Computer recording has come a long way. Twenty years ago it barely existed. Today there are dozens of companies offering a wide range of popular-priced products, all designed to give the aspiring musician the opportunity to share his or her music with the world.
Credit the home computer for making “music making” so affordable. Over 60% of American households have one or more computers. And an ever-growing number of musicians are discovering how to put them to work making professional-quality recordings in basements, bedrooms and garages from coast to coast.
This article is designed to bring you up to speed on how to get started making your own multi-track, computer recordings – without spending mega-bucks in the process.
Computer recording requires some basic elements:
As you might guess, there are plenty of options – depending on how much you want to spend, what kind of recordings you want to make and who you’re making them for. Let’s start with the “brains”.
The heart of your recording system has to be powerful enough to manage a fairly substantial amount of information. Either a Mac or PC will work (although most computer recorders find that the Mac platform is a little more audio-friendly). Make sure your computer has at least 128 MB of RAM, a fast hard disc with plenty of room (14 to 20 GB is adequate) and a Pentium III 500 Mhz processor (PC) or is at least an iMac G3/G4 (Mac).
BASIC HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
| RAM | 128 MB |
| HARD DRIVE | 4-20 Gb |
| PROCESSOR | 500 Mhz |
There are two basic types – a sound card (usually a PCI card) and a standalone USB box. Let’s look at both types.
A SOUND CARD, providing analog-to-digital conversion for microphones and instruments, is a PC-based interface in the form of a hardware circuit card that goes inside your desktop computer. If your computer has sound, it has a sound card. Chances are, however, the one that installed in your computer is either designed for games or business applications and not semi-pro audio. If you are using a consumer-grade soundcard, click here to visit Shure’s K-base for specifics on “Interfacing Professional Microphones to Computer Sound Cards”.
You do if you want to record more instruments than your sound card has inputs for (if you’re recording an entire band) or if you prefer to use faders instead of your mouse during the mix-down phase of your recording (in which case you’ll need a sound card with multiple outputs). A mixer will help you do a better job of recording the live sound source and creating a final, polished mix.
A mixer
Just Getting Started
All under $100
Rolls MX565 Playmate Mixer
Alesis Multi-Mix 6-Channel Mixer
Peavey PV6 Mixer
Stepping Up
Mixers under $500
Mackie DFX12 12-Channel Mixer with Effects
Peavey RQ2318 16-Channel Console Mixer
Alesis GM6FX GigaMix Powered 6-Channel Mixer
Recording software allows you to mix, edit and apply effects to your recorded sounds. Some software packages also contain extensive sample libraries that can be used with soft synths (or software synthesizers) that rival, in cost and content the Moogs of days gone by.
Sampling and Synthesis software is an inexpensive way to create a near infinite number of instruments or sounds for making music. Sample pads can be added to allow for editing, overlapping and playing back multiple samples. By sampling musical phrases, then looping and mixing various samples, you can create original compositions.
Important Considerations
1. Keep in mind that there is excellent software for both PC and Mac platforms. Making great recordings won’t force you to switch.
2. Choose software with good multi-tracking capabilities.
3. Look for mix-down and export capabilities that allow you to export your final mix to a high quality audio file.
Just Getting Started - Under $200
Stepping Up - Under $400
One of the most important parts of the recording process involves listening to your tracks and mixes. In days of yore, this required wearing a heavy headset to block out room noise.
Once again, technology has made that cumbersome gear a thing of the past with the introduction of high performance, sound-isolating earphones that you can use when recording – and for listening to tunes on your iPod or MP3 player.
Here are two from Shure:
Starting Out
The Shure E2 features a studio quality, sound-isolating design. Weighing in at just one ounce, they come with a fit kit for personalized, in-ear placement. You can find them at your Shure dealer for around $100 a pair.
Stepping Up
Since every microphone has a distinct sonic signature, along with its own characteristics in terms of transducer type (condenser or dynamic) and polar pattern (unidirectional, cardioid and supercardioid), it’s important to revisit those lessons.
Click here for information on microphone types.
Let’s assume that you’re recording tracks separately and overdubbing. You may be able to get away with just one microphone.
In order to make the right choice, decide which is the most important element in the mix. It’s probably the voice. If so, a large-diaphragm condenser microphone like the KSM 27 might be best. However, a fairly neutral sounding cardioid pattern condenser mic can work well on a wide variety of sound sources. Experiment with mic placement to get the best results.
It all started back in the 1980s when record companies switched from analog to digital format, in other words, recording music as data. The files were very large, about 10 MB for a minute of recorded music. CDs, capable of storing up to 650 MB of information – or about 70 minutes of music – were the perfect solution.
Enter file sharing. By the mid-1990’s most of us had computers with modems. An average five minute tune of 50MB or so would take more than eight hours to be transferred between computers using a 14.4 Kbps modem. Since technology existed to compress files to about 1/10th their size, the era of the MP3 began. MP3s are still the most popular digital music-sharing format. The Microsoft response to MP3 is WMA, or Windows Media Audio.
Remember, though, you don’t gain file space without giving a little something up. Is the audio quality of an MP3 files as good as a CD? No. Enter math. In an MP3, the audio file is fed through an algorithm that decides what's needed and what's not. That means some of the “data” may be missing. But unless your fans and friends are true audiophiles, that loss may not be noticed, especially since they won’t have a CD for comparison. And the advantages of the MP3s small file size make it ideal for e-mail, site uploading and general sharing.
| 1. | Back it all up Rule #1 in computer recording: Back it up. Make sure you’ve got a data CD with all your tracks for each song. There’s nothing worse than wanting to retrieve a piece of work and finding out that it’s lost in cyberspace. |
| 2. | Think acoustics Even if you can’t soundproof your space, there are some simple things you can do to keep the noise down. You can deaden a bad sounding space with curtains, wall hangings and overstuffed furniture. Urbanites will want to avoid traffic and street noise to the extent possible. And since computers make noise, too – it’s not a bad idea to put yours in a closet or away from mics when recording. |
| 3. | Don’t scrimp on cords and cables Use decent mic and instrument cords. And make sure all connections are clean and tight. |
| 4. | Be a mix master The last stage of the recording process is mixing – combining all the elements of your song into a single, complete, well-crafted composite. Most people start with the rhythm section (drums and bass), and then move onto instruments and vocals. |
| 5. | Listen on different playback devices Your music may sound great on your computer’s stereo speakers but not so great on an expensive audio system. Make sure you get the best sound across the board by listening to your work on a variety of different stereos – from a high fidelity rack system to that $30 boom box that your mother has in the kitchen. |
| 6. | Try and try again. Apart from the occasional miracle, no one gets it right the first time. Don’t be satisfied until you’ve tried multiple takes for each track. |
| 7. | Trust your ears. Only you know whether the sound you’re getting is what you’re looking for. So experiment. You’re not paying for studio time! |
Take note, though, many of these small, underground sites are also under-funded and may disappear as quickly as they appeared. And if you’re on the verge of singing with a major label, you may want to consider future copyright issues. There aren’t many sheriffs in the wild, wild world of cyberspace.
A few of the dozens of sites offering MP3 uploads for unsigned artists are:
| IUMA | music.lycos.com |
| MP3.com | Flashrock |
| Ampcast | Intimate Audio |
| launch.yahoo.com | JukeBoxAlive.com |
| Zebox | A & R Online |
| Garageband.com |
Want to find more? Type “free music uploads” into your favorite search engine.
Playing music requires talent, skill and practice. Mixing and recording it brings your artistry to another level.
This is an applied art that can be learned through experimentation. You don’t have to be an engineer to use the musician-friendly tools that are widely available and affordable. A decent mic and a soundcard are all you need to get started.
Computer Recording: The Basics
Product Spotlight: PG57 and KSM27 mics Shure Notes Archive
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