Red Flame - Audio Production, Music Lessons, Workshops in Calgary, AB

Private Copying Levy

2012-01-16T21:59:26Z

Frankly I did not know anything about the copying levy fee for blank recordable media. However, when I recently visited London Drugs to purchase some blank CD-Rs for my studio, the levy fees added up in a significant way. Each spindle of 50 CDs was about $18, but I was charged an additional $14.50 per spindle. Since I bought 4 spindles, my bill added up to more than $100! If there wasn't any levy fee, my bill would have only been a little over $70. It may seem like a small difference, but it adds up pretty fast when you're purchasing multiple spindles.

As owner of a studio, I took some exception to this levy and had some lingering questions in my mind:

I'm not going to be burning CDs with copyrighted material. The CD-Rs are going to be used for burning my own demos, or for the sake of artists who come to record at my studio.
Where does the levy fee go to? Does it go back to the artist? The record labels? The government? If it is being used merely for the purpose of stopping piracy, then is it actually helping?
Is recordable media really the problem here? Most people store their data on hard drives, not CD-Rs. Maybe DVD-Rs, but rarely CD-Rs.

However, as I started to learn more about this fee, I started to see its benefits. For one thing, it is being collected by the Canadian Private Copying Collective. The primary purpose of the CPCC is to collect and distribute levies to artists and labels. Therefore, these levy fees can be of benefit to artists across the country.

Naturally, I still have some questions about how this all works, but perhaps I can get an interview with an expert on this subject and explore it in more detail.

For more information, make sure to visit the CPCC website.

Introduction to Digital Recording: The Engineer

2011-12-16T18:51:48Z

What is the engineer's role in the studio? What does he or she do? Why are they so integral to the recording process?

Generally speaking, the engineer is the person in charge of operating all of the software and hardware in the studio. They are responsible for setting up microphones, checking levels and inputs, operating the click track, hitting the 'record' and 'stop' buttons, and even editing, mixing, and mastering audio. In short, an engineer is responsible for a lot of what happens in the studio.

However, how they go about their work largely depends on the direction decided upon by the producer and the band. An engineer's job is to help make the team's vision come to reality. This may inform what microphones the engineer uses, what room the band records in, what drums, keyboards, amps, or guitars they use, or what tempo the track is set at. The team's overall vision and how the engineer interprets that vision is what will ultimately affect the outcome of the project.

As you can see, having a qualified, creative, and open-minded engineer is integral to bringing your vision as an artist to fruition.

Don't Rate Your Progress Based on One Month

2011-12-09T19:29:06Z

Worse yet, don't base it on one or two lessons! I have talked on this subject a fair bit already, but I think it's worth stating again: don't rate your musical progress based on a month's worth of practice and lessons!

I still have parents asking me how their kids are doing. Don't get me wrong; I think this is a legitimate concern. However, this question almost always carries some other hidden undertones or implications. The question is really, "are we getting our money's worth?", or "we're not seeing any immediate progress, is this of any use?", or something along those lines.

The attitude is subtle, but ultimately defeatist. I would not recommend asking this question in front of your child, if at all possible. With that in mind, allow me to address this concern in a couple of ways:

Building a Consistent Habit

Ultimately, practice is about building a consistent habit. I realize that not everyone gets into the habit of practice straight away. In a sense, it is important to build an "unreasonable passion" or "burning desire" for music. Really what this comes down to is goal setting. While it is a teacher's job to facilitate an environment for goal setting, it is the pupil who has to carry out the practice regime and tasks necessary for that goal's fulfillment.

Let's be honest here: have you ever set a goal for yourself (like a New Year's resolution, for example), and you hesitated to get started? Or maybe you gunned it right out of the gate, but ran out of gas a month or two later. The truth is few people have ever attained anything great without consistent and habitual action.

Let me put it this way: When you started your workout regime, did you expect to see instantaneous results? Did you expect your abs to be cut, your chest to be chiseled, and your legs ripped in a matter of days? Maybe you did, and that's why you gave up. Bottom line is this: it's easy to do, but it's easy not to do (to learn more about this, check out the book, the Slight Edge by Jeff Olson).

The Slight Edge

Building a habit can take 21 to 30 days (it is not instantaneous!). Try an experiment: help your child practice his or her instrument for 20 minutes every day for 30 days. The first 30 days are not negotiable. After that, you can decide together whether or not you want to continue with that strict of a schedule.

In my experience, you can't judge the results of a few days' work. You can't judge the results of a few weeks work. It can be hard to judge the results of a month's worth. My recommendation is to give it 10 years, but that can be an overwhelming thought, so here's my suggestion: give it a year. In a year's time, the effort put forth will catch up with your child. You don't get to see that in a matter of weeks. It's hard to see after a single month. However, if you were to reflect after a year's work - where he or she was when they first started and where they're at at the end - you will be amazed at the results.

I don't claim to be an expert when it comes to muscle memory. However, I do know that it's individual. Everyone takes a different amount of time to absorb a certain musical passage (of course, practice is a factor too). It doesn't make anyone better or worse. It just means that everyone learns at their own rate.

Introduction to Digital Recording: Mixing

2011-12-08T21:16:47Z

What is mixing and why is it so important? Once an engineer has completed the task of editing, he will generally begin work on mixing the audio. This is where the engineer, in essence, carves out a section for every instrument in the stereo spectrum.

Here are some other things that begin to happen in the mixing process:

Tracks are panned. This involves placing a particular track or instrument in the stereo spectrum (left, right, and center). It is possible to do a lot of fine tuning here. However, there are many engineers who opt to have about 5 points in the stereo spectrum in which they distribute the tracks. In other words: far left, left middle, center, right middle, far right. Guitar tracks, for example, are typically placed on the left or right sides of a mix.
Track levels are adjusted. After the tracks have been recorded, it is still possible to adjust their overall levels (or volume) in the mix. This is perhaps the most basic of all mixing techniques. Vocals are generally loudest in the mix, while other instruments are adjusted accordingly. At this stage, some engineers will also automate tracks. This involves boosting or cutting an instrument's level at a particular point in the mix. For example, a guitar track might be boosted if it goes from a rhythm part to a lead. A vocal track might be automated if the vocalist got a particular syllable louder than intended.
Effects are applied. Reverb, echo and delay are used to give the illusion of depth; this is especially useful when parts of the song have been recorded in a "dead space". EQ is used to carve out an instrument's sound. It is much like a guitar amp that has a treble, mid, and bass knob. Each of these knobs or parameters is adjusted in order to achieve different sounds. Compression is used to create a consistent dynamic level in an instrument. For example, a vocal part might vary from quiet all the way to loud. Sometimes, in order to smooth out the levels between the huge discrepancies in the dynamic spectrum, compression will be used. Sometimes, however, compression is not used at all, in order to keep more of the dynamics. There are a variety of other effects that are sometimes applied.

We've only scratched the surface here, but those are some of the things that go in to mixing a track.

Introduction to Digital Recording: Editing Audio

2011-12-08T02:56:22Z

Although a musician won't always be involved in the engineering side of things, it is good to be aware of what an engineer's work is, and what it entails.

Editing audio is essentially the first step to mixing audio. Although it isn't always the most time consuming part, it is fair to say that it takes a considerable amount of time and effort to complete. This process might involve: a) removing tracks not being used, b) trimming tracks at the beginning or end, c) trimming tracks with silent parts, or d) other. It is not uncommon for a vocalist to have little breaks between lyrics, and these breaks are sometimes trimmed or cut off completely. Obviously this depends a lot on the direction the producer and engineer have decided upon.

This process is sometimes called "cleaning up a mix". For an engineer, it is much easier to look at a screen with fewer tracks, thereby getting rid of some of the distractions. If there are any excess tracks that are not being used in the final mix, sometimes they will "delete" them in order to clean up their workspace. This doesn't necessarily mean that data is being lost, however, as the tracks that have already been recorded will remain on the hard drive.

David Andrew Wiebe on Episode 97 of the Inside Home Recording Podcast

2011-12-06T18:27:36Z

I was recently asked to be on the Inside Home Recording podcast! This was a real honor for me, and a vision-come-true. Check it out!

Inside Home Recording | Episode 97 with David Andrew Wiebe

DAW Universal Update #2: December 3, 2011

2011-12-06T05:16:04Z

David Andrew Wiebe lets us know what's going on in his life and online world. Subjects include: blogging frequency, Inside Home Recording, current projects, and more.

Introduction to Digital Recording: Coming Well-Rehearsed

2011-11-29T21:47:44Z

While it may seem like common sense to prepare for a gig or a recording session, it is amazing how few people actually do it. And, even if they do prepare, they don't always prepare well. If there is one thing to be over prepared for as a musician, it would be a recording session.

Occasionally there are things that fly in a live situation. Sometimes the overall "tightness" of the band tends to mask or gloss over the "little things". In a recording studio, however, these seemingly inconsequential flaws are amplified and exaggerated. Every little scrape of the guitar strings, waver in a vocalist's pitch, or off time kick drum beat will be audible in the studio.

That's not a problem if your intention is to record an album with a "live feel". There are many bands that used to record in the same room simultaneously. This is not necessarily a "bad way" to record, but there are fewer bands doing it. Most bands are overdubbing their parts individually these days (i.e. First, the drums, then the bass, then the guitar, and then the vocals).

The implication here is that you can record the same part an unlimited number of times in order to get your best performance. There is, however, a balance that should be struck with your producer, band, or engineer. Spending hours in a studio isn't necessarily time-effective or cost-effective. Perfection isn't necessarily the result anyone is looking for; it can destroy a project. Consequently, the best thing you can do as a musician is come prepared.

Let's take some time to define what that means. Coming prepared means coming practiced or rehearsed. Certainly it's a good thing if you've had the chance to perform the song (to be recorded) dozens or even hundreds of times. However, that isn't always enough. Bring things back to a basic level. Practice with a metronome (you are going to be playing to a click track after all) at a slower tempo than you're use to performing the song. Listen with a critical ear and notice the little imperfections. Don't be too critical; that can be discouraging. However, practice listening impartially as much as possible. Take the time to notice every nuance of what you are doing.

Typically, it's not hard to separate the beginners from the pros. Beginners will often stop mid-track if they make any kind of error. Pros will keep going until the track is finished, even if they make a mistake, just in case there is anything in their performance that can be salvaged or sparks new ideas. Beginners don't generally bring any ideas to the table. They don't have any notes (it's a good idea to at least make some mental notes about what you are going to do), they don't experiment, and they collapse under pressure. By contrast, the pros will come prepared with a bunch of ideas to explore, keep focused, and generally just try to enjoy the experience.

Finally, how well should you come prepared? An old saying we've always used at Red Flame goes something like this: "know how to play your part forwards and backwards". Practice to the point where you feel you've over-practiced, and chances are it will be just the right amount.

Introduction to Digital Recording: Overdubbing

2011-11-29T04:22:52Z

Overdubbing is a common practice in a modern studio. Considering it was not commonly used until Les Paul made innovations in multi-tracking, it is still a relatively new technology. However, it is being used in just about every recording environment imaginable today.

While it is possible to record a virtually unlimited number of tracks at the advent of digital recording technology, there used to be greater limitations. For example, there was a time when a band could only record up to 4 separate tracks. If they wanted to add more, the 4 tracks had to be bounced and mixed down to 1 track, which meant that the previous 4 tracks could not be edited anymore.

There are bands like Queen that have taken advantage of multi-tracking to an extreme. Brian May says he used to overdub something like 30 guitar tracks, and certainly their huge, layered, choral sounding vocal sounds were not accomplished without the use of multi-tracking.

There are many bands today that create their guitar sound through the use of 2 guitarists. Both guitarists use different gear, and have different playing styles, so when their 2 performances are mixed together it sounds significantly different than if only 1 guitar was playing. Some single guitarist bands have also taken advantage of this idea by recording the same guitar part twice using a different amp or different EQ setting. And you thought they got their awesome legendary tone with only one guitar performance! More often than not, that is not the case anymore. Keith Richards, for example, was said to have recorded his parts through 2 guitar amps, one dirty and one clean!

Some producers even use "digital sounds" or MIDI instruments in order to thicken up the tone of a particular instrument. For example, I have heard that some producers use a sampled sound of a snare to thicken up the existing snare sound. While it could be somewhat time consuming to accomplish this process, the end result could very well be what the band, producer, or engineer envisioned.

There are many other reasons and practical applications for multi-tracking. Suffice it to say, multi-tracking is common practice in a studio today. Simply put, it is the ability to "record over", or add additional parts to an existing recording.

Introduction to Digital Recording: Microphones

2011-11-25T06:03:01Z

While it is true that software has replaced many hardware components in the modern recording world, software has not yet replaced microphones. Microphones are still a vital part of a recording studio.

In essence, there are two important parameters when it comes to microphones:

There are different types of microphones that are used for different purposes. In general, you wouldn't use the same mic for a kick drum on a guitar amp. Without getting too complicated, this is because different types of microphones have different frequency responses, or in simpler terms, coloration.
Microphone placement affects the overall sound of what is being recorded. If you place a microphone two feet away from a guitar amp, as opposed to 6 inches away from the amp, you will get a different sound. A microphone placed at the 12th fret of an acoustic guitar, and another microphone placed behind the bridge of an acoustic guitar is going to produce different results. Microphone positioning and placement can create a variety of different results.

Introduction to Digital Recording: Click Track

2011-11-22T21:53:38Z

Click tracks have been around long before digital recording. However, if you are entering a studio situation fresh, it's something you will probably want to know about in advance.

So, what is a click track? In essence, it's something to keep musicians on time. By that I don't mean that you arrive at the studio on time or leave on time. What I mean is that a click track is an auditory device that 'clicks' at certain intervals, keeping you on time while you are performing.

A click track will 'click' at faster or slower rates depending on what you have the tempo set at. The reality is that every song has a tempo. Some songs have multiple tempos. Some songs are in 4/4 time, while others are in 12/8 time (and the click track will adjust accordingly). Quite simply, most studios are recording with click tracks today.

If you've ever been told to practice with a metronome, that is sound advice, because when you enter a studio, chances are good that you will be playing to a click track or at the very least, a drum beat that has been pre-recorded. Keeping time is an important skill to have as a musician.

Does this mean that click tracks are always used in a studio environment? No. In fact, there are certain producers who have moved away from using click tracks at all, citing that they get more organic performances from the musicians.

Certainly perfection has been taken to the extreme in studio projects in recent years. That's because you now have a virtually unlimited number of tracks to work with. There are bands that used to record around a single microphone and kept playing the song until it sounded right. This wasn't particularly time efficient or cost effective. Nowadays, you can come back to a part and overdub it or track it an unlimited number of times, as long as money and time and patience isn't an issue.

Bottom line: a click track is an auditory device that helps keep you on time.

Introduction to Digital Rcording: Digital Audio Workstations

2011-11-19T19:22:59Z

If you are new to the studio environment, one of the things you will want to know about is the Digital Audio Workstation or DAW. In simple terms, a DAW is a piece of software that does a lot of things that traditional hardware recording components used to do.

Does it replace all outboard studio gear? Not necessarily. It is very common to see a combination of hardware devices used in conjunction with a DAW and other computer software. However, in some cases it has taken the place of a traditional mixing board as many people have come accustomed to seeing in studios.

What is the function and purpose of a DAW? The first thing to understand here is that most studios are now recording to a computer hard drive as opposed to an onboard disc, tape, or other external devices. A DAW enables you to record directly to your hard drive, allowing for quick access times.

Another function of a DAW is the ability to edit, mix, or master recorded tracks. We will be covering these subjects in greater detail later, but for now it's good to know that you can arrange, cut, paste, pan, and do a variety of other things to your audio files in a DAW environment.

You can also apply a variety of effects from a DAW platform. Originally this was done through the use of outboard gear. However, there exists a large array of plug-ins, called VST or Virtual Studio Technology plug-ins that serve the same function that many racks of outboard gear used to serve. With the use of a DAW, you can apply just about every effect imaginable, including EQ, modulation effects, distortion, among others.

In short, a large part of today's audio production is carried out on a piece of computer software called a Digital Audio Workstation.

Introduction to Digital Recording

2011-11-18T06:15:16Z

Earlier this year I had the idea to put together an introduction to recording workshop. This workshop is now available by request. Presented here, for the first time, is some of the information and practical knowledge you could gain by participating in this workshop (not as hands-on as the real thing). I have plans of putting together an audio series on digital recording for musicians and audio engineers, so these blog posts will serve as building blocks and blueprints for that project.

Much like the music industry at large, the recording and studio world has changed a lot in the last couple of decades. Hardware has come down in price. Recording studios are no longer operating on hardware components alone. Most of them now use software devices like DAWs, also known as Digital Audio Workstations. More than ever, it has become an affordable proposition to set up a home studio and even create startlingly good results. In fact, I've often jested that if you're going to spend $5,000 - 10,000 on a recording course or audio engineering diploma, you could just as soon start a home studio on a healthy budget. For better or worse, this is not far from the truth.

This course may not equip you with everything you need to know. It is not intended as a comprehensive overview of all the details that come with running a studio, such as power conditioners, proper ground, electrical circuits, or all the cables you're going to need. Describing these details in an article or an audio program would certainly prove to be painful at best. I might make the occasional reference to these things, but ultimately they are beyond the scope of this program.

More concisely, this course is geared toward studio newbie's with very little or no experience. I will be talking about things from the perspective of a musician who still doesn't know what it means to work in a studio setting. What are the things a musician should know before ever entering a recording studio? How can they show up prepared and equipped to give their best performance?

With that in mind, it is often said that a true master is a master of the basics, so certainly even a master with an open mind could take away a couple of nuggets from this course.

Bad Work, Good Work, or Great Work

2011-11-17T05:15:20Z

The latest entry in the AC Podcast is an interview with Michael Bungay Stanier. He talks about the difference between bad work, good work, and great work, and how we often settle for good work in place of great work. What is great work? It's something you can tell your friends about without any hesitation! Good work is something you have to describe in "creative terms". Listen to the episode for more great insights!

The Value of Practicing Every Day

2011-11-15T05:42:22Z

If you've been taking music lessons for any length of time, then you've probably heard about the value of practice. If you have yet to establish a practice regime, then perhaps it has not been stated clearly enough. In fact, I don't think it can be overstated. Practice is the key to improvement.

Why is practice so important? Well, there are a number of reasons and explanations.

Repetition Builds Muscle Memory

If you've been taking lessons with me, you may have heard me say this before. What does it mean? Let's talk about muscle memory first.

Basically, most things we do like typing, driving, or even playing video games involves some kind of muscle memory. If you had to stop and think about every little action you took, like what button to push at what time (as in video games), life would be an uphill process. Every time you come to a red light, you would have to remember to step on the brake. However, if you've been doing the same thing for any length of time, it starts to happen automatically. You don't have to think about it anymore.

Repetition is the magic key ingredient in developing muscle memory. If you don't give your muscles anything to remember, how are they supposed to remember it? This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to practice something for hours. However, next time you sit down to play something, try setting a goal of how many times you're going to repeat that exercise or riff; 10 times, 20 times, 50 times, 100 times...

Then, rest. What? Yes, I said rest. How do you expect your muscles to remember something if you're not giving them enough rest? Everybody takes a different number of repetitions for something to become embedded in their muscle memory. However, you also need to rest your muscles for this to work. Don't worry about what anyone else is doing; just do what you need to do to work towards your goals. Besides, you don't want to develop repetitive stress injuries.

It's Easier to Start and Keep Going than it is to Stop and Start Again

This is a phrase describing momentum. Momentum can't easily be stopped after a certain point. The trick is that it takes time to develop. If you get into the habit of practicing every day, repeat that action over and over, it will become your new default. Once you have gotten to that point, you don't have to think about it anymore. It's not a question of if you're going to practice or not, it's a question of what and how long.

When you continue to practice, put in the days, months, and years (yes, years), all your practice is going to catch up with you. That's why I don't worry about seeing immediate progress. Somewhere down the line it will catch up with me, and I will be able to do what used to be hard. I won't be able to stop the wave of results coming my way.

You're Improving Even When You're Not Improving

This relates to what I just finished saying. You don't always see instant results from the hours you put in. It doesn't mean you're not getting better. It doesn't mean you're going backwards, even when it may feel like it. It means that your muscle memory is processing the movements you're feeding it. Don't get discouraged, and just know that your ship is coming in!

The Snowball Effect

I don't think I need to say much more at this point. Hours of practice adds up, causing you to become a better player, better able to process and handle a variety of techniques, scales, styles, and riffs without much conscious thought. That is our ultimate goal, is it not? We want to become unconsciously competent at our instrument.