“The thing I’ve always been fascinated with is writing a song, chasing an idea and trying to capture that lightning in a bottle” — Jack Leonard
Songwriters and producers Jack Leonard and Matthew Genovese have never met in person.
Being paired in a virtual songwriting session, the duo quickly bonded through their mutual love of the same bands and artists and decided to create something unique.
Using a combination of Zoom and LISTENTO throughout the creative process, the duo can bounce ideas back and forth, collaborating with the same energy and freedom as if they were in the room together.
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TRANSCRIPT
The thing that I have always been fascinated with, more than sort of playing live or anything is writing a song and chasing down an idea, trying to capture that lighting in a bottle.
My name’s Jack Leonard, I am songwriter producer and we are here in my studio in West Hampstead, London.
So I’ll be working with Matt, he’s a producer based out of LA. I have actually met Matt before, we have been working together via Zoom and through Audiomovers.
When you’ve got someone to spar off and someone to bounce off, they’re the sort of times where you get the greatest songs in my opinion.
He is going to send me the LISTENTO link, and so it’s like I’m in the room with him.
Being able to listen to it whilst you’re in the moment, whilst you’re excited about it, whilst you’re like trying to capture this thing is really, really important.
Melbourne-based music producer, recording engineer and Badger’s frontman Michael Badger recently spoke to MIXDOWN about collaborating remotely with Belgium-based psych-rockers SONS on their latest record.
In 2019 SONS gripped audiences worldwide with their debut album ‘Family Dinner’. Badger co-produced that record in 2018 in Ghent and was re-enlisted to co-produce the band’s latest record, their gritty, punchy and dramatic sophomore offering ‘Sweet Boy’.
The recording process for both albums could not have differed in more ways, limited by the restrictions of Covid-19 lockdowns. With Michael working from Melbourne, the group adjusted their workflow and kept the creativity and energy of the first record flowing by using LISTENTO.
With LISTENTO, the team could collaborate in real-time with lossless audio, maintaining the momentum, connection and communication they had achieved while making the previous record.
“I made more of the creative decisions on that first record, so then on the second record, obviously I couldn’t engineer at all… and we were streaming things via the Audiomovers plugin.”
The sessions happened across this app, where everyone could see each other, and Audiomovers is a plugin that streams whatever channel it’s placed on with little latency.”
‘I’ve been really blessed to work with a lot of great people, I wake up every morning and think about it’ – !LLMIND
#TilYouMakeIt is a collection of stories chronicling those moments and capturing wisdom from the game’s most esteemed producers, mixers and engineers.
A successful career in music doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, patience, and an unwavering sense of dedication to achieve your goals and reach the dizzying heights of your dreams.
In this episode of #TilYouMakeIt, the renowned producer, songwriter and educator !LLMIND shares how he has gotten to where he is.
With almost twenty years of constant grind under his belt, he has gone from working with underground artists in the early 2000s to some of the biggest names in the business, putting his stamp on iconic tracks and achieving Grammy recognition.
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TRANSCRIPT
I’ve been really blessed to work with a lot of great people. I, I wake up every morning and I think about it like, wow, like, is this real?
It was a long grind for me. You know, I’ve been doing this full-time for almost twenty years from this super underground.
From the super underground artists from like the 2000s, you know, your Little Brother and Boot Camp Clik and, and then eventually working with, you know, 50 Cent and G-Unit.
And then from there it just snowballed. At this point, I’ve been, you know, really blessed enough to work with a lot of people.
Two Grammys, ten Grammy nominations, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Drake, Travis Scott, J Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Khalid, Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Moana.
It’s been pretty crazy so it doesn’t feel real a lot of the time.
Audiomovers’ co-founder and head of product Igor Maxymenko recently spoke to Clive Young for an interview with Mix Online.
Their conversation was as seamless as LISTENTO’s functionality and included reflections on the origins of Audiomovers, how Igor got his start in the pro audio industry and when he decided it was time to develop his big ideas into new products.
Along the way Igor met a software engineer, industry veteran, and soon-to-be cofounder, Yuriy Shevyrov. They decided to join forces and create what is now considered the industry standard plug-in for remote audio collaboration, LISTENTO.
‘We decided to team up and try to build something we felt was missing that sound engineers would appreciate: a remote collaboration plugin.” – Igor Maxymenko
Writing code in Kyiv, Ukraine, Yuriy created a working prototype in three weeks in 2017. Soon, Audiomover’s leading product, LISTENTO, was released and began making waves in both the U.S. and the U.K., growing a dedicated user base in the process.
This user base would continue to expand throughout the years, and with improved functionality and a more comprehensive range of audio streaming capabilities, what was once a two-person operation, quickly grew into a multi-person undertaking spanning continents, cultures and industries, in turn connecting people through high-quality audio on a global level.
Abbey Road Studios acquired Audiomovers in 2021, and since then, we have continued to gain pro audio industry recognition from all over the world, with LISTENTO recently winning a ‘CEDED Audio Excellence Award’ in Japan and receiving a nomination for a NAMM TEC Award in the Outstanding Technical Achievement category of Audio Education Technology.
With many new products on the way, Audiomovers continues expanding its reach to new audiences worldwide. Carefully and intentionally reshaping the workflow of music creators, audio professionals and industry personnel, turning complex ideas into seamlessly integrated products, making it easier than ever for people to connect and share high-quality audio, no matter where you are.
#NerdingOut is where we uncover the “tools of the pros” — the sacred plugins, gear and instruments that are essential to the process of award-winning producers, mixers and engineers.
Learn how acclaimed Producer and Recording Engineer Matt Genovese found and recapped an original 1960s Scully 280 tape machine.
This famously versatile piece of hardware has been used on records like ‘Led Zeppelin II’ and ‘III’ and Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Little Wing’.
Matt utilizes it in various ways, including printing on individual tracks to mixing with it.
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TRANSCRIPT
Clients are always impressed about, you know, just seeing a tape machine in the room is cool, but when you record a song onto it, it’s a pretty big difference.
Most of the records that I love were all done on tape machines. A few months ago, I found a Scully 280 machine, which is from the sixties.
It was the same machine that they had in, uh, Stax Records and Motown. Records like Led Zeppelin two and three were done on it, Jimmy Hendrix’s Little Wing was done on it.
So it’s a very famous machine. I found it. I recapped it and got it working a hundred percent.
Again, I print individual tracks to it. Sometimes if I want that sound on a whole recording.
I’ll just send something to a compressor, I can insert the tape machine as a hardware insert, and then I also mix to it. So I mix with it in input record.
So I’m monitoring it through the electronics as I mix, and then when I’m done, I flip it to playback and I record it to tape, and so it runs straight outta my console, straight into the tape machine and outta the tape machine back into my computer where I print the final mix.
When you ab it with and without the tape, specifically with the Scully 280, it’s a big difference.
We’re diving into some of the hard won techniques and wisdom gained from working in the industry in our series #101.
For this instalment, we uncover the “co-mix” with multi-platinum recording and mix engineer Bainz.
He shares that there are multiple ways you can get a co-mix, but what’s essential is that everyone is acknowledged when they have significant involvement in making a record. #Bainz #Mixing #CoMix #MixingEngineer
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TRANSCRIPT
The co-mix is when any, they could be a bunch of different things.
You could be someone who has a studio who’s organizing the session and delivered with the artist, engineer is also a part of it.
A lot of times the recording engineer gets Co-Mix.
Really? That’s how I, that’s how I started when I, when I first, uh, was working on ‘So Much Fun’, Alex gave me Co-Mix on a lot of them, cuz it was a lot of the stuff that I did in the recording sessions that’s stuck on.
It could just be you’re getting an acapella for someone else. It could be actually sitting in the room like me and my assistant do together a lot. Like, you know, give him Co-Mix, cause we work on the records together.
I’ll do some stuff, he’ll do some stuff. We’ll give each other ideas or here, whatever.
I might leave my finished a record. Vice versa.
When he’s prepping, he might get started or working on it.
Everything is collaborative these days and I feel like everyone should kind of get credit for it cuz that’s really what we hold proud.
Introduction
Remote Music Collaboration has increasingly become the norm for music production, as faster internet speeds and digital tools have made it easier than ever for people to work together across long distances.
It is crucial to prioritize using high-quality audio equipment and streaming technology when collaborating remotely, as it ensures the best possible results, optimum communication and time efficiency.
Remote music collaboration can be a great way for musicians to work with each other from different parts of the world, to explore new sounds and styles, and to create music in new and innovative ways. However, it can also present its own challenges around communication, technological difficulties, and potentially the lack of in-person interaction and creative energy.
Remote audio collaboration is made possible through a number of specialized software applications that use codecs to compress and transmit audio in real-time, allowing you access to stream audio content directly without it having to be hosted anywhere, some software applications may also support the use of uncompressed audio (PCM).
With LISTENTO, you can stream HD audio from your PC or Mac to other devices in real-time, saving you from sending over files or bouncing out tracks. LISTENTO makes it easy for you and your collaborators to experience high-quality audio, with ease and precision.
It’s important to maximize the quality of your audio when undertaking remote music collaborations for several reasons
Communication:
In remote music collaboration, the use of high-quality audio ensures that communication is clear, crisp and free of distortion, making it easier for collaborators to listen, comment and create in a more efficient manner.
Productivity:
The use of poor quality audio can lead to delays and decreased productivity. High-quality audio ensures that collaborators can work together seamlessly, leading to increased productivity and a better end product.
Professionalism:
When collaborating remotely, it is imperative that producers, engineers and any other audio professionals deliver the highest quality service possible, matching the level of service they would expect to achieve while working in-person.
Prioritizing the use of high-quality audio in remote music collaborations enhances the reputation of the individual or team and improves client relationships and satisfaction.
Technical Limitations:
Remote music collaboration is heavily reliant on your bandwidth and processing power. By using LISTENTO you ensure that your audio is optimized for the available bandwidth and that it is delivered without dropouts, buffering or other technical issues.
Tackling audio quality issues while collaborating remotely
When collaborating remotely it is common to encounter audio quality issues. Here are four common audio quality issues that can arise when collaborating remotely with real-time audio.
Latency, or delay in audio transmission, can cause audio to be out of sync with video or other audio, resulting in a disjointed and distracting experience for the listener.
Limited bandwidth can result in audio quality degradation, causing audio to sound overly compressed, distorted or tinny.
Audio dropouts, or gaps in audio transmission, can occur due to technical issues, resulting in missed words, phrases, or sections of music, making it difficult for collaborators to follow along in real-time.
Here are some practical tips for maximizing audio quality in remote music collaboration:
When using LISTENTO to stream audio, choose the correct audio codec and/or Bitrate: Selecting the appropriate audio codec and bitrate is crucial for achieving dropout-free audio streaming. Set your bitrate to match the available bandwidth and network conditions.
Optimize Your Network Connection: A stable and fast network connection is essential for remote music collaboration. Use a wired connection to optimize your network settings to minimize latency and packet loss.
By using LISTENTO, you can stream the highest quality audio possible, all the while interacting with a unique, seamless and intuitive software application that maximizes real-time audio processing and encourages effective real-time collaboration.
Make sure LISTENTO is in the correct place in the chain – after any effects or compression you want/need to be audible.
Monitor Your Audio in Real-time: Ensure your audio remains consistent throughout your stream. Check for distortion, drop-outs or other quality issues, and adjust as necessary to maintain optimal audio quality. Test your audio stream on headphones and your monitors and monitor your gain – don’t run in the red.
In most cases, it is more favored to prioritize a stable recording system that produces consistent and reliable results rather than a high bandwidth system that captures a wide range of frequencies that may introduce unwanted noise or distortion.
An ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi is generally preferred in remote audio recording as it creates a stable and reliable connection. Wi-Fi signals can be affected by interference from other devices or signal strength and speed issues. In contrast, ethernet cables provide a more secure, reliable network connection with faster data transfer speeds and minimal signal loss.
Consider the acoustics of your room: Poor acoustics can negatively affect the quality of your stream and can cause unwanted echoes and reverberation, audio reflections that interfere with the clarity of the audio, background noises like moving traffic or electrical hums make it challenging to capture a clean sound, in turn creating a muddy, indistinct sound.
Using headphones during remote music collaboration is generally preferred as it will help improve audio quality, reduce background noise and create a more isolated, precise sound.
It is advisable to turn off video playback in other tabs or browsers while recording remotely as it minimizes the network bandwidth use and CPU resources, ensuring the highest possible quality audio and optimal network and computer performance.
When working on remote music collaborations, it is essential to use DI boxes or preamps between the instrument/mic and instrument/console as it can improve the quality and accuracy of the recording by matching impedance, providing additional signal amplification, reducing noise and interference, and allows for tone shaping.
By implementing these practical tips, you can maximize the quality of your remote music collaborations, providing your creative partners with an engaging, immersive experience, and high-quality audio experience.
How LISTENTO maximizes high audio quality in remote music collaboration
LISTENTO offers lossless multichannel audio, up to 7.1.4 surround sound, and the ability to adjust latency and bit rate, as well as numerous security features to protect the integrity of the stream, LISTENTO provides the perfect remote audio streaming plugin.
LISTENTO
Streaming quality
Transmit up to 32 bit PCM audio uncompressed (as well as lower bitrate PCM and AAC codecs)
Plug-in format
Stream audio from VST / AU / AAX plug-in
Anytime, anywhere
Record and receive via web browser / plug-in / phone app
Here are some of the ways in which LISTENTO maximizes audio quality in remote music collaboration.
High-quality audio codes: LISTENTO uses Opus, a codec designed specifically for remote music collaboration which delivers high-quality at lower bitrates and is optimized for low-latency performance.
Adaptive bitrate streaming: LISTENTO uses adaptive bitrate streaming, which automatically adjusts the streaming bitrate based on network conditions and available bandwidth, ensuring a consistent and high-quality audio streaming experience for all participants.
Low-Latency Audio Processing: LISTENTO processes audio in real-time with a low-latency pipeline, which reduces delay and synchronization issues, allowing you to select your preferred latency settings, resulting in a more natural and immersive Remote Music Collaboration experience.
Network optimization: LISTENTO optimizes network settings to minimize packet loss and latency, which can cause audio dropouts and other quality issues.
Real-time audio monitoring: LISTENTO provides real-time audio monitoring tools, which allow users to monitor audio quality in real-time and make adjustments as necessary to maintain optimal audio quality.
By incorporating these features, LISTENTO maximizes audio quality, ensuring that remote audio collaborations are productive, efficient and enjoyable for all parties involved.
From music and podcast recordings, to film scores and various other remote recording projects, LISTENTO’s real-time streaming capabilities meet the high demands of audio professionals.
All you need to do is download the plugin for your PC and the mobile player for your phone, follow a few simple steps, and voilà, you can stream HD audio from your PC to a phone in real-time.
In conclusion, prioritizing high-quality audio during remote music collaborations is crucial for effective communication and productivity. Poor audio quality can lead to misunderstandings, frustration, and ultimately, a waste of time and resources.
LISTENTO is the go-to solution for high-quality audio during remote collaborations because it offers advanced noise cancellation, echo reduction, and crystal-clear audio transmission. Its user-friendly interface and compatibility with various devices make it a convenient and reliable choice for remote teams looking to optimize their communication and collaboration.
By prioritizing high-quality audio with LISTENTO, and by following the practical tips outlined above remote collaborators can ensure that their creative decisions are conveyed accurately, and their workflow is as seamless and efficient as it would be if recording in person.
LISTENTO has become an increasingly important tool in education and remote learning, providing students and teachers with the ability to share high-quality audio in real-time, regardless of their geographic location. From music education to language learning to virtual conferences and presentations, Audiomovers has a wide range of applications in the educational space.
While LISTENTO has become an audio industry standard and is being used by the world’s top producers, mixers and engineers every day, it is also increasingly being used in the field of education to facilitate remote learning and collaboration.
Music schools like Berklee, The Abbey Road Institute and The New York School of Music all rely on Audiomovers as the go-to standard for sharing high-resolution audio in virtual classrooms and remote collaboration.
LISTENTO allows students and educators to share high-quality audio in real-time, regardless of their geographic location. Students and educators can collaborate on music projects, podcast recordings, and other audio-based assignments without the need for expensive or specialized equipment.
Retailing at $16.67 per month, billed annually at $200 per year, with an added 15% discount of education institutions, making it an affordable and accessible solution for educators and students at all levels of education, and transforming the way students and educators work together to make remote learning more effective, engaging, and enjoyable.
In a recent interview with Mix Online, Audiomovers’ Head of Product Igor Maxymenko shared his thoughts on how Audiomovers is revolutionizing audio in educational spaces.
Pictured: Igor Maxymenko Audiomovers’ Head of Product
Presented at The NAMM Show in April in Anaheim, California, the NAMM TEC Awards recognize the most outstanding products of the pro audio and sound recording industry, and the teams behind them. Audiomovers couldn’t be more pleased to have received this nomination.
The Audio Education Technology category includes any books, programs, software, hardware systems and devices that are intended to promote knowledge of audio and musical topics. Whether it’s being used for remote guitar lessons or teaching an entire class of music students, we’re thrilled to see such a large contingent of LISTENTO Standard Plus users utilizing LISTENTO for audio educational purposes.
LISTENTO can be used to facilitate remote music lessons or rehearsals. Students and teachers can collaborate in real-time, sharing high-quality audio with low latency, allowing for a more engaging and immersive experience, as students can listen to their playing and the music of their peers in real time.
Additionally, LISTENTO’s ability to stream high-quality audio over the internet ensures that students receive a consistent and accurate representation of their playing, regardless of their physical location.
Educator and lead guitarist of heavy metal quintet Ice Nine Kills,Dan Sugarman explains how he uses the software to run virtual guitar lessons:
“Not being forced to only teach in your area was a luxury that Skype and Zoom somewhat afforded. However, the kicker with them was that there were always audio quality issues. For instance, you’d be trying to explain a really intense arpeggio idea, let’s say, but your mic is picking up sounds from around your room – and that’s just not helpful to hear during such a detailed type of lesson.”
Pictured: Dan Sugarman who runs all his remote guitar lessons through Audiomovers.
Virtual Conferences and Presentations
LISTENTO is also used to facilitate virtual conferences and presentations, allowing speakers to share high-quality audio with their audience, creating a seamless and engaging experience for the audience.
LISTENTO facilitates Q&A sessions, allowing audience members to ask questions in real-time and receive high-quality audio responses.
Podcasting and Audio Storytelling
LISTENTO is being used to facilitate remote podcasting and audio storytelling projects. Students can record and share high-quality audio files with their classmates and teachers, allowing for collaborative and creative projects. This helps students develop essential skills such as audio editing, scriptwriting, and storytelling, which are valuable in various fields.
Remote Audio Production & Sound Design
LISTENTO is also used in education for remote audio production and sound design. Students use Audiomovers to collaborate on audio projects, allowing them to work together in real-time, even in different locations.
Building on a legacy of 91 years of groundbreaking technological advances at Abbey Road Studios – from the creation of stereo and recording techniques such as Artificial Double Tracking (ADT) to the blueprint for the modern recording console and more recently their music tech incubator Abbey Road Red – the studios has always been at the forefront of innovation.
We at Audiomovers to be part of this incredible story and together help continue pioneering the way for the future of music technology.
To celebrate, we’ve been delving into some of the ground-breaking innovations created at Abbey Road. Watch the series in full and gain insight into the stories behind these history altering technological advancements.
The King’s Microphone
Redd 17
EMI TG12410 Console
The Neumann VMS Cutting Latches
The RS124 Compressor
EMT 140
The TG12321 Compander
EMI TG12345 Console
Introducing Audiomovers & Shakers – our new monthly playlist that houses some of the most iconic tracks made with LISTENTO.
This genre bending playlist will have you moving and shaking in no time. Volume 1 includes recent releases from Kylie Minogue, Burna Boy, Future Islands and Elbow to name but a few.
Click the link below to stream the full playlist, exclusively on Spotify.
