Creating a Computer-Based Home Recording Studio

The heart of recording over the last 30 years has been an approach called multitracking. This involves recording different instruments/parts on separate tracks so that you can mix them later. In recent years, computer software can be used for multitrack recording as opposed to analogue, tape-based equipment.

With computer software like Sonar, Cubase or Logic, collectively known as Digital Audio Workstations(DAWs), recorded audio can be mixed, editied and processed with effects without the clutter of physical gear and wiring. Mixerless studios have even emerged in recent years as musicians use the mixers within DAWs.

Love singing and want a band to back you up? Can't afford a guitar, harp or cello? No worries! Software synthesizers have become ubiquitous, and you can add a string ensemble part to back your vocals, or explore drum loops to give your songs an extra punch. In today's context, quality music need not come from a professional recording studio in Hollywoord. Making music has become less costly and more convenient! Why not start making your own music at home now!

Every studio must have some fundamental pieces of gear. With the wide variety of inexpensive recording gear available, recording and mixing at home has never been easier. Determining on what you plan to record, your needs might be different.

Here are the essential hardware you would require:

1) Computer - Platform for you to edit and export your audio recordings. Choose one with a resonably fast processor (at least a Core2Duo or Core i5), minimum 4GB RAM to ensure programs run smoothly.

2) Audio Interface - A sound card is necessary for your computer to be able to record or playback digital audio data. All computers come with a basic sound card, but for recording music you most likely need to get a better one.

3) Microphones - To record vocals or acoustic instruments

4) Midi Controllers/Midi Interface - Enables electonic musical instruments to communicate with each other, and to operate virtual instruments within your software

5) Monitors - Loudspeakers/headphones specifically designed for audio production applications such as recording. They generally differ in performance from those used for entertainment purposes.

6) Software - Multitrack recording software (also known as DAW for Digital Audio Workstation) can cost anything from free to a few hundred dollars. It is capable of editing and processing your recorded music.

1) Operating System - Your desicion between a Mac or PC-based recording system should be based more on your personal preferences in computer platforns abd the particular software that you intend to use. No one is better than the other. Certain software like Logic Studio and Digital Performer only run on Mac OS, while others like Sonar are exclusively for Windows OS only.

2) CPU - At least a Core i5 or Core 2 Duo. Faster processing speed can make your programs run smoothly and have better support for multi-tasking.

3) RAM - 4GB and above, for programs to load quickly

4) CD/DVD Drive - If you intend to burn your music for your friends or as backup

5) Connectivity - USB Ports for USB Interfaces, Firewire ports may be required if you are using a firewire interface. Audio inputs and outputs are not necessary if you are not using your computer's onboard soundcard

6) Computer Screen - For long usage, a non-reflective screen may be more comfortable for viewing. Large/dual screens lets you view a larger area of your computer workspace.

7) Hard drive - Most computers today come with large hard disks of 500 GB or more. Audio data tend to occupy a lot of space especially if they are in uncompressed .wav format. Buy an external hard drive if you face storage issues. Hard drives come at different speeds (5400rpm, 7200rpm etc). One with higher rpm will mean faster data transfer rate.

8) Heating issues - The cooling systems on certain computers may differ. Certain systems tend to overheat on prolong use. If so, get an external cooling unit.

In simplest terms, an audio interface connects your microphones and other sound sources to your computer - it bridges the gap from analog to digital. Audio interfaces are commonly equipped with mic preamps, line inputs, and a variety of other input options.

Why can't I just use my onboard computer soundcard then?

1) When you play your instrument or sing into a mic, the signal that you're producing consists of sound waves (analog). In order for you to record, store or playback these impulses in your computer, you need to convert them to digital information using AD/DA converters. Most consumer sound cards aren't equipped with high-quality analog/digital converters. They're fine for gaming or listening to MP3s, but lack the power to preserve the signal integrity.

2) Firstly, latency will be prevalent. Latency refers to the delay between making a sound and hearing a sound.

3) Build in computer sound cards often only have a 1/8" line in and 1/8" mic in jack, supporting only two channels of simultaneous audio, making it nearly impossible to track drum kits or entire bands. Audio interfaces have a variety of input and output connections offering you more choices and flexibility.

Three Types of audio interfaces available

1) USB - plugs into a computer's USB port.

2) Firewire - Plugs into a computer's firewire port. Firewire ports are either 6-pin or 4-pin. The two extra pins in the 6-pin variety deliver power to whatever device you connect to it. The 4-pin is used to connect devices that already have their own power supply: DV cams, iPods, etc. .

Comparison between Firewire and USB

3) PCI - This plugs into a PCI slot on your computer's motherboard

Bit Depth and Sample Rate

Bit Depth - Determines the theoretical maximum dynamic range of the audio data regardless of sample rate. Each additional bit adds 6dB to the dynamic range of the audio. More bits help capture quieter signals more accurately.

Sample Rate - Think of it as snapshots. At 44.1kHz, the computer is taking 44,100 "pictures" of the audio every second as it enters the computer. The sample rate is part of what determines the frequency response of the system.

Connections on an audio interface:

1) Analog I/O can be either balanced or unbalanced.

Balanced inputs - Unlike unbalanced audio lines there is no "signal" carried in the shield or ground connection. The main benefit is that any noise that gets induced into the line will be common to both the positive and negative sides and thus canceled when it arrives at its destination, assuming the destination is balanced.

XLR - Ground, Live, Return. Commonly used for microphones. Some microphones such as condenser microphones require power. An alternative to battery power is phantom power which consists of direct current applied equally through the two signal lines of a balanced audio connector (in modern equipment, usually an XLR connector)

TRS - Tip, ring, sleeve, also called a phone jack, stereo plug, headphone jack. This is a cable for balanced signals just like the XLR above, it just has different connectors. Note that TRS cables are typically used for mono, not stereo, signals in most studio gear. However, plugging into a TRS jack with a mono plug will convert it to unbalanced operation. The exception being the headphone jack.

Unbalanced Inputs- In an unbalanced situation, one of those conductors is used to carry both signal and ground (shield). Induced noise in one conductor is not canceled by similar noise in the other conductor (as in a balanced line) and may be carried with signal into connected equipment.

RCA connector - Radio Corporation of America connectors are electrical connectors commonly used to carry audio and video signals.

TS Connector - Tip, Sleeve, commonly known as guitar cable

2) Digital I/O

ADAT Optical - Alesis Digital Audio Tape - transferring digital data 8-tracks at a time

S/PDIF - Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format is considered a consumer format, uses either unbalanced, high impedance coaxial cables or fiber optic cables for transmission.

TDIF - Tascam Digital InterFace. The TDIF standard is currently one of two major formats (the other being ADAT optical) widely used in pro and semi-pro MDM related products for digital transfer of more than two tracks of audio simultaneously using only one cable.

If you're going to record any singing or acoustic instruments, you're going to need at least one microphone.

Types of Signals - Sound produced by instruments such as electric guitars, bass, synthesizers or drum machines are line-level, meaning they do not need to be amplified. However, a microphone works by converting sound energy into an electrical voltage, but this voltage is much lower than the voltage coming out of other line level sources. They need to have their signal level increased using a preamp. If you plug a microphone in to audio interface then the signal it generates will be very quiet unless the signal is boosted. On a consumer sound card you will have a mic preamp, but it's only designed for speech and cheap mic - totally unsuitable for audio recording. This is why you will need for a preamp.

There are generally 3 types of preamps: solid-state(those in your audio interface, tube and hybrid(consisting of both).

Synthesizers and drum machines do not require preamps as they output line-level signals. Electric guitars and bass output high-impedance signals. This means there is a high level of electrical resistance to the flow of current running down the cable. As such, the acoustic guitar's cable will act as an antenna, picking up unwanted interference along the way. The longer the cable is, the greater the interference. A direct box lowers the impedance of the signal and changes the nature of the cord connection from unbalanced 1/4" to balanced XLR.

Types of microphones

1) Ribbon - adds silkiness to hte recorded sound because it rolls off the higher frequences slightly.

2) Dynamic - tends to accent the middle of the frequency spectrum. 2 hugely popular Shure models characterize this type of mic - the SM57 and SM58. Dynamic mics can handle a lot of volume, making them perfect for drums and rock vocals.

3) Condencer - have a well-rounded frequency response. They are sensitive and accurate but also expensive.

Polarity patterns

Microphones pick up sounds in different ways, known as polarity patterns.

1) Omnidirectional - capture sounds all around them

2) Cardioid/directional - pick up sounds just in front of them

3) Bidirectional - pick up sounds from both front and back

One thing I guarantee is that you won't have a hard time finding a piece of software that meets your musical needs. Most of them do share similar capabilities. Let's take a look at some of the common components of audio recording software:

1) Mixer - For the computer-based home recordist, the mixer is incorporated into your computer software. Of course, you could always use an external hardware mixer if you want, but it is not ncecessary). I mentioned earilier that the heart of recording has been multitracking. The mixer lets you adjust the volume(also known as gain) of individual tracks, route your signals and add effects or other digital signal processing to your tracks.

2) The Arranger - This is the multitrack recording workspace where you can organize your musical ideas. You can drag, drop and layer different clips within the multitrack editor and mix them down to a single track later on

3) The Editor - One of the best things about computer-based recording is that you can generally do sophisticated editing of the audio data. The editing capabilities of the many software programs vary considerably. They are generally broken down into 2 types - Audio and Midi editing.

4) Midi Sequencer - This is where you can record midi performance data into your computer for playback and editing. MIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol that musical instruments use to communicated with one another.

5) Digital Signal Processor - Digital Signal Processing (DSP) is anything you do to the sound of your audio data other than just the volume. This includes equalization, dynamics and effects processing.

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a digital communication protocol that allows your midi-equipped gear to send information back and forth through your system. Many people mix up audio and midi - Midi contains information only, it is not an audio signal. Think of midi as the messages sent out by your TV remote. Midi are like remote signals that tell your software based modules how to operate.

Midi messages are either sent through 5-pin midi cables or through USB. Devices which transmit MIDI over usb can be plugged directly into the USB ports of your computer. However, those which only have MIDI ports would require a MIDI to USB interface which plugs into your computer. Many audio interfaces function as MIDI interfaces. One example is the M-audio Fast Track Pro.

There are 3 types of midi ports:

1) In - receives incoming messages

2) Out - sends out messages

3) Thru - sends messages that one device receives directly to the In port of another instruments

Devices which send and receive midi data:

1) External keyboard/synthesizer - An external keyboard is a keyboard that has MIDI ports in it AND produces its own sounds. It is able to send and receive MID from your computer through a USB MIDI Interface. Examples of MIDI keyboards which produce their own sounds are the Yamaha PSR Series.

2) MIDI Controller Keyboard - Unlike an external keyboard, a MIDI controller does not contain its own sounds. Instead, you use the controller to trigger(Play) the sounds of software synthesizers in your computer. The use either USB or MIDI out ports but many have both. An example of a MIDI Controller Keyboard is the M-audio Axiom series. MIDI Controller Keyboards do not produce sounds without your computer.

3) Other MIDI Controllers - If you find controlling your software mixers with your mouse cumbersome, there are MIDI Controllers like the Behringer BCF2000 which allows you to move your software faders externally via a piece of hardware. There are also other like the Akai MPD18 which allows you to trigger drum sounds in your software by tapping on the pads.

Software synthesizers - They function as plug-ins and contain a variety of sounds(programs). Pressing a 'C' key on your MIDI keyboard would trigger your software synthesizer to produce a 'C' horn sound or piano sound, depending on the sound setting you select within the plug-in. Software synthesizers that bundle with Cakewalk software include Dropzone and Cakewalk Sound Center

Plug-ins are DSP tools that you can run your tracks through. Typical plug-ins include equilizers, compressors, reverbs and delays.

The most popular plug-in formats are:

1) Audio Units (AU) - Developed for Apple OS X Logic or Digital Performer.

2) Direct X (DXi) - Developed by Windows for Sonar and Cakewalk Products

3) MAS - Developed by MOTU for Digital Performer

4) Real Time Audio Suite (RTAS) - Digidesign's proprietary plug-in format for Pro Tools

5) Virtual Studio Technology (VST) - Developed by Steinberg for both Mac and Windows. This is by far the most popular format.

Examples of Good Plug-ins

1) Sonalksis - EQ and Compression

2) PSP Audioware

3) Waves Audio Ltd

Loops are pre-recorded musical snippets that you can put in your song and manipulate to create your music. Looping has become very popular because it makes composing music easy and saves you from having to learn to play an instrument well or hire a professional to play for you. A typical loop is a drum pattern that plays during the verse of your song or a bass line of your chorus.

Drag and drop different loop clips into your multitrack timeline and construct your very own song without any form of recording!

Loops come in 2 formats:

1) MIDI-based Loops - recorded as MIDI data by using MIDI instruments. They can be routed into a Soft-synth to produce different outcomes!

2) Audio-based Loops - created from audio files and are seen as waveform displays of audio data. They also have a tempo grid and key signature attached to them.

You can find an almost mind-boggling number of good loop libraries online from Spectrasonics or Primesounds.

A monitoring system provides a mix of audio sources to a performer on stage or to a musician in a home studio. Whether choosing old-school style stage wedges (or monitors/speakers, whatever you choose to call them) or the more high-tech in-ear monitoring devices (headphones or earphones), one thing is for sure - the right audio mix is vital to ensure the artist can give the performance their all. Without good monitors, you're mixing in the dark because you don't know what your music is going to sound like on someone else's system.

Types of headphones

1) Earbuds - Earbuds are commonly issued as freebies, but higher-performance buds can offer sonics that rival full-size models. Their tiny earpieces rest on the outer ear or need to be inserted into the ear canal. Sound quality and bass response often not comparable to those of full-size models.

2) Ear-pad headphones - a.k.a. Supra-aural headphones/open-backed headphones/semi-open headphones/closed-back headphones/on-ear headphones. These headphoes rest on your outer ears and run the gamut from inexpensive portables to high-end home models. While ear-pad headphones can have closed designs that cover the ears, they are never fully sealed as are full-size circumaural models. Thus they have, less effective noise isolation than in-ear or full-size models.

3) Full-size headphones - a.k.a. Circumaural headphones/closed-back headphones/ear-cup headphones/over-the-ear headphones.

The ear cups fully enclose your ears. Because of their size and their acoustic isolation, full-size headphones are often considered to be better suited to home use rather than as a portable option. For studio use, I would recommend getting circumaural headphones like the Shure SRH440, Audio Technica M50 or the Sennheiser HD280 PRO

Studio Monitors

Stuidio monitors come in many varieties, but the home recordist's best bet is a set of near-field monitors. Near-field monitors are designed to be positioned close to you. They come with or without an amplifier. The amplified monitors are called active monitors, and the non-amplified monitors are referred to as passive monitors. If you end up getting passive monitors, you need to buy an amplifier to send power to the speakers. The amplifier connects to the outputs of the mixer and boosts the signal to the speakers.

The mixing and mastering stages are where all your tracks are finally turned into an honest-to-goodness song. This process involves blending/mixing all your individual musical ideas into the song that you hear in your head and then mastering that final mix - the last stage in the recording process - so that your song is transformed into something worth sharing with the world. One of the great asses of computer-based recording is the ability to use automation to apply changes in volume/pan etc. to certain tracks by moving the faders on your midi controller.

Understanding mixing

The goal of mixing is to make sure each instrument can be heard in the mix without covering up something else or sounding out of place. Here are a few tips:

1) Think about the emotion of the song - Give parts with more emotional impact and intensity priority and mute unnecessary parts.

2) Create volume balance - Set the level (volume) of each instument relative to the others so nothing is buried so far back in the mix that you can't hear it. Be aware that your levels often change throughout the song, so settings made in the front may not apply to those later in the track.

3) Create tonal clarity - Adjust EQ of each instrument so that each one leaves room for the other in the mix. This means getting rid of any frequencies of an instrument that clash with those of another or emphasizing certain frequencies that define the sound of the instrument

4) Put instruments in their places - Take advantage of panning to put each instrument in its proper place in the stereo field

5) Use effects effectively - add effects (e.g. reverb or delay) and dynamics processors (e.g. compression) to the instruments to either place them "in front" or "at the back" relative to other instruments or to create a desired sound.

Understanding mastering

The final step in recording is to master it. Mastering involves taking your stereo mix and tweaking it so that it sounds the best it can. Here are the 5 basic steps:

1) Optimize the dynamics - finding the best volume and dynamic range for your music.

2) Perfect the tonal balance - you want the tones of your songs to be similar enough so that your listener doesn't have to make adjustments to his stereo's EQ as he listens. This steops involces using parametric EQs

3) Match the volume of your songs - having consistent levels from song to song helps with the cohesiveness and flow of a CD. This can be done with simple gain adjustments compressors, or limiters.

4) Sequencing - select the order of your songs

5) Burning - Put it on a CD

Equalization is the process of changing the frequency response of the data in the session's track by increasing or decreasing signal levels of specific audio frequencies. Most sounds produced in the real world are complex, meaning they contain audio signals at many different frequencies.

Tips:

1) EQ can be used to enhance a recording, but it cannot fix a poor recording. Sometimes it's best to rerecord using different microphone placement or using another microphone with different tonal characteristics.

2) Don't boost when you can cut instead! It sounds more natural when you reduce unwanted sounds, rather than boosting the desired frequencies.

3) Human hearing is most sensitive to midrange and upper midrange frequencies. Because of this sensitivity, large boosts in this range can make your project sound harsh or shrill.

Types of EQ:

Graphic EQ - Graphic EQ is where the faders are arranged from low to high frequency. The are set to a specific frequency.

Parametric EQ - They allow you to choose the frequency that you want to change as well as the range of frequencies around it (called the Q control). A wide Q will center your frequency around a broad group of frequencies which will all be affected. A narrow Q will only affect the frequencies close to the set frequency.

Shelf EQ

1) Low shelf - functions like a bass control knob on a stereo. Low Shelf EQ's adjust the level of signal at the set frequency and all frequencies below it

2) High shelf - functions like a treble control knob on a stereo. High Shelf EQ's adjust the level of signal at the set frequency and all frequencies above it.

Filter EQ

Sometimes your track just sounds better if you eliminate few carefully chosen frequencies. This type of EQ is actually called a filter.

1) Low pass (high-cut) - filters out frequencies higher than the set frequency.

2) High pass (low cut) - filters out frequencies lower than the set frequency.

3) Band-pass filter - passes frequencies within a certain range and rejects frequencies outside that range.

The pass filter is a 'cut-only' type of EQ while the shelf may be used to add or cut frequencies. Generally a pass filter has a much steeper slope than a shelf. This slope represents how the frequencies below the filter point are affected. Usually the slope for a pass filter is measured by a number of db per octave. The larger the number, the steeper the slope the more dramatic the effect.

Effects are historically used to mimic real-world situations. Imagine dragging your gear to a large cathedral spending several hours setting them up. Well, how about recording in your modest home studio and simply choosing the "cathedral gall reverb" patch instead? Now that's much easier.

Effects processors can be used as either Send effect, where you send part of your track's signal through the effect, or Insert effects, where you affect the entire signal from your track. In both cases, you can work with the dry(unaffected) signal and the wet(affected) signals separately. The Insert effect alters only the signal that exists on the track it's inserted to while the Send effect allows you to send multiple tracks through one effect.

Types of Effects:

1) Reverb - the result of sound bouncing around inside a room. The larger the room, the more pronounced the reverb.

2) Delay - Along with reverb, delay is a natural part of sound bouncing around a room. When you sing/play into a room, you often hear not only reverb but also a distinct echo caused by the return of the original sound bouncing off the walls of the room to your ears.

3) Chorus - This can make one instrument sound like several. They add very slightly off tune versions of the unaffected sound, which results in a fuller sound. They work on vocals, guitars and other melodic instruments.

4) Flanger - Similar to a chorus effect except that flanger gets its sound from the delaying part of the unaffected sound in relation to the original, rather than altering its pitch.

5) Pitch correction - used to correct an out-of-tune note. You can use this effect to help a singer or an instrument player sound better by fixing those notes that are slightly out of tune.

Dynamics processors are devices that regulate the dynamic range of sound that passes through them. Dynamics processors are Insert effects. This means you insert them into a track so they become part of it. They are used to

1) Control the signal going into the mixer and recorder

2) Tame the levels and correct the effects of an erratic musical performance when mixing

3) Optimize the levels of finished stereo tracks when mastering

Types of Dynamic processors

1) Compressors - eliminate transients(unusually loud notes) that can create clipping(digital distortion). It also reduces the difference between the loudest and softest note.

2) Limiter - Like the compressor except it severely limits the highest level of a sound source. Any signal above the threshold gets chopped off rahter than compressed.

3) Gates - it is basically the opposite of the limiter. Rater than limiting how loud a note can get, it limits how soft a note can get. The gate filters out sound below a certain threshold while allowing any note above that threshold to be heard.

4) Expanders - The expander is the opposite of a compressor - instead of reducing the volume of the loudest notes in a performance, it reduces the volume of the softer notes. It is usually used to reduce the breath sounds made by singers.