Understanding and Crafting the Mix The Art of Recording

Understanding and Crafting the Mix, 3rd edition provides the framework to identify, evaluate, and shape your recordings with clear and systematic methods. Featuring numerous exercises, this third edition allows you to develop critical listening and analytical skills to gain greater control over the quality of your recordings. Sample production sequences and descriptions of the recording engineer’s role as composer, conductor, and performer provide you with a clear view of the entire recording process. Dr. William Moylan takes an inside look into a range of iconic popular music, thus offering insights into making meaningful sound judgments during recording. His unique focus on the aesthetic of recording and mixing will allow you to immediately and artfully apply his expertise while at the mixing desk. A companion website features recorded tracks to use in exercises, reference materials, additional examples of mixes and sound qualities, and mixed tracks.

List of Figures List of Exercises to Develop Listening, Evaluation and Production Skills Foreword by Rupert Neve Preface Acknowledgements Introduction Overview of Organization and Materials Establishing an Accurate Playback of Recordings Part One. Defining the Art of Recording: The Sound Characteristics and the Aesthetic Qualities of Audio Recordings Chapter 1. The Elements of Sound and Audio Recording The States of Sound Physical Dimensions of Sound Perceived Parameters of Sound Summary Chapter 2. The Aesthetic and Artistic Elements of Sound in Audio Recordings The States of Sound and the Aesthetic/Artistic Elements Pitch Levels and Relationships Dynamic Levels and Relationships Rhythmic Patterns and Rates of Activities Sound Sources and Sound Quality Spatial Properties: Stereo and Surround Conclusion Chapter 3. The Musical Message and the Listener The Musical Message Musical Form and Structure Musical Materials The Relationships of Artistic Elements and Musical Materials Equivalence and the Expression of Musical Ideas Text as Song Lyrics The Listener Conclusion Part Two. Learning to Listen, Beginning to Hear: Acquiring Fundamental Listening Skills and Establishing an Effective Approach to Listening Chapter 4. Listening and Evaluating Sound for the Aspiring Audio Professional Why Audio Professionals Need to Evaluate Sound Talking About Sound The Listening Process Personal Development for Listening and Sound Evaluation Summary Chapter 5. Fundamental Listening Skills Introduction Background Knowledge and Preparation Self Discovery and Realization: "What is Sound to You?" Beginning to Hear the Relationships and Qualities of the Mix Hearing Subtle Qualities Conclusion Exercises Chapter 6. A System for Evaluating Sound System Overview Sound Evaluation Sequence Graphing the States and Activity of Sound Components Plotting Sources Against a Time Line Summary Exercises Part Three. Understanding the Mix: Developing Listening and Sound Evaluation Skills Chapter 7. Evaluating Pitch in Audio and Music Recordings Analytical Systems Melodic Contour Pitch Area and Frequency Band Recognition Exercises Chapter 8. Evaluating Loudness in Audio and Music Recordings Reference Levels and the Hierarchy of Dynamics Program Dynamic Contour Musical Balance Performance Intensity versus Musical Balance Exercises Chapter 9. Evaluating Sound Quality Sound Quality in Critical Listening Contexts Sound Quality in Analytical Listening Contexts Sound Quality and Perspective Evaluating the Characteristics of Sound Quality and Timbre Summary Exercises Chapter 10. Evaluating the Spatial Elements of Two Channel Sound Understanding Space as an Artistic Element Stereo Sound Location Distance Localization Environmental Characteristics Space Within Space Exercises Chapter 11. Evaluating the Spatial Elements of Surround Sound Format Considerations Surround’s Sound Stage and the Listener Sound Location and Imaging Evaluating Location in Surround Sound Distance Localization Sound Sources and their Environments Exercises Chapter 12. Complete Evaluations and Understanding Observations Pitch Density and Timbral Balance The Overall Texture Relationships of the Individual Sound Sources and the Overall Texture The Complete Evaluation Using Graphs for Making Evaluations in Production Work Summary Exercises Part Four. Crafting the Mix: Shaping Music and Sound, and Controlling the Recording Process Chapter 13. The Roles of the Recordist and the Aesthetics of Recording Production The Functional Roles of the Recordist The Artistic Roles of the Recordist The Recording and Reality: Shaping the Recording Aesthetic The Recording Aesthetic in Relation to the Performance Event Altered Realities of Music Performance Summary Chapter 14. The Sounds of Recordings: Shaping Musical Ideas and Musical Expression The Artistic Elements of Sound as Musical Materials Sound Qualities Timbral Balance and the Mix Sound Stage Environments Noises, Distortions and Unwanted Sounds Musical Balance Chapter 15. Preproduction and Preliminary Stages: Embracing Reality and Defining the Materials of the Project Sound Sources as Artistic Resources, and the Choice of Timbres Microphones: The Aesthetic Decisions of Capturing Timbres Equipment Selection: Application of Inherent Sound Quality Monitoring: The Sound Quality of Playback Summary Exercises Chapter 16. Recording and Tracking: Capturing and Shaping the Performance Approaching the Recording: Tracking and Recording Sessions In Session: Shifting Focus and Perspective An Overview of Two Production Sequences Editing: Rearranging and Suspending Time Signal Processing: Refining Sounds and Music Preparing for the Mix Exercises Chapter 17. Crafting the Mix, and Finalizing the Production Mixing to Support the Music and the Text The Mix: Composing and Performing the Recording Mastering: The Final Artistic Decisions The Listener’s Alterations to the Recording Concluding Remarks Exercises Glossary Bibliography Discography Index

Dr. William Moylan has worked with leading artists across the full spectrum of jazz, popular, and classical genres. His recordings have been released by major and independent record labels, resulting in wide recognition, including several GRAMMY award nominations. A leading educator and an active recording engineer and producer for over 30 years, he is a Professor and Coordinator of Sound Recording Technology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.