Setting up and optimizing a PC for ProTools

Setting up a PC for ProTools can be a Daunting task for someone with a limited knowledge of PC’s but with the advancements in the windows platform and also within the protools platform, especially the protools 10 platform, going from mac to pc is Read more »

Cape Audio College entry level assignment.

Every now and then we are going to post some of the more memorable assignments handed in by our students. This time round our release is in the form of a radio advert produced by some of our first year students Tammy Pretorius and Tina Hansen. This is a good example of the students first assignment and was particularly memorable due to the hilarious BooYaa  sections.   Read more »

13 tips for improving your mixes

Before I get started I just want to reinforce something – sometimes a reduction in parameters actually generates more creativity. Being aware of a set of limitations, or guidelines, can actually allow you much more creative control over your final mix. This could mean limiting the amount of effects that you allow yourself to use, or a more obvious one is to only use a particular set of effects that suits the genre or style. If you have the permission to do it, perhaps editing tracks or even muting/removing “surplus” instrumentation or vocal is the first step.

Approach-wise, ideally you want all aspects of a song to reinforce together and create a stronger impact, and if you aren’t aware of what you’re doing, it’s very possible (in fact more common than you think) to get a generally nice balance of instruments that somehow doesn’t “gel”. You can hear everything, but it lacks the emotional impact.

So here’s some ideas to think about next time you’re mixing a song. There are certainly many more ideas and concepts to experiment with than just this list, but I stopped myself before the post became a novel. Read more »

Pro Tools 9, and keeping up with the Joneses.

Its official! Pro Tools 9 has landed on our doorstep and is being installed on our many Mac’s as we speak.  Pro Tools has come a long way since the days of the 888′s and 001′s.There is no wonder why its today’s leading professional audio recording and mixing software.  And with version 9 there’s more features, more toys and more power than ever before. The best thing is, version 9 is no longer hardware dependant and can run on any interface available on the market. I never thought I would see the day when you could run Pro Tools through your bog standard headphone output. Check out the new features below along with a couple videos.S Read more »

College Student working with Freshly Ground

Xolani and Justin

A few months ago Keith Farquharson, Freshly Ground‘s live and studio engineer, invited four of our students to job shadow in his studio. One of those students, Justin Ash, currently doing 2nd year at Cape Audio College, was chosen by Keith to help him out on a semi regular basis.

Keiths Live Room

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