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Hey pinkanteater, I did get a reply! It wasn't from Jad unfortunately (the man who produced the specific shows I linked), but nonetheless it was helpful.

So this is the email they sent:

> Hi,

> Thank you for writing in! Your series sounds fascinating, and we're so glad you feel inspired by Radiolab. Unfortunately, the producers are currently extremely busy working on episodes and are not available for interviews. However, I can at least try to answer a few of your questions.

> For audio production, we use a program called Pro Tools. We do all of our editing, sound mixing, and transcription with Pro Tools. There is a wonderful website called Transom that provides plenty of resources for Pro Tools beginners, as well as an array of articles and how-to guides about audio storytelling in general: transom.org. They also offer workshops for burgeoning radio producers— I highly recommend attending! Also, there’s a new graphic novel called Out on the Wire <http://www.amazon.com/Out-Wire-Storytelling-Secrets-Masters/dp/0385348436> about radio storytelling. It’s really detailed and it features Jad, so definitely check it out. Finally, the This American Life—which is a great show if you aren’t familiar with it—website <http://www.thisamericanlife.org/about/make-radio> has some really great resources as well.

> Hope this helps! Best of luck to you on your new series. Keep hustling!

> Best,
> Charu @ Radiolab


I'm more comfortable with Ableton than I am with ProTools, so I'd rather not get into it and stay with Ableton (I assume it's about the same). But I did check out Transom and that gave me some neat ideas on how to get clarity with vocals. (Have not explored it fully though so there's prob a ton on there).

Btw I also highly recommend their episode Limits - just from a storytelling standpoint it's wonderful. I binge on their episodes and I'm assuming you're doing the same now ;D.

Also if you like Radiolab, I feel you might like one of my favorite composers, Nicolas Jaar, more specifically his Nymphs II, and III

Well, you should definitely check out Geoff Emerick's Here, There and Everywhere, to get a good idea of what recording was like in the 60s. You can read the entire prologue here.

As for the early days of digital, computers (in the traditional sense) weren't really part of the equation that much. First of all, even when digital editing was starting to be used, things were very much like 95% analog (meaning analog consoles, tape, and analog processing).

Later on, there were digital consoles such as the Sony DMX R100 (or later on the Sony OXF-R3) and the Euphonix System 5 (which was later bought by Avid and is the basis for their current S6) and the Euphonix R1 digital recorder, or the Radar system (which still exists). This allowed to make pretty elaborate recordings and mixes, with very minimal need for a computer.

As far as personal experience goes, I was very much attempting my first digital recordings back in 2002 (on what I imagine was a probably a Pentium II or something like that. A hard drive with less than 2gb, probably less than a gb of RAM). There were no affordable interfaces like there are today (well, the Mbox existed I guess, but it was well beyond what I could afford then), so I used my sound card (a SoundBlaster 16, at first), with shitty miniplug inputs.

On the very first album thing I recorded, I didn't even have a DAW. I was using Sony Vegas, a video editing software, because I noticed it had four audio tracks that could be used simultaneously. Up until then, all the other digital audio software I had (such as Cool Edit Pro), was not multitrack yet.

I knew nothing, I had no plugins (and Vegas probably didn't support them), but ignorance is bliss. Now there is an overload of information: not knowing anything now you can jump on YouTube and in five minutes find out that there are concepts such as mixing, mastering, compressors, equalitazion, etc, etc.

Back then there was no YouTube, and it would take me a few years to come to learn all that. Yet at the same time, I would learn it from very good places and the info (from professional audio publications, magazines and such) was very high quality and there was no anxiety to learn a ton of things. There was no huge misinformation like there is now (anyone can publish a ton of nonsense that seems legit).

I was using FL Studio back when it was called Fruity Loops (that's what the FL stands for), then Cool Edit Pro had basic support for multitracks and I could have a lot more than 4 tracks, which was awesome. Then it became Adobe Audition, which I still use today.

So yeah, by working with limitations of the technology that you have, you learn a few things. Patience among them, and to be creative in making the most of what you have.

I know that If I had to, I could make an entire mix with just 4 tracks (just like The Beatles did).

Definitely check out this book if you need some info on monitors. The first chapter lays out some great ideas for what monitors to look for.

https://www.amazon.com/Mixing-Secrets-Small-Studio-Presents/dp/0240815807/ref=nodl_

Also I’d consider something, especially if you’re stretching your budget and are stressed about it... your studio space and how it’s treated is as important (or arguably more important) than your monitors and their quality. If you’re spending your whole budget on monitors and not acoustically treating your space, you’re doing half of what you need to.

You could consider starting with a decent pair of headphones instead for now. You can mix on headphones and test your mixes on your phone, earbuds, car, etc. (which you’ll do even with monitors) until you can afford better quality monitors and treating your room.

These are a good option as an example:

$89 Sony MDR7506: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AJIF4E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_U8gJDbDY0CFHG

They’ll also plug into your Scarlett headphone out.

Remember that regardless of what you primarily mix on, whether it’s laptop speakers, monitors, or headphones, you have to learn how it sounds to use that specific monitoring option. Even the most expensive monitors ever, you have to adapt to how they sound and know their particular characteristics, and STILL test on other speaker systems and headphones.

You can and must learn your monitoring system no matter what it is, and learn to mix on it in a way that ends up with good results across a bunch of other systems.

The Mastering Engineer's Handbook is a great one. I haven't read it, but I did read "The Recording Engineer's Handbook" by the same guy. It's a combination of his own experience and (mostly) a collection of knowledge by top level mastering engineers.

I would recommend HP Envy It’s what I’ve used for years, a lot better for work than just about anything else I’ve used. And You can find the for as low as €900 depending on where you look.