Studio Recording Methods

Understanding the different ways to record and store musical tracks is essential knowledge for anyone who wants to produce music in a home or pro studio, so let’s quickly talk about the methods of recording.

Of course, you will also need to know how to use audio effects processors and your multi track recorder, or DAW software, but this short article will simplify the studio recording methods.

Live Audio - Stereo Recording:

This means to record audio through a stereo microphone, (microphones that record a two channel digital audio track) thus producing a stereo recording. This method of recording is used to capture room acoustics or a small musical ensemble. (I.E. Jazz band, folk-group, etc.) As many stereo microphones may be used as you have available inputs for recording digital audio into your host sequencer/multi track recorder.

Multiple Microphone Recording: This means to record a number of musicians and their instruments, or using multiple microphones to record one instrument. (I.E. Recording different drums in a drum set.) Sounds too easy, it is! These audio signals are sent through the microphones connected to a mixing board. These tracks are sent to a recorder to burn the mix to disc, or store onto a hard disc. Once stored into digital medium, signal and/or effects adjustments can be done internally on a hardware mixer, or through music software processors.

Multi Track Tape Recording:

Same as multiple microphone recording but the mixer is connected to a multi track tape recorder. Recording multiple microphones silmulltaneously lets you isolate each track for editing from a submix.

Random Access Recording:

Recording into a computer hard drive, any part can be accessed instantly at any time for editing or playback.

Midi Recording:

Midi recording is not actually recording musical notes, but rather their mathematical representation. Midi is an information protocol that triggers digital audio or synthesizers. MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a computer-generated data protocol that triggers tones and tells them when to start and stop, how loud to play these tones, (velocity) and other informational commands.

It is important to understand that MIDI is not audio, and cannot be processed or edited the same way. This is a very flexible format. Midi can be used to coordinate many digital devices without using much processing power. Midi keyboards can transmit information to a host sequencing program side by side digital audio tracks.