Commander Chris Hadfield Sings “Space Oddity”

Posted on May 12, 2013 by CRAS

Born August 29, 1959, Chris Hadfield may be one of the most influential explorers of all time. Taking over the ISS (International Space Station) space station on March 13 of this year, Chris has done an incredible job becoming what should be the primary candidate of the future of International Ambassadors. He has had constant communication with Earth during his time abroad, and has used his time not only to communicate with his advisors and safety team, but has also answered numerous physic and aeronautic questions posed to him. For example, check out this video posed to him, regarding what happens when you ring out a wet towel in space. I know it sounds very elementary, but seriously check it out! If intergalactic physics bore you, I don’t know what I can do to make you interested in something:

Tomorrow, a la May 13th, Commander Chris Hadfield will be finishing his tour and returning to Earth. Tonight however, he paid his final due by recording and producing a music video of his version of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”. Originally released in 1969, “Space Oddity” the song was written as an allusion to the blockbuster movie “2001: A Space Oddysey”. Bowie’s version has become a classic in music history, as had it reached #15 on Billboard’s charts and was Bowie’s first major hit song.

As an incredible tribute, one which should go down in history, Commander Chris Hadfield posted his rendition of the song from space, with Earth in the background. Definitely check out this history making moment! Never before has anyone produced a song or music video from outside of the Earthen atmosphere, and this version lives up to all expectations!

Music Theory for People Who Can’t Read Music

Posted on May 6, 2013 by CRAS

“Do I need to know how to read music to work in the music industry?” This is a question that comes up a lot, and it is actually a very legitimate question. There are a lot of people who want to get into the audio recording world, but are afraid that they will fail because they don’t have a fundamental base in music theory.

What is music theory?

At the core, music theory is a conglomeration of knowledge gathered over centuries as to how music can be made the “correct” way. By looking at patterns various composers and artists use, we’ve developed “theories” as to how one can scientifically and efficiently write music in a way that is sonically pleasing to the ears.

That being said, music theory is just that – a theory. It’s not called “music science” or “music truth”. While understanding music theory can be very beneficial, and you should definitely learn the theory, it doesn’t make or break you as an audio engineer, or as a musician for that matter. Musically speaking, one of the introductory rules of music theory is that, in a composition, changes between chords should not have parallel movements, and should not use parallel octaves. But, take into consideration most modern rock music – the power chord contains a root note, a note a fifth interval above the root, and often a parallel octave of the root. Most song progressions just take this same chord structure and move up and down a scale, which produces a ton of parallel movements that are “in theory” incorrect. However, that doesn’t mean rock music is bad music. It is just a different style than what was classically deemed to be “correct”.

However, music theory can help quite a bit in the audio recording world. Having an understanding of how music works, why some chords elicit certain feelings, what makes two notes sound dissonant, and how song structure can be formed and manipulated, are all things that can be gained by having a fundamental understanding of music theory. Aside from that, if you are working with a band trying to hash out good takes, it can definitely expedite the recording process if you are familiar with the terms they will be using – chorus, pre-chorus, first movement, second movement, etc. If you can clearly understand their music terminology, and explain what you are hearing in their terms as well, you can make the entire process a lot easier, as well as gaining some “studio cred” for yourself, earning some respect.

Daniel Griffing has made a nice intro to music theory for people who can’t read music. It contains exercises and clear images of what he is talking about, in a way that can be used and applied in most modern DAWs, so you can practice at home if you want as well. You can check out his first line of tutorials here – Music Theory and Composition for the Musically Illiterate.

5 Killer OS X Shortcuts for Audio Engineers

Posted on April 5, 2013 by CRAS

There is no doubt that Mac computers are found in staggering numbers within the music industry. While a common complaint about the Mac Operating System is that it is too “user friendly” and not “technical” enough, there are a lot of hidden tricks and shortcuts that can be phenomenally useful. Here are seven:

Change audio I/O from the menu bar – By holding the Option key and clicking on the speaker icon in the menu bar, you can access the same features found within the Sound System Preferences tab.
Adjust volume in smaller increments – By default there are 16 levels of volume. But sometimes there is too big of a jump from one click to the next. If you hold Shift+Option while changing the volume, you get much finer resolution – almost 4 levels within each click.
Adjust volume silently – Speaking of clicks, sometimes the volume change indicator “quack” can be annoying, and sometimes outright loud if you are working on lower volume material. Hold shift while you change the volume and the clicking sound goes away!

Take a perfect screenshot – Sometimes you want to admire your work. By pressing Shift+Command+3, you can take a snapshot of the entire screen. However that can be a little messy. If you press Shift+Command+4, you can make a selection of what you want to screenshot. But the best trick is when you press Shift+Command+4, then press Space. The mouse cursor turns into a camera icon and you will now be able to take a screenshot of just one window.
Quickly force quit Pro Tools – Pro Tools, as well as many other apps, have a tendency to crash and hang. If that happens, you can click and hold on the Pro Tools icon in the Dock, and select Force Quit. One step better, you can accomplish this without a mouse. By pressing Option+Command+Escape, you can bring up the Force Quit window. Press the Up or Down arrow on your keyboard until you select the problematic application and hit enter. You can then press Escape to close the Force Quit window.

Overlooked Records 2012

Posted on December 14, 2012 by AudioBlogger

“Overlooked” is always tricky to define. Mostly, these are records that we feel could use another listen. None of these records received a Best New Music designation; not all were rated above an 8.0. Some are a little left-field and others take a very specific idea and execute it exceedingly well. All are worth tracking down. Read on, listen, and click through for the full reviews; you can also hear most of the albums in this Spotify playlist. READ MORE

35 Audio Tutorial Sites

Posted on September 17, 2012 by AudioBlogger

So, here they are – 35 tutorial sites that will teach you almost everything you need to know about audio production. READ MORE

Marketing for Engineers, Artists and Musicians

Posted on July 27, 2012 by AudioBlogger

marketing Marketing for Engineers, Artists and Musicians

The concept of “Permission Marketing” has been around for some time. Popularized by marketing guru and author Seth Godin, it essentially boils down to marketers asking for “permission” before advancing to higher levels of engagement or a purchasing process with customers. It’s often contrasted with what Godin likes to call “interruption marketing,” the practice where advertisers try and “interrupt” a person’s normal pattern through an advertising blitz (such as a billboard, tv commercial, magazine ad, etc.). READ MORE

What’s On Your Wall?

Posted on July 12, 2012 by AudioBlogger

The CRAS offers certifications in Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Auto-Tune, Melodyne, Smaart, Digidesign Venue and more. This grad proudly displayed his on the walls of his studio telling the world he qualifies as a certified operator of the industry’s top hardware and software solutions for audio production.

Advanced Workstation Workflow for Music Production

Posted on May 18, 2012 by AudioBlogger

P and E Wing Advanced Workstation Workflow for Music Production

These guidelines layed out by the P&E Wing focus mainly on how the engineer/operator can organize, clean up, and save their project/session data at the end of the day to make the next person’s job a lot easier. When followed, they can eliminate much confusion for all operators, provide answers to anticipated questions, solve certain problems before they arise, and shorten the time between when an operator opens a project/session and when they are able to go to work. In other words, put more $$$ in your pocket by streamlining your workflow. READ MORE

How To Properly Roll a Cable

Posted on May 13, 2012 by AudioBlogger

How To Preserve Your Hearing

Posted on April 10, 2012 by AudioBlogger

House Research Institute – a leading non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with hearing loss and related disorders – has outlined five simple ways to preserve your hearing

1) Know thyself: have your hearing tested
Often, hearing loss issues are initially detected by family and friends rather than the person experiencing it. “When a person frequently has trouble understanding conversations in places where there is significant background noise, such as at parties, crowded restaurants and clubs, it might be a good time for a hearing test and an ear examination,” observes John W. House, MD, president of House Research Institute and physician at the House Clinic. Find out where you stand so you can understand and address the personal risks you may face — hearing exams take just minutes. Noise induced hearing loss begins in the higher frequencies and does not affect speech frequencies until it is advanced. Therefore, a screening audiogram is advised for those who are exposed to loud noise.

2) Know thy surroundings: avoid potentially dangerous environments
By ensuring you are in a safe listening environment, you mitigate the risk of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). “If you have to raise your voice to be heard, you are likely in an environment with sound levels exceeding 85 dBA,” says Marilee Potthoff, director of community outreach and education at House Research Institute. Musicians and engineers depend on good hearing for their careers, but also are at high risk for hearing damage from prolonged sound exposure on the job. If you’re in the sound industry, it’s important for your hearing health to carefully monitor your sound environments that reach above 85 dBA both on and off the job, and know how much to limit your exposure. When relaxing with your personal stereo or player, we recommend keeping the volume setting at no louder than 60 percent of max. potential.

3) Use it or lose it: make the right choices in hearing protection
Educate yourself on what kind of hearing protection is truly effective. “Select hearing protection devices that provide the appropriate amount of sound reduction. Hearing protection with an NRR (noise reduction rating) of around 25 to 35 dB offers better protection for loud music environments than devices with lower NRRs. Using devices with a much lower NRR may result in significant damage to the inner ear when exposed to high level [loud] sounds,” says Andrew Vermiglio, AuD, HRI research audiologist and California State University Northridge audiology professor. Some custom ear plugs — which are available through licensed audiology clinics, including the House Clinic — offer a flatter attenuation across the frequency range and may make listening to loud music more enjoyable than standard, over-the-counter earplugs, such as foam or pre-molded plugs. Standard earplugs tend to “colorize” what you hear by filtering the high frequencies more than the low frequencies.

4) Keep it clean: Ears need good hygiene, too
Earwax may not be the most popular discussion topic in the world, but it is certainly worth knowing about. Knowing how to safely remove wax and dirt build up will help you keep your hearing on the right track in 2012 and beyond. “Never insert foreign objects into your ear canal, including cotton swabs — instead, use a warm washcloth to gently clean the outer area of your ears or an over the counter ear wax removal solution,” says Dr. House. Other ear cleaning methods known as ear candling or coning are dangerous, not effective, and can easily damage your ear canal.

5) Make a date: Have your ears checked on a regular basis
Have your hearing checked annually. If you notice a change in the state of your hearing, seek immediate medical attention. “Annual hearing exams may help to identify potential hearing loss issues while there is still time to rectify them,” says Dr. Vermiglio. Also, symptoms such as hearing loss, ringing in the ears, dizziness or loss of balance, may be related to a serious medical condition.

For more information, visit the House Research Institute website.

CRAS BLOG

News From The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences

Category Archives: FYI