IntroductionOverview Welcome to Desktop Music Production. In lesson 1, we'll take a look at the first steps involved in producing a piece of music. Objectives Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to: recall the steps in the production process identify the types of tools used in desktop production plan a desktop musical production Timeline Discussion: Listening and AnalysisDue Friday Assignment: Desktop Production Plan and ToolsetDue Saturday Quiz: Test Your KnowledgeDue Sunday

Music Production ProcessOverview How does a musical idea make its way from a composer's imagination to a CD that plays on your home stereo, or to an MP3 file that you play on your computer? Throughout this course we'll be thinking about that question as we take a look at the various stages in the desktop music production process and the tools that are used. A musical idea can take many forms, from a simple drum and bass pattern to a complete song with melody, lyrics, and chord changes. How the final product sounds has a great deal to do with musical arrangement and the tools used to produce it. In this lesson, we'll take a look at the steps involved in producing a piece of music. The steps are: musical ideas recording editing mixing mastering

Creating Musical IdeasMusical ideas take many forms but usually start out as a simple melody and chord progression. From there, a producer makes decisions about how those ideas are to be arranged: what instruments will be used and what the musical form will be. Along the way, these arranging choices will have a profound effect on how a piece of music is produced. Let's take a look at different kinds of arrangements and the tools we'll use to produce them. Types of Arrangements: Vocal or Instrumental? One of the first arranging choices made is whether the melody of a piece will be sung or played by an instrument, and if played by an instrument, which one. In either case, we'll usually have instruments providing accompaniment to the melody. Vocal Arrangements Voice with single accompanying instrument Description This is the typical starting point for singer/songwriters. The accompanying instrument is usually guitar or keyboard. The accompanying instruments are usually drums, bass, keyboard, and/or guitar. Additional horn, string, or other parts are often added to a basic vocal and rhythm section arrangement to provide a fuller, richer sound. Description An instrument that's able to play melody and accompaniment parts at the same time, such as a piano, usually performs this.

Voice with rhythm section

Voice with rhythm section and an instrumental arrangement

Instrumental Arrangements

Solo instrumental

Instrumental melody with This is the standard model for a jazz ensemble. rhythm section accompaniment Instrumental melody with instrumental arrangement

This is typical of any type of orchestral or chamber music.

Types of vocal and instrumental arrangements.

Creating Musical Ideas (Page 2)Acoustic, Electric, or Electronic Instruments and Production Tools Once you decide on an arrangement, you choose the instruments. The types of instruments you choose will greatly influence the kinds of tools you'll use to produce that piece. Acoustic Sources Performances by vocalists or any type of purely acoustic instrument, such as a piano or sax, need to be recorded as audio. You'll typically need to use a microphone and an audio interface to record these types of performances using a software application such as SONAR. Electric Instruments Instruments such as electric guitars, basses, and some electric pianos and organs are electro-acoustic instruments that need some sort of amplification to be heard. Although these instruments can be recorded using microphones much like acoustic sources, that fact that they produce an electrical output allows us to record directly to audio recording software. A new breed of amplifier modeling technology allows the desktop producer to record convincing guitar sounds without the need to use a microphone and amplifier. Electronic Instruments Synthesizers, samplers, drum machines, and grooveboxes are all examples of purely electronic instruments. Unlike an electric guitar that amplifies a vibrating string, these instruments produce sound solely through electronic means. More importantly, any recent electronic instrument can be controlled using a communications language called MIDI, the Musical Instrument Digital Interface. Take a minute to listen to this short musical example. The Reaper Musical Example: The Reaper "The Reaper" was produced as a demo for a television commercial using acoustic, electric and electronic instruments. Give a listen to this short musical example, and see if you can identify the instruments used to produce it. Click to Play Here's a worksheet for the production you just heard. Notice that although the arrangement sounds full, we only used seven tracks to produce it, four MIDI and three audio tracks. Use this worksheet as a guide to complete this week's online discussion assignments. Type of Arrangement: Instrumental

Type of Recording: Multitrack MIDI and Audio

Instrument

Type of Instrumentt

Source

Drums

Electronic

Sampling Synthesizer: K2500

Bass

Electronic

Sampling Synthesizer: K2500

Guitar

Electric

Electric Guitar recorded direct to hard disk

Horn Ensemble

Electronic

Synthesizer: JV-1080

Melody Trombone

Acoustic

Live performance recorded direct to hard disk

Muted Trumpets

Electronic

Synthesizer: JV-1080

Fingersnaps

Acoustic

Live Performance recorded direct to hard disk

A worksheet for "The Reaper." As we've seen from the previous audio example, you, the desktop music producer, have a wide range of musical choices in producing any piece of music. The instrumentation you choose will often depend on the resources you have available. Fortunately, the current crop of available hardware and software tools offers a wide range of options for even the modest home setup. In this course we'll focus mainly on electronic, instrumental desktop production. Any time you work with either a vocal or acoustic instrumental source, we'll supply the necessary prerecorded mate

Discussion: Listening and Analysis by Steve MacLean Download one of the following examples of "Time." I have provided three versions; choose the version appropriate for your connection speed. Time-full version, 4 MB

Time-edited version, 2 MB

Time-edited, mono version, 1 MB Listen to the song and identify the instruments used on the recording. Post a message to this thread, answering the following question about each instrument you hear: What instruments in the recording were acoustic? Electric? Electronic? How could the different instruments have been recorded? The example we're using was recorded by Berklee students in the recording studios here at the college. The song "Time" was written and produced by Lorenzo Peris-Rodriquez, with lyrics by Misha Rajaratnam. It appears on the Berklee College of Music Technology Division's 2001 compilation CD. Use this activity as an opportunity to start thinking about the music you'd like to produce. What kinds of instruments would you use and what tools would you need to produce it? Re: Discussion: Listening and Analysis by Vida Perez - Monday, April 2 2012, 08:06 PM EDT Acoustic vocals Various Synths (modulated and arpeggiated) Looped synths Drums (electronic/sampled) Layered background vocals acoustic guitar

Bass guitar... cannot tell if it is acoustic/electric or electronica but sounds a lot like the former given how it is played (key changes etc.) Recorded separately (rather then altogether in a live stereo setting)

RecordingOnce you have decided on the type of musical arrangement you are going to produce, you can begin recording. Keep in mind that the final distributed version of your song or composition will be some sort of stereo audio file that will play from either an audio CD or an MP3 file. Although there are many recording formats to choose from, you'll want to end up with a version that can be played by the widest possible audience. There are two distinct models for recording a musical performance: direct-to-stereo recording multitrack recording Recording (Page 2) Direct to Stereo Recording Ensemble recording occurs when an entire musical arrangement is performed and recorded. Most recordings of orchestras and jazz ensembles are done in this fashion. The spontaneous interaction between musicians is an essential part of these performances, and it's the goal of a good recording to capture this. One way to record a live performance is to record directly in stereo, using a pair of microphones and a recorder. Currently, there are a wide variety of affordable flash RAM recorders that come equipped with built-in stereo pair of microphones. Suppose you've written a song and you want to record a demo or even a band rehearsal. The easiest way to do this is simply to set up one of these recorders and perform the song. This recording becomes the final version and you are unable to change any of the characteristics of the instruments used in the recording. Multitrack Recording Most professional recording is done using multitrack recording, where individual musical performances are recorded on separate tracks. This gives us the flexibility to edit and process the tracks, and to mix them into a final stereo version well after the original performance. Multitrack recording also allows us to add performances to an original recording. In this way, we're capturing a performance that interacts with previously recorded performances. The process of adding parts to an existing recording is called overdubbing. This way of working has changed the way music is produced. In desktop production, the self-produced artist often wears more than one hat, in many cases taking on the roles of composer, arranger, and performer. The Role of the Composer/Arranger When we use multitrack recording techniques, composition and arranging can be part of an interactive process where one musical idea suggests another.

Just as composers have traditionally used the piano to work out fully formed compositions from fragments of musical ideas, desktop producers can start with a skeletal idea for a song -- perhaps just a drum pattern and bass line -- and develop it into a complete musical arrangement The Role of the Performer By breaking down the recording process into individual performances or takes, musicians no longer have to be in the same place at the same time to contribute to a performance. Much like this online class, where your classmates participate from various locations at various times, musicians now commonly collaborate by adding their unique, individual performances to previously recorded tracks. In addition, a performer can now record more than one part. Desktop producers often take on the role of drummer, bass player, keyboard player, and soloist. In this method of recording, it's essential that a musician is able to hear whats been previously recorded, monitoring those tracks with headphones. In desktop production we rely on multitrack recording as our basic model for recording and assembling musical performances. Recording (Page 3) Audio Recording When we capture an acoustic performance we are making an audio recording, and in desktop production we use digital audio recording. Although many musicians have used analog or digital multitrack portastudios in home desktop production, the advantages of using dedicated music production software such as SONAR, both in terms of functionality and cost, have made these programs the standard of desktop production. When an instrument is played, it excites air molecules, which create fluctuations in air pressure (sound waves). Our ears interpret these fluctuations as sound. However, to record sound, we need to change sound into another form of energy so that it can be stored. We typically use a microphone to measure those fluctuating changes in air pressure and output a corresponding fluctuating voltage. That output is an analog signal. In analog recording, that fluctuating voltage is recorded directly to tape. In digital recording, we need to convert that analog representation into a series of discrete values, that represent the sound so they can be stored and processed in some type of recording medium. On playback, these stored numbers are converted back to the analog signal that we use to drive a speaker. Recording (Page 4) Digital Audio Recording, Then and Now While the first commercially available digital audio recorders became available in the late 1970's at over $100,000, these systems were out of reach for independent musicians and producers. The Alesis ADAT digital tape recorder, released in 1992 at a cost of $3000.00 arguably became the catalyst for the project studio revolution the has, for better or worse, transformed the recording industry. The most common types of these Modular Digital Multitracks (MDMs) were the Alesis ADAT and the Tascam DA-88. Each of these devices could record 8 tracks of digital audio on standard video tape

formats. They could also be linked together to provide additional tracks, allowing for 16, 24, or 32 tracks of recording. Tape location in MDMs was displayed as absolute time in hours, minutes, and seconds. Since there is no reference to bars and beats, a musician needed to hear what was previously recorded to know where they were while overdubbing. To do this, a recording session usually started with a recorded reference to the beat, called a click track. As computers became more powerful and hard disk storage gained more capacity and became cheaper, digital recording using a computer became practical for everyone from home hobbyists to platinumselling artists and producers. Very quickly, recording digital audio to tape became a thing of the past. MDM turned out to be a transitional technology that only lasted about ten years. Here are two examples of Modular Digital Mutitracks from the mid 1990s:

Original Alesis ADAT.

TASCAM DA-88. Recording (Page 5) Hard Disk Recording Hard disk-based recording software provides a way to view and edit the audio events that make up a performance. This makes it easy to organize and edit a performance using bars and beats. Although we can think of a hard-disk recorder as a kind of computer-based tape recorder, the ability to record and edit a performance according to bars and beats makes this a very powerful musical tool, and enables us to very easily integrate audio and MIDI recording. The following graphic shows bass and drum tracks in a typical multitrack waveform display. The numbers at the top indicate measure number, and the grid marks between those numbers display beats.

We can identify the drum track at the bottom of the display because of its sharp transient peaks. Notice that they line up with the bars and beats indicated along the top.

Recording (Page 5)Hard Disk Recording Hard disk-based recording software provides a way to view and edit the audio events that make up a performance. This makes it easy to organize and edit a performance using bars and beats. Although we can think of a hard-disk recorder as a kind of computer-based tape recorder, the ability to record and edit a performance according to bars and beats makes this a very powerful musical tool, and enables us to very easily integrate audio and MIDI recording. The following graphic shows bass and drum tracks in a typical multitrack waveform display. The numbers at the top indicate measure number, and the grid marks between those numbers display beats. We can identify the drum track at the bottom of the display because of its sharp transient peaks. Notice that they line up with the bars and beats indicated along the top.

Recording (Page 6) MIDI Recording When we use electronic instrumentation, we have the ability to record virtually every aspect of a musical performance as MIDI data. The Musical Instrument Digital Interface is a specification that defines how electronic instruments exchange information and how they are connected. When we record using MIDI, we're not recording the sound produced by a device, but the actual physical gestures used to produce sound, such as when we strike a key, when we release a key, and how fast we strike the key. These MIDI messages are recorded using a device called a MIDI sequencer. They can be very easily displayed and edited on a grid that displays bars and beats. We'll take a closer look at MIDI sequencing later in this course.

This is the bass track you heard in the previous example. Notice that we can now see the individual notes that make up the performance displayed in a bars and beats grid.

The bass track as MIDI data. Sample Loops Once we've established bars and beats as the grid that we'll use in organizing a production, it's very easy to set up patterns that repeat in different sections of a song. Since hard disk recording is random access, we can play audio from any point in a recording at any time. All drum machines use patterns as building blocks for musical arrangements. Most MIDI sequencers support this way of working, as well. We can use the same approach with random access, digital audio by repeating or looping a given number of bars over the course of an arrangement. The example below is a waveform view of two measures of a drum pattern. When looped, this can become a continuous musical performance. Notice that this is different from the first recording example, where the track contains a continuous performance. First Recording Example

Waveform view of two measures of a drum pattern. Play the looped, 2-bar pattern. This way of working allows us to use recorded material from virtually any existing source in our production, as long as we have legal permission from the copyright owner. A large number of libraries are available that provide the desktop producer a wide variety of copyright-cleared, sampled material. Who's to say that the late John Lee Hooker's driving rhythm guitar as well as an ensemble of Japanese Taiko drummers can't find a place in the song that's taking shape on your desktop?

A looped, 2-bar guitar pattern playing along with the looped 4-bar drum pattern. Editing The third step in the production process is editing. Once musical parts have been recorded, we can further refine an arrangement by editing them. The most powerful capability of computer-based desktop production is the ability to rearrange and edit both audio and MIDI performances after they've been recorded.

Edit the individual notes in a performance

Change the sounds used to play the notes in a performance

Build composite tracks using standard copy-and-paste editing techniques

Change the form of a song by copying and pasting entire sections of a recording

MIDI Editing

YES

YES

YES

YES

Digital Audio Editing

NO

NO

YES

YES

MIDI editing vs. digital audio editing. The various tools we'll be working with in desktop production offer several ways to view and edit the performances we've recorded. Each of the Edit windows in Sonar offers a different way of viewing recorded data, and a unique set of tools and functions for editing. We'll be demonstrating the specifics of how you can edit your performances in later lessons. In the next few pages let's take a look at four different ways we can view the opening phrases of Bach's Two-Part Invention #13 in A minor, Voice#1.

Editing (Page 2)MIDI Editing: The List Edit Window A MIDI sequencer records some basic information about every note we play: when a key is struck what note is played how fast the key is hit when the key is released This information is shown in the list edit window of any MIDI sequencer. Every note event will be displayed on a separate line as shown below. Any value displayed here can be changed by simply typing in a new value. Although we can view all the data recorded in a track and make very precise changes, most musicians have a hard time warming up to this way of editing, since it seems more like computer programming than music. We're used to seeing music as standard notation with notes displayed left to right on a grid called the staff, not as a top-down list of numbers.

Play the recorded example. Try and follow each event in the list as you listen to the phrase. Editing (Page 3) The Notation Display Window Although standard notation is perhaps the oldest way of viewing and editing music, remember that it's a set of instructions on how to play a piece of music, not the actual performance. Most MIDI sequencers allow us to view and edit our performances using standard notation. This allows those who read music an easy way to analyze and edit the notes recorded. It's also very handy for translating the musical ideas we've sequenced into printed parts that can be played by other musicians. Unfortunately, standard notation doesn't display the subtle variations performers will always bring to the performance of a written part, like playing a note slightly shorter or longer than written.

Figure 1.15. The Notation Display window of a MIDI sequencer. Play the recorded example. Compare what you hear to the displayed notation. In this recording, the sequencer is playing the notes displayed exactly as written. How musical does this sound? Editing (Page 4) MIDI Editing: The Graphic Edit Window The graphic edit window in any MIDI sequencer has a unique way of working around the shortcomings of both list- and notation-based editing. Each bar displayed on the grid below represents a single note. The pitch of a note is displayed as its vertical position on a grid and is referenced to the keyboard display on the left. The note's duration is represented as the length of a bar, arranged left to right, according to measures and beats. This way of displaying notes allows musicians to view the shape of a musical performance in a way that's similar to notation, yet still facilitates the precision of list editing.

The Graphic Edit window of a MIDI sequencer. Click above to play the recorded example. In the recording, you'll hear an interpretation of the melody we just saw displayed in the notation window. Notice that in the graphic edit window, we see exactly when and for how long each note is played. See if you can follow along while the example plays. Editing (Page 5) Audio Editing: The Waveform Display List, notation, and graphic displays are great for viewing and editing recordings of MIDI instruments, but what about acoustic instruments such as a flute or a banjo or a voice? For audio recordings, we'll need to use the hard disk recording environment to view and edit performances. Unlike analog or digital tape recordings, hard disk recording allows us to graphically display a recording. Although we can't change the instrument, or many of the nuances of the actual performance as we can

with MIDI, digital editing allows us to use standard cut, copy, and paste editing techniques to rearrange sections of a performance. We can then assemble the best parts of several different recordings in a final composite version.

Click above to play the recorded example. Notice that the waveform display clearly shows groups of notes used in this melodic phrase. See if you can follow along while the example plays. We've just seen a few ways to edit our recorded performances. Go to the next page to get an overview of the next stage in the production process, mixing. Mixing At the end of the recording and editing process, we're left with a number of finished tracks. Each track will usually represent the performance of a single instrument. To produce a final version of our song we'll need to combine these individual elements in a process called mixing. The audio output of all the tracks we've recorded and edited is sent to either a hardware or virtual mixing console, and the resulting stereo mix is then recorded or saved as an audio file in a process called bounce to disk. In mixing, after each individual instrument has been recorded to its own track, we have the ability to control each one separately. It's here that we craft and polish the sound of our final product. Here are some things we typically control in mixing: Volume Faders control the levels of individual tracks.

Panning

Panning controls placement of each track in the left-right stereo image.

Equalization

The character of the sound recorded on each track can be adjusted using specialized types of tone controls called equalizers.

Effects

Effects such as compression, chorus, flanging, and delay further alter the recorded sound of a performance. These types of effects often change the basic character of a recorded performance.

Reverb

Individual tracks can be placed in a simulated acoustic space. Elements you can control in mixing.

Most of these functions are familiar to musicians. Certainly, many guitar, bass, and keyboard players already have pedals and stomp boxes that give them this type of control in performance. Mastering How will your audience listen to your work? The last step in the production process is mastering: preparing the final mix of a song for distribution. The most common consumer format is the audio CD. Many types of audio CD players on the market allow the consumer to listen at home, in the car, or with a portable playeralmost anywhere. Another popular format is an MP3 file. This is a standard type of computer file that reduces the size of an audio file so that it's practical to download it from the Internet. We'll be using MP3 files in this course. Once saved as a sound file, we go through the following steps to create a final product. Mouse over each step below to learn more. Edit Equalize Compress Distribute The steps needed to create the final product. This covers the steps in the music production process. In the next section, we'll take a look at the kinds of tools we'll use in turning our musical ideas into finished masters. Music Production Tools Overview Now that we have seen the steps of the production process, we will examine the tools used in the production process. There are a wide variety of tools used to produce music today, whether on the computer desktop or in an actual physical production studio. These may be divided into the following categories: Performance Tools Recording Tools

Mixing Tools Today, these tools may be divided into two categories: physical tools and virtual tools. The following pages will give you a brief introduction to each of the types of tools you'll be working with in desktop production. Physical Tools Physical tools are actual devices that occur in physical space. You can see and touch them, and they usually cost considerable amounts of physical money. There are many advantages to using physical tools; they feel good, there is a real human interaction with them, and if your computer crashes, they generally will still work. Some disadvantages are that they are expensive, take up a lot of space, are difficult to interconnect, and they are not easily portable. Here are some examples of physical tools and their role in the production process: Performance Tools Recording Tools Mixing Tools Processing Tools

Performance Tools Here are some types of tools commonly used to create musical performances in a desktop music production system. Keyboard Synthesizer A totally self-contained instrument that allows the user to directly play synthesized sounds from a keyboard controller. When used for sequencing, these functions can be separated so the device can be used as just a controller or sound module. Some keyboard synthesizers, like the M3 pictured here, include a built-in MIDI sequencer and are called music workstations.

Figure 1.20. Korg M3

Controller A physical interface that allows a musician to enter performance data into a MIDI sequencer and trigger sounds in a synthesizer. Although the controller pictured is a keyboard, many others exist, including drum, guitar, and wind controllers. You'll need some sort of controller as part of this course in order to enter your own performances in Reason and SONAR.

Figure 1.21. Avid Axiom Pro 49.

Sound Module

Figure 1.22. Dave Smith Mopho Sound Module.

A synthesizer that produces sounds under the control of a sequencer or some type of external controller. Sound modules are a great way to expand a desktop production system that already has a keyboard synthesizer. The module pictured is a sampler and is only one of the many types of synthesis techniques available in a sound module.

There are a number of tools available that are specifically designed for producing Rap, Hip Hop and various styles of dance music. All of these combine some type of sound source with a pattern-based sequencer, are easy to use and allow the user to do some types of editing in performance. Sampling Workstation

AKAI MPC1000.

A sampling device that has pads to trigger samples and a built-in sequencer. As a sampler, these devices can load individual drum sounds and percussive "hits" as well as loops. These types of devices are very popular with rap, techno, and hip-hop producers and in some cases can be used as self-contained desktop production systems.

Drum Machine A percussion synthesizer that can arrange patterns of drum performances triggered from pads on the device. Early analog drum machines like the Roland TR-808 have become classics, and most current models use samples of both acoustic drum kits as well as more electronic sounds. A drum machine doesn't usually function as a sampler, and in that respect, is different from a sampling workstation.

Figure 1.24. Elektron SPS-1 MachineDrum

Groove Box

Figure 1.25. Korg ESX1SD.

There are many variations on the basic drum machine. A groove box generally adds some type of synthesizer and effects processing as well as additional features such as an arpeggiator. These are performance devices that allow the user to trigger drum and bass patterns as well as manipulate the sounds in real time. Most of the effects in these devices are designed to synchronize with the tempo of the song.

Laptop Performance Controller

AKAI APC Controller for Ableton Live

As more and more musicians use laptop computers in live performance, manufacturers have developed a number of hardware devices designed to control software. These devices connect to the computer using a standard USB cable and are often bus-powered. In the case of Ableton Live, manufacturers have developed products that tightly integrate with the software providing an intuitive way to use Live on stage.

DJ Control System While two turntables and mixer is the classic DJ setup, manufacturers have increasingly focused on developing hardware and software systems for the digital DJ. As the art of DJ performance and turntablism becomes more developed, these systems become musical instruments in their own right. Some of these systems, like the Newmark MIXDECK are self-contained and work with audio CDs and MP3s, while others like Native Instruments Traktor use audio stored in a host computer.

Native Instruments Traktor

Multitouch Control System Apple's iPad has launched a new era in personal, portable computing by giving developers a stable platform to develop music applications these multitouch systems. Multitouch surfaces allow a software user interface to behave more like hardware, where multiple parameters can be controlled simultaneously. There are apps currently available to control Ableton Live,

Korg iEtribe running on an Apple iPad.

as well has a number of grooveboxes and conventional synthesizers.

Recording Tools Here are some types of tools commonly used to create musical performances in a desktop music production system. Recording Workstation

Tascam 2488 Recording Workstation CD Recorder

While computer-based hard disk recording is the current standard, several manufacturers offer self-contained system for recording and mixing. These integrated systems off the convenience of having everything needed to make a multitrack recording in one physical device.

Figure 1.30. Sony CDRW66. Mobile Recorders

Several manufacturers produce devices that can record directly to CD. Although we usually want to edit and sequence audio files before making a CD, these devices can be very useful in making demo mixes.

Figure 1.30a. Korg MR-1000 1Bit Professional Mobile

Examples of physical recorders include easily portable two track hard disk recorders that can record material remotely and then transfer the audio to a desktop recording environment for processing and mixing.

Recorder.

Figure 1.30b. M-Audio MicroTrack II - Professional 2Channel Mobile Digital Audio Recorder.

Mixing Tools Here are some types of tools commonly used to mix recorded tracks in music production. What you'll notice here is that although mixers all perform the same functions, the flexibility and sound quality can vary greatly. Mixers are generally designed to provide a cost-effective set of features with a specific user in mind. Large Format Console These mixers generally have inputs for between forty-eight and ninetysix channels of analog and digital connections, and will offer high quality dynamics and EQ processing on each channel, as well as full automation. In the world of major label record production, where producers demand the highest sound quality and most flexibility from a console, a mixing board can easily cost between $50,000 to upwards of $250,000.

SSL Duality Console

Large Format Mix Controller A large format mix controller brings professional-level quality and scale to control Avid's Pro Tools and Venue systems. While these may look like a large format mixer, these do not have an audio signal path for recording and mixing. They bring a high level way to immediately control all aspects of working with a digital audio workstation (DAW).

Avid DCommand

Project Studio Console

Yamaha 01V96

Most of the features found in large format consoles are now available in smaller, more cost-effective models. These will generally have fewer inputs and won't sound as good, but offer tremendous value to producers working on a budget. Much of the music you hear on TV and the radio is produced in smaller professional studios, often located in a producer's home. These are great choices for those situations.

Personal Mixer Everyone working with electronic instruments and microphones needs some sort of mixer to combine signals from different audio sources. These mixers will generally have between eight and thirty-two channels, EG on each channel, and some flexibility in routing signals to and from the mixer. Typically these types of mixers are analog and offer no automation capabilities. These mixers are inexpensive, starting at around $200, and are well suited for home recording and live performance.

Mackie 802 VLZ-3

Control Surface As we'll soon see, all of the mixing functions performed in the any of the above physical tools can be accomplished in the virtual world using a wide range of software. A number of manufacturers have begun producing hardware control surfaces that provide the user with the programmable physical controllers for many, if not all, mixing functions found in a software package.

Mackie Control Universal Pro

Integrated Controller and Audio Interface An integrated control surface and audio interface combines the functions of a software based recording system. These will usually connect to a host computer using either USB or Firewire. While on the surface these controller may appear to be a kind of digital mixer, they differ in that they can't operate with out a host computer running appropriate software.

M-Audio Project Mix I/O

Processing Tools In mixing, we commonly process audio signals. Here are some tools commonly used to process audio signals in a desktop music production system. Although the examples shown here are all high-end studio processors, all the functionality of these devices can be found in software. We'll be learning how to use these types of tools in lessons 8 and 9. Compressor

Figure 1.31. Universal Audio LA2A. Equalizer

A device used to control the dynamic range of audio signals. In any kind of production, a compressor is used to make sure all the subtleties and nuances of a recorded performance can be heard.

Figure 1.32. Summit EQ. Digital Reverb

A device used to adjust the tone color of an audio signal. Since the process of audio recording can change how an instrument sounds, an equalizer is used to help a recorded track blend with others.

TC Electronic System 6000 Digital Reverb Digital Multieffects

A device used to simulate the acoustic space in which a recorded performance takes place. With a digital reverb we can create the illusion that a performance we may have recorded in a bedroom sounds like it's in a concert hall, or any other type of space we can imagine.

Lexicon PCM96

There's a whole range of effects that are created by delaying an audio signal by varying amounts. Chorus, flange, and echo are a few, and a single multifunction processor is commonly able to produce a range of these effects.

Since we cannot be sure that all students have access to the same equipment, we will focus on the "virtual" tools that we will provide you in this course. Virtual Tools Virtual tools are software tools that exist only in the bits and bytes within your computer. You can see them, but can only touch them with a mouse or some other computer input device. While these do cost real money, their cost is typically only a fraction of their hardware counterparts. Theoretically, the power of these tools is limitless. Unfortunately, in practice, they are limited by your computer's horsepower. The faster your microprocessor (CPU), the more random access memory (RAM) you have, and the bigger and faster your hard drive, the more you can accomplish with virtual tools. In this course, we will focus on virtual tools, because we can provide you computer access to them.

Whenever possible, however, we will relate these virtual devices to their "real" physical hardware counterparts.

Music Production Tools (Page 2)Performance Tools, The Musical Idea Performance tools are those that allow you to realize your ideas by making musical concepts into specific sonic realities. In the physical world, performance tools are usually musical instruments, like guitars or drums. In electronic environments, they usually take the form of MIDI synthesizers. And now, with the advent of virtual studios, the computer serves as a performance tool to help you create and control sound. In this course we will be using the following virtual instruments that are a part of Reason and SONAR: Virtual Instruments Instrument Synthesizer Module Digital Sample Player Drum Machine Reason Subtractor NN-19 NN-XT ReDrum SONAR TTS-1 RXP Session Drummer 2

Virtual instruments that are part of Reason and SONAR. Although these virtual synthesizer modules will help us to create and control sound, we'll still need to stay in the physical world to play them. Any MIDI keyboard controller will allow us to control the synthesizers in Reason and SONAR to record our performances using the MIDI sequencer. Music Production Tools (Page 3) Recording Tools Once you are capable of producing sounds using a physical or virtual instrument, you will want to capture either the performance or the actual sound. To do this you may use either a MIDI sequencer or an audio recorder. MIDI Sequencer The Musical Instrument Digital Interface defines specific musical gestures that are represented by series of digital commands. A MIDI sequencer keeps track of commands issued, the order they are issued in, and their location in bars and beats. It stores them in memory in the sequence in which they occurred. Once a MIDI performance is recorded, the sequence of musical events can be played back and edited with a great degree of specificity. Audio Recorder The sound produced by an instrumental performance can also be captured using an audio recording device. In the physical world this may be a tape recorder or a dedicated hard disk recording system.

Today's computers are powerful enough to emulate such a recording device using the hardware and software you already own. By using the computer as a virtual recording device to capture audio from the physical world, you have the power to combine this audio with captured MIDI performances in a single software environment. For this course we will be using Reason's Sequencer and Cakewalks SONAR software as our MIDI and audio recording tools. MIDI Sequencer

Reason's MIDI Sequencer tool.

SONAR's MIDI Sequencer tool. Audio Recorder This is SONAR's audio recorder. You'll notice that the audio tracks are displayed in the same window as the MIDI tracks we saw earlier. In many audio/MIDI sequencing packages like SONAR, the interface for recording MIDI and audio will be the same.

SONAR's audio recorder. Music Production Tools (Page 4)

Editing Tools Once music has been recorded, very often it will be edited or changed in some way. In ancient times, before the mid-1980s, editing was difficult because it involved physically manipulating recorded sound: cutting and splicing tape. This was tedious work and was limited to excising unwanted material. With the advent of computer-based tools, editing became much simpler and more powerful. Either recorded audio or MIDI information may be edited with today's computer-based tools. As MIDI information is performance data rather than actual audio, you may change individual notes, or an entire phrase. You can change timing, tempo, and pitch, including transposition of a phrase or an entire musical part. And, you can add musical nuance with simple, easy-to-use graphical tools. Digital audio editing techniques go far beyond the basic splicing that was done analog tape recordings. As with MIDI data, we can change the pitch and timing of a musical performance, in addition to changing the recorded level. While many of these techniques are supposed to be transparent to the listener, Autotune, software that's commonly used to correct the pitch of vocal tracks, has become almost legendary in the public's mind with artist's like T-Pain using it as an identifiable part of their sound.

Antares AutoTune pitch correction software

Music Production Tools (Page 5)Processing Tools As part of the mixing process, audio recordings may be altered in both subtle and significant ways. Using Digital Signal Processing (DSP) tools, we may add acoustical effects such as reverb, echo, and chorus. We can change the tone color of a sound, or perform very significant changes in pitch or audio quality of a given sound. In the physical world, there are many varieties of effects processors. Today, all of these are emulated in the virtual domain by software-based processors. These are often included in software applications in the form of add-ons called plug-ins. Plug-ins are small files that add functionality to a host application. There are several standards for software DSP plug-ins, including the cross-platform VST (Virtual Studio Technology) format developed by Steinberg, TDM (Time-Domain Multiplexing) developed by Digidesign, the Mac OSX standard AU2 (Audio Units) by Apple Computer, and DXi (Direct-X Instruments) on the Windows platform. For this course, we will be using Reason's MIDI sequencer and Cakewalk's SONAR software as our MIDI and audio editing tools. Mixing Tools In conjunction with our editing tools, we use a mixer and effects devices to combine different musical parts into a complete production of our music. A mixer has a number of channels that accept audio inputs and combines them to produce a stereo output by routing and processing those signals in various ways. Each channel is usually laid out in a strip of controls that is replicated for each physical or virtual input. These controls typically include placement in the stereo image (pan), equalization controls that change the tone coloring of the signal, and effect routing controls. Reason includes a multichannel mixing console as seen below.

Reason's multichannel mixing console. Music Production Tools (Page 6) Working Together with Hardware Music production takes place in a wide variety of environments, from professional studios to basement studios. These days, that means many different combinations of hardware and software. With hardware, signals are routed between various devices, the mixer, recorders, effect processors, and speakers. These tools are connected to create a music production system. Much like the chain of the production process described earlier, these devices are connected in a similar order. Click the Play button below to learn more. While the connections and routing between devices in a hardware system are clear, working with software means that various functions will be handled in a single software application like SONAR or Reason. Music Production Tools (Page 7) The Digital Audio Workstation

In conversations about audio production you often hear the word "DAW." This is an acronym for "Digital Audio Workstation." With software based systems, all of the steps in a music production are done with a single piece of software, and as we've already seen, SONAR is capable of handing recording, editing, mixing, and even mastering. This a major departure from the hardware model we just looked at, largely because at the end of the process the software will create a stereo audio file of our mixed music, avoiding the need for a separate mix down recorder. Before we get into further detail on the signal paths that flow between devices in lesson 2, let's look a little closer at each of the devices in a production system: synthesizer, sampler, audio recorders, MIDI sequencers, mixers, and processors. Synthesizers Synthesizers are devices that produce sound entirely by electronic means. Using a synthesizer, the desktop music producer may control every parameter of the sound, including pitch, timbre, and loudness. Since the synthesizer allows for very fine control over musical sound, every part performed can meet the precise musical needs of the production. Key technical issues that differentiate synthesizers from one another include: Polyphony: the number of notes that may be simultaneously sounded Multitimbral capability: the number of unique instrumental sounds that may be sounded at once Memory: the number of sounds contained in a device's memory Even more important than these technical specifications are the instrument's sound quality, its ease of use, and the way it feels to play. These are more difficult to quantify and require musicians to actually experience the instrument to determine if it is right for their production needs. Synthesizers (Page 2) The User Interface How does a user access all the power and flexibility in a synthesizer? A synthesizer may have hundreds of individual parameters that determine how the device produces a sound and how it controls operational features. We view and edit those parameters through various displays and physical controls found in a user interface. A good user interface is easy to learn and allows the user quick, intuitive control of a synthesizer's many parameters. Although it would be great to have an individual knob or slider for each parameter, hardware is expensive and the sheer number of these needed would be cost prohibitive. In the physical world, manufacturers spend a great deal of time and energy designing cost effective user interfaces for their products. The Triton Rack, pictured below, has a single screen that can display a number of different pages for each group of parameters to be edited. The knobs and buttons we see are multi-functioned and control different parameters, depending on the functions called for in the screen display. This type of page-based user interface is common to many synthesizers. The downside of this is that in order to take full advantage of all the features available, you're going to spend a great deal of time learning the user interface.

The Triton Rack. Synthesizers (Page 3) Editor/Librarians One of the advantages of working in the virtual world is that we're already familiar with the user interface of the computer platform we use. Several software developers have written programs to help musicians easily access all of the programming functions of hardware synthesizers. These editor/librarian programs allow users to edit sounds in a device from their computer screen and store the sounds they've created on their computer. Take a look at the following screen from a typical SONAR editor/librarian layout. Notice the virtual knobs and sliders, as well as the detailed graphic displays. These provide a clear overview and easy access to all the parameters in this particular hardware synthesizer.

Example of a SONAR StudioWare panel. Synthesizers (Page 4) Virtual Synthesizers Most off-the-shelf computer systems are powerful enough to use their own native processing power to generate synthesized sound. The virtual instruments we'll be using in Reason and SONAR produce sound in this manner. Since the user interface of these instruments will be displayed on your computer screen, they'll be great tools to help us learn about synthesizers. Take a look at SubTractor. Every parameter is shown in a single, easy-to-read display. There are clearly

defined sections that will allow us to quickly edit the elements of sound: pitch, timbre, and loudness. Compare SubTractor to the SONAR editor/librarian layout. Notice that although the user interface looks a bit different, the parameters themselves are very similar. Both display controls for various standard synthesizer parameters, so the concepts we learn using SubTractor can be easily applied to many other synthesizers.

Subtractor. Although the Roland GrooveSynth DXi software synthesizer has a different look and feel, many of its functions are the same as SubTractor pictured above.

Roland GrooveSynth DXi software synthesizer. Synthesizers (Page 5) Synthesizers and Samplers There is a wide variety of synthesizers and samplers available in the physical world, most of which are now emulated in the virtual world. Synthesizers produce sound in several different ways. Some, like SubTractor pictured on the previous page, make their sounds by starting with electronic building blocks, while others begin with short digital recordings of acoustic instruments or sounds from nature called samples.

These devices are often called samplers if they can record sounds themselves. If they use prerecorded samples and offer synthesizer control over the sounds, they are referred to as sample-based synthesizers. Using the NN-19 Sampler in Reason, we'll learn the basics of using samples to create new sounds. Take a look at Reason's NN-19 Sampler pictured below. You'll notice that although it's a sample-based synthesizer, most of the parameters you'll be editing are the same as what you see pictured in SubTractor. Again, what you learn using NN-19 can be applied to any sampler in the physical or virtual world.

Reason's NN-19 Sampler.

Another example, the NI Kontakt Plug-In. MIDI Sequencers While there are a number of hardware-based MIDI sequencers available on the market today, we will focus on computer software for capturing and editing MIDI performances. In general, these programs look a lot like real audio recorders, complete with transport buttons, but also have a great many other tools for manipulating MIDI information. MIDI Recording Any MIDI data sent from a controller is recorded into a sequencer track. A metronome is required so a performance can match the rhythmic grid setup in the sequencer. Much of what we learn about MIDI recording and editing we can apply to working with audio in hard disk recording. There are four ways of capturing a MIDI performance: Replace: When MIDI data is recorded to a track, events from a previous recording are removed, as would occur in audio tape recording Overdub: When MIDI data is recorded to a track, new events are added to existing material Punch Mode: Allows the user to define when recording starts and stops Loop Mode: Allows the user to keep recording successive passes between to locations This is the transport window in Reason. Use your mouse to see where the controls for the various record modes are located. The transport window in Reason. When you're done, go to the next page and see how this compares to the transport window in SONAR.

Audio RecordersFor this course, we will be focusing on recording audio with the personal computer. This involves setting up some physical connectors to and from your computer. Your computer has some form of sound generation and capturing hardware. It has specific connectors called jacks that must be connected to your audio playback system using cables. There are plugs that match the jacks on your computer and audio system. These usually fall into a class of standardized connectors, which we will explore in lesson 2. To record audio into the computer, we must have some type of recording software. These generally emulate the physical process and include transport controls such as record, stop, play, and fast forward and rewind buttons. The SONAR Transport Window Notice that the transport window in SONAR is similar to what we've seen in Reason. Even though Reason can only record MIDI performances, both recorders have many functions in common. SONAR uses the same transport window to control both audio and MIDI recording. Use your mouse to see where the controls for the various record modes are located. Notice that although SONAR presents the record functions somewhat differently than Reason, the

functions are essentially the same.

ProcessorsIn music production we'll often want to change the sound of a recorded performance either to make up for deficiencies in the recording process, or to creatively enhance our tracks in some way. Although we can process MIDI data in various ways, we'll be mainly looking at how we process audio. In the physical world, effects devices come in all shapes and sizes, varying greatly in quality and price. The examples we've seen so far in this lesson have all been high-end professional devices, but there are many cost-effective units on the market today that are geared toward desktop production. It's also important to remember that every processor has its own unique sound and that some of the sounds you may have heard on hit records have come from unorthodox techniques, such as processing drums sounds through cheap guitar effects pedals. Let's take a look at how this plays out in the virtual world.

Processors (Page 2)The Hardware Model The effects processors we'll use in Reason are modeled after similar hardware devices from the physical world, with some occasional twists. In Reason's virtual studio environment, we'll connect them in much the same way as we would if we were wiring a physical studio. This will make it easy to apply what we've learned in this course to other similar devices. Much like synthesizers, though, effects processors are subject to user interface issues. The best devices not only sound great, but are easy to use. In some effects, this is not so much of an issue, simply because there are far less parameters to be edited than on a synthesizer. RV-7 is one of the reverb effects in Reason. On the front panel we see a few basic controls, similar to what we might see on a low-cost hardware device.

RV-7, a reverb effect in Reason. Reason also provides a more full-featured, professional reverb, RV7000. The front panel view shows basic controls, similar to RV-7, but clicking on the "Remote Programmer" drop-down triangle expands the view, showing additional features. This expanded, remote programmer view is a common function found on more complex Reason devices such as the NN-XT Advanced Sampler and the Thor Polysonic Synthesizer.

The basic RV7000 Reverb.

The expanded RV7000 Reverb remote programmer view Processors (Page 3) Plug-ins Another approach to effects processing in the virtual world is the use of software plug-ins, as we'll see when we use SONAR. Plug-ins are add-in software products that add functionality to a host application. There are many different formats of plug-ins on both the Mac and PC, and the incompatibility of these can sometimes make purchasing plug-ins confusing. The ones we'll be using with SONAR are all bundled with the program, so there's no need for us to worry about compatibility. TrueVerb, as we see below, is a reverb plug-in that uses the VST format, also supported by SONAR. Like software synthesizers, effects plug-ins are designed to take advantage of a computer's user interface and can display much more information about how the various parameters will affect the sound. Compare TrueVerb to RV-7 (shown on the previous page), and you'll clearly see that although the parameters seen in RV-7 are in both, TrueVerb goes much further, providing more control and a visual display.

TrueVerb, a reverb plug-in that uses the VST format.

Processors (Page 4)Plug-ins Let's take a look at some common types of effects we'll use in desktop production, and see how the different models found in Reason and SONAR compare. Notice that in many cases the parameters are similar. The only difference is how they're displayed. Delay

Delay in Reason.

Delay in SONAR. Compressor

The compressor in Reason.

The compressor in SONAR. Equalizer

The equalizer in Reason.

The equalizer in SONAR.

MixersAs we've already seen, mixing consoles come in all shapes and sizes, from small four-channel portable units to full-scale automated digital consoles that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. For most desktop musicians, the mixer is the most important hardware component of the production process. All of our audio devices, instruments, audio recorders, and processors will be connected to it, and as we'll see in the next lesson, all the audio signals in our system will be routed though it. It's the central nervous system of desktop production. However, technology advances have allowed manufacturers to emulate very expensive mixers at very low cost. With the right digital audio interface for your computer, software-based mixing is truly an affordable option. In Lesson 7, we will learn about the controls and functions found on every mixer using the Reason mixer. Just as with synthesizers and effects, the mixer in Reason is modeled after physical world hardware. The Main Mixer emulates a full-featured, professional mixer that combines mix capabilities for both the audio and device channels in a project. Reason also has Mixer 14:2, a typical mid-size mixer with controls for volume panning, EQ and effects, visible on every channel that is used only for devices.

The Main Mixer in Reason.

The 14:2 device mixer in Reason Contrast this to the mixer in SONAR. Here we have the same controls for volume and panning, but we have more precise control of equalization, and the ability to insert plug-in effects into individual channels. You'll also notice that we can also route audio from any channel to the inputs and outputs in our computer's audio interface. We'll be using the SONAR mixer when we learn about adding effects to our mix in lessons 8 and 9.

The mixer in SONAR.

Assignment: Desktop Production Project Plan and Toolset NewDue: April 7 Set Subscriptions What kind of music would you like to produce and what tools will you need? Let's put what we've learned this week to use by planning a musical production and making a shopping list of tools we'll need. For the purpose of this assignment, don't restrict yourself to the tools you already have in formulating your plan. Think big. How would you really like to produce a musical idea? Part 1: The Plan Consider the following and prepare a written plan. What type of arrangement will you use? What instruments and how many vocal parts will you use? Will the instruments you choose be acoustic, electric, or electronic? How will you record your arrangement? MIDI? Audio? How many tracks will you need to record your arrangement? You can create a chart like the one below to help develop your plan. Use "The Reaper" example we looked at as a starting point. Title Type of Arrangement Type of Recording Instrument Type of Instrument Source

Part 2: Your Personal Studio Inventory

Next, put together a list of tools you currently own that could be used to produce the arrangement outlined in your project plan. Think about all the steps in the production process and the tools you'll need for each. Then, list each step in the production process and tell how you would use the tools you currently in each step. Don't worry about accessories like cables and stands for right now. For example: Recording: Host computer: PC. Shure SM58 microphone used to record vocals and acoustic guitar. Avid Oxygen 25 MIDI controller used for entering notes in MIDI sequencing. SONAR used as the MIDI and audio recorder. M-Audio StudioPro3 Desktop Audio Monitors. AKG K-44MKII Headphones used for monitoring while overdubbing. PreSonus Firebox audio interface used for a microphone preamp and for audio input and output from the computer. After reviewing the steps in the production process and all the equipment you currently own that you could use, see if there is anything missing from your current setup. Some of you may be ready to go with what you have; others may need to acquire an additional piece of equipment to produce their project. If there's something missing or a particular tool that you feel should be replaced, take a look online and do a little research to see what's available and tell us what you would get and why. Have fun! A good starting place would be Harmony Central, a popular online resource for musicians: http://www.harmony-central.com. Remember, you don't actually need to produce your project or buy any equipment for this assignment. What we're asking you to do evaluate how you currently equipped and reflect on what might be a good addition to what you currently own. The links at the top of the home page will take you to various categories of musical equipment, where you can find plenty of manufacturer links to get you started. When you're done, post your project plan and toolset list/description below.

SummaryCongratulations! You have completed the first lesson, Introduction to Desktop Production Tools. This week's lesson introduced you to the number of ways to produce different kinds of music on the desktop. Specifically, you should now know how to: recall the steps in the production process identify the types of tools used in desktop production

plan a desktop musical production Take a look through the topics we've covered this week. If you're unsure about any of these, take some time to go back and review. Next week, we will delve more deeply into concepts of audio flow. Make sure you have completed all readings and practice assignments in this lesson before continuing. Great work!