DAW

Protect/Preserve Your Hearing

• -  Avoid mixing so loud.

• -  Use SPL (Sound Pressure Level) meter Apps.

• -  80-85dB/< = Mixing

• -  Use earplugs.

  Sound Fundamental

• -  Vibrations in the air = sound

• -  Travels in medium = solid, liquids, gas

• -  Decibel – dB = measure the power of the sound

• -  Frequency = the number of cycles (Hertz) of vibration completed in 1 second

  = measured in – hertz (Hz)

  Sound

• -  Frequency – Hz = Pitch

• -  Decibel – dB = Loudness

• -  Timbre = Harmonic frequencies

  Decibel – dB

• -  Relative unit = measure the loudness of sound

• -  Need a reference point = 0dB

• -  dB SPL = 0dB is the quietest sound = Acoustic

• -  dB VU = the voltage is used to measure the loudness = Analog

• -  dB FS = 0dB is the loudest of sound that can be measured

• -  A comparison on DAW/Mixer

  Gain Stage, why?

• -  Avoid clipping and high noise floor

• -  Prepare the mix by using a trim/gain plugin or clip gain.

• -  More headroom for reducing distortion, provides room for more gain in the process.

  How to Do Gain Stage?

• -  Level setting = -18dbFS, -10-12(Peak)

• -  Use a VU meter - 0VU = -18dbFS

• -  Turn Down the preamp input gain/interface first before turning the fader.

• -  Reduce overload of the capsule – feedback, when the loud source is close to the mic.

• -  Look for signs of overloading and clipping.

• =  Meters enter the red zone

• =  Audible signal distortion

• =  Audio waveform showed flattened – Peak

32 Bit Floating Point

• -  Wider headroom and dynamic range

• -  The chance of clipping is slim in DAW.

• -  Do what you should.

• -  Consistency and work efficiency

• -  Plugin behavior

• -  Exporting to fixed formats

• -  Insurance policy

  Aux – Auxiliary Tracks

• -  Let audio pass through.

• -  Group bus, Effect bus.

• -  Pass through the audio using Bus/Sends

  Bus/Sends

• -  Take audio to group/effect bus.

• -  Send audio to Group bus, change the output of the track.

• -  To send a copy of tracks to Effect Bus = Sends

  Sample Rate

• -  Audio recorded into DAW, converted to digital audio.

• -  Process: Sampling and Quantization

• -  Determine the accuracy of the digital representation of the analog waveform.

• -  The higher the resolution, the more detailed it is.

• 44.1kHz = CD sample rate

• 48kHz = TV and film

• 88.2/96kHz = Hi-resolution Standard [Take up twice storage of CD]

• 192kHz = Audiophile Standard [Take up 4 times space of CD]

Bit Depth [The depth of the sound wave]

• -  Number of volume levels available in digital audio

• -  The higher the bit-depth, the less quantization you need to do.

• -  The greater the bit-depth, the greater the available dynamic range.

• -  24-bit (144dB) is safer and more forgiving than 16-bit [96dB]

• -  A wider range of dynamic = Better signal to noise ratio

  Tracks in DAWs

  • -  Audio – Mic, DI

  • -  MIDI/Instrument

  • -  Aux – For audio to pass through for effects.

  • -  Master Fader – Final Destination of all signal.

The History of Digital Audio

• -  PCM = Pulse-Code Modulation

• -  Digitally represent sampled analog signals

• -  Civilian Telephone systems by mid-60s

• -  Denon = overcame the limitation of analog tape for professional recording in early to

  mid-70s.

  3M 32-track recorder

• -  1978

• -  The first digital multitrack recorder

  Soundstream’s Digital Editing System - 1976-77

- World’s First DAW

Compact Disc – CD - 1982

Converting Analog to Digital

1. Sampling
2. Quantization 3. Encoding

Graphic Equalizer

• -  Fixed Frequency and Q [Width]

• -  Only 1 control = the amount of boost/cut

• -  Less flexible than Parametric EQ

  Parametric Equalizer

- 3 Flexible control = Frequency, Q, Gain

EQ Filters

1. Low-Pass [High-cut], High-Pass [Low-cut] Filters

2. High/Low Shelving Filters

3. Peaking (Bell) Filter

4. Bandpass Filter

5. Notch Filter

Bouncing
- Exporting a track to a format = mp3/Wav file

The Frequency Bands

• -  Brilliance = 6k – 20kHz

• -  Presence = 4k – 6kHz

• -  High-Mids = 2k – 4kHz

• -  Mid-Range = 500Hz – 2kHz

• -  Low-Mids = 250Hz – 500Hz

• -  Bass = 60Hz – 250Hz

• -  Sub-Bass = 20Hz – 60Hz

  EQ Goals

• -  Make the sound clearer and defined.

• -  Reduce the effect of masking.

• -  Make all the elements of a mix fit together better.

• -  Give the mix element of height.

  EQ Rules

1. Use EQ Filters

2. Boost = different sound/add character

3. Use High-pass Filter = Make room for low-end inst

4. Use Narrow Q = Cutting ; Wide Q = Boosting (nature)

5. Just do necessary.

6. Check the EQ with other tracks playing.

MIDI – Musical Instrument Digital Interface

• -  Technical Standard

• -  Allows electronic musical instruments and computers to communicate and control.

  Polyphonic

- The ability of an instrument = play more than 1 note at once

Quantize
- The process of taking and shifting MIDI/audio at the right time

Transport
- The area = Contain the playback controls

Velocity
- The force of the note = loudness of the note

Phantom Power
- +48 Volts = the power that gets a condenser mic to work

Buffer Size

• -  The amount of data a computer can handle at once.

• -  Lower buffer sizes = lower latency, easier to crash – [Recording]

• -  Higher buffer sizes = greater latency, less easy to crash – [Mixing]

  Clipping
  - Distorting/Peaking

  Latency

- A Delay between input and output of a signal

Automation

• -  Automated adjustment to volume, panning/FX parameters.

• -  Change/Move by the duration of the song.

  Bus

- The Pathway of the Audio

Comping

• -  Combining takes into one.

• -  Represent the best part of the recording after composition.

  Crossfade

• -  Fade out a sound when another sound fades in

• -  Allows smooth transitions between tracks.

  Dry Signal

- Unprocessed Sound

Wet Signal
- Processed Sound

Sends
- An output on an audio device for routing signal to an external device/plugin

Unity
- 0 point on a fader = no turn up/turn down

Headroom
- The space between the normal operating level of a device and the maximum level that

device can pass without clipping.

The Frequency Bands – Use Your Ear

• -  30 Hz = Rumble, feel more than heard

• -  60 Hz = Bottom

• -  125 Hz = Boom, thump, warmth

• -  250 Hz = Fullness or mud

• -  400--500 Hz = Honk, boxiness

• -  800 Hz – 1k Hz = Nasal

• -  3k Hz = Speech recognition, listening fatigue

• -  4-6k Hz = Edge, presence, clarity

• -  7-8k Hz = Sibilance, definition, “ouch!”

• -  10-20k Hz = Air, sheen, trebly

  Instruments & Frequencies

  [Vocal]

• -  120 Hz = Fullness

• -  200-250 Hz = Boomy or thick

• -  400-600 Hz = Boxy or Honky or Hollow when too much is taken out

• -  800-1k Hz = Nasal quality, honky

• -  2-4k Hz = Excitement or energy or harshness; Dull when too much is taken out

• -  5-8k Hz = Presence or sibilance

• -  10-20k Hz = Air, sheen, feel more than hear

• -  HPF (High pass filter) & De-Esser

  [Bass Guitar]

• -  100 Hz = Bottom

• -  700-900 Hz = attack and tone

• -  2-3k Hz = snap or pop

• Boost 80-120 Hz to ADD MORE BODY

• ROLL OFF Muddiness = 150-300 Hz

• Cut honky sound = 400-600 Hz

  [Kick drum]

• -  40-100 Hz = Bottom and low-end punch

• -  300-500 Hz = Hollowness or cardboard sound

• -  2-5k Hz = point and attack

• -  Roll off muddiness (metal/hard rock) = 250-300 Hz

  [Snare]

• -  120-240 Hz = Fatness

• -  500 Hz = roundness

• -  3-5k Hz = Crispness or clarity

• -  10k Hz = sheen

• -  Fill out the sound = 100-250 Hz

• -  Whack = 1-1.5k Hz

• -  Use notch filter to cut the “ring” out

[Rack Toms]

• -  240-400 Hz = Fullness

• -  5-7k Hz = Attack

• -  Reduce boxiness while adding thump and attack.

  [Floor Toms]

• -  80-150 Hz = Fullness

• -  5k Hz = Attack

• -  Reduce boxiness while adding thump and attack.

  [HI Hat and Cymbals]

• -  8-10k Hz = Sparkle

• -  250-800 Hz = Muddiness

  [E. Guitar]

• -  100 Hz = Bottom

• -  200-250 Hz = Warmth and fullness or muddiness

• -  2.5k Hz = Bite and attack

• -  In the range between 80 Hz to 10k Hz

• -  Filter unnecessary frequencies

• -  Mute some of the layers to make the sound more powerful

  [A. Guitar]

• -  80-120 Hz = Bottom

• -  100-250 Hz = Muddiness

• -  200-250 Hz = Body

• -  2-5k Hz = Presence and clarity

• -  10k Hz = air and sheen

• -  Use a narrow cut to cut around 800 Hz to sound good

• -  To make room for lower-pitched instruments, high-pass filter below 200-300 Hz

• -  Depends on the genre

  [Strings]

• -  240 Hz = Fullness

• -  7-10k Hz = Scratchy

  [Piano]

• -  80-120 Hz = Fullness

• -  2-5k Hz = Presence

• -  2.5k Hz = Honky tone

  [Synth]

• -  <100 Hz = Roll of bottom

• -  250-500 Hz = Muddiness

• -  (might intend to be low-frequency dominant)

Frequency Juggling

• -  Kick Cut at 500 Hz

• -  Bass Boosted At 500 Hz

  Compressor

- An automated dynamic processer = Reduces the dynamic range and evens out the sound

by turning down the louder signal and boosting the softer signal with make-up gain

• Make the track more Consistent.

• Add energy and excitement.

• Analog compressor = import character & tone

  Compress before – EQ First

• -  If there are a lot of problematic frequencies that need to be addressed, Start with EQ!

• -  Allows u to carve out unwanted frequencies before applying compression.

• -  Corrective EQ [Digital EQ] = help address issues in the frequency spectrum

  Compress First

• -  The track is very dynamic.

• -  Record With the Compressor will do it naturally.

  Multiple Compressor and EQ

• -  Start With Corrective or Surgical EQ to address specific issues.

• -  Use Digital Compressor for dynamic control.

• -  Add Analog Compressor and EQ = Add tone character and color

  = Enhance the overall texture and vibe of the track

  Before you compress – Clip Gain

• -  Make sure there are no unnatural gain fluctuations.

• -  Provide Consistent Dynamic Range for the compressor to work with

• -  Control smaller sections – a phrase or even a single word.

  Multing

• -  Create separate tracks for different dynamic sections.

• -  Allow you to assign optimal settings for compression.

  Compression Control & Parameters

  Threshold

• -  Activate the compressor.

• -  Begins once the signal crosses the threshold level.

  Ratio

- Determines how hard the signal gets compressed.

Kness

• -  How the compressor transitions between the non-compressed and compressed states

• -  Soft Knee = Smoother and more gradual compression than a hard knee

  Attack

• -  Control how fast the compressor reacts to the beginning of the signal once it has crossed

  the threshold.

• -  Attack Time = Amount of time the compressor will go from zero to full compression

  Release

• -  Control how fast the compress reacts to the end of the signal once it falls below the

  threshold.

• -  Release Time = determines how long it takes to go from full compression to zero

  compression

  Make-Up Gain or Output

• -  Allows the signal to be boosted back to its original level and beyond

• -  Automatic makeup gain

  Attack Time

• -  Fast = 0.1-3ms (milliseconds)

  = Tightens up initial transient and control dynamic

  = Smooth and even – push the sound back (lifeless)

• -  Medium = 3-20ms

• -  Slow = 20-100ms
  = Let the transient through – Pointed and punchy sound (Uneven)

  Release Time

• -  Fast = <100ms

  = Add Excitement, aggression, perceived loudness

  = Unnatural and trashy/gritty

• -  Medium = 100-400ms

• -  Slow = >400ms
  = Keep the compressor engaged – smooth out the dynamic (Less Excitement)

  Common Compression Mistakes

• -  Over compressing = Lifeless {Clear purpose and intention}

• -  Compress Everything = Unnecessary for inst (distorted guitar or virtual samples)

• -  Rely it to control dynamic = {Balancing, Clip Gain, Volume Automation}

• -  Not level-matching = disrupting the gain staging that you’ve done

• -  Using just one compressor = Serial Compression – natural and musical results

  = Allows different types of compressors in the chain -- Certain characters and color

Compression Tips

• -  Start with 3:1, 4:1.

• -  During comping, put a compressor to hear the softer signal better = allowing to catch

  pops, clicks, and other random noises

• -  Serial compression = Use two in succession to have a natural

• -  Parallel compression = Preserve the dynamic range of the dry signal while adding energy

  and excitement by mixing in the heavily compressed signal

• -  Sidechain compression = Sending a track to duck another sound – create a rhythmic

  pattern

• -  Mix Bus Compression = ‘Glue the whole mix’

  Limiter

• -  A brick wall for the level; signal cannot pass the ceiling

• -  Limiting starts when the ratio is higher than 10:1

• -  Ensure the audio won’t clip

• -  Mastering, broadcasting, and field recording

• -  Fast attack and release time

  De-Esser

• -  Eliminates sibilance.

• -  Compress a narrow notch of frequencies = 5-10k Hz

• -  Excessive de-essing = lisping side effect