also helped me with my live mixes at my church too! It sounds a little unconventional but it works lol. Ie the EQ sweep, compression for kick and snare to make them fatter and others. Thank you again graham! Couldn’t make a lot of what I do possible without your help!
Mixing in mono is the best thing I’ve learned from TRR. As far as problems with studio, I’d say learning its defencicies has taken some time.
Hi Graham,
I say the biggest thing I’ve learn is to stop making excuses and just go for it! Regardless of my equipment or current skill level, I can and should produce and record great music. Thanks for the great motivation. Without that it wouldn’t matter WHAT kind of gear I had.
My biggest frustration is getting the kick & bass to translate onto small speakers without making the them sound cheap & weak.
Congrats on 6 years of TRR! One of the biggest these I’ve learned from TRR is EQing my mixes in mono. The most frustrating thing about my home studio is I have to rely on mixing with headphones.
waiting for another 6 😀
Thank you Graham for everything you’re doing for the community. A lot of us are learning and fostering their craft based on what you so willingly give away for free. I hope to be push out a lot of my own music as well and a lot of the mixing work is based on what I learned from you.
Thanks you for helping us realizing our own little music dreams…
Hope to talk to you at one point from musician to musician. Until then, wish you all the health, happiness and success in the world, you deserve every bit of it.
Great! Best Product Ever! I will be saving to buy this anyways! thanks!
I think lcr panning has been the most helpful concept for me, because ,like many of your theories, it helps to economize time and provide focus. I think this is one of your core values.
The biggest thing I have taken away from the RR is to mix in mono (which I did already) but at LOW VOLUMES!
My biggest frustration in the studio right now is an USB interface, the Fast Track Pro I have constantly drops out & crackers no matter what settings I use, while the Behringer U-Phoria UMC204 I bowwowed works 100% fine at the same settings…….go figure! I have always been a Behringer fan, and this just proves, once again, that their stuff is fine…
Cheers graham. I love you’re content, ethos and honesty. It’s refreshing to have some.
Keep it up.
Nothing else to say but more power to your work and God bless you, your family and your whole team! Cheers!
Graham you have been very instrumental in my journey to become a better musician!
Congratulations Graham on providing 6 years of an awesome community for home studio enthusiasts. I’ve learned a great deal!
Contest answers:
The biggest thing I learned is to follow the same process every time. By making the process repeatable is an incredible time saver. (the process is all of the other things I learned: balancing, mixing in mono, using reference tracks, limiting my choices and time, etc)
My biggest frustration is finding more time to record and mix my own projects.
I’ve been super encouraged and challenged by everything you do man. Thanks!
Biggest thing I’ve taken from RR is that it’s not how expensive the gear is but what you do with it that counts – ie. work within your limitations.
Biggest frustrations right now are my room dimensions and noise from the furnace and other appliances.
Thanks for all of the great information you’ve been supplying over the years !
The biggest thing I have learned from RR is that it’s all about the subtlety of mix moves during mixing, and that the biggest mix moves are made in the recording and arranging phases.
My biggest frustration is I constantly feel like my technical abilities are still catching up to my creative ones and that leads to time wasted when trying to get good recordings. But the RR helps me better those technical skills every day 🙂
Cheers!
The biggest thing I have learned from Recording Revolution is that there comes a point where your mix just needs to be done and stop fiddling with it. I would waste so much time trying to get EVERY SINGLE detail, and I would just be stuck on one project for weeks. Now I am working on multiple a week!
My biggest frustration is not having the “professional space”, sometimes I don’t feel like I am in a home studio, I just feel like I am in my basement. I don’t have acoustic paneling, I don’t have the best monitors, I don’t have a space where I feel like it is completely dedicated to music, which in a way affects my mix because I don’t feel relaxed when I do it.
Hi Graham,
without any doubt I learned from you not to rely exclusively on gear and obviuosly some tip n trick 😉 at the moment in my “studio” I’m struggling to find new ideas to not make any mix or any song “the same story” in terms of sound and dynamics. Thanks!
Thanks for your hard work!
Thanks for giving away so many tips. I’m a total beginner and you provide a good guideline to get started!! Thanks a lot!
I am an absolute amateur when it comes to homerecording, but I’ve stumbled upon the recording revolution years ago, because as a singer songwriter I really want to learn as much as possible about music production, because it’s powerful to be able to control how your songs will sound, or at least to communicate your sound-idea to a professional. I’ve come to appreciate the 5 minute Tutorials on youtube and the quick tips you send us per email. One tip I also always apply is to remove bits and parts of recordings, to make the overall mix sound “brighter” and more interesting (it really does make a change!! thank you!)
Mixing is generally still very frustrating to me, because I simply haven’t had the chance to work on my skills continuously, but your tips make me feel a little bit more at ease, when it comes to making decisions.
I enjoy your videos and have learned many things!
I learned so much from TRR that it makes it difficult to choose one thing that stands out. But since I have to to make a choice, I’d say that the whole idea of keeping things simple and getting things right from the start is the most valuable thing I have learned from you Graham. Thank you for that.
The thing I struggle the most with in my home studio right now is having no monitors. I have to mix everything with my Beyerdynamic DT990. Could be worse, but still not ideal.
I have learned so much from TRR! I think the most valuable thing I have learned is the importance of subtractive EQ. But the sheer amount of information I have gleaned is immeasurable and as reflected in the success of my home studio. Since I started following the recording revolution two years ago, I have been able to eliminate most of my frustrations, and have found recording and mixing to be a total joy! It’s hard to find something that really frustrates me. If I had to pick something, I might say that my limited space makes drum tracking difficult to impossible. I usually have to rent studio space or just program them. Thanks for everything Graham!
6 years of great tips!
I’ve only just gotten through the Rethink Mixing series and I am astonished at how much I learned. So much, in fact, that it inspired me to also invest in the Total Home Recording series. Very excited and confident to take on all my recording challenges now. Thanks, Graham!
Congratulations Graham! I’d have to say what helped me the most through your videos was you’ve taught me to work on improving my skills with the current gear I have instead of worrying that my gear is inadequate to produce a good record. That was MASSIVE coming from someone who actually did the advice themselves and showed it to the viewers via the $300 Studio challenge. It really woke me up. My biggest frustration in the studio so far? Getting the guitar tones exactly how I want it. I’m using reference tracks for that along with the EQ tricks you’ve given but it still is a challenge for me. Hopefully my ears develop even further and I can get the tone I’ve been searching for. Cheers!
The most valuable lesson I’ve learned from Graham and TRR is to be convinced that it is possible to make professional sounding music in my home studio. However, I’m still only half-way there…
I have the feeling it’s sounding better all the time (it can’t sound much worse, as the Beatles would say!!).
I think my biggest struggle with audio production is EQing drums and getting the best sound of them. I use the drummer in Logic Pro X and I feel like it has potential for a great sound, but I can never quite achieve it.
My biggest struggle with songwriting is finishing the songs. I have been eager to put music out, but I can never materialize completely.
I love The Recording Revolution! Awesome info!
The RecordRevolution has taught me basically everything I know about audio production, and to this day continues to teach me! It turned a hobby into a side business thanks to this. Thanks for the six years of dedication Graham!
Thanks for all your work and guidance, Graham!
Graham! Thanks so much for what you do! Your eBook “The #1 Rule of Home Recording” changed the way I look at my home studio! I went from thinking that I just needed one more piece of gear to get a good mix to realizing that everything I have need of is already in my house! What a freeing realization.
The thing most frustrating to my in my recording is finding a good workflow. I tend to get really distracted by the tone of my guitar or the huge amount if plugins that I have in my DAW. I think if I can apply your one rule when I’m tracking I’ll solve a lot of my frustration.
Thanks again Graham! You’re the man!
Biggest thing I’ve learnt is how it’s all about the recording and to a lesser extend volume automation. I think my biggest issue is forcing myself to use proper technique in terms of EQ and soloing..
Graham,
By far the biggest thing i have learned over the last six years is how I approach a mix. It is not overwhelming, rather a piece of art that paints a picture for the listener. Unfortunately, my biggest frustration is not having the time wanted/needed to mix often.
I was completely lost when I first started recording my originals. It was bad, I didn’t even know the function of compression or eq. Hell on my first recording I didn’t even pan anything! This website has helped me IMMENSELY in my pursuit to become a completely independent musician. I’ve grown a lot very quickly as a sound engineer (as illustrated on my soundcloud) all thanks to Jason and his website!
Graham thanks for everything! Greatest thing I’ve learned from you is the importance of compressors and eq!
Biggest frustration for me would be space for my home studio.
It’s our usual rehearsal space which crams the room with many instruments and sound gear!
I learned how to make things right quickly from you.
I just wonder if I can treat my home studio soon.
Thank you for your generosity. God bless you.
I learned so much. The biggest thing might be that you don’t need the most expensive gear to have a professional sound. The most frustrating thing right now is learning to leave a mix alone. Lol…
Thanks Graham for sharing your knowledge and gifts to the world. The lessons you’ve have taught and the advice you have given is worth so much to so many people. Music is in spirit, spirit is in music and you truly inspire.
The biggest thing I learned from the recording revolution is the idea of mixing quickly and making intuitive decisions about how the mix sounds rather than taking forever with endless second-guessing. My biggest frustration in the studio right now is sort of external to the studio I guess, mostly being able to find the right vocalist for my tracks.
Congratulations!!!!
I’ve started following TRR being not even a buffoonery in mixing, but wanting to start to use my new DAW.
I think the most groundbreaking think I learned was applying a HPF on every track but the bass and kick drum! That was the 80-20 for me!
My frustrations nowadays are related to the use of multi band compressors! I can’t seem to give energy to my mixes but only ruin then, so I never leave it on my mix buss.
Here’s for the next 6 years and more!
The biggest thing I learned from the Recording Revolution is that mixing a song doesn’t start exactly at the time you start to mix the song. It all starts way before that. You can have a song that sounds really good even when it isn’t mixed if you prepare it well from jump. You can EQ and compress without having to touch an equalizer by taking advantage of mic position, taking advantage of the rooms you can use, taking the time to make sure you are happy with recordings WITHOUT any mixing done to them and more. Mixing should not be thought of as this process to MAKE your song come to life. Your song should be alive BEFORE you mix it. Mixing and mastering is really just the icing on the cake compared to how important the steps are before it. The likelihood is if you have a song that sounds great before it is even mixed….you probably are already 70% of the way there to a professional sound. Mixing and mastering are important to concentrate on and learn about but instead of concentrating entirely on those subjects, you should concentrate even more on maximizing your techniques on the steps before that. That is the most valuable thing I learned thus far on the Recording Revolution. Not the only thing though. Lol
Biggest win: All your philosophy stuff that’s it’s not about the gear. Greatest frustration: Doing music on a computer.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from TRR is to simplify mixes by using less plugins. My biggest frustration in the studio right now is space. I need a bigger room to be comfortable.
Am from Nigeria and I must say u doing a wonderful job,the 3ways to begin a mixing session really helped mi in my mixes,I need good studio monitors,sound card and mic cos m currently using my dvd speakers and just my laptop
Hey Graham,
Thank you for your tuition over the years. One of the most useful techniques for my productions has been always checking my mix in mono to guarantee a good balance overall ,simple yet so effective and one I never thought of doing until you mentioned it in your videos.
My biggest problem in my studio now is I don’t have one! I do not have a room to turn into a studio, just one bedroom that I share with my girlfriend but I am working on a solution. For the moment everything is in the box for me. All I have are plug ins and a professional pair of headphones but that never stops me from creating and mixing!
Thanks again for The Recording Revolution and all of your teachings
Happy Anniversary-thanks for all your help in making me want to record and make more music!! Looking forward to many more years of advice!
Congratulation and thank you for all the amazing tips you’ve giving! 🙂
The best thing I have learned that’s applying right now is taking myself seriously in the studio; I’m now starting a business because I’m treating my own time like it’s someone else’s time. I now book myself days for mixing and “clock in” like I was going to my place of work. Thanks for all the philosophical and technical advice throughout the years. Both have been invaluable.
The best thing I learned is that its not the equipment but the skills that can take you where you want to be. Also I learned to mix in mono and that was one thing that took my mixes to the next level.
The biggest frustration in my studio is the amount of space because I record live drums all the time but have no room to set it up in there. I have a portable setup so I go and record the drums elsewhere but would love to be able to do it from my place.
Anyways thanks Graham for everything you’ve given us.
This is an amazing website chalk full of useful and intelligent information. Thanks Graham for all you’ve taught us!
The Recording Revolution has helped me get better mixes over the past 2-3 years. Thanks always for the helpful information.
Your ReThink ProTools videos were HUGE for me! I have also completely relearned how to mix for the best thanks to you! Really, everything I do in the studio has been overwhelmingly improved, thanks to everything you have taught me. Carry on!
I am still working to improve my mixing, compressing, and mastering skills. Those are always an ongoing challenge to improve.
The biggest thing I’ve learned, aside from gear knowledge, were how to actually get started mixing (i.e. the three things to do first). The thing I struggle with the most is writing songs to practice on!
You’ve always been a huge help for me Graham, and I love getting to know you through what you do.
The most important thing that I’m always reminded of from The Recording Revolution. Is that I can accomplish amazing sound with the little I have. Its about the person creating and what I put into it. Whether or not I’m making the wises decision at any given moment. Also am I reminding myself why I create to begin with. Always enjoy what I’m doing if it feels like work somethings wrong.
One of the best things I have learned from Graham is remembering to keep it simple. The home recording field has been saturated with so many gadgets and plug ins that it becomes a distraction from the real goal of engineering…source, balance, and appeal. There is no plug in for experience. And never will be.
By far the best thing I’ve learned from TRR is that less is more! Tips like subtractive EQ, subtle compression and reverb, etc, have skyrocketed the quality of my mixes while at the same time decreasing the time I spend mixing. Thank you Graham! You are such an encouragement to me and so many passionate home musicians.
I learned so far how to lay my vocals in the mix better. But, now my frustration is figuring out a better way to use my plugins. Especially, when trying to make my samples/loops sound better/cleaner.
Thanks Graham. I’ve learned so much from following TRR the past couple years. Subtractive Eq and how to properly use compression were eye openers and instantly made huge differences in my mixes. My biggiest fustration in my studio is making time to use it more and after purchasing the audio income project recently I want to start to implement the concepts on turning this into a side business in my spare time.
You are the best! Love all your stuff!
Just joined last night and stayed up way to late learning, this will make a difference in everything I do from now on! Thank you!
Thanks for all of the great infos, Graham. I especially love the video on multi-band compressin. It really helps!
Graham,
You have taught me to open up my mind as well as my ears and through this my whole approach has changed.I was always over complicating the process, through your guidance I now try the less is more approach and it works 10 fold.
I try to adopt this approach in anything I do not just mixing and recording but anything
and for this I am much more content with what I try to achieve.
Regards
Scott
Australia
Frustration at the moment are trying to get my work space set out to be the smoothest environment to work in with minimal time spent re arranging for different processes
Biggest thing I’ve learned : Mic Placement is EVERYTHING.
Biggest frustration – lack of a recording space / borrowed interface with my transition to college
Hi Graham!
Congratulations on the 6th year and thank you a lot for all the learning and experience shared!
You´ve become part of my weekly routine. Keep up the good work.
Wish you all the best!
Biggest thing I’ve learned : Mic Placement is EVERYTHING. like, everything.
Biggest frustration – lack of a recording space / borrowed interface with my transition to college
hmmm, how many TRR tutorials can I buy for $600? 🙂
Fantastic website and consistent posting, blogs, emails and videos. Grahams generosity with the advice he continually provides for free, actually deserves some payback. I have done that in the form of purchasing some of Graham’s videos. When creating or thinking about more gear, I always hear him saying “you really don’t need more gear”. This is very true…you have to continually he maximum out of what you already have. Many thanks Graham and please keep up the great work.
The most important thing that I’ve learned from TRR is that I don’t need to have the most expensive gear in order to make music. Graham’s work is really an inspiration, because a lot of people have to stick to a tight budget, and now we see that it’s possible to create nice things using budget mics and hardware.
Currently my biggest frustration with my home studio is the huge amount of enviromental noise that it has, it’s impossible to control because we just rent here, we don’t own the place, so we can’t make any substantial improvement to it.
Thanks for these 6 years of generosity, best regards.
I’ve learned that it really isn’t about the gear. Took a long time but I finally believe it. My biggest struggle at the moment is dealing with reverb on solo piano.
Thanks for all you do.
Grahams teaching has always be instrumental to my progress as an engineer. He provides tangible material that always leaves you with something you can apply immediately. He understands that in order to change the fruits you have to first change the roots.
I get WAY WAY more useful tips, tricks, and techniques with Graham @ The Recording Revolution, then I did giving and arm and leg to Berklee Online for mixing and producing! Finally someone who just wants to help artists rise up in this world! Thanks Graham for all that you do! We all REALLY appreciate it.
This is awesome that us followers get this kind of opportunity!
I only have a couple of things I would personally use the money for, but I know they would certainly be very useful tools!
This actually might give me one reason to make a twitter account
The biggest thing I’ve learned from The Recording Revolution is how to use parallel compression. My biggest frustration right now in your home studio is my work station desk. I would like a better desk that is more ergonomic and some room treatment.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from TRR is to mix fast. Before, I used to spend hours on mixes, re-doing stuff over and over, just to find out next day, that it doesn’t even sound good.
My current biggest struggle is the complete lack of time (because of school). I haven’t mixed or recorded anything for a few months now and I’m completely out of routine. The same applies for my guitar skills since I moved to double-bass.
To the years to come Graham. !
Your videos showed me that sometimes,things are much more simpler.
My issue in the home recording is my monitoring system and space.
I constantly found myself bemoaning my lack of gear and plotting how to pay to upgrade (this was made more difficult to justify, because my wife and I are doing Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University). Reading your blog and watching your videos has taught me important technical aspects of recording, but more than anything it helped let go of the need for more, newer, or better. Instead, I’m just learning to explore how to use what I’ve already got. So the most important lesson for me has been to just get to work.
The hardest thing for me right now is the feeling that the only way to find time to record is to deprive myself of sleep (I have two small girls and a job that requires a lot of time, so when I get home from work, spending time with them is my priority). One late night here or there is not that big of a deal, but my job requires a lot of mental energy and time, so I can’t maintain a routine of sleep deprivation.
Thank you Graham for the wonderful information you share with us all. I’ve learned much since being with the Recording Revolution. The biggest thing would be…just about anything is possible…including a great mix, with the proper technique and mind set. However, I will say my biggest frustration is outside and inside noise. It can be difficult to control when you live in a condo with rules and regulations about this and that! Difficult…but NOT impossible!
Thanks again for everything.
God Bless 🙂
The most important thing I’ve learned from you is that I should learn to use the things I already have, and not waste money on things I don’t really need. Between TRR and my university, I’ve improved a lot in the last 2 years. Graham, you’re awesome, and thanks for everything!
God bless you in your next 6 years… even your next 60 years!
Hi Graham!
I’ve been following you for over a year now and you have taught me so many useful things! One of the most useful things I think that you have proved to me, is that my affordable gear does NOT hold me back from creating great sounding mixes. I love recording but I have been struggling with finding the time to do it lately. I know the only way I can improve is by constantly practicing and practicing and practicing.
Best of luck to you and your family!
thanks for the endless recording tips, and what is surely an insane amount of dedication and passion to music recording!
Graham,
The biggest thing I’ve learned — and it’s one of many, many, many, many things — is your first lesson: Limiting options helps with focus, saves from clutter and allows for a lucid mixing process. And if unsure about the quality of the mix, another lesson from you has been priceless: Bring in a reference track. Aside from basic know-how with EQ and compression, those lessons have completely transformed how I go about recording and mixing. Oh, and that’s the other thing — the recording part …. I’ve learned, from you, to do everything with purpose. No longer do I simply plonk down a mic in front of my amp or near the drums thinking I can get a good-enough sound that I can magically mix to perfection later. No. Now, I think first. Do I have a good reason to place the mic where I’m placing it? Why am I using one kind of mic instead of another? Have I experimented enough with different mic placements and approaches? Do I have a good sound NOW that I won’t have to labor over in the mixing process? All of that sounds like basic, simple stuff when it comes to recording, but with so many options and scenarios (even if limited) it’s easy to breeze past, or neglect in some way, the most important stuff. Thanks, Graham, for keeping me on task. And for keeping it fun.
Hey graham,
The best thing i have learnt from you has to be adding eq and compression to the mix bus
The one thing that i still struggle with is getting my song sounding huge
Thanks for all the help
Best thing i have learned is to mix in mono. It really makes a difference. The biggest struggle is getting my mixes to sound as one. Still trying to figure out how to use reverbs and delays to accomplish this.
Congrats and thanks for all your hard work!
The Recording Evolution should be the name. Since discovering this diamond in the rough, my early caveman mixes have evolved into a more professional sounding product. Thanks TRR!!!
Thank you very much for this!!
The biggest thing I’ve learnt is to focus more on making your studio a place that inspires to make music rather than more elaborate gear.
My biggest frustration with home studios is having to worry about disturbing neighbours.
Hey Graham! Thanks for all the great info you provide.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from TRR is that I don’t need to spend hours and hours mixing every single song in order to get a great sounding mix. I’m able to get a great sounding mix in around an hour (and I think I always have). All the time I’ve ever spent past the one-hour mark is just nit-picky stuff that really doesn’t make or break the mix, they’re just things that I hear (or maybe just think I hear) that probably nobody else will ever notice.
My biggest complaint about my home studio setup is the small space I have to work with. To transition from one instrument to another takes quite a bit of re-working my space to make suitable room for something : Setting up to mic a guitar amp, then taking all that down to record some vocals, etc. Taking excessive time to transition really cuts into my motivation. Fortunately, I’m in the process of remedying this situation by remodeling another space in my home that will be both larger and more separated from the rest of the house so I don’t drive my family nuts with all my noise!
Thanks again!
The Perapeto way of thinking was the best lesson from you for me as I was mixing at a much quicker speed allowing my ears to not be fatigued by the time I finished. One of my biggest struggles at the moment is getting the vocals to be clear on my mix, and also to mix mix outside the box. I still can’t get that one. 🙁
Cheers Graham
Here’s to another 6 years of TRR!
I guess the most important topic I learned from TRR was to mix on mono. I’ve been using mid-side EQ techniques since then – really helpful! What I’m struggling right now is to manage to mix in less hours. I’m very methodological and always check for everything when I get something to mix (I do more mixing than recording). People not always record right, so I get to edit and check for problems a bit often.
One of the biggest thing’s I’ve learned from you and your post’s/video’s, is how to accomplish depth in a mix with stereo width and EQ. My mixes have changed leaps and bounds by learning this concept, and I’ve been able to create some amazing / mind boggling mixes with the concepts you lay out. Thank you so much for your sacrifice and your heart for this! Be Blessed!
The biggest thing I’ve learned here is the concept of panning hard left/right to get a wider mix. The most frustrating thing I experience is not having any diffusion installed behind the mix position.
Best thing I’ve learned has definitely been mixing in mono! Really improved a lot of my work. In the studio right now I could really use some upgraded monitors.
Fresh in my head!
After reading your articles or watching your videos i just feel a fresh in my head, all that mess is getting away and things starts to be clear. I don’t feel a despondency, like after another one gearupgradetech specs preview or discussion on the forum, all i feel is just energy and strength to go and make music, right now, right here, right on what i’ve already own. And moreover i’ve never felt such a courage to find someone to record : )
The only frustration in my studio is that at this moment i didn’t have any studio monitoring, no headphones nor speakers. But it’s ok, it doesn’t prevent me to retrieve notes : ) And it’s not for a long.
Graham, you did a big job and that’s awesome! Thank you so much for all this.
Congrats! Also the best thing I’ve learnt is to mix in mono. And currently im trying to develop a better understanding of sound design techniques 🙂
I have learnt so much from you and I can’t thank you enough.
Honestly, I started off not knowing even what mixing and mastering was but after following your website and reading pretty much anything that is in this website I finally understand what I want to do and how I want to make music. The main thing that I learnt to be totally honest is to stop focusing on the gear and to start gaining expirence.
So thank you Graham
And congrats on your 6 Year anniversary!
Graham has been a big support and guide for me in the recording and mixing learning process. And although he doesn’t stress gear, its great to see him supporting his community of followers with some cash towards an important upgrade. My money would go towards an analog mix summer!
Thanks for the give way and as always, keep up the good work
The best thing I have learned about from the Recording Revolution is handing compression. My biggest frustration in my home studio right now is still getting good drum sounds.
Biggest thing I’ve learned is the little tricks such as multi band compression to give a mix energy, “sweetening” a song, and mixing in mono.
The thing I have the biggest trouble with is mostly with knowing where/how to pan stuff. For example, a rock song with drums, one guitar, bass, and vocals. Or when theres an odd number of something such as 3 different guitar tracks. How do you make them blend well without sounding lopsided.
“What is the biggest thing you’ve learned from The Recording Revolution?”: It’s all about simple, small, subtle moves and techniques to achieve big results. I used to do the opposite, that is, excessive application of plugins, gain, compression, eq curves, believing the sound would come out “bigger”. But, you made me realize that this was completely false. It’s similar to cooking food… a little dash of this, and a little dash of that, will make a delicious dish. Thanks for being my mentor!
“What is your biggest frustration right now in your home studio?”: Finding enough time (and sometimes motivation) to work. Also, distractions…. the internet and emails could be a great source of information at times; but other times, they become distractions and “eat up” too much time. I gotta work on that….