Practical Techniques
For The Recording Engineer


Table Of Contents

What’s in PTRE? Is it still current?

PTRE is a technique for performing sound engineering. The technique remains as rock-solid today as in the past. No matter what kind of recording method you use you still have to work with artists, instill a feeling of confidence and get great sounds.

• Basic Engineering
  • Operating Procedures 1
    • Setting up the Studio
    • The Instrument Code
    • The Recordist’s code
    • Getting levels and EQ
    • Tape run-in, the slate, tuning notes, the count-off
    • Breaking Down
    • How To Avoid Alienating Future Sources of Help and Guidance
    • Common miking techniques used in the studio
    • The Recording Console
    • The Recording Process
    • Studio Documentation
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Microphones 1
    • Condensers, dynamics, ribbons and contacts
    • Microphone pickup patterns
    • Choosing mikes for different instruments
    • Microphones and Pickups
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Instruments 1
    • Tones, transients and noise
    • Properties of instrument’s sounds
    • The ADSR
    • Where does the music come from—where to put the mike?
    • Music collection distance
    • The Table of Signals and Noises
    • Acoustics
    • Separation
    • Addition of Waveforms
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Console Parts and Functions
    • Zeroing the console at session’s end
    • Use of the pads and trims
    • Balanced inputs
    • Inboard equalization
    • Zeroing the Console at the End of the Session
    • Equalizers
    • Equalization Ranges
    • Consoles
    • Console Subsystems
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Basic Audio Theory
    • Electrical signals
    • Acoustical leakage and non-musical sounds
    • Operator noise
    • Noise prevention
    • The gain structure diagram
    • The decibel
    • Waveform addition and subtraction
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Basic Types of Console Operation
    • Tracking
    • Overdubbing
    • Stacking
    • Combining tracks
    • Ping-ponging
    • Generation loss
    • Mixing
    • Recording In Sync
    • Tracking Sessions
    • Overdub Sessions
    • Mixing
    • Monitor Volumes and Modes
    • Edit and Assembly Sessions
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Operating Procedures 2
    • Patching microphones
    • Console symbols--review
    • Ground loop solutions for direct boxes
    • Phase checking
    • Cleaning tracks
    • Y Cords
    • Mults
    • Impedance
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Tape Machines 1
    • Recorder block diagram
    • Bias
    • Ampex bias explanation
    • Distortion of tape machines
    • Magnetic fields and accidental tape erasure
    • Tape handling and storage
    • Test Your Understanding
    • Basic Chapters Test
      
      
• Intermediate Engineering
  • Acoustics 1
    • Waveforms, frequency, wavelength and amplitude
    • Wave propagation
    • Refractors, Diffusers and Absorbers
    • Enclosing Sound—Small Rooms
    • Acoustical Spectrums and Directivity
    • Envelope shape—which mike?
    • Phasing and Polarity
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Console Symbols for Diagrams
    • Console Block Diagram
    • Selects and Assigns
    • Console Solos
    • Patching
    • Submaster/Master and VCA/Group Formats
    • PCNs and ACNs
    • Phase scopes and meters
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Operating Procedures 3
    • Degaussing and cleaning the heads
    • Editing tape
    • Rocket Erase-Outs
    • Rocket Punch-Ins
    • Tape Editing by Joe Tall
    • Sound Recognition
    • Operating Levels
    • Alignment Notes
    • Print-Through
    • Head-To-Tape Contact
    • Analog Recorder Head Alignment
    • Splicing Analog Magnetic Tape
    • Editing Tape
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Musical Terminology
    • Basic Terms
    • Parts of the Popular Song
    • Instruments and Voices
    • Instrument dynamic Range
    • Instrument Overtones and Harmonics
    • The Digital Metronome
    • The Ear/Brain Hearing System
    • Monitor Systems and Acoustics
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Intermediate Audio Theory
    • Musical Instrument Spectrums
    • Preparation of Dynamic Range and Levels for Signal Transmission
    • Headroom
    • Gain Setting for Nominal Levels Through the Console
    • VU, plasma and PPM meters
    • Signal-To-Noise Ratio
    • Phase Distortion
    • Generation loss of tape recording
    • Microphone Specifications
    • Dynamic Range Alteration
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Tape Machines 2
    • Dynamic range
    • The NAB and AES Recording EQ (Pre and De-Emphasis)
    • Tape Speeds
    • Transport Types
    • Search to Cue
    • Master Boxes of Multitrack Tape Machines
    • Ampex MM1200 Manual Excerpt
    • Analog Magnetic Recorders
    • Digital Recorders
    • Recording Tape
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Operating Procedures 4
    • Tape Speed Problem Prevention (Resolving)
    • Machine Setup Procedure Using the Dolby™ Noise Reduction System
    • Dolby™ Noise Reduction Alignment For M-8, M-16, M24 Units
    • Possible Termination Problems When Aligning 361 Dolby™ Units
    • Setting up 361 Dolby™
    • Master project Dolby™ tones
    • Solving cue system shorts and other problems
    • Solutions for phantom microphone problems
    • Solving console audio problems
    • Making safety copies
    • Making the master reel
    • Tape copies
    • Poor man’s automation
    • Seques
    • Backwards overdubbing
    • Reverb system setup
    • The Dolby™ noise reduction system
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Acoustics 2
    • Distortion of microphones
    • Transient tracking ability—hardness
    • Many mikes or few mikes?
    • Unusual microphone techniques
    • Practical microphone considerations
    • Acoustical Delay
    • Equalizing
    • Test Your Understanding
    • Intermediate Chapters Test
      
      
• Advanced Engineering
  • Acoustics 3
    • Isolation booths
    • Extreme acoustical dynamic range
    • Human hearing
    • Fletcher Munson phenomenon of interest
    • Echoes and reverb
    • Ohm's Law and the dB
    • Hearing in Stereo
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Tape Machines 3
    • Wow and flutter
    • Recorder head alignment
    • The VSO
    • NAB and elevated level
    • PURC (Pick Up Record Capability)
    • Using Variable Speed Recorders
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Advanced Audio Theory
    • XLR and RTS configurations
    • Simple wiring procedures
    • Ohm’s law and the Ohm meter
    • The dB in mathematical terms
    • Wiring and Wiring Formats
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Special Effects 1
    • Reverberation
    • Dynamic processing
    • Operation of dynamic processing devices
    • Compressing the Mix
    • Common Special Effects
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Special Effects 2
    • Digital pitch changing
    • Digital operations with musical notes
    • Logarythmic Pitch
    • Phasing with tape machines
    • Flanging
    • Envelope generators
    • ADSR
    • Ring modulators
    • The Aphex
    • Vocorders
    • Dynamic Processing
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Advanced Audio Systems
    • Phantom supply
    • Tach servo systems
    • MIDI
    • The Digital Recording Medium
    • Resolving and Interlocking
    • Automated Mixing
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Distortion
    • Distortion of microphones
    • Distortion of consoles
    • Distortion of tape machines
    • Distortion types
    • Analog Disks
    • Quality Losses of Analog Disk Recording
    • Digital Compact Discs
    • Test Your Understanding
  • Audio Psychology
    • Think before speaking
    • Environmental impact and control
    • Control room etiquette
    • Confidence
    • Being authoritative
    • Egos
    • Speediness
    • The “Turn it up” phenomenon
    • The Inverse Cue System Volume Phenomenon
    • Singers Who Crowd the Mike
    • Drugs, Sleep and Fatigue
    • Last Words
    • Test Your Understanding
    • Advanced Chapters Test
    • Full Book Test