UNIT 49 BRIEF 1 - Introduction to Music Technoglogy

SOUND PRODUCTION:  INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC TECHNOLOGY                 

SETTING UP EQUIPMENT FOR A LIVE PERFORMANCE

                                                                       

RISK ASSESSMENT

RISK	WHY IS IT A RISK?	HOW TO PREVENT IT.
EXPOSED TO LIVE WIRE	YOU MAY ELECTROCUTE YOURSELF IF THE RUBBER AROUND THE WIRE IS DAMAGED.	ENSURE YOU CHECK ALL WIRES BEFORE CONNECTING THEM TO POWER.
PLUG SOCKET	YOU MAY ELECTROCUTE YOURSELF.	KEEP PLUG SOCKETS SWITCHED OFF WHEN NOT IN USE.
WATER NEAR ELECTRIC	WATER COULD SPILL AND MAKE CONTACT WITH WIRE CAUSING YOU TO BE ELECTROCUTED.	MAKE SURE LIQUIDS ARE AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE SO NO CONTACT IS MADE.
PHYSICAL RISK WHILST LIFTING SPEAKERS	YOU COULD INJURE YOUR BACK BY LIFTING HEAVY EQUIPMENT.	WHILST LIFTING THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT LIFT BY BENDING YOUR KNEES AND KEEP YOUR BACK STRAIGHT TO AVOID DAMAGE. ENSURE THERE IS MORE THAN ONE PERSON LIFTING THE SPEAKERS AT ALL TIMES.
TRIP HAZZARD (WIRES)	YOU MAY TRIP OVER THE WIRES AND INJURE YOURSELF.	TAPE ALL WIRES SECURELY TO THE FLOOR SO THERE ARE NO LOOSE WIRES TO TRIP OVER.
NOISE LEVELS	HAVING NOISE LEVELS TOO LOUD MAY DAMAGE YOUR EARS. IT IS ALSO A LEGAL RISK AS THE SOCIAL LAW IS YOU SHOULDN’T GOT OVER 120dB.	TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING YOU CAN USE SOUND SENIBLY AND CHECK THE OUTPUT SPEAKERS NOISE LEVELS.
FEEDBACK	FEEDBACK IS CREATED VIA A FEEDBACK LOOP, WHICH IS A SQUEKY SOUND. THIS MAY HURT PEOPLES EARS.	ENSURE THE MICROPHONE IS NOT IN FRONT OF THE SPEAKERS AND NOT POINTING THE MICROPHONE NEAR THE SPEAKERS.
PHYSICAL RISK (BOX LIDS)	THE LIDS CAN FALL AND INJURE ANOTHER PERSON IF THEY ARE HELD ABOVE R PEOPLE MAY TRIP OVER THEM IF THEY ARE LYING ON THE FLOOR. THEY MAY ALSO TOPPLE OVER IF THEY ARE LEANING UP	KEEP LIDS AWAY FROM WHERE PEOPLE WOULD TYPICALLY WALK. LEAVES LIDS FLAT AND TIDY OUT OF THE WAY.
UNWANTED NOISE AND BAD SOUND	THIS MAY SHOCK PEOPLE AND ALSO HURT PEOPLES EARS.	FLAT LINE THE DESK BEFORE ADDING POWER TO THE AMPS AND DESK.
BOXES MOVING	THE BOXES MAY MOVE, WHICH CAUSES A PHYSICAL RISK SUCH AS THEM, TOPPLING OVER OR GOING OVER SOMEONES TOES.	STABALISE THE BOXES BY LOCKING WHEELS BY THE BREKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THR BOXES.

EQUIPMENT CHECK

NAME OF EQUIPMENT	PRODUCT TYPE	WHAT IT DOES.
MIXING DESK	YAMAHA EMX 5016 CF	THE MIXING DESK CONTROLS THE DYNAMICS, FREQUENCY, EFFECTS, VOLUME AND MANY MORE. IT ALSO BRINGS ALL THE INSTRUMENTS INTO ONE.
MICROPHONE	SHURE SM58 = USED MAINLY FOR VOCALS.	THE MICROPHONE IS A TRANSDUCER; THIS MEANS THE SOUND WAVES ARE CONVERTED TO ELECTRICAL SIGNALS.
POWER AMP	ASX 18 db TECHNOLOGY FOR MIXING DESK. T.AMP A1400 FOR MAIN SPEAKER. T.AMP 2400 FOR THE SUB SPEAKERS.	A POWER AMP BOOSTS SIGNAL (AUDIO AND SOUND). IT DOES THIS BY TAKING THE SIGNAL FROM THE PREAMP AND ADDING SIGNAL. THIS ALSO MAKES THE SOUND LOUDER.
SPEAKERS	SUB SPEAKERS. MAIN SPEAKERS (BASE BINS) THEY ARE MEASURED IN dB.	THERE ARE A VARIETY OF SPEAKERS. THERE ARE MONO SPEAKERS WHICH MEANS THE SOUND ONLY COMES FROM ONE PLACE. I WILL BE USING STEREO SPEAKERS THIS MEANS THEY COME FROM MORE THAN ONE PLACE. IN MY CASE THEY WILL BE COMING FROM THE LEFT AND RIGHT. WE USE SPEAKERS TO PROJECT SOUND.
SPEAKON CABLE	N/A	A SPEAKON CABLE IS A POWERED CABLE THAT IS CONNECTS THE SPEAKERS TO THE POWER SUPPLY, WHICH IS THE MIXING DESK. THE TOP INPUT IS CONNECTED TO THE TOP SPEAKER KNOWN AS THE SUB SPEAKERS. THE BOTTOM INPUT IS CONNECTED TO THE BOTTOM SPEAKER KNOWN AS THE MAIN SPEAKERS OR BASE BINS. A IS INPUTED INTO THE LEFT SPEAKERS AND B IS INPUTED INTO THE RIGHT SPEAKERS.
SUPPORT PILLARS	N/A	THE SUPPORT PILLARS ATTACH SUB SPEAKERS AND THE MAIN SPEAKERS. THE SUPPORT PILLAR SCREWS INTO THE MAIN SPEAKER TIGHTLY AND THEN THE SUB SPEAKERS ARE PLACED ON TOP OF THE SUPPORT PILLAR.

     

NAME OF EQUIPMENT	PRODUCT TYPE	WHAT IT DOES.
XLR CABLE	N/A	THE XLR CABLE CONNECTS THE MICROPHONE TO THE MIXING DESK, WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE SPEAKERS. WE CALL THE ENDS OF THE CABLE MALE AND FEMALE. THE MALE END HAS PRONGS AND THE FEMALE END DOESN’T HAVE PRONGS. THE XLR CABLE IS A 3 PIN CONNECTOR. THE MALE SIDE OF THE CABLE GOES INTO THE DESK AND THE FEMALE SIDE IS PLUGGED INTO THE ADAPTER (MICROPHONE).
MASKING TAPE	N/A	THE MASKING TAPE ENSURES THE CABLES ARE SECURE TO THE GROUND SO THE CABLES ARE NOT A HAZZARD AND NOBODY CAN TRIP AND INJURE THEMSELVES.
JACK CABLES	N/A	THE JACK LEAD IS PLUGGED INTO ST OUT ON THE MIXING DESK AND THEN THE OTHER END IS PLUGGED INTO THE SIGNAL BOX, WHICH IS THE AMPLIFIER. THE JACK LEAD THAT IS PLUGGED INTO THE LEFT ST OUT IS PLUGGED INTO THE LEFT INPUT ON THE SIGNAL BOX AND THE JACK LEAD PLUGGED INTO THE RIGHT ST OUT IS PLUGGED INTO THE RIGHT INPUT ON THE SIGNAL BOX.
POWER LEADS	KETTLE LEAD	THE KETTLE LEAD IS A UNIVERSAL POWER SUPPLY AND THE ONE SIDE A 3 PIN CONNECTION THAT IS PLUGGED INTO THE MAINS TO GAIN POWER.

DIAGRAMS OF EQUIPMENT

NAME OF EQUIPMENT AND EXPLANATION	PHOTO
MIXING DESK
MICROPHONE
POWER AMP

NAME OF EQUIPMENT	DIAGRAM OR PHOTO
SUB SPEAKER
MAIN SPEAKER
SPEAKON CABLE

NAME OF EQUIPMENT	PHOTO
SUPPORT PILLARS
XLR CABLE
MASKING TAPE

NAME OF EQUIPMENT	PHOTO
JACK CABLE
POWER LEADS

PROCESS AND STEPS TAKEN TO SETTING UP

STEP 1:                CAREFULLY TAKE THE BOXES APART FROM THE MIXING DESK AND POWER AMP BY UNDOING THE LOCKS ON THE BOXES.

STEP 2:               PUT LIDS AWAY SAFELY IN AN AREA WHERE IS AWAY FROM PEOPLE TRAVELLING.

STEP 3:                KEEP MIXING DESK ON TOP OF POWER SUPPLY AND MOVES DESK INTO POSITION.

STEP 4:                LOCK ALL WHEELS FOR SAFETY REASONS AND SAFELY CHECK THE DESK DOESN’T MOVE.

STEP 5:                2 PEOPLE MOVE MAIN SPEAKERS (BASE BINS) INTO POSITION, WHICH IS ONE SPEAKER ON THE LEFT AND ONE SPEAKER ON THE RIGHT. WE DO THIS SO THE SOUND IN THE ROOM IS BALANCED.

STEP 6:                ADD PILLARS TO THE MAIN SPEAKERS (ONE ON EACH SPEAKER). SCREW THEM ON SECURELY AND ENSURE THEY DO NOT MOVE.

STEP 7:                SECURELY SET UP SUB SPEAKERS ON TOP OF THE MAIN SPEAKERS AT THE SAME HEIGHT AS EACH OTHER.

STEP 8:                CONFIRM EVERYTHING IS SECURE TIGHT BY INDIVIDUALLY INSPECTING EVERYTHING.

STEP 9:                TAKE THE SPEAKON CABLES AND CONNECT THEM TO THE SPEAKERS ENSURING THE LEFT SPEAKER IS CONNECTED TO THE A INPUT AND THE RIGHT SPEAKER IS CONNECTED TO THE B INPUT ON THE POWER AMP AND ALL THE LEADS ARE IN THE PLACE.

STEP 10:              TAPE ALL WIRES IN USE TO THE FLOOR AND PUT ANYTHING THAT ISN’T BEING USED OUT OF THE WAY.

STEP 11:              CONNECT DESK TO THE AMPS WITH JACK LEADS. ST OUT LEFT GOES INTO LEFT INPUT ON AMP AND ST OUT RIGHT GOES INTO RIGHT INPUT ON AMP TO ENSURE THEY ARE BALANCED.

STEP 12:              PLUG THE SOURCE INTO THE MAINS USING THE POWER LEAD AND TURN THE SWITCH ON.

STEP 13:              FLAT LINE THE DESK TO PREVENT ANY BAD NOISES TO PROJECT OUT OF THE SPEAKER WHEN THE MIC IS CONNECTED.

STEP 14:              ADD THE XLR CABLE WITH THE MALE SIDE GOING INTO THE DESK AND THE FEMALE SIDE GOING INTO THE MICROPHONE.

STEP 15:              TURN ON THE DESK AND CHECK THAT LIGHTS ARE SHOWING TO KNOW THAT EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED  PROPERLY.

STEP 16:              TURN ON SPEAKERS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POWER AMP.

STEP 17:              TEST THE LEVELS ON THE MIXING DESK STARTING WITH INCREASING THE MICROPHONE LEVEL AND THEN THE OTHER LEVELS. A SIGNAL LIGHT WILL FLASH WHEN THE MICROPHONE PICKS UP SIGNAL.

USING MICROPHONES AND EFFECTS

MICROPHONES - HOW THEY WORK AND DIFFERENT TYPES

NAME OR PRODUCT TYPE	USE
AKG C100S	CONDENSER
SHURE SM58	VOCALS
SHURE SM57	INSTRUMENTS
EGG MICROPHONE	KICK DRUM
RODE NT2A	VOCAL CONDENSER

                                                               CONDENSER / CAPACITOR MICROPHONES

IT HAS FRONT AND BACK PLATES WITH VOLTAGE BETWEEN THEM BUT NO COIL.  ONE OF THE PLATES IS LIGHT AND ACTS AS THE DIAPHRAGM SO WHEN THE DIAPHRAGM VIBRATES IT CHANGES THE DISTANCE BETWEEN BOTH PLATES AND THEN CHANGES THE CAPACITANCE. WHEN THE PLATES ARE CLOSER THE CHARGE IN CURRENT OCCURS DUE TO THE CAPACITANCE INCREASING AND WHEN IT DECREASES THE CHARGE IN CURRENT DISCHARGES. A BATTERY IN THE MICROPHONE OR PHANTOM POWER SUPPLIES VOLTAGE.

DYNAMIC MICROPHONES

THE TOP OF A MICROPHONE IS CALLED A CAPSULE. THE DIAPHRAGM, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE COIL, RESPONDS TO INCOMING SOUND WAVES BY VIBRATING. THIS MAKES THE COIL MOVE BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS PAST THE MAGNET, WHICH CREATES A CURRENT IN THE COIL, WHICH IS SENT, DIRECTED FROM THE MICROPHONE ALONG THE WIRES.

KEY TERMS

TERM	DESCRIPTION
TRANSDUCER	A DEVICE THAT CONVERTS VARIATIONS IN A PHYSICAL QUANTITY, SUCH AS PRESSURE OR BRIGHTNESS, INTO AN ELECTRICAL SIGNAL. IN THIS CASE THE SOUND WAVES ARE CONVERTED INTO ELECTRICAL SIGNALS.
DIAPHRAGM	THE DIAPHRAGM VIBRATES IN RESPONSE TO SOUND WAVES AND THEN PRODUCES ELECTRICAL SIGNALS OR VICE VERSA.
ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION	THE DIRECTION OF MOTION CONTROLS THE DIRECTION OF CURRENT FLOW IN THE CONDUCTOR (E.G. A WIRE). BACK AND FORTH MOVEMENTS RESULT IN AN ALTERNATING CURRENT RELATED IN FREQUENCY TO THE WIRE’S MOTION. ELECTROMAGNETIC TRANSDUCERS CONVERT MECHANICAL MOTION INTO ELECTRICAL SIGNALS. AND ELECTRICAL CURRENT IS INDUCED AND VOLTAGE IS PRODUCED.
CAPACITOR PLATE	THE CAPACITOR PLATES IS LIGHT AND ACTS AS THE DIAPHRAGM SO WHEN THE DIAPHRAGM VIBRATES IT CHANGES THE DISTANCE BETWEEN BOTH PLATES AND THEN CHANGES THE CAPACITANCE.
PRE AMP	A PRE AMP IS AN ELECTRONIC AMPLIFIER THAT PREPARES A SMALL AMPLIFICATION IS ORDER TO COMPLETE FURTHER AMPLIFICATION. THEY ARE NORMALLY USED TO AMPLIFY THINGS SUCH AS MICROPHONES AND INSTRUMENTS TO LINE LEVEL.
SOUND PRESSURE LEVELS	SOUND PRESSURE LEVELS.

EFFECTS – HOW THEY WORK AND DIFFERENT TYPES

NAME OF EFFECT	WHAT IT DOES	HOW IS IT MEASURED	USES FOR EFFECT
EQUALISATION	THIS EFFECT IS THE FIRST 4 GREEN DIALS ON THE DESK. THEY ALTER THE FREQUENCY. IT CAN ALSO BOOST THE RANGE OF FREQUENCY. HERE IS A WAVELENGTH OF EQUALISATION.	MEASURED IN dBs. FREQUENCY IS MEASURED IN HZ. FREQUENCY = WAVE LENGTH PER SECOND. THERE ARE 3 BANDS : LOWS MIDS HIGHS	IT CAN CUT OR BOOST PARTICULAR PARTS OF THE AUDIO SPECTRUM. IT CAN ALSO CORRECT PROBLEMS THAT OCCURRED IN THE RECORDINGS.
REVERB	THIS EFFECT IS ON THE EFFECTS DIAL FROM 1 TO 5. THIS EFFECT SIMULATES THE SPACE OF A ROOM. THIS MEANS THE SOUND TRAVELS LONGER AND YOU CAN RECORD IN A SMALL ROOM AND IT WILL SOUND LIKE IT WAS RECORDED IN AN ARENA.	REVERB IS MEASURED IN SECONDS. THE MORE TIME THE LARGER THE ROOM SOUNDS. ON THE SOFTWARE HOW MUCH REVERB IS ADDED IS MEASURED IN PERCENTAGE.	USE THIS IN A RECORDING STUDIO SO THE SOUND SOUNDS MORE PROFESSIONAL. IS USED TO MAKE SOUNDS GO FROM DRY TO WET AND MAKE THE TRACK SOUND MORE REALISTIC.
COMPRESSION	THIS IS A PROCESSOR MORE THAN AN EFFECT. ON THE DESK THESE ARE THE YELLOW DIALS. THE SOUND FILES SHOW THE SOUND WAVES.	MEASURED IN RATIO, WHICH EFFECTS HOW MUCH COMPRESSION AFFECTS THE TRACK.	IT IS USED TO LOWER THE DYNAMIC RANGE BETWEEN THE QUIET AND LOUD PARTS OF AN AUDIO SIGNAL. BOOSTING THE QUIETER SIGNALS AND REDUCING THE LOUDER SIGNALS.
NOISE GATE	THIS IS SIMILAR TO A COMPRESSOR. THE NOISE GATE IS OPEN ALL THE TIME HOWEVER WHEN AT THE THRESHOLD IT CLOSES SO NO SOUND CAN COME THROUGH. YOU CAN CHANGE THE THRESHOLD ON THE TRACK.	N/A	AN EXAMPLE OF USING A NOISE GATE IS IF THERE IS RUSTLING PAPER IN A RECORDING AND YOU CAN NOISE GATE THE SOUND INSTEAD OF RERECORDING.

RECORDING STUDIO SET UP

Setting up the Studio

STEP 1: Login into the Mac (username: teacher & password: sicko)

STEP 2: Open Cubase 7 by opening up finder and clicking applications. Do not use Cubase 6.

STEP 3: Click cancel if any screens pop up.

STEP 4: When the software is loaded got to File and New Project at the top bar.

STEP 5: Select the option Empty from the tab on the right that says more.

STEP 6: When checking the desk is set up correctly look at the following things:

-       Devices – Device set up. Check the audio driver, which is ASIO is connected to the Onyx Firewire, which is the desk.

-       Devices – VST connections. Under inputs and outputs Onyx should be the input and output.

STEP 7: Go to project and add a track. If you need more than one mono track ensure you add them.

STEP 8: Change the input for each track using the bar on the right, which says mono in. Each input will respond to the input on the desk.

STEP 9: Click monitor on the track, which is the little speaker icon. This will test the audio coming through the microphone.

Recording

STEP 1: Connect microphones to the wall box in the studio using the XLR cable.

STEP 2: Open mixer in Cubase to monitor levels. Do this by clicking Devices – mix console.

STEP 3: Set gain on the desk.

STEP 4: Get the performer to play at the same level as they would in the recording. Get the gain to sit at 0dB on the mixer, as there will be difficulties if it goes too high.

STEP 5: If performer is wearing ensure they are plugged into the control box in the recording studio so they can hear the backing track.

STEP 6: When ready to record press the red button on the transport bar to test the set up.