Often, very often, the things that cause technical problems in both recording and live recording situations are very simple. Things like forgetting to turn on phantom power when recording with a condenser mic, or forgetting to arm a track for recording. For live performances it’s often things like forgetting to make sure all the inputs on the PA mixer are turned up. Admit it, you’ve probably seen this in very professional performances when the 2nd or 3rd person to speak or sing gets a line or two into their part before their mic gets turned up or on.
I can’t tell you hoe many times my wife has told me to “make a checklist” every time something like this happens. I still haven’t done it, mainly because these things seem so obvious that putting them on a checklist seems ridiculous. But they work.
Here is a post – coming from a church sound perspective, but the topic applies equally to any live situation – about this very situation:
http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/church_sound_sometimes_its_the_simple_things_that_matter_most/
Archives for November 2012
Creating Pre-Chorus Builds Using Native Instruments Massive Synthesizer
Often before the chorus in a song, you have a build-up of emotion caused by the chord structure as well as the volume and intensity of the recorded music. Here’s a video that shows you how to create the kind of build you would likely hear in electronic Dance Music (EDM). It uses the Massive software synthesizer, from Native Instruments. Massive is hard to get now as a stand-alone purchase, but it is included in several other NI products, such as their Maschine Groove Production Studio and the Komplete Virtual Instruments and Effects Collection.
Anyway, below is the video showing you how to create the builds:
Cyber Monday Deals On Home Recording Gear
Last week I told you about the Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals that B&H had going on audio recording gear – Black Friday and Cyber Monday Specials on Pro Audio Gear At B&H. But now that it IS Cyber Monday, they have sweetened some of these deals even more. Chief among the gear with improved prices include the M-Audio Fast Track Audio Interface, whose regular price is $99. Today you can get it for $69! But only on the stock that’s left, which is limited.
M-Audio Fast Track For $69
The regular price for this excellent audio interface (part of our “Home Studio Configuration #2“) is $99. But today (Nov 26th, 2012) until midnight, until supplies last, you can get it for $69 PLUS free shipping! This is an incredible deal. The Fast Track also comes with limited version of Pro Tools called Pro Tools SE. Get in on it while you can. Click Here.
To view all the Pro Audio Cyber Monday deals at B&H, Click Here.
For all the Cyber Monday deals at B&H, which include some crazy amazing deals on computers today – Click Here
Creating That Deep 808 Kick Sound With Logic's ES2 Synth
Back in the 80s, drum machines were becoming all the rage. Roland was one of the more popular manufacturers of these drum boxes, and one in particular, the TR-808, became very popular with the R&B, Rap, and Dance crowd – mainly for its very deep and booming kick drum sound. That sound became known in the zeitgeist as simply “808.” Check out the Urban Dictionary entry for 808 here.
Since the 808 sound continues to be relevant in the age of software-based recording studios, you can emulate it in a number of virtual instrument and synth programs. Below is a video from YouTube user, imamusicmogul that shows you how to get the 808 sound using a synthesizer program in Apple’s Logic recording software. It is included in both Logic Pro and Logic Studio.The synth program is called ES2, and is a very sophisticated virtual analog synth. There is a pretty detailed article in Sound-On-Sound about the ES2 here.
OK, so back to the video and the instructions for creating the 808 kick sound in Logic’s ES2:
For more articles on virtual drumming with your recording software – regardless of program or platform – see the articles in our “virtual drumming” tag by visiting this page – https://www.homebrewaudio.com/tag/virtual-drumming/
Mic Comparison For Acoustic Guitar – $1000 Versus $100
In the following post, there is a video where Graham tests the results of three different microphones ranging in price from just under $100 to $1,000. The mics used were:
AKG C414 ($999)
Shure KSM 141 ($399)
Shure SM57 ($96)
The tests they did were to record the same guitar and player, playing the same finger-picked music. The mics were all positioned the same and Graham gain-matched the recordings to make sure volume differences were not a factor in judging one against the other.
You might also want to read the comments below the post for some interesting insight from others. The point of this was not only to show how different the results of different mics can be, even when recording the exact same thing (useful in itself to perhaps add dimension and variety to your mixes), but also to highlight the fact that you can get useable and even really good results from a mic costing ten times less than another (I guess it’s more correct to say costing 1/10th the price – whatevs:)).
Anyway, check out this video if you do music recording. Very interesting.
I’m going to keep using my Shure SM81 to record acoustic guitar though. I’m hooked;).
http://therecordingrevolution.com/2012/08/15/acoustic-guitar-microphone-shootout-video/
Cheers,
Ken