Frankly Audio

Figure 2

This flow chart shows a simple studio type signal path. Basically all of your audio runs into and out of the mixer. Your computer serves as what used to be the multitrack tape machine but it does much more. You will most likely apply effects and mix from within the computer. Some computer audio interface devices have XLR inputs that will accept microphone connections directly but unless your hardware has input equalization capabilities and phase reversal you really want a mixer, especially if your using multiple microphones simultaneously and want real-time monitoring of EQ and outboard effects. There are many, many different hardware combinations with their attendant feature sets, this post is designed just to get you started. If you have specific questions feel free to email me .

Here’s a selection of various computer audio interfaces to look over:

Lexicon Alpha USB Desktop Recording Studio

TASCAM FireOne FireWire Audio and Control Interface

The Presonus Firepod

Figure 1

Getting hooked up can be a bit confusing now that we are recording tracks. What you need to be able to understand a execute is that when you are recording multiple tracks to add layers to your composition, you need to be able to hear what you’ve already recorded but you want to make sure you’re not sending it back in with your new track and re-recording it. You want all of your tracks to be clean individual takes of the various parts.

Those of you using self contained multitrack units will find this already a function of your equipment. Those of you using ACID or another software PC based solution will find this as well but if your are not properly set up you could easily find yourself blending tracks that you don’t want to blend.

Figure 1 shows the simplest hook-up for those using a PC. Audio goes into the mic/line jack on your computer and audio comes out of the speaker/line out jack. You will arm tracks to record within your software and you will use your soundcard’s mixer utility  to select what source is recorded. Do not select “what you hear” as a recording source. Select instead, line or mic input, whichever your sound hardware supports and the corresponding input jack you are using. If you are using a microphone it must be made specifically for high impedance or line level inputs. If you really want to do this right you should invest in an audio mixer.

Hopefully you’ve tooled around in the recording software you’ve chosen and have an idea of what it does. Now we need to get signal in to the software from the outside world. Sony’s ACID is not only capable of recording audio from the input of your sound card/audio interface but it is also a powerful loop based application. Even if you can’t play any instruments you can create music with a myriad of audio samples available for legal use in ACID and other loop based programs. These samples range from drum beats and bass lines to almost anything you can imagine.

If you have chosen to use only pre-recorded sampled material this post won’t offer you much but if you plan to do any recording of a live input signal, it will. At the most basic level, if you’re reading this on your computer, you likely have audio recording and playback capabilities and unless your PC is very old, you can play back multiple audio samples at one time.

For the purpose of this post we will assume you have at least one input jack and one output jack on your computer. Listening to your creations leads us into another topic we’ll cover later, monitor speakers and power amps. For now, as long as you can hear audio from your PC, we’re good.

If you want to use anything other than a PC microphone you’ll need an audio mixer. If you want to record an electric guitar, bass, keyboard or a professional or semi-professional microphone you may be able to plug directly in with cable adapters but I wouldn’t recommend it. A mixer will give you more control over your sound and create a more compatible signal to record.

For years I have used a Zoom PS-02, which is itself a palm sized four track digital recorder and signal processor to record guitar and bass lines but there are many new and inexpensive comparable devices available today. Here are some examples:

As you can see, if you have a pedal board or effect you can also go directly into your audio card with the proper adapter. Some effects units include a USB audio interface- all the  better.

CONNECTIONS

There are roughly four common jack or connector types you’ll deal with. They are:

• RCA (audio video connectors - DVD players etc.)
• 1/4″ (guitar/instrument, sometimes called phone jack)
• 1/8″ (personal listening device/PC, sometimes called mini-plug)
• XLR (low impedance, professional microphone, sometimes called Canon plug)

This is another reason why an audio mixer is preferred. It will allow you to combine and convert all of these types to a suitable format for input to your PC.

Here are some Audio Mixers to check out:

In summary, you can conceivably plug your instrument directly into your PC but it is generally a very bad idea. You can also use a PC type microphone but again, the results will be severely compromised. If you are using pre-recorded loops you can certainly do without an audio mixing board.