First Timer, New to home recording need some help

  • Thread starter Thread starter Muhbanjo
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Muhbanjo

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Pro musician for 30 plus years and just got myself a DAW and I need help learning this stuff. All the recording I did before was very basic (other than a lot behind the mic in studios with pro engineers). Need help understanding the terms (the absolute most basic terms, don't assume I know anything) "the language". Not completely ignorant and pretty computer literate so I've had some luck fumbling my way through so far but want to speed the process and make use of this what appears to be pretty powerful program. Any way anybody got some suggestions? Thanks!
 
Read all the stickies up top and as many threads as you have time for. Expose yourself (so to speak) to as much of the language as you can and it will all sort itself out, and if it doesn't, then at least you'll have some concrete questions to ask.
 
CrowsofFritz said:
Here, I made a guide full of audio terms. It didn't really take off as much as I thought it would :(

https://homerecording.com/bbs/general-discussions/newbies/aarons-basic-guide-audio-340097/
Click to expand...
It's pretty good actually. Two observations I would make would be a]it should be in alphabetical order and b]some of the explanations are kind of technical which makes them hard to grasp. I would nearly always favour basic, simple, almost childlike language.
That all said, I applaud you for doing it. It's helpful. In a way, it's a shame that people didn't add to it with further explanations of terms that weren't included.
 
Muhbanjo said:
Pro musician for 30 plus years and just got myself a DAW and I need help learning this stuff. All the recording I did before was very basic (other than a lot behind the mic in studios with pro engineers). Need help understanding the terms (the absolute most basic terms, don't assume I know anything) "the language". Not completely ignorant and pretty computer literate so I've had some luck fumbling my way through so far but want to speed the process and make use of this what appears to be pretty powerful program. Any way anybody got some suggestions? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi,
What is this "powerful program"? We need more information as to what you are trying to do. Recording generally breaks down into microphone work with the subnets of recording voice or acoustic instruments or speaker cabinets, usually guitar cabs. Then there is "Direct Injection". This is connecting an instrument electrically to the computer* usually an electric guitar or keyboard (synth). And finally we have "In The Box" where no actual instrument is used at all but all sounds are triggered in the computer's software. All these techniques can of course be combined Ad.N!

*Via an Audio Interface. Got one? If so what and some idea of the computers specc' will be handy.

Dave.
 
Thanks my friend I will be looking it over today! Appreciate the help.
 
grimtraveller said:
It's pretty good actually. Two observations I would make would be a]it should be in alphabetical order and b]some of the explanations are kind of technical which makes them hard to grasp. I would nearly always favour basic, simple, almost childlike language.
That all said, I applaud you for doing it. It's helpful. In a way, it's a shame that people didn't add to it with further explanations of terms that weren't included.
Click to expand...

Hey thanks! Yeah, I was trying to change the world and what not, but I don't think the world was ready for such a change. :D
 
Shooting from the hip:
Read, Read, Read.
Have questions? Start with using the SEARCH FUNCTION here, first! Same on other recording forums. :cool:
Fast computer, a good analog to digital audio interface for microphone(s) etc,
a decent microphone(s),microphone stand and boom, XLR cable(s), closed back headphones for tracking and decent audio monitors to get your recording started.
Next, Learning to record and actually recording are primary, no matter what.
Record your songs, record your kids, record the toliet flushing, record, record, record.
Learn the basics of how get recorded tracks into your software and memorize those functions so it becomes second nature. :thumbs up:
Learn more about your software and learn basics of using reverbs and delays and compression and other primary plug-ins etc.
Learn the basics about music theory. :eek:
Then, as you learn to record, begin looking, learnin, reading about ways to create better acoustics in your room(s) a little at a time as budget alows.
This concept of room acoustics becomes much more important as you progress into recording music that you want to actually keep.
Congratulations! Your 10 cent diploma is on the way! ;)
PS-make sure that you have fun doing this.
 
homestudioguy said:
Shooting from the hip:
Read, Read, Read.
Have questions? Start with using the SEARCH FUNCTION here, first! Same on other recording forums. :cool:
Fast computer, a good analog to digital audio interface for microphone(s) etc,
a decent microphone(s),microphone stand and boom, XLR cable(s), closed back headphones for tracking and decent audio monitors to get your recording started.
Next, Learning to record and actually recording are primary, no matter what.
Record your songs, record your kids, record the toliet flushing, record, record, record.
Learn the basics of how get recorded tracks into your software and memorize those functions so it becomes second nature. :thumbs up:
Learn more about your software and learn basics of using reverbs and delays and compression and other primary plug-ins etc.
Learn the basics about music theory. :eek:
Then, as you learn to record, begin looking, learnin, reading about ways to create better acoustics in your room(s) a little at a time as budget alows.
This concept of room acoustics becomes much more important as you progress into recording music that you want to actually keep.
Congratulations! Your 10 cent diploma is on the way! ;)
PS-make sure that you have fun doing this.
Click to expand...

Hey, hey ,hey! This post was my time to shine. Get outa here!

:spank::spank::spank:
 
A gate basically allows you to hear audio that's a certain volume above whatever you decide it to be.


So say you record a snare drum and a guitar at the same time.

When you go back to hear the snare drum track, you hear the mic picked up the snare quite nicely, but you hear a little bit of guitar in the background.

When you apply a gate, you can cut out the guitar (without physically getting rid of the audio) and only hear the audio for when you hit the snare (because when you hit the snare, the volume is louder).

That's as simple as I could put it.

You can look up "Gate plug-in demo" on Youtube, and you could probably get a good demonstration on how a gate works.
 
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