The Beginners Guide To Computer-Based Music Production

Introduction 5(2) Before We Begin 7(8) Computer 7(1) Software 8(1) Audio and MIDI Interfaces 9(1) Mixer 9(1) Headphones and Monitors 9(3) Surface Controller 12(1) Cables 13(1) Microphones 13(1) Miscellaneous Equipment 14(1) Choosing the Right Computer 15(15) The Great Mac vs. PC Debate 15(1) Desktop, Laptop, and Tabletop Computers 15(4) Who Uses What? 19(1) The Need for Speed 20(1) What Really Matters 21(3) Computer Options 24(4) Final Considerations 28(2) Choosing the Right Audio and/or MIDI Interface 30(11) PCI Cards 30(1) USB 30(1) FireWire/iLink 31(1) PC (PCMCIA) Cards 32(1) Audio Interface Considerations 33(1) Audio Interface Features 33(7) MIDI Interface Types and Features 40(1) Hardware and Software Setup 41(13) Driver Installation Basics 41(1) For Macs Only: OS X Driver and Software Setup 42(3) For PCs Only: Windows Driver and Software Setup 45(3) Patch Setup 48(2) Unlisted MIDI Devices 50(1) Surface Controller Setup 51(1) Template Setup 51(1) Cabling 51(2) Test Run 53(1) MIDI Basics 54(17) What's MIDI? 54(1) MIDI Connections 55(2) MIDI Channels 57(1) MIDI Modes 57(1) Status Bytes and Data Bytes 58(3) MIDI Implementation Charts 61(10) Recording MIDI Tracks 71(15) Creating a New Song File 72(1) Setting Up Song Parameters 73(7) Laying Down MIDI Tracks 80(3) Step Recording 83(1) Punch-In Recording 84(1) Recording Additional Tracks 85(1) Editing MIDI Tracks 86(14) Common MIDI Recording Problems and Their Solutions 86(2) Quantization Options 88(3) Applied Basic MIDI Editing 91(3) Velocity Editing Tools 94(3) Groove Quantizing 97(2) The Final Word 99(1) Digital Audio Basics 100(15) Recording Fundamentals 100(1) Analog Audio Recording 101(3) Digital Audio Recording 104(1) Sample Rates and Resolutions 105(3) Choosing Your Sample Rate and Resolution 108(4) Sample Rates and Software Synthesis 112(1) Sample Rates and Effects Processing 113(1) Sample Rates and Mastering 113(1) Final Considerations 114(1) Creating Digital Audio Tracks 115(12) Recording in the Computer Room 115(1) Basic Audio Track Recording 116(3) Overdubbing Audio Tracks 119(1) Wet vs. Dry Recording 120(1) Converting MIDI to Digital Audio 121(3) The Advantages of Individual MIDI-Generated Audio Tracks 124(3) Alternative Production Tools 127(14) Virtual MIDI Instruments: An Overview 127(1) Virtual Instrument Plug-Ins 128(1) Standalone Virtual Instruments 129(2) Soft Synth Studios 131(2) Converting Virtual Instrument Output to Audio 133(3) Real-Time Audio Pitch and Tempo Alteration 136(1) A Beat-Slicing Primer 136(5) Editing Digital Audio Tracks 141(16) Preparing Tracks for Audio Editing 141(4) Normalizing Audio Tracks 145(4) Trimming Digital Audio Tracks 149(6) Creating Comp Takes 155(2) Basic Mixing Techniques 157(13) The Stereo Field 157(2) A Short Mixing Primer: Drums, Bass, Guitars, and Vocals 159(4) More on Mixing: Additional Instruments 163(1) Volume 164(3) Monitoring the Mix: Headphones or Speakers? 167(3) Advanced Mixing Techniques---EQ and Effects 170(12) Frequency, Volume, and Overtones 170(1) EQ Types 171(2) Using EQ 173(2) General EQ Considerations 175(1) Compressors, Limiters, and Expanders 176(2) Effects Processors 178(2) The Final Mixdown: Virtual or Physical? 180(2) Mastering Your CD 182(7) Audio File Preparation 182(3) Side Sequencing 185(1) Setting the Index and Gap 186(1) Burning the Audio CD 186(1) Packaging the CD 187(1) Archiving Your Project 187(2) Epilogue 189(1) Appendix A: A Hard Disk Primer 190(6) Reading and Writing 190(1) Why a Second Drive? 191(1) Hard Disk Maintenance 192(2) Hard Drive Specs 194(2) Appendix B: Microphone Basics 196(7) Microphone Types 196(2) Polar Patterns 198(1) Other Microphone Features 199(1) Microphone Accessories 200(3) Appendix C: General MIDI and Standard MIDI Files 203(2) About the Author 205(1) Acknowledgments 205