Having recorded the concert or completed a recording session, the material only exists on a hard drive as a digital signal as two or more audio signals and requires a few stages before you, the listener may hear it properly:
Normally, all the good takes will be copied as digital signals onto a hard drive in the digital editor we call SADiE, if there are more than just two tracks as a straight stereo signal, they will all be 'laid down' together ready for the next stage. We often record the main stereo microphone signal from an M-S pair and SADiE allows us to replay these with the necessary decoding during the mixing stage. All the tracks will be set up just as a 'rough mix' so that all the recordings can then be copied to CD's and used as rough previews by the conductor or director / producer. At this stage, all the takes and any re-takes can be compared so that decisions on performance may be made. As mentioned above, this rough mix provides a guide as to what has been captured by the microphones and may be adjusted to produce the required balance later.
So, the decisions on takes and edit points is discussed and an editing session may be arranged at which the required takes are stitched together, then the results are listened to; at this point any adjustments to the rough mix can be made to provide a proposed final mix where the balance between sections and soloists is refined. A proof CD is produced from this session so that the edits and mix may be listened to critically 'in the comfort and familiarity of your own home and with your own audio equipment'. Any further adjustments may be carried out subsequently until the performance is ready to be produced as a master to produce CD's for sale. (This link will lead you to further information about pressed or CD-R discs.)
And Now, we can offer 'CD Extra' for your CD's!
Another facility we offer is the ability to produce 'CD Extra' discs; we are able to put additional files onto a CD (space permitting) so that things like programme details, history or biographies of the performers, publicity photos and other information may be placed on the disc. The CD may be played in the usual way on a CD player and when played on a computer, additional folders will reveal the 'Extras' you wish your listeners to find!
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This page last updated 24/08/08