Guide to studio 1

Speakers Adam A77X- are near field monitor speakers there designed to be used
'near' the listener.
Novation MIDI keyboard - it changes analogue to digital convertors then turns back
when played.
Talkback - talkback controller and controls volume in live room.
Preamp- a preamp will strengthen your signal before you record.
s-phone- headphone mixer amp.
Octopre and pro 40 - its an audio interface with 8 inputs and 8 outputs each allows
us to multi channel. so record more than 2 things at once, so you could record a
whole band at the same time.
The control room is connected to the live room though the stage box.
Microphones
There are two types of microphones, dynamic and condenser:
-Dynamic microphones are typically used for concerts as the are sturdy, robust and
resilient to rough handling, there also better suited to handling higher volume
levels. They do not require batteries or external power.
A dynamic microphone works but the sound waves causing a movable wire to
vibrate in a magnetic field and this induces a current.
-Condenser microphones are typically used for studios as they are sensitive and
more responsive than dynamics resulting in the audio signal being stronger but

there not ideal for high volume work as their sensitivity makes them prone to
distort. they require phantom power to work.
condenser microphones work by a capacitor to convert the compression and
rarefaction of sound waves into electrical energy.
-The difference between the two microphones is that dynamics are used in concerts
there robust and resistant to moisture and any other forms of abusive and they
dont need a power supply but condenser microphones are used in studios they are
fragile and sensitive which makes the audio signal stronger but there not ideal for
high volume work.
Polar patterns
-A polar pattern is the response of how sound is getting to the microphone and this
is plot on a graph but this is depending on the microphone and its design and there
response to sound coming from different directions and there varying degrees of
sensitivity.
-Looking at a mics polar pattern will show you how directional it is and where its
most sensitive to sound and where is rejects sound.
-The four basic polar patterns are omnidirectional, figure-8, hypercardioid and
cardioid.

Frequency response
-Frequency response is the output level of sensitivity of a microphone over its
operating range from lowest to highest frequencies, there's two types of frequency
response flat frequency and tailored frequency.
-a flat frequency is where the speaker dose not alter the sound coming from the
original source, it is flat and accurate but a tailored frequency response is where the
speaker dose alter the sound coming from the original source its there to enhance a
sound source this is 'coloring' the original sound.
-As a producer you would want want speakers/headphones with a flat frequency
response so you could hear the true sound of your mix with no alterations this is
why in the control room we have these particular speakers but as a listener you
could use speakers/headphones with a tailored frequency as your music will be
enhanced.
Sound pressure
-Music is a mixture of sound pressure at different different frequency's.

-Sound pressure is the result of the pressure variations in the air achieved by sound
waves.
-the lowest sound pressure which can be heard by humans is called the hearing
threshold, the highest is the pain threshold.
Proximity effect
-Proximity effect in an audio is an increase in bass or low frequency's response when
a sound source is to close to the microphone, it creates a distortion but some
vocalist like proximity effect since it 'fattens up' their voice.
Recording
Drums
-The typical drum kit consists of a kick drum, snare, rack tom, floor tom, high hat
and cymbals.
KICK
-The microphone I used was for the kick I used Audix f6 which is a dynamic and is a
Hyper cardioid polar pattern and its designed for instruments requiring bass, this
mic minimizes feedback and it isolates the instrument.
-I placed this mic inside the drum pointed directly at the beater at the other side of
the drum, you can also have a mic out side the drum to fill in the midrange that the
inside is missing.

TOP SNARE
-For the top of the snare I used Shure sm57 its a dynamic mic with a cardioid polar
pattern this mic is highly versatile and it makes clear sounds of amplified and
acoustics instruments.
-I placed the mic 3 inches from the head pointed towards the center you can also
use this mic to pick up some high hat.
BOTTOM SNARE
-Bottom snare I used Shure sm58 its a dynamic mic with a cardioid polar pattern it
has a brightened mid range that minimizes background noise.

-I placed the mic 3 inches away right under the snares but when you have two mics
pointed towards each other on the same source you may need to invert the faze of
one.

RACK\FLOOR TOM
-Rack tom and floor tom I used Audix f2 its a dynamic mic with hyper cardioid polar
pattern this mic has a high performance best used for mid bass/high range, it
isolates the instrument and minimizes feedback.
-I placed the mics 3 inches away pointed towards the center more towards the rim
for more attack.

OVERHEAD
-I used two overhead mics they where Audix f9 its a condenser mic with a cardioid
polar pattern, this mic is all purpose high sensitivity with detailed reproduction in
mid-high and extended high.
-I placed the mics at an equal distance from the center of the snare. this is called
spaced pair. you can also use the placement x-y and orft.
-when mixing the overhead will be panned.

-the best way to record a drum kit is to use input 1 for the kick, input 2 top snare,
input 3 bottom snare, input 4 rack tom, input 5 floor tom, input 6 left overhead and
input 7 right overhead. this will help you out when mixing.

Guitar/bass
AMP -recording though a amp I used the Shure sm57 mic and place the mic just off
the center of the speaker towards the edge of the cone.
DI Recording-(direct injection) this takes pure signal from your instrument directly to
DAW this is used to minimize noise, distortion and ground loops which is unwanted
current like noise or hum. To record direct use a jack to jack with a 1/4 inch

connector to your guitar/bass to a preamp, a preamp will strengthen your signal and
make it clearer before you record.
-I used DI recording as it is easier as you dont have to mess around with
microphones and amps and also there would be any unpleasant high frequencies
and its creates a cleaner sound by minimizing unwanted noise.
-Theirs also a virtual tuner as you should always tune your guitar/bass before
recording. to get this up go mixer, audio fx, metering, tuner.

-There is also amp designers on logic which you can use to change the sound of the
guitar using reverb, distortion and gain there also an array of simulated amps with
gives the effect that your recording through a amp. to use this go on mixer, audio
fx, amps and pedals, amp designer.
-for the bass I used the British amp as there not harsh sounding and has distortion
and a natural compression which creates a punchier sound and for lead guitar I
used the sliverfaced amp with has a clean tones and has an articulate attack great
for rock for the rhythm guitar I used the large tweed amp that creates clean sounds
with a gentle distortion great for rock.

Setting up recording sessions on Logic

GUITAR-select an audio track and put in to input on and bring up the mix window
and arm the track by pressing the 'R' till it changes to red.

DRUMS-select an 8 audio tracks and number the tracks 1-8 to input 1-8, name the
tracks input 1- kick, input 2- top snare, input 3- bottom snare, input 4- rack tom,
input 5- floor tom, input 6- left overhead, input 6- right overhead. bring up the mix
window, arm the tracks by pressing the 'R' till it changes red.
Mixing
PHASE- I used phase on the bottom snare to use for cancelation like when using
more than one mic on the same source because if one source is going to 2 mics
there could be delays. to use this go on mixer, audio fx, utility, gain, mono and tick
the phase invert.

COMPRESSION- compression is used to reduce the dynamics of a signal that rises

above a threshold to a lower volume range. If the sound is not uniformed and there
are parts where the notes and slightly louder or there are sections where it jumps,
through compression we can control the dynamic range of the signal allowing them
to become more uniformed with the lower parts and have a rounded signal all
together this will make a piece sound more punchier.
-the 3 main controls on the compressor are the compressor threshold, ratio and
gain. The compressor threshold is a limit to where you want the compression to
work, the gain is how much you want the compressor to work and gain which is
once the compressor is finished rounding of the signal, how much of the uniformed
signal do you want to send out to the speakers. Theirs also attack and release,
attack is once the signals gone past the threshold its how quickly the compression
reacts I used on my bass and guitar a quick attack and on my stings I had a more
forgiving attack to give them more time for the compression to work. the release is
once the sound drops bellow the threshold when you want the compression to stop
and not do anything else to the signal.
-I used this putting the threshold to the top and slowly bringing it down till you start
to see the signal entering the gain reduction bar, I stopped as the signal got to

about 4 then I matched the gain to how much signal the gain reduction bar had so I
would bring it up to 4.0dB this will make your track a lot more punchier and a
overall smother mix.

REVERB-to use reverb use the space designer this generates the reverb effect which
is like an echo that adds characteristics and depth. The dry slider sets the level of
the non-effect signal and the rev slider adjusts the output level of the effects (wet)
signal. To use this go on mixer, audio fx, reverb, space designer.

CHANNEL EQ- you can use the channel EQ to shape the sound of individual tracks or
audio files or for tone shaping on an overall project, EQ can boost or cut signals in
the frequency spectrum. to get channel EQ up go to mixer, audio fx, eq, channel eq.
-The analyzer will make it easy to view and change the track by showing us the
frequency of the sound.
-EQ has 8 frequency bands, band 1is the high pass filter which will let high parts
pass but it can also cut something to nothing with is good for background sounds,
band 2 is the low shelf this can boost the high or low frequencies, band 3 - 6 are
parametric bell filters there are used for precision and boosting exact sounds, band
7 is the high shelf it turns down high or low frequencies. You can use these to
reduce or eliminate unwanted frequencies like hum or other noise or to emphasize a
frequency to make it more pronounced such as a root note.
-I used EQ by setting it to a flat response, turn on the analyzer and play the audio
signal I watch and see where there are frequent peaks or lows then adjust the
frequency bands as required.

Evaluation
-The end result of my track came out successful I enjoyed the solo because of the
distortion and the clean tones, the rhythm guitar flows really well and the end of my
track where you can hear the guitar finishing I left it and as it made it sound raw.
the things I found hard where as the kick drum disappered so I had to draw a kick
drum in which took up time, another thing I found hard was using EQ I wasnt sure

what was right or wrong. the things I found easy was using DI recording as it was
easy to set up and the end recording sounded great and the designer amps gave it
a perfect sound and it had great distortion, I also found the compression easy to
use.
-Jess's track I help to set up the drums and helped to arm them the best parts of her
track where the snare and it was punchie and the MIDI part sounded good.
-Ellies track I help to compress and EQ it by seeing what sounds best, the best parts
of her track was the guitar and it was very clean and bouncy and the bass was very
punchy.
-Megans track I helped her by setting up the DI recording, I used the jack to jack
cable to plug the guitar into the preamp and we found an amp in the amp designer.
my favourite thing about her track was the drums as they where very catchy and
clean and clean.
-the daft punk track I helped to EQ it by boosting certain sounds and cutting out
background noises. the best part of the track was the drums as it clean and the
guitar was muted making it sound very punchy.