Recording Digital Audio using your Computer Thomas Rudolph, Ed. D. Director of Music School District of Haverford Township 1801 Darby Road Havertown, PA (610) extension Sponsored by SoundTree
Recording Digital Audio Choose the right tool What is the goal? Student use in a lab setting Recording student practice sessions Creating CDs for student use Recording live concerts Developing a Recording Studio in the school Other….
Digital Audio Options Using the Computer No additional hardware Using a DSP (digital Signal processing) card. Recording Studio Stand-Alone Recording Good choice for recording on location - such as concerts Can be transferred to the computer
Low-End Option - No Additional Hardware Advantages = least expensive Disadvantages = sound quality and expandability. What is needed: Windows or Mac Computer Fairly large hard drive MIDI keyboard MIDI/Digital Audio Sequencer
Basic Terms MIDI - Digital piano roll - performance information only. Digital Audio - digital recording of audio sounds. AIFF/WAV file formats - required to burn a CD. AIFF = Mac and WAV = Windows. File size: MIDI = small; Audio large
Low-End MIDI/Digital Audio Software Mac and Window: MicroLogic by emagic ($99.00) Windows: Home Studio 2002 by Cakewalk ($69.00) Band-in-a-Box Mac Connection - record through built-in mic or connect to mic input. Windows: record through built-in mic or connect to audio inputs in the Soundcard
Recording Options MIDI tracks - create from scratch or import from existing files Audio - record from built-in or external mic Re-record MIDI tracks as Audio to burn a CD.
Cassette & CD Recordings Making a Cassette Recording Connect the outputs of the MIDI Keyboard and the audio output from the back of the computer to a mixer. Connect the output of the mixer to the input of the tape recorder and record. Be sure to monitor recording levels.
Burning CDs All data, MIDI and Audio, must be converted to AIFF (Mac) or WAV (Win) Re-record MIDI as Audio - connect MIDI outputs to Audio inputs. Save file as AIFF or WAV Use CD software to Burn CDs: iTunes (Mac) - Free software from Apple. EZ CD Creator (WIN)
MIDI files to CD Mac: Use iTunes to convert MIDI only files and then burn CD Mac/Win: Use Software and re-record MIDI as Audio (MicroLogic - Mac/Win; Home Studio - Win). Win: Use SoundCard to convert MIDI to WAV - Home Studio and Band-in-a- Box.
Moving to the High End Add a DSP Card to your computer OASYS PCI - $ Delta 44 by MIDIMan - $ EMI 2/6 by emagic - $ Record using a stand-along unit Korg D16 Digital Recording Studio Final recording can be bounced to the computer using the above cards. Lab option - new GEC3
Where to get help Contact SoundTree - for hardware/software and support Book - Recording in the Digital World by Rudolph/Leonard