Tag Archives: Class Notes

Compression, EQ, Drums Notes, DAC, Reverb

DAC

  • ADC- Analog Digital Converter

 

  • DAC- Digital Analog Converter

 

  • The Highest Sample Rate You Can Use = Improved Fidelity

 

  • A digital sample is an instantaneous voltage measurement

 

  • Bit depth 24 bits per sample

 

  • 16 bits is the standard for CDs

 

Mix Reverb

 

  • The % of dry vs. wet

 

  • Decay Time (short) .7-1.5 secs, (long) 4.5

 

  • Diffusion: How are the frequencies that goes in going to spread out?

 

  • Cut below 200 Hz Cut

 

  • Pad is every volume dropped

 

Drums

 

  • Low frequency detail two mics on the ground one up top
  • Near coincident
  • Two mics 8 feet out from the floor in a stone arc went in a delay device
  • Binary means it’s made with two components
  • Dynamic= Changing         Refers to volume in music
  • Dynamic range is the highest and lowest volume that a mic or circuit can get
  • Compressors control dynamic range boost lows and cuts highs (volume not frequency), controls volume
  • Expanders expand dynamic range
  • Threshold- Is the point in the signal that the compressor works “time for me to compress not time for me to compress”
  • Ratio- 4:1 ratio compressing took it down to 25% if it goes over the threshold you dial these in as well as the threshold
  • Attack- how soon after it reaches the threshold do I compress
  • Release

 

Guidelines of Compression

o   Vocal ratio between 4 and 8 to 1

o   About 6 db of gain reduction after threshold

o   4 to one magic ratio for basses

o   Parallel Compression- you get a regular version as well as a compressed version

o   Ducking the bass compresses the bass

o   Multi-band compression Signal in split into 4 compressors each picks up different frequencies – knock you down mixes

Equalizers

Two Categories

Peaking- Peak at 1000… Peak however many db at 1000 and nothing else

Center frequency is the most affected frequency

Shelving- Peak and then everything above it is also consistent raise at     the same db