Hi, I am recording onto my Mac with a M-Audio Black box. I'm 14 and I'm starting to get "serious" with recording. I've been recording with backing tracks and trying to get as much of a studio sound as i can... Are there any tip or tricks that i can use to get that full, polished, professional, studio sound? right now I'm having to fiddle around with guitar tones and playing it COMPLETELY perfect, etc... Any compressors, processors, etc, etc... Your help would be great!! Thanks!

Hi & welcome to the forums! What you're describing is really all about recording techniques and mixing. It'd be good to know the instruments you're recording and how you're recording them... Then once you're done recording you'll likely want to apply some processing to the tracks to make them sound "more polished". This is as much an art as it is a science. One more question, by " full, polished, professional, studio sound" I'm assuming you feel your recordings are lacking in some way? Could you describe how you feel they don't measure up to albums/songs you're you're comparing them against? Generally, there's no quick fix, but certainly are plenty of tips and foundational techniques to learn and apply when it comes to mixing. Overall, I'd recommend using tutorial videos (like the ones you'll find on this site) by industry professionals who'll take you through the ins and outs of recording and mixing. Thanks,

Hi. Im not going to be super formal in this letter so i can try and get what i am describing across more clearly. first off. I am a guitar player. what im getting is the guitar through my effects pedal, through the interface and onto garage band. yes they are lacking but im not completly sure how to describe it. No matter what the band is, the record will sound full and "professional". whereas what im getting is just the direct guitar sound. Although they are not completly my style, a good band to compare what i am looking for is Skillet. The Guitars sound Powerful and refined. If i had to sum it up, I'm looking for a way to make the guitars Bold, refined (im looking for a way to Clean everything up), and as if were...... not recorded in my bedroom.. Thanks for the help. One more thing, Do You know a way to get the thin Choursy guitar sounds found in 80s songs for shots here and thers (Def Leppard)? but not a priority.. Thanks!!!

For a full guitar sound layering is the way to go. On nearly every record with guitars the way they have got their 'wall of sound' is through recording multiple takes of the same guitar parts. Then you pan the guitars to different areas on the stereo field. So try this. Record your guitar part twice. Then pan one left, and the other right. You will immediately notice a difference in the sound. The subtle timing and strumming differences will add a stereo spread to the sound and make it appear 'bigger and wider'. It also comes down to EQ and Compression techniques, plus other processing plugins such as chorus, delay to further enhance the sound. As Rounik mentioned I would definitely recommend taking a look through our video tutorials. It is a great and easier way to learn studio and sound techniques. I truly believe in learning via watching and listening. Take a look at the following tutorials for tips and tricks from some top producers: [url]http://www.macprovideo.com/tutorial/recording-gutiars[/url] [url]http://www.macprovideo.com/tutorial/producing-mixing-guitars[/url]