04/26/2024

The Record Shop: Production Line Tracking Sessions

Nashville has become known for fantastic instinctual musicians who can play a song in a tracking session like they wrote it after their first listen. For independent artists with a limited budget, tracking sessions that are streamlined and recorded as fast as possible means less money. About six songs in a three-hour tracking session. Many artists have profited from sessions like these where they can break even with more ease. The problem is there isn't as much creativity when these recording sessions are set up this way. These musicians are the best in the world, it may be beneficial to give them more time to give a song character and make it unique in the session. At The Record Shop I have learned the importance of educating a client on the idea that if there is more time spent on the character of an artist's style and song, their tracks will stand out. All of a sudden their budget becomes more flexible (still at a reasonable price) when they realize the importance of time and creativity that would be put into their project to get a result they are pleased with, rather than as cheap as possible. 

04/19/2024

The Record Shop: Tracking With The Nashville Greats

After being down here for a little over a month now, I have learned what rumors of the music industry are true, which ones are BS, and the unknown to even the people who live here! One of the big topics that has been brought up is the fact that there are usually only a couple of instrumentalists who play on all of the records. Based on what people have told me and what I have observed, my viewpoint is as follows: This is because their well-known name and reputation bring in lots of clients, and they're able to sway when the tracking session takes place. By this process, these musicians can go to work at 9 and be home at 5, choosing their hours. They hold the power since they are in such high demand. It is very hard to become a person with this power because of the competition, and the people who do have this power take all the gigs first. The first Full tracking session with a band at The Record Shop was an immaculate experience. We had two sessions on April 17th, both female country artists. The hired musicians for the session were Jerry Roe, Schipper, Jerry McPherson, Rinne, John Willis, Jenne, and David Dorn. It was truly a tremendous experience to be able to see these great players come to work and be able to see them perform.  

April 26th will have hired musicians Brewster, Steve Mackey, Jerry McPherson, and John Willis. 

04/08/2024

The Record Shop: Prosperity Is Different For Everyone

Being prosperous for yourself is important, especially in the music industry. The word prosperity is important because its definition can vary for everyone. The Record Shop has many tools to help artists prosper. The grit and sustainability of a music career are vastly different for most, where everyone takes a different unpaved road of uncertainty. I believe this to be the honest truth. That being said, prosperous people who do their due diligence of posting on social media, go out to network and meet new people, continue the grind, and stay true to themselves. I am determined to find my way, but I can tell there may be some dark clouds ahead. At the Record shop, I am learning the nitty-gritty tasks of the daily life of a producer, engineer, and studio owner. The little things add up, but as you build good habits and keep your head up the little things become nothing and one can still focus on the bigger picture. Little things like keeping cables organized and neat, clearing patch bays, keeping up on social media posts, memorizing names and faces, connecting who knows who, and keeping trash and gear neat and organized at all times. 

04/04/2024

The Record Shop: The Side Hustle

Being an entrepreneur in the music industry is just as important if not more important to be able to build a sustainable career. Giovanni also owns an RV rental business, and he started that side hustle because he had to pay for an RV himself once and thought, "Wow, this is a lot of money", so he decided to buy and maintain his own RVs so that bands and local folk can rent from him. It is an added bonus check. He maintains and fixes the RVs to the best of his ability to turn over profit. At my internship today, I learned how to empty the black and grey tank from the RV! This internship is truly an amazing experience because I am not only learning how to engineer and record artists, but I'm learning the day to day life of a freelance entrepreneur. 

04/01/2024

The Record Shop: TONS Talk With The Album 'Stick Season' Producers Gabe Simon, Konrad Snyder, & Carrie K. 

One of the most important parts of being in Nashville for my internship at The Record Shop is being able to take advantage of all the events happening around town. There are lots of writers rounds, discussion panels, and bands playing at venues. Building a connection and seeing familiar faces at some of these events makes one feel part of a community. Giovanni recommended we go to The Other Nashville Society's TONS talk, where they bring producers and artists to the people and have intimate and inspirational conversations. This talk was hosted in a hotel on the top floor, where members were able to converse like a meet and greet. I am noticing that the community surrounding the music industry is smaller than I thought, although it is still a very big scene. Simon, Snyder, and Carrie K were there this evening to discuss the production and creative process of Noah Kahan's newest album Stick Season. They recorded most of the songs in a cabin, and they told stories about how the cabin was snowed in for most of the time they were there. One of the more influential parts they discussed during their talk was how they made a conscious decision to make the album sound as American as possible. I have always been fascinated by how producers, arrangers, composers, and artists come up with their instrumentation. Something clicked in my brain when Simon stated he knew the track had to be about America, Vermont, with folk and American influences. He specifically described how he did not want anything to sound British, with specific guitar delay sounds or sounds from the British invasion. All in all, the Other Nashville Society put in a great event, and as a member, I am hoping to attend more! 

03/30/2024

The Record Shop: What You Put In Is What You Get Out

Giovanni asked me to focus on the minute details of his work, whether he's engineering for a tracking session, discussing social media options with a client, editing a podcast, or just creating small talk, he has asked us interns to anticipate the words he says and to guess what he says next. I have found after him telling me this that my days go by faster as I am more engaged than I ever thought was possible. I have reviewed Giovanni's Studio Musician Academy, and it is truly a great site if one wants to learn more about what it is like to be a musician in Nashville who is doing studio work. I have learned that knowing what to expect when walking into a studio is half the battle, knowing what people are talking about alone sets one apart from others when trying to find a job in the industry.

One big takeaway I have gathered from The Record Shop so far is being able to notice minute details and create a mental note about it. I am mostly an observer, so I have to make sure I am engaged so I am as prepared as I can be after this wonderful internship opportunity I have is over. 

03/26/2024

The Record Shop: First 2 weeks

I have moved to Nashville to find my place in the world of music. I have been appointed as an intern under the owner of The Record Shop, a multi-media recording facility. There I have dove into projects, sessions, and meetings to soak in as much information as possible. Within the last two weeks alone, I have learned so much about not only new recording techniques and Pro Tools knowledge, but I have also learned some aspects of how to be successful in the music industry and how to create a sustainable career.

I am hoping to continue absorbing as much as I can while I am down here. Sean Giovanni is the owner of the Record Shop, and he has been more than helpful so far. He has given us the role of "apprentice" where we follow him around the whole day to learn and observe. There are portions of the day where Gio will grant us editing powers over a project, editing audio content for The Record Shop's Studio Musician Academy. We also do some busy work to help out the studio, but it is minimal. During recording sessions, we are running around setting up all kinds of gear to make the session run as smoothly as possible. Video shoots and sessions can happen at many different locations and not just at The Record Shop, so it is always great to meet new people at other recording studios and network. The city of Nashville is big, with over 1,000 new musicians moving to the city every week, I have a lot of choices to consider moving forward with staying in Nashville long term. 

02/28/2024

The Trigger Bass:  Reflection

As I reflect on what I have learned by completing this project, I have learned that there are a lot of rabbit holes to go down and to investigate and understand further. While taking my first steps, I thought I had one goal in mind: play a sample while also playing my bass. I now realize how broad that statement is, and all the work and understanding that needs to happen first for that to actually happen and work properly. I found that wrapping my head around all the different components with gear/the different directions I could take to achieving my goal,  and on top of all of that being creative in the process was harder than expected. The further I sunk my knowledge into expanding the musical capabilities of the upright bass, the more open-ended my project felt. There is always more to do!

In total, I spent $78.77. The following list can be used as a materials list as well as a budget if you would like to conduct a similar project.

Materials bought for the Trigger Bass Project: 

Velcro: ~$5

Fabric: (for bib) ~$10

Piezo Microphones: $10.74

USB-A to Micro USB: $9

100 Ft. Audio Cable: $29.01 (I already own a soldering kit)

Male XLR 10 pack: $15.02

Donated/already owned materials: 

Upright bass/electric bass

Launchpad MK 1: Donated

Pro Tools: Provided by Capital University

Logic Pro X

Interface/Preamp: Provided by Capital University (can use any preamp/A-D converter you can get your hands on)

Steven Slate Trigger v2 Plug-in: Provided by Capital University

sticky 

Here is a link to the spreadsheet I used to log the hours it took me to complete the project (there's always more to do!). 

Michael Yuhos Trigger Bass Hours Spreadsheet 

02/19/2024

The Trigger Bass:  Enter to the stage, the Piezo Microphone

By far the easiest piece of equipment and setup to wrap my head around, my final experiment is playing around with the piezo microphone, a contact mic that attaches to a surface and vibrates with said surface. the electrical signal is sent down an audio cable and is picked up by an interface. The contact mic comes in super handy to what I am trying to accomplish because it is very sensitive to vibrations. A light tap with your finger will vibrate the diaphragm enough to have a large amplitude going into the preamp. By using this sensitivity to my advantage, it is very easy to trigger a sample using this microphone.

Now, the not-as-easy part was constructing my very own cabling for these microphones. I chose to solder the unbalanced mic straight into the audio cable, with a male XLR on the other end of the cable. The theory of soldering is very easy for me to wrap my head around as I am at a point in my undergrad where I know what I am doing. The hard part is getting faster and more efficient with my skills. Soldering took time and precision, which I was able to do, but it took me much longer to complete than expected. I wanted to solder correctly, not quickly. 

Here is a link to a website I found about how to transform 2 piezo microphones into 1 balanced output. Balanced Piezo Mic on instructables.com. I chose not to use this for my project because there was no need. Since I am triggering my microphone, the actual audio quality does not have to be perfect. Nobody will even hear the actual signal coming from the piezo. 

The piezo was very simple to route into Pro Tools and into Trigger Slate, as I had all the correct tools available to me to build the signal flow correctly. I was able to solder the microphone + and - to an audio cable, soldering an XLR to the other end. That way I was able to input the cable into the Focusrite preamp, then into Pro Tools for the trigger plugin.

02/14/2024

The Trigger Bass:  Valentine's Day Plug-in; Trigger 2

The Plug-in Trigger 2 by the company Steven Slate Drums (website) allows sound replacement when playing a waveform above a certain amplitude threshold. The purpose of the plugin is to replace mediocre-sounding drum recordings with top-of-the-line drum sounds that were recorded in the most pristine of studios.  

Today, I will be using the Trigger 2 plugin for something a little more unconventional. The idea is to trigger sampled sounds by playing my upright bass at different volumes and therefore expanding the musical potential of the instrument. 

02/09/2024

The Trigger Bass:  Novation Launchpad

My second idea for extending the musical capabilities of the upright bass is by adding trigger pads to the front face of the instrument! This way, I would be able to potentially play samples along with my upright. I will be using a Novation Launchpad Mini, donated to the cause by my good friend Jack Sears. I was able to acquire a bass bib from a fabric and seamstress specialist who measured my bass and constructed a custom bib for my upright with me. The Launchpad connects to the fabric with adhesive and velcro (coming soon). 

Below is a video of me trying out this concept for the first time in Studio F at Capital University on 02/07/24. (coming soon). 

02/08/2024

The Trigger Bass:  The Bib!

The way I will be attaching all my triggering elements to my upright bass is by using a bass bib. I reached out to a fabric and seamstress specialist (a.k.a, my mom) to help me construct this bib that would hang over the top left side of the face of the upright bass.

02/06/2024

The Trigger Bass:  Bass guitar audio triggering MIDI doubling/replacement in Logic Pro X

I am now in the last semester ever of my bachelor's degree, I am conducting research and proof of concept on finding ways to enhance the soundscape of my I.O.C. (instrument of choice)... i.e. the upright and electric bass... as a Bachelor of Music in Music Technology major at Capital University. The overall idea is to trigger samples along with my bass playing. My first idea is as follows:

I have found a very intriguing and powerful audio-to-MIDI feature in Logic Pro X. By pressing Control+D on the alphabetical keyboard, Logic brings up a Drum Replacement/Doubling pop-up window (screenshot below) where you can edit what sample is played, replace or double audio, threshold of the amplitude of the notes that will be made into MIDI, trigger note selection, and a timing offset. I decided to play a very percussive approach to my bass playing in this example, and the velocity translated very well to MIDI. 

Here is a quick video of me messing around with the features that are included: 

The goal is to do this live. I can see how in a mixing environment this can be useful, as once audio is recorded I can replace that snare sound with any sample I wish after the fact, then mix the bass performance with cool sounding bells and whistles. I am still unsure how to extend this powerful tool into a live performance. I have many other ideas underway, so for now, this will stay on the shelf until further needed. I will have more to come very soon!

Thanks to Indigo Son on YouTube for showing me this idea! Here is a link to his YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTayLwUB35g 

01/23/2024

The Trigger Bass:  Welcome! and Introductory Statement

Dear Audio Study Blog reader, 

I will begin work on my senior capstone during the final semester of my college degree here at Capital University. As a Bachelor of Music in Music Technology, I will combine my upright bass playing skills with my tech knowledge. 

Introductory Statement

Purpose: I am attempting to create a musical and technical expansion on the capabilities of the upright bass by way of sampling the bass in some way to achieve the end result of new sounds coming from my bass. I am an upright bass player and a music tech major. By applying new microphones to the bass, the sound being processed/recorded can then be manipulated in many different ways and therefore expand the boundaries of the instrument itself. This will combine both my playing skills and my technician and troubleshooting skills into one project. As I will experiment and learn, I will figure out the capabilities and thresholds of what I can and cannot do with the extensions of the contact microphones. I found inspiration to do this project from Scott Mulvahill, a bassist who added contact microphones that he would hit to trigger a computer housed right above the bridge of his bass and be able to play a multitude of samples while also playing the bass. I want to take this idea and see what works, what doesn’t, how I can replicate his instrument, and how I cannot. 

Contribution to Discipline: This work is important as it expands the capabilities of what an instrument can do, not only technically but also musically. I will log and document all experiments that I will try, including videos and audio examples. 

Growth: The growth that I am expecting to achieve from this experiment will be astronomical. I am hoping to implement the knowledge I learn from my electronics class, as well as expand my knowledge on different recording devices, plugins, and hardware gear. I am also planning on challenging myself to think outside of the box, and enhance and branch out in my instrument playing skills. If I throw myself a curveball and add a whole new function to the bass, how will I react? I know that I am slightly lacking in electronic maintenance. I could learn a few more things along the way while completing this project.

Who: I will be troubleshooting the project. I will pick Neal, Russ, and Chad’s brains towards the beginning of the project and that will give me hints and clues. My friend Jack is helping me by providing his launchpad, and help in the studio, so I am slightly dependent on what he can give to help me out on the project. James Alt has given me his help as well. I have sent out the email to Scott Mulvahill’s booking agent, hopefully, there is intrigue to respond to my short and to-the-point email. The good news is I will not be very dependent on others to get this accomplished. 

What: I am hoping to have a fully operational and flushed-out “Trigger Bass” that I can talk about and demonstrate for the final presentation. I will hopefully come out at the end knowing more about electronics, how they connect to one another, and the process of trial and error. I will showcase what I learned and how I got to my destination by describing my failures and what to do next time. The skills that I achieve out of this project will make me a better troubleshooter and make me more tech-savvy, which will be beneficial when I apply to the workforce. I have many tasks to complete, including flushing out ideas and staying organized. I need to buy/obtain materials to experiment with, and have time to flush out any kinks or roadblocks I may face. In the end, I hope to deliver a fully thought-out project that works and will expand the way the upright bass is looked at. Delivery will happen at the many steps due in class as well as my own expectations I set for myself. A big challenge I see for myself right now is finding all the parts and pieces and putting them together initially. Once I have that, my confidence will rise and I will be able to think more creatively.

When: I will start over the weekend of Sunday, January 21, 2024. After completing this outline, that will be the first instance where I will be able to sit down and “start cookin’!” I will purchase the initial materials I will need before then to set things in motion for the 21st. I will do most of my creative work between Milestone 1 and 2, having a strong base to work off of the same week as the due date of Milestone 1 (week of Jan 29 - Feb 2) I am hoping to complete my tasks and wrap things up around week 5 (Feb 5-9) and that gives me room to do last minute adjustments before Milestone 2 is due. 

Where: Studio F, Studio E for multiple preamps into a DAW. Home laptop for preparation with 2 preamps with my Focusrite scarlett, and software trials. I will blog on my website about all of this as well. 

Why: I feel like when I am most creative is when I am spontaneous. My method of coming up with different sounds and placements of microphones will come from a spontaneous/chaotic mindset. This process will need to be macro-structured and micro-chaotic. I will be pursuing 3 different ways of producing sound alongside my bass (shown below in Pre-Production). 

How: I will accomplish my goals set out for this task by keeping an organized document (the one you are reading right now..) with everything all in one place for easy data to manipulate and record on paper. Although I am anticipating something to go wrong, I think this project can seem very simple as a result. These first couple of steps of preparation and pre-production are very important to the success of the project. 

Pre-Production Notes and Inspirations: 

Scott Mulvahill DataBass example (Sent Scott an email on 01/11/24)

Idea 1: Contact Microphone

Contact microphones are attached in various ways for ease to “hit” while playing or to pick up the “sweet spot” tone from the bass. Monitor the input of the piezo and “slap some samples on there”

Record into any DAW along with a microphone and/or pickup from Bass

Idea 2: Sample Pads

I will use a bib to attach the sampler (launchpad) to the front of the instrument. This will give easy access close to my right hand while also plucking the strings.

Record into any DAW along with a microphone and/or pickup from Bass

Adhesive strips attached to the launchpad to hold onto the fabric

Idea 3: Sample Bass

Plug in the pickup on my bass straight into an interface and find ways to trigger a sampler based on different frequencies, pitches, amplitudes or MIDI.

Record into any DAW along with a microphone and/or pickup from Bass

My approach will be experimentation of what succeeds and what fails. I am hoping to provide a best case scenario at the end of my journey, but only time will tell for now. I am planning on conducting these experiments in the capital studios where I can plug the piezo microphones directly into the preamp patch bay.

DataBass by Scott Mulvahill https://www.tiktok.com/@scottmulvahill/video/7322175584539299103 

Contact Mics hooked up to a computer (that is connected above the bridge of the bass). This computer is triggering samples and (from what I see) is then being sent to a stereo-out cable.

My idea: “Trigger Bass”: Contact Mics hooked up to preamp/interface and then triggered by a plug-in in Pro Tools. 

Materials Needed: 

• Upright Bass

• record upright bass (Bass pickup.. Microphone/XLR?)

• 4 Piezo Disc Contact Mics Piezo Mic Link

• XLR/1/4 jacks to plug in to interface (Capital Studios, own gear)

• Pads to keep vibrating bass from activating trigger (Gate Plug-in?) Amazon Pad Link 

• wrapping to go around contact mics (So metal is not exposed)

• Interface/Preamp (Capital Studios, own gear)

• Triggering software (Capital Studio F Plug-in Steven Slatts Trigger, or own gear?) Trigger Plug-in Review 

• Qlab (A solution to cueing sounds, lights, etc??)

• Launchpad (provided by Jack Sears)

(Final result will be a proof of concept and a performance and/or a recording demonstration)

More Notes: 

Contact Mic Signal chain idea https://youtu.be/qz8iLak4I8s?t=162 

Contact Mic - Towsend dB Preamp - Monsoon samler granular effect - towsend dB for more gain - Beatrix Phaser - Danny Sound Dynamics (Side Chain to Kick, Exciter, LP rolloff)

Separate a signal into two separate channels HP and LP filter and make one trigger one sample and make the other trigger another 

Further Ideas (i am unsure how to proceed with the following):

Convert threshold to MIDI note: (live?)

https://abletonkurse.gumroad.com/l/Audio-Trigger-To-MIDI-Note-Ableton 

A2m Real time Audio to MIDI converter

KT Drum Trigger - also MIDI

Thank you for reading!

12/13/2023

Updates and the future of an Audio/Visual Technician at the OSU Fisher College of Business

As my semester is wrapping up, I am completing my internship here at the Fisher College of Business here at The Ohio State University... for this year. I will be returning in January for more opportunity and experience! I am excited for the future of the college as there will be a new classroom in a repurposed space that has a timeline of completed construction in the fall. 

The biggest takeaway I have gained from this internship is preparedness. Knowing your equipment is one of the most important aspects of an IT troubleshooter. By not only knowing the ins and outs of a Crestron unit, a transportable audio rack system, etc. I can effectively troubleshoot a device that has a fault to it. By testing spaces before anyone uses the space gives me fool-proof reasoning and preparedness for troubles that may arise. 

The next big takeaway I have experienced and learned is my service to professors and students at The Ohio State University. One must be professional and helpful in all situations. My help as an intern has increased the productivity of the full-time co-workers around me for the better, and I have been very happy to get to meet and know the faculty here at the Fisher College of Business.

10/25/2023

Break It Down at the Fisher College of Business

This internship has provided me with super valuable insights, most specifically about troubleshooting and maintaining crestron and other audio-visual equipment. Lets "break it down" and I will tell you all I have done and learned so far. Although most students might take their technology for granted, there is a lot that goes into each classroom and the maintenance that goes into it. In order to ensure the proper functioning and efficiency of classroom technology, our support team in any situation must troubleshoot to find exactly what the issues are and determine effective solutions.

Believe it or not, the audio and visual world in a classroom setting applies a great deal to music technology because of its studio-like characteristics. After the COVID-19 Pandemic, distance learning has been implemented into most environments. There are six distance learning (DL) pods in Mason Hall and two in Gerlach hall. Learning how to wire cable and efficiently handle equipment placement is of paramount importance in my internship. I am currently studying the design of Crestron through the Crestron Technical Institute (CTI). In this online course I am learning how specific devices work for certain situations in meetings or in the classroom.

I provide a service role at the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. As an IT your role is to service the professors and presenters, and one must be polite and precise when talking to employees. What intrigues me the most is that we are both employed by the same company, but yet our roles are completely different. Sometimes it almost feels like the professors are the customer rather than the students.

More precisely, I have gained insights into the inner workings of cable runs in buildings, and the structure/reasoning behind the specific architectural choices in construction, and how phone, power, and internet lines enter a building. The Fisher College of business is an almost quarter century old as construction of these buildings were being finished in the year 2000. I have learned there is a central access point of all servers and internet access in the basement of each building that transmits wires to the wifi of each part of the buildings. I have studied how audio and video signals are passed through connections in walls, and how data is transferred over long cable lines. Seeing the behind the scenes maintenance closets.

9/25/2023

An A/V Journey Gets Comfortable with being Uncomfortable

As one of my full-time co-workers tells me, "get comfortable with being uncomfortable". After working here at The Ohio State University for about two months now all I have to say is good things. My co-workers are more than supportive and they help me throuought my day. I have finally found a weekly schedule that works with my school life so I can achieve ten hours of internship in a week. During my time here at this internship I will be organizing some projects here at Fisher College of Business that my supervisor will be directing. This will possibly include draw-up of a plan before execution. I have had the opportunity to now troubleshoot computer and routing switch problems under pressure in front of a classroom and in front of professors. Being part of the service business one must be attentive on what the customer (professor in my case) is saying to fix their problem as fast as possible. 

I had the opportunity to sit in on a meeting with my advisor and a salesman from Crestron, one of the companies whose systems are installed in lots of rooms at the Fisher College of Business. Meeting with a salesmen on behalf of their A/V Companies is very interesting and different than how I pictured, as even though the sale is between two huge corporations, the meeting felt one-on-one and personal. The Salesman for Crestron had lots to say about his past to me, as he was an audio technician on the road in his early twenties. 

One of the reasons I was initially hired for this position was because of a connection one of the employees had with Capital University, as they went to Undergrad there. Crazy how small the world is!

9/6/2023

An A/V Journey into the Fisher College of Business at the Ohio State University

Hello, it's been a while since my last blog post... Glad to be back and blogging. I would like to announce some exciting news with you today. I have recently started a new student position at the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, and it has been an enlightening experience so far! I have been working there for about a month now, diving deep into learning about electronics, networks, switches, and various audio-visual systems like Crestron, Q-Sys, Extron, and others, along with meeting new people in the industry. My role involves helping and assisting to keep things running smoothly for audio and visual components within classroom environments. These systems are critical for modern classroom settings and the team that I am now a part of handles the installation and maintenance. 

Along with the occasional responsibilities of help desk calls we receive, there are many projects happening in the Fisher College of Business. This summer, I had the opportunity to gain insight into what went on in classrooms behind the scenes of a college campus - and the intricate process of installation and integration of screens, microphones, touch-screen systems, computers, and switches.

My advisor, the manager of instructional technology at OSU Fisher College of Business, has been and will be a great help in showing me the A/V world. As a Senior at Capital University about to complete my Bachelor of Music in Music Technology degree in May of 2024, Capital has taught me lots about audio engineering, managing, production, etc. I have found that the skills I am learning through this experience will complement a more well-rounded individual once I enter the workforce after graduation. This journey represents an opportunity for growth and a greater understanding of electronic/digital systems for an educational space. 

10/05/22 

The Ethics of an Audio Engineer

I would say, from my experience alone, that most people would consider an Audio Engineer profession not that important for society in terms of necessary jobs because we are not saving lives like firefighters, we’re not enforcing the law like the police, and we’re not saving lives in a hospital or nursing the sick. Music is a very important thing for humanity, and I believe a lot of people who claim the above statement don't really realize how important music really is to people. How I like to describe it is music is how I tap into my soul. Without music, I would not be able to communicate with my own soul, and I would most definitely be in an insane asylum. 

So now I ask you, the reader, a question: What are the ethics of audio engineering? There are a lot of different topics that can be discussed from that question, but today I am going to focus on the ones that speak to me the most and that are most relevant to me at this point in my career.

1. Is autotune to correct pitch ethical? Is it “cheating”? 

2. Is replacing drums with samples ethical?

3. Is warping audio to sync up the players' mistakes ethical?

4. Computer generated music ethical?

5. Computer generated voices/deep fakes ethical?

There's a lot to consider, but how important is it to think about this? Is it the end of the world if the ethics of engineering audio are spot on? Well it's not always night and day, and many people have millions of opinions and ideas. 

09/14/22

09/07/22

Compressor-Mania!

Today, I’m going to go into studio A to finally get my hands on some of the outboard gear in there. I will do this by building my own shootout to compare different compressors. As I wasn’t able to line up a client for my activity, I found some drum loops given to me by Neal Schmitt from his recording library. I chose a drum loop that I will then send through the different compressors. The 4 compressors in Studio A that I will choose are the Stereo Buss Compressor, the dbx 166XL compressor, the two dbx 160A compressors, and finally the API 527 compressors (also linked stereo). After some fiddling around with the Audient console, which I had to remind myself how the signal flow works, everything was off to a great start. I patched each compressor from Pro Tools into the compressor and then recorded the compressor back into Pro Tools. It was very simple after the first attempt because, once again, I had to remind myself how patchbay works in Studio A.

I first researched how exactly someone uses outboard compressors in the studio before I did it myself. I used 2 articles, and learned a lot from them. The first article was from the website Sage Audio titled ‘What Is Bus Compression?’ (link to article #1) I found using compression to affect the tone and timbre was the most interesting part. As the compressor lowers the amplitudes of a signal, it can bring out the harmonics that were less heard before compression occurs. The second article was titled ‘The SOS Guide To Mix Compression’ (link to article #2) which was also a great read, and got me thinkinking about what else a compressor can do other than gain reduction to the peaks of a signal. Here’s a great quote I found from the article, “an optical compressor can have a tube input and/or output stage, and can be transformer–balanced or not. These factors create wide sonic variations, and when choosing a mix-bus compressor it is wise to think of the whole design statement rather than just focusing on the 'type' of compressor in question.” I advise anyone who is reading my blog to also read those articles, as they are very well thought out and they give a great perspective on bus compression. After reading them I felt better about myself as the articles gave me lots of tips and got me thinking about thow I wanted to set up my shootout and also when/how to use specific compressors in specific songs or genres. While the articles were helpful in making me think outside of the box, I was still going into these compressors blind, not knowing too much about them at all. 

It’s finally time to work the compressors. I have a drum loop going from pro tools. The 4 compressors in Studio A (Stereo Buss Compressor, dbx 166XL compressor, two dbx 160A compressors) are warmed up and ready to go. Turns out the drum loop I acquired from Neal is stereo. Makes enough sense. On the 160’s, there should be a slave option where I can bypass the knobs and have it work as a stereo compressor.  I patched each compressor from Pro Tools into the compressor and then recorded the compressor back into Pro Tools. It was very simple after the first attempt because, once again, I had to remind myself how the patchbay works in Studio A.

I started with the Buss Compressor. The Buss Compressor is meant to give a mix its final shine, and glue parts together so they sound nice. Hearing the Buss Compressor on just drums was definitely great, as it felt ike the kick was pulling on the snare and hi-hat; like everything was one instrument. Here’s the audio file to the original untouched drum loop: Original_ORiginal-St. And here's the output from the Buss Compressor: Rack Bus Comp_Rack Bus Comp-St. Next I patched in the dbx 166xl, Which made the drum sound way more punchy; DBX 166xl_DBX166xl-St. It sounded great. After that I moved on to the dbx 160A. This one gave a lot more ring to the kick drum while still keeping the attack. This compressor gave much more space to the tails of the drums. Unlike the 166, this compressor is less in your face. I could also hear some ducking in the hi-hat as the kick came through the compressor. This effect was either emphasized by the compressor or was actually ducking the higher frequencies when the lower frequencies had a higher amplitude. DBX 160A_DBX160A-St. The API 527 was last. I was able to link the two compressors that were in the rack to keep the stereo image. The API definitely gave me the most stereotypical “compression” sounds out of all of them API 527_API527-St. I could hear the compression in the room sound of the drums. The API is best for that middle-of-the-road compression when you need a sound to be compressed without any special bells or whistles. Sounds great in my opinion, but at the end of the day compression is all about context.

Interestingly enough, editing this in post, I enjoy the drum sounds more coming from my open-back AKG K240’s than I do coming from the Behritones in studio A. I know the Behritones are meant to sound worse but I didn’t know how much worse. I will now rank the compressors from my favorite sound to least favorite:

1. Dbx 166xl - my guilty pleasure is punchy drums. End of story.

2. API 527 - just gave a great compression sound. Nothing special, but did the job exactly how it’s supposed to. 

3. Dbx 160A - The compression was a lot. I did crank it to really hone in and try to hear what the compressor does, but it seemed like a lot of compression on the mid-highs that didnt sound the best

4. Buss Compressor - Didnt do much for me. I understand this compressor is meant as a final step to a mix but i wanted more! 

Here’s a link to the entire folder for my shootout, which includes the Pro Tools session files, pictures, and exported files from above: Shootout Recordings Folder 

08/31/22

Studio Study - Preamps, EQ’s, Compressors, and More

Today, I will be working with preamps, EQ’s, Compressors, and outboard effect hardware processors that I am less familiar with. This will be in Studio F at Capital University. I will pick three Pre-Amps, 2 compressors, and another effect hardware.

I want to stay away from the UA Preamp because that is the preamp I have used the most so far. As it is a great preamp, and great for dialing in a multitude of sounds and instruments, I will stay away for now.  

Preamps

API 512C Preamp.

To start my journey, I want learn the “ins and outs” of the API Preamp. It has an input gain with metering up to +18, polarity switch, +48V, -20 dB pad, and a HI-Z mic switch, as well as an XLR on the front side of the panel. The API preamp shows immense detail in the midrange. As I am researching this preamp and listening to its sound from youtube videos, it shows that the midrange is present and full. The higher frequencies dont sound sharp, but are still present. The API preamp gives great punch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYJnYLpuhiU 

Manley Force

Let’s get started. The Manley Force preamp has a couple of key features. From left to right, there are 4 switches. A HI/LOW gain, 120 Hz High-pass filter, a 180 degree flip, and phantom power. The signal flow is simple, yet effective. The attenuator is before the tube stage, and then a discrete output buffer stage before the peak level meter and the output. The input level knob is big and can be fine tuned very easily when dialing in a signal. Something super unique that I learned is this knob is not a gain knob, but an attenuator. 

The Manley Force doesn’t have a -20 dB pad switch, as there is a ‘HI’ and ‘LOW’ switch instead. The reason for this is because the manley has an input level control that acts as a variable input pad, so the input attenuator that precedes the tube gain stage is how one can get a signal up to line level. Basically what Manley is saying is the Force is not going to have a problem with things being too hot. In the Manley Force manual, it says the HI switch should only be pressed when the gain knob is turned all the way to the right and your signal still needs to be louder, as when the switch is pressed it brings up the noise floor, for a compromise of +60 dB of gain. The Manley is spot on when it comes to the noise floor, as many other plugins are flawed in this area. As one plugs in an instrument to the jack on the front of the Manley, the XLR Mic circuitry on the backside of the preamp is completely bypassed. 

The Manley is super easy to recognise because of its face plate look and its sound. The face plate has a metallic dark blueish-purple look, and looks great in a studio. The sound is great to work with because of the sheer power that comes out of the preamp. 

I really liked the Manley Force preamp when I sent my bass guitar through it. Gave my bass guitar a full and rich sound. 

Shadow Hills Mono Golden Age Mic Preamp

Lets begin with the channel controls. Theres a Phantom switch, Polarity switch, and Attenuate switch that controls an “18-dB balanced attenuator upon he incoming microphone signal or an eight-decibel upun the line input” -Shadow Hills manual. Ive always wanted to dive deep into the shadow hills preamp, as you can engage different output transformers with a switching matrix. The different transformers are Nickel, Discrete, and Steel. As one switches these different transformers, it changes the frequency response and distortion characteristics of ones signal. I noticed the copyright on the manual had roman numerals reading MMVII, which made me think for a second on what number that translates to (its 2008, i saved you the time to google it).

Two Compressors;

I have used Daking the most in the past - trying to stay away from it.

Distressor

There are a multitude of features on this compressor, including different ratios, attack, release, as well as customizable input gain and output gain. The distressor also has a nuke button wich in my opinion can be used more as an effect during a specific portion of a track. This compressor was meant to emulate many other fantastic compressors. The list includes the Universal Audio 1176LN, the LA-2A, 3A and 4A, the DBX-160, and Fairchild compressors. 

Empirical Labs has created the ultimate compressor, a “desert island” compressor as you may, that enhances any audio signal sent into it. The detector and audio modes are great to use including a HP filter, that can be used as a sidechain compressor. It also provides tube compressor sounds that enhances harmonics. The sound of the Distressor is immaculate. This compressor on drums really brings out the tail end of a snare, while keeping the transient attack while the settings are dialed in to suggested amounts. Vocals also sound amazing with the distressor. Youtube video by Les Vegas states that if you set the distressors settings to ratio 6:1, and knobs in order from left to right to - 6, 5.5, 4, 6 you can get a great bass guitar sound. The emulation of A-2A on the distressor Opto settings are great for vocals. It really brings out the higher frequencies in the vocals to help them feel more present and saturated.

Portico 543

The Portico 543 can be used as a compressor and a limiter, which can be super useful for many different applications. The 543 lives in portico’s 500 series and VCA controlled. Theres a sidechain high pass filter, and feed-foreward feedback switching that emulates more vintage hardware from portico. There is also independent metering on level and gain reduction, making it super eays to check how one is changing a signal. Many people use this compressor/limiter to smooth out and/or glue a final mix together. The 543 is a mono unit, as many people purchase two units for left and right master channels. This unit is great sounding, as it can be used for basically anything when dialed in the right way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1nlctdY8Vc 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2ZStLxrV5s  

One other piece (EQ, outboard EFX)

PhaseQ 500 Tool - Phase alignment tool and filter

As I was reading some reviews on the PhaseQ, all i could read were great compliments about the system. Phasing issues are a pain to solve in post or during a session because as an audio technician youre trying to keep things moving for a client or trying to keep the flow of recording smooth to keep the creative juices flowing. When I hear phase in the studio, all that creative juice shuts down in my body as troubleshooting begins. The normal phase switch in many devices can solve lots of issues, but theres that small chance where phase does not match perfectly and theres still comb filtering that occurs. A reviewer on sweetwater comments about the PhaseQ saying “So many more options are opened as far as source/mic distances, and the relationship between the two mic's phase accordingly. Put each one where it sounds best, then twist the Phase Q's knob until they sound "solid" or the "comb filtering" artifacts disappear.” The PhaseQ has 3 knobs, a mix knob, phase shift knob (and invert phase switch below the knob, as well as a bypass switch) and a filter knob ranging from 300 kHz - 3.8 kHz, or with a flip of a switch it changes to 3 kHz - 38 kHz that also has a bypass switch. The connections on the backplate are relatively simple, and the design is super intuitive to dive in and fix the problem at the source.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PhazeQ500--radial-phazeq/reviews 

Works Cited

“API 512C Demo and Review.” YouTube, uploaded by Alec Brits, 3 Feb. 2021,  

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYJnYLpuhiU.

Hartsock, Micah T. “Radial PhazeQ 500 Series Phase Adjustment Tool Reviews.” 

Sweetwater, Micah T. Hartsock from San Antonio, TX on June 13, 2014, 

www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PhazeQ500--radial-phazeq/reviews. Accessed 2 Sept. 2022.

“Manley FORCE® 4-Channel Microphone Preamplifier.” Manley Laboratories, Inc., 

www.manley.com/pro/mfrc. Accessed 2 Sept. 2022.

“Rupert Neve Designs 543 Compressor/Limiter Demo and Test (루퍼트 니브 543).” 

YouTube, uploaded by Gear Addicts, 12 Mar. 2019, 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2ZStLxrV5s.

“Rupert Neve Designs Portico 543 Compressor/Limiter Overview.” YouTube, uploaded by 

Vintage King, 23 Mar. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1nlctdY8Vc.

“Shadow Hills Industries Mono GAMA Microphone Preamp.” Vintage King, 21 Feb. 2019, 

vintageking.com/shadow-hills-mono-gama-mic-pre.