CD Recording 101

These days, the bands and students that are making auditions are those who send in high quality recordings. With the popularity and availability of digital recording techniques, it is no wonder why CD has become the preferred format. The muddy quality from low volume and distracting hiss inherent in cassette tape recording is driving this shift. But to make good recordings, you dont need to replace all your old sound equipment, nor do your students need to spend hundreds of dollars in professional studios. award winning audio engineer, Bruce Swedien says. Place the person or group in a space that complements their performance. If you have a nice rehearsal room, that should work fine. But if you have access to a small theater or other acoustical space that adds some natural reverberation, spend the time and take advantage of it. Avoid recording in sterile, confining spaces like a practice room, but also keep away from gyms or large, hollow auditoriums. The excess echo There are easy and inexpensive will make your music sound unclear ways you can drastically improve or unfocused. Remember, good your recording quality. Dr. Eric Hammer on conducting the recordings playback exactly what Set up the proper recording goes in, so set yourself up for the environment. best take. 2002
by Vince Kennan remember to pan the left and right microphone channels on the board all the way over to their respective side. Thats an important step many people forget. Stereo gives spatial depth and direction to the music. Standalone CD recorders are very reasonable priced and have the same controls as most tape recorders. So if you already have a recording set-up that works for you, simple swap a CD recorder in the place of your tape recorder. The only main difference is that you can not re-record over a CD-R good thing they only cost about $0.50 a piece. The trick with digital recording is getting the highest recording level without peaking (hitting red). Since anything recorded above the maximum level will be distorted, set your recording levels to just under maximum at the loudest section of music. On the other hand, dont be so conservative with peaking out the meters that the overall level is sacrificed. Try doing a few practice recordings and compare yours with professional recordings. And remember, transferring a cassette tape directly to a CD does not improve its recording quality. A great technique for recording an audition is to record in small chunks and then compile the best takes. Since you can create different tracks on a CD, record each scale or musical section a few times on separate tracks. Then listen back and choose the best takes to use for your audition master. Computers with CD burners come with simple music software like Windows Media Player or iTunes that will allow you to choose the tracks you want to burn to a new CD. Most judges actually prefer an audition CD that is split into separate sections so they can move around on the disc and listen
CBDA be surprised Band; You would Symphonic how often mood and comfort can be the most important aspects of a successful recording session. This can be one of the most nervous and anxious times for a young, solo musician. Create an environment where they can relax and make mistakes without being embarrassed. Be encouraging and focus on positivity rather than simply pointing out mistakes. Its funny how a little extra attention spent on emotional confidence can actually save time on the overall session.
Making your ensemble sonically balanced is key to recording a larger group. Take a few steps back and listen to the overall sound - front to back and left to right. Think about tambour and frequency as well as volume. As an arranger would tailor the music, you can adjust the placement and composition of players. You may also want to change some individual dynamics, so that nothing sticks out unintentionally.
Microphone choice and placement can also dramatically improve recording quality. For a solo recording with a single microphone, find a nice balance between a crisp and warm tone by moving the mic closer or further from the player, respectively. Four or five feet away is a good starting point. On directional instruments (like brass), try pointing the mic a little off center for a more natural sound. Mixers, pre-amplifiers and digital CD recorders. Before connecting to your recorder, most microphones need to go through an audio mixer (preamplifier) to power and boost the audio signal. Although there are many types of mixers available, they all have similar functions - refer to your particular mixers manual for proper operation. Just remember to maintain a strong audio signal on all of your meters throughout the process. For a stereo recording,

Sound points the eyes, as Grammy www.cbda.org CBDA

CD Recording 101 (cont.)

to different sections. Of course, you will also need microphone stands, appropriate cables and a good set of headphones, but with such affordable equipment available today, there is no reason why anyone cannot put together a great CD recording. As unfair as it sounds, nobody will ever know how great your performance was without presenting a great recording. Music recording is conveying the emotion of the music to the soul of the listener. Bruce Swedien
Vince Keenan is the staff Studio Sound Technician at California State University, Fresno

Wish List

Recording Microphones:
Good = Small diaphragm condenser AKG C1000 ($200) Better = Large diaphragm condenser Rode NTK ($500) Best = Active Ribbon microphone Royer R-122 ($1,700)
Stereo Recording Microphones:
Good = Audio Technica AT4040 ($300) Better = Crown SASS ($800) Best = Royer SF-12 ($2,200) Audio Mixing Board / Pre-Amplifier: Good = Behringer Eurorack MXB1002 ($100) Better = Mackie 1604 ($800) Best = Universal Audio 2-610 ($1,800) CD recorders: Good = RCA CDRW120 ($250) Better = Tascam CD-RW750 ($550) Best = Alesis Masterlink ($1,000)

CBDA Fall 2004 9

CDRW120
1-to-1 Dubbing CD Player Recorder/Rewriter
Dual Deck 2X CD Recording/Rewriting CD-DA, CD-R/CD-RW Playback CD Synchronized Auto Start Recording Disc-At-Once Recording CD-RW Disc Erase Function Record from Stereo Analog and Digital Source VFD Display Clock/Sleep Function Remote Control Headphone Jack 1-Year Limited Warranty

General

Dimensions 16.9 W, 13.4 D, 4.72 H Giftbox Dimensions 20.7 W, 16.0 D, 7.6 H Masterpack Quantity 1 Each Multifunction Vacuum Fluorescent Display Brightly illuminated, the fluorescent display allows the user to easily read displayed information from far away. This large display provides key information such as Surround Mode, DSP Mode, Speakers Information, etc. Clock/Sleep Functions Rotary Encoder Volume Control Provides for smooth, gradual volume control. Coaxial Digital Inputs Coaxial input is provided for the users digital connections. RCA Analog Input/Output

Compact Disc

2x CD Recording/Rewriting CD Synchronized Auto Start Recording Simultaneous Play-And-Load System Allows the user to change CDs in one tray without interrupting the disc currently playing. Disc at Once Recording Intro Scan Plays the first 10 seconds of each track so the user can automatically search the CD for their favorite track. 40-Track Programmability Provides programmable track skipping to only play the songs the user wants to hear. Auto Track Skipping Repeat One or All Tracks The user can choose to continuously repeat one favorite or all tracks on a CD.
1-Year Limited Warranty See RCA dealer or visit www.rca.com for complete details.
2002 Thomson multimedia, Inc.

Model: CDRW120

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