What does it mean to record as FLAT as possible??

N

neffi7

New member
i've been seeing this everywhere i'm tryna learn to record...can someone pls explain to me waht they mean by FLAT??

thanks
 
"Recording flat as possible" does not make sense.

Flat usually means frequency-response.

For example, a "flat" set of monitors/speakers will reproduce the sound accurately.

A "flat" mic (like a measurement microphone) will capture the sound accurately.

"Flat" monitors are usually desireable.
"Flat" microphones usually aren't very musical, but they can be used for recording with good results (ie: Behringer ECM8000) so long as what you're recording sounds very good on its own.
 
Get the sound right at the core -- Mic -> Preamp -> Interface. If you can avoid any additional processing on the way in (EQ, dynamics, etc.), you're likely going to be in better shape later.
 
neffi7 said:
i've been seeing this everywhere i'm tryna learn to record...can someone pls explain to me waht they mean by FLAT??

thanks
Click to expand...
recording flat, from what i understand is just recording without the tweaking anything, pretty much just natural recording, without compression or any other applications before you actually record.

and as homeboy above stated, it's also used in terms of frequency.....
 
Recording "flat" is a term used to mean that no audio frequency equalization is applied during the recording, theoretically ensuring that the original recording will be an accurate reproduction of the actual sound that was recorded. The working assumption is that the bandpass of the microphones, preamps, etc. in the signal chain are flat, which of course they ar not. Relatively flat is more realistic.

Tom
 
In layman/newbie terms

"Flat" for me means no EQ adjustment. All EQ dbs on 0, no outboard EQ, etc. That gets you the natural frequencies of the sound in the room. EQ can always be added later, but if it's added while you're recording, you can't get those natural frequencies back. Some of those natural frequencies will be things you'll want to get rid of, but again, do that in the mixing process. Nothing's worse than trying to bring up a frequency that isn't there because you EQ'ed it out while recording. I speak from unfortunate experience...

"Flat" can probably also indicate using as little gear as possible in the path between the mic and the recorder. The more circuitry the signal has to go through, the greater the possibility for the natural sound to be distorted and not reproduced faithfully.

That's my two bits.
 
Massive Master said:
Get the sound right at the core -- Mic -> Preamp -> Interface. If you can avoid any additional processing on the way in (EQ, dynamics, etc.), you're likely going to be in better shape later.
Click to expand...
hmm, i'll take the flat recording into consideration, usually i've been addin a lil compression going in because i like the way it makes my vocals sounds as a "starting point" for post-recording....
 
Sir_Matthew said:
"Flat" for me means no EQ adjustment. All EQ dbs on 0, no outboard EQ, etc. That gets you the natural frequencies of the sound in the room. EQ can always be added later, but if it's added while you're recording, you can't get those natural frequencies back. Some of those natural frequencies will be things you'll want to get rid of, but again, do that in the mixing process. Nothing's worse than trying to bring up a frequency that isn't there because you EQ'ed it out while recording. I speak from unfortunate experience...

"Flat" can probably also indicate using as little gear as possible in the path between the mic and the recorder. The more circuitry the signal has to go through, the greater the possibility for the natural sound to be distorted and not reproduced faithfully.

That's my two bits.
Click to expand...

Spoken/Written very well.................
 
Sinistah said:
recording flat, from what i understand is just recording without the tweaking anything, pretty much just natural recording, without compression or any other applications before you actually record.

and as homeboy above stated, it's also used in terms of frequency.....
Click to expand...

fyi, technically that's recording "clean", or recording without any effects (the natural sound of the source). I haven't heard anyone use it in this way. It kind of works technically, but most people will know what you're sayng if you say "clean" vs. "flat"
 
Sinistah said:
hmm, i'll take the flat recording into consideration, usually i've been addin a lil compression going in because i like the way it makes my vocals sounds as a "starting point" for post-recording....
Click to expand...
And then if those particular settings don't work well in the context of the mix, you're screwed and you have to start from scratch.
 
TerraMortim said:
fyi, technically that's recording "clean", or recording without any effects (the natural sound of the source). I haven't heard anyone use it in this way. It kind of works technically, but most people will know what you're sayng if you say "clean" vs. "flat"
Click to expand...
But "flat" is indicative of not changing the source. "Clean" as in "no additional EQ" or "flat" as in "no additional EQ" -- The two are pretty much interchangeable in this context.
 
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