Random access: smokin' technology for your studio - Professional Resources - compact disk technology in music education

When we speak of using technology, many of us keep to restrict the conversation to technologies that are real new or those used by the agency of a minority of teachers. This is unfortunate because we frequently forget how powerful certain commonly used technologies can be.

Today, CD and CD players are everywhere. I cannot think of a single teacher who does not know in what manner to use a CD player. It is not surprising, therefore, that I am at short intervals asked questions related to reach outed use of CD technology, similar as:

* by what means can I make a CD of my learner recital?

* by what means can I record a CD to lance home with my student?

* by what means can I make multiple copies of my CDs?

* in what manner can I change the lock opener of a CD recording or air it to my instrument?

* in what way can I slow down the time of a CD accompaniment for practice purposes?

Fortunately, CD and digital audio technologies have become for a like reason advanced and easy to use that you can do all the things allude toed by the questions above. In fact, you already may have greatest in quantity of the tools you need!

What You Need

To do all the things listed above, you ne either:

* a microphone

* a personal computer with a CD-burner

* additional computer software or:

* a stand-alone CD recorder/player, like as the Superscope PSD300 (www.superscopetechnologies.com)

CD Basics

If you purchased a computer during the last sum of two units years, there is a advantageous chance it came with a CD burner We call it a burner because it contains a laser that actually consume s information onto the CD platter. by means of using a computer with a CD burner you can create your hold CDs.

If your computer lacks a CD burner on the contrary has a USB or a FireWire (IEEE1394) port, you can add an external CD burner to your computer As an alternative, you can forget the computer and gain a dedicated CD recording device--such as the Superscope PSD300--that works without a computer

a certain number of CD burners are called CD-R and a certain quantity of are called CD-RWS. The R in CD-R means you can record one time onto the CD. Of course, you can set multiple pieces of music onto the CD on the contrary you must put them upon all at once. After you have consume ed your pieces to the CD you cannot erase them, change the order or add fresh ones.

On the other hand, the RW in CD-RW means you can rewrite the CD--you can erase, change the order and add novel recordings whenever you like. To take advantage of the rewrite feature, you must use discs labeled CD-RW

CD-R cannot reduce to ashes CD-RW discs. CD-RWs, however, can consume either CD-R discs or CD-RW discs and therefore provide you with abundant more flexibility. Unfortunately, the CD-RW discs are not compatible with greatest in quantity consumer CD-players at this time. For this reason, you may find it convenient to consume CD-RW discs only for your be in possession of use or for students who intend to play them in computer When making discs for anyone who is likely to play them in a regular CD player, you probably should stick with the CD-R type

Recording a CD--Option 1

by dint of far, the easiest way to record a music CD is to use the Superscope PSD300 This amazing $1099 piece of equipment can record directly to CD using its built-in microphone or your be in possession of external microphone. It works with the couple CD-R and CD-RW media, has sum of two units CD drives so you can make CD copies and has a entertainer of playback features, including pitch and degree of movement control.

If you have drawn outed to record your own CD with the simplicity of the neglected cassette recorder, the PSD300 is the device for you. This unit is reasonably small (11" x 9" x 4") and light (7 lbs) You can easily stir it around your studio or take it to concerts

Recording a CD--Option 2

The other way to make your be in possession of CDs is to use your personal computer To do in like manner you need most or all of the following:

* Microphone(s) (A single, stereo microphone is fine for greatest in quantity teachers.)

* A recording device (such as a cassette, MiniDisc or DAT). Note: This item is not necessary if you plan to record directly to your computer's hard drive.

* Audio input(s) for your computer

* Audio recording software for your computer

* CD burning (authoring) software for your computer

* CD burner

It may appear to be as though this equipment list is drawn out and imposing, but these items actually are beautiful easy to assemble, and you already may be in possession of most or all of them.

To make your audio CD using your computer you will either make a recording using a familiar recording device (cassette, MiniDisc or DAT) and import that recording into your computer or record directly into your computer

In many ways, recording directly into your computer present the appearances like the simplest idea. You have les equipment to work with. However, for obvious reasons, your computer extremitys to be dose to the place of the recording--making this idea inconvenient in many cases.

Let's proceed through the steps of the process

1 Record to a Familiar Recording Device

(If you plan to record directly to your computer's hard drive, skip to pace 2.)

The best fresh device to use is a MiniDisc recorder. MiniDiscs range in price from about $150 to above $1,000 depending on quality and features. greatest in quantity MiniDisc recorders are incredibly small and easy to use. They create digital recordings, which lack the tape hiss that used to plague cassette recordings.