2015 March | Alan Gardina

Music 265B Lesson 3: Recording from Start to Finish

March 19, 2015 No Comment

PDF version is available HERE For the rest of the semester, we will be recording, producing, editing, and mixing songs in class. Using musicians within the class, we will track drums, bass, guitars, vocals, and others, provided we have the players to do so. Get together and pick out a song of your choosing: a cover or some original work will suffice. Scratch Tracks: optional, but very helpful Typically, a band will have a rough idea of their material mapped out ahead of time. It could be in the form of sheet music, a MIDI sequence, or a simple recorded…

Lessons, Music Technology

Music 265b Lesson 2: Basic Tracking Session

March 19, 2015 No Comment

PDF version is available HERE The Setup Sheet First and foremost, you need to make a good setup sheet. This will tell your assistants exactly where to place chairs, music stands, mic stands, what mics to put in front of each instrument, and so on. By making detailed notes, this will avoid problems & confusion during the session. Things to keep in mind: The musicians need to be close enough to one another in order to see, hear, and play in tune together. If you’re not sure how to place the chairs, consult the Music 165 textbook for diagrams. Use…

Lessons, Music Technology

Music 265b Lesson 1: Introduction to Pro Tools

March 19, 2015 No Comment

PDF version is available HERE What is Pro Tools? Pro Tools is a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) – a combination multi-track recorder, mixing console, nonlinear audio editor, MIDI sequencer, and musical notation software. In a studio, it is the industry-standard recording program. Besides software, Pro Tools systems also include an external audio interface, which is like a mini-version of the analog mixing console; the physical inputs & outputs of the system. In a project studio, this is typically an M-Box, or a 003 Rack unit. In large studios, it can include large consoles, like the C24. Getting Started Launch Pro…

Lessons, Music Technology

Music 265c Lesson 2: Importing Sound Effects

March 19, 2015 No Comment

PDF version is available HERE In our last lesson, we focused on spotting our video: we created Memory Locations at every important event and transition in the video. For this phase of the project, we will use those markers to place our sound effects into our session. Before we get started, we need access to a sound effects library: several are available in the studio, including the General 6000, Sony Pictures, and BBC Sound Effects Libraries. Copy what you need onto your portable hard drive: there are over 100 GB of sound effects. Sound Effects There are several layers of…

Lessons, Post-Production