Difference between revisions of "DAW Basics"
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=== Inserts === | === Inserts === | ||
The whole point of having tracks is to independently process them. ''Inserts'' allow the track data to get processed. For instance, you can apply a reverb plugin as an insert on audio track to add reverb to it. The insert can be changed or removed later - it is applied "on top of" the track data. Each track is usually capable of having numerous inserts, which process in a serial order. Inserts are typically and thus synonymous with plugins. | The whole point of having tracks is to independently process them. ''Inserts'' allow the track data to get processed. For instance, you can apply a reverb plugin as an insert on audio track to add reverb to it. The insert can be changed or removed later - it is applied "on top of" the track data. Each track is usually capable of having numerous inserts, which process in a serial order. Inserts are typically and thus synonymous with plugins. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Audio == | ||
| + | Audio clips in the workspace are typically called ''audio events''. Each audio track may contain a number of audio events, even overlapping ones. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Fade/Trim === | ||
| + | Most DAW software provides quick ways to ''fade'' or ''trim'' audio events. A fade typically involves click dragging from top corner at the top and beginning or end of the audio event. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Level Adjustments === | ||
== Plugins == | == Plugins == | ||
Revision as of 15:00, 15 May 2014
This covers the basic functionality of most professional DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software. It's probably nothing new to anyone already making productions, although some sections might be interesting. This is a quick overview for the noobs.
Contents
Timeline View
The default window/view your DAW will display should be the timeline view. This consists of a big empty box (which I call the workspace or track data window) with numbers running along the x axis, either above or below. These numbers indicate the time in terms of minutes and seconds - it is literally the timeline for the project. The y axis is divided into blocks called tracks, covered below. Each track usually consists of a small track control panel to the left of the workspace. The track data (audio, MIDI) looks like rectangles inside the workspace, spanning whatever time they consume.
The timeline is usually adjustible, so that you can zoom in/out for either the x or y axis. Zooming out allows you to see a greater portion of your project. For instance, zooming out on the x axis means the amount of time visible inside the timeline gets larger, while the track data gets smaller horizontally. Zooming out on the y axis means more tracks are visible, but the control panels and data for each track shrink vertically. In contrast, zooming in allows you to see greater detail per track, making it easier to find audio or MIDI events and edit tracks.
Timeline Controller
The timeline view may have built in controls, or they may appear in a separate window that can be moved around the screen or hidden. This has standard controls like jump back, rewind, play, record, fast forward, and jump forward. It may have additional features or displays, such as the HH:MM:SS marker for the current point in time selected in the timeline.
Timeline Cursor
The timeline has a cursor that typically appears as a small arrow above and/or a vertical line on top of the timeline, indicating the current place in time. When playing back the project, you'll see it move from left to right. The cursor can be moved using the timeline controller mentioned above. Typically it can also be moved by keyboard buttons and shortcuts, as well as by clicking in the numbered timeline above the timeline window.
Timeline Selection
Click-dragging in the timeline above the track window selects a span of time. This selection can be looped, bounced, or processed independently of the rest of the project.
Tracks
Tracks are a holdover from the days of multi-track tape, where each instrument could be recorded (or tracked) indpendently. This allowed flexibility to process each track before mixing them all down into the final stereo or mono mix. Tracks in a modern DAW are much more flexible and aren't devoted to recording audio. For example, a track can contain MIDI data, which is sent to virtual instrument to generate audio. The typical types of tracks allowed by a DAW include:
- Audio (Mono)
- Audio (Stereo)
- MIDI
- Virtual Instrument
- Group Track
- Event
- Adjustment
Tracks typically have a control panel with the features below. Some DAW's display limited control panels for every track to the left of the workspace. Others require highlighting or double-clicking the desired track to make the control panel appear.
Record Arm
The most basic feature of a track is to record arm the track. This tells the DAW to record such tracks when you press the record button on the timeline controller. Tracks that are not record armed will simply playback whatever audio or MIDI data they already contain instead of recording whatever data is flowing in through their input. You can record arm multiple tracks to simultaneously record them, even if they use different input sources.
Solo/Mute
The solo button essentially mutes all other tracks. This allows you to focus on that single track, so you can notice imperfections or edit it without the distractions of all the other tracks playing back. You can solo multiple tracks simultaneously. You can still record on any track while one or more tracks are being solo'ed.
The mute button, as expected, simply mutes playback of the track. A track can still be recorded while muted.
Input Monitoring
There is often an input monitor button per track. This sends the input stream from the audio track to the software output when the track is record armed. Essentially, what you hear before you press record is exactly what will be recorded.
Hardware interfaces generally provide a software mixer to control the hardware. This determines where each hardware input is routed in software. It also usually includes an option to enable direct or hardware monitoring of any of its inputs. This routes the audio going into that input directly to the output without having to be routed through the computer's operating system and other software. The advantage of direct monitoring is that there is minimal latency. For non-acoustic instruments that use heavy audio processing like electric guitar, this is a very good thing. Trying to play guitar but not hearing your playing until a 10th of a second or more throws off the feel and timing of the player.
When trying to set up your DAW and track inputs, hardware monitoring can be misleading. The sound from the hardware monitor might be fine, but the track you want to record that audio might be set incorrectly, so that it only records noise, the wrong audio source, or silence. Rather than trying to record a test clip, then play it back; it's often simpler to disable hardware monitoring on the interface and enable software monitoring. This may mean you are hearing more latency, and it is difficult to play in-time while recording; but it will quickly demonstrate if your track is recording correctly. What you hear from the software monitor is exactly what your recording will sound like.
When actually recording, I recommend turning off software monitoring and using your device's hardware monitoring to remove the disorienting nature of latency. If your interface has very low latency, however, the difference may be negligible. Then, software monitoring is preferable, as it makes sure you don't accidentally record a difficult part perfectly only to later find out you weren't properly set up to record it. If both hardware and software monitoring are enabled, you may get a phasy or comb-filtered type sound because both sources will be sent to output. They will be slightly out-of-sync, causing the unwanted effect. Make sure to use only one or the other.
NOTE: Modern DAW software is equipped to know what the audio latency from your input source is and time-shift the resulting recording so that you never know it existed. When recording, you should play in-time with the click track and/or other tracks.
Input/Output
Each track allows input/output selection. Possible inputs/outputs are set up in your DAW settings and should correspond to your physical input/output connections on your hardware audio interface. This includes audio and MIDI I/O's. Mono tracks will allow stereo inputs (such as S/PDIF) to specify either the left or right field. Additional inputs/outputs can be set up as busses. For instance, most tracks by default are set to output to the master output bus. If you look at the master output bus track, its output is the physical output.
Inserts
The whole point of having tracks is to independently process them. Inserts allow the track data to get processed. For instance, you can apply a reverb plugin as an insert on audio track to add reverb to it. The insert can be changed or removed later - it is applied "on top of" the track data. Each track is usually capable of having numerous inserts, which process in a serial order. Inserts are typically and thus synonymous with plugins.
Audio
Audio clips in the workspace are typically called audio events. Each audio track may contain a number of audio events, even overlapping ones.
Fade/Trim
Most DAW software provides quick ways to fade or trim audio events. A fade typically involves click dragging from top corner at the top and beginning or end of the audio event.