Professional Audio Blog

Ideas, Interviews, Inspiration

Gear Guide

VLA-2A vs VLA-3A: Which Opto Compressor for Which Source

Same optical family, two very different tempers. When the tube LA-2A wins, when the LA-3A hits harder, and how to pick per source.
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Black Rooster Audio 09 Aug 2026   •  6Min read

Studio Business

What a Home Studio Actually Costs, and Where to Spend

Most home-studio money goes to the wrong things. An honest look at what buys better recordings, and what's just gear you'll resell in a year.
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Black Rooster Audio 05 Aug 2026   •  6Min read

Gear Guide

The Best Pultec EQ Plugin: VEQ-1P and VEQ-5 in Real Mixes

The Pultec low-end trick, that silky top-end air, and why a broad passive curve beats surgical EQ so often. Here's how our two Pultecs earn their place.
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Black Rooster Audio 01 Aug 2026   •  6Min read

Mixing Tips

Think in Chords, Not Bands: Music Theory for Better EQ

Frequencies behave a lot like notes and intervals. Hear EQ as arrangement instead of surgery and your mixes stop fighting themselves.
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Black Rooster Audio 28 Jul 2026   •  7Min read

Gear Guide

The Best Neve 1073 Preamp Plugin? Where the VPRE-73 Really Fits

Everyone wants the 1073 sound. Here's what that console preamp actually does, who it's for, and how our VPRE-73 stacks up against the usual suspects.
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Black Rooster Audio 24 Jul 2026   •  6Min read

Studio Life

Beating Creative Block and Studio Burnout Without the Platitudes

The session's open, nothing's working, and pushing harder makes it worse. Here's what creative block actually is, and the moves that get you making again.
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Black Rooster Audio 20 Jul 2026   •  6Min read

Gear Shootout

Black Rooster VLA-2A vs Waves CLA-2A: Which LA-2A Is Right for Your Vocals?

Two takes on the same 1960s opto compressor, two very different workflows. Here is how the VLA-2A and Waves CLA-2A really differ where it counts — on vocals, on the bus, and in your routing.
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Black Rooster Audio 16 Jul 2026   •  6Min read

Mixing Tips

My biggest mistakes in 20 years of audio

A veteran engineer reveals how treating compression as a control tool rather than an enhancement technique systematically ruined mixes for a decade, sharing the pivotal moment that changed his approach forever.
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Black Rooster Audio 07 May 2026   •  7Min read

Studio Workflow

Studio Acoustics on a Budget: 3 DIY Tricks That Outperform Expensive Panels

Three simple DIY acoustic solutions can solve 80% of home studio problems for under $300, using moving blankets, strategic furniture placement, and basic physics instead of expensive branded panels.
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Black Rooster Audio 11 Apr 2026   •  6Min read

Recording

The Forgotten Art of Recording Room Tone (And Why It Matters More Than Ever)

Room tone isn't just silence—it's the acoustic DNA that separates amateur recordings from professional polish. Understanding how to capture and use ambient sound properly is crucial for seamless edits.
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Black Rooster Audio 07 Apr 2026   •  7Min read

Mixing Tips

VLA-3A: The Legend Behind the Plugin

The VLA-3A plugin captures the legendary Teletronix LA-3A's optical compression magic, offering the golden-era studio sound that made vocals radio-ready without the vintage gear price tag.
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Black Rooster Audio 01 Apr 2026   •  5Min read

Studio Workflow

When Artists Have a Vision — Here’s How to Elevate It

Transform artistic chaos into sonic reality by mastering the art of translating creative vision into technical production decisions. Bridge the gap between 'make it more purple' and actual studio magic.
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Black Rooster Audio 29 Mar 2026   •  10Min read

Studio Workflow

How to Handle Difficult Artists Without Ruining the Session

Every producer faces difficult artists who test patience and skills. Learn to read personalities, set boundaries, and channel challenging creative energy into successful sessions without losing your mind.
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Black Rooster Audio 27 Mar 2026   •  6Min read

Recording

Why Recording at 24-Bit Still Isn't Enough for Modern Productions

Why recording at 24-bit might be holding back your productions. The pros are already moving beyond this 'good enough' standard to extract maximum detail from their recordings.
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Black Rooster Audio 26 Mar 2026   •  6Min read

Recording

The Microphone Placement Mistake That's Sabotaging Your Vocal Recordings

Most vocal recordings fail due to one critical microphone placement mistake that creates proximity effect mud. Proper distance between mic and vocalist is the key to professional-sounding vocals that sit perfectly in your mix.
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Black Rooster Audio 25 Mar 2026   •  6Min read

Studio Workflow

ADHD in the Audio Business: Always Busy, Never Done

ADHD brains dominate the music industry, turning neural quirks into studio superpowers. Learn to harness hyperfocus and dopamine-seeking behavior while managing the chaos of seventeen unfinished projects.
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Black Rooster Audio 24 Mar 2026   •  9Min read

Studio Workflow

Why Suno Might Be the Worst Thing That Ever Happened to Music

Suno AI promises instant music creation, but this convenience might be eroding the fundamental learning process that makes music production meaningful and skillful.
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Black Rooster Audio 23 Mar 2026   •  9Min read

Mixing Tips

The 3dB Rule That Changes Everything About Gain Staging

3dB isn't just another measurement - it's the key to understanding gain staging. This number represents doubled power, the smallest change most people hear, and the difference between guessing and precision in your mix.
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Black Rooster Audio 22 Mar 2026   •  5Min read

Studio Workflow

The Part of Audio Engineering No One Prepares You For (about long hours, burn out, no money, stupid customers, technicl issues, fomo)

Beyond the YouTube tutorials lies the harsh reality of audio engineering as a career. From impossible deadlines to difficult clients, here's what no one tells you about making a living with your ears.
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Black Rooster Audio 22 Mar 2026   •  8Min read

Studio Workflow

Why You Feel Worse After Finishing a Track (Instead of Better)

Finished your track but feeling empty instead of accomplished? That post-completion blues is actually your brain going through creativity withdrawal as dopamine levels crash after the production high.
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Black Rooster Audio 21 Mar 2026   •  7Min read

Sound Design

The Hidden Science Behind Analog Modeling: How Plugins Really Recreate Hardware

Explore the complex science behind analog modeling plugins, from reverse engineering vintage hardware to the mathematical wizardry that recreates analog circuits in digital form.
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Black Rooster Audio 21 Mar 2026   •  7Min read

Mixing Tips

The Harsh Reality: Your Studio Monitors Are Lying to You

Studio monitors aren't neutral truth-tellers—they're lying to you, but once you understand their deception, you can turn those lies into your secret weapon for better mixes.
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Black Rooster Audio 20 Mar 2026   •  7Min read

Mixing Tips

Should You Pan Before or After Processing? The Stereo Placement Debate Settled

Pan first or process first? This fundamental mixing decision affects your entire signal chain. Learn when panning early creates better sonic foundations and when processing before panning gives you more control.
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Black Rooster Audio 16 Mar 2026   •  6Min read

Sound Design

How Sound Design Techniques Can Transform Your Electronic Music Arrangements

Discover how blending arrangement techniques with sound design transforms electronic music from predictable loops into living sonic organisms that blur the lines between melody and texture.
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Black Rooster Audio 14 Mar 2026   •  8Min read

Mixing Tips

The Frequency Masking Crisis: How Overlapping Instruments Kill Your Mix Clarity

Frequency masking creates sonic traffic jams when instruments compete for the same frequency space. Learn to identify and resolve these invisible conflicts that turn your polished mix into muddy mush.
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Black Rooster Audio 13 Mar 2026   •  6Min read

Mixing Tips

Why Your Mix Never Sounds Finished (to you)

Explore why mixes never feel finished and learn practical strategies to overcome the producer's curse of endless tweaking and perfectionism that keeps you stuck in mixing limbo.
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Black Rooster Audio 12 Mar 2026   •  7Min read

Music Business

The Brutal Truth About Income in the Music Business

The harsh truth about music industry economics: most musicians earn less than grocery baggers despite 80-hour weeks and massive equipment investments. Understanding these brutal realities is the first step to playing the game smarter.
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Black Rooster Audio 11 Mar 2026   •  7Min read

Mixing Tips

Master Bus Processing Chain: 7 Essential Steps for Professional-Sounding Masters

Master bus processing can make or break your mix. Learn the seven essential steps to turn your bedroom recordings into professional-sounding productions without destroying your carefully crafted balance.
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Black Rooster Audio 11 Mar 2026   •  8Min read

Mixing Tips

The Compression Sweet Spot: Finding Perfect Attack and Release Times

Master the crucial attack and release parameters that separate amateur compression from professional results. Learn when to punch fast and when to let things breathe for dynamic, musical compression.
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Black Rooster Audio 11 Mar 2026   •  7Min read

Mixing Tips

Why Your Reverb Sounds Cheap (And How to Fix It)

Learn why your reverb sounds cheap and amateur, from pre-delay timing issues to proper EQ techniques that will transform your mixes from bedroom producer to professional quality.
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Black Rooster Audio 11 Mar 2026   •  7Min read

Mixing Tips

5 EQ Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Mixes (And How to Fix Them)

Even seasoned producers fall into these EQ traps. From over-boosting frequencies to ignoring the context of a full mix, these five common equalization mistakes might be the reason your tracks sound muddy, thin, or lifeless. Here's how to break the cycle.
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Black Rooster Audio 08 Mar 2026   •  6Min read
Double The Power - Parallel Processing

Mixing Tips

Double The Power

Parallel processing is a practical method for shaping tone, dynamics, and spatial characteristics in a mix. It offers flexible control over individual elements and bus groups, making it a dependable tool for engineers working with both subtle enhancement and more forward processing tasks.
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Black Rooster Audio 25 Aug 2025   •  6Min read
The Art of Subtle Saturation

Mixing Tips

The Art of Subtle Saturation

Want to add warmth, depth, and cohesion to your mixes without losing clarity? Learn how to use subtle saturation to achieve a rich, professional sound—without overcooking your mix.
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Black Rooster Audio 19 Mar 2025   •  5Min read
Cohesive Mix with Black Rooster Audio

Article

Secrets to a Cohesive Mix

Discover the secrets to creating cohesive, professional-sounding mixes—even in a home studio. Learn how Black Rooster Audio plugins can transform your tracks from disjointed to dynamic!
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Black Rooster Audio 02 Feb 2025   •  8Min read
Vintage Studio Sound Engineer

Studio Business

Turning Your Home Studio Into a Business

Essential Steps for Sound Engineers to Monetize Their Craft
Ready to turn your passion for sound into a thriving business? Discover the essential steps to transform your studio into a professional operation that balances creativity with profitability, and watch your client base grow.
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Black Rooster Audio 06 Sep 2024   •  50Min read
Ariadni Kidonis - Summer Interview

Interview

Ariadni Kidonis

We sat down with ARIA to talk about her journey to becoming a successful music producer, songwriter and artist, her favourite plugins and everything in between.
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Black Rooster Audio 24 Aug 2024
Mixing Myths

Article

Mixing Myths #02

Think you need to compress every track or avoid panning low frequencies? Think again. In our latest blog post, we dive into five more mixing myths that might be holding you back. 
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Black Rooster Audio 17 Aug 2024   •  6Min read

Article

Sound and Silence: Uncovering Mental Health Challenges Faced by Audio Engineers

Behind the scenes, many audio engineers face unique mental health challenges that often go unnoticed. This article aims to shed light on these challenges and explore important aspects of mental well-being in the audio engineering industry.
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Black Rooster Audio 30 May 2024   •  7Min read

Essential Skills and Tools

What Makes a Modern Day Audio Engineer?

Dive into the world of modern audio engineering. Learn about the essential skills, innovative tools, and dynamic roles that shape today's audio engineers in the ever-evolving music and sound production landscape.
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Black Rooster Audio 23 Apr 2024   •  4Min read
The History Of Equalization

Mixing & Mastering

A Brief History of Equalization

Equalizers have been an essential part of music production for decades, allowing producers and engineers to shape and sculpt their sound in order to get exactly the desired effect. But as anyone who has used them will tell you, there is an art to using equalizers – it takes skill and experience to know how each one works and when and where it should be applied.
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Black Rooster Audio 02 May 2023   •  16Min read

Article

6 Tips for creating a remarkable Bass Sound

Creating a remarkable bass sound is an art form that requires a combination of technical knowledge, skill, and creativity. As a sound engineer, it's important to understand the fundamentals of bass frequencies and how to manipulate them to achieve the desired effect.
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André Kirchner 10 Mar 2023   •  6Min read

Article

Your Drums Are Dead: This Is How To Revive Them

Ready to resurrect your lifeless drum kit and bring it back to life? Say goodbye to boring beats and hello to a rhythm that's alive and kicking with these expert tips!
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André Kirchner 09 Mar 2023   •  7Min read

Article

How To Get Booked As A Sound Engineer

Are you a sound engineer looking to get more gigs? You’re in the right place! Here’s how to attract musicians to book you for their next project.
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André Kirchner 08 Mar 2023   •  5Min read
Guy with headphones

Article

The Psychology Of Sound and How to Utilize it

Discover the hidden power of sound and how it affects our emotions and behavior. Unleash its potential to enhance your life - read on to find out more!
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André Kirchner 22 Feb 2023   •  6Min read
Mixing On Headphones

Mixing Tips

Mixing On Headphones

Mixing music on headphones can be a challenging task, but with the right techniques and tools, it is possible to produce professional-sounding mixes.
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Black Rooster Audio 11 Jan 2023   •  4Min read
Reverberation in Music Production

Reverb & Delay

Reverb: The Secret Ingredient to Music Production

It's no secret that reverb is one of the most important elements in music production. Without it, songs would sound flat and lifeless. Learn more about reverberation in this article.
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Black Rooster Audio 18 Nov 2022   •  9Min read

Article

Mixing Myths #01

Alright, so you've purchased all the music gear, got great plugins, spent 10,000 hours…watching videos and tracking plugin discounts? Check out these Mixing Myths and start mixing your own music.
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Black Rooster Audio 22 Sep 2022   •  9Min read
How To Organize Your DAW Projects and Get The Most Out Of Your Time

Project Management

How To Organize Your DAW Projects

... and Get The Most Out Of Your Time! Whether you've jumped into music production as a hobby or are hoping for it to blossom into a fruitful music career, there are a few things that you need to have in place. Let's start with your very DAW project.
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Black Rooster Audio 10 Aug 2022   •  5Min read
Over-compression in the mix

Tips & Tricks

7 ways to avoid over-compression

Ever heard of over-compression and how it can affect your mix? Here are 7 proven tips on how to avoid squashing your transients. Learn about compression with VLA-3A and the KH-COMP1 plug-ins compatible with AAX/VST/AU.
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André Kirchner 14 Jun 2021   •  10Min read
Black Rooster Audio Plug-Ins

Plug-in (AAX/VST/AU)

KH-EQ1 & proportional Q explained

The equalizer is one the most debated tools in audio engineering history. In this article, multi-platinum producer and mixer Koen Heldens writes about proportional Q and how it affects the mixing process.
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Black Rooster Audio 11 May 2021   •  4Min read

Interview

Aubrey Whitfield Interview

Aubrey sat down with us to talk about her production style, her favourite Black Rooster Audio plugins, and inspiring young artists.
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André Kirchner 01 Dec 2020

Plug-in (AAX/VST/AU)

5 things about the VPRE-73

Many of our customers have said that the VPRE-73 became their favourite Black Rooster Audio plug-in from the moment that they tried it. We're not surprised - this nifty tool makes a huge impact on any mix.
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Nikita Alvaro 01 Oct 2020   •  2Min read

Announcement

The Ash Bundle is here!

We are proud to announce the re-release of our iconic vintage compressor plug-ins, the BlueAsh SC-5 and the BlackAsh SC-5 in the form of the ASH Bundle.
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Nikita Alvaro 21 Jul 2020   •  2Min read
#STAYHOME Conclusion

Solidarity

#STAYHOME Thank You

Thanks to our incredible Black Rooster Audio Family, we are donating $25,449.54 to the WHO Covid-19 Response Fund.
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Nikita Alvaro 08 May 2020   •  3Min read
André Kirchner (CEO)

Solidarity

Solidarity Statement

We ask you to support local and global solidarity projects and the many (volunteer) helpers actively or by donation and thus cushion the massive social impact of the worsening crisis.
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André Kirchner 28 Mar 2020   •  2Min read
Black Rooster Audio Plug-Ins

Customer Feedback

Win the VLA Bundle

We would love to get to know you better, with a few questions. If you like, please share your story and ask us back anything you'd like to know and take a chance to win the VLA Bundle.
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André Kirchner 07 Jan 2020   •  1Min read

CEO Notes

New year intentions from the CEO

2020 is going to be game-changing for me personally and the brand that is Black Rooster Audio
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André Kirchner 01 Jan 2020   •  2Min read

Equalization

7 things about our VEQs

Our equalizer plug-ins are all inspired by classic Pultec designs. These are timeless classics that are held in high regard for the unique mojo and character they impart.
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André Kirchner 01 Oct 2019   •  2Min read

Music Industry

4 ideas on becoming a pro

Studio thermometer is dripping sweat, the CPU is at 95% and you just ran out of coffee - and there's an album to mix in the next two days. Dayum! 
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André Kirchner 01 Sep 2019   •  6Min read

Compression

7 things to know about our VLA-FET

VLA-FET compressor/limiter is one of our top sellers, and for good reason. Here are some 7 things you might not have none about this classic.
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André Kirchner 01 Aug 2019   •  2Min read

Compression

7 things to know about our VLA-2A

Our VLA-2A is a fantastic compressor that is inspired by an original 1968 Teletronix LA-2A—one of the greatest studio legends of all time. Learn more about the LA-2A and the VLA-2A in this article.
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André Kirchner 01 Jul 2019   •  3Min read

Blog Archive