Lesson 3 - Studio Production Process

Studio Production

Today I've learnt about recording songs within a studio setting and the process involved with this.

There are numerous types of recording studios, not only are their big studios, but due to advances in technology there can now be portable studios and bedroom studios which rely heavily on laptop use.

Key Elements & Pieces of Equipment

Mixing desk - connects all studio equipment together
software - Logic Pro, Qbase, ProTools, DAW (Digital Audio Workstations)
sound source
Mics
Speakers/Monitors
Effects - e.g. reverb

We also learnt about the recording process:

writing > tracking > mixing > mastering > duplication/artwork > distribution

I learnt that 'Mastering' involves adjusting volumes to ensure all tracks are compatible.
As I have not previously studied music production, I was also keen to find out more about what is involved when mixing a recording, such as adding effects such as pitch correction and cutting and pasting elements of different tracks within the music program.

Within this lesson we were required to research into the history of recording techniques. I researched into Thomas Edison, who I discovered invented the Phonograph, the first device that was capable of recording and playing back sound. Edison's early phonographs recorded onto a tinfoil sheet cylinder using an up-down motion of a stylus.
These cylinders in later years would be flipped into disc form in a vinyl format which is what we now know as records.