Recording technology gives us a lot of different methods for getting the sounds you want into the finished project, as well as removing the sounds you don’t. This is all made possible through signal processing. A signal processor is used during the pre-mixing and mixing phases of the recoding process and during set up for instrument recording. Signal processing can be best defined as the conjunction of what must be done in order to turn the sound if the instruments used into a sound wave and the way to mix on order to get the best results from each instrument. Read on for some basic signal processors you should be familiar with.

Equalization – popularly known as EQ, these are used extensively in the process of recording. The idea of EQ us to make a balance between the frequency ranges of different instruments (or not, if that’s the effect you want). EQ processing is built into most mixing boards, in software and there are also standalone EQ units.

Filters – Filtering is used to remove sounds that you don’t want in your recording. If there is hiss or buzz which you can’t get rid of by other means, you can filter these sounds out of your recording. You can do this with software by isolating the sound wave and digitally recalculating the sound alone.

Reverberation – Known as reverb for short, this is generally added after recording the instruments. Reverb adds resonance to the instruments which may have been missing form the original recording. This is an effect which works best on clearly recorded sounds which need a little extra something.

Delay – Delay is used to add an echo effect by signal processors. There are a lot of different types of delay available, from a simulation of different room sizes to delayed attack. You can use delay to create many interesting effects in your recordings.

Dynamic Processing – Dynamic Processing covers a range of different things, all of which are done at the beginning of the recording process. The first is compression, which limits the peaks of the wave, keeping it in the middle of its dynamic frequency range. Next is expansion, which as you may have guessed has the opposite effect. Limiting is third and is essentially the opposite of echo and reverb. The last kind of dynamic processing commonly used is noise gates, which prevent some sounds from being recorded, especially resonance from the instruments.

Noise Reduction – Noise reduction is something which is usually done several times throughout the recording process and acts to dampen unwanted sounds; including limiting highs and lows which you do not want in your finished recording.

These are the most important signal processors used in the process of recording and can help you get exactly the sound you want for your recordings. Through the use of these different signal processing components, you can get the perfect recording every time.

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If you have ever recorded in a sound studio, then you know what “the buzz” is. It is unfortunately one of the recording syndromes that has to be dealt with. In the process of setting up your recording, if you notice white noise coming from your equipment, it is vital that you do what you can to locate the source of the buzz. It may even be necessary to do some reorganization and re-planning.

The sound quality of your recording will be adversely affected if you don’t discover the source of the buzz that is occurring in your studio. Everything in your studio, including the white noise, will be recorded. Although it is true that some of this noise can be filtered out during the mixing process, the clarity of the sound will be affected and can create new problems when you try to master the recording.

The first thing to do when you hear white noise is to look at how you have spaced the instruments. Sometimes, the problem is as simple as having cables or amps too close together. When this happens, different frequencies bounce off each other causing the buzz. You can either move the instruments further away from each other or turn them in different directions so that their frequencies do not interfere with one another.

However, instruments are not the only source of white noise. Monitors can also create a buzz when sound frequencies hit the electronic components in monitors and then bounce off. You can avoid this problem by raising the monitors into a higher position or having them mounted on a wall. It can also be helpful to place your monitors as far as possible from one another, even on opposite sides of the room, in order to prevent white noise.

If you are still experiencing the buzz, check your cables. Sometimes additional noise is created if part of a cable becomes loose or if there is a wiring problem. When cables cross over one another, it can also cause white noise. Another way to limit white noise from cabling is to make sure you use three-pronged plugs for amps and sound boards because they are more stable than single-pronged plugs and can avoid extra buzz finding its way into your recording.

After all this, if you are still hearing the buzz, check your sound board. If your mixing board is set to the wrong levels, this can also cause sound problems. For example, if your volume is too high, it can cause feedback to occur in the studio. By checking the frequencies, volumes, balances and trims on your sound board you can avoid annoying and disruptive background noises so that you are only recording the pure sounds of the instruments.

By setting up your studio properly and positioning your equipment correctly you should be able to minimize or prevent incidences of white noise. If you are vigilant in monitoring everything involved in the recording process, you will be able to avoid “the buzz” finding its way into your recording.

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We’ve all been in this situation before: you are watching a TV program when suddenly, the commercial break comes up. The commercial is much louder than the program you were watching. You turn down the volume, only to have to turn it back up once the program resumes.

This isn’t some technical error at your local TV station or even your cable provider. This is an intentional strategy in the broadcasting industry. The idea is to get people to pay attention to the commercials by making them so much louder than the program. This is something also done in the recording industry with regards to music as well. This is changing the way that people record music, even the way people listen to music has changed as a result.

Average volume levels were once much lower in the recording industry. The norm would be 2 to 3 as the volume standard. Recordings would be done at this volume to make for a more pleasant experience for the listener. This also allowed for greater dynamic range on recordings, with a better blend of sounds on record.

Lower volume levels gave engineers the freedom to showcase arrangements and instrumentation. It also allowed them the ability to create greater freedom for movement where volume was concerned. Volume while recording music is a range in which you can increase or decrease the amount of sound. When you work with negative numbers on your volume dial; somewhere between -6 and -1, you have a lot of room to increase the volume if needed.

However, the standard volume has increased as the recording industry has progressed technologically. Currently, the industry standard is closer to 0 – one of the highest possible volumes. Many people do not even notice this and just turn down the volume during playback. This decision by the recording industry has, however, changed the way everything is done in the music recording industry, from the way instruments are recorded to the way that people listen to records.

This higher volume has changed the way that musicians and recording engineers think about dynamics, volume range and instrumentation and arrangements themselves. This has eliminated some of the possibilities for recording which were once parts of the music industry’s palate. If you take a close listen to music which has been recorded recently, you may notice that there is a lot less dynamic range than once was the norm, a change in the types of instrumentation used and so on. This is all due to the fact that the volume has been turned up as high as it can go! This has limited the possibilities for musicians and recording engineers.

Volume control and in fact, the entire process of mastering differs according to the format you get your music in. There is a different volume standard for the radio than for CD, which is in turn different than that for MP3 format. Those who have custom recording technologies and setups at their disposal, there can be more freedom in the volume levels and mastering process used. Before recording, you should think about what sort of volume you want your finished product to be at. This will help you make your own way towards the industry standards of producing CDs.

When recording, you should always think about the different volume levels which you can use and the big differences they can make to your recordings. You certainly don’t want to sacrifice your vision for the recording for the sake of volume. While you do want to fall within the parameters of industry standards, you also want to give yourself as much room to create as possible. This will let you make the recording you want at a volume level that invites the listener to turn it up and have a deeper experience.

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