Great sounding recordings through skills and knowledge without expensive gear
Check out our YouTube Channel
Join the FaceBook Community
Follow us on instagram
Basic Recording Overview
In this lesson we record, mix and master a song and explain each step of the way, and all the gear. If you use Logic Pro X, you can download the session for mix practice.
Download the raw tracks here
Download the Logic project
Recording Interface:
Audio device that connects to the computer and provides a hub to streamline all audio signals in and out of the computer. Most computers only have a single microphone input, and a headphone output. The Recording Interface will provide the ability to connect multiple of channels of audio, and route the audio to your recording software. Also called “sound card”
DAW:
Digital Audio Workstation. This is the software used for capturing and editing and creating audio. Also called “recording software”.
Midi Keyboard:
An electronic piano which sends the performance information into the computer to play software instruments. The keyboard by itself doesn’t make any sound, it is only used as a controller for playing instruments such as a software piano, or a software string section.
Preamps:
An audio amplification circuit that boosts the signal level of a microphone or electric guitar. There will be a “Gain” knob, which the recording engineer must adjust to get the proper signal level in the daw.
Phantom Power:
A common type of microphone used in recording studios is the Condenser type. This type of microphone has an electrical circuit built in that requires power. Phantom Power is an electrical current of 48 volts that is provided through the XLR microphone input, and is transmitted to the microphone through the connected XLR cable.
Monitors:
Speakers used for hearing the audio in a studio. Studio monitors differ from home theatre speakers in that monitors are designed to be accurate, whereas home theatre speakers are designed to sound good. For instance, home theatre speakers often have excessive bass, and gaps in the audible frequency spectrum that are not noticeable. If you were creating music with those speakers, you would likely have weak bass, and problems in the frequencies where the gaps are.
Hi-Z input:
Hi -Z stands for “high impedance” which is the type of output an electric guitar, or an electric bass will have. Some preamps, or audio interfaces will have a dedicated input for Hi-Z sources, and that input is where you would plug in your electric guitar, or electric bass to capture the pure sound from the instrument.
This studio setup
Computer- Apple MacBook Pro
DAW- Logic Pro x
Audio Interface- Focusrite Scarlett 18i20
Midi keyboard- M-audio Oxygen
Monitors- APS Klassik
Microphone- iSK Pearl
