Recording - May 2010 - 2

PUBLISHER:

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER:

Thomas Hawley Brent Heintz

EDITORIAL

EDITOR: Lorenz Rychner ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Mike Metlay WEB EDITOR: Justin Peacock MÚSICO PRO EDITOR: Fernando Curiel
CONTRIBUTORS

Budget What a versatile word this is! It fends off sales pitches—“I don’t have a budget for that”; it curtails the offspring’s demands for increased allowance—“Learn to live within your budget”; you can use it to hold accountable your elected officials—and the word exists in most languages I can think of, as both a verb and as a noun. The etymology of the word seems to go back to the dark ages when it stood for some type of leather bag or money satchel. What a nice thought—bags o’ money or a flush budget! Most of us have to budget for our spending, maybe even more so right now than, say, a few years ago. It’s just as well then that the market realities of the industry that supplies the recording musician with his needs are such that you get more for less, or—in the vernacular—you get immense bang for the buck. With this issue we’re setting out to prove to you that your money goes further than ever before, that you can realize your dreams of being a self-sufficient recording musician without taking out a second mortgage, and that you can look to achieve professional-sounding results on a hobbyist’s budget. Our Mike Metlay sums up the status quo in his piece on budgets, gear, and budget gear, “When Your Studio Meets Your Wallet.” Brian Gadson, a musician and a designer of acoustic spaces, makes some excellent points in showing you how to pinpoint acoustical problems, and how your studio may already contain many elements that can help with the acoustics, and how easy it is to introduce other such elements without breaking the bank. Check out “Pragmatic Design for Project Studios.” In this month’s Keyboard Column, Devon Brent advocates getting good sounds from almost-forgotten synth modules that can be had for chump change and that are still viable sound sources in your rack. Plan a lot, spend a little, gain a lot. Mike Rivers spells out the ins and outs of the digital interface—a centerpiece in many of today’s studios, and one that may even take the place of a traditional mixing desk, depending on your working habits. This is a piece you’ll refer to again and again, to keep straight all the twists and turns your audio takes on its way to and from your computer. Speaking of working habits—Grammy-winning recording artist Keb’ Mo’ tells us how he makes the most of his studio, a former garage, by knowing what he wants from himself and from his players, with working habits that he has honed over the years, making it possible for him to use his own studio for the production of his award-winning CDs. So you see, there is much support here for you if you are on a budget (and who isn’t?). But no matter the size of that budget—to get the best results requires your participation, in two major ways: 1. You have to educate yourself and research before you buy; 2. You have to work even harder to learn how to make the most of your gear, to master the techniques that require practice, and to learn to work within some limitations rather than using the limitations as an excuse. For some that’s a tall order—some are quick to say “If only I could afford the XYZ piece of gear, I’d have it made.” Others coax splendid results out of their modest equipment. The choice is yours. We’re here to help with that research and learning process—that has been our mission for over twenty years, so keep reading the magazine and make use of the extensive resource library on our website (www.recordingmag.com/ resources.html). You, too, will get there! Happy budgeting, and— Happy Recording!

Brian Gadson, Paul Vnuk Jr., Brian Tarquin, Scott Dorsey, Devon Brent, Mike Rivers, Marc Urselli, Marty Peters
TAXI METER

EDITOR: Kenny Kerner
ART

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RECORDING MAY 2010

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Recording - May 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - May 2010