Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I: Computer Recording Basics 7

Chapter 1: Discovering What You Need 9

Chapter 2: Setting Up Your Recording Space 35

Part II: Choosing and Installing Computer Hardware 51

Chapter 3: Choosing Computer Components 53

Chapter 4: Examining Audio Components 65

Chapter 5: Connecting Your Hardware 97

Part III: Choosing and Installing Recording Software 113

Chapter 6: Understanding Computer Recording Software 115

Chapter 7: Finding the Right Software for You 127

Chapter 8: Installing Your Software 149

Part IV: Revving Up the Recording Process 173

Chapter 9: Getting a Great Source Sound 175

Chapter 10: Recording and Editing Audio 191

Chapter 11: Using MIDI 227

Chapter 12: Using Loops 249

Chapter 13: Exploring Software Synthesizers 259

Chapter 14: Mixing and Mastering Your Music 267

Part V: Playing with Plug-Ins 297

Chapter 15: Understanding Plug-Ins 299

Chapter 16: Using Equalization 309

Chapter 17: Using Effects Effectively 323

Chapter 18: Digging into Dynamics Processors 335

Part VI: The Part of Tens 350

Chapter 19: Ten Tips for Improving the Performance of Your System 351

Chapter 20: Ten Great Internet Recording Resources 357

Chapter 21: Ten (Or So) Free or Really Cheap Software Programs 361

Index 367

About the Author

Jeff Strong is the author of Home Recording for Musicians For Dummies as well as Pro Tools All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies and is President of the REI Institute, a MusicMedicine research organization and therapy provider. Jeff graduated from the Percussion Institute of Technology at the Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles in 1983, and has either worked in or owned a recording studio since 1985. Every week, he records dozens of custom-client CDs by using the kinds of audio recording software covered in these pages. He has also released eight commercially available CDs, four of which can be found at www.reiinstitute.com.