Mastering Hip Hop Songs in Your Own Home Recording Studio Or Computer

I cannot stress enough the benefit of having your home recorded Hip Hop songs Mastered by an outside Mastering Engineer that specializes in the Hip Hop genre. The end result will no doubt be better when done by a trained ear with an acoustically tuned environment & Mastering specific gear. With that said, it is possible for you to achieve usable results in your home Hip Hop recording studio & the purpose of this article is to help you achieve those results using the recording gear/software that you already own. If you are recording on Digidesign Protools software then you can use the plug ins that came with the program. Most similar programs should have comparable processing plug ins so consult your user manual for those.

You will start your mastering session with a two track stereo mix of your song preferably with the master level peaking at about -3db never hitting the red on the meter. This mix should already be sounding the way you want while needing a boost in volume & maybe a couple EQ tweaks to make it translate well to various sound systems/sources.

Starting with the EQ make adjustments to the lows, mids, & highs, based on any notes that you taken after listening to your mix on several different types of sound sources such as earbuds, a car system, a bookshelf stereo, a mono clock radio, laptop speakers etc. Your goal is for your master to end up sounding good on all the different systems where of course on larger systems with sub woofers you will have more bass & on laptop speakers & earbuds there will be little or no sub bass. The key is to have a master that still retains clarity on each of these sources. When you listen to your mix on these sources listen for frequency problems that tend to show up on multiple sound sources as these are the first things you should work on with the EQ. You should try trial & error to find the frequencies and remember it is always better to fix by cutting the offensive sounds then by boosting other frequencies to cover them. Remember that any EQ tweaks that you perform on the stereo mix is going to affect the whole song so make sure the adjustments are actually fixing the problem without causing a bigger one in another area.

The next step in your home Hip Hop Mastering session after you are happy with the EQ results will be adding a Compressor to the track. This will be used to give the song a smooth level sound making the track level consistent from start to finish. The Compressor will also aid in boosting the perceived volume of the song. Below is a set of Compressor settings that I have come to use on Hip Hop tracks as a starting point when putting together a song Master.

gain 3.5 db

threshold -22.6 db

ratio 3.00:1

attack 11 ms

release 50 ms

knee 80

(These are compressor start off positions which I have found are a good starting point for Hip Hop recordings where the mix has been peaked at -3db)

The next device in line after the Compressor is a Limiter, which is kind of like a Compressor on steroids, the Limiter will be used to max out the volume of the mix & create a master that is as loud as any commercially released Hip Hop track.

The Limiter settings shown below are settings that I have found to be a good starting point achieving a loud yet not distorted final master of a Home studio recorded Hip Hop track

3.5 gain

threshold 17.6 db

attack 1.0 ms

release 20 ms

(These are Limiter start off positions which I have found are a good starting point for Hip Hop recordings where the mix has been peaked at -3db)

You will want to do A/B listening comparisons between your working master & a commercially released Hip Hop track that is similar in style to your song. You will want your master to be as loud as the commercially released song and translate well on all the different sound systems/sources.

Just as you will want to do with a mix, after completing your song master save it & leave it alone for a day or two then come back to it with fresh ears and you may have a different perspective on it & finds things to fix that may have been missed earlier. once you feel your song master is comparable to the commercially released song you are done mastering your new song.

There are many different specialty programs & software plug ins that are designed for Mastering however this article is geared toward those that are trying to master their songs using the options that are already present on their recording software or workstation. Also keep in mind that Pro Mastering houses will furnish you with a master CD that will be verified to be error free as well as contain special encoding that will be the master you would want to give to a CD replication/duplication plant to get mass produced CD's. This is an important feature though it seems in the music business more & more artists are bypassing the cost of getting CD's made & instead having download only releases.

The information in this article should give you a path to follow when attempting to master your Hip Hop songs in your own home studio. There are no rules set in stone though trial & error have helped to formulate the mastering procedure given above.

Brian G a.k.a. BG has 15 years experience starting out as a Deejay turned Producer/remixer turned recording engineer with an honor student diploma from AIA. Brian G has recorded over 50 Hip-Hop and R&B artists in his home studios as well as recorded his own hip-hop songs.

Brian G has also recorded in commercial recording studios and radio station production studios. The tips/techniques in this article come from all the experiences encountered during the various hip hop recording processes and have proven to make much better end recordings when followed by any artist recording their own material at home. Visit http://www.BRIANGMUSIC.COM to contact BG & listen to some of his songs and remixes. Song Production Services available at http://www.BGBEATS.COM

Best Computer Speakers - An In-Depth Buying Guide

Computer speakers get far less attention than their more expensive counterparts - home theater system speakers. While the latter are much fussed over, adequately researched, tried and tested before buying, most consumers just pick up whatever they can get their hands on (and can afford) at the local electronics store when it comes to computer speakers. The truth is that most of us spend far more time before a laptop or desktop than watching movies on the TV; doesn't it make more sense to invest more time and money into buying the best computer speakers you can afford?

A decade or so back, when multimedia computers were still an anomaly and things like 'Dolby Digital Surround Sound' were just technical gibberish terms, computer speakers used to be puny little devices capable of reproducing only the poorest quality sound. Of course, things have changed dramatically since then. Today, you can buy the best computer speakers that will reproduce lifelike sound at an affordable price.

There are some big brand names that always come to the mind when talking about the best computer speakers. Creative, Logitech, Altec Lansing, JBL are a few of them. These companies have a long history of excellence. Some, like Logitech and Creative, are often far more visible in the computer speakers market than in the home entertainment system segment. The quality of their products for laptops and desktops, thus, is typically of a higher quality than similarly priced competitors.

Sound Card

There is a caveat, however. Before you set your eyes on buying the best computer speakers you can afford, you must understand that a lot depends on your laptop or desktop's sound card too. The purpose of this card is to render and process audio information. Almost all computers have an in-built sound card typically capable of doing an adequate job of audio reproduction for day to day use. Every sound card comes with its own software, which, in most cases, is bundled up along with the motherboard drivers.

However, to get the most out of your audio experience, you should consider getting an additional sound card installed. This additional card would fit into your motherboard's PCI or PCI Express slot. The audio quality offered by this card would be much better than the standard card that is built-in in most motherboards. This card is capable of high quality, multi-channel audio reproduction (Dolby Digital Surround Sound, etc.). It may also have multiple ports for recording audio. If you are an audiophile, or enjoy recording music on your computer, then you should definitely consider getting an additional sound card for your system.

Nowadays, you can also purchase an external sound card that fits into the USB port. This type of card is meant more for audio professionals who need to carry their equipment around and is not recommended for home users.

Computer Speakers Buying Guide

Once you have a quality sound card - whether in-built or purchased additionally - you can get down to buying the best computer speakers for your needs. For this, you have to understand your requirements and budget first. A set of high quality speakers can set you back by over $200, while you can get an 'adequately' functional speaker system for less than $50.

For audiophiles, nothing less than a 5.1 speaker system would do, though a set of quality 2.1 computer speakers would be quite adequate as well. Hardcore gamers would do well to invest in a surround sound system as it would provide the highest level of immersion into the gaming experience. Musicians and hobby recording artists should invest in a set of studio monitors. These are a typically a set of 2.0 speakers with strong bass output. They do not have any in-built equalizer, so you get the most faithful reproduction of your reproductions and can adjust the mix levels accordingly.

For regular users, a simple 2.0 speaker set up, or a mid-range 2.1 system would be more than adequate. Your choice would, of course, be influenced by your budget. A surround sound system would be decidedly more expensive than a 2.0 set-up.

As far as technical specifications are concerned, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:

1. Frequency Range
The human ear can hear sounds up to 20,000 Hz. The greater the frequency range of the computer speakers, the better the audio reproduction. Typically, a good system will have ratings from 10 Hz to 20,000 Hz, ensuring that you get the best rendition of low (bass) as well as high frequencies.

2. Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)
Signal to Noise Ratio or SNR is a measurement of how much a signal has been corrupted by noise. To understand it in layman terms, think of it as the ratio of the amount of useful information (signal) passing through as compared to the useless bits (noise). The greater this ratio, the less the signal corruption.

All you need to understand is that higher SNR numbers translate into better audio reproduction. SNR is measured in decibels (dB). Speakers are typically rated at 65 dB, 75 dB, 90 dB, etc. You should try to get a speaker system with as high a SNR number as possible.

3. Audio Input
The best computer speakers should have a single pin audio input. They should be compatible with your laptop, iPod, desktop, etc.

4. Output Control
The best computer speakers would have buttons, knobs, etc. for controlling the audio built directly on the speakers themselves. These can range from knobs for controlling the bass, volume, treble, etc. along with power on/off buttons, etc.

5. Construction Material
Although your computer speakers aren't expected to take too much damage, you should nevertheless invest in something that can last you a few years. Higher quality speakers have woofers made out of denser materials like glass fiber, Kevlar, etc. This provides deeper, richer sound reproduction.

If your system has a woofer, it should ideally be housed in dense, thick wood for optimum performance.

6. Appearance
Appearance is something that varies from individual to individual. Remember that you'll spend a lot of time before your computer, staring at the speakers. Getting something that is visually pleasing should be a consideration, albeit a not too important one.

My website has more great articles and reviews on bluetooth speakers. You can check it out here!

What is a "Silent" Computer?

Some years ago, Intel and Microsoft laid down noise guidelines for computers in certain applications, using the term "silent" as one of the descriptors. The response from acoustics engineers in the industry was swift and merciless. The critics argued correctly that "silent" is not possible to define in any meaningful way, at least from an engineering perspective. It is also a challenge to define legally, an issue whenever there are corporate legal teams that routinely consider worse-case-scenarios. The term has more or less disappeared from Intel and Microsoft's official vocabulary, and now it is impossible to find well defined recommendations or guidelines about low-noise PCs on either company's web site.

Yet, there is a growing need to define "silent" components and computers in a way that is possible for engineers to agree upon, and more importantly, for consumers to understand and trust. As media PC popularity grows, so does the awareness among consumers that the typical computer is not the ideal silent servant. Instead, there is dismaying realization in many households that that a media PC must be relegated to a closet, a spare room - anywhere but out in the open due to its intrusive noise. There are quiet computers on the market, but with the co-opting of the terms "silent" and "quiet" by marketing teams in the computer world, it's impossible to tell whether one is really quiet until it is brought home, plugged in and turned on. This is not a good state of affairs for consumers or for the PC industry, which looks to the media PC as a major source of new sales.

Why is "silence" such a difficult term for the engineers? Simply defined, silence is the absence of sound. There are two aspects to sound: Its generation, and its perception. Yes, the age-old question, "If a tree falls in a forest with no one to hear it, then does it make a sound?"

Physical Sound and Psychoacoustics

The engineers who criticized the use of the term "silent" were concerned with the physical phenomenon, the generation of sound. Except in deep space, where there is no air to transmit vibration, which we define as sound, there is no silence. Everywhere on earth, there is always some level of acoustic energy in the air. Even a computer with no moving parts still generates sound from its transformers and other electronics parts, it cannot be silent like a rock.

Sound is also the human perception of acoustic energy. From a psychoacoustic perspective, silence is achieved when a human being perceives no sound. (Of course, one can argue that even in the most advanced anechoic chamber, a human being can always hear his own breathing or the sound of his own internal organs.) The key here is human perception.

A PC acoustics white paper from a major system brand stated: "The human ear is not a reliable instrument with which to measure sound levels because its sensitivity varies with the frequency of a sound." What this statement reveals is that for the writer, sound level - or more precisely, sound pressure level - is the reference. From the point of view of designing products for people, this is backwards. It is human perception that must be the reference, not SPL, which describes the way a machine "perceives" sound. It is human aural perception that we need to begin with in order to design a computer that sounds quiet to people.

Acoustics engineering in the PC industry is mostly dominated by sound pressure level and sound power. They are single number metrics that are extremely difficult to correlate to human perceptions of sound. Is a 2.8 bel sound power measurement quiet? Is it noisy? How about 25 decibels, A-weighted from a meter away? No one can say for sure from just looking at the numbers. Why? Because quiet and noisy are qualitative terms that refer to human perception, not the physical phenomenon. The sound power and SPL numbers refer to the physical phenomenon. An experienced acoustic engineer would ask to look at the waveforms, study the spatial, temporal and time structure of the sound, and perhaps ask for a listening jury to work with. And then, and only then, could he say with scientific certainty whether it is quiet or noisy. We are now speaking not just of sound level or loudness, but sound quality, which is a growing sector in acoustic engineering.

Human Perceptions of Computer Noise

This brings us back to the main concern of a noise-conscious computer consumer: "Can I hear it and is it a nasty noise?" The terms I like to use are "inaudible" and "benign", so that the question can be changed to, "Is it inaudible? If it is audible, is it a benign sound?" Again, these are simple questions, but scientific answers to these questions are not easy to get.

Let's examine what I mean by each of these terms and what is required to achieve what they describe.

By inaudible I mean we don't hear it. What qualities must a sound have in order that we don't hear it?

* It must be at a very low "loudness" level, lower than the ambient background noise level in its operating environment.

* It must be constant, or almost constant, so that people's attention is not drawn by changes in noise characteristics.

A constant sound, even a fairly loud one, is something most people can tune out with a little acclimatization. Not so with irregular sound. People, like animals, have high built-in sensitivity to any sudden change in our environment, which seems directly linked to survival instincts; in nature, it often means imminent attack by a predator. A movement in the scene in front of our eyes draws our attention instantly, as does any kind of change in noise - even when it is much lower in level than the ambient. This happens because once we adapt ourselves to the ambient noise as being normal, it ceases to be consciously perceived, even when it's pretty loud. The human mind/hearing is capable of incredibly sophisticated filtering.

By audible and benign, I refer to a gentle and unobtrusive sound that we can hear. This means that...

* It must be smooth, lacking in "sharpness".

* Again, it must be constant, or almost constant. This is even more important for benign than for inaudible.

From a design point of view, making an inaudible computer is a tough challenge, but it is possible to do, unlike a silent computer. There are two basic approaches which can be taken:

1. Fan less, with costly, custom enclosures for passive cooling of components. Most often modest heat producing components are used, but some ambitious products allow the use of very hot components and near-cutting-edge performance.

2. Fan-cooled, with careful optimization of heat generation and performance in a more conventional enclosure. High performance heat sinks and high quality fans are musts. The ability to run multiple fans at slow speed without risk of overheating is critical.

With each approach, care in component choices are critical. Cooler components make lower noise easier to achieve, but hotter, higher performance components can also be used successfully.

Fanless System Design

Key computer components today generate enough heat that cooling fans are almost inevitable for stable operation and to avoid jeopardizing product reliability or longevity with high temperatures. The handful of commercial computers with a serious claim to be "silent" are mostly fan less, with custom cases that are in part massive external heat sinks to allow passive cooling of the hot components. This means there is no fan noise, which is a big part of typical computer noise. However, this does not eliminate all sources of audible noise.

There is the hard drive, an electro-mechanical device spinning at high speed, often more than one in many systems. Hard drives have a wide range of acoustic output and also add vibration to the case, which usually causes a host of other audible effects, including harmonics and inter modulation. They also make quite different noises when seeking compared to when they're idle, and the change is very noticeable for anyone who listens. The acoustic effects of the hard drive must be neutralized if the costly removal of cooling fans is to be effective in achieving inaudibility.

There are still other noise sources: electronic parts such as capacitors and inductors can emit mid/high frequency noises, especially of a tonal nature, and often intermittent. These parts are found mostly on power circuitry and they can be truly annoying even when at very low measured loudness. With conventional computers, such tonal noises are often not heard directly because they are masked by the roar of fans and hard drives. In a fan less system, this noise is plain to hear. It is far more common than you'd think. It can sound like CRT monitor high frequency whine, which most people have heard. It can also sound like a buzz or hum. Often this noise is too low in loudness to appreciably affect any conventional SPL or sound power measurements. But they are perfectly audible for users with normal hearing, as many a frustrated user can attest. Only careful selection of parts and good circuit design can ensure that such noise problems don't arise.

What all this means is that in designing a fan less system for low noise, any one of many factors can lead to failure, to nasty noise, unless the primary design target is kept firmly in mind: Human perception.

Fan Cooled Quiet System Design

A different approach to low noise computers using carefully selected, high quality, low noise fans in more conventional cases is usually cheaper to implement. Although the absolute measured "loudness" of such fan-cooled systems might come in a bit higher than for completely fanless systems, the perceived audibility may be just as low. In many conditions, the residual broadband airflow noise of the fans can provide a smooth masking effect over tonal aspects of the acoustics that can lie at very low loudness levels. Keep in mind that serious tonal or intermittent noise factors will still be easily heard by noise-conscious users, and hard drive noise still has to be well managed.

Furthermore, the issue of fan speed changes in response to rises in component temperature (due to high load or hot weather) also must be managed well. Too much of a speed up (or even down), especially in a short period, is heard as an annoyance by most users. Lower power components, especially those meant for mobile computing where the drive to maximize run time on batteries has created highly power-efficient parts, can make noise optimized fan cooling a practical and viable way of building inaudible computers.

Carefully designed fan cooling can also be used to create high power computers that are audible but have a benign acoustic signature that makes them unobtrusive in most environments, for most people. A broadband random sound like softly falling rain can actually measure fairly high, yet rank very low in perceived "loudness". Combined with care around the other noise factors above, such a computer can have excellent acceptance among noise conscious consumers.

Undesirable Qualities

Despite the name of our web site, a silent computer may be scientifically impossible... but "inaudible" or "audible but benign" computers are well within reach. Careful system design is necessary to ensure that all the potential pitfalls are avoided, not just "low measured loudness":

* sharp tonal aspects

* intermittent sounds

* rapid changes in noise

* harshness (caused by intermodulation and harmonics)

* vibration induced noise

Keep in mind that all of these various aspects of noises can be identified using sophisticated audio measuring equipment, the same equipment need to test for sound power.

A Need for People-centric Metrics

In light of these various factors, the long upheld ISO 7779 standard for measuring computer acoustics is clearly lacking. By focusing only on sound power and a single half meter SPL measurement, ISO 7779 manages to ignore the sound quality aspects so important to human perception, leaving only a machine-language definition of overall noise. The fact that so few companies actually use this standard and its results for promotion is actually something of a relief. It would only lead to greater confusion and consumer dismay.

For complete, up-to-date information about silent computing, visit Silent PC Review , the world authority and primary discussion forum on every aspect of acoustic around computing devices.