MERVIN T THOMAS
STUDIO
ESSENTIALS
– The Unusuals
T
here are tons of content with respect to Studio Essentials, namely, Interface, Monitors, Acoustics, etc. But there are also
some hidden gems amidst these commercial requirements. These little elements contribute solid weight to your Music
Studio. Trying to save up on these things make you end up spending more in the long run.
Reflection Filters: What is a Reflection
filter? – It is a sort of shield that is
used to absorb room reflections that
hit the rear portion of a Microphone.
It is very commonly used on a vocal
mic. By using a reflection filter, your
Microphone just picks up the vocal
signal. In a home setup, the Reflection
filters also eliminates bleed from
other rooms. Some of my recommendations are Aston
Halo, sE Electronics RF, Primeacoustic Vox Guard.
Cables and Connectors: This is the
most underrated element in a studio.
Good cables and connectors stand out
as one of the most expensive elements.
The use of good cables reduces noise
and prevents interference in your
chain, thereby increasing the signal-
to-noise ratio. Good cabling actually
saves you time and money in the long
run as they will last a lifetime. I have
also heard people say that bad cables affect the frequency
response of the signal. Also, there is nothing more annoying
than stopping your session to check your cables. Be very sure
of what cables you are going to be buying for your studio.
In this case, cheap is not good for sure. Some of the cables
that I recommend are - Mogami , ProCo, Cordial
The Studio Chair: It may sound very
insignificant but the real trouble will
kick in very soon. Engineers spend
lots of time sitting and tweaking their
mixes. Sleepless nights of work and
being in the same position for quite
sometime affect your back to a very bad
extent. Two main solutions for these
are frequent breaks and a ‘good’ studio
chair. Chairs that have lumbar support
is preferred and will serve the purpose. You will definitely
notice how comfortable it is only when you get up after sitting
in it for four hours straight. One of the most common and
expensive option is the Herman Miller Aeron Chair.
There are also cheaper options that serve the same purpose.
UPS (Uninterruptible Power
Supply): Loss of data due to a power-
cut is the worst thing that can happen
during a session. Power cuts also
cause damage to expensive gear and
computers. A good UPS adds stability
in terms of power by transitioning
to battery power and provide backup
for a given period of time. Some of
the UPS also regulates voltage and
are line interactive, meaning, they will cut or boost voltage
during brownouts. There are different variants of UPS’
that are out in the market. The expensive ones are the
ones that provide a pure Sine Wave output. Incase of a
Home setup, I would recommend APC. In the case of a
professional studio, Furman is a trustworthy brand.
Power Conditioners: Many people
get confused between a Power
Conditioner and an UPS. An UPS,
as its name suggests, provide
uninterrupted power supply. But a
power conditioner is a device that
filters out any unwanted noise from
the line. These are a block of capacitive
and inductive circuits that suppress
spikes and surges on a line. They also suppress harmonics
that affect audio systems. But in case of a power cut,
these shut down in a second. All along, Furman has
been one of the most trusted brands in the industry.
These above mentioned elements are essentials
that are usually ignored. They usually become
elements that are missed out in order to fit into a
budget. As already mentioned, these elements can
save a lot of time and money in the long run.
The
Score Magazine
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