The Everything Guide to Digital Home Recording
Tips, tools, and techniques for studio sound at home
Published on 18. October 2009
304 pages
978-1-4405-0178-4 (ISBN)
Description
Leona Lewis, Lily Allen, and Colbie Caillat all became famous after their self-produced music was posted on the Internet. And now anyone who's ever practiced in front of the mirror for hours wants to try it too. This guide shows aspiring musicians how to turn their computers into a music studio.
Professional musician Marc Schonbrun leads you step-by-step through the basics of home recording, including:
- Tips on how to make?and stick to?a recording budget
- The best digital recording software
- Microphones, mixers, and electronic hardware
- Recording for individual instruments and virtual instruments
- Mixing, mastering, and advanced recording techniques
More details
Other editions
Additional editions
Marc Schonbrun
The Everything Guide to Digital Home Recording
Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Studio Sound at Home
Book
11/2009
Adams Media Corporation
€31.15
Article exhausted; check different version
Person
Marc Schonbrun is a guitarist, author, teacher, and technologist. He's authored numerous books covering guitar, music theory, and technology, many of which have become popular in schools and universities. From small venues to notable stages like Lincoln Center, Marc has showcased his talent in both jazz and classical styles, often as a solo performer. Now based in California with his family, he continues to balance teaching, performing, and family time.
Content
- Intro
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- The Top Ten Reasons to Record at Home
- Introduction
- 1: Recording Basics
- How It All Began
- Recording Defined
- Early Recording Techniques
- Modern-Day Developments
- Elements of a Professional Recording
- 2: So You Want to Cut a Record
- Bringing It Home
- Assessing Your Needs
- Shopping for Gear
- Creating a Budget
- Typical Setups
- 3: Elements of a Home Studio
- The Center of It All-The Recorder
- What's So Great about a Computer Anyway?
- Capturing Sound
- To Mix or Not to Mix
- Achieving Portability
- Setting Up a Space
- Instruments
- 4: Recording Equipment
- What the Right Gear Can Do for You
- The Four-Track Tape Recorder
- Transition to Digital
- Microphones
- Headphones or Speakers?
- Accessories
- Keyboard Controllers
- Studio Furniture
- Handheld Recorders
- 5: Recording on a Computer
- Where Did It Start?
- Processors and RAM
- Hard Drives
- The Great Debate
- Interfaces
- Making It All Work
- 6: Computer Recording Tools
- Power in a Box
- The Interface to Software
- Types of Music Software
- Plug-In Formats
- Popular Software
- 7: Loop-Based Software
- What is a Loop?
- Popular Loop-Based Software
- Audio Loops
- MIDI/Instrument Loops
- How to Loop
- Making Loops Your Own
- Expanding your Loop Library
- 8: Setting It All Up
- Cable Types Explained
- Patching, Levels, and Monitoring
- Understanding the Signal Chain
- Isolating Sources of Sound
- Acoustics
- Common Mistakes
- 9: Microphones
- Polar Patterns
- Frequency Response
- Dynamic Microphones
- Condenser Microphones
- Microphone Extras
- 10: Mixers
- Mix It Up
- Physical Layout of Mixers
- Insert Effects, Aux Inputs, and Buses
- Getting Sound into a Mixer
- Getting Sound out of a Mixer
- 11: Recording Individual Instruments
- Guitar and Bass
- Vocals and the Spoken Word
- Electronic Keyboards
- Drum Sets
- Acoustic Instruments
- 12: Digital Recording Software
- Introduction to the Visual Interface
- Tracks
- Typical Track Controls
- Virtual Mixers
- Inserting Plug-ins
- Inputs and Outputs
- Editing Tools
- 13: Virtual Instruments
- What is a Virtual Instrument?
- Included Versus Third Party
- Controlling Virtual Instruments
- Overview of Popular Virtual Instruments
- Managing Resources
- Plug-In Formats
- 14: Editing
- Making Changes
- Just Because You Can
- Computer-Based Editing
- Digital Micro-Editing
- Loop Editing
- MIDI Editing
- 15: Tweaking Your Sound
- Essentials of Sound
- Equalization
- The Parameters of EQ
- Knowing When to Use EQ
- Reverb
- The Parameters of Reverb
- Knowing When to Use Reverb
- 16: Using Other Effects
- Chorus
- Compression
- Limiting
- Gating
- All-in-One Tools
- Guitar Simulators
- Other Effects
- Using Hardware Effects in a Digital Studio
- The Pros and Cons of Software Plug-Ins
- 17: Mixing and Mastering
- What Is Mixing?
- Foreground/Background
- Depth
- Up and Down: EQ
- Side to Side
- Audio in Motion
- Control Surfaces
- Buses
- The End Result
- Mastering
- 18: Advanced Recording Tips and Techniques
- Multiple Microphones
- Surgical EQ
- Thicken Up Vocals
- Side Chains
- Abusing Compression
- 19: Amazing Technology in Your Home
- Pitch Correction
- Pitch to MIDI
- Elastic Time
- Audio Analysis
- Audio Restoration
- 20: Share Your Music
- Getting Your Mixes Out
- MySpace Music
- Selling on iTunes
- CD Baby
- Other Marketing Channels
- 21: Tips for Recording a Demo and Getting Some Work
- So You Want to Make a Record?
- The Fine Details
- Being Productive
- Finalizing
- Optimal Sound Quality
- Define Your Purpose
- Making Good Connections
- Copyright Protection
- Selling It
- Promotion
- Appendix A: Recording Equipment Manufacturers and Suppliers
- Appendix B: Additional Resources
- Appendix C: Glossary
