Bass Roll-off: What Does it Mean?
Bass Roll-off: What Does it Mean? Part of the challenge of becoming a good music producer is understanding the seemingly-endless technical terms and data associated with digital audio production and recording. It can be extremely overwhelming, and the amount of work and consideration that goes into a finished track isn’t immediately apparent from the outside looking in. On top of this dilemma, it isn’t enough to just know what these terms are. We must also know what they do, how they work, and how we can utilize them to make better music. In this informative article, we’ll uncover a common […]
How to Decrease Latency
How to Decrease Latency In this guide, we’ll be focusing on the issue of audio latency and how to decrease latency in your day to day recording and production activities. We assume that you’re at least somewhat familiar with the topic and that you’re already using a digital audio workstation (DAW) for creating and recording your own music. Let’s get to it. What is Audio Latency? For an enthusiastic young musician, there’s no better feeling in the world than making your own music at home. All you need is your instrument, a mic, some cables, a computer, and some recording […]
Nyquist-Shannon Sampling Theorem
Nyquist-Shannon Sampling Theorem It’s safe to say that the invention of the computer has changed the world we live in forever. Digital technology is so pervasive in modern life that it’s hard to imagine what things were like before this revolution occurred. Digital audio technology has made huge advances in the last 20 years as well. We now have the ability to record and transmit digital audio wirelessly, which is a miracle in and of itself. In this article, we’re going to dig a little deeper into a fundamental theorem in the realm of signal processing that plays an integral […]
Dynamic Range Control Using Compression
Dynamic Range Control Using Compression Dynamic range compression sounds scary. Almost like some kind of horrible disease or ailment. Fortunately, the concept isn’t as bad (or confusing) as it sounds. Compression is a form of dynamic range control, and an important topic in signal processing, audio engineering, acoustics, and music production. Let’s break it down! Boring Terminology If you’re not a nerd, you may fall asleep reading this. But I’d argue that knowing these things will help you understand compression and other dynamic range control methods. Do not read while driving or operating heavy machinery. Dynamic – describes something that […]
Harmonics & Additive Synthesis
Harmonics & Additive Synthesis A waveform is a periodic mathematical function (or sum of functions) defined by frequency, amplitude and phase. Frequency is the number of full cycles or periods that the waveform goes through in one second. And a harmonic is a waveform with a frequency that is a perfect integer multiple of the frequency of any given fundamental waveform. When the frequency is not an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency, we call it an inharmonic. Harmonics and inharmonics are both grouped into a larger category that we call partials. Partials are all of the simple component waveforms […]
Audio Signal Filtering
Audio Signal Filtering Your pool guy would tell you they keep things out of your pool. Your car guy would tell you they keep things out of your engine. Your computational fluid dynamics guy (you have one of those, right?) would tell you they keep things out of your Navier-Stokes equations. And I’d tell you that filters keep things out of your audio signal. Fourier analysis and theory says that a signal (electrical, audio, electromagnetic, etc.) can be decomposed into an infinite number of different sinusoidal waveforms all with different frequencies, amplitudes, and phases. A filter in electrical engineering, communications, […]
Frequency Modulation
Frequency Modulation Frequency modulation, also known as FM, is a signal processing method used around the world in radio broadcasting, radar, medicine, music production, and a load of other technologies. And yes, that’s what the “FM” stands for in FM radio. But what is it exactly, and how does it work? This article will demystify the concept for you. Modulation The word “modulate” really just means to instantaneously change some property of a signal waveform using a different waveform. When one signal waveform “modulates” another, it changes a property of the signal being modulated. We call the signal being modulated […]
Spectral Analysis & Fast Fourier Transforms
The Fourier Transform Arguably one of the most important developments in applied mathematics in modern times is the Fourier transform. The Fourier transform is a mathematical operation that takes any waveform and breaks it down into individual component sine waves at different frequencies and amplitudes. These are then represented by peaks in a frequency spectrum, and this whole process is called spectral analysis. A waveform as a summation of many simple sine waves is a concept seen in all oscillatory physical phenomena, including electromagnetic radiation, AC electricity, rotational motion, and the most important one for our purposes… sound. Let’s dig […]
