to add to my studio tips:
1. about mastering: properly mix down your track. seperate bass, drums, vocals, synths by using levels as well as eq and compression. layering can be done by eq, volume as well as stereo width. after that mastering should be no more than a final polish.
2. pets: yes we love them, but kittens, puppies or whatever else you keep around the house love to chew on cables. keep your cables out of reach, otherwise you'll spend hours trying to figure out why that synth isn't getting midi even though the cables are all plugged in.....and then you find out that your new puppy left you a little present behind the rack case....along with a selection of nicely chewed cables....(speaking from experience here....
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if i get some time, i'm gonna put a production tips page on blueplasmarecordings.com. so if any of you wanna contribute send me a pm. hopefully we can get enough info together for a highly valuable resource page by some of the established producers here in the area.
cheers