BERKLEE'S INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC PRODUCTION

AT COURSERA.ORGHi, and welcome! my name is John Tinjaca, I’m from Bogota, Colombia. I’m taking the

Berklee's Introduction To Music Production at Coursera.org  This video lesson is for week 1, part of the assignment; I will be teaching:

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

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

ELECTRIC GUITAR OR

BASSUses a pickup to convert the

vibration of its strings into electrical impulses.(from

Wikipedia)

Rob_Allen_Mouse_30_Walnut,_MB-2_Fretless,_Solid_4_bass_guitars,_electric_guitar_(8308187661)

DI (DIRECT INPUT) BOX

DIs are frequently used to connect an electric guitar or electric bass to a

mixing console's microphone input. The DI performs level matching, balancing, and either active buffering or passive

impedance matching/impedance bridging to minimize noise, distortion, and ground loops. (from Wikipedia)

LiveWire solutions DI box.

AUDIO INTERFACEAudio Interface is an external hardware unit connected via USB or FireWire, that takes all the various audio inputs and convert them into digital audio data. (from http://www.basic-home-recording-studio.com/audio-

interfaces.html)

Digidesign Mbox mini

1/4 INCH TS INSTRUMENT CABLEA mono cable (you have only one channel through which to send the signal), with a TS plug (short for Tip/Sleeve). The instrument cord contains one wire and a shield — the wire is connected to the tip, and the shield is connected to the sleeve. You need the instrument cable’s shield to minimize noise. (from http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/audio-connectors-14inch-monots-analog-

plug.html )

Monoprice TS instrument cable

XLR CABLEThe XLR connector is used for microphones and some line connections between professional

gear. This cable has a female and a male end. The cord is wired much like a TRS connector and is balanced to minimize noise. The XLR microphone cable is also called a low Z cable because it

carries a low-impedance signal. (from http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/audio-connectors-xlr-and-rca-analog-plugs.html

)

xlr connector_TechNotes_2

BEFORE YOU CONNECT ANYTHING…

• Lower down the input gain levels on any external interface.

• make tests to set the level to be in the final recording ( play the loudest possible, while adjusting the input levels so you don’t get noise.)

• Check the graphic indicators for sound levels, at the audio interface, If it shows colors, you’ll want to be in the yellow at maximum (never in red), to get a clean good undistorted recording, even if you play loud and hard.

SETTING UP CONNECTIONS…

Connect your electric guitar or bass to a direct input box, via a 1/4 inch TS cable or instrument cable, the purpose of the DI box is to connect a high-impedance, line level, unbalanced output signal (the kind of signal from electric guitar) to a low-impedance microphone level balanced input, usually via XLR connector; from the DI Box connect from the XLR output to the audio interface XLR input or microphone/instrument input on some audio interfaces, using the XLR cable. The purpose of this setup is to get a very clean signal from your instrument, and has the advantage of using a short TS cable for the instrument and a long run of XLR cable if needed, to reduce noise.

Image from lesson 1: Sound and signal flow/pick up connections - Introduction to Music Production by Loudon Stearns

RESOURCES• http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/12-of-the-best-budget-usb-audio-interfaces-570850/4

• http://music.tutsplus.com/articles/10-great-tuts-about-recording-electric-guitar--audio-4830

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DI_unit

• http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/audio-connectors-14inch-monots-analog-plug.html

• http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/audio-connectors-xlr-and-rca-analog-plugs.html

I tried my best to explain this subject, trying to cover the procedure in the respective lessons, and adding some

additional info and resources of interest. I chose this lesson because being a guitarist my self, I make this connections quite often, in my home studio, so I feel familiar with the

subject. !

Please feel free to let me know what do you think about this presentation, and if there is anything I could do to make it

better, just let some comments, I will appreciate! !!!!

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

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