RECORDING Magazine March issue cover

Recording Instruments
The techniques, concepts and the gear!

Welcome to the March 2023 issue of RECORDING Magazine, with a focus on recording instruments. This issue is packed full of the techniques and tools to help you sonically capture your favorite instruments.

Reviews

This month, we have twelve product reviews on deck, starting with five microphones. In the ribbon category, we have the latest iteration of the classic beyerdynamic M160 (a long-standing favorite of instrumental recording for many decades), and we also check out the newest ribbon offering from the U.K.’s Extinct Audio, the BoRbon. In the condenser camp, we have the BT202 pencil condenser from JZ Microphones and the Sony C-80. Our final mic review loves working at a distance as we check out the latest shotgun mic from DPA, the 4017B. To help you get your microphones in the proper position, we put them on the FlexBar from Royer.

In the world of virtual instruments, we walk through the new additions found in the Arturia V Collection X, and we have a play with the Benjamin Wallfisch Strings bundle from Orchestral Tools. Bridging the world of acoustic and virtual drums, we test out the new DW Soundworks virtual drum instrument and the new line of hybrid acoustic and digital DWe drum kits from DW (Drum Workshop). Also, in the box, we tackle your sibilance issues with the smart:de-ess plugin from sonible

For making tracks on the go, we plug into the AudioBox GO from Presonus, and our final review of the month is the new TapeIt app designed to help get your ideas down fast and professionally.

Interviews

Our interview this month is with a group of musicians who know a thing or two about crafting timeless classic recordings as we sit down with Danny Kortchmar, Steve Postell, Waddy Wachtel of The Immediate Family along with engineer Niko Bolas to discuss their years of studio experience along with the group’s new album Skin In The Game and Immediate Family documentary streaming and in theaters now. [GET IT HERE]

Features

Curious about Mid-Side (M/S) miking? Aaron Trumm has you covered. [GET IT HERE] Class is back in session in the first of a two-part look at compressors in Joe Albano’s Studio 101. [GET IT HERE] In Inside The Studio, Mark Hornsby helps us consider what to know when buying a microphone. [GET IT HERE] In the third installment of the new RECORDING’s Field NotesGiles Reaves reminds us that “the mics are always listening”. [GET IT HERE]

Dave Martin is back with the latest Readers’ Tracksand Aaron Trumm rounds out the issue with some ideas on a minimal mic collection in Fade Out.

Let the March issue be instrumental to your RECORDING success!