Computer Audio Recording

Computer Audio Recording Britta Snowberger Proposal/ Report Writing 04/02/06 Overview Computer audio recording is a relatively new technology that allows artists of all musical backgrounds to record and edit their songs using a computer and several additional pieces of basic audio hardware. With computer audio recording, artists may also convert recorded files to a number of common extensions and distribute their works across the globe. History The earliest form of audio recording appeared in the 1800s as Thomas Edison’s phonograph. This invention recorded and played back sound using a metal stylus and a cylinder covered with tin foil. As the cylinder rotated, the stylus traveled along grooves in the foil and projected sound through a horn, an early model of a speaker. Edison’s phonograph spurred the development of radio, which, in turn, encouraged the invention of electronic recording. By the 1920s, microphones and loud speakers made their way onto the audio recording scene, and companies such as AT&T and RCA invested time and money into these devices. Following the Great Depression, audio recording exploded, and vinyl records, 8tracks, and cassette tapes became popular with the American people. In 1982, audio formats began to evolve from electronic to digital recording, as Sony introduced the first compact disc (CD). Four years later, CD-ROM formats were developed for home computers, and the process of computer audio recording was born. Today, anyone from independent music hobbyists to professionally signed bands may record music on his or her home computer. Once recorded, this music may be shared with the world in the form of CDs, MP3s or streaming audio on the internet. Quality home computer audio recording may be accomplished with a little creativity, hard work, and most importantly, the proper equipment (RIAA, 2003). Recording Equipment The keys to high quality home recordings exist as a computer, soundcard, microphone, microphone stand, microphone preamplifier, headphones, headphone amplifier, cables and recording software (Gonzales, 2004). This equipment is described in detail below: Computer Nearly every computer is suitable for audio recording, regardless of brand names. Laptops and desktops perform similarly and are equally capable of producing quality recordings. As long as the computer and additional audio hardware are compatible, the process of home audio recording should run smoothly. Soundcard Typical computer soundcards are built for gaming and controlling desktop speakers, and they lack the ability to record efficiently. “Full duplex” soundcards, those able to record and play back music simultaneously, are very important to computer audio recording. They recognize fuller, clearer sounds and record at higher resolutions, making the projects more crisp and precise. Microphone Condenser microphones are the most popular for home audio recording, as they are extremely sensitive and pick up the ambient nuances of acoustic guitar and like instruments. Whether large or small, cheap or expensive, condenser microphones perform much better than standard computer microphones and are important for producing quality sound. Microphone Stand Depending on available space, all sizes and styles of microphone stands work well for home recording. Stands free up artists’ hands and keep microphones at good angles to instruments and vocalists so that the most accurate sounds may be acquired. Since unnecessary vibrations and background noise are often picked up when they are not used, microphone stands are a computer recording necessity. Microphone Preamplifier Microphone preamplifiers connect microphones to computer soundcards. In the recording process, condenser microphones convert sound into inaudible electric signals. Preamplifiers are used to boost these signals up before they reach the soundcard, where they may be transferred to digital sound and saved to computer hard drives. Headphones Oftentimes, artists record multiple tracks, or blocks of music, over one another. To do this, the artist must record one track and play it back while recording a second track simultaneously, and so on. Music is played back to the artist through headphones, because, if played through desktop speakers, these previous recordings would be needlessly picked up by microphones while recording other tracks. Headphone Amplifier Some computers produce ample sound through their headphone jacks. Others, unfortunately do not. Headphone amplifiers are purchased and connected to soundcards so that artists may experience clear and audible playbacks. Cables Sturdy audio cables are necessary for transferring sound and connecting audio hardware. Two or three cables complete the basic home recording setup, connecting the microphone to the microphone preamplifier, the microphone preamplifier to the soundcard, and the headphone amplifier to the soundcard. Recording Software Computer programs designed for recording music vary as much as the musicians themselves do. Popular software such as Cakewalk, Cubase, and ACIDPro allow artists to record and edit multiple tracks, convert recorded files to a number of audio extensions, and transfer music onto CDs. In addition, recording software allows artists to enhance their music using a number of mixing and mastering features (Hermitage Acoustics, 2006). Recording Software Features Most computer recording programs provide artists with the ability to record and play back multiple tracks, whether instrumental or vocal. Multitrack recording produces a fuller sound with vocal harmonies and instrumental accompaniment. If necessary, shorter recordings may be looped, or repeated, to complete a song or maintain continuity. Once recorded, the tempo and key of these tracks may be altered using features of recording software. Programs such as ACIDPro allow artists to change recorded tracks by selecting certain time signatures and keys. The program then modifies the recording to fit the artists’ selections. Recording software provides musicians with special audio effects that are added to tracks to alter signals and frequencies, produce echoes and delays, and block out unwanted noise. These effects are described in the following table: Audio Effects and Their Purposes in Recording Effect Function Amplitude Modulation Changes strength of track signal Chorus Combines track with delayed copy of itself Distortion Alters track signal Dither Varies strength of track signal, adds noise Flange/Wah-wah Combines track with slightly delayed, modulated form of itself Resonant Filter Alters track signal Reverb Produces selected form of echo or reverberation Simple Delay Combines track with measured delay of itself Smooth/Enhance Enhances lowest and highest frequencies Track EQ Amplifies or reduces selected frequencies Track Noise Gate Controls allowed or disallowed signals (Zonicweb, 2006), (WhippinPost, 2006) With most programs, audio effects can be combined to form a bus. A bus is simply a collection of chosen effects that may be applied to selected tracks. Recording software also allows artists to use envelopes on multiple tracks, which control audio levels and panning. The final feature included in most basic recording software programs is soft synthesizer. With a synthesizer, artists may add computer generated sound effects ranging from traditional instruments to drizzling rain to gunshots to their music. The soft synthesizer enables musicians to add flair and creativity to their projects (ACIDPro 4.0, 2003). Audio Conversion Once completed, a recorded file is saved in the software’s own format, which is often incompatible with other music programs. Artists often use additional downloaded programs or the recording software itself to convert audio files from the default extension to CDA, WMA, or MP3 files. CDA (Compact Disc Audio) is a small file format with which most professional music is written onto CDs. WMA (Windows Media Audio) is a compressed file format used in most Microsoft applications. MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3) is a greatly compressed file format used in MP3 players and iPods and most streaming audio on the Internet. When music files are converted from one format to another, they survive the process relatively unchanged. However, if recordings undergo multiple conversions, they may lose significant quality (Wikimedia, 2006). Audio Distribution Artists often write and record music for the purpose of distributing these works to the public. After computer workstations are assembled, tracks are recorded and mastered, and files are saved and converted, musicians may distribute their projects in any manner they see fit. CDs and streaming Internet audio are the most popular ways to share music. Compact Discs Artists may create CDs by burning, or copying, their recorded files onto blank CDs. This action may be performed straight from the recording software or through an alternate program like iTunes, Windows Media Player, or MusicMatch Jukebox. To burn a CD, a musician must simply transfer the selected files to a playlist and copy the playlist onto a CD with the help of a computer CD burner, available on most computers. Streaming Audio Another popular outlet for musicians to share their works is streaming audio on the Internet. Websites such as Myspace and PureVolume allow users to create their own web pages and add songs to the pages in streaming audio. Artists must only create profiles and upload MP3 files to their websites, and their music can be heard immediately and uninterrupted across the globe. Conclusion Computer audio recording is an important technology of which most musicians should be aware. Once a sufficient workstation has been developed, artists may record and edit multiple music tracks, add effects, convert recorded files, and distribute these files throughout the world. Because it continues to evolve, the process of home recording will shape the music industry as we know it for years to come. References ACIDPro 4.0. Vers. 4.0f (Build 446). Sony Pictures Digital Inc, 2003. “Computer Audio Recording.” 2006. Hermitage Acoustics. 1 April 2006 Computer Music Glossary. 2006. The WhippinPost. 1 April 2006. “History of Recordings.” 2003. The Recording Industry Association of America. 2 April 2006 . “The Musician’s Guide to Home Recording.” 15 Feb. 2004. Ed. Ron Gonzales. 2 April 2006 . Music Technology Dictionary. 2006. Zonicweb. 2 April 2006. Wikipedia. 2006. Wikimedia Foundation. 2 April 2006.