Unit 48: Music Recording (Mix and Master)

Own Track Mixed and Mastered 

Rather Be Edit

Limiting 

• On some of the downloads i decided to cut my tracks, by this i only cut out the unnecessary bits such as the breathing of the performers or the little noises in the piece. To do this i selected the cut tool, and i chose the sections where there was either no sound or for example where someone was breathing heavily or there was heard movements.
• This is how i got rid of some un needed sounds on my Sylenth Tracks (Strings)

EQ

• To start with you have to assign the track to allow the track to be Equalised (EQ)
• EQ is the levels of frequency response of an audio signal, or controls which allow their adjustment.
• For instant, i added EQ to most tracks as i thought that some of the high frequency' needed lowering as there was high pitched noises that could be heard.
• I increased most of my strings EQ for the sound to have a higher frequency.
• Whereas for my drums i lowered the frequency for the bass to sound more heavy.

Multiband Compressors

• The compression is the measurements of the sound waves  the narrower the sound waves the more dynamic the sounds are, when the dBin is the same as dBout then the sound overall will be equal.
• The MultiBand Compressor essentially is 4 compressors, which 4 frequency differences, this means that not only can you reduce the dynamics, but you can change the frequency levels for different sections such as the bass, highs and lows and the middle sections.
• Here you can see that i increased the bass and lowered the higher pitched sounds.

Effects

• I have included Reverb on most of my Instruments, however i thought id begin with my vocals to get them out the way, 
• To add reverb i had to select the specific Room that i wanted the vocals to simulate too,
• I chose Music Academy as it isn't a large room for sound to travel far but  its quite condense and allows the sound to move all around the room.  

Formatting/Mixing Down

• Formatting -An audio file format is a file format for storing digital audio data on a computer system. The bit layout of the audio data is called the audio coding format and can be uncompressed, or compressed to reduce the file size, often using lossy compression.
• Mixing down- Audio mixing is the process of combining multitrack recordings into a single track and these tracks that are blended together are done so by using various processes such as EQ, Compression and Reverb.

Unit 48: Music Recording (Mastering)

Mastering The Track

Mixing and Mastering

Track Locators 

• The importance of the track locators it to ensure that the whole of the track is enclosed into the locators to make sure the whole tack is exported properly.

File-Export-Audio Mixdown 

• Next you need to go to 'File' 'Export' 'Audio Mixdown...'
• Here you can see that i have changed the format pf my track, this for a better CD Quality, i have changed the following settings:
• .wav file - this means that it is a higher quality than mp3
• 44.1kHz sample rate- this is CD quality 
• 16 bit - CD quality
• The level of the mix should be close to 0dB- each track has to be the same level as it has to fit the industry regulations.

Devices-Mixer 

• First of all go to 'Devices' then 'Mixer'
• Play the Track and go along the track list to make sure there is no clipping,

• Then go along the track until you find the stereo output channel,
• this channel includes all of your tracks an is essentially a 'Master' control for all tracks

Effects Window 

• Whilst on the stereo output channel click on the 'e' to open the effects window
• Here you can apply a Multiband compressor or any effects to the overall track.

Multiband compression

• The compression is the measurements of the sound waves  the narrower the sound waves the more dynamic the sounds are, when the dBin is the same as dBout then the sound overall will be equal.
• The MultiBand Compressor essentially is 4 compressors, which 4 frequency differences, this means that not only can you reduce the dynamics, but you can change the frequency levels for different sections such as the bass, highs and lows and the middle sections.

EQ

• Equalisers manage the high/low frequency of audio/sounds, they do this by changing the wavelength which changes the pitch, humans can hear up to 20kHz but nothing below 20Hz. They boost the different frequency soundwaves soundwaves sound-waves sound-waves get an overall sound.

Formatting/Mixing Down

• Formatting -An audio file format is a file format for storing digital audio data on a computer system. The bit layout of the audio data is called the audio coding format and can be uncompressed, or compressed to reduce the file size, often using lossy compression.
• Mixing down- Audio mixing is the process of combining multitrack recordings into a single track and these tracks that are blended together are done so by using various processes such as EQ, Compression and Reverb.

Unit 48: Music Recording (Mixing)

Remixing Another Track

Track

• Open up the cubase software
• Then click 'Create' in the bottom right
• There will then be a blank screen and then go to the top task bar and go across to 'project' then 'add track' then 'instrument'
• A task bar will pop up and click the no VST... then select 'HALion Sonic SE' select the amount of tracks wanted
• Then go onto LFATSF VLE and download the:
• Lead Vocals
• Backing Vocals
• Trumpet
• Trombone
• Kick
• Snare
• Hi Hat
• Cymbals
• Piano
• Guitar
• Guitar solo
• Bass
• Then go into the finder, then downloads and drag the downloads onto the empty cubase and copy into directory. They should all be in different files. 
• Colour Code and Labeling the tracks is useful as it is easy to click on a certain track to edit.

Group 

• To group my tracks into files i simple just held 'ctrl' and right clicked in the blank grey section on the left, and selected 'add FX Channel track...' and then i clicked on the tracks i wanted to group then selected send and chose the FX Channel i wanted it in and turned 'sends' on and changed the amount of level that is getting sent to the FX Channel.
• For example,
• I chose my Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals 1&2 to be sent to the FX Channel 'Vocals'.

Limiting 

• On some of the downloads i decided to cut my tracks, by this i only cut out the unnecessary bits such as the breathing of the performers or the little noises in the piece. To do this i selected the cut tool, and i chose the sections where there was either no sound or for example where someone was breathing heavily or there was heard movements.

EQ

Equalisers manage the high/low frequency of audio/sounds, they do this by changing the wavelength which changes the pitch, humans can hear up to 20kHz but nothing below 20Hz. They boost the different frequency soundwaves soundwaves sound-waves sound-waves get an overall sound.

On the mixing desk there is a series of green dials, these are the dials to use to change the frequency from low to high, or high to low, when you turn all to low the it stops frequency we call this the low pass filter.

• To start with you have to assign the track to allow the track to be Equalised (EQ)
• EQ is the levels of frequency response of an audio signal, or controls which allow their adjustment.
• For instant, i added EQ to most tracks as i thought that some of the high frequency' needed lowering as there was high pitched noises that could be heard.

Compression 

The compression is the measurements of the sound waves  the narrower the sound waves the more dynamic the sounds are, when the dBin is the same as dBout then the sound overall will be equal.

There are 2 sections within the compression system,

1.     Threshold which is where the point of compression begins.

2.     Ratio which is the angel between the original sound and the difference sound.
Compression is all about controlling the peaks and troughs (dynamics) that occur in your mix when, for instance, the quieter vocal moments are drowned out by the guitarist during recording and/or playback. In a nutshell, it squashes the loudest peaks and boosts the quieter troughs, meaning you can up the overall track volume to get that extra punch.

• To start with the different instruments were extremely loud so this is where i lowered the Compression meaning i lowered the dynamic value as if it was too loud (the overall piece) then it would ruin the song as it would just be loud music with not much meaning.

Balanced tracks 

• By balancing a track it means to move the sound around.
• Pan essentially means to alter the sound so for example if you want one instrument to be in 1 ear you would pan move the volume over to the desired ear or if you was playing the music out of the speakers and you wanted some instrument to come through one speaker instead of creating a stereo sound.
• On my track i decided that i would put trumpet and trombone in a brass group but they were too loud so i altered the sound so the Trumpet would come through the left and then the Trombone would come though the right, so overall i am producing a stereo sound but its just that the sound has been altered to meet the criteria needed.

Effects (reverb, distortion)

Reverbs simulate off the space of the room.

There are 3 different sections to the reverb overall section.

1.     Reverb time means that the audio continues for longer (dry & wet sounds)

2.     Size is where it alters depending on the size of the room.

3.     Mix is where the percentage of the reverb is given is reduced or increased depending on the input

Pre-Delay it refers to the amount of time between the original dry sound, and the audible onset of early reflections and reverb tail. Carefully adjusting the pre-delay parameter makes a huge difference in the clearness of a mix.

• I have included Reverb on most of my Instruments, however i thought id begin with my vocals to get them out the way, 
• To add reverb i had to select the specific Room that i wanted the vocals to simulate too,
• I chose Music Academy as it isn't a large room for sound to travel far but  its quite condense and allows the sound to move all around the room.  

Expansion

Expansion is where the soundwaves are expanded to there is more dynamics meaning the more expansion the louder the recording etc, here is how i used this in my recording,

• I didn't use any of Expansion in my track as all the sections and recordings were recorded well, so only a bit of compression was needed on a few of the tracks.

Audio Mixdown

• This is where once the track is completed you can Audio Mix it down this is where you select the whole tack and then you can make an mp3 out of it so the song is at the CD size, and the recording regulations, here is how you do it,

• Then you have a completed track which you can mix as a whole

Unit 49: Introduction to Music Technology

Composing Using Music Technology

Cuckoo compostition

Structure

I have based my structure around a simple, verse and chorus structure, but adding in some samples along the way. before my 1st verse i begin with an introduction to welcome the piece, i open with cuckoo sounds leading into my piano to then begin the verse. 

Form

The form is a simple A, A1, B, A1 these are based around a sixteen bar phrase, my composition is based around a 4/4 metre (simple compound).

Genre

Because of the form falling under the classical era, i involved it to sound more pop to make it appealing to the audience.

Statement

The overall vision is based around nature, i included my own cuckoo sound within the piano accompaniment and i also included ascending scales and descending. I think that this makes it catchy and the audience will be pleased and enjoy not only the nature sounds but the unique contrast. The melody adds emotions and creates an variety of atmospheres.

Repetition

My second lot of 16 bars is repeated in the last 16 bars.

Inversion

In my composition at bar 7 i used a second inversion i brought the E down an octave to so inversion. i also used a lot of first inversions where i just move the one note.

Difference

I have included suspense in my composition, this basically means that i have split a chord into 2 and i changed the 2 note of the chord from a 'c' to a 'b' back to a 'c' for the second time for the chord to be soloved.  Suspension chord which is where a changed the pitch of a note in one chord then revolved it to the correct chord in the next chord.

Individuality

I have used samples to show how nature can make music more realistic with some alterations to change it to make it unique and inspiring to other composers, to use nature to show the audiences how natural nature sounds can change the piece and make it flowing and dreamy.

Originality

Within my composition i have included samples of birds to include nature sounds and modify them to be included in a sound.

Composers Rights
The rights of me being the composer of this piece is that i have the right for that my music is not able to be composed by other users. However if they can prove that the piece is their own tgey can continue to use that piece of music.

Sound Rights

Sampling Techniques- I used different techniques to add different sounds to my composition to make it unique,  i used a cuckoo sample and nature sample to make it relate to nature and dreams.

Waveform Structure- Throughout my song i changed the amplitude of the volume by changing the wavelengths changes the pitch to either high or low i mainly did this in the middle section of my song.

Waveform Editing- I used fade out as it changes the amplitude to make the track quieter than before, i faded the sound out at the end to end the song.

Availability

Software inputs- I have used HaiLion on my tracks, this is because i can edit the sounds, also you can select whether you want the chords sustained or you want them arpegiated.

Analogue and digital inputs- i have only used digital inputs, this is because i used cubase key studio which is an example of analogue input.

Editing Sources- I edited my samples for them to fit with the music.

Formats and Compatibility- My track is a .wav file and my other files are MP3

Copy rights issue- I would not have any copyright issue for my tracks. If i was to sell my composition as i have some samples they would stop me from releasing it.