Posts tagged ‘Recording’
Home Recordind Show Guest Spot
I was recently asked to be on the Home Recording Show Podcast to talk about mobile music on iOS! I was really excited and had a great time talking gear, production, recording and of course iOS! I was able to talk about the cool things we are doing at IK for the Mobile music revolution and why it is the future! Check it out…
Audio Engineering Schools
Do you want the coolest job in the world?
IK Multimedia VocaLive out now!
Its out now! 
Introducing VocaLive, the first professional practicing, performing and recording vocal processor app for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
With VocaLive, singers and songwriters will have a suite of 5 dedicated real-time vocal effects plus 7 effects tailored to vocal processing that can be combined on a 3-processor vocal rig chain. VocaLive also includes dozens of presets to help you get up and running in seconds.
Use VocaLive with the built-in iPhone microphone, earbuds with the built-in mic, or with IK’s new iRig Mic on stage.
At a Glance:
* 5 dedicated vocal effects: pitch correction, choir harmonizer, voice doubler, vocal morpher and de-esser
* 7 vocal tailored effects: reverb, EQ, compressor, delay, envelope filter, chorus and phaser
* 3-processor vocal rig chain
* Low latency for real-time usage
* Dozens of presets included with full editing capabilities, categorization and favorites for easy recall
* Single and multi-track recording capabilities with non-destructive effects application
* Sing-along features with backing tracks import from the iPod device library and voice-canceling features
* Free and full versions
* Dedicated vocal effects from VocaLive can also be used within AmpliTube for iPhone and iPad as separate in-app purchases
UFO Scientific VST Frequency Analyzer: MultiFreek
Bigg Rome from OnlineMusicProduction.com was on FP talking about a new VST to help you clean up your sound. MultiFreek is a MULTIPLE CHANNEL frequency analyzer. Basically every channel you load this plug-in on will appear in the rack style display. Now you can see & hear individual tracks without having to switch between plug-ins! Important note, this is not free but is priced incredibly low at $9. There is a Reaper JS & a free junior version also.
Simultaneous frequency monitoring of up to 7 different tracks (bass, drums, keys, vocal etc.)
Each frequency analyzer graph has a name and a color – to be easily distinguished from other graphs
Two processing modes – fast and precise
Optimized code to save your CPU
Implemented as a VST: easy to plug into your project – just put this analyzer as a normal VST effect into each track you want to monitor frequency picture of.
Via: UFO-Scientific.com
Light Peak – The Interface Of The Future
Lately USB 3 has been touted as the future for computer periphials being incredibly better than both USB 2.0 and Firewire 800 with a total speed of up to 4.8Gbps! Well USB 3 has been out for a while but hardware manufacturers have been a bit slow on implementing this new USB technology and I had no idea why til I read this article by Bobby Owsinski!
Apparently Intel has a new technology in the works called Light Peak that is closer to 100Gbps!!! You can easily record 32 tracks at 196kHz with no problem!
What kind of interfaces are in store for us this next decade?!
I can’t wait!
Balanced Vs. Unbalanced Cables (What’s the Difference?)
What is the difference?
photo credit: M Skaffari
An unbalanced audio path has two conductors. One carries the audio signal and the other is the shield/ground. There is nothing at all wrong with an unbalanced signal but at times can be susceptible to picking up interference from radio frequencies or electromagnetic fields that cause noise and buzz.
A balanced signal has three conductors. It relies on a sum and difference principal.
Sum and difference is the combining (summing) of two signals that are out of phase from each other. Whatever doesn’t cancel out is what you’re left with (difference).
When two identical signals of identical amplitude (volume) are combined and one is 180 degrees out of phase from the other you have complete cancellation of that audio. However, if one of those signals is a different amplitude, you don’t get complete cancellation. And it’s this principal that makes a balanced audio path work.
The output from a balanced piece of gear will have the audio signal on pin 2 (hot). That same signal will be present on pin 3 (cold) however that signal is at a lower amplitude than the signal on pin 2. The shield/ground will be on pin 1.
When the signal reaches a balanced input, the signal on pins 2 and 3 are combined with either pin 2 or pin 3 (usually pin 3) out of phase. If that cable happens to pick up interference along the way, it will be on all pins, in phase together and at the same amplitude. When it gets to the input, pins 2 and 3 are combined out of phase and any signal exhibiting the same amplitude (the noise) will cancel out completely. Since the audio is at different amplitudes, it doesn’t cancel out and you’re left with the difference: clean audio!
As for the mics, most all are designed with a balanced output and should be plugged in to the balanced input of a microphone amplifier (pre-amp)
Plugging a mic into an unbalanced input won’t ruin anything but mics generate a very low level signal that needs lots of gain to bring it up in level. Amplifying a signal that much benefits from the noise canceling of a balanced connection.
For more info on cables and connections visit Tweakheadz: All About Cables
IK Multimedia ARC Review
When I first heard of IK Multimedia’s ARC system I was really leery of it for the claims and what people like GIK Acoustics have taught us about acoustics. Well after I tried it I can’t say it doesn’t work! IK Multimedia’s ARC system is based on Audyssey MultEQ technology. To make it simple it takes a complex EQ to flatten out any problem frequencies in your room. It comes with a professional measurement microphone to help measure the problematic frequencies in the room.
When I first got my order in the mail I installed the software and set up the mic. The way it works is you take the mic and test different parts of your room. You want to measure as many positions as possible in your room. Particularly around the listening area. After you take the measurements you name your profile and select a speaker icon for it, which is really useful if you have more than one set of speakers. After you finish setting up a profile you open your DAW and insert the ARC VST or RTAS on the master bus and select profile. That is it. Really simple, quick and easy to set up.
Now in my room I have some bass traps set up in all for corners as well as 4 against each wall. Without them I will say that I have some serious ringing issues and with them it helps even it out. At first I loaded up a track I had been working on the day before and heard a slight difference in the bass response. It seemed tighter and clearer. I will admit I was surprised. After that I tried some classics, first with “Rich Girl” Hall & Oates. There wasn’t much low end here which is where most of my problems seemed to be but it did make the mids a bit clearer. For the second song I choose Jay-Z’s “Venus Vs. Mars” which has a lot more low end than “Rich Girl”. Again it tightened up the bass noticeably and made it clearer to listen to. Mids and highs were normal which surprised me a bit. I thought that it would still try and EQ them and make them sound weird but it sounded great.
It is really easy and straightforward in use. The manual does a excellent job of explaining any questions that may arise and also goes through step by step how to measure your room correctly. Some of the things I liked were how nice it looked. IK Multimedia has always done an awesome job with their GUI’s and make them intuitive to use, ARC is no exception. With two charts showing both left and right speaker readings with the before, after and the target EQ curves and selectable speaker icons it is a great looking and sounding plug in.
IK Multimedia’s ARC actually surprised me. It works if used correctly and can help out a bad sounding room and make it sound better than before. I will say this, it is not a replacement for acoustic treatment but used along with or even in situations where there is none and you can not set any up it can help make that situation better. It certainly helped make mine better!