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Music Production and

Recording Handbook

The Songwriters Essential

Fast Start Guide to
Computer Recording

by John Bennetts
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The Songwriters Essential Fast Start Guide to Computer Recording

Music Production and Recording Handbook

by John Bennetts
WWW.MUSICMEDIATRIBE.COM

Table of Contents

About the Author 3

Identify Your Purpose 4

Music Software 5

MIDI 7

Which Computer to Choose 8

Keyboards 9

Audio Interface 10

Microphones 11

Creating a Studio Space 17

Recording 19

FX and What They Do 22

Mixing and Mastering 23

Burning a CD 25

Final Note 26

Copyright and Legal Notice 27

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About John Bennetts

My musical career began at age nine years and started performing in bands by the
time I was thirteen playing guitar and drums in Mt Barker, a small country town in
Western Australia.

I was a late starter as a professional musician at 22 after a five year electronics

apprenticeship and performing in bands in Albany. Music took me to Perth,
Melbourne and Sydney and it seemed only moments passed before I was on stage
performing in New York’s Ritz Ballroom.

Several albums and world touring with Eurogliders gave amazing opportunities to
work alongside top studio engineers and producers from the UK, USA and Australia
and was the best apprenticeship one could ever hope for.

Being in the presence of such people was the perfect place to gain the best
knowledge for self progress as a musician, songwriter and producer. I decided then
that I would always try to work with and surround myself with talented people and
creative thinkers.

After much touring, working in theatre, stage and a tour with the wonderful
Eartha Kitt, I began producing, writing, teaching, creating music for schools and
developing skills and workshops to assist young musicians to grow and flourish.

After five years of facilitating music production workshops in schools it became

quite apparent there are many music teachers and classroom teachers who would
like to be computer recording savvy to record their own and students
performances be it vocals and instruments, poetry or when rehearsing a play to
hear back the voice intonations.

I love sharing my experiences and what I have learned with others, so that they
don’t have to go through the same time consuming learning curve that I had to.

This booklet is designed not only for those who know little or nothing about the
basics of computer recording but also for the more experienced users to hopefully
pick up some fresh information and good tips for their music recording and
production.

This will also be the start of a monthly online information source about songwriting
and recording so please look out for those emails to pick up some great ideas and
tips by some of the best music professionals in the business from around the world.

I hope you enjoy this booklet and find it useful for your own use, your students and
friends. Please feel free to pass on the link to others that you think will benefit
from the information.

To your musical success!

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Identify Your Purpose

Before you decide to go ahead and purchase all the necessary components to
create your own music recording mini studio, the first important step is to clearly
define what it is you want to do and achieve.

In the process of this research you may also establish the areas you haven’t yet
thought of and expand your knowledge to see what is possible and what you may
wish to do further down the line.

By developing a bit of extra knowledge now will make it easier to begin with the
end in mind and may not only save you a lot of time and money (by choosing
wisely) but you may purchase equipment that will give far greater scope for
recording situations you hadn’t yet thought of.

For instance, if you are an orchestral composer you may have very different needs
to an R&B composer or Pop musician so will choose software that will be most
beneficial to your needs.

A Country musician may have no need for MIDI facilities or a Rock musician may
have no need to create a music score so would choose their recording software
with their needs in mind.

A laptop may suit better than a desktop computer if you want to record in
different environments and the types of audio interface and microphones may also
vary greatly from one situation to another.

I welcome questions you may have so feel free to contact me regarding your
unique situation.
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Music Software

There are many choices so we’ll go through some of them and you can tick off the
areas that sound like you. There are links to their sites so you can look at all the
features they present.

Arrangers and Composers – If you want to write music Scores then you need to
choose software that will give you the most flexibility to create the sheet music
Notation for your personal look and feel. These are some of the best choices.
a) Sibelius 6 – this Pro software has been around for a long time. It
offers a Sibelius First version for aspiring composers, Sound Libraries,
Sibelius Student (for music homework), and many more features.
They also provide training and a forum. Go to www.sibelius.com to
watch their promo video and download a trial version.
b) Finale - provides easy access to everything you need to compose,
arrange, play, and print music. Use for creating orchestral film scores
or .MP3 files for your iPod. Finale uses a Sound Library called Garritan
for recording also. Finale Allegro – is the cheaper startup version still
with many features. Go to www.finalemusic.com to see more and
download a trial version of each package.
c) There are numerable other smaller/cheaper software packages
available and some of the bigger audio/MIDI recording software
companies have notation software built in to their programmes. My
suggestion here is to Google “music-notation-software”.

Acoustic Recording – If you are wanting to record live music only then the best
program for this job is Pro-Tools – (Mac/PC). Most professional studios around the
world use this program to record music that doesn’t require programmed drums
and sequencing. Perfect for Rock, Country, Jazz, Blues, Reggae etc

Audio/MIDI Recording - By far the biggest area in music software are the programs
that can do audio, MIDI, instruments and loops. Many of these are very high end
quality with more editing facilities onboard than you will ever need – but they are
designed with the “Geek Factor” in mind. The important thing is that they need to
be easy to understand and use. Don’t think cheap when purchasing… ...they are in
a price war to compete so you may be surprised what you can get for your dollar.
a) Apple Logic Studio 9 - Logic Studio is a complete set of professional
applications that lets you write, record, edit, mix, notate and
perform. It’s also the largest collection of modeled instruments,
sampler instruments, effect plug-ins, and audio loops ever put in a
single box.
This is the program that I personally use and is the easiest and most
comprehensive of them all. It was $1,500 and is now five times bigger
and half the price. (Mac) www.apple.com/logicstudio/
b) Cakewalk Sonar 8 Producer – Have a Pro, Home and Beginner
versions. Does audio and MIDI recording and they provide package
“ad-ons” to purchase as you learn and grow including a loop library,
synthesizers etc. See more at www.cakewalk.com/Products/pro.asp
(PC)
c) Cubase 5 – Composing, recording and mixing audio and MIDI, notation,
and virtual instruments. For beginners and intermediate users. Has
some pretty cool loop editing features also. Well worth a look. (Mac/
PC) www.steinberg.net/en/home.html#/cubase6
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d) Ableton Live 8 - for composition, songwriting, recording, production,

remixing and live performance. Key features are; multitrack
recording, non-destructive editing with unlimited undo, MIDI
sequencing of software and hardware instruments, built-in audio and
MIDI effects, built-in instruments, instrument, drum and effect racks.
Free trial.available at www.ableton.com/live-8 (Mac/PC)
e) Acid Pro 7 - multitrack recording and mixing, MIDI sequencing, and
legendary ACID looping functionality for a seamless music-creation
and post-production. Free trial available
www.sonycreativesoftware.com/acidpro. (PC)
f) Presonus Studio One Pro - audio recording, MIDI sequencing, and
audio mastering. Has four virtual sample instruments that supply all
the sounds. Levels from beginner to seasoned
professional.www.presonus.com/products/softwareListing.aspx?
ListingType=12 (Mac/PC)
g) Band-in-a-Box - automatically generates a complete professional
quality arrangement of piano, bass, drums, guitar and strings in a
wide variety of popular styles. (Jazz, Pop, Country, Classical and
more.) This is an easy to use software package for easy song creation.
www.pgmusic.com (Mac/PC)
h) GarageBand – Comes as standard fair with the purchase of a Mac. This
is a great program for recording audio and MIDI with a nice array of
onboard instruments. It has a library of effects, cool loops and guitar
amps. Easy to use and now has a tutorial library for learning
instruments played by pros including Sting. Apple loops are easy to
make, use and catalogue. www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/ (Mac)
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MIDI – (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)

So what is it and what does it do?

MIDI is data which is sent (in our case) to our computer based software to record,
edit and playback performances. It sends messages and events to our computer
that will generate sounds. These are:
a) Note On – this may come from your keyboard and tells the software
which note and the velocity (how hard) it was played.
b) Note Off – this message signals the end or release of the note.
c) Control Change – knobs, volume control and foot pedals also send signal
to the software and have assigned values 0-127
d) Pitch Wheel Change – pitch bend signals sent to software via the
keyboard Pitch Wheel.
e) Polyphonic Key Pressure – when a key is held down and then pushed even
harder, this sends a signal that can add FX such as vibrato.

Example of MIDI use: Connect a USB keyboard to your computer and assign the
track on the music software (eg GarageBand) to play a piano sound. Hit the record
button and start playing the piano along to a “click track” (in built electronic
Metronome).
When you’ve finished playing the piece hit stop. On playback the software will play
the piano sound as you played it.

One of the great things about using MIDI on a computer is the ability to see the
notes you have played on screen. These can also be edited to be in perfect time
(quantizing), change the length of played notes, changed the velocity of each
note, add effects and note bends and even change the instrument sound or to a
variation of the sound. ie grand piano to electric piano.

Layering and Textured Sound Sculpting

It’s easy to copy the MIDI note information to a new track and assign a different
sound to the duplicate. This is a simple way to create the layering effect. ie a
piano and a string instrument can be playing together to create a beautiful
textured sound.

By repeating this process and adding a variety of different and even unusual sounds
then varying the track volume and pan controls, it is easy to create deeply rich,
textured stereo sounds that can enhance the mood of the music you are creating.

For more information about MIDI see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_Instrument_Digital_Interface
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/midi3.htm
www.midi-classics.com/whatmidi.htm
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Which Computer to Choose

Before you purchase a computer to record music then it is of vital importance that
you purchase a machine that is powerful enough to “render” music files.
Rendering is the process that converts your recorded audio and MIDI tracks to an
MP3 or .WAV file ready to burn to CD – also known as “bouncing”)

Unless you are building a dedicated studio it is a good idea to use a laptop as the
portability factor allows you to take your studio to any location. It’s easy to do the
mixing in your studio later where hopefully you’ll have a quiet environment to
listen back.

There are two options here, Mac or PC. Each of these have many variables so
below are some bottom line specifications for a few of the software programs
mentioned above:

PC
a) To operate Sibelius requires Windows XP 32-bit SP2 or later, Windows
Vista 32-bit SP1 or later, Windows 7 32-bit or 64-bit, 512MB+ RAM, 550MB
hard disk space, DVD-ROM drive
b) To operate ProTools requires:
• Pro Tools HD 8.1 software is the last version of Pro Tools HD to
support the Windows XP Operating System
• Pro Tools LE and M-Powered 8.0.4 software is the last version of Pro
Tools LE and M-Powered to support the Windows XP Operating
System
• Pro Tools 8.0.4 software is the last version of Pro Tools HD, LE, and
M-Powered to support the Windows Vista Operating System
c) To operate Cubase 4 requires Windows XP · Vista

Apple Mac
a) To operate Sibelius requires Mac OS X 10.4.11, Mac OS X 10.5.8 or Mac OS
X 10.6 or later, 512MB+ RAM, 550MB hard disk space, DVD-ROM drive
b) To operate ProTools requires Pro Tools HD, LE, and M-Powered Version
8.0.4 supports the following Mac OS X versions, on Intel-based Macs only:
• Mac OS X 10.6.1 – 10.6.6 (Snow Leopard)
• Mac OS X 10.5.8 (Leopard)
c) To operate Cubase 4 requires Mac OS X 10.4 · 10.5
d) To operate Logic Studio 9 requires Mac OS X v10.5.7 or later

It is highly recommended that your computer have at least 2GB of RAM to not only
operate the program but also to operate the onboard instruments and FX.

Processing power is paramount here otherwise your system will be slow and let me
tell you when you’re excitedly putting down tracks and the creative juices are
flowing, the last thing you need is to wait around helplessly till your system
catches up with you.

The next thing to remember is memory. Yep, storage on your Hard Drive (HDD)
needs to be B.I.G. Make sure you have a minimum 100GB HDD and a backup
external HDD to save to. This will save you a big headache when you go to record a
live performance and everything stops working because the HDD is FULL.
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Keyboard

You will require a MIDI/USB keyboard to play your music into your computer
software program. There are many available from your good local music store and
you will know how many notes you will require your keyboard to be. Quality is
equivalent to the $ factor here so I suggest you try out more than a few.

Things to look out for are:

a) How do the keys feel to play? Light or heavy? Solid or cheap?
b) When you’re playing it, does it vibrate (as in loose buttons/keys)? Sounds
like a weird question but many do vibrate and if you’re using it a lot it may
drive you spare. Also if you are recording a vocal at the same time as you
record the keyboard parts then it may be picked up on the vocal track as
clicking.
c) Are the Pitch Bend and Modulation wheels easy to use and have a good feel.
This is a personal thing so check them out thoroughly.
d) Octave Shift is a good function if you purchase a small keyboard.
e) If you are a pianist, you will need a full sized keyboard. Nothing will
frustrate you more than not having enough keys to perform with.
f) If you are a programmer then a shorter range of octaves may suit you. I
travel a lot so I use a 49 note keyboard which is fine for programming
drums, percussion, bass, strings, horns, washes etc...

Here are some of the most notable brands for you to research.
• Akai – (10)
• Alesis – (2)
• CME – (1) I use a Behringer UMX49.
• iCON – (1) It vibrates a bit but is very
• Korg – (5) reliable. I’ve seen whole labs of
• M Audio - (20) these in schools.
• Novation - (14)
• Roland – (5)
• Behringer – (4)
• Edirol – (2)

Prices range from AUD $100 - $1,800 and some of these are great machines.

There are two ways to connect the keyboard to your computer:

a) Via the computer USB port. Leads are generally supplied with the keyboard.
Simply plug the larger end into the computer USB port and the smaller end
into the keyboard. Most software will recognize the keyboard but if not,
there should be software supplied that you can easily load up.
b) Via a MIDI connector. This will require a MIDI lead and a MIDI Interface box.
(I will cover this in the next section) This will require a little more setting
up procedure but will give you the same result.

USB Lead Standard MIDI Connector

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Audio Interface

An audio interface handles the input and output of audio from your computer. This
is where you plug in your microphone/s, electric guitar, bass guitar, audio output
from keyboards etc into the computer software program to record.

The most important features I’ve found are these:

a) At least two inputs that will take microphone/guitar leads
b) At least two outputs to go to speakers/monitors.
c) Headphones output
d) Volume control for monitors
e) Volume control for headphones
f) Two input level controls
g) Mixer balance control
h) Phantom Power – this is to power “condenser” microphones – 48Volts
i) MIDI input and output

Prices vary greatly on these items from a few hundred to thousands of dollars and
there are a lot on the market. Here are few you can look at:

• Presonus AudioBox USB – USB Audio Interface

I use the AudioBox for

general use and the MOTU
for studio and jobs requiring
multi-channel recording.
• MOTU Traveller – Firewire Audio Interface

• Digidesign Mbox 2 Mini USB Audio Interface

• Apogee - USB Audio Interface
• Avid - USB Audio Interface
• M Audio - USB Audio Interface
• Line 6 - USB Audio Interface
• Roland - USB Audio Interface
• Steinberg - USB Audio Interface
• Tascam - USB Audio Interface
• Yamaha - USB Audio Interface

To find more information about the right audio interface for your application,
Google all these brand names for technical details and to find a local supplier.

Click on this link for a detailed Audio Interface Set Up Diagram.

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Microphones

Over the years I have accumulated many fantastic microphones (mics) for use in a
variety of different situations. They range from the very cheap to the ridiculously
expensive and all have their own unique sound quality and purpose.

The most common microphones for musical use are dynamic, ribbon, and
condenser microphones.

Microphones are transducers which detect sound signals and produce an electrical
image of the sound, producing a voltage which is proportional to the sound signal.
They can also have different directional patterns and different impedances
(measured in ohms).

Dynamic Microphones
•Advantages: Relatively cheap and rugged. Can be easily miniaturized.
These mics are the most common you will see at live music gigs.
•Disadvantages: The uniformity of response to different frequencies
does not match that of the ribbon or condenser microphones.
Good dynamic microphones include the RØDE M1, Shure SM57, Sennheiser E602,
Shure SM58 and the Shure 58 Beta.

Condenser Microphones
•Advantages: Best overall frequency response makes this the
microphone of choice for many recording applications.
•Disadvantages: Expensive, May pop and crack when close miked.
Requires a battery or external power supply to bias the plates. power
supply, generally 48 volt "phantom power".
•Condenser microphones are either “large” or “small” diaphragm
Suggested condenser microphones include the RØDE K2, Neumann U87, RØDE M3,
RØDE S1, RØDE NT3, AKG C414B and RØDE NT1

Large Diaphragm Microphones - Large diaphragm microphones (LDMs) are

generally the choice for studio vocals and bass instruments. These tend to be a
little more expensive but really deliver a great sound. You'll want to use a pop
filter to screen unwanted “P” and “T” sounds. RØDE NT2, Audio-Technica AT2020
Large Diaphragm Studio Condenser Microphone

Small Diaphragm Microphones - where you want a solid, wide frequency response
and the best transient response such as for stringed instruments. Can be very
versatile and also inexpensive.

I like to support local manufacturers

I use a combo of RØDE, Shure,
AKG and Audio Technica
microphones. My favorites and
most used mics are from my RØDE
collection. Condenser Mics – K2,
NT5, NT4, NT2A, M3 and VideoMic
Dynamic Mics – M1, RØDE
Podcaster.
and RØDE not only supply a great range
for many purposes at very reasonable
prices, are recognized globally and have
won many international awards, but also
supply great service and most mics have a
10 year guarantee and the M1 has a
lifetime guarantee.
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Mic Stands
Boom stands are more practical live and in the studio, for instruments and
instrumentalists who are also vocalists.

They are very versatile and it’s worth spending a small amount
more to get a few good boom stands.

Shock Mount Mic Holders

These prevent vibrations passing through the mic stand and into the
mic. Vibrations can be caused by bass drums on the same floor or
passing traffic. If you are using a sensitive, large diaphragm
condenser mic to record you will not want any low frequency rumble
coming through with your recorded instrument or voice.

Pop Filters- Why use one?

When we say or sing words that begin with “P”, “S” or “T”,
these letters create a burst of air that hit the microphone
causing a low frequency “popping” sound.

This can cause havoc with our recording (especially when we

get to the mixing stage and you just can’t find the reason for
the distortion happening on your track at particular spots).

By placing a filter about 50mm away from the mic will usually cure this but you
will also need to experiment with the distance the sound source is away from the
filter itself to prevent this.

So, using a simple pop filter will filter out that “puff” of air and make our
recording just that much more professional.
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Microphone Techniques and Placement

Microphone placement is crucial to picking up and recording the sound that you are
hearing with your ears. When you listen back to the recorded sound it should as
much as possible emulate the acoustic or amplified sound.

This is achieved in a few ways:

• Type of mic used
• Distance from the sound
• Position of the mic to the sound

The are many mic techniques discovered by studio engineers from years of
experimenting and most will also talk about the actual sound of the room you will
be recording in as part of the overall mix of music and voices.

Each room will have it’s own unique acoustic properties that will interact with the
performance. This is why artists choose one studio over another or which concert
hall has the best sound for an orchestra or choir.

It’s preferable to position the mics as close as possible to the sound source to pick
up a richer sound quality. Room mics with add depth of image to your recording.

Choirs
As choirs have a large dynamic range you will need microphones that can pick
these up. Condenser mics are best in this situation.

A stereo mic in the front of the choir is a good starting point and about three to
four metres away. I usually start with the mic high up to capture as much of the
vocalists as possible and use a RØDE NT4 stereo mic for this purpose.

It is important to go into the choir and

listen to the sound, find the “sweet
spot” where it sounds best and aim your
mics as close to that as possible.
RØDE NT4
When recording a larger group I have
used a stereo mic in the front and two
large diaphragm mics about a third of the way from the back, either side of the
group. If I can I’ll even get the mics about a third of the way into the group and up
above. For this I use two RØDE NT2-A mics.

Again, it is a starting point then try moving them around, up and down till you find
the best position. As you move them you will find they can sound quite different
and come up with something amazing in the process.

Always make notes of the positions and then use these as starting points for the
next recording.

With four channels you can get a pretty good blended mix (balance) of the
recorded sounds.
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Orchestras
The same as above can apply to recording an orchestra. Ideally it is best if you are
able to mic up each individual
instrument then have mics set further
away to pick up the ambience of the
room.
XY mic
Room mics situated properly will configuration
capture enough natural reverb from the room to give great balance to the sound.

If you don’t have a stereo mic you can use an XY Pair of condenser mics. Place the
head of one mic right above the head of the other and at an angle of 90 degrees
giving a square shape (see diagram above). Pan the inputs to hard left and hard
right and bingo! Stereo mics.

Lead Vocal
For live vocals often a dynamic mic works best as they don’t pick up so much band
sound and the vocalist can be right on top of the mic. They are also very robust.

For studio I recommend using a large diaphragm condenser mic because they have
a far greater frequency response than dynamic mics, picking up the low and high
nuances of the voice and bringing out the distinctive qualities that make up the
characteristics we like to hear. (in most cases :-)

The closer to the mic - the richer the sound will be. This is what we aim to
capture. However, if the vocalist is singing quietly and we adjust the input volume
to suit then they sing really loudly then it will distort the input signal.

This is where mic technique and experience comes in. If the vocalist opens up then
they need to get back away from the mic for those notes then resume the same
position to make sure the vocal sound will remain constant throughout the song.

Using a Pop Filter is highly recommended as is lots of experimenting.

Guitars
To begin it’s important to take a listen to the sound of the acoustic guitar while
being played. Move around in front of it till you hear the “sweet spot”.
In front of the hole will have most of the low frequencies and toward the 12th fret
will be the high end.

• Using One Mic: Place the mic about 160mm above the 12th fret then move it
around till you hear the same “sweet spot” you heard before. Use
headphones while you are listening this time. This technique can sound flat
and dull.

• Using Two Mics: Place one mic around the 12th fret and facing slightly to the
hole. Place the second mic around the bridge facing slightly towards the
hole. Panning both mics hard left and right will spread the sound bringing
most guitars to life. This technique will give you a much richer stereo sound
with far more depth.
 15
• Using the XY configuration above the 12thfret will also give a very natural
stereo effect. Move the mics around till you are happy the sound is being
faithfully represented.

• Using the onboard pickup can really enhance the sound. Blending it with
stereo mics can add a more detailed sound that can be mixed into the
rhythm track and vocals. Let’s face it…the more we have to work with for
mixing the better. You can always drop tracks out if they get in the way of
the overall mix.

Miking an amplifier
Use one or two mics (or more) for this:
• With one mic you can face it directly into the centre of the speaker cone or
off to one side. The distance from the speaker is your other factor. Again,
listen to it first by getting up close and moving around the area (if you’re
game), find the sweet spot then don your headphones and listen to the
mic….move to suit.

• With two mics. Do the same as above but place another mic in the room to
capture the ambience. These can be panned left and right to suit the mix
and get a cool stereo sound.

Bass
The bass is a cool instrument and one of the few that can be plugged straight into
a DI box either from the back of an amp or straight from the bass itself.

If you don’t have a DI box then plug it straight into your audio interface and work
on the balance till you get as best a sound as possible.

If the bass player has a distinctive sound through their amp then use a large
diaphragm mic and place it close to the speaker and a bit off centre to begin. If
there are any frequencies you hear that aren’t sounding good you can just move
the mic around till you find what you’re looking for. You may want to adjust the
amp setting to get the best sound possible.

You can get a blend of both direct signal and amp/mic and find a happy stereo
balance by recording them onto separate tracks. The thing to watch here is you
don’t get phasing because it could cancel out the bottom end.

If you want to mic a Double Bass then use a large diaphragm condenser mic. You
need to capture as much bottom end as possible as well as hear all the mids and
high slaps etc synonymous with this instrument. Listen for the sweet spot, put on
the cans and listen to what the mic is hearing, move the mic around till you are
satisfied you are getting a true version of the sound.
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Drums & Percussion

After spending most of my career as a touring/recording drummer I fully
understand how the right room, the right mics and the right placement can make a
huge difference to your recordings. Then it’s the right engineer who makes it kick
booty.

Close miking a drum kit is important and having room mics is equally as important
so you have the choice of variables during the mixing stage. If the song needs to be
lighter or heavier you can use these techniques to benefit your mix greatly.

• Bass Drum: Place a large diaphragm mic though a hole in the front skin and
place it somewhere between the centre and close to the front where the
bass drum beater will hit the skin. This will give it the punch we need in the
mix. Alternatively place the mic outside the front head and close to it.
• Snare: Place the mic above the top of the snare a few inches above the rim
and slightly in and facing toward the centre. Placing a mic on the bottom
head is also a good idea to pick up the overall sound of the drums nuances.
• Toms: Placing mics over the top of the toms and close to the head is also a
good way to go if you have the mics and channels to plug in to. Otherwise it
is very common practice to place two mics above the kit to pick up the toms
and cymbals. I’ve recorded many times with this set up with great
satisfaction.

Things to remember when miking drums:

• The sound of a drum kit depends on many factors
a) the condition of the shells and skins
b) the tuning of each drum
c) how light or hard they are hit
d) where they are struck
e) the size and weight of the sticks the drummer uses will also
make a huge difference to the sound produced.

• Spend time getting the tuning and overall sound of the kit right first. It will
make the miking and mixing job easier.

• The second thing is to make sure the mics are not in the way of the
drummer as it will not only interfere with their creativity but you may end
up with a bunch of very dented or even broken mics.

Songwriting
On my workstation I use a USB microphone on a desk mounted
stand with studio arm that has a full range of movement.

It’s flexibility in this situation is perfect because it’s never in

the way when not being used but always ready when a flash
of inspiration happens.

I can highly recommend these as a songwriting tool plus you

don’t need an audio interface to use it, making it perfect for
portability. Just plug it into your USB port and start recording.

I used the RØDE Podcaster which is a broadcast quality, dynamic USB microphone.
 17
Creating a Studio Space

The studio should be a room that is quiet so you can hear the sounds you have
recorded as best as possible without other noise interference.

A small room is preferred to a large echo chamber for mixing as it is easier to

contain the sound. Don’t deaden the room too much though. Too often the
tendency is to cover the walls with sound absorbing foam but really it is best to
have a slight “live” element to the sound.

Some good quality monitors are recommended. For a small studio I suggest you
find some monitors with build in power amps and crossovers. There are many to
choose from in the market place and some are very good. Research your price
range.

A good sound engineer will tell you that a studio (or recording space) allows the
engineer to use the area to help make the recordings sound great.

As most home studios and classroom situations aren’t designed for this application
we’ll go through a few acoustics basics to get you started.

An acoustically “neutral” room is best to begin with. This is one where the vocal
and instrument sounds you listen to can best represent those sounds when
recording, mixing and listening.

Poor acoustic rooms give lots of reflections in the recordings and can detract or
distract from the original sound. This can also be good if you want the sound of the
room on the track but once it’s on there…it’s on there. It’s best to have the option
to add reverb, echo and FX later in the mixing process.

Rooms that have carpet are usually best and for hard surface floors like timber and
tiles you’ll want to put down some carpet to absorb floor reflections of the sound
waves.

For the walls you will need materials that have some sound absorption qualities so
frequencies won’t “bounce” around the room. Most studios use convoluted foam to
treat this.

Variations of Acoustic Sound Absorbing Foam

 18

Reflection occurs when sound waves bounce off the wall opposite the sound source
(eg speakers) and the second reflection then adds to the first sound creating an
undesirable sound or can cancel out certain frequencies giving a false
representation of the sound altogether.

We use the convoluted foam to “diffuse” the sound waves by disrupting the
standing waves and flutter echoes without changing the acoustic energy of the
room or the sound itself. These types of foam also “absorb” these waves so are a
great solution.

Low frequency waves are harder to get rid of and although you may think the
bottom end sounds big on playback, once you take a CD recording to another
location you may find that it may boom far too much.

To control these frequencies we use “bass traps”. These are long triangle shaped
foam pieces that fit into the corners of the room.
 19
Recording

With the audio interface connected to the computer via the USB lead, the
keyboard connected to another USB port on the computer, and microphone plugged
into the audio interface, we’re almost ready to start recording.

Most of the music software programs have excellent tutorials so I highly

recommend you view your software tutorials on the company’s website and read
their tutorials. Many have video tutorials which are fantastic. [Go to YouTube and
look up your software tutorials].

A typical software “arrange window” includes a timeline (across the top), audio
tracks and instruments headers (down the left side panel), and transport controls
(often at bottom of page). The example software pictured below is GarageBand

Timeline

Instruments

Transport Controls Audio Input Panel

Create a new audio track by clicking on the + button.

Go to the Audio Input Panel and assign the Audio Instrument track input source to
recognize the Audio Interface. I’ll be using the AudioBox USB.
 20
This may appear as Mono 1, Mono 2 or Stereo 1/2. Select Mono 1.

Click on the track Record Button to “arm” the track for recording

Speak into the mic, making sure the input volume level meter isn’t too high to
avoid “clipping” or distortion. Adjust the input volume with the Audio Interface
input volume control.

On the transport controls, click the Record Button and begin speaking into the mic.

You have just recorded your first audio track which may look something like this
on the Arrange Page Timeline

The transport controls are very similar to CD player controls.

Click the Return button to go back to the beginning of your recording time line
then click the Play button to listen or “play back”

Return Rewind Play Forward Loop/Cycle

 21
Individual track controls on the track header allow for more control of the
instrument on play back

Arm Record Mute Solo Automate Pan Volume Level Meter

I have created a “How to” video tutorial to help you understand this so click on
this button and go watch it now!
If the button doesn’t work please try the link below

Watch This Video Tutorial

http://www.musicmediatribe.com/basic-recording-with-garageband-1/

Professional programs such as Logic have mixing panels (as per the diagram below)
that show Effects, Pan, Volume Faders and much more for a complex overview of
each channel during multi-tracking for a larger project.
 22

FX – What They Do

EQ (equalization): is the procedure for increasing or reducing the degree of a

specific or range of audio frequencies when compared with other frequencies.
Whenever a stereo system is equalized, specific frequencies will be enhanced or
reduced to achieve a tonal balance, typically flat or nicely balanced tonal
response.

Compression: creates uniform performances when it comes to dynamic range such

that the sound will "sit" within the blend of various other instruments and also
retain constant interest by the audience. Vocal performances with rock and pop
music are generally compressed to make them stand out against the musical
instruments and also to enhance the quality of the vocal performance.

Compression also “fattens” or “thickens” the low frequency sounds such as bass
drum and bass guitar

Reverb: reverberation is generated each time a sound is formed within a closed

room or space creating numerous echoes to develop. They gradually decay when
the sound is soaked up by the surrounding surfaces and atmosphere. The
reflections carry on when the sound ceases, diminishing in amplitude till they are
no longer detectable.

Echo: There are so many complex definitions as to what echo is. They can
generally be described as being a wave which has been reflected off wall surfaces
and/or very hard surface types such as mountain tops and comes back as a specific
repeat or repeats of the original sound.

Distortion: Amplification expands a frequency prior to it being transformed into

sound, generating a louder variation of the acoustic signals through distorting the
actual wave in accordance with exact parameters.

Expansion: works similarly to a Compressor but expands the dynamic range of the
sound signal very quickly. Expanders can be used to maximize the volume of an
instrument track.

Limiting: also similar to compression but automatically reduces the audio signal at
a set level to prevent it from going higher than a predefined threshold. Therefore
an audio signal can not go higher than the preset level to prevent distortion or
clipping of the recorded sound.

Noise Gate: only allows frequencies to pass if the signal reaches a determined
level. If the signal level doesn’t reach the determined level then there will be
silence on that channel. This is perfect for sculpting drum sounds and for blocking
noises between vocal phrases or when sounds or notes are produced.
 23
Mixing and Mastering

Mixing
Mixing is the art of sculpting your recorded sounds to blend together to create the
balance of instruments (and voices) to effectively represent the emotion of the
message of the sound track you have created.

The basic mixing tools are:

• Volume: using faders to balance the levels of individual tracks
• Pan: placing the individual tracks in the stereo spectrum
• Effects: using EQ (equalization), compression, reverb, delay, echo,
expansion, limiting, distortion, DeEsser, noise gate, filtering, imaging,
chorus, flanger, phasing, tremolo, pitch correction, exciter, SubBass and
more…

The mixing process can be very complex and time consuming so this will be a brief
overview only.

The mixing process begins with the formation of the “bottom end” or low
frequencies. This is to create the foundations for the rest of the music to “sit”
within and is essential to hold the sound together so it is strong and tight. Think of
it as being similar to constructing a building…make the base of the building strong
and you can create an amazing structure on top of it.

The bottom end is often a drum groove and bass. They supply the rhythm to the
track and need to fit together and in the instances of dance and rock music, pump
the low frequencies.

First, get a good balance between the Kick (Bass Drum), snare, toms, overheads
(stereo pair of microphones containing cymbals and sometimes the toms) and the
bass guitar or bass synth sound.

Next, add the lead vocal to the rhythm track till it stands out with clarity but
doesn’t sound like it is too far above the mix to sound like it’s not a part of the
music and not too quiet that you can’t understand the lyrics.

The vocal is such an integral part of the music so it needs to be clear and crisp and
you should hopefully be able to distinguish the special nuances that each individual
voice has to bring out their own unique characteristics.

Once you’ve found a happy balance then begin to add in the rest of the
instruments to the spectrum. Guitars, keyboards, strings, percussion etc need to
blend so the vocal always remains clear and audible.

Panning becomes very important with the addition of more sounds to give room in
the stereo spectrum. We don’t want sounds with similar frequencies fighting for
the same space. For example if using rhythm and lead guitars, pan the rhythm
guitar to the right and the lead to the left. Lead vocals should be panned to the
centre.
 24

Filtering - Many sounds with the exception of the kick drum and bass are above
100Hz and so it is often important to Filter out below this frequency to prevent the
bottom end from becoming “muddy”. For instance, a vocal may be recorded in a
room where low frequency sounds have been recorded (unknowingly) from the low
rumble of traffic from a busy street. These may not be noticed but when added to
the bass and drums the sound could end up quite a rumbly mess.

Whatever the sound combinations you use, they cannot be worked on too much as
individual sounds early in the mix as the combination of sounds will determine how
they will work together in the end result.

It’s usually at this point when you have that light bulb moment that the initial
sound from the instrument or voice wasn’t recorded as well as it could have.

Hot Tip - A best practice tip is to have a piece of music that is similar to the song
you are mixing to use as your “yardstick”. A piece that you know how it sounds in
your home stereo, car or MP3 player. Play it several times before you begin your
mix and listen to it at intervals throughout the mixing process.

Doing this helps to understand the sound of the room in which you are performing
your mix and have a constant comparison.

Mastering
Mastering takes place after the mixing of the track/s to give an overall balance
and quality of the mix using compression, EQ.and other sound sculpting tools.

This is the time to create fades to the beginning and end of the music if needed
and to make sure the volume can reach it’s loudest potential without distortion.
This process is important to make sure the sound will be “present” and “full” when
played back on home stereo, car systems and portable devices such as MP3
players.

If you are sending your song to a radio station to try to get airplay then it is a wise
idea to get your song professionally mastered to make sure it will be presented as
best as it possibly can and to get the best quality of level and clarity as all the
other songs being played.
 25
Burning Your Song to CD

As this is different with most versions on PC please follow these links for you to get
your burning information.

How to Burn a Music CD Using Windows Media Player 9

Video Information – Nero Burning ROM

How To Burn a Music CD using CDBurnerXP – FreeWare

How to Burn a Music CD in iTunes

How to Burn a CD for Logic users using Waveburner

How to Burn a CD Using GarageBand….see below images

When the song is complete click Share

Put a blank CD in the drive and click “Burn”

 26

Final Note

I hope that you found this handbook useful.

If you want to find out more go to www.musicmediatribe.com

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To your musical success!

John Bennetts
 27
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