Recording Engineering Blog
Practical Recording Techniques for Better Sound
Every great recording begins long before the mix. Microphone placement, room acoustics, instrument balance, session preparation, and engineering decisions all shape the final record.
This blog shares practical recording techniques, studio workflows, microphone strategies, and lessons learned from more than four decades recording legendary artists, live musicians, vocalists, rhythm sections, horns, strings, choirs, and full ensembles.
Whether you’re an artist, producer, engineer, or studio owner, every article is designed to help you capture recordings with greater clarity, depth, emotion, and musical impact.
What You'll Find on the Recording Engineering Blog
Every article is written from real-world recording sessions and more than four decades of professional studio experience.
Topics include:
✅ Recording live musicians
✅ Microphone placement and studio workflow
✅ Mixing techniques and production philosophy
✅ Dolby Atmos recording and immersive audio
✅ Studio equipment and workflow optimization
✅ Music production insights from legendary recording sessions
👉 Learn. Apply. Create better recordings.
Latest Articles
The Bleed You Are Trying to Eliminate May Be the Sound Your Record Needs
Microphone bleed in recording is often treated as a problem before anyone asks what it may be contributing to the music. Engineers are often taught to treat microphone bleed as a problem. Keep the drums out of the piano microphones. Keep the guitar amplifier out of the drum microphones. Keep
Your Headphone Mix May Be Damaging the Performance Before You Record It
The musician sounded confident before the headphones went on. The singer delivered the lyric naturally during rehearsal. The drummer played with balance and feel. The bass player sat comfortably in the pocket. The musicians could hear one another, respond to one another, and understand how their parts worked together. Then
How to Record a Rhythm Section That Sounds Like One Record
To understand how to record a rhythm section, begin with the relationship between the musicians, not the number of microphones in the room. A rhythm section can be clean, separated, and technically correct while still sounding like several musicians occupying the same song instead of one record. The drummer may
Why Most Recordings Become a Repair Job Before the Mix Begins
Recording problems before mixing often begin during preparation or the session itself. Learn how microphone placement, headphone mixes, arrangement, signal flow, and communication shape the performance before the music ever reaches the mix.
Ralph Sutton | Norman Connors’ Longtime Recording Engineer (1980s–2000s) | Former Motown Staff Engineer
Former Motown Hitsville Staff Engineer & Norman Connors Recording Engineer Some engineers chase trends. Others are shaped inside institutions where excellence was not optional. Ralph Sutton Norman Connors, recording engineer and former Motown Hitsville staff engineer, began his professional recording career as a staff engineer at Motown Hitsville Los Angeles
“Why Stereo Mixes Fail in Dolby Atmos (and How to Fix Them)”
Why Stereo Mixes Fail in Dolby Atmos (and How to Fix Them) For decades, stereo has been the standard for music mixing. Engineers know how to make instruments sit left, right, or center, and a great stereo mix can sound incredible. But here’s the hard truth: a stereo mindset is
Featured Recording Resource Published by Ujamaa Media
Go Deeper Into the Recording Process
Individual articles can address specific recording problems. The Ultimate Guide to Recording Live Musicians in the Studio brings Ralph Sutton’s complete source-focused approach together in one practical resource.
About the Author
Ralph Sutton is a recording and mixing engineer whose career spans more than four decades. He served as Staff Engineer at Motown Hitsville Los Angeles and later as Chief Engineer at Stevie Wonder’s Wonderland Studios, while also engineering and mixing sessions at Record Plant Los Angeles, Capitol Recording Studios, and other renowned recording facilities.
Throughout his career, Ralph has worked alongside legendary artists, producers, arrangers, and musicians, contributing to Grammy-recognized recordings, Gold and Platinum projects, and recordings that continue to influence generations of listeners. His experience spans recording live rhythm sections, vocalists, horns, strings, choirs, orchestras, and full-band productions across R&B, Soul, Funk, Jazz, Blues, Gospel, and Pop.
Through the Recording Engineering Blog, Ralph shares practical recording techniques, studio workflow, microphone strategies, production philosophy, and lessons learned from thousands of professional recording sessions. Every article is written with one objective: helping artists, producers, engineers, and musicians create recordings with greater clarity, depth, emotion, and musical impact.
👉 Learn. Apply. Create better recordings.
