If you’ve ever thought about making music, a sound track for a movie, sound effects for video games or cartoons, or even starting a podcast. You probably had a lot of questions about how recording even works, or where to even start. With over 2 decades of audio experience, I’ve learned that -
If you don't ask the right question, you won't get the right answer.
The hardest part about asking questions is that sometimes we don't know enough background information to even formulate the question. If you don't know that you don't know, how do you know to ask about it? I’m putting together this series in order to help lay a foundation for you. In this series I'm assuming you know absolutely nothing about audio or recording. I’m starting from the ground up.
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1.1 The History & Evolution of Audio Recording
- The role of a computer in audio production.
It all began in the 1870’s, when a Phonograph (invented by Thomas Edison) was placed in front of a person in order to record them. They only had 1 take to make a good recording. No ability to edit, no overdubs, or ability to record multiple tracks at 1 time. This Phonograph was connected to a cutting head which engraved the sound directly to a spinning wax cylinder.
In the early 1900’s the wax cylinder was replaced by shellac discs. But just like those wax cylinders, there was still only one take to make the whole record. Making a mistake would mean wasting a shellac disc. Not only that, but the shellac discs had a limited amount of plays.
In the early 1930’s Magnetic tape recording was invented in Germany, and a few years later slowly started to become the standard medium for recording studios and professional audio. In the 1940’s the industry moved from shellac which was brittle and prone to cracking, to Vinyl discs, which was a more robust material with a wider frequency range, longer play times, and higher clarity. Though vinyl was the most popular format for consumer playback. Magnetic tape was the new preferred method for recording.
Throughout the 1950’s and 60’s. Tape and vinyl coexisted as complementary technologies in the recording industry, though magnetic tape had higher fidelity (quality) recordings which weren’t possible with vinyl. In1958 Electric & Musical Industries, otherwise known as EMI, installed the EMI REDD.17 mixing console in Abbey Road studios.
In 1969 The Beatles recorded their “Abbey Road” album which was mixed with an EMI TG12345 console, and recorded to an 8 channel reel to reel tape machine. By the 70’s, compact cassette tapes were popularized for their portable listening capabilities. For the first time in history, the listener could bring their music with them anywhere they went.
In the 80’s, Sony released the first digital audio tape, the IBM 5150 PC and Apple Macintosh were released to the general public. By 1989 the first Digital audio workstation (DAW) software(s) “Sound Tools” (the precursor to Pro Tools) and Cubase were released as computer applications to edit audio with a computer.
With the rise of household computers in the 1990's, the widespread adoption of Pro Tools, would impact the recording industry forever. Over the 90’s and 2000’s, other Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) such as FL Studio, Ableton Live, Reason, and Studio One started to make their way into recording studios as well as small home studios for the general recording enthusiast. This revolutionized the way music was made, recorded, edited, and distributed.
The heart of the recording process became the computer. The time of engraving one-take recordings into wax or vinyl was over, and using magnetic tape became an artistic choice as opposed to the only way to record sound. Thus the era of computer music was born.
Release Dates of Popular DAWs
- Sound Tools: 1989
- Cubase: 1989
- Digital Performer: 1990
- Pro Tools: 1991
- Logic Audio: 1993
- FL Studio: 1997 (with major growth in the 2000s)
- Reason: 2000
- Ableton Live: 2001
- Reaper: 2005
- Studio One: 2009
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- 1.2 Key Computer Components for Audio Work
Now that we know some history of how recording audio started and how it evolved. Let’s look deeper at the computer, the parts inside, and their requirements to work with audio.
- CPU: The importance of processing power.
The CPU or Central Processing Unit, is the brain of the computer. CPUs can have multiple cores that work together to record and process audio. The more cores, the more processing power. This directly relates to the amount of tracks you can record and process at any given time. This is often the weakest point in cheaper computers and if it’s not powerful enough it can lag, click & pop, and be impossible to work with. Simply because the computer's brain (The CPU) can't handle it.
The two most important stats to take into consideration when looking at CPUs for audio work are “Clock Speed” and “Core Count”. Clock Speed is measured in Gigahertz (GHz), which indicates how fast a core is at executing tasks. The Core count, or amount of cores within a CPU, dictates the amount of processes that can be handled simultaneously. The most common core counts you’ll see are 4-Core, 6-Core, and 8-Core.
In summary, The more cores a CPU has dictates how many operations can simultaneously be done. The higher the Clock speed (GHz) the faster those operations will get done.
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- RAM: Crucial for Recall.
RAM (Random Access Memory) serves as temporary storage for data that is actively being used or processed by the CPU.
It allows quick access to the files, audio samples, plugins (effects), and tracks that are currently open in your DAW. More RAM means your system can handle larger projects with more tracks, effects, and virtual instruments without slowing down or crashing. It also helps in buffering audio during playback and recording, enabling smooth, real-time processing. The more RAM you have, the better your computer can manage complex audio sessions, especially when working with high-resolution audio files or large sample libraries. RAM is measured in Gigabytes (Gb) and can range from as low as 8Gb, which is the bare minimum recommended amount of RAM or audio work. Up to 256Gb for full orchestral productions in full surround sound.
In Summary, The more RAM you can fit in, the faster the computer's “Recall” is. The more Gb of RAM you add, the smoother the session will run by not bogging down to take up power to “remember where the file is at” when you have a really big project running.
- Storage: SSD and HDD for speed and efficiency of memory.
Storage capacity is important as well. 1 Hour of studio quality audio is roughly about 1Gb. Ableton Live 12 suite (a DAW) is around 71Gb. Some companies such as Native Instruments, offer software instruments and effects with their “Komplete Ultimate” edition being 850Gb!
Often we’ll find computer storage base capacity starts around 512Gb and can come in 2 different styles.
SSD or Solid State Drives are much faster and more efficient for loading files, launching applications, and accessing data. This speed is essential for audio production tasks like opening large projects, quickly loading samples, and minimizing lag during playback. SSDs have no moving parts, so they offer instant access to data, increased durability, and less noise. Think Super Speed Drive.
HDD or Hard Disk Drives, while slower due to their mechanical read/write head, can still be useful for audio production as a secondary storage option. They are more affordable and offer higher capacities, making them ideal for archiving projects or storing files that don’t need constant access.
In an ideal world, the computer’s main storage would be a 1Tb SSD or greater. Now a 512Gb SSD is just as good, though you’ll very quickly run out of storage space preventing you from growth. A combination of 512Gb SSD as your primary storage with an external HDD for keeping saved works and other files to minimize the storage load on your SSD at the expense of a few seconds of speed.
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Lesson Summary
Computers - eventually took over as the primary device in recording and professional audio environments. Replacing vinyl cutting and magnetic tape recording, as well as bringing audio work into the homes of audio enthusiasts.
CPU - is generally more important for intensive real-time processing. It directly handles running virtual instruments and effects, as well as executing audio editing and rendering tasks. For complex sessions with lots of effects and live processing, a powerful CPU with strong single-core and multi-core performance will be vital.
RAM - is essential for managing large projects and working with sample-heavy content, like big orchestral libraries or high-resolution audio files. If you’re working with extensive multi-track recordings or loading many large samples, more RAM prevents slowdown by ensuring quick data access and seamless playback.
Storage - is critical for speed and capacity which all impact workflow. Solid State Drives (SSDs) are recommended for audio work, as they load projects, samples, and files significantly faster than Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), reducing latency and improving performance. Large-capacity SSDs are ideal for accessing libraries and samples directly, while HDDs can be used as supplementary storage for backups and archiving.
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Recommended CPUs for Audio Work (2024):
- Intel Core i7 or i9 (10th/11th/12th gen) – Strong performance, great for single-core and multi-core tasks.
- AMD Ryzen 7 or 9 (3000/5000 series) – Excellent multi-core performance, ideal for complex projects and modern software.
- Apple M1/M2 – Efficient for Apple users, offering strong multi-core and single-core performance with impressive power efficiency.
Recommended RAM for Audio Work (2024):
Basic Projects (small track counts, light editing, minimal plugins):
- 8 GB: This is the minimum for simple projects and light DAW use. It can handle basic tasks but may struggle with larger plugins and multiple virtual instruments.
Standard Projects (multitrack sessions with moderate effects and plugins):
- 16 GB: A balanced choice for most producers and engineers. It allows for moderate multitrack editing, multiple plugins, and some virtual instruments without major slowdowns.
Complex Projects (sample-heavy projects, large track counts, orchestral libraries, high-resolution files):
- 32 GB: Ideal for more demanding projects involving numerous virtual instruments, effects, and high-resolution audio. This amount of RAM prevents bottlenecks when working with extensive sample libraries or high-track-count sessions.
Advanced/Professional Use (film scoring, large orchestral arrangements, immersive audio mixing):
- 64 GB or more: Necessary for top-tier professional projects where numerous sample libraries and extensive plugins are used simultaneously. It also offers significant stability and efficiency in projects that push typical limits.
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Recommended Storage for Audio Work (2024):
- For active work: 500 GB to 1 TB SSD (primary storage)
- For backups and archived content: 2 TB to 4 TB HDD or External SSD
- For maximum efficiency: Keep projects and sample libraries on an SSD to optimize speed and reduce latency during production.