All posts by clinton26benson

Microphones & Recording Project

Summary

I recorded myself over several different microphones in order to find out which one I liked the most. I liked all of the mics but there were some which I thought sounded better and others I did not. The following section contains my recording.

Microphone Audition Podcast

My Favorite Microphone Specs.

  • Transducer Type: Condenser, Pressure Gradient
  • Polar Patterns: Cardioid
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
  • Sensitivity: 39.8 mV/Pa at 1 kHz (1 pa = 94 dB SPL)
  • Output Impedance: 50 ohm
  • Rate Load Impedance: Not less than 1k ohm
  • Maximum SPL: 134dB SPL (1kHz, THD 0.5%)
  • S/N Ratio: 83.2 dB-A
  • Noise Level: 10.8 dB
  • Dynamic Range: 123.2 dB
  • Power Requirement: +48V DC Phantom Power
  • Weight: 410g
  • Dimensions: 222.5mm x 51.5mm
  • HPF: 100Hz, 12db per octave
  • PAD: -20dB

Terms

Dynamic Mic. – In a dynamic microphone a thin diaphragm is connected to a coil of wire called a voice coil which is precisely suspended over a powerful magnet.

Condenser Mic. -Instead of using a coil, ribbon microphones use a small strand of very thin 2 microns thick aluminum ribbon.

Omni pattern – Responsive in all directions, sometimes picking up unwanted sound.

Cardioid pattern – Condensers use two charged plates, one fixed and one which can move acting like a diaphragm.

Bi-directional pattern – Most sensitive to sounds coming front the front and the rear. Less sensitive to sounds at the sides.

Transduction – Converting sound energy into an electrical signal or an electrical signal into sound energy.

Voltage – The sensitivity.

Phantom Power – +48v of energy sent down the microphone cable to a condenser microphone from the audio recording or mixing board.

Sensitivity – Output level. Voltage of output signal when exposed to a certain sound level. Can be expressed as decibels below one volt. Most microphone signals are less than one volt so a negative number is used (-50dBV). Higher number means microphone is more sensitive (-30dBV) and a lower number means a less sensitive microphone (-70dBV). This number is meaningless unless you know what sound pressure level (SPL) it was tested with. Most are tested at 94dB/1 Pa. 

Frequency Response – The range of sound a microphone can reproduce and how sensitive the mic is at certain distance. Flat response, equally sensitive to all frequencies. Shaped response, more sensitive to some frequency ranges, adds clarity to vocals. When made less sensitive to low frequencies, picks up less background noise. Some microphones let you adjust frequency response.

Transient – An abrupt change in level. Like a cymbal’s crash or a singer’s T’s or CH’s.

Placement – If the sound source (mainly vocals) is farther away (3-4 ft), the voice is still clear but you get more room noise, which may be good if you want reverberation. Move the sound source even further to get more reverberation. About half a foot away from the mic, is the normal place for a vocalist. You get less room noise and the voice sounds even clearer. Picks up subtle changes in the voice. Moving the sound source to right in front of the microphone will increase the bass (proximity effect), as well as giving the voice a more intimate feel. A pop filter will be needed to prevent some words from “popping”. Like the singer’s P’s.

Proximity Effect – The increase in bass when a sound source is moved closer to the microphone.

Output – More sensitive mics have higher voltage than less sensitive mics.

Characteristics – Sensitivity, Frequency Response, Output, Maximum sound pressure level.

Noise Rating – The signal (sound source) to noise ratio measured in decibels (dB). Noise is any sound in the background you don’t want. Electricity vibrates at 60dB so you want the ratio of the signal and noise to be higher than that. Preferably 90dB or higher.

Mic. Clip – Holds the microphone to the stand

Mic. Stand – Holds up the microphone so the speaker doesn’t have to hold it. Height can be adjusted.

Windscreen/Pop Filter – Reduces breathing and wind noises

Direct Box – Connected to the mixer. Balances various outputs an inputs from the microphone and the mixer.

What I learned

I learned that I quite like the Blue Baby Bottle microphone. It had a very nice quality to it and it also operated very well. It also stands in a way where it takes up very little space.

Day 15

SUMMARY

  • Write your class summary last, at the end of the course here… Only one to two sentences. – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!
  • EXAMPLE: I took a School of Rock class where I… (highlight a few parts of the class that were most significant to you)

LEADERSHIP ACTIVITY

I would rate the Leadership Activity a 5/5, it was a very fun experience and I learned a lot about team work and other things like better constructive criticism.

CLASSROOM (THEORY & ANALYSIS)

I would rate the Classroom a 3, for the most part I already knew about theory so it wasn’t my favorite but I enjoyed when I could use the time as work time.

LAB (THEORY PRACTICED)

I enjoyed the Lab a lot because it gave me a lot of time to work on beats and other things that I wanted to.

5

PRACTICE ROOM (GUITAR LESSONS)

The practice room was OK but it wasn’t my favorite, I don’t enjoy practicing anything but it was still interesting I guess.

3

OUTSIDE (CREATIVITY & THE BRAIN)

I enjoyed this time, I was able to go outside and talk about whatever I liked but I also enjoyed discussing ideas and other such things.

5

STUDIO (SONGWRITING)

The studio was my favorite part of this whole entire experience. I was able to work on tracks that I enjoyed and also help out other people with creating.

CONTROL ROOM (RECORDING & MIXING)

This was another one of my favorites, I would rate this a 5, I enjoyed mixing a lot, it was really satisfying to line up words and beats by hand.

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

I learned to be more careful with buttons because I pressed the wrong one and it messed everything up. I also learned that the process of elimination is very useful as it helps to see what is causing problems.

THE COURSE’s ACTIVITY EVALUATION (OVERALL)

Content (The WHAT)

Rating: OK  – 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5  – HIGHLY ENGAGED

Rating: 3

Mixing was one of my favorites.

I learned that I’m much better at mixing than I thought I was.

Process (The HOW)

Rating: OK  – 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5  – HIGHLY ENGAGED

Rating: 3

I did not like the class structure, I like to be able to do my own thing without instructions.

I didn’t like how structured it was, everything felt like there was too much pressure on it and constantly being nagged about it didn’t help, I only came here to work on some beats.

I would change nothing because I was able to make a few really good beats that I enjoyed creating.

Day 14

SUMMARY

we recorded a lot of audio and also got some bass work done.

LEADERSHIP ACTIVITY

  • EVERYONE: Write a couple sentence update about what you completed on your ‘afternoon’ project in this section of this blog post.
  • Remember to also add an entry to your SMART Goal Page underneath your goal statement.
  • Create a heading titled, ‘July 16th Work’.
  • Write one descriptive paragraph detailing WHAT YOU DID and LEARNED today
  • … AND THEN DELETE ALL THESE WORDS!

Leadership Project (SMART Goal Evidence)

Soundtrap Exporting and Mixing Resources

https://youtube.com/watch?v=yq-BnrEB8Ag%3Fstart%3D1%26feature%3Doembed

PRACTICE ROOM (GUITAR LESSONS)

Nyla used the studio to record more vocals. Tayla practiced bass, and I did some splicing and editing of her vocals from the previous day, later Nyla will need to record the song again in order to complete the wrest of the vocals.

CLASSROOM (THEORY & ANALYSIS)

I did more splicing and editing on the audio and determined which parts of the song were still viable and which were not and deleted the unviable parts from the files so that they could be rerecorded.

LAB (THEORY PRACTICED)

  • Explore the tutorials (but you do not need to watch all of them – just pick what looks interesting to you) from the:
  • Embed a YouTube video link or links you watched
  • Write a reflection on what you learned – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

OUTSIDE (CREATIVITY & THE BRAIN)

Watch how to present with power and poise

https://embed-ssl.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html
https://embed-ssl.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure_how_to_speak_so_that_people_want_to_listen.html
https://www.youtube.com/embed/02EJ1IdC6tE

Great presentations have many ingredients from the structure of the visuals to the delivery. But what makes it all work from voice, eye contact, word choice, body language, the visuals used, etc. Let’s take a look at the act of successfully presenting or pitching an idea to reveal these ingredients.

https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/McHPIxErbeyuAzBrain Rules for Presenters from garr

  • Go for a walk and think about what these videos and the slideshow mean to you.
  • Journal here about that. The more detail the better – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

STUDIO (SONGWRITING)

CONTROL ROOM (RECORDING & MIXING)

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

  • Tell your daily story here!  Highlight what you learned and enjoyed most and at least one problem you solved. Problem-solving is one of the most important skills you need in life. Employers want to know HOW you get stuff done as much as WHAT you got done – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

TODAY’s ACTIVITY EVALUATION

  • Give feedback on the class Content and Process
    • Participation will be part of your leadership project due at the end of the course
  • Fill in the Daily Activity Evaluation

Day 13

SUMMARY

Write your daily summary last, at the end of the day here… Only one to two sentences. – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

LEADERSHIP ACTIVITY

  • We practiced our song “Glimpse of Us” to get a little bit better.

PRACTICE ROOM (GUITAR LESSONS)

  • Sang “Glimpse of Us” from start to finish in order to practice for later.

CLASSROOM (THEORY & ANALYSIS)

I was most likely in the studio recording Nyla singing.

LAB (THEORY PRACTICED)

  • We had a problem because the signal being sent out to hot and it was overloading the circuit instantly because I accidentally fat fingered a button on the back of the BIG KNOB.

OUTSIDE (CREATIVITY & THE BRAIN)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=GXy__kBVq1M%3Ffeature%3Doembed
  • I thought about how being happier can make me more successful and feel much better about myself.

STUDIO (SONGWRITING)

More recording in studio

CONTROL ROOM (RECORDING & MIXING)

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

  • Tell your daily story here!  Highlight what you learned and enjoyed most and at least one problem you solved. Problem-solving is one of the most important skills you need in life. Employers want to know HOW you get stuff done as much as WHAT you got done – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

TODAY’s ACTIVITY EVALUATION

  • Give feedback on the class Content and Process
    • Participation will be part of your leadership project due at the end of the course
  • Fill in the Daily Activity Evaluation

Day 12

LEADERSHIP ACTIVITY

Practiced “Glimpse of Us” and also did some piano.

 Goal Page: Progress For Today

PRACTICE ROOM (GUITAR LESSONS)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=b2XXzcQhPvc%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Practiced keyboard/piano.

CLASSROOM (THEORY & ANALYSIS)

LAB (THEORY PRACTICED)

Made a new beat that came out interesting.

OUTSIDE (CREATIVITY & THE BRAIN)

Listened to music outside for inspiration.

STUDIO (SONGWRITING)

CONTROL ROOM (RECORDING & MIXING)

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

  • Tell your daily story here!  Highlight what you learned and enjoyed most and at least one problem you solved. Problem-solving is one of the most important skills you need in life. Employers want to know HOW you get stuff done as much as WHAT you got done – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

TODAY’s ACTIVITY EVALUATION

  • Give feedback on the class Content and Process
    • Participation will be part of your leadership project due at the end of the course
  • Fill in the Daily Activity Evaluation

Day 11

LEADERSHIP ACTIVITY

  • EVERYONE: Write a couple sentence update about what you completed on your ‘afternoon’ project in this section of this blog post.
  • Remember to also add an entry to your Goal Page underneath your goal statement.
  • Create a heading titled, ‘July 13th Work’.
  • Write one descriptive paragraph detailing WHAT YOU DID and LEARNED today
  • … AND THEN DELETE ALL THESE WORDS!

Goal Page: Progress For Today

  1. Welcome to show and tell!
  2. Embed media as evidence of today’s progress (SHOW)
  3. Write an update about your leadership project progress (TELL)
  4. Delete Mr. Le Duc’s instructions – yes, these instructions – yes the instructions you are reading right now!

PRACTICE ROOM (GUITAR LESSONS)

CLASSROOM (THEORY & ANALYSIS)

I thought that it was interesting when he explained power chords, they sound difficult to do but they’re really just two notes paired together in a way that works.

LAB (THEORY PRACTICED)

  • Explore the tutorials (but you do not need to watch all of them – just pick what looks interesting to you) from the:
  • Embed a YouTube video link or links you watched
  • Write a reflection on what you learned – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

OUTSIDE (CREATIVITY & THE BRAIN)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=TZYIJDtt3mU%3Fstart%3D1%26feature%3Doembed

“…a seemingly simple experiment devised by Walter Mischel to test will power: put a kid in a room with a marshmallow, and tell her if she can resist eating it for 15 minutes, she can have 2 marshmallows. It turns out the kids who could wait were much more likely to be successful as adults. “- RadioLab.org – Your Future in a Marshmallow

  • Two sources for more information on your success and delayed gratification
  • Radio Lab
  • This American Life
    • This American Life podcast Back to School
    • Listen to act 1 from minute 3:45 to 37:00.  Then skipped to Act 2 from 43:00 until the end.
    • Take notes
  • Take notes on important steps to help you succeed
  • Go for a walk and think about what this video meant to you.
  • Journal here about that. The more detail the better – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

STUDIO (SONGWRITING)

CONTROL ROOM (RECORDING & MIXING)

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

  • I learned which faders turn on which mics

TODAY’s ACTIVITY EVALUATION

  • Give feedback on the class Content and Process
    • Participation will be part of your leadership project due at the end of the course
  • Fill in the Daily Activity Evaluation

LEADERSHIP ACTIVITY

  • EVERYONE: Write a couple sentence update about what you completed on your ‘afternoon’ project in this section of this blog post.
  • Remember to also add an entry to your Goal Page underneath your goal statement.
  • Create a heading titled, ‘July 9th Work’.
  • Write one descriptive paragraph detailing WHAT YOU DID and LEARNED today
  • … AND THEN DELETE ALL THESE WORDS!

PRACTICE ROOM (GUITAR LESSONS)

CLASSROOM (THEORY & ANALYSIS)

LAB (THEORY PRACTICED)

  • Explore the tutorials (but you do not need to watch all of them – just pick what looks interesting to you) from the:
  • Embed a YouTube video link or links you watched
  • Write a reflection on what you learned – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

OUTSIDE (CREATIVITY & THE BRAIN)

  • Listen to Kevin Kelly Interview: Part 1 (Full Episode) from The Tim Ferriss Show (Podcast)
    • “He is Senior Maverick at Wired magazine, which he co-founded in 1993. He also co-founded the All Species Foundation, a non-profit aimed at cataloging and identifying every living species on earth. In his spare time, he writes bestselling books, co-founded the Rosetta Project, which is building an archive of ALL documented human languages and serves on the board of the Long Now Foundation. As part of the last, he’s investigating how to revive and restore endangered or extinct species, including the Wooly Mammoth.” – From YouTube video description
  • Go for a walk and think about what this video meant to you.
  • Embed a YouTube video link or links you watched
  • Journal here about that. The more detail the better – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

STUDIO (SONGWRITING)

  • Watch Holistic Songwriting: Songwriting Corner
  • Watch Holistic Songwriting: Songwriting Exercises (you do not need the cards)
  • Watch Holistic Songwriting: 5 Minute Lessons (you do not need the cards)
  • Embed a YouTube video link or links you watched
  • Write what was most interesting to you learned – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

CONTROL ROOM (RECORDING & MIXING)

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

  • Tell your daily story here!  Highlight what you learned and enjoyed most and at least one problem you solved. Problem-solving is one of the most important skills you need in life. Employers want to know HOW you get stuff done as much as WHAT you got done – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

TODAY’s ACTIVITY EVALUATION

  • Give feedback on the class Content and Process
    • Participation will be part of your leadership project due at the end of the course
  • Fill in the Daily Activity Evaluation

Day 8

SUMMARY

Write your daily summary last, at the end of the day here… Only one to two sentences. – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

LEADERSHIP ACTIVITY

  1. Pick one of the following: Leading by being part of a team or Leading by example
  2. Place your project idea, the description, and the outcome here: bit.ly/2ZxekGt
  3. Write the same thing above these instructions about under the LEADERSHIP ACTIVITY heading
  4. Delete Mr. Le Duc’s instructions – yes, these instructions – yes the instructions you are reading right now!

PRACTICE ROOM (GUITAR LESSONS)

CLASSROOM (THEORY & ANALYSIS)

LAB (THEORY PRACTICED)

  • Explore the tutorials (but you do not need to watch all of them – just pick what looks interesting to you) from the:
  • Embed a YouTube video link or links you watched
  • Write a reflection on what you learned – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

OUTSIDE (CREATIVITY & THE BRAIN)

  • Watch and Listen to Adriel Wallick’s creative process (even though it’s about game design, it’s still a great process for any creative person)
  • Go for a walk and think about what this video meant to you.
  • Embed a YouTube video link or links you watched
  • Journal here about that. The more detail the better – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

STUDIO (SONGWRITING)

  • Watch Holistic Songwriting: Songwriting Corner
  • Watch Holistic Songwriting: Songwriting Exercises (you do not need the cards)
  • Watch Holistic Songwriting: 5 Minute Lessons (you do not need the cards)
  • Embed a YouTube video link or links you watched
  • Write what was most interesting to you learned – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

CONTROL ROOM (RECORDING & MIXING)

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

  • Tell your daily story here!  Highlight what you learned and enjoyed most and at least one problem you solved. Problem-solving is one of the most important skills you need in life. Employers want to know HOW you get stuff done as much as WHAT you got done – AND THEN DELETE THESE WORDS!

TODAY’s ACTIVITY EVALUATION

  • Give feedback on the class Content and Process
    • Participation will be part of your leadership project due at the end of the course
  • Fill in the Daily Activity Evaluation

Day 6

SUMMARY

Write your daily summary last, at the end of the day here… Only one to two sentences. DELETE ALL OF MR. LE DUC’s INSTRUCTIONS DETAILED ABOVE AFTER COMPLETING THEM

CLASSROOM

Watch How Bass Works (47 minutes)

Bass is the base of our music, without it music sounds very different and not as rich and full as it does with out.

LAB

Step 1: Watch How to write Chromatic Notes in Hookpad (some bass lines are based on chromatic scale)

screenshot from HookTab

Step 2: Watch 3 ways to use Hookpad’s MIDI drag-drop feature (you can create basslines and more and export to Soundtrap and other DAW – digital audio workstations)

Step 3: Try making a bassline to a chord progression or melody line.

Screenshot from HookLab

How was this activity? Write a reflection on what you did and learned. DELETE ALL OF MR. LE DUC’s INSTRUCTIONS DETAILED ABOVE AFTER COMPLETING THEM

PRACTICE ROOM

Step 1: Watch How To Add Bass Notes Guitar Strumming Lessons by Tomas Michaud

Screenshot from Tomas Michaud video

Step 2: Download the guitar TABS for his exercise (PDF)

Step 3: Practice one of the exercises

Write a brief reflection on how both of these exercises are working. DELETE ALL OF MR. LE DUC’s INSTRUCTIONS DETAILED ABOVE AFTER COMPLETING THEM

Profile in Excellence

Screenshot from Polyphonic at YouTube

Profile in Excellence

Image from Wikipedia

OUTSIDE / JOURNAL / IDEAS

Choice 1: Explore Carol Kaye and James Jamerson’s Profiles in Excellent.  These are two bass players are credited with creating some of the best bass lines!  Then go for a walk and think of the funky work they created.

Choice 2: Flip through the Quizlet on Bass Composition Techniques flashcards a couple times.

After playing with Quizlet, go for a walk and think about bass lines.  Think of songs that have great basslines.  When you are back from your walk, you might want to research more about the notes that make those basslines stand out?

Screenshot from Quizlet Bass Composition Techniques

Write a brief reflection on your mental meanderings. DELETE ALL OF MR. LE DUC’s INSTRUCTIONS DETAILED ABOVE AFTER COMPLETING THEM

STUDIO

Play around with playing the low E string (6th string on the top of the neck) on your guitar. Create a simple three note-ish bassline. Get funky with it.  Try different plucking tempos to great the groove. You can even try playing Smoke on the Water

Screenshot from Kidsguitarzone.com

What did you compose? Write a reflection on what you did. DELETE ALL OF MR. LE DUC’s INSTRUCTIONS DETAILED ABOVE AFTER COMPLETING THEM

CONTROL ROOM

Record the bass line you developed in the studio.

How did the recording go? Write a short reflection. DELETE ALL OF MR. LE DUC’s INSTRUCTIONS DETAILED ABOVE AFTER COMPLETING THEM

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

Tell your daily story here!  Highlight what you learned and enjoyed most and at least one problem you solved. Problem-solving is one of the most important skills you need in life. Employers want to know HOW you get stuff done as much as WHAT you got done. DELETE ALL OF MR. LE DUC’s INSTRUCTIONS DETAILED ABOVE AFTER COMPLETING THEM

DAILY ACTIVITY EVALUATION

  • Give feedback on the class Content and Process
    • Participation will be part of your leadership project due at the end of the course
  • Fill in the Daily Activity Evaluation