Make your next track a studio-quality gem with this celebrated recording guide

Have you ever dreamed of producing the next big song? Or maybe you need some hints on the recording gear used to create pro podcasts? With just a little bit of guidance, there's nothing stopping you from creating crystal-clear, studio-quality tracks from the comfort of your own home. In Home Recording For Dummies, expert sound engineer and celebrated author Jeff Strong demystifies the world of recording and walks you through every step of creating high-fidelity audio.

With this book at your side, you'll discover how to choose a room that fits your studio needs, get the hardware you can't live without, choose the right microphone for the task at hand, record live and virtual instruments, build rhythm tracks and loops, and edit, mix, and master your recording.

Learn how to:

• Set up your home studio, acquire and connect all the right gear, and build multi-track recordings
• Understand the different types of microphones and the best use for each
• Record audio from live sound or virtual instruments
• Edit your tracks for better project management

• Mix and master your music for public consumption

  Home Recording For Dummies is the must-read guide that helps home create high-fidelity, multi-track songs and recordings that blow audiences away.

  Autorentext

  Jeff Strong is a percussionist, composer, recording engineer, researcher, and Director of the Strong Institute?an auditory brain stimulation research organization?and creator of Brain Shift Radio (BSR), an interactive brain stimulation music site.

  Zusammenfassung
  Make your next track a studio-quality gem with this celebrated recording guide Have you ever dreamed of producing the next big song? Or maybe you need some hints on the recording gear used to create pro podcasts? With just a little bit of guidance, there's nothing stopping you from creating crystal-clear, studio-quality tracks from the comfort of your own home. In Home Recording For Dummies, expert sound engineer and celebrated author Jeff Strong demystifies the world of recording and walks you through every step of creating high-fidelity audio. With this book at your side, you'll discover how to choose a room that fits your studio needs, get the hardware you can't live without, choose the right microphone for the task at hand, record live and virtual instruments, build rhythm tracks and loops, and edit, mix, and master your recording. Learn how to: Set up your home studio, acquire and connect all the right gear, and build multi-track recordings Understand the different types of microphones and the best use for each Record audio from live sound or virtual instruments Edit your tracks for better project management * Mix and master your music for public consumption Home Recording For Dummies is the must-read guide that helps home create high-fidelity, multi-track songs and recordings that blow audiences away.

  Inhalt

  Introduction 1

  About This Book 1

  Foolish Assumptions 2

  Icons Used in This Book 3

  Beyond the Book 3

  Where to Go from Here 3

  Part 1: Getting Started with Home Recording 5

  Chapter 1: Understanding Home Recording 7

  Examining the Anatomy of a Home Studio 7

  Exploring the recording essentials 8

  Checking out recording system types 10

  Getting a Glimpse into the Recording Process 11

  Setting up a song 11

  Getting a great sound 11

  Recording 12

  Overdubbing 12

  Making Sense of Mixing 12

  Cleaning up tracks using editing 13

  Equalizing your tracks 13

  Processing your signal 13

  Blending your tracks 13

  Adding the Final Touches 14

  Mastering your mixes 14

  Putting your music out into the world 15

  Promoting your music 16

  Chapter 2: Getting the Right Gear 17

  Determining Your Home Studio Needs 18

  Detailing Your Digital Options 21

  Computer-Based Digital Recording Systems 23

  Finding the right computer setup 23

  Getting the sound in and out 26

  Choosing the right software 30

  Studio-in-a-Box Systems 33

  Taking a look at the benefits 33

  Examining some popular SIAB systems 33

  Mobile-Device Recording 34

  Android 35

  Apple iOS 36

  Exploring Sample Setups 37

  Live and MIDI studio 38

  MIDI-intensive studio 38

  Live studio 41

  Podcasting studio 42

  Audio-for-video studio 43

  Mobile on-location studio 44

  Chapter 3: Getting Connected: Setting Up Your Studio 45

  Understanding Analog Connections 46

  The -inch analog plug 46

  XLR 49

  RCA 49

  Delving into Digital Connections 50

  MIDI 50

  AES/EBU 50

  S/PDIF 51

  ADAT Lightpipe 51

  TDIF 51

  USB 52

  FireWire 53

  Thunderbolt 54

  Working Efficiently 55

  Taming heat and dust 57

  Monitoring your monitors 57

  Optimizing Your Room 58

  Isolating sound 58

  Controlling sound 60

  Chapter 4: Meet the Mixer 69

  Meeting the Many Mixers 69

  Analog mixer 70

  Digital mixer 71

  Software mixer 72

  Computer control surface 73

  Understanding Mixer Basics 74

  Examining inputs 75

  Checking out the channel strip 76

  Recognizing mixer routing 82

  Opting for outputs 83

  Chapter 5: Multitrack Recording 85

  Understanding Multitracking 85

  Getting Ready to Record 86

  Setting up a song 87

  Creating and organizing your tracks 87

  Selecting a sound source 90

  Setting levels 92

  Getting the sound you want 92

  Choosing a monitoring source 95

  Setting a Tempo Map 95

  Saving Your Work 95

  Sharing Files with Others 96

  Part 2: Working with Microphones 97

  Chapter 6: Understanding Microphones 99

  Meeting the Many Microphone Types 100

  Construction types 100

  Polarity patterns 106

  Assessing Your Microphone Needs 110

  Deciding How Many Microphones and What Kind 111

  Getting started 111

  Movin' on 113

  Going all out 115

  Finding the Right Mic for the Situation 117

  Partnering Mics with Preamps 120

  Solid-state 120

  Vacuum tube 121

  Hybrid 121

  Considering Compressors 122

  Analyzing Some Microphone Accessories 123

  Microphone cords 123

  Microphone stands 123

  Pop filters 123

  Caring for Your Microphones 124

  Daily care 125

  Storage 125

  Chapter 7: Taking a Look at Microphone Techniques 127

  Singling Out Close Miking 128

  Detailing Distant Miking 130

  Assessing Ambient Miking 131

  Selecting Stereo Miking 133

  X-Y pairs 133

  Blumlein technique 134

  Spaced pairs 135

  Stereo microphones 136

  Overcoming problems with stereo miking 137

  Creating Miking Combinations 139

  Chapter 8: Miking Your Instruments 141

  Getting a Great Lead Vocal Sound 142

  Making the most of the room 142

  Choosing the best mic 142

  Getting Good Backup Vocals 145

  Examining Electric Guitar Miking 146

  Using the room 147

  Getting the most out of the mics 147

  Exploring Electric Bass Miking 149

  Managing the room 149

  Getting the most from the mic 149

  Miking Acoustic Guitars and Similar Instruments 150

  Making the most of the room 150

  Using your mics 150

  Maneuvering Horn Mics 152

  Understanding the role of the room 152

  Making the most of the mics 152

  Placing Mics for a Piano 153

  Harnessing the sound of the room 153

  Managing the mics 153

  Setting Up Mics for Strings 154

  Making the most of the room 154

  Making sense of the mics 154

  Digging into Drum Set Miking 155

  First things first: Tuning your drums 155

  Using the room to your benefit 156

  Picking up the kick (bass) drum 156

  Setting up the snare drum 159

  Tackling the tom-toms 160

  Handling the hi-hats 161

  Creating the best cymbal sound 161

  Miking the whole kit 162

  Getting Your Hands on Hand Drums 163

  Perfecting Percussion Miking 163

  Exploring the impact of the room 163

  Choosing and using the mics 164

  Part 3: Recording Live Audio 165

  Chapter 9: Getting a Great Source Sound 167

  Making Sense of the Signal Chain 167

  Setting Optimal Signal Levels 169

  Understanding Pre and Post Levels…