The Innovation Hubs

By Michael Chambers, Innovator in Residence for Audio.

Sitting down in the recording studio at one of the Toronto Public Library’s Digital Innovation Hubs can be confusing at first. What pieces of equipment do you need to record sound?

Recording Software

In my previous post I talked about the pros and cons of some of the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software available at the Digital Innovation Hubs. You have a number of options, including Logic Pro X, Ableton Live and REAPER. 

Audio Interface

An audio interface is the hardware device that routes all the audio in and out of your computer. Yes, your computer will have a built-in audio system, but using an external device will give you more connectivity (your computer doesn’t have XLR connectors!) and better sound quality.

The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is an audio interface that’s available at some of the Digital Innovation Hubs. The Scarlett 2i2 is 2-input, 2-output, USB audio interface. That means that you can connect two microphones to record with, two speakers (left and right, or headphones) to listen back with, and it connects to the computer via USB.

Microphones

To record your voice (or any other acoustic instrument) you’ll need a microphone. There are two main types of microphones to choose from: dynamic and condenser. Both types use the same 3-pin connector, called an XLR connector, to hook up to your audio interface or mixer.

Dynamic Microphones
The Shure SM58 is a dynamic microphone. It’s well suited for recording just about anything from voices to drums. It’s also a very durable microphone which is why it’s used both on stage and in the studio. You can’t go wrong choosing this mic.

Condenser Microphones
The Audio-Technica AT4040 is a condenser microphone. The biggest difference between dynamic and condenser mics is that condenser microphones need power. Power is usually supplied by the mic input of your audio interface or mixer via something called “phantom power.” You’ll need to turn on phantom power to use a condenser mic. It’s usually labelled “phantom” or “48V” (it supplies 48 volts of power).

Like most condenser microphones, the AT4040 is used primarily in recording studios. This because condenser mics are much more sensitive and delicate than dynamic mics. That also means that they pick up more detail in the sound. More detail isn’t always better, however. If you’re recording in a room with a lot of background noise, the condenser mic will record more of that background noise in addition to the thing you want to record!

Which way do you point the mic?

Most of the microphones you run into will be unidirectional, meaning they pick up sound in the direction it’s pointed. But they don’t all work as you might think. Many microphones are “end address” mics. That means you can'treat it like a flashlight — you point it at the sound you want to record. The Shure SM58 is a good example of this kind of mic. Unlike the SM58, the AT4040 is a “side address” mic – that means that it picks up from the side. When using this mic, you point the side of the mic at the sound you want to record. Usually, the side with the logo is the side that picks up sound with this mic. However, if you’re not sure which side to use, do a test recording to see which side sounds better and louder.

Michael Chambers has concluded his residency at the Richview Library's Digital Innovation Hub but you can follow his work as an Artist, producer, musician, recording engineer, and (re)mixer on his website.