Production Language Basics

Basics of Production Language

When you step in to record your songs with a producer, you'll notice they speak a different language. They'll talk about plug-ins and EQ and DAWs. For those of us without a surplus of production experience, this can be especially confusing. Let's go over some basic production language so that you can more easily communicate with your producers. 

Samples - Sampling is the reuse of a portion of a sound recording in another recording. Samples may be comprised of melody, rhythm, speech, or sound from previously recorded material. If your producer is using the high hats from a James Brown track, then they are using a sample. 

Plug-Ins - Plug-ins are computer software sounds. Plug-ins like Absynth or Battery provide a litany of electronic sounds that can create new textures in your soundscapes. These plugs-ins have special pianos or drums to use. Other plug-ins, like Little Altar Boy or Valhalla, can alter the sound of a recorded audio. 

DAW - DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation. These are programs like Logic Pro X, Pro Tools, Studio One, and Ableton. DAWs are where most producers create music.

Audio/Midi - In the recording process, we want to think of Audio and Midi as they relate to each other. Audio is a signal that is recorded directly from an instrument or a voice. Audio will present as a sound wave in a DAW. Midi is a signal generated from a midi controller and contains information about which keys are pressed. Instead of presenting as a sound wave, Midi files will present the keys and rhythms played.
 

Mixing - Mixing is the process of combining multiple tracks into a final mono, stereo, or surround sound product. If you record guitar, piano, and vocals, then mixing helps finesse those elements to sound like a cohesive track. Mixing has four basic components: equalization, compression, panning, and reverb. 

Equalization - The short hand for equalization is EQ. EQ is the process of altering the frequency response of a track. The audio spectrum can be broken down into four parts: low-bass, mid-bass, mid-treble, and high frequency controls. When you EQ a track you enhance or downplay certain frequencies for sonic effect. 

Compression - Compression processes audio signals to reduce the volume of loud sounds or amplify quiet sounds. If you were to look at a sound wave you might notice peaks and valleys in the level of volume being received by a microphone. Compression essentially flattens out this sound wave and makes your volume level.

Panning - Panning refers to how sound signals are distributed throughout a sound signal. Within the space of your headphones there is a lot of sonic room. So, you can distribute certain signals to only come out of your left headphone or only come out of your right headphone. Many signals are distributed down to the middle or only slightly to one side which is why you can hear it coming out of both headphones. 

Reverb - Reverb refers to the continuity of a sound after it is produced. Most people are familiar with this effect from singing in the spaces with hard surfaces. You can apply this effect through certain plug-ins or capture it naturally by performing in specifically acoustic spaces.