In the lingo of microphones, we often use imprecise words to describe sound. The audio from ribbon microphones is frequently called “dark.” Condenser microphones may be called “bright.” But what do these subjective terms mean?
In this era of personal video and sound recording, it might sound ridiculous to say that many people don’t know how to properly use a microphone. But it’s true. Whether spoken word or a vocalist singing, learning some basic microphone techniques can significantly improve results.
Driven by more powerful personal computers, the first USB microphones were cheap consumer devices designed to simplify the home recording process for amateurs. As a result, those early models gave USB mic technology a bad name. That has changed. Today, many USB microphones offer far beyond broadcast quality audio.
Research from consumer tech market research firm Parks Associates has confirmed that the boom in mobile video viewing is having an impact on cord cutting.
Large recording facilities are a complex assembly of components, networks, cables and patch bays. It can take months to learn all the ropes in a major studio. However — with the trend toward smaller, more compact recording spaces — complexity can slow the user down. Let’s look at how to simplify the s…
In today’s digital world, audio recordings can sound too sterile. It is often necessary to manipulate that super clean sound and give it a more colorful, analog flavor. How to accomplish this is wide open to experimentation, but it can be surprisingly affordable for engineers with the right skills.
Streaming wars are associated in the public mind with the intensifying battle for supremacy between Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Apple and a few others in the SVoD (Subscription VoD) field, but it also applies to the contention heating up between underlying protocols for low latency transmission of video over the Internet.
The hard disk drive rapidly converged on the concept of one head per surface with all of the heads moving together on a common positioner.
With all the high-tech wizardry available today to manipulate sounds in the studio, microphone placement reigns as the most important way to get quality audio recordings. With the right placement of mics, most other electronic sound tools are not needed. Yet, not enough engineers, producers and artists understand the value…
TV is changing, again. Color, hi-fi, stereo, VCRs, DTV, HDTV and flat panel displays were all significant technology achievements, affordable for all TV viewers, with obvious benefits and near-overnight popularity. Viewer and station benefits of moving to the incompatible ATSC 3.0 system and NextGen TV are interesting, but a bit less…
