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Basics: Recording Techniques

Recording Techniques

What is the Quick Sound Field, and how is it used?

The Quick Sound Field is an incredibly versatile, adjustable and portable recording environment. The QSF allows the engineer to create an acoustically perfect sub-space within any recording environment. A virtual studio within a studio. Quick Sound Field is a recording technique that uses 8 or more StudioTraps.

ASC's Quick Sound Field has revolutionized the recording industry by enabling the engineer to simply bypass the problems due to poor room acoustics and easily set up a controlled acoustic subspace system that delivers depth and clarity to your tracks, time and time again.

In a normal room, the sound is reflected off wall, ceiling and floor surfaces to produce a room signature signal that leaks back into the mic. Typical wall treatments, including acoustic foams and fiberglass panels, will dramatically reduce sound reflections, but the end result is that typical dead studio sound with no presence or ambiance that is followed by some sort of loud level room honk. Our QSF system can offer you a controlled acoustic environment, and save you time, hassles and money. No more wishing you could fix it at the mix!

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.

What is the MixStation?

ASC's MixStation is a modular recording environment. The Mix Station is a prefabricated wall mounted system of specialized sound absorptive and diffusive panels that is easy to set up in almost any room. Perfect for home studios that want to get that "big studio" acoustic.

"Mix Station is awesome!" -Loren Alldrin, Pro Audio Review. Read her full review.

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.