Hardware
Digidesign have been the industry leader in professional digital audio production for over 20 years.
Our Digidesign system captures and processes audio at 24-bits up to 96kHz. Without getting too technical, we record at no less than 256 times the 'audio resolution' of CD quality sound.
Software
Pro Tools LE 7.3, made by Digidesign, is our audio software of choice, not only because it is the industry standard, but because it makes the recording experience effortless, providing endless options for capturing, editing, mixing and mastering audio.
For sequencing and samples, we use Reason 2.5. Just when you think you know all of Reason's abilities, you find more.
Plug-Ins
Plugs-ins are used to process and affect the recorded sounds, and are the recording studio's box of tricks.
Our box includes:
D-Verb (Pro Tools reverb)
Structure Free Sampler
Beat Detective LE
IK Multimedia AmpliTube Guitar amp simulator
IK Multimedia Duo Ampeg Bass Amp simulator
Bomb Factory BF76 Compressor
Digidesign Bomb Factory BF-3A Classic Compressor
Digidesign Cosmonaut Voice
Digidesign JOEMEEK VC5T Meequalizer
Digidesign Moogerfooger Analog Delay
Digidesign Moogerfooger Ring Modulator
Digidesign SansAmp PSA-1
Digidesign Tel-Ray Variable Delay
Digidesign Voce Spin
Digidesign Voce Chorus/Vibrato
Chorus
Click
Compressor
DeEsser
Delay
DigiReWire
Dither
Dynamics II
Dynamics III
EQ II
EQ III
Expander-Gate
Flanger
Gain
Limiter
Pitch Shift
Phasescope
Signal Tools
Time Shift
BF Essential Clip Remover
BF Essential Correlation Meter
BF Essential Meter Bridge
BF Essential Noise Meter
BF Essential Tuner
Funk Logic Mastererizer
Samples
Our sample packs include:
Creative Essentials Series for Reason (7 gigs, 9000 samples)
Reason Factory Soundbank
Orkester Sound Bank
Platinum Drums
Reason Strings Re-fill
VST Drum Sessions - Big Beats
Reason Electromechanical Refill
100 Sound effects (x2 disks)
Mics
A small but fine selection of great mics. If we need more, we hire them.
Rode K2
Shure KSM27
Shure SM57
Shure SM58
Shure Beta
Instruments:
PRS Swamp Ash Special Electric Guitar
VOX AC30 amplifier
Taylor 310 Acoustic Guitar
Charvel Acoustic Guitar
Ibanez ATK Bass Guitar
Ross KB60 Bass Amplifier
Pearl Export Series 5-pc Drum Kit (excl. cymbals)
Crafter Mandolin
Toca Players Series Congas (2)
Djembe
Tambourines
Shakers
Percussion.
Your studio - your recording
From simple mic-up-and-go recordings to massive wall-of-sound productions, you don't need to know anything about the complex recording process to benefit. Your creativity is combined with an expert opinion to produce recordings that showcase your talent at its best.
This section discusses a few of the ways of making your recording. There is more information at the Main Studio Page.
Getting started
We start by establishing what needs to be done to produce your recording as best as possible within your budget. Those who know studios will know how quickly time flies in here, so creating a schedule, whether it's for a few hours or a few weeks, will make sure you come in on target and within budget.
Pre-production
A little pre-production can do wonders and we strongly encourage artists to consider the benefits - it's is a large part of how professional albums are made.
Whether you want to improve song writing, lyrics, arrangements, intros, bridges or choruses, hire studio musicians or take performance and vocal coaching, it all needs to happen BEFORE we hit record.
Production
With everything well rehearsed and in the right place, producing the recording comes next, whether it's using beats and samples, live instruments, backing tracks or any combination of these.
For live instruments:
Usually, when recording various instruments, we multi-track. This means that we record each instrument separately or in small groups, layering each part of the song, one by one, until everything is there.
Multi-tracking allows much more freedom to tweak, fix and get a better mix, but it's also a delicate balance between that and keeping the vibe of the song going. It's important to rehearse your part so you can play it comfortably to only a backing track (ie. without your band mates jamming away next to you).
We take special care to make sure each instrument is clear and well-recorded, and any mistakes can be quickly fixed along the way. Not that that happens with you, hey? :)
The recording is often made to a click, or metronome, not only keeping the time correct, but also unlocking the magic of digital editing.
Using a click makes editing music (and fixing mistakes) infinitely easier. You don't have to use a click, and for some music it doesn't apply, but for most artists new to the studio, trust me, you'll be very glad you did.
For samples:
We start by listening to samples (usually drum beats or sampled drum sounds) to find ones that interest you. Then we'll establish the tempo (speed), put a few sounds together and make a basic 'groove'.
Melodies, bass sounds, samples and other instruments are experimented with and added to build the song piece by piece until it's ready for vocals.
For backing tracks:
Non-commercial use: Our publishing partners have backing tracks of just about every popular song out there. All you need to do is sing over them!
Commercial use: For both original and cover songs the use of studio musicians is recommended. The producer can help you.
Vocals:
Getting the vocals recorded well is a very important part.
Depending on the level of production, the singer may have already recorded a basic vocal take during pre-production, or as a guide for the other instruments during recording. This sets out the basic structure of the song and allows for improvement before the final take.
We like our singers to feel relaxed and ready to deliver their best, and we usually do at least a few takes, or performances, of each song.
Mixing
Once all the instruments are recorded, (including the voice), we set about mixing and balancing the various elements of the song.
This might take longer than you'd expect, as it's usually not a simple matter of "more vocals, less bass". Each instrument is processed and equalised separately and as a whole, to fit audibly in the whole mix, and in each part of the mix. The vocals and other instruments may be 'comped', combining the best parts of each of the takes, if needed, to produce as near-perfect a performance as possible
When everything is sounding just right, we 'bounce', or combine all the various instruments into one stereo file - your master recording.
Testing
At this point, if time allows, it pays to listen to the master recording on various music systems (in your car, home stereo, a large club sound system or even bad computer speakers!) to hear how it sounds outside of the studio.
This is because, while the studio speakers deliver crystal clear sound, your demo must still sound reasonable on a less precise sound system. Any adjustments are made and the song is tested again until it sounds good all around.
Once the master recording is final, its strangely called a final studio master, or production master, which , budget allowing, then goes for mastering.
Mastering
Mastering is basically a process of 'sweetening' the final studio master, kinda like the icing on the cake. (Don't underestimate what icing can do for a cake!)
Amongst other things, the overall volume is raised to the level heard on other professional recordings, the overall bass and treble frequencies are adjusted if need be, and a few other tricks may be used to give it a more professional shine.
Mastering is also used to give continuity to a number of songs (such as on an album), making them equal in level to each other, arranging the order and breaks between songs and making the whole album sound coherent.
We offer a couple of solutions for mastering. For the serious musician, we send the final studio master to another studio, specifically designed for and dedicated only to mastering. For those on a budget, mastering can also be done in-house, for about half the price. Your choice!
Your finished songs!
So now you have your new recording and it's blaring from your stereo as your friends listen amazed.
'Play it again, play it again! Let the neighbours complain.'
'Forget the neighbours, we're going global!'
Well, good for you! And if we've given you a great recording, something you're proud of, then everyone's a superstar!
So if you've read this far, then you're likely serious about recording, and hopefully a little wiser, at least to how we do things.
Get started already, you should've done this months ago! :)
