Overview of Computer Setup in the Electronic Music Studio Computer Digital in/out (usb) Mbox Audio in/out Analog audio signals travel from the Audio Mixer to the Mbox, which converts them to digital data that goes to the computer through a USB interface. The audio can now be used by computer software. In reverse, digital sound signals in the computer are sent out through the USB port to the Mbox, converted and sent out as analog audio to the Audio Mixer. Audio Mixer

Microphones Microphone types: Condenser: very sensitive and accurate, expensive, require a power supply. Dynamic: rugged, cheap, no external power required, not as sensitive or accurate as condensers. Microphone directionality: Unidirectional: picks up the signal primarily from one direction. Best for recording a single sound and limiting background noise. Omnidirectional: picks up signal from all directions. Best for getting an overall environment. The Shure SM57 is a unidirectional dynamic mike. In the studio, we use Shure SM57 microphones. These are excellent all- purpose mikes, very good for most uses.

Microphone Techniques Things to watch out for in recording: Microphone is too close to the sound: result is unnatural, possibly distorted. Some sounds (breath, key clicks, etc.) are overemphasized. Microphone is too far from sound: result is lack of clarity, overemphasis of background sounds. Handling noise and noises from the desk are easily transferred through the mike stand. Unwanted background noises can be picked up. Tips Make several recordings of each sound, experiment with mike placement, and make critical comparisons to pick the best one. Be very fussy about recording sound quality. Flaws are amplified throughout the production process. It’s easy to fix a flaw (like handling noise) early in the process by rerecording the sound. If you notice the problem later when you are mixing and processing, it’s impossible to remove the flaw. Be careful to minimize computer noise, hum from the lights, and other background sounds in the studio. For example, the computer sound vibrates the table and is picked up through the mike stand – placing the stand on a book can make a big difference.

The Mixer Four input channels are mixed to two stereo output channels Audio inputs Gain for extra volume if needed Equalization to adjust high, medium and low frequency balance Panning left to right Channel fader Output stereo mix faders Hard disc recording feature

Some requests and advice: Please keep sound levels as low as practical in the studio. There is very little sound isolation between the studio and the music library. Also, please keep the door closed – that helps a lot! Please don’t change the way the mixer, Mbox and computer are wired together. Changing settings will cause problems for the next user of the station. Please use the sign-up sheets – they will help you plan your studio time and let you know when a computer station is available. If something isn’t working, please send me an . Don’t mess with the wiring or settings – that usually just screws things up more. For this project, each student should be fully responsible for their own project. But that doesn’t mean you can’t collaborate. Feel free to help each other with the recordings, make suggestions, and so on. Please work ahead! If everyone plans on completing projects the night before they’re do, there will be big problems!

Listening Brian Eno: Climate Study Dream into Dust: Counterfeit Tom Lopez: 17,987,57,480