Now last week I started talking about the basic recording set up you would need to make a CD. And we talked about the root of the system, the computer. But this week We figure out how you can get the audio signal (Basically anything your microphone will pick up) in to the computer. First lets shortly talk about the actual connection. In the days of the mini empire state building sized desk top towers, you used to have a sound card that had its connection (PCI)to anything from a small desk top box with one line input to larger rack units like the oh so famous Pro Tools HD system. Did it revolutionise the recording industry? Yeah! Is it still the only real player in town? No! Not by any stretch of imagination. Then we moved to fire-wire, as Apple and Digidesign favoured this, and still about five years ago, you would not consider having a recording computer with out Fire-wire port. But today the quality of Audio Interfaces with USB 2.0 (USB 3.0 on the way)connections is so high that I find it hard to recommend anything else. Now don't get me wrong here, the top notch PCI system is still the fastest connection in the game, but you limit your self to a desk top. And again the top ones come with a massive price tag. There are two main aspects in Audio interface that will affect the sound of your recording: The Quality of the analogue to digital converters and the built in pre amps. The AD converter is little bit more technical matter, but basically what happens is this: Sound is wave form, a continuous graphic, if you like. The computer needs a binary code to input information, and binary code is different compilations of 0 and 1. So the converter chops the audio in to very small samples and gives them an value that can be understood by the computer. This is also what happens on CDs, 44100 times a second! And obviously this all happens other way around again for the playback. The Quality of the converters comes down mostly to the quality of the electronic components used in the Audio interface. The second major factor here is the preamp. Now this is something you can bypass with an external preamp. But before you do, let me just say this: Most of today's Audio interfaces have descent enough built in Microphone Preamps. They are not the top of the range magical “Professional studio” miracle makers (That of course make every one sound like rock star, in your imaginary world), but to get better you would need to spend some serious money. My advice is once again back to basics: Microphone positioning, careful level checks and lots of patience.
I have no interest starting to recommend loads of different audio interfaces here, do your research, that's how you learn, that's how I've learned. But I have sheared my experiences of few (Zoom R16, Line6 UX1) in earlier parts of this blog. Also If you insist on PCI card, check out the EMU, Amazing quality for the money.
Once again I find my self apologizing about the technical nature of this weeks blog, but it is all part of the project. I am not a big tech head, but I am learning as I go along. And that's the way I do most things in life. Good thing I don't have big urge to learn sky diving... Not yet anyway;-)
As you know I took few weeks break from Playing over the holidays, and it was great. But now I am itching to get back! I have noticed in the past that If I stop playing cold turkey, my shoulders start to complain few days later. And sure enough it happened this time, but lucky enough Piotrek (girlfriends sisters husband) dragged me to the gym and put me through a work out, and I must say it made a world of difference! And I know it is an old cliché, but keep your body in some sort of order and you will play better! For guitar, you really need to care for your hands and arms. And stretching or swimming will do wonders to keep your shoulders moving. And I don't care what you say, but standing up with a strap while you play is million times better for your back than humping over the guitar, believe me here! Had some serious back pains in my past. And if you sing, you need some serious stomach muscles, especially if you sing any kind of rock music. New year is always famous time to start a new fitness routine (that usually is long forgotten by March), but I will challenge all my musician friends to take better care of their bodies this year:-)
So that's some thing for you to digest for the first week of 2011. Back next week for some more on the basic recording set up and hopefully some updates on our recording:-) And once again, leave comments below.
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