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!

Analogue vs. Digital Recordings

People have been arguing about the relative merits of analogue and digital recordings for as long as the two have had to coexist. In contemplating the question of superiority, we find that comparing the song Physical (You’re So) as recorded by Adam and the Ants in the 1980s (analogue) with it’s 1990s Nine Inch Nails counterpart (digital), provides fertile ground whereon one can make a more general comparison.

So where to begin? For starters, Nine Inch Nails relies much more heavily on electronically induced sound effects (scratch that—purely electronic sound effects). Adam Ant may have had heavy use of a distorted electric guitar, but the sound is still grounded in performance. NIN has most of the same instruments: guitar, drum kit, bass; but none of the same liveness. Computer-generated sound effects abound, including static that changes from one headphone to another and metallic percussion effects that would not be out of place in an old video game.

Granted, the sound quality in the NIN song is far-and-away superior. All the distortion and noise effects are clearly deliberate, painted against a crystal clear background. The same liveness that informs Adam Ant’s performance darkens it with actual noise. To some this may be desirable, but from a purely technical standpoint it gives a leg-up to the more recent digital recording.

The verdict on Analogue vs. Digital? It depends what you’re looking for. Both songs are equally effective in conveying the singer’s sexual frustration. Would you rather have a gritty, charismatic performance, or a crystal clear recording that was obviously constructed in a studio? It comes down to personal preference.