There are several small, inexpensive recording applications for the Mac these days. I’ve used Fission and Audio Hijack Pro for some time, and WireTap Studio is also a fine piece of software.
The latest addition to the field Tape Deck (via John Gruber), from the developers SuperMegaUltraGroovy and Toastycode. What distinguishes Tape Deck from the others is that it looks like, well, a tape deck, old school, like when I was a kid in the ’70s. It costs $25, with a free demo download.
It looks simple, and doesn’t seem to offer any real editing capabilities, but could be worth checking out. It certainly looks fun.
by Derek
May 9th, 2008
We thought you might enjoy this QuickTime VR panorama of Paul’s studio setup about a decade ago, in 1998:
Amazing now much more hardware was necessary as recently as ten years ago. Check out the keytar too!
by Derek
April 29th, 2008
Following his piece on choosing an audio interface on IHR #57, here is Dave Chick’s glossary of useful terms for the process. Sorry to take a few days to get it posted:
ADAT refers to an 8 channel digital input and output. It is useful for connecting more mic preamps, a second audio interface or computer, a digital mixer, or can be used to add more analog i/o through an 8 channel ad/da converter. When you see ADAT x2 in the chart that means the device has two ADAT ports in and out or 16 channels in and out. (Sometimes two ADAT ports may be used for eight channels at a high sample rate like 96kHz)
ASIO (Audio Stream Input Output): This driver format, introduced by Steinberg in their popular Cubase application, runs at a lower level (as it bypasses much of the Windows OS) and therefore typically manages lower latencies than both MME and DirectSound. Many musicians have managed to run their music software with latencies as low as 2ms using ASIO, although 6ms is a more realistic figure, and even 12ms is acceptable in most cases. Emagic’s EASI (Enhanced Audio Streaming Interface) format is derived from ASIO and is capable of slightly better performance with Logic Audio. However, few soundcards now support this option. There are 2 versions. ASIO 1.0 and 2.0. 2.0 adds the ability to monitor several audio inputs at once. Beware that there are drivers that call themselves ASIO drivers that are not. Most notorious are “asio multimedia” drivers. Don’t use that one for music programs. Look in the driver list for a different ASIO driver that has the name of the interface in it. That is the true ASIO driver.
Core Audio: This is the main Mac OS X method of handling audio, developed by Apple. There is no Core Audio for windows. Mac OS9 used other methods including ASIO that are no longer supported in OS X.
Direct Sound came about around the time of Windows 95. It has the advantage of being able to playback softsynths with faster latency. DirectSound drivers are generally capable of significantly lower latency than MME drivers and are a better choice for soft synths and playback of audio, but don’t normally have recording options if you’re running Windows 98/ME. (Make sure, if you choose DirectSound drivers in a music application, that the driver name doesn’t have ‘(emulated)’ at the end of its name, since this means that no properly written DirectSound drivers have been detected. If you choose an emulated driver it will perform extremely poorly and exhibit high latency.) WDM drivers automatically provide both MME and DirectSound support without the soundcard manufacturer having to write special code, so if your WDM-capable soundcard is running under Windows XP you’ll get more options.
DirectX: A set of low-level software routines included primarily for games in Microsoft’s Windows operating system. DirectX interfaces between software applications and multimedia hardware such as graphics cards and soundcards. Its components include DirectDraw, Direct3D, DirectPlay, DirectInput, DirectMusic, DirectSound, and DirectSound3D.
FireWire: More correctly termed IEEE-1394, due to its approval by the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers, FireWire is another high-speed serial standard with a similar maximum bandwidth (400Mbit/second) to USB 2.0. It’s particularly popular in the area of digital camcorders, allowing them to be digitally connected to computers for video editing, but both technologies support hot-swapping and similar maximum cable lengths of around five metres, and there’s not too much between the two when it comes to deciding between them for audio devices.
GSIF (GigaSampler InterFace): Designed specifically for just one application — Tascam’s popular GigaStudio software sampler — GSIF drivers also work at a low level within Windows, providing guaranteed low latency of between 6ms and 9ms. If, like plenty of other musicians, you’re interested in GigaStudio and its extensive collection of professional sample libraries, your soundcard must have GSIF drivers; you won’t be able to run GigaStudio without them.
Latency: Because Windows has so many tasks to perform, it can’t ever devote itself to MIDI or audio tasks full-time. Instead, it multitasks, by doing a little bit of each required task in turn, to give the illusion that everything is happening simultaneously. While Windows is off doing other things, the soundcard or MIDI interface must have some pre-prepared data to access, so that we don’t hear an audio interruption (a click or pop), or a MIDI interruption (uncertain note timing). This data is stored in small areas of RAM called buffers, and each time Windows returns to the music application it will prepare another buffer full of data to (ideally) last until its next visit. Unfortunately, using buffers means that there will always be a slight time delay between when a signal is recorded and when you are able to hear it emerge from the soundcard, or between playing a new note and hearing it emerge from a soft synth (see next section). The smaller the buffer, the shorter the time delay, or ‘latency’, but if you make the buffer too small Windows won’t get back in time to keep it topped up, so you’ll hear clicks and pops. The ideal size of a soundcard buffer is thus a compromise between stability and low latency.
MME stands for MultiMedia Extension that is a part of Windows that sets the rules for recording and playing back audio. It is typically used since the 1st Windows 3.0 systems as a default. It’s slower because it is controlled by the operating system. Each soundcard maker had to write a .DLL file for the card to use the MME. These varied quite a bit in performance. Today, rule of thumb is not to us MME drivers in audio applications, unless the soundcard maker took the pains to develop and excellent driver. They usually don’t.
MIDI i/o refers to the number of 16 channel ports there are on the interface. 1/2 means it has one MIDI input and two MIDI outputs. MIDI inputs and outputs are used to connect a MIDI synthesizer, keyboard controller, drum pad controller, and some control surfaces. You need one port for every device you want to connect to the computer. You can always add more via separate MIDI interfaces.
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect): These are circuit cards that fit into expansion slots inside the PC. To install them you must open up the PC to gain access to its interior. However, installing a PCI card only requires you to plug it into a suitable slot, tighten down one screw and then reboot your PC, to have the card recognised automatically, ready for its software drivers to be installed. PCI soundcards also require an IRQ (see ‘IRQ’ entry), and preferably an unshared one. If your PC already contains lots of expansion cards this may be difficult. The next generation of the PCI standard —PCI Express — provides significantly greater bandwidth
PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association): Due to size constraints, no PCI slots are available on a laptop PC, but you’ll nearly always find a PCMCIA slot that can house a removable credit-card sized expansion device. The main advantage of a PCMCIA sound device over the laptop alternatives of USB and FireWire is that it’s possible to make PCMCIA devices extremely compact, which may be ideal for a musician on the move. However, USB 2.0 and FireWire products are likely to feature a more versatile selection of inputs and outputs.
Preamps refers to the number of microphone preamps the interface has. Usually these can double as instrument inputs (guitar, bass, etc.) But check on that before you buy. Also some interfaces (but not all) will have insert jacks or send outputs for connecting compressors and other processors. You might want to check on that too when evaluating an audio interface.
S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format) i/o is a stereo digital pathway, and may be either coaxial or optical. S/PDIF is useful for connecting digital audio devices, like external a/d converters, effects processors, CDR recorders, even some preamps and keyboards that have digital outs.
USB (Universal Serial Bus): The USB version 1.1 port, now confusingly given the label ‘USB Full Speed’ to differentiate it from the far more capable USB 2.0 (see later), first appeared on PCs and audio and MIDI peripherals in about 1999. Using a serial approach to sending and receiving data (ie. one bit after the next, in one long stream), rather than the parallel approach of PCI and PCMCIA, the USB port can use a much simpler cable and plugs. USB also allows users to plug and unplug external compatible peripherals whenever they like (termed hot-swapping or hot-plugging), even when the PC is powered up, although it’s generally not advisable to do this with sound devices before exiting your music application. Since the peripherals are external to the PC, USB was initially seen by manufacturers as far easier for users, since it avoided the need to open up the PC.
USB 2.0 ports have been appearing on PC laptops for some time, and are now to be found on nearly all new desktop motherboards. The more correct nomenclature is ‘USB Hi-Speed’ — and with a huge 480Mbit/second bandwidth (compared with the 12Mbit/second of USB 1.1), this new standard lives up to its name and is far more suitable for multi-channel audio devices than the original USB standard. You can still plug USB 1.1 devices into USB 2.0 ports (and vice versa, although the latter won’t operate well under the severely restricted bandwidth). If you’re not sure whether your PC has USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 ports, take a look in Device Manager under the heading ‘Universal Serial Bus controllers’. In the case of some chips, the description may include ‘USB 2.0′, but if not, write down the number of the chip and do a Google search for it.
WDM stands for Windows Driver Model with Kernal Streaming. This is a lower latency driver that allows the application direct access to the “kernal” without going through the Windows OS. This results in latency figure that is fast like ASIO. It was introduced in Cakewalk’s Sonar. So if you want to run Sonar, a card with a good WDM driver helps. However, today cakewalk does support asio drivers.
Word Clock refers the presence of a BNC connector through which word sync signals can be sent to other digital devices. It is important that all digital devices connected through s/pdif or ADAT share the same word sync. For simple setups that may have two digital devices, having a word clock connector is not usually necessary. Sync can be sent along through the s/pdif or ADAT connection. It becomes important in rigs where there may be multiple digital devices where it is impossible to send word sync to all devices.
by Derek
April 25th, 2008
Next week, “Spark,” a weekly technology and digital lifestyle show on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s national radio network, will air an interview with me about my cancer treatment, my thoughts about “digital executors,” and other stuff. Not much about music or recording, mind you, but you still might find it interesting.
“Spark” also has a podcast version if you can’t catch the radio broadcast, or if you’re not in Canada. Before that show even goes to air with an edited interview, CBC Radio has kindly posted a full-length unedited version on the Spark blog, which you can listen to as a 33 MB MP3 file if you like.
by Derek
April 25th, 2008
[Play IHR #57 now]
IHR Episode #57 (Enhanced) [00:45:52m]:
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Try GotoMeeting free for 45 days! For this special offer, visit www.gotomeeting.com/podcast.
Dave Chick on choosing an audio interface, Paul on ear training for intervals, Derek on enjoying music, and wacky music controllers. Plus a new affiliate program, and a new episode of IHR TV is available.
If you can play Enhanced podcasts (AAC enhanced) on your iPod, PlayStation Portable, Apple TV, Xbox 360, TiVo, or Zune, or in iTunes or QuickTime, you’ll find lots of photos and links accompanying this episode.
- 00:00 Intros, new affiliate program with NCIX.com — finally, something for Canadians!
- 04:30 Episode #2 of IHR TV is out (on ReWire and Pro Tools), with more new ones coming. Please subscribe, because it’s a separate video-only podcast feed.
- 05:14 SPONSOR: GoToMeeting.com
- 06:15 IHR 101 (Dave): Choosing an audio interface for your PC. Dave has a new Apex tube mic, which he says is “velvety smooth.” He discusses the various technologies and options, and what to consider and look out for.
- 19:05 EAR TRAINING (Paul): Intervals. Vertical/harmonic vs. linear/melodic. Minor second/semitone (”Für Elise,” “The Pink Panther”), major second/tone (”Mary Had a Little Lamb,” “Pop Goes the Weasel”), minor third (”O Canada,” “Hey Jude”), major third (”Rocky,” “When the Saints Go Marching In”), perfect fourth (”Amazing Grace,” “Wedding March,” “O Tannenbaum”), augmented fourth (”The Simpsons”), perfect fifth (”Superman,” “Do You Hear What I Hear?”).
- 28:12 COMMENTARY (Derek): Enjoying music. (Background music is “Three Preludes, Opus 104a: Prelude in B Minor” by Felix Mendelssohn, “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin, and Derek’s in-progress demo, called “Six Eight” for now.) Check out Arthur Rubinstein, Oscar Peterson, Glenn Gould, Dread Zeppelin, Celso Machado, and The Neurotics.
- 34:17 EDITORIAL: What are unusual music controllers and instruments — such as Yamaha’s Tenori-On (discussed at Sonic State and Music Thing), C-Thru’s AXIS-64 (see YouTube), Roland’s Octapad, MIDI drums for triggering piano sounds — useful for? How can you change your musical approach by trying instruments you aren’t used to? But please, no more Super Mario theme or Stairway, okay?
- 41:28 We recorded this podcast before the Vancouver Sun Run on April 20, but posted it afterwards. Derek has uploaded some photos of his gig for more than 56,000 people.
- 43:00 Don’t forget to subscribe to Inside Home Recording TV (preferably via the iTunes directory), also available on YouTube, Viddler, Vimeo, Blip.tv, Revver, Facebook, and MySpace. Check out our site for the regular audio podcast, the blog, the comments and forums, and our Flickr photo group, as well as our Facebook page, and our Twitter feed to be updated whenever we post a new show.
- 45:52 END
Credits
Sounds: Our theme music, “Acidic Bond,” is by Steven Dennis in Louisiana, U.S.A., and our voiceovers are by Steve Herringer in Vancouver.
Pictures: The Home Recording Network “lava lamp” logo is based on an image by und_dann. Photo portraits of Paul and Derek are by Kris Krug. Other photos in this episode are courtesy of whatknot, freedryk, knowprose, malavoda, crowt59, litandmore, diluvienne, Hadassah28, dockerysean, svenwerk, everdred, good-karma, watchlooksee (twice), diebmx, and kagey_b. Thanks!
Listeners: Please comment on the blog at insidehomerecording.com and head over to the the forums at insidehomerecording.com/forums. Also remember that you can post your photos to the IHR Flickr Group — joining Flickr to share photos is free. We’re also on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.
And don’t forget to subscribe to IHR TV!
This podcast is (c) 2008 by Inside Home Recording under a Creative Commons license creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca
by Derek
April 22nd, 2008
IHR Episode #57 (MP3) [00:45:50m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
[Play IHR #57 now]
Dave Chick on choosing an audio interface, Paul on ear training for intervals, Derek on enjoying music, and wacky music controllers. Plus a new affiliate program, and a new episode of IHR TV is available. Try GotoMeeting free for 45 days! For this special offer, visit www.gotomeeting.com/podcast.
This podcast is (c) 2008 by Inside Home Recording under a Creative Commons license creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca
by Derek
April 22nd, 2008
Here’s a link to Computer Music’s top five tips for making your MIDI drums sound better. It probably could apply to audio drum tracks if you have the right kind of plug-ins allowing you to work with envelopes, gates, and velocity levels (volume automation):
CM’s Top Five Tips for Tightening your Drums
If your drums are flabby rather than fat you need to tighten up your drums sounds. Here’s the CM guide to the top 5 ways to get the snappiest drum sound possible.
1. Tweak the amplitude envelope.
Most samplers and virtual drum machines allow you to control the amplitude of each sound or instrument with ADSR or similar envelope controls. If the sound plays for too long after you’ve released the note, turn down the release time. If the sample is too long or doesn’t decay quickly enough, experiment turning the decay and sustain values down.
2. Use an envelope shaper effect.
Hosts such as Cubase and Logic feature built-in envelope shaper effects that are particularly useful when working with drum loops or complete drum mixes. Simply put the envelope shaper on the drum bus and turn down the release value to tighten up the whole lot.
3. Use a gate effect.
If your drums are too roomy you can tame the excess ambience using a gate effect. Set any attack and hold controls to a minimum, then turn down the threshold until you get the feel you’re after. Finally, adjust the release time to taste.
4. Draw your own velocity curve.
If you’re working with drums in audio you can usually automate the volume level of the track fairly easily. Using this technique you can adjust the timing and shape of each drum’s decay exactly, but it takes more time and patience than other methods.
5. Limit the number of sounds playing at once.
When programming realistic-sounding hi-hat parts you don’t want open and closed hat sounds playing simultaneously. Many soft samplers feature a “choke” function where playing a certain sound will silence another – check your sampler’s documentation to see how to use this feature. A more extreme, lo-fi approach is to simply turn down the number of voices available to your sampler so only one sound can play at a time.
by Paul
April 21st, 2008
Via Jason Kottke, here is an argument (with some swearing) that the perfect pop song should be precisely 2 minutes and 42 seconds long: “My scientists told me that the perfect song length had to be closer to three minutes than two, but definitely shorter than three minutes. Three minutes is where bloat starts to set in. Where the band thinks: Hey, let’s do the chorus seven times. Hey, let’s give the saxophone guy a real moment to shine on this one. Hey, let’s add another bridge.”
I’m seriously considering making my next few recordings exactly 2:42 just to see how it goes.
by Derek
April 16th, 2008
IHR TV Episode #2 (Video) [00:07:34m]:
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To keep receiving videos from the IHR TV video podcast, subscribe FREE at InsideHomeRecording.tv. Also check out our long-running full-length enhanced audio podcast at InsideHomeRecording.com.
On Inside Home Recording TV (IHR TV) #2, Paul Garay continues his tutorials on Propellerhead Software’s ReWire, this time with Digidesign’s industry-leading Pro Tools software and Reason. ReWire is a software technology that acts like an invisible virtual cable, allowing you to route audio and MIDI information from one audio program to another on both Mac and Windows.
Download IHR TV #2 (H.264 video) or watch it at Revver, Blip.tv, Vimeo, YouTube, Viddler, Facebook, or MySpace. You can receive IHR and IHR TV updates at twitter.com/ihr.
IHR TV is sponsored by macProVideo.com. For a 15% discount on your next video tutorial purchase, use the promo code ihrtv15 at checkout, or visit insidehomerecording.com/macprovideo.
This video podcast is (c) 2008 by Inside Home Recording under a Creative Commons license creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca
by Derek
April 16th, 2008
Sound on Sound has a cool article on whether it’s better to mix with expensive headphones or similarly priced monitor speakers.
The summary: with some caveats, the headphones might be better, especially if your room isn’t optimized for speaker listening. The article specifically discusses the well-respected $300 (street price) Sennheiser HD600 headphones.
The magazine has also published more detailed articles on the topic over the years, some of which may require a subscription for you to read.
by Derek
April 15th, 2008
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