Recording Studies
Task 1: History of Audio Recording
History of recording....
The phonautograph, which was created in 1857, was unable to play back recordings but could record audio as scratches to depict sound visually.
In the 1870s, Thomas Edison created the phonograph, a machine that used a needle to etch sound recordings onto wax cylinders.
1880s: With the creation of the Graphophone, Alexander Graham Bell enhances Thomas Edison's concept even more. This was much simpler to use and allowed for longer recordings.
1890s: Vinyl discs replace wax cylinders as the primary medium. This makes it possible to store recordings more effectively and makes the medium less vulnerable to changes in the environment.
the acoustic era: 1890-1925
- Devices are totally mechanical - No microphones or electrical amplification.
- Actors would take the stage in front of a flared horn, which directed sound waves onto a diaphragm at the end. The diaphragm then vibrated, scratching the recording medium with a needle.
- No editing options. - No way to halt the clipping process.
An artist needed a new recording medium if they intended to make any changes. This made it exceedingly expensive because an identical computer would have to perform the same operation backwards in order to play back the sounds. This was termed a tonebox. - This was a significant advancement since it made it possible for people to capture human speech for the first time.
the electrical era: 1925-1945
"The Electrical Era" (1925–1945) saw the invention of electrical recorders, amplifiers, and microphones. This implies that audio can be electronically recorded, balanced, and output. At first, recording was still mechanical.
- To record, audio waves were etched onto a wax master disc, which was subsequently replicated onto vinyl discs for customer use.
- One of the leading manufacturers, Western Electric, is able to enhance the range of sounds on their vinyl records.
- Equalisation of recording levels for vocalists and instruments is made possible by amplifiers.
the magnetic area: 1945-1975
‘The Magnetic Era’ (1945-1975) - in the 1930’s the germans invented magnetic tape recording which was only made public after the end of WW2.
- By converting electrical energy into magnetic energy, this technology operated. This was transferred onto a moving tape that has magnetic particle coating on it. This audio was played back by converting the magnetic tape back into an electrical signal in reverse.
- Magnetic recording had become the industry standard for audio recording by the 1950s.
- With the use of this technology, audio may be edited, combined, and separated into new recordings, as well as parts removed.
the digital era: 1945-present
- The method creates a continuous flow of sound by quickly recording and replaying audio data samples.
- Digital recording emerged as the new industry standard in 1979.
- The Compact Disc (CD) is created in 1982. They were cheap to make in large quantities, lightweight, transportable, and sturdy. They were significantly better than vinyl discs because they could play back recordings with higher fidelity without distortion.
- Similar to vinyl discs, CDs are composed of a polycarbonate layer with data encoded utilising bumps. A glossy layer that reflects light and a layer of lacquer that shields the CD from harm from the outside are placed on top of this.
- The CD is read by a laser beam, which is then reflected to a sensor, where it is turned into electronic data.
- With the invention of MP3s, Wav files, and other formats at the turn of the century, the digital audio file is created.
- This reduced the amount of money going to record labels while making music more readily available. who profited the most from sales of mechanical goods.
- Mechanical products are still in demand because retro aesthetics and audiophiles continue to purchase vinyl and cassettes.
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Key Terms
Microphone: an instrument for turning sound waves into electrical energy variations which may then be amplified, transmitted, or recorded.
EQ: eq is the process of adjusting the level or amplitude of specific frequencies to achieve a clear and balanced mix
High pass: a high pass is an eq curve that issued to remove low frequency sounds from an audio signal
Low cut: also cuts out lower frequencies usually ranging from 80hz and below or 100hz below
Band pass: a band pass is a type of audio filter that allows a specific range of frequencies [also known as a band] to
pass through, while blocking frequencies above and below this range.
Low pass: a low pass is used to remove high frequency sounds from an audio signal. it is called a low pass because it allows the lower frequency signals to pass whilst reducing higher frequency sounds.
High cut: A high cut attenuates the frequency range above the selected frequency.
Gain: gain is the amount of audio signal increased by amplifier.
Marquee Tool: A marquee tool is a tool in logic used for selecting stuff
Crossfade: crossfading is used to create a smooth transition from one sound to another.
punch in: is a recording technique that lets you record new material within a previously recorded track.
autopunch:This is possible by using a function called “Auto Punch”, that basically automatically starts and stops recording around the selected area.
Comping/Compiling: A music compilation brings together different artists and songs on a playlist.
Pre amp: A preamplifier, also known as a preamp, is an electronic amplifier that converts a weak electrical signal into an output signal strong enough to be noise-tolerant and strong enough for further processing, or for sending to a power amplifier and a loudspeaker. Without this, the final signal would be noisy or distorted.
Phantom power: Phantom Power is a term given to the process of delivering DC (Direct Current) to microphones requiring electric power to drive active circuitry. Condenser microphones such as Shure's KSM range all have active circuitry and require phantom power.
pan: Panning is the act of placing or moving a sound anywhere in the stereo field of a stereo playback system. With panning, sound sources can be placed in a way that they are perceived as coming from the left speaker, the right speaker, or from anywhere in between.
Cue: Panning is the act of placing or moving a sound anywhere in the stereo field of a stereo playback system. With panning, sound sources can be placed in a way that they are perceived as coming from the left speaker, the right speaker, or from anywhere in between.
Plosive: In phonetics, a plosive, also known as an occlusive or simply a stop, is a pulmonic consonant in which the vocal tract is blocked so that all airflow ceases.
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DI Box: Direct boxes are called "DI" boxes, which stands for "Direct Injection". Their primary purpose is to convert unbalanced or high-impedance instrument signals into a signal suitable for direct connection to the microphone input of a mixing console - whether live on stage or in the recording studio.
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Compressor: A compressor is used to reduce a signal's dynamic range—that is, to reduce the difference in level between the loudest and quietest parts of an audio signal. Compression is commonly used to attenuate loud transient peaks (e.g., when a singer suddenly belts out a high note) to help maintain a consistent level.
Reverb: The definition of reverb (short for reverberation) is when a sound occurs in a space that sends sound waves outwards in all directions. As the waves reflect off surfaces, that reverberated sound gradually decays. Reverb produces early reflections, the sound that reaches us a few milliseconds after the direct sound
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Headphones: Headphones are a pair of small loudspeaker drivers worn on or around the head over a user's ears. They are electroacoustic transducers, which convert an electrical signal to a corresponding sound.
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Bounce: Bouncing tracks is the process of bouncing a completed song into audio files
deciBel (dB): Decibel. Definition: The decibel (dB) is a unit used to measure sound intensity and other physical quantities. A decibel is one tenth of a bel (B), a unit named after Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. Its logarithmic scale is convenient to represent the entire range of human hearing.
Task 2 Mixing class recording
This is my mix of the class recording of Let it Be.
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Task 3 Recording/Mixing a group
This is my mix of Vampire by Olivia Rodrigo. The song did not have too many tracks as there were only 4 of us playing on the recording. I had to edit the guitar and synth to end at the right point. I spent most of the time on the vocal FX to make it sound as big as possible.
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Chord progression
Video link of our recording session:
This screenshot shows my mix of Vampire. I used Tape delay and reverbs on send tracks.
I also used a side chain trick I saw on YouTube where you make a delay, add a compressor after it and side chain it to the original vocal which turns the delay down when the singer sings, but it goes loud again when the singer reaches the end of the phrase.
Task 4 Evaluation
What went well?
What have you learned?
What areas can you still improve on going forward?