Recording an Audio CD

His diploma thesis, recording an audio CD, is nearing completion. The diploma thesis represented a major challenge for the author, as he is more skilled in working with live sound engineering. In the theoretical part of the diploma thesis, he presented where he would record, selected appropriate recording equipment, briefly presented what microphones are and which ones he would use, presented the recording process and post-production (the editing process, which effects he would add, mastering), and in the conclusion described how he designed the cover and disc, and later burnt the CD. In principle, I use this mixing desk at weekends on stages, but he found that it performs more than excellently in the studio. He recorded a folk-entertainment ensemble, they recorded ** simultaneously multi-track**, and later corrected certain things.

Problem

His diploma thesis, recording an audio CD, is nearing completion. The diploma thesis represented a major challenge for the author, as he is more skilled in working with live sound engineering. The studio had been quite foreign to the author until this point.

He found that studio and stage sound reinforcement are different, although they also have much in common. With this diploma thesis, he learnt that many a thing is quite different when you get to know it more closely. He had always thought that work in the studio was sometimes easier.

If something goes wrong, you can always record again, you have time to discover mistakes, you can think and examine why something does not sound as it should, whilst on stage you must act quickly, here in the studio more time is available. However, he discovered that in studio work everything is much more audible, more concentrated listening is required, always searching for something new and so on. I think the biggest challenge for the author was precisely mastering, as until now I had not even imagined how it proceeds.

The author in the diploma thesis dealt with recording an audio CD.

Solution and Method

In the theoretical part of the diploma thesis, he presented where he would record, selected appropriate recording equipment, briefly presented what microphones are and which ones he would use, presented the recording process and post-production (the editing process, which effects he would add, mastering), and in the conclusion described how he designed the cover and disc, and later burnt the CD. He successfully completed the recording, and later processed the recordings further. For the necessary recording, he used various microphones (Shure Beta 58A, Sennheiser MD441, Shure PGA81) and a Behringer X18 mixing desk, which he also used as a ** sound card**.

Results

In principle, I use this mixing desk at weekends on stages, but he found that it performs more than excellently in the studio. He recorded a folk-entertainment ensemble, they recorded simultaneously multi-track, and later corrected certain things. Some compositions were recorded with each instrument separately.

After recording, he had to mix the resulting recordings (as it is called in jargon), arranged the channels (** panning, equaliser, compressors, effects**) and also described each of these processes. When all this was recorded together, well mixed, critical listening followed, and then mastering. Mastering was personally the most difficult part of the diploma thesis for me. In mastering, one must add the same elements as above, we also add some stereo equaliser and so on.

The author in the diploma thesis described that we can compare this part to building a house. With the mix itself we build everything, but we embellish it later with mastering, where we add the final appearance of the composition; with the mix we build modules, which we later assemble into a house with mastering. The essential thing with mixing and mastering is that in mixing we can work in any sequence, but we must certainly work in the highest possible quality.

In mastering, we determine the sequence for a particular medium (CD, record, single…), the final export format and produce the master, or the product from which ** distribution copies** are later made. In mixing we work on an individual composition, whilst in mastering we work on the final product. For a CD, we also need a cover, and this he designed in ** Adobe Photoshop, whilst he printed the disc in the programme ** CD Label Print. His diploma thesis was based on experience and theory that he had been acquiring for several years, when he learnt the skills of audio production on the go and in the field.

Very little written material was accessible to the author, almost nothing; much of everything is on the internet, but everything is written more generally, so he used much of his own knowledge, but also used some online sources. Work in the studio is certainly not as simple as he had imagined. Personally, he had imagined that work in the studio was easier than live work, or sound reinforcement of a group on stage.

Through this diploma thesis, he found that studio work is more difficult; certainly he also gained quite a bit of experience in this field through this thesis, which will help the author greatly in this work. However, I think the stage will remain what the author still likes better and what pleases me more.