Digital Audio Workstation - Coursework Example

DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATION Introduction Present day digital technology in the form of the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) has revolutionized theearlier analog process of audio recording and production, transforming the process over the past few years. Technically and creatively, both the earlier system and the contemporary DAW have advantages as well as disadvantages. It is important to understand how the technical process impacts on the creative audio outcome, and analyse the similarities and differences in the production processes before and after the advent of the DAW. Besides the equipment utilized in the typical audio studio, the physical set up of the DAW may also be different (Reese et al, 2006). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) has changed the recording and production process. The recording chains before and after the advent of the DAW will be compared for similarities and differences, as well as for pros and cons both technically and creatively. Discussion As compared to the Analog system, the Digital Audio Workstation helps to improve the process of audio recording and production through various processes. There is more efficient transferring of projects and sessions between operators, as well as help for operators to better organize their own projects/ sessions (PEW 2008). Differences in Analog and DAW in Relation to Recording Chains The previous system of pressing buttons to start a recorder has been replaced by the use of a mouse or keyboard, and viewing a computer monitor screen to accomplish the tasks of audio production. Audio tape cartridge machines and rotary pot consoles are nearly obsolete, similar to turntables and reel-to-reel tape recorders. From the introduction of the compact disc player in the early 1980s, to the total digital production studio of the early 2000s, radio has been quick to incorporate digital technology. Along with change in the equipment that was utilised in the typical studio, the physical set-up of the studio may also be different, with the advent of the DAW (Reese et al 2006). A further development of digital editing technology in the radio production studio on desktop systems is the DAW or digital audio workstation. These are hard-disk based systems which incorporate proprietary computer technology to convert the original sound signal to digital form, which can subsequently be stored, manipulated and recalled using the workstation. While some digital audio workstations are quite similar to the earlier mentioned desktop radio systems, some DAWs do not look like computers at all. In either case, the workstation is developed as a dedicated audio recorder and editor, and has specialized in-built features and functions (Reese et al 2006). DAWs are often packaged as a single unit. A frame houses the computer chassis, power supply and mother board. An internal hard disc drive stores and manipulates the digital audio data. A user interface such as a keyboard, mouse or touchscreen is necessary to actually operate the workstation. Typical radio production elements are usually provided such as faders, cue wheels, tape transport buttons like rewind or play. The interfaces may attach to a mini audio board. Analog audio is converted into digital data and vice versa with the help of a built-in audio card which connects the workstation and the other audio equipment. With the help of “serial and parallel ports, many workstations have the ability to network with other workstations or interface with printers, modems and other components” (Reese et al 2006, p. 26). DAWs have developed into systems that enable higher levels of professional audio production, with the help of USB devices such as M-Audio’s Ozone that provide user-defined control surfaces such as faders, pan pots, and a small keyboard, packaged together with a quality sound card. These devices make professional audio production compact, affordable and also portable since contemporary higher categories of laptop computers are capable of multi-track audio editing (Reese et al 2006). Comparative Advantages and Disadvantages of the Analog and DAW Processes The sound produced by the analog method of recording is different from that of the digital, especially the DAW. Analog decks sound reasonably accurate, but a little warmth is added to the sound in this method. It is due to slight third harmonic distortion, head bumps, base boost, and tape compression. “Analog decks also add some tape hiss, frequency response errors, wow and flutter, modulation noise, and print-through” (Bartlett, p.171). Since digital recorders do not have these problems, they sound very clean. Although older digital recorders sounded harsh compared to analog, they improved with each generation. In particular, digital recorders that can record at 24 bits and 96 kHz can sound just as smooth as analog. The more contemporary DAW is comparatively high in sound quality. Compared to analog recorders and open-reel tape, digital recorders and their tape tend to cost less. Moreover, they are smaller in size, permit easier location of timing information, and allow easier loading of the recording medium. Further, DAW reduces noise, distortion, speed variations and data errors. A similarlity is that both analog and DAW put audio on a magnetic medium, but in different ways. Unlike analog system, DAW is not sensitive to the magnetic medium’s noise and distortion (Bartlett 2005). The earlier mode of audio recording by the analog process was based on the analog signal which is a continuously variable electrical signal whose shape is defined by the shape of the sound wave produced. In the analog recording process, a duplicate, or electromagnetic representation of the sound wave of the original sound source can be stored on magnetic tape. For example, a microphone converts sound pressure changes to changes in voltage that are sent down the microphone cable and recorded on to audio tape as changes in magnetic strength. Each time the analog signal is recorded or processed in some fashion, it is subject to deterioration because the signal changes shape to some extent. Analog encoding is the same as creating a line graph to represent a statistical analysis. All the measurements are on a continuous line that curves up and down with no discrete points. The reproduction is always slightly different from the original because the recording process is like trying to retrace a curve on a graph (Reese et al 2006). Further, besides this loss during generation, because analog recording relies on magnetic pulses stored on tape, any decrease in defect in the magnetic properties of the tape means a loss of signal quality. “Typical problems for analog recording have included noise and distortion, print-through and cross-talk, flutter and hiss and limited dynamic range” (Reese et al 2006, p.19). Computers and other equipment work on a digital process of recording in today’s production studio. Digital audio signals are streams of digits broken up into digital words. Digital technology is the science behind conversion of original audio wave form information into an electrical signal composed of a series of on and off pulses. That is, the digital process is a conversion into binary numbers. “All computers handle information in this manner by associating a binary number with each letter of the alphabet and each number, and then manipulating this binary data” (Reese et al 2006, p.19). Digital encoding is accomplished in a discrete fashion, similar to looking at individual numbers in a statistical analysis and writing them down in a set order. The audio signal starts out as analog, but is converted to digital through the four basic processes of “filtering, sampling, quantizing and coding” (Reese et al 2006, p.19). There are some advantages in the previous analog system of audio recording and production, as compared to the contemporary DAW method. For example, in the current world of audio systems, with the Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) replacing tape machines on recording projects, the length of time between opening a project or session from another engineer and starting working on it has increased. This is in comparison to analog system of the past, when audio engineers could open a reel of tape they had never seen before, glance at the track sheet, and begin working almost immediately. Similarly, this is true when engineers re-open their own projects or sessions that they have not worked on for a few months. The reason for the relatively greater ease and shorter time required in the past is that over the years engineers developed numerous conventions with linear tape and track sheets. On opening the tape box they knew what to expect. Hence, after looking at the track sheet to confirm some basic information, they could start pulling up the faders. On the other hand, similar real conventions have not yet been established with DAWs (PEW 2008). Risset (2002) emphasizes on the musical purpose of the digital audio effects in computer music pieces, rather than on technical implementation. A few examples of digital audio effects include mixing with delays and transpositions, reverberation, 3D-sound, use of tuned resonant filters, time-frequency scaling and cross-synthesis. For live stereo recording, music has to be recorded on two tracks, to obtain the full effect of the sound. Portable equipment that is easy to set up is preferred. Using analog cassette should be avoided since tape hiss can cause a problem. DAW can be used, and the number of audio tracks is determined by the software and the power of the computer. It is necessary to arrange the order in which each instrument is to be recorded, and record each sound or instrument on a separate track. Starting with the rhythm section would provide a solid base for other instruments. Combining certain instruments and sounds will help to restrict the number of sound tracks. Conclusion This paper has highlighted the changes brought about by the advent of the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), to audio recording chain and production processes. The advantages and disadvantages of the earlier analog method have been compared with that of the DAW, and technical and creative aspects of both have been discussed. The DAW has successfully done away with many of the disadvantages associated with the use of the analog method, and has emerged as a more efficient, compact and cost-effective system. Bibliography Bartlett, J. 2005. Practical recording techniques. Edition 4. The United Kingdom: Focal Press. Dorf, R.C. 2006. Broadcast and optical communication technology. Edition 3. London: CRC Press. Middleton, P. & Gurevitz, S. 2007. Music technology workbook: key concepts and practical projects. The United Kingdom: Focal Press. PEW (Producers and Engineers Wing). 2008. Digital Audio Workstation guidelines for music production. The Recording Academy Producers and Engineers Wing. Retrieved on 27th May, 2009 from: http://www.aesnashville.org/PDFs/NARAS/DAWGuidelines-Full_v1.pdf Reese, D.E., Gross, L.S. & Gross, B. 2006. Radio production worktext: studio and equipment. The United Kingdom: Focal Press. Risset, J-C. 2002. Examples of the musical use of digital audio effects. Journal of New Music Research, 31 (2): 93-97. Read More