2201 Recording

In January 2019 I did a review of the KiloHearts Phase Plant synthesizer.

Since then we have had a bit of a tumbleweed moment and it has all gone very quiet. The Phase Plant seems to have completely fallen off the radar. I’m not sure why that is, but it may be that it has been viewed as a sound designers tool and it’s complex appearance has put some people off. Another important point is that if you buy the complete package with all the modules it isn’t cheap. However, if you buy only the modules that you want, you get a great tool for the money.

I think it is fair to say that the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts and plugging the different modules together will give you a great sounding, flexible synth.

This mixing checklist is to use alongside the Pre-Recording Checklist. Naturally the checklist depends greatly on the type of music you are producing, but this one should fit most general types.

Kick drum should be in mono

Sub bass should also be in mono

Solo all layers of bass and check that they are working well together. If not, fix them now

In the bass - roll off any very low frequencies below 20-30Hz

Claps and snares - low cut anything below about 120Hz

For a good snare - get the ‘thunk’ around 200-400Hz; a good ‘crack’ around 2-3kHz and sparkle up to 7-8kHz

Audio clips - make sure to use fades to avoid any clicks and pops

Does any percussion need sidechaining to make it groove better?

Make sure to EQ your effects

To make some elements more interesting you can use Mid/Side EQ

Cable ties were first invented by Thomas & Betts, an electrical company, in 1958 under the brand name Ty-Rap and were designed for airplane wiring harnesses. The common cable tie, is normally made of nylon, has a flexible tape section with teeth that engage with a pawl (yes, that is the name) in the head to form a ratchet so that as the free end of the tape section is pulled the cable tie tightens and does not come undone.

Depressing news indeed. Red Bull Music will be shutting the doors of all its 11 worldwide music studio, as it steps back from the entertainment industry. On the music side Red Bull Records will continue. The company’s management informed staff that Red Bull would be “cancelling all music projects” on Monday 13 July. Beyond the recording studio closures, the brand will also be cancelling all of its music events. On the music side Red Bull Records will continue

Spitfire Audio has released LABS Mandolin, a free mandolin sound library for the freeware LABS sound module plugin capturing the full tonal range of a classic mandolin.

The samples were recorded at Spitfire HQ studios, including a variety of articulations. The library features picked and fingered playing styles, along with tremolo and ensemble.

It seems that the samples weren’t processed apart from standard editing, so you’re getting a clean and completely natural mandolin sound.

You can download LABS Mandolin for free from Spitfire Audio’s website. Be sure to install the LABS plugin, too. It is available in 32-bit and 64-bit VST and AU plugin formats for compatible host applications on Windows and macOS.

The Valhalla Space Modulator plugin was originally released back in 2016. Until recently, it was offered as a free download to existing ValhallaDSP customers only (you had to purchase another product from the developer first). As of now, anyone interested can download it and use it completely free of charge.

Valhalla Space Modulator features eleven modulation algorithms and an intuitive set of controls to shape the depth and type of modulation that is applied to the signal. The user can adjust the modulation rate and depth, the feedback amount, and the mix of dry and wet signals. It is also possible to add a fixed pre-delay to the modulated signal. The eleven included algorithms are accessible through the Mode selection menu, and each mode includes a brief description that explains its modulation type.

Valhalla Space Modulator is available for free download from the product page – no registration or activation is required. The software is available in VST, AU, AAX, and RTAS plugin formats for compatible DAW software on PC and Mac. Both 32-bit and 64-bit plugin hosts are supported.

Until I discovered Post Haste I created the framework for each new project folder by folder. Using Post Haste from Digital Rebellion has saved me about 15 minutes for each new project.

Post Haste is a free project management tool for PC or MAC that allows you to setup file and folder templates for audio, video, graphic design, web design or client management projects. Then, with a few mouse clicks your folder structure is organised ready for you to start work including any standard files that populate specific folders.

You can create an unlimited number of templates for different project types and name them appropriately such as "Youtube HD", "Motion Graphics" or "Website".

It is the perfect tool to keep your project and assets organised.

Overview

The first thing to do is to create templates for the types of project you are going to need.

In the left pane use the 'Add' 'Remove' buttons to maintain projects and in the right pane you can maintain the folder structure, adding new folders and including files used for each new project e.g. a DaVinci Resolve template to start a new video editing project.

In the New Project tab you can define the parameters used to build the project name. An example of the project name is shown at the bottom. Blank fields are unused and the order can be changed as required.

You can specify where new projects should be created.

In this pane you can change the order (small up/down arrows) of the project naming parameters, request a sub-folder before a selected parameter, etc.

This is a great little tool. Watch out, the user guide is from 2014 and includes some features which were clearly too ambitious and have now been removed, but it's all fairly self explanatory.

Caelum Audio has introduced Tape Cassette 2, an updated version of their freeware tape emulation effect in VST3 and AU plugin formats for DAW software on PC and Mac. The software is also available as an app and AUv3 plugin on iOS and iPadOS.

Since version 1 Caelum have added a Type 1 Cassette Impulse Response (IR) and improved the saturation algorithm, wow & flutter engine and implemented real sampled tape noise, giving a wonderfully warm vintage sound.

As part of the wind retrofit project, a length of the west side bicycle path railings have been modified with thinner slats to reduce wind resistance. The engineers identified the problem during wind tunnel tests but decided it would not be a common occurrence, however recent windy weather has amplified this new sonic feature of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Perplexed Bay Area residents have reported hearing an ominous ringing noise emanating from the Golden Gate Bridge, which can be heard in videos taken miles away.

“Can someone explain me why is this eerie sound has been going on for an hour in #SanFrancisco #presidio #sound #eerie #whatisthis “ one Twitter user wrote.

Ton-Geraet 1 (Sound Device) was a big hit 10 years ago because of its unconventional feature set. Now the VST plugin for Windows-based DAW’s is being given away completely free of charge.

The instrument features a dual-voice architecture and a beautiful wave-morph sequencing which draws inspiration from the legendary SID sound chip which was used in Commodore 64 home computers.Other features include a 12-bit low-pass filter inspired by the Akai S-1000 hardware sampler. A dual LFO unit is installed for handling modulation, along with per-voice DADSR envelopes. Things get even more interesting with the Kraftwerk inspired Stoerstrahlung (Interference or stray radiation) button which emulates the unstable behaviour of analogue gear.

Misty Valley is an unstable synthesizer inspired by Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin, Rival Consoles, and similar artists. Pitch modulation, layered noise, and a few other sound design techniques are employed to generate sounds that can be described as being more organic and “human” than what you’d typically expect to hear from a synthesizer.

Presets

Misty Valley, includes 75 presets that are split into 4 sound banks:

Blurred noises: an overload of noisy sounds

Unstable textures: dreamy / soaring sounds with a touch of noise

Almost clean: classical analog sounds with some noise

Noise beds: atmospheric noise pads

Misty Valley takes inspiration from the analogue synths from the late 70s/80s and uses subtractive synthesizer with just two oscillators. Other functions within modules are then added to emphasize this blurring effect. These include: the Drifter, which replicated the pitch instability of tape machines; and the Tape Sampler to add tape noise in the signal chain to reinforce the LoFi/Organic feel. (62 MB download size, ZIP archive, requires the full version of Native Instruments Reaktor)

I have been working on the future studio layout and having finished the hardware positions I turned my attention to the cabling and patchbays.

For patchbays I have an ART P16 Patch Bay, and two NYS-SPP-L1 Neutrik Patchbays. The ART P16 is simple as it will be used for Microphone inputs feeding directly to the Allen & Heath mixing desk MIC inputs. The Neutrik patchbays have a default half normalised setting, but when the PCB is turned they allow a ‘straight through’ connection which is useful for some equipment.

Thank-you social isolation! I have finally had enough time to begin the re-design of the #recording studio. Whilst I have tried many high tech methods in the past, using design software and 3D modelling, this time I have gone for a low tech and tactile approach using a scale model and up-cycling some of the cardboard that has acumulated of the last few weeks.

The result so far is shown here.

The blue bottom right is the glass door into the studio and the large black square is the mandatory black leather chair. The model is a 10:1 ratio which represents the 6m x 4m studio space. I haven’t yet planned the acoustic panels.

The Thon Racks hold various rack mounted equipment including power conditioning and patch bays. See my previous article about patch bays here.

The large Thon Studio rack with the Roland TR-808 on top includes two power conditioning units and a patch bay which includes control voltage (CV) jacks to supply the analogue synthesizers on that side of the studio.

Currently I’m working on the power supply layout coming from the four power conditioners and backup power supply. After that I’ll check that the audio and digital signal flow (the path an audio signal must travel through your gear, from beginning to end) is feasible with the various cable looms that I have.

In the future I will cover

Structural and acoustic design

I have tried to get as close to ‘The Golden Ratio’ as possible which is nicely explained here https://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/golden-ratio.html

The golden ratio (symbol is the Greek letter "phi" shown at left) is a special number approximately equal to 1.618. We find the golden ratio when we divide a line into two parts so that:

the whole length divided by the long part

is also equal to

the long part divided by the short part

e.g. Studio size of 6000 x 3710 is good (=1.618)

Construction and fit

I can’t believe that I haven’t written about using #PatchBays in the recording studio before! So let’s remedy that omission straight away with some essential points about how to use them.

At first, knowing how to use a patchbay seems like it would require a textbook, a doctorate in electrical engineering, an IQ of 300, and some magical incantations.

But really, once you know the fundamental rules and conventions the process is as easy as running cables from one piece of gear to the next; and that's all a patchbay does.

Rule 1 - the top jacks are for Outputs

Always envision the audio signal going into the top back jack and coming out of the top front jack. The top jacks are called output jacks because the top back jack receives the output from whatever piece of gear you're using and spits it out of the front top jack.  If you follow this rule (as do all professionals) you will only be dealing with the outputted signal when you're patching the top row.  In most cases (keep it simple for now), the signal comes out of the keyboard or microphone, goes into the top back, and comes out of the top front. The outputs are top only, back-to-front.

Rule 2 - bottom jacks are for Inputs

So now you have your signal coming out of the top row on the front of your panel.  You plug in a patch cable and route it to the bottom row, which is the exact opposite of the top row.  It is only for inputs on your gear.  The signal flows into the cable, into a bottom front jack, and out of the bottom back jack and into an input in another piece of gear. The inputs are bottom only, front-to-back.

Rule 3 - Connections only occur top-to-bottom

Since outputs are on top and inputs are on bottom, you will never need to or want to patch a cable from a top jack to another top jack.  The same goes for bottom to bottom connections.  They don't happen. Patch cables only ever connect a top jack to a bottom jack.

Normal, Half-Normal, & Thru Modes

There are three ways the jacks are wired together that represent the three main modes of usage. These are known as #PatchbayModes. Some patch bays let you change modes with a switch. Some require you to physically manipulate the jacks. Some don't let you change the mode.

It's fine, though. You can stick with Normal mode and be perfectly happy, you'll just need more patch cables. But if you learn to use the other two modes you can really dial in the magic to save you effort and cabling time. Let's discuss each mode:

Normal Mode:  The top output jack sends the audio signal to the bottom input jack until a patch cable is inserted. The cable interrupts that signal path and intercepts it, sending it through the cable only.

Half-Normal Mode: The top output jack sends the audio signal to the bottom jack even if you've inserted a patch cable. This lets you split the signal to send to two inputs.

Thru Mode: The top output jacks only sends the signal to each other, back-to-front.  Unless you plug in a cable to send the signal to an input, the signal hits a dead-end.

For the most part, Normal Mode and Half-Normal mode will take care of all of your needs. Most of us hang out in Normal Mode, where we record and do simple mixing and clean-up equalization work out of the box and then send the signal to the interface, where we finish up the mixing in the box (meaning in a software DAW like Pro Tools or Logic Pro).

Aux Insert / Send

Two TRS insert jacks on your mixer will only get you two outs. If you are using it as a direct out with just a TS cable (instead of the standard insert y cable) you are only using the send (from the mixer) and the other half, the return, is unused. An insert is a loop out from a channel or bus and back in.

Connecting to mixer Insert send points

RIP Ronan O'Rahilly 20th April 2020

Tonight I cooked a BBQ whilst listening to Neil Young After the Gold Rush on Radio Caroline. What a fantastic flashback.

Ronan O'Rahilly founded Radio Caroline in 1964 initially to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom.

Unlicensed by any government for most of its early life, it was a pirate radio station that never became illegal because it operated outside any national waters.

Caroline is now available on 648 kHz AM, via internet at http://opml.radiotime.com/Tune.ashx?id=s10517 and via DAB radio in some parts of the UK

Filing during isolation

Isolation time is a wonderful time to catch up on business filing. However I soon discovered that the neat labelling I had added to the tops of the suspension files caught on the inside of the filing cabinet making it very difficult to close, and then re-open the filing drawer.

I checked Google to find any tips on how to get around this problem but found nothing.

This morning I looked carefully at the drawers and I’m embarrassed to say that the solution was so obvious a child could have fixed it. However, if, like me, you have this problem here is how you adjust your filing cabinet so that the files fit without catching on the cabinet surround. The solution is to adjust the height of the two suspender rails in each filing cabinet drawer.

When both are in the lower position, replace the rear post in its slot and slide the drawer back over the stop tabs.

“Empire” is a film by Andy Warhol consisting of eight hours straight of the Empire State Building, doing nothing.

Warhol filmed the skyscraper between about 8:10 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. on July 25 and 26, 1964 from the 41st floor of the Time & Life building using a rented 16mm Arriflex camera push-processed to ASA 1000 to compensate for the dark conditions of filming which gives the film its graininess. It was filmed at 24 frames per second and is meant to be seen in slow motion at 16 frames per second, extending the 6 1/2 hour length of the film to 8 hours and 5 minutes.

The film does not have conventional narrative or characters, and largely reduces the experience of cinema to the passing of time. The passage from daylight to darkness becomes the film’s narrative, while the protagonist is the iconic building that was once the tallest in New York City. According to Warhol, the purpose of the film - perhaps his most famous and influential cinematic work - is 'to see time go by'.

To all of us, time is valuable, time is precious. Warhol knew this and he chose to spend his time to bring us 'Empire'.

"Empire" had its premier on Saturday, March 6, 1965 at the City Hall Cinema, 170 Nassau Street, in Manhattan.

Making a film score for Andy Warhol's 'Empire' was a unique challenge. At over eight hours long and with so little happening on screen, how does one create a soundtrack that can engage the audience in witnessing 'the passing of time' as Warhol wrote about 'Empire', whilst not drawing overt attention to the score itself and away from the film?

As Warhol stated that the purpose of the film was "to see time go by", by definition it never repeats. Adkins followed with a work that never repeats for the whole duration of the film.

To structure the work Adkins used a bell-ringing pattern—NY Littleport Caters, first rung on 23rd October 2016 in New York. The bell ringing sequence (and I’ll simply quote the liner notes here) is an example of change-ringing technique—in which the nine bells are permuted continuously for several hours. From this Adkins created a nine-chord harmonic sequence each with nine layers of sonic material including old instruments and other ambient sounds recorded in large architectural structures. The Warhol film is stored on 10 film reels of 48 minutes each. In Adkin's piece nine permutations occur every 48 minutes—the length of one of ten reels of film for 'Empire'. The bell-pattern cycles through nine iterations, the combination of layers being unique in each occurrence.

When viewing the film the attention of the audience is drawn to the tiniest detail, for example when a flash bulb goes off close to the top of the building. The little subtle moments we take for granted suddenly become interesting. It becomes a sort of meditation. Adkins work has a similar effect on the listener. As you are drawn slowly into the depths of the piece you hear the tiniest changes of detail. It documents the passage of time.

How does Adkins keep the listener involved? We choose what we hear when listening; our listening contours the sound that we hear; we have the capacity to transform material so it becomes filled with our ideas, our preoccupations of what we should hear. Listening is not a holistic event. You extract only what you want from the moment by making that part your focus