Audio
Audio production is an important part of many creative endeavors including music recording, television, film, and video game design.
Audio Production Overview
From recording techniques to mixing, there are many aspects to audio production. Below are print, software, and video resources to help you whether you are a beginner or want to improve your skills.
Audio Production in our collections
Guerrilla Home Recording by Call Number: 781.490285 COR 2008ISBN: 9781423454465Publication Date: 2008-07-01A clever resource for the ever-growing home recording market. The revised edition is updated with a greater focus on digital recording techniques, the most powerful tools available to the home recordist. There are chapters devoted to instrument recording, humanizing drum patterns, mixing with plug-ins and virtual consoles, and a new section on using digital audio skills.
Mastering Audio by Call Number: 621.3893 KAT 2007ISBN: 9780240808376Publication Date: 2007-10-03Mastering Audiogives you a thorough introduction to the unique procedures and technical issues involved in mastering. Suitable for all levels of students and professionals, it is ideal for anyone who wants to increase their mastery of digital and analog audio: musicians, producers, A&R, mastering, recording, and mixing engineers.
Getting Started with Music Production by Call Number: 781.34536 WIL 2015ISBN: 9781480393790Publication Date: 2015-04-01Getting Started with Music Production is for anyone interested in developing a more efficient and creative approach to music production, and it's structured so thoughtfully that it can be used as a textbook for a modular, activity-oriented course presented in any learning environment
- Search for audio production books in the Catalogue
Search the Winnipeg Public Library's catalogue for books on audio production topics.
Online resources for help with audio production
Some information from the Internet that will get you started on the road to recording your own audio at home.
- Sound Recording and Reproduction
This Wikipedia article offers a good overview of sound recording. - E-Home Recording Studio
This website offers a lot of advice for people thinking of making their own recording studio at home. Written in a casual style, it covers a broad range of subjects and makes specific recommendations for equipment. While any guide like this has its own biases and idiosyncrasies, the advice here is generally solid and helpful. - MicrophonesThis Wikipedia article offers a good overview of the various kinds of microphones and their histories.
- Microphone construction and basic placement advice
This site provides an overview of how microphones work. It also provides worthwhile suggestions on microphone placement and recording techniques.
Audio Production Videos
- Audio Production Videos on LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning had many great courses and tips on Audio Production. If you aren't already logged in at LinkedIn Learning you will need to select "Sign in" then "Sign in with your library card" then enter "www.linkedin.com/learning-login/go/winnipegpubliclibrary" as the library ID and finally use your WPL card number and PIN to sign in. - Kanopy - Digital Cinema Filmmaker - Intermediate Audio Module
The Intermediate Audio Guide is a special focus on Microphones, Mixers, Recorders, Cables, and Wireless Systems. You may already know from the MP Command Course the basic principles of Audio, but this 5 part module goes much further using pro audio gear. Learn about Electret Mics, Dynamic Mics, Condenser Mics, Mixers, Lowcut and Pads, Hard Disk Recorders, Mic Suspension Mounts, Audio Snake Cables, Wireless Systems and much more. - Kanopy - Sound for Film and Television
You've heard it said - in video and film, AUDIO is 70% of what you see! Through detailed explanation, hands-on demonstration, and tongue-in-cheek cinematic illustrations, Emmy-award winning producer Barry Green and professional sound man Matt Gettemeier guide you through the fundamentals for getting great sound in your film or television project. - Make: Magazine YouTube Channel
The Make: Workshop is the perfect place for anyone who likes to build things with their own hands, whether it's with wood, metal, wires, code, or anything else. - Pro Audio Files YouTube Channel
Expert instructors teach audio mixing. - Point Blank Music School YouTube Channel
Useful and well produced videos topics from mixing to sound design. - Michael White YouTube Channel
Music industry master Michael White teaches audio mixing.
Internet Forums
Internet Forums offer a valuable source of information and allow for interactions with other audio producers. They are often a great place to ask questions and get feedback from people with varying levels of expertise.
- Home Recording Forums
This forum is more focused on the home recordist. - Sound on Sound forums
Discussion forums from Sound on Sound magazine. - KVR Audio forums
This forum tends to be more focused on electronic music production, but contains a lot of good general information as well. A number of music software companies host their official support forums on this site.
Audio Production Software
Most audio production involves a computer, a microphone, and audio production software. There are a number of options available depending on your needs, ranging in price from free to thousands of dollars. Audio editing software offers basic editing capabilities (recording, cutting, shifting, deleting, pasting audio) and may offer the ability to apply audio effects to your audio. Digital Audio Workstation software is generally more powerful and complex, usually including the ability to record multiple tracks of audio at once, and to edit and mix many tracks of audio together and to apply effects in various ways to your tracks.
- Audacity
Audacity is a free, open-source audio editor, available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It allows you to edit audio and add effects like reverb, compression, and more. Aside from being free, it's powerful and easy to use, and there are a lot of free tutorials online for it. - Pro Tools
Generally considered to be the top tier in commercial digital audio workstation software, Pro Tools is used widely at professional recording studios the world over. Available for Windows and Mac. - Logic Pro
Only available for Mac and iOS, Logic Pro is another high-end commercial digital audio workstation program. - Ardour
Ardour is free, open-source digital audio workstation software, available for Linux, Mac, and Windows. If you're downloading the program from their website, they do ask for a small donation to keep development going. - List of Commercial Digital Audio Workstation softwareThere's a lot of excellent audio production out there. This list from Wikipedia's article on Digital Audio Workstation software will give you more to search through.
- REAPER
REAPER is a reasonably priced complete digital audio production application for computers, offering a full multitrack audio and MIDI recording, editing, processing, mixing and mastering toolset.
