audio language lesson 4

That's the obligatory "self portrait of me twiddling knobs on the biggest desk I could find" photo.

Today we are going to leave microphones alone for a while a talk about some audio terms which can get a little confusing.

The mixing desk is central to many audio set ups.  It's that thing with all the knobs on it.  And yes I do know what all those knobs do.  The mixing desk, also known as mixer, console, sound board, can also simply be called the desk.  Now we all know a desk as something that you sit at to do such studious things as reading and writing, so it can be a little confusing when the mixer is also called the desk, especially if there is a desk nearby.  So when someone says they left the tape on the desk, you might find yourself looking in the wrong place.

 Incidentally, the term "desk tape" refers to a recording made directly from the live mixing console.  eg. When a band performs a gig, the engineer can make a recording of the live mix, and that's called a desk tape.  Even if you burn a CD, it's called a desk tape.

Many recording studios are hard disk based these days, but it is still very common to hear people talking in terms of tape.  Even if there is no tape machine to be seen, you will hear phrases such as "let's put it to tape", and "rolling tape".

Another confusing, but important term in audio is "monitor".  Monitor can refer to computer screens.  It can also be the term given to studio speakers.  This can be confusing when you have computer screens right next to speakers, like in the photo.  And in live sound, monitors refer to the foldback speakers.  Foldback speakers are the speakers on stage pointing at the performers so they can hear themselves.  In larger PA setups it's common to have one person mixing the foldback and and a different person mixing the main sound for the audience.  If someone is "on monitors", it means they are mixing the foldback.

"Front of house" is the term given to the space in front of the stage ie where the audience is.  The front of house sound system is that which is pointing out to the audience.  So the person mixing this is the "front of house engineer".

A test

Who watched Australian Idol tonight?   Who can name the 2 microphones the contestants were using during their individual masterclasses with Suzi Quatro?

These 2 mics I have taught you about in my previous audio language classes.  There was a squarish looking mic on a stand, and there was one they were holding in their hand, not plugged in.

A prize may or may not be coming your way if you answer correctly.

This is sure to bring all the lurkers out of the woodwork.

audio language lesson 3

The audio language is filled with a lot of numbers. I've already taught you about 87's, 57's and 58's.

Microphone manufacturers love using numbers to name their mics. I think they should use names like Nigel, Herman and Nancy. But no, instead we all have to try and remember a bunch of numbers. Here are some more you should know, which are standard additions to studio microphone cupboards.

This lovely egg is the AKG D112. Just call it the D112. Commonly used for micing kick drums.

This is the Sennheiser 421. It sounds great on toms for a really fat sound. Great for brass as well. Just call it a 421.

This the AKG C451 B. This is used commonly for micing hi hats, and sounds great on strings as it's got really nice high end detail. Drop all the letters and call it a 451. You can see people singing into older models in old 80's film clips too, but they are not commonly used as vocal mics these days. In fact people would look at you rather strangely if you stuck it up as a vocal mic.

And finally, the AKG 414. There are several different models, but we just call them 414's. Great for anything - vocals, acoustic instruments, guitar amps, floor toms, overhead mics for drum kits.

audio language lesson 2

If you are going to do any live sound you need to know some basic microphones so as not to look like an eeediot.

58 - short for Shure SM58 - this is probably the most widely used live vocal mic.  It's tough, rough, can be dropped, spat into, thrown around and still work.  Almost.  Whether it actually sounds the best is another argument, but it has pretty much taken the market.  You need to know a 58 when you see one.  This is it, typical ice cream shaped mic.

This next one is a 57.  Short for Shure sm57.  Also widely used in live sound and in studios for instrument micing, mainly guitar amps and drums.  It gives a really bright grungy sound for guitar amps.  On a drum kit you will see it very often on snare drums and toms.  I don't think they the best sounding drum mic, but probably what gets used the most because that's what everyone has and you do get a good result.

So, now if anyone talks about 57's and 58's, you'll be all clued up.

audio verbal diarrhea

I need to draw attention to a comment on my previous post....

"I know a couple of guys who spend way too much time obsessing over their sound gear, I definitely don't want to use the word U87 around them as that would trigger a long and boring brain dump about every time they've used this or that mic until they're satisfied that they've established that they know more than me. Is that part of the culture because it's happened to me more than once!"

Can I say, I totally relate to this. I can't stand it when guys go on and on about sound gear, to try and prove how much they know. I'm just not interested. So, please tell me you own a U87, but do not dare to try and tell me about every single piece of gear that you have set eyes on and which studios they were in. I get bored to tears.

Is it part of the culture? Well I think it's a guy thing. The amount of times I have had to leave a room because of guys on this tell all mission thinking they really have to prove how good they are. I've never met a girl like this. Although most girls couldn't care about audio in the slightest. But I do know other female sound engineers and they just get on with their work and don't worry about trying to verbalise their skills or bore me to tears about the tech specs of some rubbish new piece of equipment that has just been released. I hate it whe guys give you a big speel about the jobs they've done and make out that it was such a huge gig and go on and on and on and on. I think if you have to tell everyone how good you are you can't be that good. Let your work speak for itself.


End of rant.

audio language

I have often said that I quite regret the fact that i can't speak a foreign language. But then Irealised tonight that I do. I speak the audio language. I was out tonight recording a lecture -not a very challenging gig, but part of the job. Anyway when i told the woman from the venue that i was taking a line out of the PA she freaked out a bit saying she didn't want me pulling any cables out. So I said "no, when i say i'm taking a line out I really mean I'm putting one in", which really didn't help the situation. She was completelt confused. So I had to show her the cable I had plugged in to the PA system, which was the line out I was taking. Are you all confused now?

So that's how I got to thinking that we really do speak a different language sometimes. I might say to you, "Gee it's all sounding a bit wet, and I'm not sure about the 421 on the hats. Deifinitely use the 421 on rack but put a 451 on hats and put a 414 on the floor. Wind up some sparkle on the pultec and widen the image a bit. And I think we need to put a pad on the DI and get rid of the pod and bring me a vox. Oh and the vox track (not like the vox from the previous sentence) needs to be in your face a bit more so squash it as much as possible without making it pump." Got it?


So I'm going to start teaching you my language bit by bit.
First some basic vocab.
Mic = microphone (easy one)
XLR - the proper name for the connector on a mic cable.
XLR cable = microphone cable
Neumann (pronounced noi-man) - German company that make really nice, expensive microphones. It's normal to use the word Neumann as a noun in it's own right - eg. "have you got any Neumanns?"
U87 - a standard studio microphone made by the Neumann company. Quite expensive, so it's quite good to say you have U87. No need to say Neumann U87. Just say U87 or even just 87 and we all know what you mean. eg. "I used a U87 on lead vocal."
This is what one looks like.






Ok that's enough for lesson 1. stay tuned for more next time.