For all you tech-heads and home recording enthusiasts out there, this one’s for you.

Each month, Mix magazine prints articles about recording and post production techniques, gear, studios, interviews with engineers and producers, etc. It seems they end up with extra material that just didn’t make it into the print edition each month. These extras are often published online in the form of Mix Online Extras.

This month being bluegrass month (I wonder if the publishers knew that?), it seems highly appropriate that their online extra is an article covering the topic of Recording Bluegrass Instruments.

The format of the article couldn’t get much better. The author tracked down four of bluegrass music’s top engineer/producers and asked them how they go about recording the various bluegrass instruments. Those interviewed were: Gary Paczosa, Bil VornDick, Randy Kohrs (and by extension, Michael Latterer), and Steve Chandler.

After introducing each of these engineers, they offer a brief introductory section where each is allowed to talk about their general philosophy of recording bluegrass tracks. Page two is where the specifics hit the page. The article tackles each instrument in turn: mandolin, fiddle, banjo, guitar, bass, and dobro. Again, each engineer gives their specific choices for mic, mic placement, pre-amp, compression, etc.

If you have an interest in recording bluegrass, this is an article you should take the time to read.