Before I get into my full PreSonus FaderPort 6 Production Controller Review, a little history: Ever since computers delved into the music production world, demand for better control existed. Even before digital audio moved into popular use, external controllers aiding MIDI sequencing hinted at dedicated devices that could turn a computer into a fully capable recording studio nucleus.

(When) Do I Need an Audio Recording Mixer for My Home Studio? An early thrill of walking into a recording studio was, for me, the sight of the big studio mixer board. A huge table filled with knobs, faders, meters, it got me stirred up just looking, even before I knew what the heck it

Mixers are a different commodity than, say, cars. In the auto industry each model year is greeted with excitement and last year's models start to lose their luster. With audio mixers, true innovation usually has a long shelf-life and even conventional products that are executed well can hang around for years.

As with anything else in the audio world, there are very definite rules about which microphones you should use in different circumstances. There are particular mics regarded as the best. Like rules everywhere, the definitive ones are just easy to break, and "best of" lists that don't consider budget simply aren't practical.

As I sit down to write this guide on how to record acoustic guitars, I'm a little overwhelmed. Since not only is the acoustic guitar one of the more challenging instruments to record really well, it's also a different instrument to different people and one with a changing role in each song.