Week 4: Overview of Studio Equipment

This page is for lecture notes from week 4 (according to the syllabus) of MUSM 342 - Recording Studio Techniques

Microphones
A device that translates sound waves into an electronic signal

Dynamic Mic
Functions via a voice coil that's suspended between a magnet, this causes electromagnetic conduction (the magnet breaks through the force of a coil)
 * Rugged
 * Low Cost ($-$$)
 * High SPL

Condenser Mic

 * Delicate
 * Higher Cost ($$-$$$$$)
 * Transient response
 * High Frequency Response

Large Vs. Small diaphragm microphone

 * The lower the frequency the larger the diaphragm.
 * The higher the frequency the smaller the diaphragm.

Mixing Console
This is your sound board, mixer or console. (In England it's known as a desk). This is what all your gear is routed through. Keep in mind that there is a diffrence between boards for live sound, and studio recording. Live sound boards don't have mix-returns.

DO NOT CONFUSE mixing console with a Control surface.

Channels
This is the amount of input pathways the board can handle. Each pathway handles a signal separate through the board.

The first thing you need to determine when your buying a board is the amount of Channels you have.

For normal Rock/pop recording you likely need 24 channels for recording.

For hip hope you will likely need

Equalization
Secondly you need to consider what you need for EQ's (Equalization)

This section primarily modifies the frequency of a signal, however this can also effect amplitude as you boost or cut frequencies in the signal

Bands - Are frequency ranges of of the audio spectrum your board divides out and handles seperately handles (High & Low, or High, Mid, and Low for examples)

Types of EQ

 * Shelving (1 Nob)
 * Semi-parametric (2 Nobs)
 * Fully parametric (3 Nobs)

Auxiliary Sends/Returns
This controls the amount of copies you can output from the board.

Reasons to use an Aux. Send
 * Headphone outputs back to the studio
 * Outputs into effects consoles

Types of Sends

 * Pre-fade
 * Post-fade

Subgroups, Groups, or Busses
This is the ability of the board to take multiple channels and combine their signal into a L/R mix going to 2 channels for global control of the group.

Meters
Don't assume that the console is coming with meters. Some boards will make this an optional.

Some boards have LED for the meters (such as peak meters) others have mechanical meters.

Dimensions & Ergonomics
This is the size of the board, as well as how it effects your workflow. You want to be sure it will work for your workflow. (Are you standing to mix, are you siting

Analog Vs. Digital
(For example a Neve console is known for it's bright sound)
 * An analog console takes in signal as voltage, and outputs voltage as well.
 * An analog console can effect your signal to create a very unique sound.

Digital
The first thing a digital board does is put the signal through an A/D converter (This changes the signal from a voltage to data)

A Digital mixer has a sterile sound.

Physical Channels vs. Banks of channels
A physical channel has it's own fader associated with it

A bank of channels shares its faders, you have to switch between the faders.

Built in Automation
A digital console can be automated to do gains, mutes, and pans. This allows you to do multiple passes

Built in effects
Reverbs, compressors and other multi-effects processors built in right into the console. You are going to want to pay attention to who made the effects though.

Control Surface
These look like a mixing console, but essentially it's a big mouse. There is no signal going through the console, it's in the box.

Terms

 * ITB (Working in the Box) - The computer does things mathematically
 * OTB (Out of the box) - The console uses voltages to do things
 * Stems
 * Summing Mixer

Audio Recording Flows
Microphone > Mixing Console > Audio Interface > Computer > Hard Drive (Storage)

Microphone > Audio Interface > Computer > Hard Drive (Storage)