This issue marks the occasion of our 100th issue of Tape Op. As I sat on my front steps 18 years ago, spray painting photocopied magazine covers by hand, I never would've imagined that my crazy little...
Why record? It's always good to remember that music recording isn't only about the making of albums and songs to send into the commercial marketplace. Sometimes we simply need to capture a unique...
In this issue we're proud to feature one of the most compelling articles I think we've ever run: the documenting of Manny Nieto's journey to China and Southeast Asia, culled from years of email...
As I was putting this issue together I noticed a bit of a common thread... education. My interview with Jim Anderson illustrates how a recording engineer became a professor, and won some Grammy Awards...
While preparing to interview Ken Caillat for this issue, and reading his book, Making Rumours (about his time engineering and producing Fleetwood Mac's Rumours), I decided to ask him if he felt there...
Are you recording local artists? Are you a musician? Are you a fan of music? Are you a fan of great recordings? Does a vibrant live music scene mean a lot to you? I'll bet you answered "yes" to more...
I spend a fair amount of time pondering what to write about for the End Rant of Tape Op. We are 94 issues in, and sometimes it's difficult to think of topics I haven't covered before. Being that I own...
Imagine that you've become somewhat comfortable recording songwriters and bands in your very modest home studio. It's been fun; you've pushed the gear to its limits to get half-decent results, and...
How do we get better at the craft of recording music? For me, and from what I've gleaned over the years from other producers and engineers, there is one simple fact: I am never 100 percent happy with...
One topic of conversation I always have with fellow engineers centers around keeping up with new local music and how to go about getting recording gigs. Professional engineers can get locked away in...
I remember my first experiences of being captivated by actual studio creations; not simply drawn in by the songs as I had been before, but instead intrigued by the sound of the recorded music. It was...
People often mistake what the art of recording music actually is. Learning how to choose and set up a microphone is simple. Gain structures should be obvious, once you learn the basics. Recording...
