2. Disable system sounds

System sounds can interrupt audio. Ensure that they are disabled by doing the following:
- Go to control panel and select “Sound”
- Go to the sounds tab
- Under sounds scheme, select “No sounds”
- Click “Apply” then, “OK”

3. Enable DMA (Direct memory access) on each IDE channel

This allows data to be transferred directly into the memory and can improve audio performance. To ensure that DMA is enabled:
- Open device manager
- Expand the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers category then double click on each one of the IDE channels
- Under the ‘Advanced settings’ tab, make sure the ‘Enable DMA’ box is ticked in device properties
Please note: this only applies to some hardware and if this option is not available, you should not worry about completing this step.

4. Set processor scheduling to “Background services”

This will improve the performance of your audio drivers on your computer. To do this:
- In control panel select “system”
- Go to “Advanced system settings” and then the “Performance” tab
- Set processor scheduling as “Background Services”
- Click “Apply” then “OK”

5. Disable Windows Firewall, anti-virus and spyware software

These should all be disabled to ensure that no interferences occur during audio recording or playback and to ensure that maximum resources are available. To remain secure while your firewall and antivirus disabled, it is advisable to temporarily disconnect from any internet connections when working with audio.

Advanced optimisation:

If you wish to optimise your system further, or you are using a system that is particularly lacking in resources you can follow the tips below for advanced optimisation.

Disable Visual effects

The visual features in Windows 7 can use resources that could otherwise help to improve audio performance. As a start, it is good idea to disable some of the visual features by doing the following:
- Press start and in the search box type: “SystemPropertiesPerformance” and press enter
- On the visual effects tab select “custom”
- Untick: “Animate windows when minimising and maximising” to help prevent glitches when minimising and maximising. You can also experiment with disabling other visual effects in the custom list to see how they improve audio performance.
- Once finished, press “OK”

If you wish to optimise your Windows 7 graphics for the best performance use the “Adjust for best performance”. Although improving computer performance, this will make your Windows 7 appear a lot less aesthetically pleasing.

Disable Windows services

One way in which you can make more resources available to improve audio performance, is to disable unnecessary Windows 7 services as these use valuable resources. The following site has a comprehensive guide to the services running on Windows 7 and helps locate the services that are safe to disable:
Windows 7 Service Configurations by Black Viper

[via www.focusrite.com ]

The Babyface combines excellent analog circuit design with AD/DA converter chips of the latest generation. On top RME’s famous SteadyClock ensures an AD- and DA-conversion of the highest reference quality. Both digitally controlled preamps provide individually switchable 48V phantom power. The extremely low THD+N values let these preamps surpass those of other devices that cost several times the price of the Babyface.

The incredible feature set includes an optical I/O, usable as ADAT port with SMUX support or SPDIF for sessions at up to 192 kHz. In combination with an ADAT converter the Babyface provides an incredible amount of 10 analog input and 12 output channels. The additional headphone output, driven from an extra DA converter, provides full 192 kHz sound experience, and is available not only directly at the unit but also on the breakout cable. Directly plug in your guitar or other instruments by switching one input to Hi-Z input mode.

The next generation of TotalMix delivers hardware mixing/routing with lots of new features and a highly improved usability. The unbeaten DSP mixer now not only matches features of high-end digital consoles but even adds effects like a 3-band parametric equalizer, reverb and echo to the mix.

read more (pdf)

Getting Started: Techniques

Recording vocals can be simple or scientific. It depends on how much time you have to try different microphones, gear, or techniques if you’re in a recording studio on the clock, or in the privacy of your own home studio. Of course, you hope that the vocalist coming through the door knows how to “work” a microphone. For example, vocalists like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, and Gladys Knight will move in and away from a mic, depending on the intensity of thoughts they are singing. This technique provided us with incredible dynamics, and in most cases meant we did not have to heavily compress a vocal.

Next, the proximity of where the vocalist stood was key. When we did anything like doubling or background vocals, the proximity on one track may be closer than on another track, or if background vocalists were recorded together, the blend of the harmonies or levels were based on how close they stood to the mic. If you were loud, or if your harmony stood out, you had to stand back more. Back in the days of analog tape, you might have one chance to get it right. Some vocalist would come in ready to go, do one or two takes and that’s it. They barely would allow you to get a level.

Usually, the first take was the best take or it might have the most creative moments in it, so your levels needed to be close immediately. We couldn’t assume that we had plenty of warm up time, and punching in to fix a distorted vocal was embarrassing to say the least! The key was to make sure that you kept the dynamics of the vocal without overloading and distortion, to use a pop or wind screen, and having the mic at a good height and angle helped to eliminate plosives and kept you from having to de-ess later.

For the most part, there was no copying and pasting unless you transferred the information to another tape machine, then pressed Play at the right time to record it back to the multi-track. Later, in the ’80s, units with short sampling times came along which made that much easier.

We made sure that the vocalist had a good headphone mix to prevent any distractions. The right headphones were used to keep out as much headphone leakage as possible in the recording. The booth was usually dark or dim, in most cases to create the mood and allow the singer to see the music easier. This also kept them from feeling self conscious and gave them the ability to give an uninhibited performance. To see a room full of guests in the control room could sometimes be nerve wracking, so it helped to know that they couldn’t see you. The producers had to know the art of what to say to the vocalist over the talk-back and in the studio, between takes, to motivate them and guide them to the promised land of the perfect take.

Microphones

My first response was and still to this day is, “Use whatever you have that sounds the best!” Typically, if you stand in the vocal booth and listen to the vocalist, then go into the control room, it should sound close to what you heard in the vocal booth to maintain the natural color of the vocalist, unless you want to add warmth or a color via the mic, mic pre, or compressor. In other words, use a ribbon, dynamic, condenser, whatever works and fits the track. What good is a big fat vocal in a dance track if it’s not the main focus of the song, or a small vocal in a big lush ballad that calls for a big vocal because you did not choose the best mic?

Now with that being said, in the ’80s and early ’90s, I used Sanken, AKG 414 EB or C 12, and Neumann U 87 mics a lot. Sometimes we would use the Electro-Voice RE20 dynamic mic. We used to call it the “Stevie Wonder” mic. This mic allowed you to not have to worry about the typical proximity problems if you were working with either a soft singer or a strong singer who was close to the mic, the low end didn’t change like it would using the typical dynamic mic. We also used the Shure SM7 mic. We called that one the “Michael Jackson” mic. If the singer was one to snap their fingers, stomp their feet, et cetera, and we wanted to hear that, we might set the mic pattern to omni to record everything, and heavily baffle the area behind the mic so as not to pick up anything in that area.

Pictured L to R behind Reggie Dozier: Michael Jackson,
Susie Akita, unknown, Brenda Richie, and Lionel Richie

Choosing a Compressor

Now that we’re recording into computers, those of you who aren’t sure can always record an extra track simultaneously without compression to be safe and not lock yourself or a mix engineer into an over-compressed vocal. UREI 1176, dbx 160 and 160X, Drawmer 1960, Teletronix LA-2As were used often. We would compress anywhere from 3:1 to 8:1, and only if needed and always using soft knee whenever available. Now that we’re in the age of recording digitally, it’s really important not to distort. In the days of analog, you could also hit a little bit of tape compression and that was okay too, but today some of those levels would sound nasty in the digital realm.

read the rest of the article By Dave Isaac on here

[via universal audio ]

HLS Channel
Developed in association with producer/engineer Eddie Kramer, the HLS Channel was meticulously modeled on a Helios mixing console just like the one he used in historic sessions at London’s Olympic Studios (In fact, Waves actually managed to get their hands on the Helios from the Rolling Stones mobile truck, which was used on a slew of classic recordings during the early ’70s). In addition to modeling the Helios EQs with their sweet saturation, high-end presence, and fat low-frequency boost, Waves even modeled the unique behavior, coloration, and drive of the console’s preamps. To top it all off, the HLS Channel features a precision-modeled VU meter that recreates the sensitivity, ballistic behavior, look and feel of the original.

Features:

• Modeled Mic & Line preamp drive.
• Analog noise & hum for added realism.
• EQ bypass mode.
• Up to 24-bit 96kHz resolution.
• Mono and Stereo components.

PIE Compressor
Developed in association with producer/engineer Eddie Kramer, the PIE Compressor was precision-modeled on a vintage Pye compressor like the ones he used in historic sessions at London’s Olympic Studios. A mainstay in esteemed British studios throughout the classic rock era, the original Pye processors are considered by many to be among of the best buss compressors of all time. The Waves PIE plug-in features a meticulously modeled VU meter with super-fast refresh rates that recreates the accuracy, sensitivity, and ballistic behavior of a physical analog meter.

Features:

• Analog noise & hum for added realism.
• Compression and limiting modes.
• Auto-makeup gain.
• Up to 24-bit 192kHz resolution.
• Mono and Stereo components.

www.waves.com

The objective is to explore new ways of thinking about interaction within public space and how this affects the socialization of space. The project uses environmental monitoring technologies and security based technologies, to question audiences experiences of the event and space and gather data inside the space. The project also focuses on the micro-incidents of change, the vibrations and sounds of the gallery using wireless sensor based technologies.

Motes are used to collect the data. The ‘motes’ are tiny wireless sensor boards that gather data and communicate to the central server. The real world is monitored and the data stored in my archive retrieval system. Motes and sensor boards sense the micro incidents of change in the light, the noise, temperature, sounds of the flows inside the space.

Performance mode.

The motes can be set up in any space or gallery and a live performance can take place. The technology has been tested for a small audience at The Lanternhouse in Ulverston using 30 sensors inside and outside the space.

read more on Stanza.co.uk