Recording
From ShortScale
Contents |
We're Rolling!
Many of our members are seasoned studio veterans and are more than happy to share their experiences in tracking great tones for great tunes.
The below information is to be taken as a general overview aimed at beginners with enthusiasm, and contains links to more in-depth articles. This article will focus on studio music recording, although much of the information can be applied to live sound or post production.
Stages
The main stages of recording are listed below in the general order in which they happen. There is usually some overlap between mixing and tracking. Each stage is dependent on the last, meaning the better the quality of the early stages, the easier the later ones become.
Tracking
Tracking is where you actually record the audio you're going to use.
Mixing
This is where the tracks are balanced.
Mastering
This is the final stage of the recording process and can often be the difference between an amatuer and professional sounding product.
Microphones
=== Dynamic ===
real text coming soon.
Popular dynamic microphones
AKG D112 (generally used for kick drum)
Beyer Dynamic m201
Sennhesier MD421
Shure SM57
Shure SM58
real text coming soon.
Popular condensor microphones
AKG C414
Neumann u87
Although ribbon microphones technically fall under the dynamic category, they are different enough to warrant a description of their own.
real text coming soon.
Polar patterns
Effects and Processors
Dynamic Effects
Compression
Popular compressors
Joe Meek SC2.2
Pultec EQP1A3
TFPRO Edward the Compressor
Universal Audio LA2A
Gates and Expanders
Main Article
Popular gates and expanders
Valley People Dynamite(?)
Drawmer DS201
Ducking
real text coming soon.
Modulation Effects
Chorus
Phasing
Flanging
Ring Modulation
Time-based Effects
Delay
Reverb
Popular digital reverb units
Lexicon PCM70
Lexicon PCM90
Software
These are some of the more popular pieces of recording software, however there are many more available.
=== Digidesign Pro Tools ===
Probably the most widely used in profesional studios around the world. If you look carefully when you see a studio featured on a TV documentary, you can usually see a screen like the one shown in the screenshot to the right.
Until recently there was no choice but to use the hardware designed by Digidesign with your Pro Tools rig. The options available, in order or price starting with the lowest are...
- MBox
- Digi001 (discontinued)
- Digi002
- HD
The Pro tools software comes in two variations, LE and HD (formally TDM). The LE version is for use with the lower end of their hardware interfaces, from he Mbox to the Digi002, whilst the HD system is exclusively for use with the HD hardware.
Traditionally seen as a Mac based program, Pro Tools has moved towards Windows based in the past few years (with much of its advertising material now shows a windows based system in use). This is highlighted by Digidesigns collabaration with M-Audio (a company providing popular budget recording interfaces) to release Pro Tools M-Powered. This was originally a cut down version of LE, but is now the full version.
Although Pro Tools supports MIDI, it is generally considered to be inferior to other applications such as Logic or Cubase. It's real strength is in audio recording.
=== Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo ===
Cubase is a bit shit, but Nuendo aint bad.
EMagic Logic
real text coming soon.
Cakewalk Sonar
come on mike, you know you wanna...
Mike -- I think dots should go for it.
=== Propellerhead Reason ===
real text coming soon.
Apple Garage Band
real text coming soon.
