In the last couple of blog posts and articles we have been writing about the way to monitor your audio either by using studio monitor speakers or with industry-standard quality headphones. Through the end of this particular post you'll have an improved knowledge of what an audio interface is and the way it ties everything together.
Important points about a good audio interface?
It is the piece of audio equipment that in fact brings your pc and microphone together and makes recording possible. Understand it connects analog sounds your amazing mic picks up or the signal each of your instruments will make together with the digital domain at which its recorded through a digital audio workstation using your desktop.
Audio interfaces may have pre amps that take a weaker signal coming from a microphone recognize as a "mic level signal" and basically increases it into "line level signal" so it can easily be recorded cleanly.
"Without an audio interface recording to the digital domain and into a PC or laptop would not be probable. We would continue to possibly be recording sound on analog tape and home recording would not be as accessible as it's right now."
We've established that an audio interface is useful and an indispensable involving the recording procedure. Below you will find some factors to consider prior to going and buy one.
What number of inputs / outputs?
For anybody who is recording drums or perhaps a full ensemble you would need greater inputs to record all the things. For anybody who is just like myself perhaps you'll only have to have a couple of inputs pertaining to mics in addition to a couple of outputs for studio monitor speakers and a headphone output.
As a rule of thumb "if you do not foresee yourself using the inputs and outputs do not get them. Fork out your money to purchase a higher quality pre amplifier and analog to digital converts. Having 4 inputs you're not applying along with low end pre amps will not advance your music production.
How to connect your audio interface
There are 3 primary ways an interface connects to your desktop each possess their own benefit and disadvantages. When you are using a particular DAW (digital audio workstation) like Pro Tools or Logic studio, make sure that the said audio interface will work simply by checking the user manual or the manufacturer's website. We will be jumping more into a DAW's in a future posting in addition to computer systems for music production.
Firewire - Primarily brought into use Apple Inc computers.
USB - Mac and PC friendly, by far the most universal method to connect with a computer
PCI - These kind of interfaces will connect directly into your computer systems PCI slot.
I hope you've got a better grasp of an audio interface. Check out musicproductionhq.com for personal suggestions and other tactics to make your music production easy.
Here is a pretty sweet video going over some of the higher end audio interfaces
