Sound Engineering - SE100
Intro to Audio Technology
Studio Layout
The studio consists of two main rooms.
1. Control Room
2. Booth
Control room
- this is the engineers space
- this is also where most of the studio equipment is located
Booth
- this is the artist/musicians space
- each booth will sound different to each other
- having multiple booths allows us to record multiple people/instruments at the same
time
Common pieces of Audio Equipment
Mixers
- There are 2 kinds of mixers, namely studio mixers and live mixers
1. Studio Mixers
- 2 TRS | 1/4 inch jacks + 1 XLR , 1 input per channel
2. Live Mixers
- 1 TRS | 1/4 inch jack + 1 XLR + 2 inputs per channel
- One line of the studio mixer is reserved for recorded audio , the other is for
playback
- This makes studio mixers appropriate for both live sound & studio work
- Live mixers will usually have a graphic EQ
- The 1st set of inputs allows one to connect instruments to a mixer for recording
- The 2nd set of inputs allows one to send the signal to a mixer for mixing down
Differences between Analogue & Digital Mixers
- An analogue mixer needs a physical channel strip for each individual channel. The
result of this is that analogue mixers will generally be bigger than digital mixers
- Both types of mixers perform the same function despite digital mixers having less
physical channel strips
- Analogue mixers have an EQ for each channel while digital mixers have one EQ for
the entire board
- Digital mixers can have more than one strip for more than one channel
- On the digital mixer, one control can be used for multiple channels
, - A digital mixer can convert analogue signals to digital signals, analogue mixers
require an audio interface to perform this function
Ampli ers
- An ampli er controls the level of an electrical signal
- They are used to increase the level of a signal before it gets to a speaker
- Speakers with a built in ampli er are referred to as active speakers while speakers
without one are referred to as passive speakers
NOTE: processing units change an audio signal, FX units add to a signal
Dynamic processors
There are 4 main types of dynamic processors:
1. Compressors
2. Limiters
3. Gates
4. Expanders
1. Compressors
- This makes the soft points of a signal louder and the louder parts of a signal softer
- The compressor uses a threshold
- Whatever goes above the signal will be brought down and made quieter
- A compressor affects the dynamic range of a signal
- Dynamic range refers to the distance between the loudest part of a signal and the
quietest part of a signal
2. Limiters
- A limiter is similar to a compressor
- Limiters also utilize a threshold
- A limiter will completely cut off a signal if it above the threshold
3 + 4. Gates & Expanders
- The gate focuses on what goes below the threshold
- When a signal goes below the threshold the gate will not let the signal through to
the speakers
- This is useful for removing unwanted noise
- An expander works as a reverse compressor. It takes what goes below a threshold
and makes it louder
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, FX Units
Reverberation Units
- Reverberation refers to the re ections in a room
- These re ections are heard while a signal is still being generated
- This is referred to as natural reverberation
- Before reverb units we had reverberation chambers
- Now reverb units create arti cial re ections
- reverb units are used to emulate the sound of any kind of room/space
Delay Units
- Delay units simulate natural echoes
- This unit takes a signal, repeats it and makes it softer. Then takes the repeated
signal and repeats it until the signal is too soft to be heard
Guitar FX Units
- this device simulates guitar effects
- The producer will use this when they don’t like the sound/tone of an instrument or
sound
Racks
- Racks are where we keep the hardware devices in the studio
- This includes compressors, limiters, gates, etc.
- The 2 types of racks are device racks and power racks
- If power racks are too close to audio devices they will create a buzzing sound in the
audio device
- A rack is 19 inches wide (48.26cm)
- The height of a rack device is 1U / 2U (roughly 34mm)
Patchbays
- The patchbay provides us with 1 central location for all the inputs & outputs in the
studio
- Patchbays also make maintenance in the studio easy
- These are the main reasons to have a patchbay in your studio
- They have 48 sockets total on both the front & back
- Patchbays are mounted in the rack
Junction boxes & Snakes
- On the junction box you will nd XLR sockets as microphone inputs
- You will also nd TRS sockets as outputs on this device
- The XLR sockets are hardwired to speci c mixer channels
- The TRS sockets are hardwired to the patchbay
- Snakes are the live sound version of junction boxes
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, Audio Interfaces
- An audio interface is a more professional and higher quality version of a sound card
- This means high quality audio conversion
- The audio interface converts analogue signals to digital signals
- Entry level audio interfaces have a sample rate of 48kHz
- Professional level audio interfaces can go up to 192kHz
- Professional level audio interfaces will usually have 8+ inputs
NOTE: interfaces use 1 of 3 types of cables. Namely, USB, thunderbolt or rewire
Microphones
- Microphones are transducers
- This means they convert acoustic signals into electrical signals
- There are 3 main types of microphones. Namely condenser, dynamic and ribbon
microphones
Headphones
- Headphones are speakers for your ears
- Headphones are also transducers
- Headphones are used for recording and referencing your mixes
- There are 2 types of headphones:
1. Open Back (open cans)
> don’t block out noise/keep sound in
2. Closed back (closed cans)
> good at blocking out noise and keeping sound out
Monitors
- In the audio industry we refer to listening as monitoring
- Loudspeakers are transducers
- Studio monitors are loudspeakers that are designed to give an accurate
representation of a digital signal
- This means they give us a “true” sound
- Near eld monitors are usually placed around 2m from your ears
- Far eld monitors are usually only found in bigger studios, this are also referred to
as main monitors
- Far eld monitors work in such a way that they allow sound to develop throughout
the studio and require time to do so
- These are also usually more than 2m away
Digital to Audio Converters (DAC/s)
- This device connects to your audio interface
- It does not connect directly to your computer
- The DAC converts the digital sockets on an audio interface into analogue sockets
- They are mainly used as extra inputs for an audio interface
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Intro to Audio Technology
Studio Layout
The studio consists of two main rooms.
1. Control Room
2. Booth
Control room
- this is the engineers space
- this is also where most of the studio equipment is located
Booth
- this is the artist/musicians space
- each booth will sound different to each other
- having multiple booths allows us to record multiple people/instruments at the same
time
Common pieces of Audio Equipment
Mixers
- There are 2 kinds of mixers, namely studio mixers and live mixers
1. Studio Mixers
- 2 TRS | 1/4 inch jacks + 1 XLR , 1 input per channel
2. Live Mixers
- 1 TRS | 1/4 inch jack + 1 XLR + 2 inputs per channel
- One line of the studio mixer is reserved for recorded audio , the other is for
playback
- This makes studio mixers appropriate for both live sound & studio work
- Live mixers will usually have a graphic EQ
- The 1st set of inputs allows one to connect instruments to a mixer for recording
- The 2nd set of inputs allows one to send the signal to a mixer for mixing down
Differences between Analogue & Digital Mixers
- An analogue mixer needs a physical channel strip for each individual channel. The
result of this is that analogue mixers will generally be bigger than digital mixers
- Both types of mixers perform the same function despite digital mixers having less
physical channel strips
- Analogue mixers have an EQ for each channel while digital mixers have one EQ for
the entire board
- Digital mixers can have more than one strip for more than one channel
- On the digital mixer, one control can be used for multiple channels
, - A digital mixer can convert analogue signals to digital signals, analogue mixers
require an audio interface to perform this function
Ampli ers
- An ampli er controls the level of an electrical signal
- They are used to increase the level of a signal before it gets to a speaker
- Speakers with a built in ampli er are referred to as active speakers while speakers
without one are referred to as passive speakers
NOTE: processing units change an audio signal, FX units add to a signal
Dynamic processors
There are 4 main types of dynamic processors:
1. Compressors
2. Limiters
3. Gates
4. Expanders
1. Compressors
- This makes the soft points of a signal louder and the louder parts of a signal softer
- The compressor uses a threshold
- Whatever goes above the signal will be brought down and made quieter
- A compressor affects the dynamic range of a signal
- Dynamic range refers to the distance between the loudest part of a signal and the
quietest part of a signal
2. Limiters
- A limiter is similar to a compressor
- Limiters also utilize a threshold
- A limiter will completely cut off a signal if it above the threshold
3 + 4. Gates & Expanders
- The gate focuses on what goes below the threshold
- When a signal goes below the threshold the gate will not let the signal through to
the speakers
- This is useful for removing unwanted noise
- An expander works as a reverse compressor. It takes what goes below a threshold
and makes it louder
fifi fi
, FX Units
Reverberation Units
- Reverberation refers to the re ections in a room
- These re ections are heard while a signal is still being generated
- This is referred to as natural reverberation
- Before reverb units we had reverberation chambers
- Now reverb units create arti cial re ections
- reverb units are used to emulate the sound of any kind of room/space
Delay Units
- Delay units simulate natural echoes
- This unit takes a signal, repeats it and makes it softer. Then takes the repeated
signal and repeats it until the signal is too soft to be heard
Guitar FX Units
- this device simulates guitar effects
- The producer will use this when they don’t like the sound/tone of an instrument or
sound
Racks
- Racks are where we keep the hardware devices in the studio
- This includes compressors, limiters, gates, etc.
- The 2 types of racks are device racks and power racks
- If power racks are too close to audio devices they will create a buzzing sound in the
audio device
- A rack is 19 inches wide (48.26cm)
- The height of a rack device is 1U / 2U (roughly 34mm)
Patchbays
- The patchbay provides us with 1 central location for all the inputs & outputs in the
studio
- Patchbays also make maintenance in the studio easy
- These are the main reasons to have a patchbay in your studio
- They have 48 sockets total on both the front & back
- Patchbays are mounted in the rack
Junction boxes & Snakes
- On the junction box you will nd XLR sockets as microphone inputs
- You will also nd TRS sockets as outputs on this device
- The XLR sockets are hardwired to speci c mixer channels
- The TRS sockets are hardwired to the patchbay
- Snakes are the live sound version of junction boxes
fl fi fi fi
fl fl fi
, Audio Interfaces
- An audio interface is a more professional and higher quality version of a sound card
- This means high quality audio conversion
- The audio interface converts analogue signals to digital signals
- Entry level audio interfaces have a sample rate of 48kHz
- Professional level audio interfaces can go up to 192kHz
- Professional level audio interfaces will usually have 8+ inputs
NOTE: interfaces use 1 of 3 types of cables. Namely, USB, thunderbolt or rewire
Microphones
- Microphones are transducers
- This means they convert acoustic signals into electrical signals
- There are 3 main types of microphones. Namely condenser, dynamic and ribbon
microphones
Headphones
- Headphones are speakers for your ears
- Headphones are also transducers
- Headphones are used for recording and referencing your mixes
- There are 2 types of headphones:
1. Open Back (open cans)
> don’t block out noise/keep sound in
2. Closed back (closed cans)
> good at blocking out noise and keeping sound out
Monitors
- In the audio industry we refer to listening as monitoring
- Loudspeakers are transducers
- Studio monitors are loudspeakers that are designed to give an accurate
representation of a digital signal
- This means they give us a “true” sound
- Near eld monitors are usually placed around 2m from your ears
- Far eld monitors are usually only found in bigger studios, this are also referred to
as main monitors
- Far eld monitors work in such a way that they allow sound to develop throughout
the studio and require time to do so
- These are also usually more than 2m away
Digital to Audio Converters (DAC/s)
- This device connects to your audio interface
- It does not connect directly to your computer
- The DAC converts the digital sockets on an audio interface into analogue sockets
- They are mainly used as extra inputs for an audio interface
fi fi fi
