US study claims being a mummy¿s boy helps men have better relationships By Daniel Bates Published: 20:15 GMT, 21 March 2012 | Updated: 21:49 GMT, 21 March 2012 Good influence: The front cover of The Mama's Boy Myth, in which Kate Stone Lombardi seeks to disprove the stereotype of weak, effeminate sons They have long been ridiculed for being sissies or too feminine. But now it seems that being a mummy’s boy might actually be a good thing for a man. A new book claims that having a close mother-son relationship actually helps boys to have a better relationships with others. Author Kate Stone Lombardi says the old stereotype that these men are weak and more likely to be gay is not true. In fact, mummy’s boys have a ‘broader definition of masculinity’ that is of significant benefit to their mental health. Mothers with close relationships to their sons have featured in countless films including the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock classic ‘Psycho’, in which Norman Bates becomes a neurotic killer. Close: Author Kate Stone Lombardi, shown in a family photo with her own son
EQ Drums One of the things I love most about recording music is that there are no rules. One guy decides to use a cardboard box as his kick drum sound…and it sounds awesome. Another guy decides to sample in the sound of a screaming cat and blend it with the cymbals. (Okay, I’ve never seen that, but I bet it’s awesome.) You’re free to do whatever you want. Maybe that’s why so many people record music as a hobby. But there is one “rule” I almost always follow when mixing drums…and it almost always works. It’s really simple. I’ve heard it over and over again from mix engineers. It’s hard to explain. This is all without boosting the lows or the highs. You’ve got a set budget for the month. You’ve got a set number of frequencies to work with. You decide you want to spend an extra $200 on a piece of gear. You decide you need more low end in your kick drum. You take $200 out of ANOTHER part of the budget to pay for the gear. You cut 400 Hz to bring out the low end down at 80 Hz. What do you think?
7 Obscure Mixing Techniques Used by the Pros Most of the time there is an obvious choice. Need more mid-range? Grab an EQ and boost the midrange. Need more control of the source? So with that said, here are seven counterintuitive mixing techniques pros regularly use to solve unconventional problems: 1. What? 2. When we want to hear more bass in a bass guitar, kick drum, or other low-end element, the obvious solution is to boost the low end. 3. But wait, doesn’t a compressor restrict dynamic range? 4. If you’re using a brickwall limiter on your master buss, chances are you’re doing so to make something loud. Well, yes and no. 5. Now that really doesn’t make sense. 6. Remember that reverb is used to create a sense of space. 7. Not that I feel loudness is absolutely paramount to a successful mix, but in today’s climate of iPods, noise-ridden listening environments, and DJ controlled playlists, it’s important that the record lives within the same general vicinity of apparent loudness. Now it’s your turn!
Music Mixing Tips and Articles Sharpen your music mixing skills with the knowledge and techniques you'll discover below. The art of the great mixdown can seem at times like magic, and indeed it does involve some pretty subtle manipulations and cunning aural trickery. The real secret as you probably know by now is no secret at all: only knowledge and practice will improve your game. Knowledge and practice act as the two pillars upon which your mixing abilities rest. You should therefore always strive to learn more about the gear you use and add new techniques to your audio mixing skillset. The mixing knowledge we share with you below will provide you with insights and techniques to apply to your own work. Remember, if it sounds great, it is great. Dive into the music mixing articles below right now and then get back in the mix and work it like an obsessed audio scientist. We look forward to hearing your results! Current mixing articles... "4 Kick and Bass EQ tips for tighter mixes..."
Other People Often Aren't As Shallow As They Seem People who aren't doing well socially sometimes feel they can't relate to other people. One common complaint that flows from this is that they feel other people are dumb and shallow. Since they may see themselves as deep and intelligent in comparison, they naturally feel a little alienated. Some people are irredeemably superficial and vacuous. I'm not going to argue that. There are many superficial traits that can make people seem more shallow than they are I think a big problem with the "Everyone sucks, I have nothing in common with them" attitude is that you can end up writing off lots of people before you even give them a chance. There are women who seem like all they care about is make-up and clubbing, but who are interested in philosophy and history. Shallowness isn't an All-or-Nothing thing either. Here are some things that may make layered, intelligent people come off as dumbasses at a glance: Personality Accent and style of speaking Writing style Place in life Acceptable topics
How Can I Set Up a Home Recording Studio on the Cheap? 3D Mixing The Ultimate EQ Guide Please Note - The values below are merely guides, each mix is unique and individual so experimentation is advised. Low Bass: anything less than 50Hz This range is often known as the sub bass and is most commonly taken up by the lowest part of the kick drum and bass guitar, although at these frequencies it's almost impossible to determine any pitch. Sub bass is one of the reasons why 12" vinyl became available: low frequencies require wider grooves than high frequencies - without rolling off everything below 50Hz you couldn't fit a full track onto a 7" vinyl record. However we do NOT recommend applying any form of boost around this area without the use of very high quality studio monitors (not home monitors - there is a vast difference between home nearfield and studio farfield monitors costing anywhere between £5,000 and £20,000). Bass: 50-250Hz Muddiness/irritational area: 200-800Hz The main culprit area for muddy sounding mixes, hence the term 'irritational area'. Mid-range: 800-6kHz Bass
Ten Reasons People Resist Change - Rosabeth Moss Kanter by Rosabeth Moss Kanter | 12:00 PM September 25, 2012 Leadership is about change, but what is a leader to do when faced with ubiquitous resistance? Resistance to change manifests itself in many ways, from foot-dragging and inertia to petty sabotage to outright rebellions. Loss of control. Excess uncertainty. Surprise, surprise! Everything seems different. Loss of face. Concerns about competence. More work. Ripple effects. Past resentments. Sometimes the threat is real. Although leaders can’t always make people feel comfortable with change, they can minimize discomfort.