Home Recording for Dummies: 6th Edition

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Getting Started with Home Recording
	Chapter 1 Understanding Home Recording
		Examining the Anatomy of a Home Studio
			Exploring the recording essentials
			Checking out recording system types
		Getting a Glimpse into the Recording Process
			Setting up a song
			Getting a great sound
			Recording
			Overdubbing
		Making Sense of Mixing
			Cleaning up tracks using editing
			Equalizing your tracks
			Processing your signal
			Blending your tracks
		Adding the Final Touches
			Mastering your mixes
			Putting your music out into the world
			Promoting your music
	Chapter 2 Getting the Right Gear
		Determining Your Home Studio Needs
		Detailing Your Digital Options
		Computer-Based Digital Recording Systems
			Finding the right computer setup
			Getting the sound in and out
			Choosing the right software
		Studio-in-a-Box Systems
			Taking a look at the benefits
			Examining some popular SIAB systems
		Mobile-Device Recording
			Android
			Apple iOS
		Exploring Sample Setups
			Live and MIDI studio
			MIDI-intensive studio
			Live studio
			Podcasting studio
			Audio-for-video studio
			Mobile on-location studio
	Chapter 3 Getting Connected: Setting Up Your Studio
		Understanding Analog Connections
			The ¼-inch analog plug
			XLR
			RCA
		Delving into Digital Connections
			MIDI
			AES/EBU
			S/PDIF
			ADAT Lightpipe
			TDIF
			USB
			FireWire
			Thunderbolt
		Working Efficiently
			Taming heat and dust
			Monitoring your monitors
		Optimizing Your Room
			Isolating sound
			Controlling sound
	Chapter 4 Meet the Mixer
		Meeting the Many Mixers
			Analog mixer
			Digital mixer
			Software mixer
			Computer control surface
		Understanding Mixer Basics
			Examining inputs
			Checking out the channel strip
			Recognizing mixer routing
			Opting for outputs
	Chapter 5 Multitrack Recording
		Understanding Multitracking
		Getting Ready to Record
			Setting up a song
			Creating and organizing your tracks
			Selecting a sound source
			Setting levels
			Getting the sound you want
			Choosing a monitoring source
		Setting a Tempo Map
		Saving Your Work
		Sharing Files with Others
Part 2 Working with Microphones
	Chapter 6 Understanding Microphones
		Meeting the Many Microphone Types
			Construction types
			Polarity patterns
		Assessing Your Microphone Needs
		Deciding How Many Microphones and What Kind
			Getting started
			Movin’ on
			Going all out
		Finding the Right Mic for the Situation
		Partnering Mics with Preamps
			Solid-state
			Vacuum tube
			Hybrid
		Considering Compressors
		Analyzing Some Microphone Accessories
			Microphone cords
			Microphone stands
			Pop filters
		Caring for Your Microphones
			Daily care
			Storage
	Chapter 7 Taking a Look at Microphone Techniques
		Singling Out Close Miking
		Detailing Distant Miking
		Assessing Ambient Miking
		Selecting Stereo Miking
			X-Y pairs
			Blumlein technique
			Spaced pairs
			Stereo microphones
			Overcoming problems with stereo miking
		Creating Miking Combinations
	Chapter 8 Miking Your Instruments
		Getting a Great Lead Vocal Sound
			Making the most of the room
			Choosing the best mic
		Getting Good Backup Vocals
		Examining Electric Guitar Miking
			Using the room
			Getting the most out of the mics
		Exploring Electric Bass Miking
			Managing the room
			Getting the most from the mic
		Miking Acoustic Guitars and Similar Instruments
			Making the most of the room
			Using your mics
		Maneuvering Horn Mics
			Understanding the role of the room
			Making the most of the mics
		Placing Mics for a Piano
			Harnessing the sound of the room
			Managing the mics
		Setting Up Mics for Strings
			Making the most of the room
			Making sense of the mics
		Digging into Drum Set Miking
			First things first: Tuning your drums
			Using the room to your benefit
			Picking up the kick (bass) drum
			Setting up the snare drum
			Tackling the tom-toms
			Handling the hi-hats
			Creating the best cymbal sound
			Miking the whole kit
		Getting Your Hands on Hand Drums
		Perfecting Percussion Miking
			Exploring the impact of the room
			Choosing and using the mics
Part 3 Recording Live Audio
	Chapter 9 Getting a Great Source Sound
		Making Sense of the Signal Chain
		Setting Optimal Signal Levels
		Understanding Pre and Post Levels
			Interpreting the various levels
			Looking at examples
		Getting Great Guitar, Bass, and Electronic String Instrument Sounds
			Connect directly
			Process beforehand
			Leverage your amp
		Creating Killer Keyboard Tracks
		Recording E-Drums, Drum Machines, and Electronic Percussion
		Making the Most of Microphones
			Placing mics properly
			Compressing carefully
				Getting to know compressor parameters
				Creating compressor settings
	Chapter 10 Recording Audio
		Performing Your First Take
		Punching In and Out
			Manual punching
			Punching with a foot switch
			Automatic punching
			Repeated punching (looping)
		Exploring Overdubbing
		Submixing
		Bouncing
		Keeping Track of Your Tracks
	Chapter 11 Understanding Electronic Instruments and MIDI
		Meeting MIDI
			Perusing MIDI ports
			Understanding MIDI channels
			Appreciating MIDI messages
			Managing modes
			Taking orders from General MIDI
		Gearing Up for MIDI
			Sound generators
			Sound card
			MIDI controller
			Sequencer
			MIDI interface
	Chapter 12 Recording Electronic Instruments Using MIDI
		Synchronizing Your Devices
			Synchronizing two (or more) synthesizers
			Synchronizing a computer sequencer and a synthesizer
			Synchronizing a sequencer and an audio recorder
			Using the transport function from one device to control another
		Sequencing
			Recording MIDI data
			Overdubbing
		Saving Your Data
		Transferring Data Using MIDI
	Chapter 13 Working with Loops
		Understanding Loops and Loop Types
		Choosing Loop Formats
		Setting Up Your Session
			Setting tempo and time and key signatures
			Creating song maps
			Enabling a metronome
		Adding Loops to Your Sessions
			Browsing loop libraries
			Previewing loops
			Adding loops to your session
		Editing Loops
		Creating Loops
Part 4 Editing and Enhancing Your Tracks
	Chapter 14 Getting into Editing
		Understanding Digital Editing
			Copy
			Cut/Delete/Erase
			Insert
			Paste
			Move
			Export/Import
			Undo
		Finding the Section You Want to Edit
			Editing aurally
			Editing visually
		Editing to Improve the Sound of a Performance
			Replacing a bad note
			Evening out a performance
			Getting rid of distortion
			Getting rid of noise
			Correcting pitch problems
		Creating a Performance That Never Happened
			Creating loops
			Assembling a song
			Making compilations of your tracks
		Discovering Other Ways to Use Editing
			Adjusting the length of a performance
			Reversing a phrase
	Chapter 15 Editing MIDI Data
		Understanding MIDI Windows
			Selecting track material
			Setting MIDI patches on tracks
			Adding MIDI events
			Deleting MIDI notes
		Editing MIDI Data
			Changing a note’s pitch
			Changing a note’s duration
			Changing a note’s velocity
			Changing time locations
			Moving notes freely
		Editing Program Data
			Changing program patches
			Moving program change markers
		Changing Continuous Controller Data
			Editing lines with the Pencil tool
			Editing breakpoints
			Scaling breakpoints
		Quantizing Your Performance
		Transposing Your Performance
		Saving Your Data
		Transferring Data Using MIDI
Part 5 Mixing and Mastering Your Music
	Chapter 16 Mixing Basics
		Understanding Mixing
		Managing Levels as You Work
		Getting Started Mixing Your Song
		Mixing in DAWs
			Using a control surface
			Using a digital mixer
			Using an analog mixer
		Using the Stereo Field
			Left or right
			Front or back
		Adjusting Levels: Enhancing the Emotion of the Song
			Dynamics
			The arrangement
		Tuning Your Ears
			Listening critically
			Choosing reference music
			Dealing with ear fatigue
			Making several versions
	Chapter 17 Using Equalization
		Exploring Equalization
			Graphic
			Parametric
			Low-shelf/high-shelf
			Low-pass/high-pass
		Dialing-In EQ
			Inserting an EQ plug-in in a track
			Exploring EQ options
		Equalizing Your Tracks
			General EQ guidelines
			Equalizing vocals
			Equalizing guitar
			Equalizing bass
			Equalizing drums
			Equalizing percussion
			Equalizing piano
			Equalizing horns
	Chapter 18 Digging into Dynamics Processors
		Connecting Dynamics Processors
		Introducing Compressors
			Getting to know compressor parameters
			Getting started using compression
			Using compression
		Looking into Limiters
			Understanding limiter settings
			Setting limits with the peak limiter
		Introducing Gates and Expanders
			Getting to know gate parameters
			Getting started using gates
			Getting started using an expander
		Detailing the De-Esser
		Setting Up Side Chains
			Setting up a side chain
			Using a side chain
	Chapter 19 Singling Out Signal Processors
		Routing Your Effects
			Inserting effects
			Sending signals to effects
		Rolling Out the Reverb
			Seeing reverb settings
			Getting started using reverb
		Detailing Delay
			Digging into delay settings
			Getting started using delay
		Creating Chorus Effects
		Making Sense of Microphone Modeling
		Applying an Amp Simulator
		Detailing Distortion Effects
		Selecting Tape Saturation Effects
	Chapter 20 Automating Your Mix
		Understanding Automation
			Audio tracks
			Auxiliary input tracks
			Instrument tracks
			Master fader tracks
			MIDI tracks
		Accessing Automation Modes
		Writing Automation
			Writing automation on a track
			Writing plug-in automation
			Writing send automation
		Viewing Automation
		Editing Automation Data
			Using editing commands
			Editing with the edit tools
	Chapter 21 Making Your Mix
		Submixing Tracks
		Mixing in-the-Box
			Examining bounce options
			Performing the bounce
		Using an External Master Deck
	Chapter 22 Mastering Your Music
		Demystifying Mastering
			Processing
			Sequencing
			Leveling
		Getting Ready to Master
		Paying a Pro or Doing It Yourself
		Hiring a Professional Mastering Engineer
		Mastering Your Music Yourself
			Optimizing dynamics
			Perfecting tonal balance
			Sequencing your songs
			Balancing levels
		Preparing for Distribution
	Chapter 23 Creating Your Finished Product
		Understanding File Formats
			Lossy audio file formats
			Lossless audio file formats
		Putting Your Music on CD
			CDs on demand
			Short-run CD duplication
			Large-quantity CD replication
		Delivering Digital Files
			Download card
			USB sticks (flash drives)
			Online music distribution
			Streaming music sites
		Creating MP3 Files
			Bit rate
			Mode
		Pressing Vinyl
Part 6 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 24 Ten Invaluable Recording Tips
		Using an Analog Tape Deck
		Layering Your Drum Beats
		Decorating Your Room
		Setting a Tempo Map
		Listening to Your Mix in Mono
		Doubling and Tripling Your Tracks
		Recording Dirty Room Ambience
		Overdubbing Live Drums
		Pressing Record, Even during a Rehearsal
		Leaving the Humanity in Your Tracks
	Chapter 25 Ten (or So) Ways to Distribute and Promote Music
		Marketing Yourself
		Setting Up Your Own Music Website
			Checking out musician-friendly hosting services
			Designing your site
		Putting Your Music on a Music Host Site
		Engaging in Social Media Networking
		Offering Free Downloads
		Selling Your Music Digitally
		Licensing Your Music
		Podcasting
		Selling Your CDs
		Promoting Your Music
		Connecting with an Email Newsletter
Index
EULA