Proper Recording Studio Setup

It doesn’t matter if you’ve got the best gear money can buy if your studio isn’t properly set up. I can’t tell you how many home studios I’ve seen with improperly positioned monitors

Discover

Building a Beat with Sample Packs in Ableton Live

A common question I hear from aspiring music producers is, “How can I use a sample pack to quickly build a beat?”

From Demo, to Mix, to Master

Berklee Online music production instructor Erik Hawkins discusses how a song evolves from demo to mix to master.

Tour of EastWest Studios

If you ever have the opportunity to visit a major recording studio, someplace where the history of recording was written, such as Abbey Road Studios in London

Home studio setup

Remix Song Structure Explained

Do remixes have a defined song structure? Yes they do, and for good reason. The object of a dance music remix is to get the song that’s been remixed played in the clubs.

Simple Sound Design Techniques in Reason

Berklee Online instructor Erik Hawkins shares techniques for easy sound design in Reason and ways to help to develop your voice as a music producer.

Why Mixing Through a Gain Maximizer is a Bad Idea

Here’s a common mistake I see over and over: producing and mixing a track with a gain maximizer on your mixer’s main output.

Hip-hop beat making tutorial in progress!

Hip-Hop Drum Beat and Bass Tutorial

Berklee Online music production instructor Erik Hawkins offers a tutorial for writing and producing a hip-hop or dance beat.

When to Hire a Mastering Engineer

A common question I hear from students is, “Do I need to hire a mastering engineer?” The answer is, it really depends; it depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.

Drum Programming

Drum Programming in Your DAW

I always sequence my drum beats in real-time, using a MIDI controller, such as my keyboard or drum pads.