Audio Recording

A song can be only be marketed at the commercial level only if it is produced to sound like a standard “broadcast quality recordings”.

One may ask how to define “Broadcast quality recordings?” The easiest answer is turn on your TV and listen to the sound tracks of the TV shows; or you can listen to your favorite FM radio station.

You can go to a movie theater and watch your favorite movie, and then you can hear broadcast quality sound tracks. The reason is simple; no one will like to listen to poor recorded and poorly produced material. It is odd to listen.

Every songwriters or wannabe engineers/producers, often think, it is hopeless to create broadcast quality audio recordings in your home. It is because they always think that it can only be done in a high quality recording studio.

The short answer is: It does not entirely depend on your recording studio equipments or whether it is located in a highly professional studio environment. The main factor to create broadcast quality recordings depends on the skill (both technical and listening skills) of the engineer itself that may take years to develop.

It is why no matter how hard you try buying expensive studio equipments or software and still your sound sucks. The main problem is your recording, mixing and mastering skill. Below are the tips outlined on how you are able to make broadcast quality recordings at your home:

1. Educate yourself in the recording process. Try to answer this question with your technical approach to recording:

a. How do I use my personal computer to record tracks?
b.Am I using the correct soundcard?
c.Am I using the correct mixer?
d.What resolution should I record the tracks that fits my hardware specifications. Is it 16bits/44.1Khz or 24 bits/ 96Khz?
e.Am I using the recording software that I am very comfortable of using at?
f.Do I have enough computer hardware specifications?

Answer the above questions truthfully and it guides to the recording process.

2. Educate yourself in the mixing process. Learn tips in how to mix vocals, bass guitars, electric and acoustic guitars, drums, piano, etc. Practice a lot and compare your results with other broadcast quality recordings. Have your songs reviewed by other people, listen to their feedbacks. Constructive comments can help a lot. Learn how to pan the tracks as well as applying EQ on mixing. However the most important is how to shape your recording and mixing so that it will sound like a professionally done recorded and mixed material.

3. Know by heart by what is compression and EQ. These two are most important aspects when you’re mixing and mastering tracks. Know the consequences of distortion and how to attain the maximum volume of the track without distorting it.

4. Practice daily and let someone review your work, not your cousin, girl friend, brothers or sisters. But real professionals that are not afraid to criticize your work to the fullest. You can find many of them online. For example at www.broadjam.com.