1. Why? -- The most important question -- 2. Who are you? -- You as a category -- Singer/songwriter -- Dance producer -- Film composer -- Teacher -- Commercial producer/engineer -- Moving on -- 3. What : the elements of a recording studio -- The components of a recording studio -- Multitrack recording -- Mixing -- Signal processing -- Editing -- Mastering -- Types of studios -- Component systems -- All-in-one studios -- Sequencer-based studios -- Computer-based studios -- Mixing and matching -- Moving on -- 4. Multitrack recording -- Two-track recording -- Multitrack recording -- Many tracks -- Overdubbing -- Punching in and out -- Linear recording -- Nonlinear recording -- Hard-disk recorders -- Other media -- MiniDisc -- CD and DVD drivers -- Virtual tracks -- Breaking the boundaries of pitch and time -- Even "more nonlinear" nonlinear recording -- Multitrack features -- Moving on -- 5. Working with computers -- Choosing a computer -- Mac, Windows, or other? -- Laptop or desktop? -- What do the specs mean? -- Processor speed -- RAM -- Hard drive(s) -- Display monitors -- Keyboards and mice -- Software -- Sequencers -- Key features -- Additional features -- Waveform editors and mastering software -- Software instruments -- Formats -- Software instrument suites -- Effects -- "Powered" plug-ins -- Editor/librarians -- Utilities -- Notation software -- Peripherals -- Controllers -- Audio interfaces -- Control surfaces -- Moving on.
6. Mixers -- How signal flows in a mixer -- Sections of a mixer -- Channel inputs -- Monitor inputs -- Auxiliary inputs and effects returns -- Inserts -- Outputs -- Main outputs -- Effects and aux sends -- Bus outputs -- Types of mixers -- Analog mixers -- Digital mixers -- Mixer automation -- Types of automation -- Snapshot automation -- Realtime automation -- Control surfaces -- Moving on -- 7. Effects and signal processors -- Preamps -- Mic preamps -- What to look for -- Guitar and bass preamps -- Speaker simulation -- Shaping your sound with effects -- Signal chain -- Order of effects -- Dynamic effects -- Compressors -- Compression tips -- Limiters -- Limiter tips -- Expanders and gates -- Expansion and gating tips -- Multiband dynamics -- Equalizers, or filters -- Parametric EQ -- Parametric EQ parameters -- Parametric EQ tips -- Semi-parametric EQs -- Hi-pass, low-pass, and band-pass filters -- Hi-pass filter -- Low-pass filter -- Band-pass filter -- Shelving EQs and filters -- Graphic EQs -- General EQ tips -- Gain effects -- Parameters -- Effect tips -- Modulation effects -- Chorus -- Chorus tips -- Flanging -- Flanging tips -- Phasing -- Phasing tips -- Tremolo and vibrato -- Tremolo and vibrato tips -- Auto-filters -- Auto-filter tips -- Pitch shifting and pitch correction -- Pitch correction -- Delay and echo -- Delay parameters -- Delay and echo tips -- Reverb -- Reverb parameters -- Reverb tips -- Moving on.
8. Choosing and using microphones -- Dynamic microphones -- Condenser microphones -- Large-diaphragm condensers -- Small-diaphragm condensers -- Mic characteristics -- Polar pattern -- Cardioid mics -- Hypercardioid -- Figure eight -- Omni -- How to choose a mic -- Sensitivity and sound pressure level (SPL) -- How to read a response curve -- Proximity effect -- Plugging in a mic -- Positioning a mic -- Tips and tricks -- Stereo mics -- Mic stands and accessories -- Filters and screens -- Shock mounts -- Caring for a mic -- Moving on -- 9. Your home, your studio -- The control room -- Hardware mixer, multitrack recorder, monitors, effects -- Component system with multitrack, mixer, MIDI gear, and computer-based sequencer -- Desktop with external drives, control surfaces, monitors, MIDI keyboards, effects rack, TV -- All-in-one with monitors -- Laptop with audio interface, monitors, and MIDI controller -- Setup tips -- Keep key gear within reach -- Keep everything at a comfortable height -- Create access to your gear -- Cabling -- Keep cables neat -- Use panels and junction boxes -- Organize your power -- Label everything -- Audio monitors -- Subwoofers -- Studio furniture -- Using other rooms -- Soundproofing, isolation, and acoustical treatment -- Moving on.
10. Running a session -- The plan -- Recording a band -- What do you need? -- Setting up -- Isolation? -- When the musicians arrive -- Listen to the players -- Getting levels -- Setting up the headphones mix -- Tracking -- Communicating with the band -- When to go to the next song -- Time to listen! -- Recording individuals -- Overdubbing during the band session -- Setting up the sound -- Adjusting the monitor mix -- Get the location -- Communicating -- Before you quit -- It's a matter of time -- What if I don't want to follow a click? -- No click -- Click -- Setting up a metronome -- Working with tempo changes -- Tempo map -- Adding a tempo map after recording -- Livening up your metronome -- Time stretching -- Moving on -- 11. Recording drums -- Miking an acoustic kit -- Isolation -- Other options -- Adding room mics -- Premixing the drums -- Processing -- Getting the most from your drums -- Working with electronic drums -- Programming a drum part -- The grid -- Groovin' -- Samples, electronic drum kits, and triggers -- Working with loops -- Temp matching -- Slicing a loop -- Moving a loop off line -- Isolating sounds -- Moving on.
12. How to record a guitar -- Acoustic guitar -- Miking an acoustic guitar -- One track or two? -- Choosing a mic -- Other alternatives -- Going direct -- Preamps and processing -- Acoustic guitar pickups -- Mic and pickups together -- Processing -- Electric guitar -- Miking an amp -- Recording electric guitar with multiple mics -- Effects? -- Recording guitar direct -- Tweaking after tracking -- Strategies for recording electric guitar -- Bass guitar -- Miking a bass amp -- Recording bass direct -- Combining DI and amp tracks -- Effects -- Performance notes -- Moving on -- 13. Recording vocals -- Mic choice -- Mic placement -- Using the room -- Recording in the control room -- Mic technique -- Minimizing noise -- Processing -- Monitoring -- Producing a vocal session -- Moving on -- 14. How to record keyboards and use MIDI -- Recording piano -- Electronic keyboards -- Electronic keyboard as sound source -- Effects -- Synthesizer basics -- Types of synthesizers -- Analog -- Modular -- FM -- Sampling -- Loops -- Making your own samples -- Sample-playback synths -- Modeling -- Hybrids -- Don't be afraid to tweak -- Working with MIDI -- How to trigger a sound via MIDI -- Controllers and computers unite -- How to integrate MIDI with audio -- Synchronizing MIDI and audio -- Mixing audio and MIDI-generated tracks -- Get with the program -- Expressive MIDI controllers -- Working with software instruments -- Using hardware instruments with a computer-based sequencer -- Moving on.
15. Mixing in the modern world -- What is mixing? -- When to mix -- Preparing to mix -- Cleaning up a track -- Setting levels -- Reducing noise -- Setting up to mix -- The mixer's toolbox -- Solo and mute -- EQ -- Dynamics processing -- Ambience -- Pan -- Groups and submixes -- Tips for individual instruments -- Drums -- Cymbals -- Grouping drums -- Bass guitar -- Electric guitar -- Acoustic guitar -- Vocals -- Piano -- Synthesizers -- Looking at the big picture -- Building a foundation -- Using EQ to create space -- Making space with ambience -- Bringing sounds in and out -- Using compression to unify the tracks -- Taking the mix out of the studio -- A/B-ing your work -- Remixing -- Remixing tools -- Moving on -- 16. Sharing your work -- Mastering -- Preparing a mix for mastering -- Editing the boundaries of an audio file -- Adjusting the levels by normalizing -- Removing DC offset -- Making fades -- Adjusting the audio -- Adjusting dynamics -- EQ -- Enhancers -- Finalizers and other mastering tools -- Burning a CD -- Assembling a playlist -- Setting the gap between songs -- Adjusting relative levels -- Writing to a CD -- Making a disc image -- CD replication -- Making an MP3 -- What's an MP3? -- MP3 parameters -- Sharing music on the Internet -- Moving on.
Appendix I. Ooops! When things go wrong -- Troubleshooting -- Can't hear sound coming into the recorder -- Can't hear sound coming out of the recorder -- Noise -- Ambient noise -- Isolate the mic or the noise -- Eliminate the noise -- Electronic noise -- Locating the noise -- Hiss -- Distortion -- Ground noises -- Cables out of phase -- Digital audio problems -- Appendix II. Glossary -- Appendix III. Web sites and resources.
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