2/10/2013

How Recording Studios Have Advanced With The Advent Of Digital Audio Technology

By John Phenom


When considering how recording studios have changed with the advent of digital audio workstations, the main difference is in analog versus modern technology. The days of painstakingly loading tracks through analog formats and then individually mixing and bouncing tracks can now be handled with a few clicks of a mouse. DAW technology has made it possible for artists to work in the comforts of their home for studio-quality sound.

Analog formats were the standard for decades for artists in the 20th century. The work was captured on magnetic tape that was spliced and edited. In DAW formats such as Pro Tools, Cubase, Logic Pro and Maschine, you can go back in virtual time to erase, overlap, perform multi-tracking or create loops.

Audio editing has become easier through the years in modern formats and the development of technology. Analog was difficult to work with in separate tracks. Once combined, all tracks worked as a single, mixed unit. In digital, you can have numerous tracks that you can tweak individually. It was also very difficult to splice tape together using razor blades and tape.

In DAW formats, each track stays separate and can be manipulated individually. You can patch in a lot easier than in analog, where actual splicing of a tape needs to occur for insertion of new material without re-recording. Timing can be exact on DAW formatting, where analog had to be physically manipulated on tape or entirely redone.

DAW's also speed up the process of locating individual elements on tracks for playback. This element can be crucial when you are working in a studio and paying for time. The luxury of working faster can pay off in saved minutes during the work.

You also may feel more comfortable in the life cycle of a DAW file by keeping it in virtual storage and having backups on hand in case something happens to the source document that holds your original work. Analog tapes over time run the risk of damage or deterioration. If improperly stored, these tapes would no longer be able to play back what was recorded.

Thinking about how recording studios have changed with the advent of digital audio workstations is like comparing VCR tapes to DVR capability. When it comes to the convenience and ease of use of electronic formats, engineers and home studio musicians gain a world of possibilities. All of these elements contribute greatly to the advance of music technology. In the past musicians had to travel to New York or Los Angeles to record their album because that was where the best studios were. Now, music producers are working in recording studios in Phoenix AZ ; Atlanta, Portland and every other city in America.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment