Today on Ashcraft’s Inside the Music Studio let’s talk microphones. A must have for any studio setup; microphones are the lifeline between the audio source and the recording. Without a microphone no sound could be recorded and saved. But what is a microphone exactly? How do they work, and what kinds are there? Let’s find out.
Microphones
According to Oxford Languages, a microphone is “an instrument for converting sound waves into electrical energy variations which may then be amplified, transmitted, or recorded.” In short, it’s a tool that takes in audio and can either record or alter the sounds. Microphones work by converting energy from sound waves into electrical energy. While different microphones do this differently, the common factor between all microphones is the diaphragm. Soundwaves enter the microphone where they vibrate within the diaphragm resulting in an electrical current or audio signal.
Microphones have become an integral part of our lives, being present in everything ranging from telephones, to baby monitors. With the first microphone being invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell, microphones have come a long way. While Bell’s first microphone was not considered to be practical, regular use of the microphone became popular with Thomas Alva Edison’s invention of a carbon microphone in 1886. E.C. Wente of Bell Laboratories later developed the first condenser microphone in 1916 which were used for radio broadcasting and sound motion pictures. Types of Microphones
Dynamic Microphones
Affordable and versatile, dynamic mics are a go to for any microphone set up. Also known as moving coil microphones, dynamic mics are similar to that of a loudspeaker, but in reverse. Sound waves enter the microphone through a diaphragm which then passes through a coil. The soundwaves travel back and forth along the coil and through the magnet creating an electrical current otherwise known as the audio signal.
Condenser Microphones
Condenser microphones use a capacitator to store electrostatic energy and convert it into electrical energy. Because of this electrical component a power source such as a battery or an external source is required for the microphone to function properly. As a result the audio signal is stronger than that of a dynamic microphone. While the stronger audio signal makes this microphone a better choice for capturing more subtle sounds, it is not a great choice for high volume work because their sensitivity will make the microphone more prone to distortion.
Ribbon Microphones
Technically a form of dynamic microphone, the ribbon microphone is best known for its vintage tone. Like other dynamic microphones, ribbon mics use a diaphragm, coil, and magnet to convert sound energy into an audio signal. The difference, however, relies in the use of a small strip of metal, often aluminum, as both diaphragm and transducer. This strip offers greater sensitivity to sound as you would expect from a condenser, but with an entirely different character.
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Music production is the process in which a simple idea becomes a song and audio track. Like the creative process, music production has stages that mark an artist’s progress throughout the process. These stages include composition, arrangement, mixing, and mastering. Today we’ll review the five stages of music production to give you an idea of how things are done in the studio. Idea Everything starts with an idea. It is the starting point of all things created and is that spark that fuels the entire production process. An idea can start with a simple tune or a set of lyrics. It can be something that comes out of thin air or maybe the result of a brainstorming session. Regardless of the origin, however, every idea has the potential to be an exciting and rewarding production experience. Composition The composition stage is where the magic starts to happen. It’s where the artist, songwriter, or composer begins to flush out the idea. During this stage, the song is written with lyrics, rhythm, and melody joining together and recorded to create the tracks needed to release the song into the talented hands of an audio engineer. Arrangement With the new song composed and recorded, arrangement is the next stage in the music production process. Similar to an editor of a book, an audio engineer will piece together the recorded tracks samplings, and begin the process of editing the new song. Tracks are laid in order and any issues such as pops and hisses will be taken care of. By the end of this stage, the song begins to take a more solid form. MixingAt this point, the production process moves from a creative vision to a technical challenge. During the mixing stage, an audio engineer will use his expertise to process the music in a professional and well-rounded piece. This is where the sound levels are edited to create balance and harmony within the music while allowing each vocal and instrumental track to be heard in harmony among the other tracks. MasteringNow at the final stage of the music production process, mastering is the home stretch. It is the post-production that occurs once a song has been written, recorded, and edited, and serves to create a final piece ready for distribution. Whether you have an idea you want to develop or an edited song that needs mastering, Ashcraft Studios can help you. Offering professional grade studio equipment and years of experience in audio production and engineering, we at Ashcraft Studios are confident we can help you take your music to the next level. Book your studio session today and bring your creative vision to life. Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today.We've got big plans and we want to share them with you! Hit that subscribe button so we can send you all the latest and greatest of Ashcraft Studios news, announcements, and promotions. Ashcraft Studios respects your privacy. That's why we will never share your information to anyone else. We just want to share our awesome stuff with you! got big plans and we want to share them with you! Hit that subscribe button so we can send you all the latest and greatest of Ashcraft Studios news, announcements, and promotions. Creativity and innovation are the standing stones on which all things are created. For centuries mankind has been tapping into an unseen source of creativity for new and innovative ways to create, invent, and express. Creative problem solving and the creative process has always been essential to history’s developments, but what are they exactly? Creative Problem Solving Creative problem solving is the process in which a problem is identified and solutions are considered. Although its something that’s been done ever since the first human began to think, the process was formalized by Alex Osborn and Sydney Parnes. Coined the Osborn-Parnes Process, the model was used as a structured approach to finding creative solutions to real-world problems. The original plan included six steps to solving problems creatively. Objective Finding in which the purpose of the process is defined. Fact-Finding seeks past data and observations regarding the matter at hand. Problem Finding re-evaluates the objective and redefines the objectives if needed. Idea Finding is when ideas are accepted and considered. Solution Finding evaluates the ideas and sets priorities to meet project criteria. Action Finding serves to help create an action plan for any proposed solutions. In time the Osborn-Parnes model began to evolve. Today the Creative Problem-Solving process can be identified in four steps, Clarify, Ideate, Develop, and Implement. These steps are used to identify problems and potential solutions and are similar to the Creative Process. The Creative Process The Creative Process is the flow of ideas, time, and effort to create something unique and innovative. This Creative Flow is what brings a budding idea to a fully mixed and mastered audio production. From the inception of an idea for a tune or lyric to the completed final project, the Creative Process can lend itself many times over throughout the entire project experience. Four Stages of the Creative Process Preparation In the preparation stage, a musician will research and review previous projects. This information can be used for insight and inspiration throughout the project. Incubation With new ideas and inspiration in hand, the Incubation stage is where an artist will think about what they’ve found and how it affects them. This stage can be as active as a brainstorming session, or as subconscious as a typical daydream, but rest assured, those ideas are constantly there running through the mind. Illumination This is the Eureka! Stage. This I when after all the research and thinking has taken place a great idea comes into play and is ready to be known. Implementation This is the most active stage of the Creative Process. Once the Illumination stage has passed its go time for the new idea. This can look like writing out lyrics, or strumming chords on an instrument. The funny thing about the Creative Process is that it is rarely a linear process. It often can look like a zig-zag darting back and forth various phases of the process. Sometimes an idea hits, but while thinking on it another comes and the process starts over again. It is easy to be discouraged by the back and forth movement, but the focus should be on the prize of a final and completed project. Aschraft Studio’s Commitment to your Creative ProcessAt Ashcraft Studios, we strive to help you find your voice within the creative process. Whether you have a simple tune you need to get out or a full album project, we can help you. Offering a full lineup of professional quality, and industry-standard equipment and gear we have you need to make your project the best it can be. Visit our Services page today to see what we can do for you. Don't forget to sign up for our mailing list and get new post notifications delivered straight to your inbox. Join the mailing list today, for September only, and be entered into our Tshirt Givewaway! The giveaway ends September 30th at 11:59 pm. Terms and conditions apply. Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today
Stay Connected. Follow us on Social Media.As a record studio, we know that there’s a lot that goes into making great music. Of course, all great music relies on the creativity and skill of the composer and performers, but what about the technical side of things? There’s no doubt that technology has pushed music through many advancements throughout history. We’ve come a long way from chanting around a campfire, after all, but what are the tools we use today to create and capture the songs we all love to hear? Join me today while we discuss just a few pieces of common studio gear you can expect to find in any studio, including ours. Digital Audio Workstation, otherwise known as DAW The digital audio workstation, or DAW is the main hub for all your production activities. It is the program that allows us to record, edit, and mix our audio into the projects we have in our heads. DAWs come in a variety of ways from a single program on a computer to a complex configuration of equipment controlled by a central computer. While the DAW’s first efforts in the 1970s failed to gain interest due to high storage costs and long processing times, the equipment began to gain traction in the 80s as home computers began to develop more processing power. The eventual switch to digital happened around 1991 following the introduction of Digidesign’s Pro Tools. Audio Interface The DAW may be where things happen but the audio interface is how. The audio interface’s primary purpose in the studio is send the audio files where they need to go. It’s the connection that allows audio input when recording as well as output when playing back the audio files. Many interfaces today offer additional features such as digital conversion, mic preamps, DI boxes, headphone amps and monitor management, but many professional studios will have these features as stand-alone items for maximum sound quality. Microphones Most likely one of the oldest pieces of technology in the studio, the humble mic plays an important role in the music production process. Yes, mics are responsible for picking up audio for recording, but they can do so much more. Each mic has the capability to completely change a sound and capture audio in new and creative ways. Here at Ashcraft Studios we have an extensive mic line up available to find and match the perfect sound needed for every project. Studio Monitors Studio monitors are not your average speakers. Most regular speakers are designed to improve the quality of sound thus benefiting the listening experience. Studio monitors, on the other hand, are designed to create a flat frequency response allowing the audio engineer to hear the audio in its truest state, flaws and all. This allows the engineer to identify mistakes and make fixes accordingly. And that’s about all that we have time for today. Join us for future In the Studio sessions and learn more about what goes on at Ashcraft Studios. Sign up for our mailing list and get new post notifications delivered straight to your inbox. Join the mailing list today, for September only, and be entered into our Tshirt Givewaway! The giveaway ends September 30th at 11:59 pm. Terms and conditions apply. Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today.
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