How To: Recording an Electric Guitar or Bass without an Amplifier.

Introduction

I'm Neil Stoker, from Washington in the North East of England.

This lesson is for week 1 of Introduction To Music Production at Coursera.org. I am going to do a brief How To on recording an Electric Guitar without an amplifier.

I am going to describe recording a traditional guitar track, House of the Rising Sun, using my electro-acoustic guitar and include some audio clips during the process. For the examples, please focus on the quality of the audio and try to ignore the quality of the playing.

Lesson

Before you can record an electric guitar, you need to be able to convert the signals from the guitar or bass into signals that the computer understands. I have an instrument to USB adaptor that performs this conversion, and also have the use of a mixing desk with a built in USB interface.

You also need some audio recording software. I use a program called Audacity for the recording, this has the advantage of being free software and is available on PC, Linux and OSX machines.

A nieve solution using a built in microphone

It is possible to record audio using a built in microphone on a computer, but there are several problems with the audio. You can clearly hear additional noise in the background of the playing. Clip 1 

Using a USB Interface

An Instrument - USB Interface

In these examples I am using a USB interface to connect between the guitar and the computer. I am still using Audacity to carry out the recordings.

The adaptor is simple to set up, and converts the analog guitar signal into the digital signals that a computer understands.

This is a cheap and effective method for a solo guitarist to create a recording, however a significant amount of work will be required for a multi-instrument version to be created.

This is the recording of the track using the USB interface, the audio levels are similar but without the background noise.

It is possible to create a multi-track recording by laying down additional tracks, in Some Folks Do I recorded two guitar tracks using the USB interface and the two singers were each recorded in separate sessions. I don't remember the number of takes, but it did take several hours of recording and re-recording until we were satisfied - or just possibly we'd had enough!

Forlorn intentions

Alto ZMX164 FX USB Mixing desk

I had planned on using a mixing desk to produce a version and talk through the steps taking to record the guitar track, however I had some technical difficulties with getting the audio to record at a reasonable level from Audacity over the USB interface.

What I didn't think about in time for completing the main part of the assignment was to use the phono (RCA) tape mix outputs to feed into the microphone socket on the laptop. I am hoping that I will get some time on Monday evening to finish this off before the deadline.

The general steps I would be taken would have been:

• Make sure all connections are made with all equipment powered off. This is to prevent sudden noises from potentially damaging your speakers and amplifiers.
• Turn all gain and level controls down, and mute all channels if possible
• Power equipment up in the following order
• Instruments
• Mixers
• Amplifiers
• Adjust the gain for the input to get to the +4 line level. Don't rely on gauges, use your ears. You can hear transient distortion long before it will appear on a meter.
• Adjust the studio and main mix outputs to get the desired listening levels.

Reflection

What have I learned?

• You need a really good quality signal to get a decent recording
• It's hard to do a solo recording session
• I can see why good sound engineers are highly sought after, and the most important single skill that they have is their listening
• Batteries fail at the most inopportune time (as if I didn't already know that from my photography)
• Learn at least the basics of how to equipment before wanting to use it for real

Oh, yes: the most important thing would be not to leave important work until almost the last minute.

Thank you's

I have spent a lot of time on reviewing, rewriting and rerecording the sections of this work, the hardest part was cutting out unnecessary sections. The finishing was done in a rush, I had given myself a set of challenging and interesting scheduling conflicts by taking on a new job and signing up for new courses all around the same time.

I'd like to thank everybody that has reviewed my work, and receiving feedback is the best way to learn and develop new skills.

Music Production Week 1

The second of the courses I've signed up for.

This one was a little more intense than the Songwriting one, and the nineteen lectures in the first week cover topics ranging from propagation of sound to how to connect microphones and instruments into a system.

There were seven quizzes too, covering propagation, amplitude, frequency, visualising sound, microphones, cables and signals. I have managed to get what I class as a satisfactory mark for the quizzes, so I'm feeling pleased about that.

Some of the theory I was familiar with, could be something to do with the training I received as a telecommunications engineer when I was with BT (although it was known as "Post Office Telecommunications" when I first joined).

The peer review assessment is to select a topic and prepare materials to help teach the topic. The lesson can be in a variety of formats including a pdf document, a video, a screen movie with voice-over, text with diagrams, a blog post, a powerpoint...  Basically almost any method that you want to.

The topics that can be chosen are:

• Audio Basics: Propagation, Amplitude, Frequency, and Timbre. (you can do a broad overview or focus on a single parameter of sound)
• Microphone Basics: Type, Frequency Response, and Polar Pattern. (you can do a broad overview or focus on a single aspect of microphones)
• Visualizing Sound
• Type and Usage of Important Studio Cables. 
• Typical Recording Signal Flow Using Your Own Equipment. 
• How To: Recording Spoken Word. 
• How To: Recording an Acoustic Instrument. 
• How To: Recording an Electronic Instrument. 
• How To: Recording an Electric Guitar or Bass without an Amplifier. 
• How To: Recording an Electric Guitar or Bass with an Amplifier. 

I don't know which one I would choose yet, I'm going to have to think fairly hard about it. I'm quite tempted by recording an Electric Guitar without an amp - I have an electro-acoustic guitar and a 1/4" to USB adaptor and some free recording software, and also have a small mixing desk I can throw into the mix. Decisions, decisions!

I think I know what I'm going to be doing on Sunday, there is no chance of me doing any tomorrow or Saturday because I'm thinking about going to the Epic Powwow after the Cub Scout meeting tomorrow night and I'm working on Saturday and have a party to go to that night too.

I think it's time I should be heading to bed, I've an 6am alarm for work tomorrow.

Songwriting Course Week 1

I have signed up for a couple of online courses recently, and for a change ones that are totally out of my normal field of study (ie not computing ones!).

You won't be too surprised to find out that Songwriting is one of these courses, although I suspect the title of this post might have given it away!

Today was my day off (because I'm working Saturday), and apart from getting a replacement oven and a mooch around Dalton Park, I have spent some time in watching the lectures for the course.

The course is structured around video's, with quizzes to back up the ideas in the lecture followed by an assessed piece of coursework.

There are several songs that the quizzes refer to, and YouTube is a big help as I didn't have any of the songs quoted in my collection!

The lectures looked at the structure of songs, how to develop ideas in songs and different points of views. You mustn't forget the six best friends of songwriting: Who What Where When Why and How - these are probably best friends of authors too.

I'm sitting writing this while Lynn is cooking tea, and I intend on starting on the other course I signed up for this evening. I might have to push myself fairly hard to try and get it completed tonight too, especially as I haven't checked the deadlines for it out yet!

The songs

There were only two of the songs that I recognised Eleanor Rigby and The Great Pretender, although it was the Freddy Mercury version I had heard before.

One or two I though might be doable as a guitar soloist, and when I get my skills up enough I intend to give a try - open acoustic events beware!

• "Eleanor Rigby" (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) performed by The Beatles


• "One More Dollar" (Gillian Welch) performed by Gillian Welch


• "Still Crazy After All These Years" (Paul Simon) performed by Paul Simon


• "In Front of the Alamo" (Gary Burr) performed by Hal Ketchum


• "It Was a Very Good Year" (Ervin Drake) performed by Frank Sinatra)


• "For No One" (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) performed by The Beatles


• "What’ll I do?" (Irving Berlin) performed by Linda Ronstadt


• "Can’t Be Really Gone" (Gary Burr) performed by Tim McGraw


• "Judgement of the Moon and Stars (Ludwig's Tune)" (Joni Mitchell) performed by Joni Mitchell


• "I Can’t Make You Love Me" (Mike Reid/Allen Shamblin) performed by Bonnie Raitt


• "The Great Pretender" (Buck Ram) performed by The Platters


• "Strawberry Wine" (Matraca Berg/Gary Harrison) performed by Deana Carter


• "Why Can't I Have You?" (Ric Ocasek) performed by The Cars

Not much progress and other thoughts

Over the past three weeks or so I've been a little busy and haven't hooked the guitar to my PS. The main reason is that I've been training to be a Customer Services Adviser for an energy company, and have spent the last week "live" taking customers queries and resolving them.

There is a huge difference between running through how to use SAP to get information and to resolve queries in training and when you are live on the phones. Thankfully there are lots of very experienced floor walkers that are available to help us when we hit things we're not sure about doing.

I have had a brief investigation into how to use my new mixing desk, and an still working out the best way to record what is coming out of the system. When I get it sussed, be warned that there might be a flurry of tracks posted to my SoundCloud account.

Another reason for me to add music, is that I have signed up for Coursera online courses in Songwriting and Music Production. These are two separate courses that are expected to take up around 8 hours each through a week. I think that will strain me to the limit fitting around my work and Scouting activities, and I suspect that I'll be spending most of my weekends trying to play catch up!

My girlfriend has also signed up for the Songwriting course, and it seems possible that we're going to have a go at collaborating on songs -for those you'll have to keep an eye out for the Heron Hymn SoundCloud pages.

I'm planning on getting the PS booted up at some point this weekend, and I'm expecting that my playing will have atrophied. I have been practicing a couple of the tunes I have more or less learned (mainly House of the Rising Song [a very simplified version] and Home On The Range, although some Christmas and nursery tunes have also been picked out).

Getting my fingers flexible enough to play chords properly is a challenge for me at the moment.

Of all the bizarre questions I've had recently, one was from a girl I was tutoring Maths and English last year and it was could I teach her to play the keyboards. I did point out that I don't know how to play them, but she seemed determined that she wanted to have a go.

I guess I'll need to dig out my keyboard and power supply and start with the basics myself too. I'm not sure where I'm going to fit in all of this into my week.

Just remember: if you don't try you'll never succeed!

Not the planned weekend

Disappointment

I was wanting to attend the Imagine Cup North East hack event this weekend, but due to a minor technical problem with my oven (ie it has stopped heating things up) I thought I'd better fix it.
That did leave me free to attend the cub meeting last night, and the leader meeting straight after (which only lasted half an hour - not a common event as most of the leaders can talk for England - me especially!)
Mission only partially successful, I have isolated the faulty part: the heating element has gone open circuit. I've also discovered two ways of getting at the element to replace it.
The first way involves stripping the oven almost into individual components, and the other is which panels that need to be removed to do the job.
I'm hoping that I will be able to remember which order it has to be done in when I get the replacement part and fit it.
For a change I only have two spare screws after re-assembling the oven.

Progress

I have had a technically successful session with Guitar Smith and have passed another section. More details than you really want to catch are in my other blog.
What other news? I'm three weeks into my five week training to be a customer support adviser, and will be on the phones for at least one call on the last day.
I have recorded a version of the guitar part for House Of The Rising Sun and uploaded to SoundCloud.

Coursework

Absolutely no progress with the database course today. I'm going to have to stand behind myself and crack the whip, as I have over an hours worth of lectures to watch and the associated exercises to complete to continue my progress.

There is a mid-course exam coming up soon, and I'm not looking forward to that at the moment. I think that it will be the ruination of my 100% success rate of doing the practical work.

Still making progress

Database course

The topic I'm currently working on for my online courses is Relational Algebra.
The big grin you'd see on my face at the moment is because I got 100% in the quiz, and also 100% in the exercises.
I have also completed 3 of the 4 challenge level exercises, and have 75% for those. Bearing in mind I haven't started the last question, I can't complain too much about that now, can I?

Customer Services Advisor Training

We've just passed hump day on the training, 2 1/2 weeks completed, 2 1/2 weeks to go. 

The billing quiz was on Monday, and everybody in our team passed (although nobody managed 100% - spoiling my record). Getting the billing aspects right is rather important, as it will reduce the number of calls and complaints received.

Today we have been looking at setting up customer contracts, but had a minor technical hitch: the systems went down mid afternoon preventing us from using the training environment.

Other news?

My oven has packed in, I am going to try to find time to find out what is wrong either tomorrow night, or over the weekend. I suspect the heating element has failed, the fan and thermostat seems to be doing something. It would be easier just to get a new oven, but cash is rather tight at the moment.

I've not had time to play my guitar smith game this week, as I've been focussing on the coursera work. Once I've finished playing with the oven and get the next block of lectures watched and quizzes completed I think I'll be playing more.

Heron Hymn might be having a go at recording a simple song or two this weekend depending on enthusiasm (but it will be something like Home On The Range, My Grandfathers Clock or a Christmas carol or two.
Oh yes, it's 11:15pm in the uk, and I still have a 6am alarm. Sleep? Who needs it!

Some progress with the course

The JSON lectures and quiz weren't as difficult as I thought they might be.

I managed to get 4/4 for the quiz, so that's ok.

My progress so far:

XML Quiz	6/6
JSON Quiz	4/4
DTD Exercises	3/3

Sitting at 100% overall at the early stages of the course is a good place to be I think.

But first, I have a 6am alarm and it's 11:25 in the UK so I think it would be a good time to get some sleep.