Recording Studio Software History

When computers found their way into homes they were used for every possible and imaginable task. Audio recording was not an exception. First music software applications were promising but from today's perspective they were very modest. This was due to limitations of computers at that time. Now we have two main streams of personal computing: PC and MAC. Both are used in professional recording studios with plethora of complex software applications.

The 1980s was a very important decade for music production and recording. MIDI started to emerge, Yamaha introduced the DX7 synthesizer, some samplers like Akai S1000 were very poplar, and first music software applications were written for microcomputers popular at that time. Various software sequencers were written for Commodore C64, Sinclair ZX Spectrum and Apple II. A real breakthrough was Macintosh with graphical user interface. It had widows with icons and a mouse pointer. Mark of the Unicorn developed Performer, the first sequencer for Macintosh.

For the history of MIDI sequencers Atari ST was also important. Designed as a gaming computer with graphical user interface it featured also MIDI I/O and it was cheaper than Mac. Steinberg Cubase and Emagic Notator were first developed for Atari ST.

First PC software applications were Cakewalk MIDI sequencer and the SCORE music notation package. However, at that time PCs with first Windows were not so stable as these days and many musicians preferred Mac for which CODA's Finale software appeared at the end of 1980s. Cubase and Notator were also ported to Mac and PC platform.

In 1989 Digidesign introduced one of the first hard disk audio recording systems Sound Tools. It was a two-track recorder/editor used with Q-Sheet software. In 1990 the first MIDI and Audio sequencer was introduced. It was Opcode's Studio Vision and used Digidesign's Sound Tools hardware for audio. 4-channel Pro Tools appeared in 1992. There was also one not so popular microcomputer, the Acorn Archimedes with an interesting software called Sibelius. It was a score writing package which was also ported to Mac and PC. Later in the 90s Cubase VST (Steinberg ) and Logic Audio (Emagic) both implemented the notation features.

Computers became faster with more RAM and disk capacity so the next trend was multi-track recording. Steinberg worked on MIDI + Audio sequencers like Cubase VST (Virtual Studio Technology). Third-party developers welcomed the plug-in feature and a new market emerged. Emagic and Mark of the Unicorn also accepted the plug-in approach. In 1990s Pro Tools introduced 64-track system MIX with 16/24 bit audio at 44.1 or 48 kHz. At that time Cubase VST, Logic Audio and Pro Tools were all available on the PC platform.

In 1999 Steinberg introduced Nuendo. It offered 96 kHz recording and 5.1 surround audio. Pro Tools offered surround audio in 2002. At that time Pro Tools became a standard for professional recording studio software. Pro Tools 5.1 proved it's capability of recording MIDI sequences and audio tracks. It's user interface was simple and powerful for either recording, editing or mixing audio. At the same time Logic Audio was the most popular sequencer on the Mac platform. Digidesign introduced Pro Tools HD (sampling at 96/192 kHz) in 2002 when new operating system for Mac, OSX become available. Cubase SX and Logic Audio were also released for OSX. Pro Tools 6.0 for OSX become available in 2003.

Some ownership changes also occurred: Digidesign was acquired by Avid, Sony acquired Sonic Foundry, Emagic was acquired by Apple, Adobe acquired Syntrillium's Cool Edit Pro software and changed its name to Adobe Audition, and Steinberg was acquired by Pinnacle. Now every leading recording studio software runs on both popular platforms, PC and Mac. And stability is not an issue anymore.

One of the big players in professional audio recording is still Digidesign's Pro Tools. There are actually three flavors of Pro Tools, all of which share the same user interface and file format. The primary distinction is the hardware they complement. Pro Tools|HD runs on elite DSP-powered Pro Tools|HD hardware and is mainly used in professional environments, Pro Tools LE used in home studios works with a variety of Digidesign hardware including the Mbox 2 family and Pro Tools M-Powered delivers even more options via compatibility with dozens of M-Audio interfaces. Some audio engineers, producers and remixers use Pro Tools hardware with third-party software instead with the original Pro Tools software.

Computers and software in music recording and production are inevitable. We can hardly imagine working with analog tapes and mixers. Digital signal processing has raised audio technology to a new level. Personal computers have evolved to a level where everybody can afford a home recording studio. Cheap hard disks allow us to record unlimited number of tracks at arbitrary sample rate. Music recording has never been easier.

There are also some disadvantages with this new technology. You can easily compress music and make it louder destroying the original dynamic and life it originally had. CD clipping is also very popular. However, the advantages of using computers in recording studios are huge. You only need the right software and some skills.

More about computers and software used in recording studios can be found at Recording Studio Software website. Here you will find also descriptions and previews of books about recording studios and recording studio software comparison.

Why You Should Attend Music Production School

You should attend music production school if you are serious about creating your own brand of music, especially when you are looking for tips when it comes to electronic music production. There are many things that you can do with electronic music that will enable you to entertain others with your gift. Just like anything else that you do, you are best off to learn how to produce music

when you attend music production school. Even if you think that you have it all down pat now, you can learn more about how to produce electronic music as well as how to use it when you attend classes for this art form.

Electronic music production can bring you to many different types of fields. While most people consider this art form to be used mostly in dance clubs where a DJ spins records, electronic music production can also be used for film as well as video. There are many job opportunities for those who attend and graduate from music production school. You will learn the fundamentals of music production as well as the right way to create various types of electronic music production when you attend a good music production school.

Those who have a job or are already enrolled in a traditional school setting need not give up what they already have in order to learn about electronic music production. The art form can be learned through an online music production school where the student can learn from home. There is no better way to learn a different career line or art form without giving up a full time job or college than by studying online.

The music production school is not an expensive endeavor but teaches you a wealth of information when it comes to electronic music production. Regardless of whether you use the skills that you learn in music production school for professional reasons, such as to be a DJ, or if you just use it to entertain family and friends, you will be happy when you learn the art of electronic music production, even if you just use it for yourself.

If you like music, then this is one way to be in on the craze that continues to sweep the nation and is dominant in any clubs. You can learn to be a master of electronic music production if you go to music production school right online. This can be something that you simply do to learn another art form or something in which you feel as though you would like to pursue a career.

Electronic music production is not difficult, but it does require some knowledge of how the music is produced and what sounds good. You can learn about the various forms of tempo as well as the types of music that are played in the clubs when you attend an online music production school. This will prepare you for a career as a DJ or even in the music producing field.

This is a way for you to learn an art form that continues to be as popular today as it was ten years ago and shows no signs of going anywhere. If you want to learn all there is about electronic music production, then the best way to do so is to attend an online music production school from your own computer.


You can learn much about electronic music production , the hottest music in the clubs, when you go to an online music production school . To find out more, you can go to Point Blank Online. Here's the link to their main site http://bit.ly/hflbJV

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Pitch Correction Tools

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How To Start A Profitable Music Business

One of the greatest issues anyone starting a music business needs to consider is the process of managing, planning, recording, promoting and distributing products. But above all these, one of the most important aspects of the business should focus on how to make money.

What is surprising to me as a music business consultant is the wide spectrum of thinking that tends to permeate this industry. Some have an unrealistic, almost fantastical type of thinking that says "I will get signed and be a millionaire in 1 year", while the other extreme are those who do not even think of making money in the music business.

No matter which side of the fence you stand on, you need to make money in order for you to fulfill your ambitions as an artist or label owner. Unfortunately, studio time, promotion and distribution are not free.

So what do you need to consider if you want to make money in the music business.

1. Income & Expenditure - Profit & Losses:

The music industry is notorious for showing people how to spend their money but not how to make it. The news is awash (OK, there's been a few) with stories of major stars filing for bankruptcy. But how does that happen?

Let's take an example of the cost of promotion. From the start you need to realise that most promotion companies are in business to make money! So if you take your song to them for reviews in radio, blog or magazine, even though they know the track is going nowhere, they will still promote it!

The fact is it's not really their business to determine whether a product will sell or not, but with their wealth of experience they have a fair idea of what is commercially viable and should act responsibly. However, relatively few promotions companies will refuse to promote an average track/album.

Let's look at another example. If you took a poor quality album to the CD manufacturer and ordered 10,000 copies of it, you can guarantee that 9 out of 10 pressing plants will not refuse to manufacturer the CDs as long as you are paying for it.

So the real issue is that if you want to make money in the music business you costs must always be lower than your potential sales and you are the one responsible for determining how many sales could be generate from each release after you determine if your product is commercially viable before you put the wheels in motion. In other words; 'Think before you spend!'






There are many ways to make money with your music and build a lasting career in the music business but you need to have the business "Know How". Visit http://www.musicbusinesstools.com for a free Music Business Management course.

email boomy@sledgemedia.co.uk.