Every
channel on the console, ( corresponding to a track on the multitrack
), permits a wide range of modifications :
-
the equalisation modifies the frequencies, by correcting low,
medium and high.
-
The auxiliaries allow the input of different effects : for example,
reverb will prolong sound as if it had been recorded in the vault
of a cathedral.
-
Faders adjust the balance of instruments.
-
Finally whereas the panoramic potentiometers distribute the stereo
space left - right, the auxiliary controls are the delays which
will modify the depth of the sound space …
6 - CREATING
A CD
Creating
a CD requires numerous stages. First of all you have to record
the "direct input" instruments : The rhythm section,
bass and drum kit, digital percussions kit, synthesizers, electric
guitars etc ... Then you must capture the sound of the acoustic
instruments : clarinet, pipe organ, classical guitar, violins
etc....
When
all the instruments have been recorded, each of them on one (
or two for Stereo ) different tracks, it is useful to "clean"
the "whites" on the tracks. Afterwards, only the mixing
remains, to create the "master for edit". This,
compiled to computer and processed by a sound editing software,
will give the definitive master. This last will be sent to the
CD factory to be fabricated.
7-THE
SOUND RECORDING of INSTRUMENTS
-
Recording synthesizers, electric guitar, bass guitar, electronic
drum kit etc.
in stereo
This is the simplest step because the instruments are recorded
by "direct input", which is by plugging directly into
the console, without going via a microphone.
It
is enough to simply adjust the Recording level gauge to 0 Db.
In this stage, it is not recommended to add in reverb or equalise
the sound. Indeed, experience suggests not removing the possibility
of future frequency corrections at this stage. Corrections will
be made in the mix.
-
Sound recording of
the church organ
in stereo
With a portable console and a stereo Neumann condenser microphone,
it is possible to realize a magnificent church
organ's recording.
As
usual, the golden rule is first just to listen… When you
think you have found the place where you can really hear the instrument,
you stretch out acoustic shrouds around this place and put a single
stereo microphone in the axis, in front of the organ.
To
have a recording "which rings" one will be tempted -
by slightly moving the microphone around - to find the point of
harmonious balance between the sound volumes of the great organ,
the positive and the pipes, while keeping them separate, which
is not always easy...
-
Sound recording of the clarinet in stereo
Here we enter a more sophisticated domain. We incline two Neumann
condenser microphones to about 20 cms above the keys of the medium
body, on both sides the clarinet.
A stereo Neumann condenser microphone at about 70cm-1m from the
bell. This configuration gives a detailed, precise and warm sound.
Listening
to the instrument will allow one to define the place where the
sound emission is at its most beautiful and to adjust the location
of microphones.
A
phase-metre is indispensable to avoid the inversion of phase,
difficult to master in this type of recording.
-
Sound recording of the classical guitar in stereo
An excellent acoustic guitar's sound recording will be realized
by simply placing a stereo Neumann condenser microphone, or better
still, a Royer stereo ribbon microphone in front of the sound
hole.
A
little delay and reverberation in the mixing will provide the
best effect.
8-
THE MASTERING AND THE BURNING OF THE CD
-
MASTERING ON DAT
Mixing
is sent to the DAT tape. A DAT ( Digital Audio Tape ) is a digital
( two track ) tape recorder which will supply the "master
for edit", almost-definitive version.
This will be transferred into sound editing software to be "cleaned"
of the last imperfections and set up definitively ( noises before
and after the piece, editing inside the piece, fade in, fade out
etc...), ending with the realization of the definitive master.
-
BURNING OF THE CD
It
is from professional copies of this master that the CDs will be
burned. For example, the fabrication of Jean-Christian MICHEL's
CDs were realized in this fashion by a CD manufacturing plant
: the CDs are engraved and put into the boxes with their jackets
to be ready to be sold.
9
- THE MP3 PRO
A
little word in passing about MP3 PRO. This new type of compression
combines the algorithm of MP3, well known by the Internet users,
with "Spectral Band Replication" ( SBR ) technology
which permits the restoration of frequencies between 13-15.000
Hz and consequently allows a sound compression of greater quality.
10
- REAL AUDIO STREAMING
The
streaming format allows you to listen directly, almost immediatly
without downloading. In fact, while you're listening to the beginning,
RealAudio continues to load the rest of the piece. For more information
: RealAudio at http://www.real.com
The
encoding from Wave
format ( as with an audio CD ) in the RealAudio
format has been done with Real Networks' Helix Producer.
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