The Recording Engineer’s Handbook

by Owsinski, Bobby

• ISBN13: 9781932929003
• ISBN10: 1932929002
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-11-01
• Publisher: Artistpro

Summary

Working as a recording engineer presents challenges from every direction of your project. From using microphones to deciding on EQ settings, choosing outboard gear to understanding how, when and why to process your signal, the seemingly never-ending choices can be very confusing. Professional Audio's bestselling author Bobby Owsinski (The Mixing Engineer's Handbook, The Mastering Engineer's Handbook) takes you into the tracking process for all manner of instruments and vocals-- providing you with the knowledge and skill to make sense of the many choices you have in any given project. From acoustic to electronic instruments, mic placement to EQ settings, everything you need to know to capture professionally recorded audio tracks is in this guide.

Table of Contents

Preface
Meet the Engineers	xi
With These Special Non-Engineer Guests	xiii
PART ONE---Tracking in Stereo
Microphones	1	(24)
How and Why Microphones Work	1	(1)
The Dynamic Microphone	2	(1)
The Ribbon Microphone	3	(3)
The Condenser Microphone	6	(4)
Condenser Mic Fallacies	8	(1)
Condenser Operational Hints	9	(1)
Phantom Power	10	(1)
Microphone Specifications	10	(2)
Sensitivity	10	(1)
Overload Characteristics	11	(1)
Frequency Response	12	(1)
Noise	12	(1)
Polar Patterns (Directional Response)	12	(4)
Omnidirectional	13	(1)
Figure-8	14	(1)
Cardioid	14	(1)
Hypercardioid	15	(1)
Proximity Effect	15	(1)
Specialty Microphones	16	(5)
Shotgun Microphones	16	(1)
Lavaliere	16	(1)
PZM	17	(1)
Wireless	18	(2)
Stereo Mics	20	(1)
Parabolic	20	(1)
Microphone Accessories	21	(4)
Pop Filters	21	(1)
Windscreens	22	(1)
Shock-Mounts	23	(2)
Classic Microphones	25	(20)
RCA 44 Ribbon Microphone	25	(2)
RCA 77 Unidirectional Ribbons	27	(1)
Neumann U47	28	(1)
Neumann U47FET	28	(1)
Neumann U67	29	(1)
Neumann M49/50	30	(1)
Neumann KM84 Series	31	(1)
Neumann KM54/56	32	(1)
Neumann U87	33	(1)
AKG D12/112	34	(1)
AKG C-12/Telefunken ELA M250/251	35	(1)
AKG 451	36	(1)
AKG 414 Series	37	(2)
Sony C37A	39	(1)
Schoeps 221B	40	(1)
STC/Coles 4038	40	(1)
Shure SM57	41	(1)
Sennheiser 421	42	(1)
Sennheiser 441	42	(1)
Beyer M160	43	(1)
Electro-Voice RE-20	44	(1)
Royer R-121	44	(1)
Basic Recording Equipment	45	(14)
The Microphone Preamplifier	45	(1)
Why a Separate Mic Amp	45	(1)
Vintage Mic Pre's	46	(2)
Neve 1071/1083	47	(1)
API 312/512	47	(1)
Telefunken V72/V76	48	(1)
Modern Mic Pre's	48	(3)
Great River	48	(1)
Manley Labs	49	(1)
Vintech	49	(1)
Daking	49	(1)
Universal Audio	50	(1)
Hardy	50	(1)
Millennia Media HV-3B	50	(1)
GMI	51	(1)
Mic Amp Setup	51	(1)
Direct Injection	52	(2)
Advantages of Direct Injection	52	(1)
Types	52	(1)
Setup	53	(1)
Amplifier Emulators	53	(1)
Compressor/Limiters	54	(1)
Primary Controls	54	(1)
Compressor/Limiter Setup	55	(1)
Vintage Compressor/Limiters	55	(4)
Telektronix LA-2 A	55	(1)
United Audio LA-3 A	56	(1)
UREI LA-4	56	(1)
UREI 1176	56	(3)
Basic Stereo Techniques	59	(12)
Types of Stereo Miking	59	(12)
Coincident Pair	60	(1)
X/Y	60	(1)
M-S	61	(1)
Blumlein Array	62	(1)
The Stereo Microphone	63	(1)
Spaced Pair	64	(1)
Decca Tree	65	(1)
Near-Coincident Pair	66	(1)
Baffled Omni Pair	67	(4)
Basic Multichannel Tracking	71	(12)
Choosing the Right Mic	71	(1)
The Secret of Getting Good Sounds	72	(2)
Secrets of Mic Placement	74	(4)
Placement Considerations	76	(1)
The 3 to 1 Principle	77	(1)
Checking Phase	78	(5)
Checking Polarity	79	(1)
Checking Phase by Listening	80	(1)
Checking Phase with an Ocilloscope	81	(1)
Checking Phase with a Phase Meter	82	(1)
Preparing the Drum Kit for Recording	83	(12)
Interview with ``The Drum Doctor'' Ross Garfield	83	(9)
Fundamentals of Tuning	92	(3)
Individual Instrument Miking Techniques	95	(96)
Accordion	95	(2)
Miking an Audience	97	(1)
Bagpipes	97	(1)
Banjo	98	(1)
Acoustic String Bass	99	(2)
Bass Amps	101	(2)
Bassoon	103	(1)
Bouzouki	104	(1)
Brass	104	(3)
Choir	107	(1)
Clarinet	107	(1)
Conga/Bongos	108	(1)
Didjeridu	109	(1)
Djembe	110	(1)
The Drum Kit	111	(6)
Single Mic Technique	112	(1)
Two Mic Technique	113	(1)
Three Mic Technique	114	(3)
Four Mic Technique	117	(1)
Kick Drum	117	(6)
Kick Tunnel	123	(1)
Snare Drum	124	(7)
Snare Drum with Brushes	131	(1)
Hi-Hat	132	(2)
Toms	134	(4)
Overhead Mics	138	(6)
Room Mics	144	(3)
That 70s Drum Sound	147	(1)
The Reggae Drum Sound	148	(1)
Dulcimer	148	(1)
Fiddle	149	(1)
Flute	150	(1)
Guitar---Acoustic	151	(4)
Guitar Tricks	154	(1)
Guitar---Classical	155	(1)
Guitar---Electric	156	(8)
Hand Claps	164	(1)
Harp	165	(1)
Indian Instruments	166	(1)
Leslie Speaker	167	(3)
Piano	170	(3)
Saxophone	173	(2)
Steel Drums	175	(1)
String Section	176	(2)
Tambourine	178	(1)
Vibes/Marimba	179	(1)
Vocals	180	(5)
To Eliminate Pops and Breath Blasts	183	(2)
Vocals---The Hanging Microphone	185	(1)
Vocals---Background Vocals	185	(4)
Voice Over	189	(1)
Whistling	190	(1)
The Session	191	(24)
Al Schmitt on Preparing for the Session	191	(2)
Headphones and the Cue Mix	193	(3)
Tips for Great Headphone Mixes	194	(1)
Tricks for Loud Headphones	195	(1)
Personal Headphone Mixes	196	(1)
The Click Track	196	(4)
Making the Click Cut Through the Mix	197	(1)
Preventing Click Bleed	197	(2)
When a Click Won't Work	199	(1)
Getting the Most From a Vocalist	200	(1)
Recording Basic Tracks	201	(5)
Where to Place the Players	202	(2)
How Long Should It Take?	204	(2)
Fletcher on Recording Without Headphones	206	(2)
Leakage	208	(3)
Al Schmitt on the Attributes of a Great Assistant Engineer	211	(4)
PART TWO---Tracking in Surround
Surround Microphone Techniques	215	(6)
Multi-Miking in Surround	215	(3)
OCT Surround	215	(1)
IRT Cross	216	(1)
Hamasaki Square	217	(1)
Double M-S	217	(1)
Drum Surround Multi-Miking	218	(3)
Multi-Mic Method Number 1	218	(1)
Multi-Mic Method Number 2	219	(1)
Multi-Mic Method Number 3	219	(1)
The Drum Halo	220	(1)
Surround Microphones	221	(10)
The Gsms Holophone Surround Microphone System	221	(1)
The Schoeps KFM-360	222	(2)
The Soundfield MK V Microphone and 451 5.1 Decoder	224	(2)
B Format	225	(1)
The Soundfield 451 5.1 Decoder	226	(1)
The STL/Brauner Atmos 5.1 Microphone System	226	(5)
PART THREE---The Interviews
The Interviews	231	(122)
Chuck Ainlay	231	(12)
Steve Albini	243	(13)
Michael Beinhorn	256	(8)
Michael Bishop	264	(8)
David Bock	272	(8)
Bruce Botnick	280	(9)
Ed Cherney	289	(6)
Wyn Davis	295	(8)
Frank Filipetti	303	(14)
Jerry Hey	317	(4)
Eddie Kramer	321	(8)
Mark Linett	329	(9)
Mack	338	(8)
Al Schmitt	346	(7)
Glossary	353	(11)
Index	364