ABSTRACT
Although much of the magic in many productions stems from a marriage of live performers and microphones, I’d like to start this primer by eliminating both these variables from the proceedings, so that we can fi rst concentrate on the bedrock studio techniques you’ll need for pretty much every recording job you attempt. As such, our fi rst goal will be learning to record samples from playback machines that directly output an electrical signal-things like radios, TVs, CD players, and mobile devices. On the face of things, this might seem a rather unedifying prospect, but bear with me, because it’s actually the quickest way to fast-track your basic technical skills. If you can learn to do this task right every time, then you’ll avoid the embarrassment of elementary goofs and the frustration of unnecessary delays once musicians are in the room. In addition, this activity should iron out the most common small-studio confi guration problems, thereby preparing your core recording system for the rigors of serious music sessions.
