The Art & Science of Sound Recording
Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons has created the most complete, effective, and fun course on recording that I have ever seen, and ever expect to see. His Art & Science of Sound Recording is an outstanding collection of 24 video modules on virtually everything to do with recording sound, whether in a big professional studio or in your own basement. If you have any interest at all in recording this set will be a dream come true for you.
Few people know the ins and outs of recording like Alan Parsons. He began hIs stellar career recording the Beatles and then Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" before becoming a recording star in his own right with The Alan Parsons Project. Since then he has worked with the cream of the crop on both sides of the studio glass. Mr. Parsons shares his enormous knowledge of studio techniques in both theory and audio-visual examples. In counterpoint to his own expertise, Alan Parsons interviews many other producers, engineers, artists, and equipment manufacturers to give a multi-faceted view of the most important concepts in recording.
Everything about this package is first-class, from its comprehensive content to the narration by Billy Bob Thornton. Alan Parsons is a charming host whose clear and concise explanations make even the most complex concept easily understandable.
The first real module I tried was MIDI, since I did considerable work with the MIDI specification in the late 1980's. This is a fast-paced, information-packed unit with all of the basics and some great additional material. Keep in mind that you can stop and rewind the video at any point, so nothing is repeated. This lets you breeze through what you already know as a good review, and concentrate on areas that are new to you. And be sure to pay attention. There is a test at the end, or rather an optional quiz. The quiz is not easy, but you should be able to pass if you are paying attention and replaying the new stuff. These quizzes are a good way to check that you have absorbed the main points of a lesson, and if you miss a question or two you can always go back and watch the video again. And if you pass the tests you can win free stuff.
While the entire course is well worth taking - and more than once - there are some modules that will be of particular interest to guitarists. There is a short but thorough video on recording acoustic guitar with vocals that will help you to understand how to keep both separate and why you would want to. (If you have not gone through the module on microphones by this point you will probably want to do so to get the most out of this and the other sections on recording.)
The section on recording electric guitar features top session guitarist Tim Pierce. Although most of the examples are from the world of rock and pop, there is valuable information on recording a guitar in tune, using a microphone on an amplifier, reducing noise from effects pedals, as well as the basics of choosing the right professional equipment. If you have always wondered what the difference is between single-coil and humbucking pickups, or between solid-state and tube amplifiers, this section is for you.
No matter what type of guitar or other instrument you are recording, you will want to know the different types of microphone and how to use them effectively. The mic module is full of so much useful information that you will keep coming back to it any time you want to try a new recording setup. Alan Parsons provides a great mix of general information with specific recommendations that will guide you through the dizzying maze of microphones available these days.
Whether recording or playing live, guitarists are always looking for that perfect tone from guitars and amps. The section on EQ is a whole course on tone control in itself. Alan Parsons give clear and concise instruction on the different types of EQ and how to use it effectively on virtually any instrument. If you have ever found a manual on using a parametric EQ completely confusing this section provide a welcome relief and show you how wonderfully useful this tool can be. You not only see it in use - you hear its effect on the sound as it is applied. Priceless information that will become a basic reference work for you.
Whatever your level of expertise you will find a lot of valuable information in the modules on Digital Audio and Computers, Consoles and Controllers, MIDI, and Studio Acoustics. After studying these modules you will be confident in designing your own studio, whether in a corner of your bedroom or constructing a complete room in your basement. The costly mistakes that the course will help you avoid are worth ten times the cost of the DVD’s. And even if you are not a keyboard player and don’t work with one, be sure to study the Keyboards module for the extra information it has on MIDI and using an inexpensive keyboard as a controller and sound trigger.
Alan Parsons' statement that his main object is to help you to hear is important to keep in mind. Not only will you know what to listen for but how to set up a good listening environment and how to mix your own recordings. This is covered in Mixing, Monitoring, Microphones and many more modules.
There are several great modules on effects. The module on Reverb will show you how to use it effectively to create subtle but full sound. The video on Delays will convince you how useful this effect can be, while the one on Compressors shows how a little can lead to big results. And if you think that Noise Gates are just to reduce extraneous noise from your amp, you are in for a welcome surprise – this section contains some great tips on its creative uses.
Even with such an in-depth course there have to be topics that extend beyond what can reasonably be taught. One example comes from the excellent module on Digital Audio and Computers and its discussion of latency - the delay that is introduced into a recording from processing. While a complete explanation of why latency occurs in computing applications could fill up an entire course on its own, the basics of what the problems are with latency and ways to avoid them are given, along with enough technical information to allow you to find solutions for your own software and hardware configuration. In this case, knowing that the amount of latency depends on buffer size and sampling rate tells you the search terms to use.
The course is available in a number of formats: you can buy the whole thing on DVD, or save money and get it all as downloadable files, or you can buy individual modules. While you might think you could save money by picking and choosing modules, I strongly urge you to get the whole thing. Every video that I thought might be something I could do without turned out to be fascinating and endlessly useful. As just one example, I decided to go through the module on Noise Gates when I was pressed for time, and found that I went through the whole thing again when I had time to take it all in. There was so much great information that I immediately fired up my DAW to try some of those cool ideas for myself. I will never take a noise gate for granted again! Another example is the module on recording a choir, which includes great information on recording in any live environment, especially under less than ideal circumstances. The reverb module is a great resource for sorting out all of those parameters to get the exact sound you want rather than settling for a preset that is "almost OK."
Besides these remarkable tutorial videos, there is a great deal of information on the ASSR web site including links to the artists and individuals who appear in the videos and some excellent articles written by series producer Julian Colbeck that complement the videos. You can find all this plus more information on the ASSR web site at artandscienceofsound.com.
Now some GREAT NEWS for readers of this review. You can order the 3-DVD set from AlanParsonsDVD.com and get a 25% discount. Just place the set in your digital "cart" and enter the code ASSR25 in the discount field at checkout - the discount will be subtracted from the cost automatically. Thanks to our friends at Global Music Depot for giving us this great discount on a fantastic product! (Discount ends on November 7, 2011 so be sure to order before then.)