| After I had blown quite a few thousand
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| | those instructions. There are two options
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| dollars in a recording studio, a sound
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| | for this: external and internal.
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| engineer friend made a cool suggestion.
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| | External sounds come in little boxes
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| "Why don't you buy an ADAT, and do some
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| | called sound modules (or keyboards with
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| tracking at home?" So I purchased that
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| | their own great sounds). Sound modules
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| venerable 8 track digital tape recorder
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| | have hundreds of high-quality patches that
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| and saved oodles of time and money putting
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| | re-create every instrument in the
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| all my synth tracks on tape. That was my
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| | orchestra, classic electronic sounds,
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| start in home recording, and oh, the fun
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| | spacey new synthesizer creations and sound
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| I've had since!
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| | effects. To use them, you send the MIDI
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| What are the basic pieces of equipment
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| | back out from the sequencer program
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| and software one needs to record at home?
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| | through the audio interface's MIDI output
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| There are so many ways to do this! Well,
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| | and into the sound module. You then take
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| since you're reading this, you probably
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| | the audio output from the sound module
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| have a computer, so let's base our home
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| | back into your computer via the line input
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| studio on the computer. We'll start by
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| | on your audio interface and record it on a
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| understanding the different functions we
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| | new audio track in the sequencer. It is
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| will need filled in home recording. Then
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| | now a real sound and is perfectly lined up
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| we'll understand what the best hardware
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| | with the other tracks.
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| and software products to do it are. In
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| | Internal sounds come in lots of different
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| general, the principle I recommend is to
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| | types. Instruments that you use from
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| use fewer pieces of equipment with more
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| | within your audio/MIDI sequencer include
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| functions. That approach saves time and,
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| | VST instruments and software synths. The
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| usually, money. As you advance in your
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| | latter may automatically come with your
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| recording skills, you can go for more
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| | audio interface, or require installation
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| specialized equipment.
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| | like any other program. Option two is a
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| There are two distinct phases in
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| | full-blown sampler/synthesizer program,
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| recording a song. One is the "in" phase,
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| | such as "Reason", that you connect your
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| referring to everything needed to get your
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| | sequencer to through a software function
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| music performance into a basic recorded
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| | called "Rewire." And there are also sound
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| form, with however many tracks you need.
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| | modules that come in the form of PCI cards
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| The second phase is the "out" phase, where
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| | that you physically install on your
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| you will take that raw music, process it
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| | computer.
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| and create the final stereo version.
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| | Fine tuning and effects
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| The "in" phase -- sending the music to
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| | Most every song will use spatial effects
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| your computer
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| | such as reverb and echo. You may find that
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| Music can be put into your computer
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| | some tracks are slightly out of tune. On
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| either as audio or as MIDI. Audio is
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| | others, there may be a consistent buzz
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| actual sound recordings. MIDI records no
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| | that needs to be removed. For all of
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| sounds, but only the digital instructions
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| | these, you will want to have an audio
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| for an instrument to play. It is much like
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| | editing program or plug-in. A plug-in is
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| a combination of a pianist and sheet
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| | simply a function you can add to your
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| music. Without an instrument, he can make
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| | basic sequencer program. Plug-ins exists
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| no music. With MIDI, you are saving the
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| | for all kinds of functions, including
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| note and volume instructions to be played
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| | reverb, compression, equalization, noise
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| on the instruments of your choice later
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| | reduction, pitch correction and so forth.
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| on.
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| | An audio editing program is a standalone
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| Although some programs let you put MIDI
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| | program that does all of these things.
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| notes into your computer through your
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| | With most audio/MIDI sequencers, you can
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| computer keyboard, and other programs have
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| | configure your software to call up the
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| music generation features that allow you
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| | audio editing program and fix the track
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| to create an entire backing band without
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| | without leaving the sequencer.
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| playing a note, the best solution is a
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| | Mixing down
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| velocity sensitive MIDI keyboard. It gives
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| | Once you have all of your tracks and
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| a much more realistic performance. For
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| | sounds recorded, you will need to mix them
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| example, playing a key softer will record
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| | down to stereo. Again, this can be done in
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| a softer note. Other features, such as
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| | an external or internal fashion. To do it
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| aftertouch, allow you to add vibrato and
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| | externally, you would need a hardware
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| other realistic effects.
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| | mixer. This method limits you to the
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| Audio simply means actual sounds. Audio
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| | number of tracks you can send
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| tracks will include vocals, acoustic
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| | independently through your audio interface
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| instruments, and electronic instruments
| |
| | and the number of tracks your mixer can
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| whose sounds you wish to use. You will do
| |
| | handle. Nonetheless, mixers give you a
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| well to get at least two microphones. Some
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| | real surface to work on, and often include
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| microphones are better constructed to
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| | quality studio effects, reverbs and such.
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| record vocals, while others are optimized
| |
| | Internal mixing means using your audio
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| for instruments. In addition, having two
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| | MIDI sequencer to mix down the entire song
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| mics allows you to record in stereo, or
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| | to two tracks. The advantage of doing it
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| two soloists performing at the same time.
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| | internally is the expanded number of
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| Receiving the music into your computer
| |
| | tracks you can use. The disadvantage is
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| All of this will get your music up to
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| | the difficulty of mixing with a mouse on a
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| your computer's door. How do you get it
| |
| | computer screen. There are, however,
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| inside? With an audio interface that has:
| |
| | hardware mixing surfaces which simply
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| a microphone jack that fits your
| |
| | control your software program.
|
| microphone cable and preamp function (so
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| | Mastering and burning
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| that the signal is strong enough to be
| |
| | Once you have your stereo mix, you want
|
| properly recorded), phantom power (if you
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| | to put the finishing touches on it. These
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| use a condenser mic that needs it), a line
| |
| | touches include overall compression,
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| input for synths and sound modules, and a
| |
| | equalization, noise reduction, fading in
|
| MIDI interface. Remember the principle -
| |
| | and out and bringing the recording up to a
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| less products that do more. Some find it
| |
| | normalized level of volume. Your audio
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| simpler to run every audio sound, mics and
| |
| | editing program should be able to handle
|
| all, through a hardware mixer (with
| |
| | these adequately, although there are
|
| phantom power and effects) and sending
| |
| | specialized mastering programs which offer
|
| that pre-processed signal to the audio
| |
| | higher quality and many more enhancement
|
| interface's line input. You'll still need
| |
| | features.
|
| the MIDI interface function for your MIDI
| |
| | Then you're ready to burn your song to
|
| recording, though.
| |
| | CD. Odds are that your CD writing drive
|
| Once your audio and MIDI are inside your
| |
| | came with a program that does just that
|
| computer, software takes over. For our
| |
| | and you won't need anything more. I did
|
| recording we will use what's called an
| |
| | mention that you'll need a CD writing
|
| integrated audio/MIDI sequencer. Famous
| |
| | drive, didn't I? Well, now I did! And if
|
| names include Cubase, Cakewalk and so
| |
| | it's MP3 you're after, most audio programs
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| forth. These programs record multiple
| |
| | encode MP3s as well.
|
| tracks of audio and MIDI in perfect
| |
| | And that's it! Now you have everything
|
| synchronization.
| |
| | you need to make your musical magic at
|
| Now you have all the equipment you need
| |
| | home. Have fun, but I don't need to tell
|
| for the "in" phase. What will you need to
| |
| | you that, because it just is.Seth Lutnick
|
| take the many tracks of audio and MIDI you
| |
| | is a singer and songwriter who has been
|
| have recorded and make a song out of them?
| |
| | bitten by the bug of home music recording.
|
| The "out" phase -- making MIDI into music
| |
| | His web site, offers detailed step-by-step
|
| We mentioned that MIDI is simply digital
| |
| | plans for creating a home recording
|
| instructions, it is not actual sounds. Now
| |
| | studio, song arranging and professional
|
| we will need to create actual sounds from
| |
| | album recording.
|
