Article

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

How To Archive Multitrack DAW Recordings

The archived recordings must be prepared to weather obsolescence

 
Multitrack DAW recordings are dependent on a complex system of primary and secondary technologies.

As discussed in An Introduction to Archiving Music Recordings, each of these technologies represents an obstacle to the long-term viability of a multitrack archive.

Simply put, if the various software and hardware products you’re using today aren’t going to be around in their current versions for the useful life of the sound recordings you’re creating (i.e. the copyright term), the archived recording must be prepared to weather that obsolescence.

The goal of preparing multitrack DAW data for archive is to minimize the layers of technology necessary to completely reconstruct the master recording in the future.

This article will introduce some basic techniques for creating both Consolidated and Flat Multitracks for archival purposes.

What Is A Consolidated Multitrack?

A Consolidated Multitrack is a digital audio fileset that completely expresses the EDL (Edit Decision List) information from a multitrack master recording. Specifically:

—Each DAW track is expressed as a single, continuous Broadcast Wave file (BWF);
—All of the consolidated audio files share the same start times and durations;
—All of the consolidated audio files share the same digital audio precisions, i.e. sample rate and bit depth;
—All of the consolidated audio files share the same descriptive naming convention, e.g. trackname_songtitle_artistname.wav.

If all of the above specifications are met, a folder containing the consolidated audio files could be used to perfectly reconstruct the multitrack recording as far into the future as the Broadcast Wave file format remains viable.

Since the Broadcast Wave file is a widely accepted standard file format for media producers, its long-term viability (and eventual uniform migration) is virtually guaranteed.

Creating a Consolidated Multitrack:

1. From your last active session/project file, ‘Save As’ to create a discrete file from which you will create a Consolidated Multitrack.
2. Hide or delete any auxiliary signal path to simplify the working environment.
3. If additional Takes or Playlists are to be included in the Consolidated Multitrack, create new tracks to allow all of the source audio to be simultaneously visible/accessible.
4. Using session boundaries, location markers, or some other timeline tool, establish a repeatable global timeline selection that includes all audio from the earliest drop-in to beyond the longest running audio file.
5. Once your global selection is made, use the Consolidate or Merge functions to create a single continuous audio file that expresses the EDL information for each track.
6. Carefully, consistently label all of the newly consolidated audio files to reflect enough information that they could completely identify themselves by name, e.g. bassamp_take2_ohbabybaby_jimmysingsalot.wav

Once the above steps have been followed, a choice has to be made about how to present these consolidated audio files as a discrete multitrack recording for archive.

Minimally, a folder that follows the same naming convention as the consolidated audio files should be created to contain all of the associated audio files and metadata (like screen shots, rtf files containing session notes, credits, etc.). This method works fine, but will always require the multitrack to be reconstructed in a DAW for playback.

Alternately, a facility like Pro Tools’ ‘Save Session Copy’ could be used to create a new, independent playback session for only the archival material.

Using this method one would need to be careful to remove any non-archival audio and metadata from the source session before saving the copy.

This approach would facilitate more convenient short-term use of the archive, but doesn’t actually provide any additional content.

What Is A Flat Multitrack?

A Flat Multitrack is a digital audio fileset that completely expresses the EDL information from a multitrack master recording, but also expresses some subset of DAW metadata. What metadata is ‘flattened’ into the archive is up to you, your client, or contractual obligations, but it could include:

—Plug-in processing like amp simulation, ‘printed’ effects from auxiliary channels, or automated processing;
—Automation data, like the fader rides on a lead vocal track;
—Bounced submixes that would otherwise require reconstructing both complex routing and plugin processing.

It is critically important to note that a Flat Multitrack should never be archived instead of a Consolidated Multitrack, but only in addition. The Consolidated Multitrack is the master recording; the Flat Multitrack (when applicable) is an extension of that master.

Once a Consolidated Multitrack has been created, a Flat Multitrack can be created by repeating the process with a few additional steps:

1. From your last active session/project file, ‘Save As’ to create a discrete file from which you will create a Flat Multitrack.
2. Hide or delete all auxiliary signal path and metadata that is not going to be flattened.
3. If additional Takes or Playlists are to be included in the Flat Multitrack, create new tracks to allow all of the source audio to be simultaneously visible/accessible.
4. To flatten real-time processes like automation, time-based effects, or submixing, bounce/re-record the appropriate track outputs to new tracks, and remove the source tracks from the session. Note what metadata has been flattened.
5. Flatten additional metadata by processing audio files with offline versions of real-time plug-ins. Note what metadata has been flattened.
6. Make a global timeline selection, and use the Consolidate or Merge functions to create a single continuous audio file that expresses the EDL information for each track (including whatever metadata has been flattened into them).
7. Carefully, consistently label all of the newly consolidated audio files to reflect enough information that they could completely identify themselves by name, e.g. bassamp_take2_flatcompression_ohbabybaby_jimmysingsalot.wav

Since it would be unlikely that every track within a DAW project would have metadata worth flattening, there will likely be some tracks that remain in their consolidated form. I would caution that it would be both redundant and confusing to include these audio files in a Flat Multitrack archive.

Preferably, an additional folder of flattened audio files can be clearly labeled, and organized with the Consolidated Multitrack data. Future users can then reconstruct the Consolidated archive, and opt-in to any of the available, clearly labeled, flat content.

Contents Versus Carrier

It should be noted that this tutorial only addresses the form of the contents of a multitrack archive. The question of how to effectively store this information is an entirely additional- though related- matter.

Anybody who is serious about the subject should examine the Producer and Engineers Wings’ “Recommendation for Delivery of Recorded Music Projects” (pdf). It contains an example of a widely-adopted approach to redundant archival storage.

Rob Schlette is chief mastering engineer and owner of Anthem Mastering (anthemmastering.com) in St. Louis, MO, which provides trusted specialized mastering services to music clients across North America.

Be sure to visit the Pro Audio Files for more great recording content.

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Engineer/Producer Matthew Noble Utilizes Metric Halo ChannelStrip On Recent Projects

For more than three decades, Matthew Noble has been at the forefront of pop music as a session guitarist, programmer, songwriter, engineer, and producer, with an engineering client list that includes Rihanna, Diana King, Southside Johnny, and Rod Stewart, among many.

These days, he performs most of his work out of the Loft Studios in Bronxville, NY and in the newly renovated Riverworks Recording in Dobbs Ferry, NY. Recent work with the musical Big River and gospel artist Rell Holland & Experience have put Noble’s new favorite plug-in, the Metric Halo ChannelStrip, through its paces.

“I tried Metric Halo’s ChannelStrip because some other people that I respect were using it,” explains Noble. “My friend Keith Brown, who is a well-known Nashville songwriter, was working on a project with Billie Decker, who is one of the hottest mix engineers in country music. Keith’s enthusiasm for the plug-in, together with his revelation that Billie uses it ‘all over the place,’ was enough to motivate me to check it out.”

Riverworks Recording boasts a huge, luscious acoustical space, which has changed the way both Noble and the producers and artists he works with approach the recording process.

“So much of my work there has involved tracking live instruments, as opposed to the ‘virtual players’ that live inside our modern computers,” he says. “While it’s been a refreshing change, it has also brought with it challenges. For example, getting a great drum sound and a great overall mix with the new expectations for how long things take these days is not easy.

“ChannelStrip has been very helpful because all the functions that I need to access quickly are all in one plug-in. These include the less ‘sexy’ functions, such as phase reverse and multiple trims, in addition to full-blown and flexible dynamics and equalization. Having everything in one plug-in has greatly improved my workflow.”

Noble often puts Metric Halo’s well-crafted presets to use: “The ChannelStrip presets are a great starting point. They’re especially useful in a time crunch, when the client is breathing down your neck. The acoustic guitar and drum presets are often spot on, right out of the gate. When I tweak, the informative GUI lets me know exactly what I’m doing.”

Of course, the best GUI in the world is useless if the algorithms behind it don’t cut the mustard. It’s here that Noble finds it really shines. “ChannelStrip has a great sound,” he said. “Like an SSL, it can be very aggressive and not at all subtle. Despite all its flexibility and sonic muscle, it has remarkably low CPU drain, which means I can use it whenever I need it.”

Metric Halo

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Enter The PSW Sweepstakes To Win An Audio-Technica Microphone Or Headphones

Enter to win an Audio-Technica microphone or headphones in the first PSW Sweepstakes of 2012.

ProSoundWeb is giving away three Audio-Technica 50th Anniversary Limited Edition products each month in January, February and March.

Specifically, for each drawing, we’re giving away:

1st prize - AT4050/LE Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone
—Special 50th anniversary edition in silver-colored metallic finish with etched-on serial number and carefully crafted wooden carrying case
—Transparent uppers/mids balanced by rich low-end qualities combine with advanced acoustic engineering for extensive performance capabilities and highest quality
—Dual-diaphragm capsule design maintains precise polar pattern definition across the full frequency range of the microphone
—The 2-micron-thick, vapor-deposited gold diaphragms undergo a five-step aging process so that the optimum characteristics achieved remain constant over years of use
—Three switchable polar patterns: omni, cardioid, figure-of-eight
—Transformerless circuitry virtually eliminates low-frequency distortion and provides superior correlation of high-speed transients
—State-of-the-art surface-mount electronics ensure compliance with A-T’s stringent consistency and reliability standards
—Switchable 80 Hz hi-pass filter and 10 dB pad
—Custom shock mount provides superior isolation
—Valued at $995.

2nd prize - ATM25/LE Hypercardioid Dynamic Instrument Microphone
—Exclusive 50th anniversary edition in silver-colored metallic finish with serial number etched on the surface
—Ideal for kick drum, toms, and other highly dynamic instruments
—Handles very high SPL at close range
—Big, warm low-frequency response with excellent presence
—Multi-level grille and rugged construction
—Offers very full sound on close-up vocals and dialogue
—Corrosion-resistant contacts from gold-plated XLRM-type connector
—Rugged, all-metal design and construction for years of trouble-free use
—Valued at $489

3rd prize - ATH-M50s/LE Professional Studio Monitor Headphones
—Special 50th anniversary edition in silver-colored metallic finish
—Exceptional audio quality for professional monitoring and mixing
—Collapsible design ideal for easy portability and convenient storage
—Proprietary 45 mm large-aperture drivers with neodymium magnet systems
—Closed-back cushioned earcup design creates an outstanding seal for maximum isolation
—Adjustable padded headband for comfort during long mixing/recording sessions
—Single-sided straight cable terminates to gold-plated mini-plug with screw-on 1/4-inch adapter
—Valued at $209

Go here to enter the latest PSW Sweepstakes. Note that entrants are asked to register to receive the ProSoundWeb Daily e-newsletter.

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Tuesday, February 07, 2012

In The Studio: Three Mid-Side Processing Tricks (Includes Audio Samples)

A form of processing on stereo sources for practical or creative effects

 
In this article I’ll explain how I use mid-side (MS) processing on stereo sources for practical or creative effects.

Mid-Side?
Two channels of audio can be combined in a way that gives us control over what is the same in each signal, the middle, and what is different, the sides.

The middle is where the kick drum, snare, bass, vocals and a lot of other instruments are, the sides have any hard-panned instruments and spatial effects like reverb.

It can be pretty interesting to listen to music like this, there can be a lot hidden in the side channel.

MS is also a stereo microphone technique using a cardioid microphone facing the source and a bidirectional mic turned 90 degrees away just picking up ambience.

In this situation the two signals would need to be decoded into stereo. The side mic signal is duplicated, polarity inverted and the two side signals are then panned hard left and right. This is not a true stereo mic technique but can sound very nice. The balance of mid and side signals can be adjusted as needed by changing the level of the three tracks.

You can manually encode and decode stereo files to MS and use mono plugins to process mid or side individually. A lot more plugins have an MS mode now. Many of the modules in the T-Racks suite allow mid side processing, as does Ozone, a few compressors and equalizers and a distortion also come to mind.

You can do this for subtle or crazy effects, its a fun way to experiment with plugins and get some unique sounds.

Loud & Wide
For a recent mastering job I used a Fairchild compressor plugin in MS mode (Lat/Vert) to compress the middle and increase the level of the sides. I did this in parallel so I could blend the effect in easily. I was also using this to get a lot of extra loudness. You can call this parallel MS compression.

Compare -

The master without parallel MS compression: listen

With parallel MS compression: listen

With parallel compression soloed: listen

No More Messy Verb
Someone asked ma about clearing up the middle of a mix when using a lot of reverb. Using MS compression on the reverb return can work well. Compress the middle more than the sides and increase the side volume if you want more width.

Here is an example of that on some drums - Steven Slate playing in KONTAKT. The whole kit is sent into Valhalla Room. With the Fairchild after the reverb I’m lowering the middle by 2 dB and raising the sides by 2 dB.

Here is this effect with lots of reverb on the drums: listen

And now with MS compression on just the reverb bus: listen

There is NO compression on the drums themselves, I’m only compressing the reverb return and widening it.

Wacky Effects
Here is an example of what you can do with a stereo loop and any plug-in. This is a little more complicated, and only works if there are hard panned sounds.

The loop I started with had a hi-hat that wasn’t panned very hard -  I copied it to a new track, filtered out all the lows, boosted some highs and then panned it hard left. Then I recorded the combined original and panned track to a new file.

Here is what I’m starting with: listen

Now that I had something on the sides I could mess around with MS processing.

The first thing you have to do is convert left-right to mid and side. I use the free +matrix MS decoder from SoundHack.com. After that I used a delay plugin to add some filtered echoes just to the middle by disabling the right side input.

In the next insert I used a distortion on just the right side. This brought out a lot more of the reverb than was heard in the original loop. Lastly, second MS decoder was used to bring it back to stereo.

Here is how the loop sounds now with delay in the middle and distortion on the sides: listen

Pretty cool right!? I hope you have found these tricks useful.

Jon Tidey is a Producer/Engineer who runs his own studio, EPIC Sounds, and enjoys writing about audio on his blog AudioGeekZine.com. To comment or ask questions about this article go here.

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Fishman Unveils Triple Play Wireless Guitar Controller

The new Fishman Triple Play Wireless Guitar Controller combines guitar with any virtual instrument or hardware synthesizer to access a wide range of instruments, samples and sounds on stage to expand the depth and impact of live performances.

Triple Play comes with a wireless controller, hexaphonic pickup, and wireless USB receiver. The controller and included software works with industry standard DAWs and vitual instruments and installs quickly on any electric guitar. The system can be easily removed from the guitar because it doesn’t require any permanent installation.

The Triple Play system features several “hold” functions such as sustain, looping, and arpeggiators, along with string or fret splits for multiple instruments.

Also included are menu navigation controls for the included software and a guitar synthesizer volume control. A guitar, mix, synth switch is easily accessible during performances.

A low profile design (less than .5-inch) allows the controller to be left on the guitar and still fit in the case. It operates with a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery (included).

Triple Play’s powered USB wireless receiver interfaces with computers or iOS devices. The system comes with a comprehensive Windows, OSX and iOS software bundle to get users started.

A Triple Play Wireless Guitar Expander option provides additional connectivity for interfacing wireless MIDI signals to computers or iOS devices. It adds a full function USB audio interface with guitar input, bypass and headphone output, MIDI hardware IN and OUT and support for footswitches to extend Triple Play’s capabilities for recording, performing or composing music.

The new Triple Play Wireless Guitar Controller is scheduled for release in June 2012.

Fishman

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Joe Peavey And Steve Spittle Join QSC Audio

QSC Audio Products has announced the addition of two new members to its professional team, with the appointments of Joe Peavey to the position of product manager, software and Steve Spittle to the position of business development manager.

Peavey will be working with the Q-Sys team to identify and define improvements and additions to Q-Sys software functionality as well as providing high-level technical support. He has a lengthy background in the installed sound market by his work with the family business, Peavey Electronics, specifically working in manufacturing, tech support and finally product manager of the MediaMatrix line of DSP products.

Since leaving Peavey Electronics in 2006, Peavey has focused on creating hardware and software solutions for various audio manufacturers and consulting services for integrators in the U.S. and Canada.

“In the many months since my first interactions with the company, QSC continually amazes me with their attention to the market, their workforce and quality,” says Peavey. “I am proud to join forces with an organization of their caliber and reputation on a product at the top of its game.”

Spittle, in his new role at business development manager, will focus on expanding opportunities for growth in the company’s integrated systems business. He was previously western U.S. sales manager at Avid, and a vice president/owner at Millar Electronics, a manufacturers’ rep firm located in the southeastern U.S.

“QSC makes great products and cares about its customers,” he says. “I’m looking forward to working with this dynamic team to continue to build on this foundation for growth.”

Spittle is located in QSC’s Costa Mesa headquarters, while Peavey is located in the company’s satellite offices in Boulder, CO.

QSC Audio

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Mojave Audio Debuts MA-101SP Matched Pair Cardioid Condenser Microphones

Mojave Audio has introduced the new MA-101SP, a matched pair of MA-101fet cardioid condenser microphones for use in a range of stereo recording and live sound reinforcement tasks, with instruments such as drums and guitar amplifiers, as well as capturing room ambience and general stereo recording.

Each MA-101fet in the matched pair provides warm, full-bodied reproductions of instruments without the shrillness and high frequency artifacts so often encountered with modern condenser microphones.

The microphone’s warm FET circuitry and externally polarized capacitor mic element combine to deliver low noise and high quality performance.

The MA-101fet features both omni and cardioid polar patterns by way of interchangeable capsules and is outfitted with a 3-micron thick, .8-inch diameter gold sputtered diaphragm.

As one would expect from a David Royer designed microphone, each MA-101fet in the MA-101SP matched pair offer performance specifications that are impressive. Frequency response is 20 Hz - 20 kHz (+/- 3 dB), sensitivity rating is -40 dB (1 volt per pascal), and the distortion rating is less than 1 percent @ 120 dB SPL (-15 db pad off) and less than 1 percent @ 135 dB SPL (-15 dB pad on). The microphones operate on standard 48-volt Phantom power.

Mojave Audio president Dusty Wakeman states, “The new MA-101SP matched pair of microphones is the result of countless requests from the audio community. Drawing upon the strengths of the MA-101fet, these mics are a terrific choice for a wide range of stereo recording tasks where imaging is critical. 

“Engaging the 15 dB pad allows one to take advantage of the fast transient response on instruments such as snares, toms and loud guitar amps. The MA-101SP is a remarkably versatile general purpose recording and sound reinforcement tool that, I’m confident, will find a home in a wide variety of environments.”

The new Mojave Audio MA-101SP ships in a single carrying case that includes a stereo bar. MSRP is $1,195, and availability is Q1, 2012.

Mojave Audio

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Monday, February 06, 2012

Radial Introduces Shuttle Multi-Function Effects Insert Module For 500 Series

Radial Engineering has introduced the Shuttle, a new multi-function effects insert module for the 500 Series frame format and the Radial Workhorse.

The Shuttle offers three insert loops:

—Loop-1 is a front-panel insert that employs 1/4-inch TRS connectors for fully balanced connectivity
—Insert-2 is an unbalanced insert that is also front panel mounted that easily interfaces to standard effects devices
—Insert-3 is available on the Workhorse using the Omniport, which is wired following convention with tip-send, ring-return, making it ideal to interface with a remote patchbay.

All three loops are equipped with an insert switch that lets the user compare the wet and dry signal paths.

The insert points may also be used as inputs to feed a signal into the Workhorse mix bus. This opens the door to using the Workhorse with source devices such as CD players and iPods or with multi-channel fader packs and so on.

The Shuttle also enables those who own a Workhorse to easily integrate older 500 Series modules into the Workhorse mix buss. One mounts the non-Radial module next to the Shuttle, engages the feed function, and the signal will automatically be routed.

“As soon as our engineers started to integrate the Workhorse within the digital studio environment, they immediately noticed a need to simplify the process of patching effects in and out following what studios would normally do using a patch bay,” says Radial sales manager Steve McKay. “And as we delved further down the rabbit hole, we realized that the 500 Series was limited with respect to performing functions such as overdubbing. The Shuttle addresses these limitations while opening the door to creative new patching options.”

Radial Engineering

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Full Compass Systems Appoints Jim Ripp As Assistance Sales Manager

Full Compass Systems has named Jim Ripp as its new assistant sales manager, bringing a wide range of music industry related sales and management experience to the role.

Ripp studied at the University of Wisconsin - School of Music with a dual degree in Piano Performance and K-12 Music Education. While there, he began working at Forbes-Meagher Music Company as a sales/general manager, and also served as director of education. 

In addition to handling sales and accounting functions at Forbes, Ripp managed a team of 18 and developed music training programs for youth and seniors. 

In 1993, Ripp began working concurrently for Falcetti Music Co. as a store manager, sales representative and teacher, which had him managing a team of employees and teachers while gaining experience in sales, customer service and technical support.

Roxanne Wenzel, vice president of sales and marketing for Full Compass states, “Jim is a great fit for our organization. His skills and experience will greatly complement the sales management we already have in place and help us continue our double-digit growth.”

Full Compass Systems

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Lexicon Offering Individual Plug-Ins From PCM Native Effects & PCM Native Reverb Bundles

Lexicon has announced the availability of the individual plug-ins from its PCM Native Effects and PCM Native Reverb Bundles, with a total of 14 plug-ins available, including Pitch Shift, MultiVoice Pitch, Chorus, Resonant Chords, Random Delay, Dual Delay, Stringbox, Vintage Plate, Plate, Hall, Room, Random Hall, Concert Hall and Chamber.

“Offering the individual plug-ins from our PCM Native Effects and PCM Native Reverb Bundles represents our commitment to provide Lexicon users with greater flexibility and ease to obtain exactly the sound quality they are looking for from the specific plug-in(s) they need for any project,” says Rob Urry, vice president Harman Professional Division & GM of Signal Processing and Amplifier Business Units.

The PC- and Macintosh-compatible plug-ins are designed to work with popular DAWs like Pro Tools, Logic and Nuendo, as well as with any other VST, Audio Unit or RTAS-compatible host.

Each plug-in can be run in mono, stereo or mono in/stereo out, and on-screen input and output meters are provided for precise level setting.

All Lexicon plug-ins are Native only, and require iLok2 authorization. The individual plug-ins will be available in February 2012.

Lexicon
Harman Pro

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In The Studio: Elliot Scheiner Interview Excerpt

His approach to mixing as well as some insight on some of his projects

 
Here’s an excerpt of an interview with Elliot Scheiner from The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook.

Ells has long been recognized as one of the finest engineers working today and has a shelf full of industry awards (five Grammys, four Surround Music Awards, Surround Pioneer Award, Tech Awards Hall Of Fame and too many total award nominations to count) from his work with The Eagles, Beck, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Sting, John Fogerty, Van Morrison, Toto, Queen, Faith Hill, Lenny Kravitz, Natalie Cole, Doobie Brothers, Aerosmith, Phil Collins, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand and many, many others to prove it. He’s also one of the nicest guys in the business.

In this interview, Elliot talks not only about his approach to mixing but about some of his projects as well.
——————————————————————————————————-

Do you have a philosophy about mixing?

Elliot Scheiner: I’ve always believed that if someone has recorded all this information, then they want it to be heard, so my philosophy is to be able to hear everything that was recorded. 

It’s not about burying everything in there and getting a wall of sound.  I’ve never been into that whole concept. It was more about whatever part was played, if it was the subtleties of a drummer playing off beats on the snare drum next to the backbeat, obviously he wants that heard. So I always want to make sure that everything that’s in that record gets heard.

If you were able to accomplish hearing every single instrument in the mix, that was a huge achievement. Granted, maybe there wasn’t as much information when I started as there is now. I myself have come across files that have been a hundred and some odd tracks, so it’s not as easy to do that today. 

I have to admit that the way some people record things today is a bit peculiar. All of a sudden you’ll be dealing with 7 or 8 different mics on the same instrument. Like, for example, an acoustic guitar will all of a sudden have 7 different viewpoints of where this guitar’s being recorded. 

It’s mind boggling that you have to go and make a determination and listen to every single channel to decide which one you want to use. And if you pick the wrong ones they come back at you and say, “Oh, we had a different combination” or “It doesn’t sound quite right to us”, but they don’t tell you what they did!  So granted, it is a little more difficult to deal with those issues today, but I still take the same approach with every mix.

If you have a hundred tracks, will you try to have them all heard? Or do you go in and do some subtractive mixing?

Elliot Scheiner: Well, it depends if that’s necessary. I don’t usually get those kind of calls where they say “Here’s a hundred tracks. Delete what you want.” It’s usually not about that. And I have to say that I’ll usually get between 24 and 48 tracks in most cases and hardly ever am I given the liberty to take some of them out. 

I mean if something is glaringly bad I’ll do that, but to make a judgment call as to whether background vocals should be in here or there, I generally don’t do that.  I just assume that whatever an artist and producer sends me is kind of written in stone. They’ve recorded it, and unless they tell me otherwise, I usually don’t do subtractive mixing.

How long does it take you to do a mix on average?

Elliot Scheiner: Depending on how complicated it is, it usually takes anywhere from 3 hours to a day.

3 hours is really fast!

Elliot Scheiner: Yeah, well a lot of time you just get a vibe and a feel for something and it just comes together. Then you look at it and say “How much am I actually going to improve this mix.”  I mean if it feels great and sounds great I’m a little reluctant to beat it into the ground.

For me it’s still about a vibe and if I can get things to sound good and have a vibe, that’s all I really care about. I still put Al Schmitt on a pedestal. Look at how quickly he gets things done. He can do three songs in a day and they’ll be perfect and amazing sounding and have the right vibe. So it’s not like it can’t be done. Some people say that you can’t get a mix in a short time and that’s just not true and Al’s my proof.

Where do you usually start your mix from?

Elliot Scheiner: Out of force of habit, if there’s a rhythm section I’ll usually start with the drums and then move to the bass and just work it up. Once the rhythm section is set I’ll move on to everything else and end with vocals.

How much EQ do you use?

Elliot Scheiner: I can’t say that there are any rules for that. I can’t say that I’ve ever mixed anything that Al has recorded, but if I did I probably wouldn’t have any on it. With some of the stuff done by some of the younger kids, I get it and go, “What were they listening to when they recorded this.” 

So in some cases I use drastic amounts where I’ll be double compressing and double EQing; all kinds of stuff in order to get something to sound good. I never did that until maybe the last 5 years.  Obviously those mixes are the ones that take a day or more.

When you’re setting up a mix, do you always have a certain set of outboard gear, like a couple of reverbs and delays, ready to use or do you patch it as you go?

Elliot Scheiner: Usually I don’t start out with any reverbs. I’m not one for processing. I’d like to believe that music can survive without reverbs and without delays and without effects. Obviously when it’s called for I’ll use it, but the stuff I do is pretty dry. The 70’s were a pretty dry time and then the 80’s effects became overused. There was just tons of reverb on everything.

Most of your Steely Dan stuff is pretty dry, isn’t it?

Elliot Scheiner: It’s pretty much dry. What we used were plates usually.

Real short ones?

Elliot Scheiner: Not necessarily. In the days when I was working at A&R [studios in New York city] we had no remotes on any of our plates there. Phil [Ramone - producer and owner of A&R] wanted to make changing them difficult because he tuned them himself and he really didn’t want anybody to screw with them.

There would be at least 4 plates in every room. Some of them might be a little shorter than another but generally they were in the 2 to 2 1/2 second area. There was always an analog tape pre-delay, usually at 15 ips, going into the plates. The plates were tuned so brilliantly that it didn’t become a noticeable effect. It was just a part of the instrument or part of the music. You could actually have a fair amount on an instrument and you just wouldn’t notice it.

Is the sound of the A&R plates something that you try to get today?

Elliot Scheiner: Oh, I’m always trying to get that reverb sound If I’m using plates either at Right Track or Capital, I’ll still use an analog tape delay going into it.

For more of this interview, check out The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook

Bobby Owsinski is an author, producer, music industry veteran and technical consultant who has written numerous books covering all aspects of audio recording. For more information be sure to check out his website and blog.

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RE/P Files: A Quadraphonic Microphone Development

From the archives of the late, great Recording Engineer/Producer (RE/P) magazine, this feature provides an interesting look back at quadraphonic recording. This article dates back to September of 1970. (Volume 1, Number 3). The text is presented unaltered, along with all original graphics.

As a complete oversimplification, a microphone is an instrument which measures differences in air pressure.

It is not surprising that somebody would, in light of the interest in Quadraphonic sound, experiment and perfect an instrument which would measure and transduce the differences in air pressure around a full 360 degrees - to effectively create a quadraphonic microphone.

Such a truly Quadraphonic device, developed by engineer Carl Countryman and producer Brad Miller, is in external appearance no different than the several models of standard microphones (Figure 1).

This Quadraphonic microphone has been designed and built using the case and chassis of a Neumann SM-2, into which four independent microphone heads have been built to provide full 360-degree pick-up.

The pick-up patterns (Figure 2) are cardioid, front and back, and figure-8 at the sides.

Although the obviously complicated matrixing data are proprietary, and unavailable for publication, the discussion of pickup patterns, generally, yields an understanding of how the design provides excellent separation and naturality of sounds.

Cardioid, also sometimes called unidirectional, is a heart-shaped response. It is resultant of an omnidirectional and figure-8 pickup.

The signals are superimposed on each other; at the very rear they are anti-phase, and so cancel out.

At the front they are in phase, hence the tapering hear-shaped response toward the rear.

Figure-8, or bi-directional pickup-patterns, are the result of two directional pickup patterns, one in phase and the other anti-phase.

The output at the front and the back are equal, although opposite,.

As the input signal moves to the side, the output is gradually reduced until at 90 degrees, the two patterns have, for all intent and purpose, canceled each other out.

Figure 3 shows microphone capsules as they are arranged in the microphone head.

“Front to Back” and “Left to Right” are one above the other at 90 degrees to each other.

Three demonstrations, on very spontaneous, served to convince that development of the unit is very nearly complete.

The microphone was hung in Miller’s back yard garden, surrounded by about 200 degrees of sound source emanating from a waterfall with various small tributary streams flowing from it. It presented an excellent opportunity to “hear” the complete environment; the waterfall in stereo on the two speakers in “front,” and from behind, the beautiful ambiance of the total environment and the reflected sound.

Several minutes into the demonstration, on the Southern Pacific tracks bordering on the rear of the Miller garden, a slow-moving freight train ambled by. The completeness of the sound, the way it engulfed the listening room, is difficult to describe. It was totally complete… almost frighteningly so.

Miller completed the demonstration by playing a 4-track tape of his “Mystic Moods Orchestra” on an especially adapted Sony. The machine (Figure 4) has been adapted for 4-track, in and out, and will be able to accommodate 10-inch reels of 2-inch tape.

The machine is the forerunner of a new design from the Countryman/Miller collaboration which will weigh in the vicinity of 20 pounds.

The “Mystic Moods” piece only served to further impress that Quad or Multi is certainly on the way… with an endless spectrum of sound combinations and tonal effects.

Editor’s Note: This is a series of articles from Recording Engineer/Producer (RE/P) magazine, which began publishing in 1970 under the direction of Publisher/Editor Martin Gallay. After a great run, RE/P ceased publishing in the early 1990s, yet its content is still much revered in the professional audio community. RE/P also published the first issues of Live Sound International magazine as a quarterly supplement, beginning in the late 1980s, and LSI has grown to a monthly publication that continues to thrive to this day.

Take the PSW Photo Gallery Tour of audio equipment ads appearing in RE/P magazine, circa 1970

Our sincere thanks to Mark Gander of JBL Professional for his considerable support on this archive project.

Please send all questions and comments to ProSoundWeb Editor .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

 

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Sunday, February 05, 2012

Unit Audio Announces Affordable New Line Of Passive Summing Mixers

Unit Audio has introduced the Milli-Unit and Micro-Unit, two new 8-input by 2-output compact passive summing mixers for studio/recording applications. 

Both units are outfitted with eight balanced line-level inputs and two balanced microphone level outputs, all with Neutrik TRS connectors.

Input impedance is 20 Kohms, while output impedance is 220 ohms. Resistors are hand-selected, metered Xicon 1/4-watt, with 1 percent tolerance.

The units are hand-wired at the company’s headquarters in Nashville, TN, and are housed in rugged aluminum cases.

The Micro-Unit is also outfitted with two pan switches that allow for placing channels 1 and 2 in monaural (center), or hard left (channel 1), or hard right (channel 2).

“Is analog summing going to make your recordings sound like a Nashville studio with a billion dollars worth of equipment? Probably not, but you will notice a difference in your mixes using a Unit Audio summing mixer,” states Terry Auger, Unit Audio design engineer.

“Loosely quoting Shakespeare, one might say ‘To analog sum or not to analog sum?’” Auger continues. “This has been a point of controversy with digital recording for quite some time. With modern DAW software, mixing within the computer has resulted in some great sounding recordings, but I have long been intrigued by the concept of analog summing. I was not prepared to pay $800 or more to test that theory, so I engineered and built my own.

“Then to test the theory, I set out to see if there was any difference in the mixed sound. Much to my amazement and pleasure, I did notice a subtle but very pleasing difference in the stereo separation and placement of the instruments compared to my ‘in the box’ mixes.”

The Milli-Unit is priced at $149, while the Micro-Unit carries a price of $189. Both units can be ordered directly from the company website.

Unit Audio

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Friday, February 03, 2012

Blue Announces Mikey Digital Microphone For iPod touch, iPhone, iPad

Blue Microphones announces Mikey Digital, a plug-and-play external microphone for recording stereo audio on the latest iPod touch, iPhone and iPad models using iOS audio apps or the video function. 

It offers automatic and manual gain control and a multi-source auxiliary input for direct recording of guitar and other sound sources.

“Mikey Digital is the highest quality and most versatile solution for capturing professional recordings on your iOS device with most audio apps or the built-in video camera,” says John Maier, CEO of Blue Microphones. “Mikey Digital brings more than professional-quality recording to these mobile platforms, it also turns your iOS device into a studio interface for recording guitar, connecting a lavaliere mic or capturing line level audio straight to your iPod touch, iPhone or iPad.”

It includes two custom-tuned condenser capsules for capturing studio-quality audio—the same capsules used in Blue’s Snowball and Yeti USB microphones.

Mikey Digital users can switch between Automatic and Manual gain settings, allowing the automatic gain control to intelligently adjust to fluctuating volume levels or manually locking in a high or low sensitivity level. 

Mikey Digital is also equipped with an LED clipping indicator that signals whenever volume levels are producing distortion, providing immediate feedback to adjust for best recording results.

Furthering its capabilities, Mikey Digital also features a multi-source 3.5mm auxiliary input jack for stereo line-in, instrument-in and mic-in. This versatile input turns it into a multifaceted professional recording interface for direct recording of other sources including guitar, handheld mics, mixers and more.

Using a built-in, high-quality mic preamp and a CD-quality A/D converter, Mikey Digital records the highest fidelity possible on the iOS platform and can handle the high SPL of loud environments.  It also features a USB pass-thru connection for charging your device while in-use for continuous recording without draining battery life.

Outfitted with a 230-degree rotating head for optimal positioning, it can also capture enhanced audio while recording video by rotating the mic to align with the front- or rear- facing camera. \]

Further, it incorporates an advanced microprocessor allowing for upgradeability and future control through iOS applications. Plug-and-play, Mikey Digital directly connects to latest iPod touch, iPhone 4/S, iPad 2 and iPad and is instantly recognized for use with most audio and video applications.

Blue Microphones

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Yamaha Announces Merger Of Two U.S. Subsidiaries

Effective April 1, 2012, Yamaha Electronics Corporation, USA (YEC), which is the U.S. sales and marketing company for audiovisual products, will be merged into Yamaha’s U.S. sales and marketing subsidiary, Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA). 

Both companies are located in Buena Park, California, with YEC originally established as a 100-percent-owned subsidiary of YCA in 1981.

The merger objectives include realizing maximum synergies, increasing management efficiency, principally in administrative business processes, and implementing closely coordinated sales and marketing of musical instruments and A/V products.

YEC offers home theater components and systems, featuring A/V receivers, amplifiers, Blu-ray/CD players, loudspeakers, desktop iPod speaker systems, home-theater-in-a-box (HTiB) pre-matched systems and the company’s exclusive Digital Sound Projectors single component surround sound solutions.

YCA is one of the largest subsidiaries of Yamaha Corporation, Japan and offers a full line of musical instruments and sound reinforcement products to the U.S. market. Products include acoustic and digital pianos, portable keyboards, guitars, acoustic and electronic drums, band and orchestral instruments, marching percussion products, synthesizers, professional digital and analog audio products, Steinberg recording products and Nexo commercial audio products.

Larry Italia, vice president and general manager of Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems Inc. (YCAS) subsidiary, states: ““The recent announced merger of Yamaha’s YEC and YCA groups has no organizational impact on the Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems subsidiary.

“There will no changes regarding YCAS staff, structure, distribution or policies. The Commercial Audio B-to-B markets and their channels are unique to most of YCA’s scope of business and was one of the reasons YCAS was established as a separate subsidiary. YCAS will not be distributing YEC consumer products, musical instruments, etc. as result of this merger.

“We congratulate our colleagues at YEC and YCA on their new organization and will be strongly supporting their efforts as always.”

Yamaha

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