Tales of a Tea Boy: The Reality Behind Today's Recording Industry

When you first walk into Lighthouse Studio you are greeted warmly to long corridor adorned with platinum, RIAA-issued records, surely spoils of a long and arduous crusade within the infamous music industry. These records hang proudly showcased like a professor's long sought after doctorate or a soldier's Purple Heart. Record after record praises the same name in a polished chrome luster: Ray Alexander. Yet as you continue your trek down into the control room, it becomes apparent that the best of these trophies are kept inside the control room itself. What Ray values most is not the formal display of industry recognition but rather the sentimental memories encased in an autographed Rolling Stones poster, an old backstage pass, or even greater, a single photograph of a far younger and more youthful Ray Alexander standing in a crowded hallway next to none other than John Lennon himself. I am sure that every morning Ray sits down he takes a very brief second to look up at these frozen memories and remember how far he has come.

Having said that, my short stay with Ray Alexander and Lighthouse Studio has led me to the conclusion that these achievements are not easily won and that it takes a certain type of person to be able to build such a prominent empire out of nothing. Ray has the privilege of having a much sought after job, whose industry faces extinction each and everyday by the Great Equalizer that is the Internet. The role of the music producer has been romanticized in today's popular culture much like the role of the "rock star" has been. We associate this role with an image of a quiet genius teetering over a console of knobs and faders, green and red LEDs, turning something this way, sliding something that way, listening to some divinely-inspired muse trying to get "that sound." You hear about the remarkable and innovative ideas of George Martin, The Beatles' producer, and think of what fun it would be to have such a creative intensive job. I learned my very first day that everything I had come to believe was a fantasy. I suspect that if Ray were to actually spend 4 hours experimenting with a harmonium sound, he would be out of a job the next day. Not only that, but Ray already knows how to get that sound. That is essentially what people are paying him for.

The incredible rise in affordability of recording technology these days makes it possible for almost anybody to run the same software a professional recording facility uses on their Macbook Pro at home. I've witnessed quite a few clients come in with sessions that they had recorded themselves at home and brought in to be touched upon at the studio. While the studio does have a fully acoustically treated room, an impressively expensive collection of vintage microphones and amplifiers, the main asset that the studio has to offer is Ray's experience. What separates Ray from the clients is that he knows exactly what combination of microphone, preamp, compressor, and software plug-in to use for any given situation. This is something that makes his job so extraordinarily unique. This is what makes the recording industry one of the hardest industries to get into.

To get into any other typical career, there almost always exists some linear path of a university education involved. I realize that this is not the case for audio engineering and it never will be. The first reason being that recording technology is changing by the day and a curriculum teaching a version of Pro Tools 7 will become obsolete in Pro Tools 8. Sure, the theories will always remain, but there's always a gap between theory and practice. Secondly, a recent graduate of such a program will find it incredibly difficult to find a job in an already scarce job market. Logically, as a musician, are you going to want a person who just graduated with no experience under their belt or a seasoned veteran who produced several of your favorite records producing yours? Experience is the lubrication necessary to maintain a smooth-flowing session. With a profession so heavily dependent on technology, the ability to problem solve is extremely crucial in those common situations when a microphone fails to pick up any sound. It takes about thirty seconds for a client to become uncomfortably impatient (they are, after all, most often paying by the hour). While the inexperienced engineer stands there, fumbling to replace the microphone and then the microphone cable, Ray heroically strides in, takes control, and in a matter of seconds troubleshoots the problem down to an incorrect patching of the signal flow. He mutters to me under his breath,

"You see, a $15,000 education and they can't even teach basic troubleshooting."

I realized then that the best way into the industry was through that of the Tea Boy. All great recording engineers, much like The Beatles' Geoff Emerick, started off in the same place as I was-getting tea. In my case, this meant getting coffee-and a lot of it. The more I hung around, the more my responsibilities grew. First I was getting coffee, then I was running to the bank, next I was wrapping up cables. Before I knew it, I was beginning to set up microphones, scrambling to make note that a Royer 121 ribbon microphone sounds great through a Vox cabinet speaker and a hollow-body Gretsch guitar. On one occasion, I even had the opportunity to man the large center console but declined out of sheer intimidation. The biggest thing that a school cannot teach an engineer is the most important asset, one that has created considerable reluctance in me to continue in the field, and that is how to deal with clients

One of the many joys that I experienced was the diversity of clients that came through the studio. I rarely ever met the same person twice. While Ray's particular expertise tends to be in Rock and R&B musicians, he caters to anybody he can get; for example, he had clients ranging from spoken word artists to children's music to hip hop and even a 3 piece jazz ensemble. I took great pleasure in being exposed to so many different styles and the changes that were required for each situation. However, there is a very fine art in dealing with people, an art that I haven't necessarily mastered. For the most part, clients usually come into the studio with an idea, a loose framework of goals and expectations, and work with Ray to achieve them. And then you have the small percentage of high maintenance clients who view themselves as artists over anything else. These people are particularly hard to deal with and require you to remain humble. You forget very easily that you are dealing with another person's art, a very personal, creative expression of their self. No matter what the situation is you are required to remain as humble and objective as possible and reserve absolutely all judgments. I find that this is the most difficult thing to do. Another great myth of the record producer is that, through the grace of twisting a knob, they can make anything sound good. It then becomes a very awkward situation when a client comes in assuming that. You can only go into a session with a great sense of hope that the performer will be skillful enough to meet up to their expectations. The most troublesome situation is this: a singer comes in and is flat on every note. They then ask you, "was that a good take?" There's only so many times you can suggest to them to try another take before you realize that they could sing the same line a thousand times and never get it. The singer blames the engineer and the engineer blames the singer and in the end there's nothing either of them can do.

The worst thing I have seen that is increasingly common today is that assumption vocalists bring in that "we can just Autotune it later." Because technology now allows us to take a bad singer and digitally tune each and every note to be in key, the performance of some musicians is decreasing. In the very early beginnings of recording technology, the role of the engineer was simply to put a microphone in a room and capture a performance. It was up to the musician to nail an entire song in one take. This seems absurd today. In the 60's came the technology to overdub separate tracks to form a composite track and thus revolutionized how records were made. Jimi Hendrix could play both rhythm and lead guitar on his records and The Beatles could sing over an entire orchestra. A newfound freedom was created. However, with this freedom for the musician came a new responsibility for the engineers who had to actually then mix these tracks together to create one continuous piece of music. As the technology has increased, the role of the engineer has too and the role of the musician has decreased in the process. I've witnessed firsthand the grueling and monotonous job it takes for an engineer to sit and go through a poorly-recorded vocal track, note by note and adjust each and every line to correct the pitch. In extreme cases, if a track is so drastically out of key, pitch correction produces an effect that makes the singer sound robotic and artificial. Contemporary hip-hop commonly uses this effect intentionally.

When these unpleasant confrontations arise, it is good to be able to pause for a moment and look up at a picture of your younger self standing awkwardly next to John Lennon and remind yourself why it is you are doing what you're doing. At first glance, you might think of Ray Alexander to be a very lucky individual to have succeeded in this extraordinarily difficult industry. However, it comes at a significant price. There were many times where I would come in the morning to find Ray already at his desk, telling me, "I just left this place 5 hours ago." He's been known on occasion to even spend the night. The only time he gets to see any new movies is if somebody brings it on DVD to watch while they are recording. The sacrifice to running your own successful recording studio is that you don't get a single day off. While there are several other engineers employed at the studio, Ray must obsessively oversee everything. Being away from the studio at all seems to create even more anxiety for him. If an engineer fails to patch the signal flow correctly or doesn't know how to deal with a high maintenance client, he's going to potentially lose money. He will always remain forever cursed by the sacrifice of spending time with his family or the anxiety of being away from the studio. This is all just a day in the life of the modern record producer. The romanticized version tends to leave out all of this inner conflict in replace for a glamorized achievement of having a platinum record. It takes a lot more than sheer hard work and determination to get this far. At the end of my short stay behind the curtain, I am left with only one question-is it worth it?

Mark Anthony Cianfrani - Philadelphia, PA
SEO Specialist | Web Copywriter
http://www.markanthonycianfrani.com/

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What Makes a Good Studio Recording Engineer?

I feel it important to want to keep always learning - to have a passion for the mad science that is sound. Recording and mixing sound is a science and an art. So we need to take the time to grasp the science - perhaps more specifically physics in this case. And have the humility to respect the complexity of the science. Frequencies work in weird and wonderful ways and I don't think we really understand what is going on all the time. Once the tools on offer have been mastered you can then enjoy the art of sound recording and mixing music. Many top engineers and producers have a style and perhaps sound that is their own.

Really as a studio producer I describe myself as a midwife. My job really entails channeling someone else's voice and vision. This involves listening, finding out and respecting where they are at and where they are wanting to head with their music. So this is also empathy. They might not be making the creative music I make or like to listen to. Non-judgment is part of the role of enabling the artist or band to do what they want to. It's about the challenge of making the capturing the best sound and sculpting the best mix appropriate for each person/band/situation. This may involve encouraging the artist(s), helping them to get and stay relaxed. Using positive helpful language, such as how about trying this/that? As opposed to don't do this or that. Diplomacy is sometimes the key to keeping a band together for a more cohesive performance and more pleasant working day for all.

I think it does help to listen to and respect lots of different styles of music and musical instruments. The variety of timbre, recording and mixing techniques involved in genres from classical recordings to dubstep, from Indian classical music to the 1960's Motown sound. They tend to be all treated differently, each genre may even have a characteristic sound as well as musical formulas and instrumentation. For example electronic music tends to employ more heavy compression and clinical EQ while a classical symphonic orchestra will be largely left untreated as reverberation from the recording space - and therefore mic placement - is the magic that can bring it together and alive. I've heard and read many famous music producers mentioning this as an integral part of their development making for an interesting and successful career.

Through interviews in magazines such as Sound on Sound and Tape Op magazines, we can learn a lot from more famous music producers. I liked reading what Thom Russo had to say in an interview with website Music Coaching dot com. He talks of the importance of being patient. It may take that guitarist 10 (or more) takes to be happy with his performance and get all the nuances right. Or that vocalist may be super talented but still plagued with self-doubt. He also warns against taking decisions or opportunities too personally. He wisely says, "The most important thing you have to realize is that it's not about you - it's about the music."

Ultimately I think good recording engineers are engineers who care. They take pride in what they do but remember the magic is in the music, the science (acoustics and psycho-acoustics) and the machines (such as microphones & recording equipment). We just have to learn how to use it to its optimum application. And this can be 50% technical skills and 50% personal/communication skills. Our aim is to make music that decisively expresses its need and intention and resonates with the listener as the artist(s) hoped and intended.

Caro Churchill is a freelance recording engineer and studio producer. She is also a solo female artist composing and performing her own unique style of creative music.

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Are You Building a Recording Studio For Fun Or Profit?

There's two main reasons why someone would want to start their own recording studio. To have their own personal space, maybe even in their own home to record their music on their own time or to have a recording studio they could rent out to other bands, musicians and songwriters who are in need of a good facility to record their music and so run the studio as a business.

Of course, one could set up such a studio and do both of these things with it. Personally I use my home studio exclusively for personal use but do have several musician friends who started this sway and have decided to make it a full-time money making business.

If your desire is to start a recording studio for business reasons then great, but you have to have the right business model to make it a success. The good news is this isn't very complicated and anyone who has the desire and proper business model and plan can make it work.

There's kids with tons of technical and recording know how putting together home studio's all over the place but that doesn't mean they can make a living with it if they don't understand the business side. Meanwhile, someone with half the recording talent can turn the same studio into a real full time business career by taking the time to learn the proper business plan.

Competition?

Some people are of the mindset that a lot of competition can kill you. Many successful people will say that no competition will kill you. This means that for any business to thrive there has to be plenty of people who are buying the product or service the business is selling.

In the world of music: bands, songwriters, singers, musicians there is always a never ending supply of potential customers for a good recording studio. It's true that many are now making their own home studio but most of these setups are not and never will be a professional quality studio, meaning they will still be taking their home productions to be finished at a better studio than the one they have at home.

Cost?

The reason many amateur and pro musicians are building their own home studios is because the digital recording equipment that's available today is simply quite amazing in both what it can do and the price. Years ago you couldn't even think about setting up a professional quality recording studio for under a few hundred thousand dollars but because of digital technology advancements in the recording world this just isn't even close anymore.

While a decent home studio can be set up from a few hundred to a few thousand bucks, your better pro quality studio would need to be much better than that but still inexpensive enough that would make it possible for anyone with the right attitude would be able to get it done.

Johnny Ferreira is a professional musician and editor of YourHomeRecordingStudio.com featuring this special report on how to Start a Recording Studio.

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Basic Home Recording Studio - Simple Setup for the Musician on a Budget

As a musician, chances are at some point you've wondered about the possibility of recording your music whether it be for a demo, to share with friends, or simply for the thrill of hearing yourself perform. The problem is that it's an intimidating hobby to get started in. Between the heavy doses of impressive sounding jargon and the interaction of all the many different components, it's easy to be discouraged. I'll explain the basics of each step and together we'll create a home recording setup that's right for you and your budget.

Choose a Location

The location is so important because this will be your sanctuary, your place to relax and get away from the chaos of your everyday life. This should be a place where you can be reasonably isolated. I recommend using a spare bedroom or office as a dedicated space, rather than double booking a current room (such as your bedroom or living room). This way you can focus on your music free from distractions. A basement area would be ideal since you will be able to eliminate some of the ambient noises of the neighborhood around you.

The Digital Audio Workstation

It's time to put that computer of yours to good use! The term "Digital Audio Workstation" or "DAW" sounds impressive, but it simply refers to your home computer coupled with digital recording software and an Audio Interface (more on that later). DAW recording software allows you to manage the different audio and digital signals received by your computer. It can either be purchased by itself or bundled with an Audio Interface. Often this included bundled software is more than sufficient to get your feet wet and help you decide if this is something that you'd want to make a more significant investment in.

DAW Hardware
As is the case with any software application, having only the minimum operating requirements will make you want to set your machine on fire and toss it into oncoming traffic. Avoid this feeling (and criminal charges) by upgrading your current machine or going for a newer model. My advice is to get the fastest computer you can reasonably afford. Why? Because you'll be using it to apply digital FX and other signal processing to your music and the extra horsepower will be a life saver. Using your DAW in this way can simplify your setup by using digital processing and FX, rather than hardware based FX which use up space, money, and most of your remaining patience.

Another thing to keep in mind is the scarcity of USB / FireWire inputs... there never seems to be enough, right?!? Nowadays everything from keyboards and mice, to printers, iPods, and thumb drives take up another precious input. For this reason I'd recommend a USB/FireWire hub that takes 1 input and fans it out to multiple inputs. This is one small thing that can really brighten your day, by allowing you to use all your devices instead of having to pick and choose.

DAW Software
This is the part that really puts the Digital Audio into the Workstation... after all you've had a computer forever, but only now will you be able to record with it. More than any other single part of your home studio setup, this is the one piece that will require the most study, the most commitment, and will cause the most tears. It's just the way it is. You'll need to spend a lot of time getting to know the ins & outs of whatever software you choose. The good news is that once you have crossed over to the other side, you will have many tools available to help you create your music.

There are many brands to choose from but you don't need a deluxe version of DAW software to get recording. Many brands offer "lite" versions that cost 60%-70% less and have everything you need. Those expensive DAW software packages (in the $500-$700 range) are so pricey because they include virtual instrument libraries and plug-in applications. These are nice to have if you decide to spend more money down the road but definitely not required for a beginner.

Microphones

The importance of the microphone in the home studio can't be understated. Depending on what you're trying to record, there are a couple different microphone options. A high-end model will collect every nuance of your angelic voice and give wonderful sound quality. Sounds pretty good doesn't it?? Not so fast, Sweetheart! Without the proper acoustically treated space, equally high-end microphone preamps, cables, and other components you won't hear what the fancy mic can really do... so the investment is in vain. For around $100 bucks you can get a quality studio mic, and they fall into 2 main categories: Dynamic and Condenser.

Dynamic mics are good for miking guitar amps or loud, powerful vocals. Condensers are more sensitive and therefore are better for miking acoustic guitars or subtle, expressive vocals. If you only have enough money for 1 mic, then I'd recommend a condenser over a dynamic mic, but both would be useful in your home recording studio setup. A condenser mic will give you the flexibility to do vocals and instrument recording... just make sure you have Phantom Power. Phantom power is what makes a condenser mic operate, and it can be found on any Audio Interface.

A quick word on USB mics: Even though USB Microphones are alluring because of their lower price, I would avoid them at all costs. They are not necessarily easier to setup and can be fools gold to a blossoming home recording artist. Go with a conventional studio microphone and you will not regret it.

The Audio Interface

The Audio Interface is what bridges the gap between your music and the digital recording world in your home recording studio. But what specifically is it that an Audio Interface provides...

1. A/D Converters take the analog electrical input signal from your mic or instrument and convert it into a digital form that the computer can understand.

2. Microphone Preamps take the relatively weak mic input signal and boost it to a usable level.

3. Phantom Power provides Condenser microphones with the power supply they require to operate.

As mentioned earlier, all three of these essentials are integrated in a single Audio Interface unit. Because they connect to your computer via popular interfaces such as FireWire or USB 2.0, you can easily add them to your current computer setup. Each AI will come with some kind of software that interfaces with the hardware of your computer (which is different from the DAW recording software mentioned earlier. This software simply defines the parameters of the Audio Interface itself.)

The decision of which AI you choose will largely come down to the number of unique tracks you'll want to record at the same time. Are you gonna be a solo act with one vocal mic and one mic for your acoustic guitar? - that's 2 right away. If your lead guitar guy comes over to jam he'll want to plug in his electric axe to lay down some filthy epic riffs - that's another one... 3 total. He may even want to mic his background vocals as well - that's 1 more.... up to 4 now. So to record each of these to its own track on your computer you'll need an Audio Interface with 4 mic preamp inputs. Keep in mind that it's also common to record an instrument using a few different methods at once, such as recording guitar directly via the pickups and also via a microphone setup by the sound hole. This gives you the flexibility to combine the strengths of each recording method when you're mixing later on, but at the cost of using 2 mic preamps for 1 instrument. You can begin to see that these add up in a hurry so try to have some foresight for expansion down the road. Having a few extra inputs can help you avoid the headache of owning a piece of gear that can't do what you want. You know that saying "Less is More"?? Well in this case "More is More" and "Not Enough" will feel like "None".

Studio Cables

Now that the difficult decisions have been made, it's time to hook everything together so that the precious audio data can be delivered right where it needs to be. Since we are not trying to buy gear for life "on the road" we can actually save money on cables. You'll need a lot of these (plus spares) so they could potentially eat up a lot of the budget. Many affordable cables have a lifetime warranty, which is good peace of mind if one does fail on you. You will need at least 2 different types of cables: 1/4" instrument cables for your instruments, and XLR cables for your microphones.

Headphones

This is a slam dunk for your home recording studio setup. Here's what I know for sure. You will definitely use these, and you will definitely use these a lot. You may have heard of studio monitors but I don't recommend those to beginners because they bring the acoustics of the room into the equation. You can add these later if you wish but all you need to start is a quality pair of headphones. You don't need to spend an arm and a leg for these either as you can get an excellent pair for ~$100. Also make sure it comes with a 1/8" -> 1/4" adapter. All the headphone input jacks on Audio Interfaces use this larger connector size. This is easy because anything in that price range will sound and work beautifully, as well as have the necessary 1/4" adapters. The next criteria is a bit trickier to get right - Comfort. Since you'll be wearing these for long periods of time, comfort needs to be an essential part of your search. Make sure to try a few pairs on and make sure they don't pinch your head or literally rub you the wrong way.

That's all there is to it. Even though your specific home recording studio setup will be unique based on the decisions you've made throughout this walk-through, your studio will probably fall into a few popular categories.

Check out the site below for links to detailed diagrams and instructions on these common setups.

David Lopushansky is a former lion tamer and current home recording studio enthusiast. Want to learn more about everything you need to get started recording today? Get simple explanations and step-by-step instructions on how to setup your basic home recording studio right now at http://www.basic-home-recording-studio.com/

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Best Home Recording Software? The Good News About All The Choices

If you're new to home recording and are trying to decide which software to buy, it can be difficult to make the right decision. Asking what the best recording software is may seem like a great place to start but there are some things you need to ask yourself first. As there are so many different software packages out there, some optimized for a narrow or specific purpose, each having its own pros and cons, any one of them could be considered "the best" at a different element of the recording process. You see now why it is so hard a question to answer?

Break It Down For Me

There are three main functions which are necessary when recording and producing your audio. The first process is tracking which is basically getting your sounds recorded. The second process is mixing where your different types of audio (vocals, instruments etc.) are merged together from multiple tracks. The third process is editing, which often overlaps and combines with the mixing process. Basically, as you mix your file you may need to edit it simultaneously and so the two processes can become one. However, when you have completed your final mix you will need to begin the edit on your final product to make it "ready-for-prime-time." Confusingly, this editing process is sometimes given the entirely different name of mastering.

Some producers suggest you need a separate program for each of these processes although this is entirely up to you. As with so many things, it depends on your specific needs. There are many well-known programs including Adobe Audition, Pro Tools, Audacity and Cubase, that offer the whole package, though many users would combine one, two or more of these packages to create their final, polished track. It is often recommended that you use one program to track and mix your audio, to gain a multifaceted, fully mixed track, and then switch to another software program for your editing (and mastering) process. If you only want to record single-track vocals or voice tracks, you may be able to skip the complicated multi-track recording software altogether and just opt for a good audio editing program.

In 2011, pretty much anyone with a computer has the opportunity to compete with the big recording studios and produce studio standard audio. These are some of the most popular and highly recommended full recording packages. All of these packages will complete all of the processes involved in recording but each has its own best features:

Pro Tools - the industry standard program for recording and mixing audio

Cubase - innovative technology, started out as mainly a MIDI program, excellent for multi-track recording

Adobe Audition - Though it started out as a pretty advanced and good-quality editing software, which is still the definite specialty, it now does a creditable job as all tasks

Cakewalk Sonar - a stable reliable all-rounder

Sound Forge - a stalwart in the audio editing world

Audacity - good quality free recording software, though as the price suggests, it is pretty limited in its quality and flexibility - amazing for a free program though, and perfect for someone not needing complexity or multiple tracks of music.

Reaper - fantastic multi track audio and MIDI recording, a great choice for tracking and mixing. Definitely needs to be complimented with an editing program.

Here are a few recommendations based on need:

For simply producing good audio for voice-overs, perhaps just for video narrations, podcasts, etc. you can actually get by with just Audacity. As your need for better functionality or flexibility and speed of workflow increases, start checking out the paid programs that "do it all."
For simple multi-track functionality like adding program music or sound effects in the background, it is conceivable that the free Audacity could meet your needs, so give it a try. My personal preference for this would be to use Reaper (priced at only $49 until you start making serious money with it - see the article "Why Reaper Rocks as a DAW" at the Home Brew Audio website.
For anything to do with producing multi-track music, say for songwriter demos, recording songs or full music CDs, start with Reaper + Adobe Audition (or some other good quality editor like Sound Forge). If you plan to collaborate with other musicians who record elsewhere, consider Pro Tools for its ubiquity.

Some of these packages can be tested out via free trials and demo copies. I highly when you are deciding which to choose to make sure you get a good combination to meet your recording needs.

There is a large a range of software programs available for audio recording and production depending on your needs. So before you shell out big bucks for an expensive package, think about what you genuinely need from your recording software. You'll be bound to find a package which fits your needs and ultimately it's up to you to make that decision.

Learn to record and produce professional sounding audio from home. With fun and short video tutorials we'll show you how to start with a $0-$5 budget, and then how to improve your studio for a few dollars at a time as your knowledge and confidence increase. If you would like to start doing home recording on computer in the next hour, visit us here: Home Recording Software

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How Important Is the Pre-Amp in the Recording Studio?

This is an article that is intended to help out musicians, solo artists and bands save time and money whenever they step into the recording studio. It is part of a series. The topic of this article is similar to a previous article in this series on Recording Studios and Mastering Studios. The previous article was about the importance of microphone selection. Another important part of the recording process is the selection of the microphone pre-amplifier. First we should talk about what a microphone pre-amp is. A mic pre-amp is a device that boosts the signal from a microphone because the original signal is too far to low to record and get enough volume out of.

Typically noways there are pre-amplifiers in most audio interfaces or sound cards used to input audio into digital audio workstations. Historically they were included in large studio recording consoles. Nowadays there are also stand-alone mic pre-amps that are usually between $500-$1000 that can be purchased. Now why would you want to spend so much money on a single microphone pre-amplifier? This is because these types of pre-amps are "character pre-amps." These colour and add character to the sound being recorded in a way that is very pleasing to the ear.

While theses can be important to the recording process, the reality is that the quality of the pre-amplifiers included on most audio interfaces or soundcards are very high and can sound great. These interfaces are fairly inexpensive and still give you a professional sound quality. This is all a product of the last 10 years and a relatively new phenomenon. So in a nutshell the microphone pre-amp selection is very important. Also, the combination used between the microphone and the pre-amp is important and can effect the final recording.

One question that you may be asking is, by using a pre-amp that comes bundled with an audio interface (not a "character pre-amp") do you lose some of the quality and colour in your recording? From the source, yes you are. But since you are likely making a digital recording you can use a number of digital plugins that emulate high-level character pre-amplifiers after the recording has already been completed. These plugins are also often times much less expensive than the hardware versions used during the recording process. So yes it is an important part of the music making process but there is some room for flexibility.

Andrew Yankiwski is a professional audio engineer and owner of Precursor Productions, One of Canada's Premiere Online Mixing and Mastering Studios.

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Music Recording Equipment

The quality of any music depends upon the quality of recording and the music recording equipment used. The quality of each and every device used in recording makes a difference in the excellence of the music. While the primary equipment required to record music is a microphone there are other supporting devices that add to the superiority of the recording.

Another aspect that one has to take care is where the recording is going to be done. Indoor studio recording equipments are totally different from the devices and tools used for external outdoor recordings.

If you are planning to set up a recording studio, you must always choose quality equipment even if it seems to be a bit expensive. Not only will they serve as a long time investment, they will also save you from post recording hassles and disorders.

The mixers and accessories make your work easier. Extensive collection of music recording equipments such as Headphone & In-Ear Monitors, Mastering Recorders, Mixers & Accessories, Multi-track Recorders, Portable Recorders, Power Conditioners, Signal Processors, studio tracks, studio racks, monitors and more can be found on the Internet.

Digital recording equipments offer the best and highest quality audio. A branded digital recording set costs thousands of dollars. They can be purchased either at any of the music recording equipment store or online. They also offer used devices for discounted prices. No doubt they would be in good working condition. By buying them, one can save money to set up an efficient studio successfully. The equipment used for recording performs various tasks.

Portable Recorders and Multi-track Recorders

For a home recording unit, portable multi track recorders are available in the market that deliver excellent results. They can record tracks simultaneously, edit the present ones, mix tracks, overdub new ones and perform various other tasks. The portable multi-track can handle anything from live recording to full band configuration. Other features of the recorders include studio like surroundings, ability to work on AC or DC power and easy to set up anywhere.

Power Conditioners and Signal Processors

The power conditioners are one of the most important devices used in the recording set to reduce the noise level and supply an uninterrupted source of power. These devices not only reduce the noise on the floor but also improve the range and clarity of the sound. The signal processors reduce the buzzing and humming sound caused due to current low in the power supply sources during the recording. They take care of sensitive signals and filter the radiation and sound.

Headphone & In-Ear Monitors

Headphones and in-ear monitors are small devices fixed in the ear to monitor a specific sound track closely. Monitoring and mixing can be done efficiently using good headphones and in- ear monitors. Such devices with better fitting and better sound help in audio recordings. They help in getting rid of acoustics and maintain a track of single sound. Singers and musicians use these devices in studios to stay in sync with the other tracks.

Mixers & Accessories

The audio mixers or sound mixers are basically takes in two or more sounds, mixes them as required and emits it as a single output signal. Besides sound mixing the equipment has controls with which signals can be merged, sound levels can be adjusted and special effects can be added to the existing sounds. Sound mixers come in different sizes and capacities. You can get huge unit to portable, easy to handle mixers, which are used for various purposes. They are usually described through the number of channels they support. Sound mixers can be installed at home and in studios, and they can even be used on stage during live performances.

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What's The Best Way To Record Your Album In The Recording Studio?

Playing a live show is an amazing feeling. The energy, the hype, the rush - it's all exhilarating. Everyone is vibing off of each other and the mood and feeling can be perfect. But playing in the studio to make a professional recording is very different. Many bands and musicians go into the studio with certain misconceptions. It's important that you know what to expect when you step foot into a recording studio so you can save yourself time and money. The topic of this article is whether your band should to play live off the floor when recording in a studio or record each instrument separately. This is an area where there is a lot of mythology and a lot of misconceptions.

First of all, for live performances it is extremely importantly for players to have line-of-sight and be vibing off of each other. No one disputes that is an important part of live music at a live show. And, indeed, there are some situations where it's necessary to replicate that in the studio. For example when recording orchestras or jazz ensembles it is very important. But for other styles of music (rock, pop, etc.) it is less important. Even though when creating or writing music together as a band it is a similar sort of vibe, and even historically musicians played live off the floor during the "golden-era" of recording, it is done less so nowadays. The majority of recordings in recent history have not been recorded live off the floor.

An important question to ask is "Is the recording process in the studio similar to jamming or playing a live show?" And the answer is no, in most cases, it is not. Yes you do want a good vibe between musicians and it is a producers job to help replicate that in the studio. Normally, certain instruments will be tracked and recorded separately from each others. For example one day may be drums and the next may be guitars and then finally vocals, layering them on top of each other. You have to be able to trust in your producer to recreate a vibe in the final recording that is similar to a live performance while at the same time using modern recording methods. You may end up being surprised that a number of different recordings when layered and produced professional have an amazing vibe to them and lock together in a certain groove. But for modern recording you need to adapt your playing to a studio environment and develop those techniques to give yourself the best possible final product.

Andrew Yankiwski is a professional audio engineer and owner of Precursor Productions, a Winnipeg Recording Studio.

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The Importance Of Microphone Selection In The Recording Studio

This article is part of a series that aims to help independent musicians make the most of their time in the recording studio. Whenever you're in the studio it's important to be prepared so you can get the best product, while saving time and money. The topic of this article is Microphone Selection. How important is the type of microphone you select to the final recording? This is a very good question and an area which causes a lot of confusion for many. People who have been in the studio a number of times have probably noticed the fact that there are numerous microphones used to record different voices and instruments.

For any kind of live music recording, the microphone will play a huge part in the recording process. In the old days a few large studios would spend a huge amount of money on microphones and they would use them for a very long time. The reality is, that in the last 10 to 20 years we have seen a huge interest in manufacturers who are making microphones for the home and project studio market that are relatively inexpensive (under $1000) that make fantastic recordings.

The main point to take away from this is not the dollar amount spent on a microphone but how well suited that microphone is to the voice or instrument being recorded. Understanding that comes from recording a lot of music and seeing how those recordings bear out in the mixing and mastering process. Ideally you want to have access to a small variety of microphones to be able to test what works best for every separate situation. You may also want to use multi-microphone recording where you use more than one microphone to record an instrument.

Your producer or engineer's understanding of what type of microphone is being used where it is positioned and how it reacts to the sound being recorded is very important. There is an art and science to microphone use in the recording studio. Although much can be done in the mixing and mastering stages of the music production work flow, these pre-production aspects matter a great deal. It is important to not forget the importance of all the different stages as they all play a role in the final product. Microphone selection and use is one such stage. In essence, microphone selection is very important but not necessarily for the reasons you may first think.

Andrew Yankiwski is a professional audio engineer and owner of Precursor Productions, an Online Mastering Studios.

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