Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
CHAPTER 1 Introduction
The Professional Studio Environment
The Professional Recording Studio
The Control Room
The Retro Revolution
The Changing Faces of the Music Studio Business
The Project Studio
Making the Project Studio Pay for Itself
The Portable Studio
The iRevolution
Live/On-location Recording: A Different Animal
Audio for Video and Film
Audio for Games
The DJ
The Times, They’ve Already Changed: Multimedia and the Web
Power to the People!
Whatever Works for You
The People Who Make It All Happen
The Artist
Studio Musicians and Arrangers
The Producer
The Engineer
Assistant Engineer
Maintenance Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Studio Management
Music Law
Women and Minorities in the Industry
Behind the Scenes
Career Development
Self-Motivation
Networking: “Showing Up Is Huge”
The Recording Process
1. Preparation
The Power of Preparation
2. Recording
3. Overdubbing
Options in Overdubbing
4. Mixdown
5. Mastering
6. Product Manufacturing and/or Downloadable Distribution
7. Marketing and Sales
CHAPTER 2 Sound and Hearing
The Transducer
The Basics of Sound
Waveform Characteristics
Amplitude
Frequency
Frequency Response
Velocity
Wavelength
Reflection of Sound
Diffraction of Sound
Phase
Phase Shift
Harmonic Content
Envelope
Loudness Levels: The Decibel
Logarithmic Basics
The Decibel
Sound-Pressure Level
Voltage
Power
The “Simple” Heart of the Matter
The Ear
Threshold of Hearing
Threshold of Feeling
Threshold of Pain
Taking Care of Your Hearing
Psychoacoustics
Auditory Perception
Beats
Combination Tones
Masking
Perception of Direction
Perception of Space
Direct Sound
Early Reflections
Reverberation
CHAPTER 3 Studio Acoustics and Design
Studio Types
The Professional Recording Studio
The Audio-for-Visual Production Environment
The Audio-for-Gaming Production Environment
The Project Studio
Primary Factors Governing Studio and Control Room Acoustics
Acoustic Isolation
Walls
Floors
Risers
Ceilings
Windows and Doors
Iso-Rooms and Iso-Booths
Acoustic Partitions
Noise Isolation Within the Control Room
Symmetry in Control Room Design
Frequency Balance
Reflections
Absorption
High-Frequency Absorption
Low-Frequency Absorption
Room Reflections and Acoustic Reverberation
Acoustic Echo Chambers
CHAPTER 4 Microphones: Design and Application
Microphone Design
The Dynamic Microphone
The Ribbon Microphone
Further Developments in Ribbon Technology
The Condenser Microphone
Powering a Condenser Mic
External Power Supply
Phantom Power
The Electret-Condenser Microphone
Microphone Characteristics
Directional Response
Frequency Response
Transient Response
Output Characteristics
Sensitivity Rating
Equivalent Noise Rating
Overload Characteristics
Microphone Impedance
Balanced/Unbalanced Lines
Microphone Preamps
Microphone Techniques
Other Microphone Pickup Issues
Low-Frequency Rumble
Proximity Effect
Popping
Off-Axis Pickup
Pickup Characteristics as a Function of Working Distance
Close Microphone Placement
Leakage
Recording Direct
Distant Microphone Placement
Room Microphone Placement
Room Pickup in the Studio
The Boundary Effect
“Reamping it” in the Mix
Accent Microphone Placement
Stereo and Immersive Mic Techniques
Spaced Pair
X/Y
M/S
Decca Tree
Surround Miking Techniques
Ambient/Room Surround Mics
Surround Decca Tree
Microphone Placement Techniques
Brass Instruments
Trumpet
Trombone
Tuba
French Horn
Guitar
Acoustic Guitar
Miking Near the Sound Hole
Room and Surround Guitar Miking
The Electric Guitar
Miking the Guitar Amp
Recording Direct
The Electric Bass Guitar
Keyboard Instruments
Grand Piano
Separation
Upright Piano
Electronic Keyboard Instruments
Percussion
Drum Set
Miking The Drum Set
Kick Drum
Snare Drum
Overheads
Rack-Toms
Floor-Tom
Hi-Hat
Tuned Percussion Instruments
Congas and Hand Drums
Xylophone, Vibraphone and Marimba
Stringed Instruments
Violin and Viola
Cello
Double Bass
Voice
Mic Tools for The Voice
Woodwind Instruments
Clarinet
Flute
Saxophone
Harmonica
Microphone Selection
Shure SM57
Telefunken M81
AKG D112
Royer Labs R-21
Beyerdynamic M-160
AEA A440
Shure PG181
AKG C214
Neumann TLM102
ADK Z-251
Townsend Labs Sphere L22TM
Telefunken U47, C12 and ELA M251E
CHAPTER 5 The Analog Tape Recorder
To Commit or Not to Commit it to Tape?
Magnetic Recording and its Media
The Professional Analog ATR
The Tape Transport
The Magnetic Tape Head
Equalization
Bias Current
Monitoring Modes
To Punch or Not to Punch
Tape, Tape Speed and Head Configurations
Print-Through
Analog Tape Noise
Cleanliness
Degaussing
Editing Magnetic Tape
Backup and Archive Strategies
Backing Up Your Analog Project
Archive Strategies
C.L.A.S.P
Tape Emulation Plug-Ins
CHAPTER 6 Digital Audio Technology
The Language of Digital
Digital Basics
Sampling
Quantization
The Devil’s in the Details
The Nyquist Theorem
Oversampling
Signal-to-Error Ratio
Dither
Fixed- vs Floating-Point Processing
The Digital Recording/Reproduction Process
The Recording Process
The Playback Process
Sound File Basics
Sound File Sample Rates
Sound File Bit Depths
Professional Sound File Formats
Regarding Digital Audio Levels
Digital Audio Transmission
AES/EBU
S/PDIF
SCMS
MADI
ADAT Lightpipe
TDIF
Signal Distribution
What Is Jitter?
Wordclock
CHAPTER 7 The Digital Audio Workstation
Integration Now—Integration Forever!
DAW Hardware
The Desktop Computer
The Laptop Computer
System Interconnectivity
USB
FireWire
Thunderbolt
Audio Over Ethernet
The Audio Interface
Audio Driver Protocols
Latency
Need Additional I/O?
DAW Controllers
Hardware Controllers
Instrument Controllers
Touch Controllers
Large-Scale Controllers
Sound File Formats
Sound File Sample and Bit Rates
Sound File Interchange and Compatibility Between DAWs
DAW Software
Sound Recording and Editing
Fixing Sound with a Sonic Scalpel
Comping
MIDI Sequencing and Scoring
Support for Video and Picture Sync
Real-Time, On-Screen Mixing
DSP Effects
DSP Plug-Ins
Accelerator Processing Systems
Fun with Effects
Equalization
Dynamics
Delay
Pitch and Time Change
ReWire
Mixdown and Effects Automation
Exporting a Final Mixdown to File
Power to the Processor … Uhhh, People!
1. Get a Computer That’s Powerful Enough
2. Make Sure You Have Enough Fast Memory
3. Keep Your Production Media Separate
4. Update Your Drivers—With Caution!
5. Going (At Least) Dual Monitor
6. Keeping Your Computer Quiet
7. Backup, Archive and Networking Strategies
Computer Networking
8. Session Documentation
Documenting Within the DAW
Make Documentation Directories
9. Accessories and Accessorize
In Closing
CHAPTER 8 Groove Tools and Techniques
The Basics
Pitch Shift Algorithms
Warping
Beat Slicing
Audio to MIDI
Groove Hardware
Groove Software
Looping Your DAW
Loop-based Audio Software
ReWire
Groove and Loop-based Plug-Ins
Drum and Drum Loop Plug-Ins
Pulling Loops into a DAW Session
Groove Controllers
DJ Software
Obtaining Loop Files from the Great Digital Wellspring
CHAPTER 9 MIDI and Electronic Music Technology
The Power Of MIDI
MIDI Production Environments
What Is MIDI?
What MIDI Isn’t
System Interconnections
The MIDI Cable
MIDI Phantom Power
Wireless MIDI
MIDI Jacks
MIDI Echo
Typical Configurations
The Daisy Chain
The Multiport Network
Exploring the Spec
The MIDI Message
MIDI Channels
MIDI Modes
Channel Voice Messages
Explanation of Controller ID Parameters
System Messages
MIDI and the Computer
Connecting to the Peripheral World
The MIDI Interface
Electronic Instruments
Inside the Toys
Instrument and Systems Plug-Ins
Keyboards
The Synth
Samplers
Sample Libraries and DIY Sampling
The MIDI Keyboard Controller
Percussion Instruments and Controllers
The Drum Machine
MIDI Drum Controllers
Drum Replacement
Other MIDI Instrument and Controller Types
Sequencing
Integrated Hardware Sequencers
Software Sequencers
Basic Introduction to Sequencing
Recording
Setting a Session Tempo
Changing Tempo
Click Track
Multitrack MIDI Recording
Punching In and Out
Step Time Entry
Drum Pattern Entry
MIDI to Audio
Audio to MIDI
Saving Your MIDI Files
Documentation
Editing
Practical Editing Techniques
Transposition
Quantization
Humanizing
Slipping in Time
Editing Controller Values
Playback
Mixing a Sequence
Music Printing Programs
CHAPTER 10 The iOS in Music Production
Audio Inside the iOS
Core Audio on the iOS
AudioBus
Audio Units for the iOS
Connecting the iOS to the Outside World
Audio Connectivity
MIDI Connectivity
Recording Using iOS
Handheld Recording Using iOS
Mixing With iOS
iDAWs
Taking Control of Your DAW Using the iOS
The iOS on Stage
iOS and the DJ
iOS as a Musical Instrument
The Ability to Accessorize
CHAPTER 11 Multimedia and the Web
The Multimedia Environment
The Computer
Television and the Home Theater
Delivery Media
Networking
The Web
The Cloud
Physical Media
The CD
The DVD
Blu-ray
The Flash Card and Memory USB Stick
Media Delivery Formats
Uncompressed Sound File Formats
PCM Audio File Formats
DSD Audio
Compressed Codec Sound File Formats
Perceptual Coding
MP3
MP4
WMA
AAC
FLAC
Tagged Metadata
MIDI
Standard MIDI Files
General MIDI
Graphics
Video
Multimedia in the “Need for Speed” Era
On a Final Note
CHAPTER 12 Synchronization
Timecode
Timecode Word
Sync Information Data
Timecode Frame Standards
Timecode Within Digital Media Production
Broadcast Wave File Format
MIDI Timecode
MIDI Timecode Messages
SMPTE/MTC Conversion
Timecode Production in the Analog Audio and Video Worlds
Timecode Refresh and Jam Sync
Synchronization Using SMPTE Timecode
SMPTE Offset Times
Distribution of SMPTE Signals
Timecode Levels
Real-World Applications Using Timecode and MIDI Timecode
Master/Slave Relationship
Video’s Need for a Stable Timing Reference
Digital Audio’s Need for a Stable Timing Reference
Video Workstation or Recorder
Digital Audio Workstations
Routing Timecode to and from Your Computer
Analog Audio Recorders
A Simple Caveat
Keeping Out of Trouble
CHAPTER 13 Amplifiers
Amplification
The Operational Amplifier
Preamplifiers
Equalizers
Summing Amplifiers
Distribution Amplifiers
Power Amplifiers
Voltage and Digitally Controlled Amplifiers
CHAPTER 14 Power- and Ground-Related Issues
Grounding Considerations
Power Conditioning
Multiple-Phase Power
Balanced Power
Hum, Radio Frequency (RF) and Electro-Magnetic Induction (EMI)
CHAPTER 15 Signal Processing
The Wonderful World of Analog, Digital or Whatever
The Whatever
Analog
Analog Recall
Digital
Plug-Ins
Plug-In Control and Automation
Signal Paths in Effects Processing
Insert Routing
External Control Over an Insert Effect’s Signal Path
Send Routing
Viva La Difference
Side Chain Processing
Effects Processing
Hardware and Plug-In Effects in Action
Equalization
Peaking Filters
Shelving Filters
High-Pass and Low-Pass Filters
Equalizer Types
Applying Equalization
EQ in Action!
Sound-Shaping Effects Devices and Plug-Ins
Dynamic Range
Dynamic Range Processors
Compression
Multiband Compression
Limiting
Expansion
The Noise Gate
Time-Based Effects
Delay
Delay in Action: Less than 15 ms
Delay in Action: 15 to 35 ms
Delay in Action: More than 35 ms
Reverb
Reverb Types
Psychoacoustic Enhancement
Pitch Shifting
Time and Pitch Changes
Automatic Pitch Correction
Multiple-Effects Devices
Dynamic Effects Automation and Editing
CHAPTER 16 Noise Reduction
Digital Noise Reduction
Fast Fourier Transform
Restoration
Single-Ended Noise-Reduction Process
The Noise Gate
CHAPTER 17 The Art and Technology of Mixing
The Art of Mixing
Listening
Ear Training
Preparation
Fixing It in the Mix
Preparing for the Mix
Providing a Reference Track
Gain Structure
Human Factors
A Review of the Recording Process
Recording
Monitoring
Overdubbing
The Technology of Mixing
Understanding the Underlying Concept of “The Mixing Surface”
The Mixer/Console Input Strip
Gain Level Optimization
1. Channel Input (Preamp)
Hardware Console/Mixer Insert Point
Virtual DAW Insert Point
2. Auxiliary Send Section
3. Equalization
4. Dynamics Section
5. Monitor Section
In-Line Monitoring
Direct Insert Monitoring
Separate Monitor Section
6. Channel Fader
7. Output Section
8. Channel Assignment
9. Grouping
10. Main Output Mix Bus
11. Monitor Level Section
12. Patch Bay
13. Metering
The Finer Points of Metering
The VU Meter
The Average/Peak Meter
Digital Console and DAW Mixer/Controller Technology
The Virtual Input Strip
The DAW Software Mixer Surface
Mix-Down Level and Effects Automation
Write Mode
Read Mode
Drawn (Rubber Band) Automation
The Finer Points of Mixing
Mixing and Balancing Basics
A Final Footnote on the Art of Mixing
CHAPTER 18 Monitoring
Speaker and Room Considerations
Monitor Speaker Types
Far-Field Monitoring
Near-Field Monitoring
Small Speakers
Headphones
Earbuds
In-Ear Monitoring
Your Car
Speaker Design
Active Powered vs. Passive Speaker Design.
Speaker Polarity
Balancing Speaker Levels
Monitoring
Monitor Level Control
Monitor Volume
Spectral Reference
Monitoring Configurations in the Studio
1.0 Mono
2.0 Stereo
2+1 Stereo + Sub
Monitoring in the Recording Space
Headphones in the Studio
Playback Speakers in the Studio
CHAPTER 19 Immersive Audio (5.1 and Beyond)
Immersive Audio: Past to the Present
Stereo Comes to Television
Theaters Hit Home
Today’s Immersive Audio Experience
Mixing in Surround
Surround Hardware/Software
Surround Interfacing
Surround Channel Assignments
Monitoring in 5.1 and Beyond
5.1 Speaker Placement and Setup
The LFE
Bass Management in a Surround System
Practical 5.1 Placement
5.0 Surround Minus an LFE
7.1 Speaker Placement
9.1 and 11.1 Height Channels—Adding to the Experience
Dolby Atmos
Auro Technologies Auro3D
Active/Passive Monitors in Surround
Noise Calibration
Desert Island Reference Files/Discs
Surround Final Mastering and Delivery Formats
Uncompressed PCM Audio
Dolby Digital (AC3)
DTS
MP4
FLAC
Down-Mix/Up-Mix
Down-Mix from 5.1
Up-Mix to 5.1
Authoring for Immersive
Reissuing Back Catalog Material
CHAPTER 20 Mastering
The Final Mix
Getting Too Close to the Mix
Hiring a Professional Mastering Engineer
To Master or Not to Master—Was That the Question?
“Pre”-paration
Providing Stems
Providing a Reference Track
To Be There, Or Not to Be There
Sequencing: The Natural Order of Things
To Master or Not to Master the Project Yourself—That’s the Next Question!
The Zen of Self Self-Mastering?
Desert Island Mixes
Two-Step or One-Step (Integrated) Mastering Option
Understanding the Signal Chain
Mastering the Details of a Project
Sound File Volume
Sound File Resolution
Dither
Relative Volumes
EQ
Dynamics
Compression in Mastering
Limiting in Mastering
Multiband Dynamic Processing in Mastering
Mid/Side Processing
Mastering Plug-Ins
On a Final Note
CHAPTER 21 Product Manufacture and Distribution
Product Manufacture
The CD
The CD Manufacture Process
CD Burning
DVD and Blu-ray Burning
Optical Disc Handling and Care
Vinyl
Disc Cutting
Disc-Cutting Lathe
Cutting Head
Pitch Control
The LP Mastering Process
Vinyl Disc Plating and Pressing
Product Distribution
Online Distribution
Uploading to Stardom
Build Your Own Website
Thoughts on Being (and Getting Heard) in Cyberspace
Streaming
Free Streaming Services
Internet Radio
Money for Nothin’ and the Chicks
Legal Issues
Royalties and Other Business Issues
Ownership of the Masters
Registering Your Work
Form SR
Form PA
Collecting the $$$
Further Reading
CHAPTER 22 Studio Tips and Tricks
Preparation and the Details
What’s a Producer and Do You Really Need One?
Do You Need a Music Lawyer?
A Short, Step-by-Step Overview of the Production Process
1. Long Before Going into the Studio
2. Before Going into the Studio
3. Going into the Studio
4. Setting Up
5. Session Documentation
6. Recording
7. Mix-Down
8. Mastering
9. Backup and Archive Strategies
10. Household Tips
11. Personal Skills and Tools
12. Protect Your Investment
13. Protect Your Hardware
14. Update Your Software
15. Read Your Manuals
16. A Word on Professionalism
In Conclusion
CHAPTER 23 Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Yesterday
Today
Tomorrow
Happy Trails
INDEX
