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Recording and Mixing with ASC Acoustics

 

Recording & Mixing Innovations

ASC acoustic products have been used successfully in studio environments since the late 1980s.  Experimentation by acclaimed sound engineers in the early days led to several groundbreaking techniques still in use today. Read on to learn a bit about each of these and how you can achieve the same (Grammy winning!) results.

What is the QuickSoundField, and how is it used?

The QuickSoundField (QSF) is an incredibly versatile and adjustable recording environment that is highly portable and fast to set up. Within the QSF, the engineer has created an acoustically perfect sub-space within any room, regardless of acoustic conditions. The QSF uses around 8 (or less, or more) StudioTraps to create this virtual studio-within-a-studio that will revolutionize your recording quality and the resultant tracks.

The "Quick" has two meanings. Setup could hardly be faster, with StudioTrap deployment hovering between 20-60 seconds per unit including removal from the carry bags! Second, the reflection density inside a QSF is so high that phase interference from errant reflections is all but eliminated. No more flutter, no more comb filtering, no more EQ, no more time spent screwing into walls or ceilings. Set up, hit record, and make a hit!

"Sound Field" also has two meanings. First, it conveys the reality that the sound source (the talent) and the microphone can be moved around or set up almost anywhere within the QSF -- with the same results! Second, you are creating a subspace that is independent of the surroundings, whether a bathroom, warehouse, small bedroom, unfinished basement, or a tennis court. In short, bring your QSF with you anywhere, and let the singer dance their heart away while belting out their most passionate take ever, and have a keeper track on take one.

Typical wall treatments, including acoustic foams and fiberglass panels, will dramatically reduce sound reflections, but the end result is a typical "dead" studio sound with no presence or "air", and is accompanied by a distinctive room "honk". The QSF system maintains sonic balance by casting thousands of low-level treble reflections at the microphone throughout the musical performance.

The Quick Sound Field is created out of an array of ASC's patented StudioTraps, the most versatile acoustic tool for today's modern recording studio. The front half of the StudioTrap is treble range reflective and the back side is treble range absorptive. The entire surface of the Trap is bass range absorptive. This remarkable blend of acoustic properties provides a means to the balanced, broadband control of sound.

StudioTraps are adjustable in height and are usually set up midway between the floor and ceiling, but they can be raised or lowered for different mic positions or line of sight requirements. By setting up the StudioTraps around the talent, iso-booth techniques can be developed to more easily control the sound. In the treble range, the QSF eliminates undesirable room reflections while creating a time-delayed diffusive backfill, injecting a sense of acoustic presence into the track.

The QSF satisfies all the requirements necessary for a professional iso-booth. Engineers and talent love the level of detail they can get with the QSF. They get the sound that couldn't be heard before, even in some of the world's most advanced studios.

What is the ATTACK Wall?

The AttackWall is the mixing complement to the Quick Sound Field. Enclosing your monitors, console and mix position with an AttackWall converts any space into a world class control room. Legendary engineer Bruce Swedien says, "No matter where I go, I take these wonderful devices with me." Studios may come and go, and the AttackWall goes where ever you go.

Where should I place my monitors?

The speakers will need to be positioned so that they sit symmetrically between the walls of the room, otherwise the stereo image will be distorted. Putting speakers too close to corners tends to emphasize the bass in an unpredictable way, so try to place your speakers away from the room boundaries and make sure the setup is symmetrical, with the tweeters pointing at your head in your normal monitoring position.

Relatively small changes in speaker position can affect the sound quite significantly, so experiment with moving your speakers forward or backwards while some known commercial material is playing and aim for a smooth response, especially at the low end. If some bass notes seem louder than others, move the speakers around until the problem is minimized. Mounting the speakers on solid stands makes quite a difference.