Like the fields of photography and communications, the digital revolution has transformed audio recording, especially for musicians. What used to require racks of expensive and testy analog equipment, lots of space, golden ears, and esoteric maintenance skills now can be pretty much accomplished by an average Joe or Jane with a laptop computer. All you have to do is add talent. In this DVD, former Byrds great Roger McGuinn takes viewers though the steps of recording live music on a laptop computer with minimal (but not necessarily cheap) equipment, which he used to record his last two albums (including the Grammy-nominated Treasures from the Folk Den). McGuinn's setup includes a laptop, Cool Edit Pro (since this production, Cool Edit was bought by Adobe, which now calls the product Audition), a couple of better-than-average microphones, a small mixer, and a few more pieces of outboard equipment. With these components, McGuinn demonstrates how to record a folk tune with main and harmony vocals, and acoustic and electric 12-string guitars, all performed by McGuinn himself one track at a time. Aimed at the entry-level home recordist (despite the convenience and low cost of digital, there is still a great deal of juju involved in the elements of recording, from microphone selection to the subtleties of the mastering process), this is a solid overview that will get interested viewers off to a good start. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (C. Block)
Roger McGuinn's Guide to Home Recording on a Computer
(2004) 60 min. DVD: $29.95 (booklet included). Homespun Tapes. PPR. Color cover. ISBN: 1-932537-89-9. Volume 20, Issue 1
Roger McGuinn's Guide to Home Recording on a Computer
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