Ultimate Guide to Music Recording: Tools, Tricks, and Tips for Recording Any Instrument

by Michael Shea

Overview

The prices of recording equipment continue to drop dramatically, giving musicians and sound engineers increasing opportunities to make quality-level recordings. The Ultimate Guide to Music Recording takes a unique approach to this growing market, giving readers two books in one: a concise, tutorial audio engineering text in Part One, and then a 'cut to the chase', how to record any instrument fast guide in Part Two. By carefully cross-referencing these sections, industry vet Shea has created the ultimate recording resource: a textbook where you can see immediately how basic principles are utilized in the studio, and a "how-to" guide that comes complete with all the background technical material one could need -- particularly when things don't turn out as planned. Covering the basics of studio recording technology, recording techniques for every major class of instrument, and a masterclass on mixing, this is the most complete guide to music recording ever written.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780071422727
Publisher:	McGraw-Hill Companies, The
Publication date:	04/30/2005
Pages:	500
Sales rank:	390,008
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.01(d)

About the Author

Mike Shea has been a leader in music recording for over 20 years. Staff Engineer at the Hit Factory in New York City in the mid-eighties when it was the leading, state-of-the-art recording facility in the world, he has built (and recorded in) numerous studios around the country. A writer for Pro Sound News, International Musician, Recording World, and The Record, he is former Technical Editor of Recording World. He teaches audio engineering at the Institute of Audio Research and lives in New York City.

Table of Contents

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1: The Basics

Why the Big Mystery About Decibels?

Basic Electronics

Series and Parallel Interconnections

Alternating Current

Passive Electronic Components

Active Electronic Components

Impedance Explained

Audio Recording Meters

Audio Gain Stages and the Weak Link

Examples of the Charting of Gain Stages

A Side Trip for More Background

Back to Examples of the Charting of Gain Stages

Chapter 2: The Tour

The Studio Tour

Input Selector Switch

Sends

Auxiliary Returns

Equalizers

Dynamics Processors

Stop the Presses!

Time Delay Processing

Reverberation Explained

Other Effects

Multi-Effects Processors

The Control Room Monitor System

Monitoring Systems Part II

Chapter 3: Microphones

Microphone Types

Microphone Characteristics

Polar Patterns

Chapter 4: The Recording Process (The Job)

A Basic Session

INDEX