While there are tons of
variables (and fad trends)
to taking your studio to the
next level, the key is to figure
out the weakest link in your
studio and focus your attention
there first. Once you solve
that problem, you can then
move on to the next weakest
link, and so on. As you keep
doing this, you’ll see where
you can most dramatically
improve things and eventually
get to things that make a
difference but may not be as
dramatic as the earlier weak
links you fix or improve.
The mistake that most people
make is focusing on the “fun”
or “sexy” things first and then
worrying about other stuff
later — and that’s okay, but it
may not be the best approach
to making quick improvements
in your studio. It all depends
on what you want.
With that being said, here are
some tips for your studio but
keep in mind that what you
address first depends on where
the weak link is in your chain.
The Room
What you record or listen to in
your studio is affected by the
room. It’s the area where many
studios are weakest but also
the area where improvements
can affect every aspect of the
music you create. To take your
room to the next level use
complete room packages such
as Auralex Roominators and
Primacoustics London systems.
Mics
Other than your room and
your monitor system, your
microphones also affect the
front-end capture of audio
for what you hear in your
room. Get the best mics you
can; having a few great mics
is better than having a bunch
of less stellar choices. To
start with, get a great large-
diaphragm condenser and a
great dynamic mic and then fill
in your selection from there,
depending on what you record.
Monitoring
Like with the room and the
mic, everything you hear
with regards to the audio
you record is affected by
your monitor. Affordable
monitors offer incredible
quality at really good prices
and stepping up the quality
of your monitors will have a
drastic effect on the quality of
your productions. Cleaning
up the monitor path with a
pristine monitor controller can
also make a big difference.
Alternative Monitoring
Not only can you upgrade
the quality of your monitors,
consider adding a second or
even third set of monitors
and a great set of headphones.
Each set of monitors and
headphones has a sonic
signature and a certain
response. After listening
on a variety of playback
transducers, you’ll get a
better overall picture of what
your music sounds like and
make it more “transportable”
to consumer systems.
Tips to
Take
Your
Studio to
The Next
Level
AKARSH SHEKHAR
Preamps, Processing, Converters,
and Audio Interface
Once there is clarity in your
room and you are capturing
quality audio with your
mics, look at upgrading your
preamps, converters, audio
interface, and other hardware
processors. This might go
higher up on your list if you’re
looking for a specific color or
response for your recording
like a particular flavor from
a preamp or compressor, for
instance. Or if you’re looking
for a much greater sound from
your mics, then maybe you
want a high-quality uncolored
preamp or a better converter.
Cables
There’s a simple philosophy
on cables: buy the best that
you can afford. By buying
the best value cables, you
eliminate most concerns about
any impact the cabling may
have on audio or data transfer.
Inexpensive but good cables
can work well for some time,
but let’s face it, they have a
higher tendency to degrade
quickly. So instead, enjoy
the peace of mind you get by
going with great cables. It’s
just one less thing to distract
you from making music
and enhancing creativity.
The
Score Magazine
highonscore.com
41