Week 11

In Audio Arts this week we recorded Jodie O’Regan, a classical singer in Certificate IV, performing vocals. Luke, Will and I used Studio 2 and the Dead Room. The microphone we used was the Neumann U87. This microphone was a very high quality condenser microphone. We were all shocked as to how sensitive this microphone was. Even adjusting the curtains in the dead room came through the microphone. I was at the computer setting up the tracks in Pro Tools. We used a compressor and a de-esser. Will and Luke set up the microphone stand with the microphone in the cradle. As Jodie was singing Luke suggested that we record the audio on an audio track and then route that audio track through an auxiliary track with a compressor and de-esser on the auxiliary. This is the process we ended up using, and I adjusted the compressor to maximize the dynamic range of the vocals. The only problem with this method is that the recording itself was uncompressed. (http://www.blogupload.com/69631/jodie_singing_for_blog.m4a) [1] If I was recording vocals, I would compress the vocals to tape. By doing this, the vocal recording has greater dynamic range and the fidelity of the audio is better too.
[2]This is because when you compressed audio you raise the noise floor. So, if you are compressing to tape you don’t have this problem. I still think our session sounded good and the compressed signal sounds good to me. [3]

In Creative Computing we spent more time on Pro Tools. The lecture this week was primarily on organizational practices in Pro Tools. We spent time looking at markers, bouncing, and saving your session as a containment to move around to other workstations. I didn’t know that when you save markers you can save zoom setting, and locate points. I have to say, this is a really great function of Pro Tools and I only wish I knew about it earlier.

In Forum this week we only had a session in the second hour. Stephen Whittington talked to us about his experience in the Music Technology industry.
[4]It was interesting to hear the he has performed with Warren Burt (a previous speaker in forum). I found it hard to understand some of the topic Stephen was talking about, but this is probably due to my lack of experience. I found it interesting when Stephen talked about the vocoder and how he used it for his own creativity.


[1] Jodie O’Regan. "Audio Arts Lecture - Studio 2, Dead Room ". Recording session recorded at the Electronic Music Unit, University of Adelaide, 23rd May 2006.

[2] Microphones. 'Neumann U87'. http://homepage2.nifty.com/miguel/images/u87.jpg (Accessed 29/05/2006)

[3] Peter Sansom. "Audio Arts Lecture - Studio 2, Dead Room". Lecture presented at the Electronic Music Unit, University of Adelaide, 23rd May 2006.

[4] Stephen Whittington. ‘Elder School of Music', Staff. http://www.music.adelaide.edu.au/images/stephen_whittington.gif (Accessed 29/05/2006)