How to Record High-Definition Sound

Recording sound nowadays has become easier for everyone because of improved technology.

Recording high-definition, high-fidelity sound is as easy as having the right equipment for the job and some basic computer skills to go with them. The prices for computer audio recording equipment has come down as the price of microchips has fallen, making said equipment affordable for most. This is great news for musicians, and computer and audio enthusiasts.

Things You'll Need

• Recording interface to connect to computer
• XLR cable
• XLR mic (dynamic or condenser)
• Mac or PC
• Audio software with recording capability
• Speakers or headphones

Instructions

Acquire the Proper Equipment

1. Go to Sweetwater.com or Guitarcenter.com in your Internet browser. Click the "recording" tab. From here, look in the column at the left and click on "audio interfaces" in the list. You'll see a list of recording interfaces here. Click the sorting option box, and sort the list of interfaces however you prefer. "By price" is usually the best option. After sorting the list of interfaces, browse through the list to find an interface that fits your needs and budget. If you plan to record more than one instrument or source, then you'll need an interface with more inputs. If you'll only be recording voice or one instrument at a time, you'll only need one or two inputs. Get an interface that allows for high-definition recording, which is a sample rate of 96 khz and a bit depth of 24 bit. Once you've found an interface you like, purchase it through the site's shopping cart system.

2. Purchase a mic that works well for the source you intend to record most often. Research a mic's uses online. If you're going to record loud instruments, which put out high SPLs (sound pressure levels) often, then get a "dynamic" mic. If you are going to be recording sound effects or voice-over or other quiet sound sources, then get a "condenser" mic. Use the same website you used to purchase your recording interface to buy your mic as well.

3. Plug your gear into a computer. Buy the software needed to record your audio. Purchase a software audio sequencer from the same website you used to purchase your mic and audio interface. If you have a Mac, you may already have Garage Band installed on your computer.

4. Purchase the cables you'll need to plug in your equipment and any auxiliary equipment, such as mic stands. Get help from your pro audio dealer to help identify what auxiliary gear you'll need for the audio source or instrument you plan to record. The audio gear dealer should provide this service for free if you purchased your gear from there.

Install Your Equipment and Start Recording

1. Install your software and hardware into your computer. Follow the directions that came with your audio interface to install the software/drivers needed. Install your audio recording software according to the manual.

2. Plug in your cables and hook up your equipment. If your audio interface is USB, then plug the USB cable from the back of your audio interface into one of your computer's USB ports. If you have a firewire audio interface, do the same with the firewire cable. Plug your mic into its cable, and plug the other end into one of the inputs on the audio interface. Put your mic on its stand, if applicable. Plug in headphones or speakers into the monitor section of the recording interface so you can monitor your sound.

3. Turn on your computer, start your audio software, and turn on the power on your audio interface. Create a new track in your audio program, and arm it for record. (You may need to configure your audio inputs/hardware in the program's settings to tell the software what recording hardware you're using.) Turn up the gain on your audio interface input and talk into your mic until you see levels coming in. Click record in your audio software and keep talking into the mic. You should see a waveform appear on the track as it scrolls. Click "stop" in the software. Now hit play in the software and turn up your speakers or put on your headphones. Listen to your recording and verify a clean signal.

4. Create a new project in your audio software, and specify 24 bit, 96 khz audio recording. Now you'll be ready to record high-definition sound. Sound files take up a lot of disk space on your computer, so make sure you have plenty of room on your hard drive before you begin recording long audio files.

5. Put your mic close to the audio source or instrument when you record. Close-mic setups provide the cleanest audio, as you won't be including the room sound in your recording. Recording high-fidelity audio involves more than just having high-quality equipment; it also involves technique.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a condenser mic, do not subject it to high SPLs, or you may damage the microphone. Always match a proper mic to a proper sound source, so as not to damage your equipment. Research which mics to use with what sound signals or instruments to educate yourself in this area.

References

• Guitar Center: Pro audio gear online
• Sweetwater: Pro audio gear online