1. Chapter 5 Basic Concepts of Digital Recording

2. Theory of digital recording goes back to Harry Nyquist in ’20s, based on binary math developed in 1700s. Recording in Digital Domain Recording Rely on VU or peak meters for levels. Only goal – capturing accurate sound. Too low – background noise, hiss. Too high – “hard clipping,” distortion.

3. (Recording, cont.) Rule of thumb for digital audio on a VU meter: average audio level about -10 (Figure 5.1). Editing Editing is the most incredible feature of digital recording – cut, paste, zoom. Easy to select edit points, ability to see the audio as a waveform. Editing is nondestructive to the original audio.

4. Mixing Adjusting audio levels on each track and blending them. Five elements: 1.Balance – music, SFX, voice. Voice should usually be prominent. 2.Sonic panorama – left or right. 3.Equalization (EQ) – makes certain elements brighter, clearer. 4.Dimension – reverb, echo, delay.

5. (Mixing, cont.) 5. Dynamics – difference in softest and loudest sound. Compression, limiting, gating used to control dynamics. EQ and compression/limiting/gating require experience and can cause harm to recording if used improperly.

6. Mastering Final tweaking and adjustments. Commercials should be played for clients’ approval. For us, this involves the command “Mix down to File” under “Edit.” In a radio station, commercial will be transferred to a server for playback, burned to CD for client, burned to CD for other stations, saved in archive file.

7. Adobe Audition Producing a Project with AA Two main views or workspaces, “Edit View” and “Multitrack View.” You can switch back and forth between the two views. “Edit View” – for working on a single waveform. “Multitrack View” – allows for mixing of multiple clips and tracks.

8. Info on ripping from CDs – don’t do this for your projects w/o my OK. Editing with AA Any time you make an error, go to “Edit” and use “Undo.” Mastering with AA In “Multitrack,” point to open area under “Lock” and “FX.” Right click opens “Track Properties” window (see Figure 5.16). To mute other tracks, click “Solo.”