Three practical sound design facts

Dear Readers:

For those of you who may be on the fence about the value of learning sound design, below I have outlined three practical things that are both individually useful and that exhibit the benefit of a more thorough education.

The first is the difference between Analogue and Digital recording, which we discussed in the last post in the context of two recordings of Physical (You’re So) by Adam Ant and Nine Inch Nails. Without getting into specifics or restating the material from that post, it is valuable to understand and recognize the difference between analogue and digital so that one can achieve the desired sound in one’s own recording endeavors.

Tied to analogue recording is band width, which refers to sound as a signal as it passes through a cable. At the “bottom” and “top” of the band width are where one finds noise; hum and hiss, respectively. However, above the hiss is an area called “head room,” which actually lies outside the band width and can be tapped. Above the hiss (in the “head room”) and between the hiss and hum are where one will get the best sound. If you are planning to do analogue recording, it is important to be able to do so without recording noise as well.

Also valuable is information on digital recording software. In class we used Garage Band, which is a watered-down version of Apple’s Logic. Again, specifics would be tedious at best, and at worst, laborious to read. However, if you are hoping to do digital recording, Logic is the avenue to follow. It allows high-fidelity recording, mixing, and even extensive MIDI integration. 

Come back for more tips and insights into the world of sound design!