KERN audio / field notes
field notes.
weekly Tuesday email. one mixing or DSP idea per issue. ~5 minute read. 3,500+ producers reading. no spam, easy unsub.
May 12, 2026
·sound science
your compressor inherits everything upstream
Mathieu sent a session asking why his bus comp sounded mushy. the answer was three plugins earlier in the chain. four jobs that come first.
May 5, 2026
·field notes
the case for fewer controls
Softube ships a four-knob controller. iZotope sells 17. the real question is not how many knobs but which ones are load-bearing.
Apr 28, 2026
·longread
the case for fewer controls (long version)
why fewer controls, well chosen, beats more controls every time. a piece on plugin design philosophy in 2026.