Archive for the ‘Recording Studios’ category

TCM MASTERING: HOME MUSIC STUDIO TIPS & INFORMATION

July 30, 2012

TCM Mastering: Home Music Studio Tips and Information

The last two years have been extremely satisfying and rewarding, but due to work commitments over the next several months, this will be the last TCM Mastering blog.

We hope, that as a home studio user, you have found the TCM Mastering Home Music Studio Blog Series useful and informative.

Of course the blogs will remain available, so please make use of them.

TCM Mastering, the TCM Music Group and the YouTube video channel will continue as usual. So if you have any questions about the recording process or would like more information about our services and facilities, please contact us by clicking here.

TCM Studios UK & Nashville, USA.

I want to thank the many thousands of viewers and visitors to our blog. We have received many kind comments and I hope the information Eric and I have added to the blog in the form of the TCM Mastering Home Music Studio Series, has helped you to improve your engineering and production skills.

Links to various key topics can be found below or use the Tags on the right hand side of the page to take you to your subject of interest.

I sincerely wish everyone the very best in the future and please stay in touch via the http://www.tcmmastering.com website.

TCM Mastering Studio Kent, UK.

Part 56 – Mastering

MIDI Basic Studio Setup.

Part 52 – Intro To MIDI

Part 45 – Mixing Drums

Part 39 – Mixing Vocals

Mixing Desk.

Part 37 – Mixing Music

Shaded Area Showing Section To Be Edited.

Part 35 – Editing Music

Part 29 – Multitrack Recording

EQ Curves On Kick Drum & Bass Guitar.

Part 24 – Signal Processing

Drum Kit With Various Mics Setup.

Part 19 – Recording Drums

Part 13 – Recording Stringed Instruments

Using Figure-8 Mics On Singer/Guitarist.

Part 10 – Recording Acoustic Guitar

Part 9 – Recording Electric & Bass Guitar

Part 8 – Recording Piano

Left to Right: Neumann U87 Condenser, Shure SM58 Dynamic, Avantone CR14 Ribbon Microphones.

Part 5 – Microphone Types

Home Studio Built In Garden Shed.

Part 1 – Your Room

Owned and run by multi-platinum music producer Ted Carfrae, TCM Mastering and TCM Music Group have been providing

a professional, fast and affordable service

to all genres of the music industry for decades – from major record labels and international artists to brand new, up and coming music talent.

Take a look at some recent clients, by clicking here.

If you have questions about recording or would like to know more about what TCM can do for you and your music, our contact details are here.

TCM MASTERING & WEST 1 ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

July 27, 2012

TCM Mastering News

Ted Carfrae of TCM Mastering has just restored another album for specialist record label Strawberry Rain…..a classic album by the band Caravan.

Ted says ”This was another project that was brilliant to work on, I love what Strawberry Rain are about, they really do source some amazing albums and I strongly recommend that people check their website out.”

Ted is soon to embark on a massive restoration and mastering project for EMI Records. “I am about to start mastering my mate Vince Hill’s entire EMI back catalogue for release digitally toward the end of the year.”

”Apart from being a wonderful person, Vince was a prolific recording artist and during his ten or so years with EMI from 1963 to 1974, he released 18 albums and a ton of non album singles, that’s more than the Beatles or just about any other EMI artist. It is going to be such a pleasure to work on this incredible material, I can’t wait.”

”Vince Hill has one of the finest voices in music and truly is the UK’s Tony Bennett and deserves the recognition. And I hope these releases will do that for him and remind people about just how great he is. Vince recently played a big band gig at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s club in London and received incredible reviews, so if you are into great song stylists, check him out.”

It has been extremely satisfying and rewarding producing the TCM blogs over the last two years, but due to work commitments and general time constraints, I have decided to close the blog down at the end of this month (July).

TCM Mastering, the TCM Music Group and the YouTube video channel will continue as usual. So if you have any questions about the recording process or would like more information about our services and facilities, please contact us by clicking here.

I want to thank the thousands of viewers for visiting our websites, their kind comments and I hope the information Eric and I have added to the blog in the form of the TCM Mastering Home Music Studio Series, has helped you to improve your engineering and production skills.

I sincerely wish everyone the very best in the future and please stay in touch via the http://www.tcmmastering.com website.

West 1 Entertainment News

Ted Carfrae and James Baker formed West 1 Entertainment in 2011.

Ted talks about West 1’s aims and goals…..”There are already lots of agencies out there but they don’t offer the level of service that we will offer. Our approach is different because West 1 will be an agency for performers, run by performers. So we intend to offer a level of service that is totally customer focussed. For us it is all about quality so we will only represent the best entertainers and we will be very selective.”

”I see this as a natural extension of the TCM Music Group and its ongoing mission to offer excellence, so I am very excited to get into the world of live entertainment.”

One act which is selling out all over the UK is…..

Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act continues to tour the UK to packed and enthusiastic crowds.  For more information go to the website by clicking here. See below for tour dates.

Ben & The Band.

Ben, the band and dancers perform one hundred per cent live with the support of a full lighting and sound crew.

West 1 Entertainment Ltd confirm the latest dates for the up and coming Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Concert which is set to smash all previous box office sales with this vibrant, fresh, professional show.

AUGUST
SUNDAY 19th – TRIBFEST
FRIDAY 24th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SUNDAY 26th – ISLE OF WIGHT

SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY 1st – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 15th – GREENROOMS, LIVERPOOL
WEDNESDAY 19th – THE WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL

OCTOBER
FRIDAY 5th – ASTOR THEATRE, DEAL, KENT
FRIDAY 19th – REDITCH THEATRE
THURSDAY 25th – DUDLEY CONCERT HALL

NOVEMBER
SATURDAY 3rd – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 10th – THE RANGE, WOLVERHAMPTON
FRIDAY 30th – THE MEDINA THEATRE, ISLE OF WIGHT

DECEMBER
SATURDAY 15th – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER

Ben as Michael Jackson has taken the theatre world by storm with his innovative, true to life presentation of the King of Pop’s moves and iconic music, backed by his incredible band and dancers – the ultimate tribute act in Europe. Lead by the show’s creator, James Baker who himself is an established musician and producer, this show is selling out all over the UK!

Contact details are info@w1entertainment.com or if you’d like more information on Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act, go to the website by clicking here.

Check out Ben and The Band performing ‘The Love You Save’ live at Glastonbudget 2012 (below).

TCM MASTERING: HOME MUSIC STUDIO TIPS & INFORMATION

July 23, 2012

TCM Mastering: Home Music Studio Tips and Information

Over the last two years the TCM Mastering Home Music Studio blog series has provided helpful tips and vital information for the home musician. Whether you were just setting up or have had a home studio for some time, the blog series has proved extremely popular and more importantly, of great value to musicians of all abilities and genres.

Double Tracking Guitars.

Not surprisingly, mixing guitars and drums have proved to be two favourites. However, the blogs have covered much more than just the popular topics. We have covered everything from the initial studio setup and gear choices; the different types of microphones and techniques you can employ for recording a harp, bagpipes and percussion; tuning drums; recording strings and horn sections; signal processing to editing and final mastering…..and a whole lot more.

If you have a question on the recording process – you can find it in the TCM Mastering Home Music Studio blog. Just use the links below to take you to a section of interest or use the Tags on the right side of the page.

Glass Master In Clean Room.

Part 56 – Mastering

Home Studio With MIDI Setup.

Part 52 – Intro To MIDI

Gate On Kick Drum.

Part 45 – Mixing Drums

Maroon 5 Backing Vocals Bussed To A Stereo Channel & EQ’d.

Part 39 – Mixing Vocals

Early Digital System – Synclavier Edit Page.

Part 35 – Editing Music

24 Track Multitrack Recorder.

Part 29 – Multitrack Recording

Pro Tools DPP-1 Pitch Change Processor.

Part 24 – Signal Processing

Recording Drums At Home.

Part 19 – Recording Drums

Multiple Mic Placements On Harp.

Part 13 – Recording Stringed Instruments

Mic Placement Underneath Piano.

Part 8 – Recording Piano

Left to Right: Neumann U87 Condenser, Shure SM58 Dynamic, Avantone CR14 Ribbon Microphones.

Part 5 – Microphone Types

Home Studio Built In Garden Shed.

Part 1 – Your Room

Owned and run by multi-platinum music producer Ted Carfrae, TCM Mastering and TCM Music Group have been providing

a professional, fast and affordable service

to all genres of the music industry for decades – from major record labels and international artists to brand new, up and coming music talent.

Take a look at some recent clients, by clicking here.

If you have questions about recording or would like to know more about what TCM can do for you and your music, our contact details are here.

West 1 Entertainment News

Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act continues to tour the UK to packed and enthusiastic crowds.  For more information go to the website by clicking here.

Ben & The Band.

Ben, the band and dancers perform one hundred per cent live with the support of a full lighting and sound crew.

West 1 Entertainment Ltd has announced the latest dates for the up and coming Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Concert which is set to smash all previous box office sales with this vibrant, fresh, professional show.

JULY
WEDNESDAY 25th – OLD BUCKENHAM AIRFIELD, NORFOLK

AUGUST
SUNDAY 19th – TRIBFEST
FRIDAY 24th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SUNDAY 26th – ISLE OF WIGHT

SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY 1st – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 15th – GREENROOMS, LIVERPOOL
WEDNESDAY 19th – THE WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL

OCTOBER
FRIDAY 5th – ASTOR THEATRE, DEAL, KENT
FRIDAY 19th – REDITCH THEATRE
THURSDAY 25th – DUDLEY CONCERT HALL

NOVEMBER
SATURDAY 3rd – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 10th – THE RANGE, WOLVERHAMPTON
FRIDAY 30th – THE MEDINA THEATRE, ISLE OF WIGHT

DECEMBER
SATURDAY 15th – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER

Ben as Michael Jackson has taken the theatre world by storm with his innovative, true to life presentation of the King of Pop’s moves and iconic music, backed by his incredible band and dancers – the ultimate tribute act in Europe. Lead by the show’s creator, James Baker who himself is an established musician and producer, this show is selling out all over the UK!

Contact details are info@w1entertainment.com or if you’d like more information on Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act, go to the website by clicking here.

TCM MASTERING: DO YOU WANT YOUR MUSIC TO STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD?

July 20, 2012

TCM Mastering: Do You Want Your Music To Stand Out From The Crowd?

Do you want your music to stand out from the crowd?

The answer is most likely, a resounding YES. In fact everyone wants their music to stand out…..easier said than done though, right?

Ted Carfrae & CJ Boggs In The TCM Studios.

Once you have finished recording and mixing, your music is ready to be played to anyone you wish to share it with. If your aim is to get a recording contract or get your music published, you can give your music a final shine and help it to stand out by getting it professionally mastered.

There are plug-ins on the market that allow you to master your own tracks. Many use presets and therefore cannot hope to produce the professional results achieved by highly skilled mastering engineers, add to that if you aren’t familiar with the software you could end up with a final mastered track that lacks punch, clarity and definition.

A major problem is that it’s very difficult to be objective about your own music which you’ve spent weeks or months writing, recording and mixing to then finally master it yourself, for the world to hear and judge.

Ted Carfrae and CJ Boggs at TCM Mastering and TCM Music Group have been writing, producing, recording, mixing and mastering music for decades.

Despite having years of experience working with EMI, Sony Music, Universal Music, the BBC and everyone from Katherine Jenkins, Ray Prim, Klubkidz, UB40, Liberty X, Beto Hale, David Cassidy, Robert Gillies, Jaki Graham to Cilla Black and Doris Day – Ted still seeks out another mastering engineer for his own projects because he values a fresh pair of experienced ears.

Take a look at some of TCM’s recent clients.

Fronted by top record producers and engineers Ted Carfrae and CJ Boggs, with worldwide sales exceeding 25 million, the TCM Music Group know and understand what today’s musicians want and can deliver services quickly, efficiently and at a rate to suit every pocket.

If you have any questions regarding the recording or mixing process, drop us a line. Our contact details are here. We love to hear from you.

TCM Mastering and TCM Music Group provide a professional, fast and affordable service to musicians of all genres – whether you’re a newcomer or seasoned pro.

So if you have some songs that need producing, recording, mixing or mastering contact us for details on our rates and some incredible recording packages.

West 1 Entertainment News

West 1 is a relatively new company formed in 2011, by Ted Carfrae and business partner James Baker, to handle artist management and promotion.

West 1 is particularly proud of…..

Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act currently on tour, is selling out all over the UK. For more information go to the website by clicking here.

Ben, the band and dancers perform totally live with the support of a full lighting and sound crew. This show must be seen to be believed – if you are a Michael Jackson fan, you must see Ben and the band perform. This is a sincere musical tribute to the greatest pop icon of all time.

See below for tour dates.

JULY
FRIDAY 20th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SATURDAY 21st – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER
WEDNESDAY 25th – OLD BUCKENHAM AIRFIELD, NORFOLK

AUGUST
SUNDAY 19th – TRIBFEST
FRIDAY 24th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SUNDAY 26th – ISLE OF WIGHT

Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act – Performing Live On Stage To A Huge Festival Crowd.

SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY 1st – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 15th – GREENROOMS, LIVERPOOL
WEDNESDAY 19th – THE WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL

OCTOBER
FRIDAY 5th – ASTOR THEATRE, DEAL, KENT
FRIDAY 19th – REDITCH THEATRE
THURSDAY 25th – DUDLEY CONCERT HALL

NOVEMBER
SATURDAY 3rd – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 10th – THE RANGE, WOLVERHAMPTON
FRIDAY 30th – THE MEDINA THEATRE, ISLE OF WIGHT

DECEMBER
SATURDAY 15th – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER

If you would like more information, contact West 1 Entertainment at info@w1entertainment.com or go to the website – Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act – by clicking here.

Check out Ben and The Band performing ‘The Love You Save’ live at Glastonbudget 2012 (below).

TCM MASTERING: HOME MUSIC STUDIO TIPS & INFORMATION

July 16, 2012

TCM Mastering: Home Music Studio Tips and Information

The TCM Mastering Home Music Studio blog series provides essential tips and invaluable information for the musician recording at home.

L-R: Mic Selection, Glyn Johns Technique For Recording Drums, Recording Electric Guitar.

If you’re setting up a Home Music Studio from scratch, you will no doubt have many questions – What kind of gear is best, which microphones to choose, which software should I buy or should I use an analogue tape system? How to record a drum kit or an electric guitar?

Software Is At The Heart Of Most Home Studios These Days. Left To Right – Logic, ProTools & Cubase.

You will find the answers to these questions and much more in the 56 parts of the TCM Mastering Home Music Studio series of blogs.

To find what you’re looking for either use the links below or the Tags on the right hand side of the page. Often, there are several blogs dedicated to a particular topic. For example, MIDI is covered over 4 parts from 52-55.

Ted Carfrae & CJ Boggs In TCM Mastering (UK) & TCM Music Group Studios (USA).

Part 56 – Mastering

Part 52 – Intro To MIDI

L: Showing Part Of A Drum Patch On A Keyboard. R: Drums & Multiple Mics Setup, TCM Studios.

Part 45 – Mixing Drums

Part 39 – Mixing Vocals

Tape Editing & MIDI Editing.

Part 35 – Editing Music

Part 29 – Multitrack Recording

Chorus Effect.

Part 24 – Signal Processing

Part 19 – Recording Drums

Tuning Order On Drum Heads.

Part 18 – Tuning Drums

Two Options For Recording Violin.

Part 11 – Recording Acoustic Stringed Instruments

Part 8 – Recording Piano

Digital Software Or Analog Hardware.

Part 1 – Your Room

Owned and run by multi-platinum music producer Ted Carfrae, TCM Mastering and TCM Music Group have been providing

a professional, fast and affordable service

to all genres of the music industry for decades – from major record labels and international artists to brand new, up and coming music talent.

Take a look at some recent clients, by clicking here.

If you have any questions regarding the recording or mixing process, drop us a line. Our contact details are here. We love to hear from you.

Do you have some songs that need producing, recording, mixing or mastering? Then contact us for details on our rates and some incredible recording packages.

West 1 Entertainment News

Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act continues to enthrall audiences up and down the UK.

Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act.

Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act is currently on tour (see dates below) in the UK playing to packed crowds. Ben and the band perform totally live with the support of a full lighting and sound crew.

JULY
FRIDAY 20th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SATURDAY 21st – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER
WEDNESDAY 25th – OLD BUCKENHAM AIRFIELD, NORFOLK

AUGUST
SUNDAY 19th – TRIBFEST
FRIDAY 24th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SUNDAY 26th – ISLE OF WIGHT

SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY 1st – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 15th – GREENROOMS, LIVERPOOL
WEDNESDAY 19th – THE WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL

OCTOBER
FRIDAY 5th – ASTOR THEATRE, DEAL, KENT
FRIDAY 19th – REDITCH THEATRE
THURSDAY 25th – DUDLEY CONCERT HALL

NOVEMBER
SATURDAY 3rd – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 10th – THE RANGE, WOLVERHAMPTON
FRIDAY 30th – THE MEDINA THEATRE, ISLE OF WIGHT

DECEMBER
SATURDAY 15th – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER

Ben as Michael Jackson has taken the theatre world by storm with his innovative, true to life presentation of the King of Pop’s moves and iconic music, backed by his incredible band and dancers – the ultimate tribute act in Europe. Lead by the show’s creator, James Baker who himself is an established musician and producer, this show is selling out all over the UK!

Contact details are info@w1entertainment.com or if you’d like more information on Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act, go to the website by clicking here.

Check out Ben and The Band performing ‘The Love You Save’ live at Glastonbudget 2012 (below).

TCM MASTERING: HOW TO GET GREAT SOUNDING VOCALS

July 13, 2012

TCM Mastering: How To Get Great Sounding Vocals

Ted Carfrae, owner and founder of TCM Mastering and TCM Music Group discusses how to achieve a great vocal sound with the right mic technique…

If you’ve watched TV programmes like the X Factor, you may have seen some of the artists singing with the microphone virtually in their mouths using their nose as some kind of buffer.

Every microphone has a ‘sweet spot’ and finding that sweet spot will be the difference between a balanced, great sounding vocal and mush or muffled vocals.

The art of mic technique is based around the very simple premise of moving the mic closer (but not under your nose) for quiet parts of the song and away again when it gets louder. This evens out the vocal sound and gives natural light and shade to a performance.

All microphones are designed around the principle of moving air and therefore will always sound best with a little distance between the vocalist and the microphone. Holding the mic too close to your mouth, when singing, cuts off that natural air flow around the diaphragm of the mic and you end up sounding dull and lifeless.

By allowing the mic to breathe you naturally create a SWEET SPOT where your voice sounds bright, you can hear diction and you will sound altogether better and cleaner.

Try it out for yourself next time you are singing in the studio or live on stage. You will hear and feel the difference and so will your listeners. If you ever get the opportunity to record in a professional recording studio, the engineer will place the microphone about 10cm away from you and there is a very good reason for that. He wants to find that natural sweet spot.

Incidentally, mic placement is not only important for vocals but for any acoustic instrument you record. Take the time to experiment with various positions to achieve the best possible sound. Moving a mic closer to a sound source will affect the overall bass/treble balance. With string instruments, careful mic placement can minimise the finger squeaks commonly produced when playing.

See the TCM Mastering Home Music Studio series of blogs for more information on mic placement and techniques for recording a whole variety of instruments. A good place to start is Part 5 – Mic Types and Part 6 – Mic Techniques.

If you have any questions on the recording process either contact us or check out the TCM Mastering  and TCM Music Group websites. We love to hear from you.

At TCM we take pride in every single track we record, mix, produce or master and provide a professional, fast and affordable service to today’s musician – whether you’re producing a music track for the very first time or you’re a seasoned pro.

TCM are also experts at Audio Restoration, click here for more information.

Take a look at some of TCM’s recent clients.

West 1 Entertainment News

Formed in 2011 by Ted Carfrae and James Baker, West 1 Entertainment handle artist promotion and management.

Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act is selling out all over the UK. Ben as pop icon Michael Jackson has taken the theatre world by storm. For more information go to the website by clicking here.

Ben, the band and dancers perform one hundred per cent live with the support of a full lighting and sound crew.

See below for tour dates.

JULY
FRIDAY 13th – THE FERRY, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND
FRIDAY 20th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SATURDAY 21st – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER
WEDNESDAY 25th – OLD BUCKENHAM AIRFIELD, NORFOLK

AUGUST
SUNDAY 19th – TRIBFEST
FRIDAY 24th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SUNDAY 26th – ISLE OF WIGHT

SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY 1st – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 15th – GREENROOMS, LIVERPOOL
WEDNESDAY 19th – THE WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL

OCTOBER
FRIDAY 5th – ASTOR THEATRE, DEAL, KENT
FRIDAY 19th – REDITCH THEATRE
THURSDAY 25th – DUDLEY CONCERT HALL

NOVEMBER
SATURDAY 3rd – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 10th – THE RANGE, WOLVERHAMPTON
FRIDAY 30th – THE MEDINA THEATRE, ISLE OF WIGHT

DECEMBER
SATURDAY 15th – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER

Contact details are info@w1entertainment.com or if you’d like more information on Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act, go to the website by clicking here.

Check out Ben and The Band performing ‘The Love You Save’ live at Glastonbudget 2012 (below).

TCM MASTERING: HOME MUSIC STUDIO TIPS & INFORMATION

July 9, 2012

TCM Mastering: Home Music Studio Tips and Information

The TCM Mastering Home Music Studio blog series (56 parts) provides invaluable tips and essential information for the musician recording at home.

Some Of TCM’s Recent Projects.

The blogs cover everything from initial setup and gear choice through mic techniques, signal processing, recording, editing, overdubbing, mixing and final mastering with several parts devoted to MIDI.

If you’re thinking about putting together a home studio, then start at the beginning – Part 1 – and work your way through. If you already have a home studio but need help in certain areas of the recording process, you can find what you’re looking for by using the Tags on the right hand side of the page or click on some of the links below to take you to key areas.

Ted Carfrae In TCM Mastering Studio – Kent, UK.

Part 56 – Mastering

Pro Tools MIDI Editor.

Part 52 – Intro To MIDI

Compressor On Kick Drum.

Part 45 – Mixing Drums

Vocal Comping.

Part 39 – Mixing Vocals

Editing Audio File Digitally.

Part 35 – Editing Music

Two Inch 24 Track Multitrack.

Part 29 – Multitrack Recording

Boss GT-10B Bass Effects Processor.

Part 24 – Signal Processing

Ralph Salmins, Drummer Setup With Multiple Mics.

Part 19 – Recording Drums

Recording A String Ensemble.

Part 11 – Recording Acoustic Stringed Instruments

EQ On Bosendorfer Piano.

Part 8 – Recording Piano

Sound Reflections In Room From Speakers.

Part 1 – Your Room

TCM Mastering and TCM Music Group have been offering a…..

professional, fast and affordable

service to the music community for over three decades.

Founded and owned by multi-platinum music producer Ted Carfrae, TCM  have worked with most of the major record labels whilst their clients range from new, up and coming artists to established international musicians.

Take a look at some of the clients TCM has worked with recently.

If you’d like more information on what Ted and the TCM team can do for you and your music, give us a call or drop us a line. Our contact details can be found by clicking here.

West 1 Entertainment News

Ted Carfrae and James Baker formed W1 Entertainment to handle artist promotion and management.

Ben as pop icon Michael Jackson has taken the theatre world by storm. Backed by his incredible band and dancers – Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act is selling out all over the UK. See below for tour dates.

For more information go to the website by clicking here.

Ben & The Band Performing Live On Stage.

Ben, the band and dancers perform one hundred per cent live with the support of a full lighting and sound crew.

JULY
FRIDAY 13th – THE FERRY, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND
FRIDAY 20th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SATURDAY 21st – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER
WEDNESDAY 25th – OLD BUCKENHAM AIRFIELD, NORFOLK

AUGUST
SUNDAY 19th – TRIBFEST
FRIDAY 24th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SUNDAY 26th – ISLE OF WIGHT

SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY 1st – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 15th – GREENROOMS, LIVERPOOL
WEDNESDAY 19th – THE WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL

OCTOBER
FRIDAY 5th – ASTOR THEATRE, DEAL, KENT
FRIDAY 19th – REDITCH THEATRE
THURSDAY 25th – DUDLEY CONCERT HALL

NOVEMBER
SATURDAY 3rd – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 10th – THE RANGE, WOLVERHAMPTON
FRIDAY 30th – THE MEDINA THEATRE, ISLE OF WIGHT

DECEMBER
SATURDAY 15th – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER

Contact details are info@w1entertainment.com or if you’d like more information on Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act, go to the website by clicking here.

Check out Ben and The Band performing ‘The Love You Save’ live at Glastonbudget 2012 (below).

TCM MASTERING: ONLINE MASTERING FOR TODAY’S MUSICIANS

July 6, 2012

TCM Mastering: Online Mastering For Today’s Musicians

TCM Mastering and TCM Music Group provide…..

professional, fast and affordable online mastering

 and studio facilities for today’s musicians.

Take a look (below) at some of our recent, satisfied clients.

Further down, we also have info and tour dates for West 1’s Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act.

EMI Records – Mastering. Universal Music – Mixing & Mastering.

Sony – Production, Mixing & Mastering.

Level 14 Studios (Nashville)Production, Mixing & Mastering.

Blackfoot 2000 – Mastering.

Filip Herbst – Mastering.

J D Monaghan’s Debut Album – Mastering.

Beto Hale, Rebirth – Mastering.

Strawberry Rain Music – Restoration & Mastering.

Benny Soebardja, ‘The Lizard Years’ – Restoration.

Utku Yerebakan – Mastering.

Michael Constantino – Mastering.

Beto HaleMastering.

Hex Hector (NYC) – Production & Mastering.

Dusty Springfield – Remixing.

DJ HiFiSean – Mastering, James Scott, Mastering.

Joey Moskowitz (NYC) – Production & Mastering.

Sligo Fogg – Mastering.

Jackie Deshannon – Mixing, BJ Thomas – Mixing.

CYLiX – Mastering.

Kelly Doze – Mastering.

JPD Productions –  Mastering.

Klubkidz – Mastering.

Figjam Records NYC – Project Development.

Ray Prim – Mastering,

Julian Marsh (Florida) – Production & Mastering.

Gregg Morrish (Wales) – Production & Mastering.

Doris Day ‘My Heart’ – Production & Mixing.

Tahsin Oygar – Mastering, Lee Austin – Mastering.

2 Wired (Germany) – Mastering,

Rechord Studios (Greece) – Mastering.

SES – Mastering.

508 Park Avenue Records (Texas) – Mastering.

Robert Gillies – Mixing & Mastering.

Markus Teders – Mastering, George Labiris – Mastering.

Petula Clark – Mastering.

Stephen Weller – Mastering, Dean Westbrook – Mastering.

Stephen Morant – Mastering, Liam Thomas – Mastering.

If you have any questions regarding the recording or mixing process or would like more information about our facilities and rates, drop us a line. Our contact details are here. We love to hear from you.

West 1 Entertainment News

Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act continues to tour the UK to packed and enthusiastic crowds.  For more information go to the website by clicking here.

Ben & The Band.

Ben, the band and dancers perform one hundred per cent live with the support of a full lighting and sound crew.

West 1 Entertainment Ltd has announced the latest dates for the up and coming Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Concert which is set to smash all previous box office sales with this vibrant, fresh, professional show.

JULY
FRIDAY 6th – WOODVILLE HALLS THEATRE, GRAVESEND, KENT
FRIDAY 13th – THE FERRY, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND
FRIDAY 20th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SATURDAY 21st – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER
WEDNESDAY 25th – OLD BUCKENHAM AIRFIELD, NORFOLK

AUGUST
SUNDAY 19th – TRIBFEST
FRIDAY 24th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SUNDAY 26th – ISLE OF WIGHT

SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY 1st – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 15th – GREENROOMS, LIVERPOOL
WEDNESDAY 19th – THE WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL

OCTOBER
FRIDAY 5th – ASTOR THEATRE, DEAL, KENT
FRIDAY 19th – REDITCH THEATRE
THURSDAY 25th – DUDLEY CONCERT HALL

NOVEMBER
SATURDAY 3rd – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 10th – THE RANGE, WOLVERHAMPTON
FRIDAY 30th – THE MEDINA THEATRE, ISLE OF WIGHT

DECEMBER
SATURDAY 15th – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER

Ben as Michael Jackson has taken the theatre world by storm with his innovative, true to life presentation of the King of Pop’s moves and iconic music, backed by his incredible band and dancers – the ultimate tribute act in Europe. Lead by the show’s creator, James Baker who himself is an established musician and producer, this show is selling out all over the UK!

Contact details are info@w1entertainment.com or if you’d like more information on Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act, go to the website by clicking here.

TCM MASTERING: HOME MUSIC STUDIO TIPS & INFORMATION

July 2, 2012

TCM Mastering: Home Music Studio Tips and Information

If you own a home studio, TCM Mastering’s Home Music Studio blog series can provide you with invaluable tips and essential information on so many topics…..from setting up your room and gear choices, mic types and techniques, MIDI, signal processing to recording, overdubbing, editing, mixing and final mastering.

Drums And Multiple Mic Setup TCM Studio.

Not sure of the best way to mic a drum kit, record backing vocals or hook up your MIDI synths to your computer programme? The TCM Mastering Home Music Studio series covers these questions and much, much more. Check out the links below or find what you’re looking for in the Tags on the right side of the page.

Part 56 – Mastering

Part 52 – Intro To MIDI

Part 45 – Mixing Drums

Tight Backing Vocals Are Easier To Achieve When The Singers Can See Each Other.

Part 39 – Mixing Vocals

Part 35 – Editing Music

Part 29 – Multitrack Recording

Vintage Aural Exciter.

Part 24 – Signal Processing

Part 19 – Recording Drums

Make Sure You’re Kit Is Tuned Before Recording.

Part 18 – Tuning Drums

Mic Position On Acoustic Guitar, Dobro Or Lap Steel.

Part 11 – Recording Acoustic Stringed Instruments

Part 8 – Recording Piano

Part 1 – Your Room

Owned and run by multi-platinum music producer Ted Carfrae, TCM Mastering and TCM Music Group have been providing

a professional, fast and affordable service

to all genres of the music industry for decades…..from major record labels and studios to brand new, up and coming music talent.

Ted Carfrae & CJ Boggs In The TCM Studios.

Take a look at some recent clients, by clicking here.

If you have any questions regarding the recording or mixing process, drop us a line. Our contact details are here. We love to hear from you.

Do you have some songs that need producing, recording, mixing or mastering? Then contact us for details on our rates and some incredible recording packages.

West 1 Entertainment News

TCM’s Ted Carfrae and business partner James Baker formed West 1 Entertainment in 2011, to handle artist management and promotion. One act that is generating an awful lot of excitement is…..Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act.

Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act.

Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act is currently on tour in the UK playing to packed crowds. Ben and the band perform totally live with the support of a full lighting and sound crew.

Tour dates are below…..

JULY
FRIDAY 6th – WOODVILLE HALLS THEATRE, GRAVESEND, KENT
FRIDAY 20th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SATURDAY 21st – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER
WEDNESDAY 25th – OLD BUCKENHAM AIRFIELD, NORFOLK

AUGUST
SUNDAY 19th – TRIBFEST
FRIDAY 24th – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SUNDAY 26th – ISLE OF WIGHT

SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY 1st – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 15th – GREENROOMS, LIVERPOOL
WEDNESDAY 19th – THE WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL

OCTOBER
FRIDAY 5th – ASTOR THEATRE, DEAL, KENT
FRIDAY 19th – REDITCH THEATRE
THURSDAY 25th – DUDLEY CONCERT HALL

NOVEMBER
SATURDAY 3rd – THE VENUE, NEW CROSS, LONDON
SATURDAY 10th – THE RANGE, WOLVERHAMPTON
FRIDAY 30th – THE MEDINA THEATRE, ISLE OF WIGHT

DECEMBER
SATURDAY 15th – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER

If you’d like more information on Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act, go to the website by clicking here.

TCM MASTERING: PROFESSIONAL, FAST & AFFORDABLE ONLINE MASTERING

June 29, 2012

TCM Mastering: Professional, Fast & Affordable Online Mastering

It’s probably fair to say that most people (even some musicians) have little idea what mastering is or what it entails. But the difference it can make to your music, when done properly, is truly amazing.

Once you’ve mixed your tracks, you’re left with a decision…..try mastering them yourself or hiring a professional. There are plug-ins on the market that allow you to attempt this final process yourself. However, if you don’t know what you’re doing you could end up ruining a perfectly good mix of your music.

TCM Mastering & TCM Music Group Studios-UK & Nashville, USA.

Founded and owned by multi-platinum mastering engineer and music producer Ted Carfrae, TCM Mastering and TCM Music Group have been offering a professional, fast and affordable service to the music community for over three decades.

TCM  have worked with most of the major record labels whilst their clients range from new, up and coming artists to established international musicians.

Take a look at some of the clients TCM has worked with recently.

If you’d like more information on what Ted and the TCM team can do for you and your music, give us a call or drop us a line. Our contact details can be found by clicking here.

With a professional mastering engineer you get many years of experience and a fresh pair of ears that may hear things in your mixes that need fixing. Bear in mind it’s very difficult to be objective about your own music if you’ve been working on it for weeks or months.

The mastering engineer works in a ‘tuned’ room, has specialist gear and high quality speakers which enable him to hear the music as it really sounds without colouration and emphasis on the high or low end.

Remember, music is produced in all kinds of different rooms and studios all over the world. So music tracks end up sounding very different in terms of quality, EQ, compression etc.

Think about this…..top bands often spend vast amounts of money and months recording and mixing. They don’t master their music themselves. They hand their mixes over to a professional who is specialised in this final process. A professional who can turn their precious music mixes into polished final tracks that can then be released on CD, aired on radio and TV or downloaded off the internet.

Make Your Music Shine.

If you have questions on mastering or any part of the music recording process, please drop us a line or contact us by clicking here.

Important ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ To Follow Before Getting Your Music Mastered Online.

1. If your mixes are of poor quality, for example unbalanced, over compressed or over equalised. Mastering will do little to improve them.

2. TCM Mastering recommend you use the following high quality audio file formats when making your music: WAV, AIFF, SDII at 16 or 24 bit sample rates, or higher. Although we can work with MP3 files (minimum bit rate of 192Kbps) we strongly recommend you do not work in this format as they are of a compressed, substandard quality and not ideal for high-end mastering.

3. For your final mixes avoid any additional processing such as: Normalising, Equalisation, Compression, Limiting or Finalizing. These elements will be added during the mastering process.

4. If you want to compress your audio files prior to uploading to TCM, we recommend that you use the Windows RAR/Winzip format which can compress your files without loss of quality.

If you are unsure about any of the terms or details above, please contact us by clicking here, we’ll be happy to chat and explain the process.

Finally – You are the most important person in this process. So please tell us what your expectations are of the music you send to us. Music is very subjective and therefore the more guidance we have from you at the beginning, the better your end result will be.

West 1 Entertainment News

Ted Carfrae (of TCM Mastering and TCM Music Group) and business partner James Baker formed West 1 Entertainment in 2011, which will handle artist management and promotion. One act they are particularly excited about is…..Ben The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act.

Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act.

Ben – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Act is currently on tour in the UK playing 100% live, to packed crowds.

Tour dates are below.

SATURDAY 30th JUNE  – THE CORN EXCHANGE, CAMBRIDGE
FRIDAY 6th JULY – WOODVILLE HALLS THEATRE – GRAVESEND, KENT
FRIDAY 13th JULY – THE FERRY, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND
FRIDAY 20th JULY – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SATURDAY 21st JULY – FRANKIES, MANCHESTER
SUNDAY 19th AUGUST – TRIBFEST
FRIDAY 24th AUGUST – WEYMOUTH PAVILION
SUNDAY 26th AUGUST – ISLE OF WIGHT

For more information go to the website by clicking here.