GuitarDTM

: Best Plugins for Mixing Drums | A Complete 3-Layer Guide for Home-Recording Band Players

2026/10/5

Drum mixes just aren't working. I'm sure many home-recording band players feel that way. The cause is often not thinking of plugin roles separately. This article explains drum mixing in 3 layers. I'm ryo, 13 years of guitar and 8 years of DTM, and I put this together based on the plugins I actually use. Think of Drum Mixing in 3 Layers: "Source, Processing, Character" First, the big picture. Drum plugins split into three by role. LayerRoleExamples 1. SourcePlays the drum sound itselfMODO DRUM / BFD3 2. ProcessingShapes it with EQ and compressionT-RackS 5 / DAW stock 3. CharacterAdds air ...

Drum Plugins

: MODO DRUM vs BFD3 | Which Suits Band Home Recording? A Comparison from an Owner of Both

2026/10/5

Basic Spec Comparison of MODO DRUM and BFD3 First, let me sort out the differences in the basic specs. Item MODO DRUM BFD3 Developer IK Multimedia BFD (now inMusic) Sound generation Physical modeling (real-time calculation) Recorded sampling Number of kits 13 kits 7 core kits (expanded to 51 kits and 60 presets in BFD3.5) Free space needed Official minimum requirement is 20 GB or more About 55 GB (about 100 GB of free space needed during installation) CPU load Higher (because of real-time calculation) Relatively low MIDI patterns 1,400+ built in Includes groove patterns (real performance data) List price Check ...

Drum Plugins

: How to Master Your Songs at Home (Beginner's Guide) | Steps, Cautions and Recommended Tools

2026/10/5

What Is Mastering? The Final Finishing Step of Home RecordingMastering is the work of finishing a song after the mix is done into a "finished product." You even out the volume. You also even out the tonal balance. You get it to a state where it doesn't feel off when heard on streaming or CD. In home recording, many people run out of energy at the mix. But if you skip mastering, the sound seems small. When you upload to a streaming service, it has less punch than other songs. What to Do Before MasteringBefore mastering, review your mix. If ...

DAW, Recording & Mixing

: T-RackS 5 Review | An Honest Take on Why This One Plugin Completes Home Mastering

2026/10/5

"For mastering, which plugin should I actually buy?" When I started home recording, I stalled there too. What I use now is T-RackS 5. It came in the same bundle as TONEX and AmpliTube 5 MAX. This one plugin completes my mastering. What Is T-RackS 5? The Mastering Tool in Total Studio 4 MAXT-RackS 5 is IK Multimedia's plugin for mixing and mastering. You line up processors such as EQ, compressor, reverb and saturator, like in a rack. You can buy it on its own. But what I own is one piece inside a bundle called Total Studio 4 MAX. ...

Plugins & UAD

: How to Record Guitar in Logic Pro from Scratch (Beginner's Guide)

2026/10/5

"I bought Logic Pro, but I don't know how to record my guitar." I'm sure many guitarists have that worry. I was the same at first. This article explains the steps for recording guitar in Logic Pro from zero. I explain technical terms as they come up. By the time you finish reading, you should be able to record one guitar track. What You Need to Record Guitar in Logic Pro First, let's check what you need. There are three main things. I/F is short for audio interface. Think of it as gear that brings the guitar's sound into the ...

DAW, Recording & Mixing

: When Are DTM Plugin Sales? The Best Time to Buy Each Year (Saved Guide)

2026/10/5

"I want to buy a plugin or virtual instrument, but I wonder if I'll regret buying now..." If you keep up with DTM, you will always run into this worry. The short answer: DTM plugins and virtual instruments have clear sale seasons. And buying at Black Friday in November every year is almost always the best value. This article is written by someone with guitar and home-recording experience. It puts together the yearly sale schedule and "when to buy what." Conclusion: Black Friday in November Is the Strongest Every Year Before the details, let me give you the conclusion. The ...

Sales & Buying Guides

: How to Use Valhalla Supermassive | A Free Reverb and Delay That Sounds Like a Paid Plugin

2026/10/5

Valhalla Supermassive is a free plugin. Even so, it gives you space that rivals paid ones. This time I explain how to use it and how to apply it in band sound. What Is Valhalla Supermassive? It is a plugin that Valhalla DSP gives away for free. Anyone can download it for free from the official site. Valhalla DSP official site Its genre sits between reverb and delay. It is designed to create "an outsized sense of scale" rather than "realistic space." It is not a type that recreates real rooms or halls. It spreads sound through a huge web ...

Plugins & UAD

: Line Recording vs Mic Recording for Home Guitar | A Conclusion from 8 Years of Experience

2026/10/5

Struggling Between Line and Mic Recording for Home Guitar? When you record guitar at home, the first thing you run into is choosing between "line recording" and "mic recording." The short answer: a guitarist who is just starting home recording should go with line recording. But this does not mean "mic recording is bad." Each has what it suits and doesn't. In this article, I'm ryo, 13 years of guitar and 8 years of DTM, and I sort it out. Based on experience using both, I put together the differences and how to choose. What Is the Difference Between Line ...

DAW, Recording & Mixing

: What Is an Audio Interface? How a Guitarist Should Choose One Without Failing

2026/10/3

You want to record guitar on your PC. When you think that, the first thing you need is an audio interface. But "I've heard the name, but I don't know what it does." Many people feel that way. This article explains the basics and how to choose from a guitarist's point of view. I've included my own mistakes and tried to make it as clear as I can. Recommended for Anyone who wants to know what an audio interface is in the first place Anyone who wants to record guitar or bass at home Anyone who wants to choose the ...

Gear

: Plugin Boutique Troubleshooting Guide | Fixes for Refunds, Serial Numbers and Login Problems

2026/10/4

Have you run into problems like these while using Plugin Boutique? Plugin Boutique is a reseller, so help for a problem is split across the site, its help center and each developer's own app. That makes it hard to find a fix when something goes wrong. This article collects fixes for the common problems. It is based on information from the official help center. You don't need to read from top to bottom. Jump to your symptom from the table of contents. What to Do When You Can't Log In There are usually three causes of not being able to ...

Sales & Buying Guides