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| The Hobbyist | ||
Many people get into recording to work on their own music. This type of person will often purchase some recording equipment and learn how to use it to record their musical ideas. If the equipment strains the budget too much, the person may take in a few clients, doing similar type of music, to help offset the equipment costs. The person I describe is more of a hobbyist than a professional engineer. This hobbyist will often do only one style of music and get only one "sound" on recordings. |
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| Some hobbyists take the time to learn some of the theories of basic recording. Some take a class or two, some study online or resort to the analog world of reading texts on the subject. The hobbyist often has equipment that yields good results, and even may be well trained, but can only operate effectively in the narrow range of formats inexpensively available. The hobbits is often familiar with one type of setup. Often a digital console will be used with digital MDM recorders for 16, 24 or 32 track recording. In some cases a digital workstation will be used that combines the functions of the console and the multitrack recorder. Other times a home recording setup will be installed around a personal computer. | ||
| The Professional | ||
| The professional recording engineer has recording as a career. This individual is well-trained, either on the job or through an extensive training program. The professional is familiar with the large studio format consoles (as well as the smaller format home recording consoles). The professional gets good results with the analog recording formats used in large studios (24 track on two-inch tape). The analog format takes more precise techniques to make a good-sounding recording; the high-noise floor that is part of the analog recording experience requires more precision and know-how on the engineer's part. | ||
| The professional is accustomed to getting a variety of sounds that are appropriate for the particular recording project being done that day and is comfortable doing a variety of styles on a day-to-day basis. The professional is fast, good or both. Different brands or types of equipment does not throw off the professional. | ||
| Often professionals work in different studios and they are comfortable walking into a studio and using an unfamiliar console. The professional will often bring favorite pieces of equipment and adapter cables to the session. It is very common for an engineer to bring and install his favorite speakers that will be used in addition to the studio's systems. | ||
| Professional Mixing | ||
| Hobbyists sometimes have an advantage in mixing because they mix only what they have recorded. When you mix something you have recorded, you know the "ins and outs" of the production and recording and may have listened to the multitrack master dozens of times before doing the mixdown. If the hobbyist is good at recording, the mixdown is always done with well-recorded tracks. | ||
| The professional mixing engineer has a different situation. The professional engineer often is given tapes recorded elsewhere. The pro has to get a good mixdown right away with no prior history with the multitrack. In addition there are often problems with the recording that often require more masterful use of signal processing like equalization, dynamics processing and effects to get a good mix; things like distortion, noise, dull sound, excessive leakage may be present in one or more of the tracks requiring "correction." | ||
| Training the Professional | ||
| In this manual and in the companion recording course (RID's Advanced Recording Course), the student learns the analog side of professional recording and the precision recording and mixing techniques that are needed for this type of professional equipment. The hardware described will be the large-format analog console and the 24 track analog tape recorders. | ||
| Just as important will be getting the reader or the student to "think" recording and to strive for the most professional results that are attainable. Applying what you know to attain better results will be the stress of both this manual and of the course. The reader of this manual and the student of the Advanced Recording Course will be expected to apply the techniques of previous courses/study modules with the judgment now being learned. In addition the students will be expected to apply new advanced techniques presented. | ||
Copyright 2001, Robert Dennis, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |