Task 2 Sound Editing Equipment – David Adams

DAW

DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation.

An example of this is Logic Pro X. DAW is a
professional software used to edit sound.
A DAW mimics all the features of a mixing
desk. It is user friendly to all such as
Beginners as well as professional mixers.
Many DAWs are licensed at £3 per month,
which is very cheap when you also have all
the features of it. Logic Pro X runs on
desktop, laptops and pc. It relies on the
computer to do all the thinking and
processing. It is a digital product which
edits sound digitally not in analogue. DAWs have been around since 1980 developed the “Computer
Musical Instrument”.

Mixing Desk

A Mixing Desk is a console where sound signals are

mixed during recording or broadcasting. A Mixing
Desk takes up a whole room which contains a master
computer, separate slides and channels, headphones
and speakers, sound proof recording room,
microphone and lastly a compressor and sub. Mixing
Desks are very expensive pieces of equipment
costing an overall of £20,000+. Mixing desks are
often used by professionals, commonly found in
commercial studios. A Mixing Desk is not for
beginners. Professional products are with
professional equipment.

Cut Tool

We use a cut tool to get rid of

waste/unwanted audio files
and keep the equipment
sounds we need. Using the cut
tool determines the length of
the audio. The shortcut of the
cut tool is control+s.
Join/Fade Tools

Join/fader is used to join two separate files by cross-fading. If we do not fade, we get a sudden
change between sounds tracks. It blends the two sounds together using the fade tool.

Glue/Join Tool Fade Tool

Copy and Paste Tool

The copy and paste tool is used by many people. Many

people may want the same thing more than once. This
makes getting work done quicker and easier. If you copy
and paste something you can listen to the before and after
product.

Stereo Field

The stereo field is the projected area of sound. E.g. Cinema has surround sound which is 6+
speakers. It all depends on where the audience is sitting. The sound is pushed all around the room
making the sounds naturalised.

Sound bite

A sound bite is a short extract from a recorded intro, chosen for its pungency.

In my opinion I think a Mixing Desk is more efficient the create music on. Mixing desks are often
made for Professionals that Beginners. Whereas a DAW is made for beginners to practice making
amateur music. Music that is created by a DAW doesn’t tend to be of the highest quality. In a DAW it
automatically chooses what is best for you depending on the audio or sound that has been inputted.
But compared to a Mixing Desk you can plug your source into the top, adjust your gain underneath,
then finally fine tune the volume. Mixing Desk may not be able to go everywhere but with a DAW it
can go missing, break, be stolen. This is not efficient because all your work will be stored on that one
computer and not on anything else. Despite the fact that Mixing Desks/Recording Studio are
£20,000+, it is really helpful for music artists to produce their music professionally on a Mixing Desk.
Factual Editing Process – Interview for the 6 o’clock news

This process is made up of 4 parts, Pre recording, Pre edit check, Edit and Post edit. In pre recording
the Journalist works out why and how things are said. Essentially their intentions is to uncover the
truth behind the story. Pre edit check is listening to the recording of the sound and to check if it was
clear to hear or if more questions have to be asked to fit the time slot. This is important due to the
readings from the targeted audience if it has not been edited to a high standard. Edit is used to meet
the set time to cut he Journalist’s intentions like cutting down, masking voice to hide identity etc.
Post Edit must have legal checks that are carried out for factual sound editing. Have you
misrepresented someone’s opinion or twisted their words.

Fictional Editing Process – Recording for a crater voice

In the Pre recording stage there has to be creative ideas or creative intentions made for a song or a
soundtrack. This may come fro, the director, producer, the person who writes the script or it could
come from you personally. The Pre edit check will include listening to the sound back, checking if the
sound levels are okay. This will also follow the creative process like changing different sound
recording equipment to get a much different sound. Edit is based on the creative process and
creative intentions, checking if this is what they wanted. And Post edit must meet the legal
requirement of Freedom of Speech. Are you persecuting one person or a group of people. Does it
meet the clients brief.