Benefits Of Using Good Audio Equipment In Latin American Sound Production
04 March, 2021Do you like the sizzling sounds of the tango? Are you a fan of bossa nova? Perhaps, you take pleasure in hearing the sumptuous melodies of salsa and reggae. If you said ‘yes,’ you know the importance of having good audio equipment in producing Latin American music.
But, you might be new to the Latin American sound scene. Otherwise, you might be looking for a refresher course about using good-quality audio gear. Either way, consider reading through the rest of the article to know the four benefits of using excellent sound equipment in Latin American audio production. And please, make sure you have good quality headphones, even getting earbuds for small ears if necessary.
Identify Resonance Problems
Audio resonance is the energy buildup of a particular frequency. If one frequency exceeds the maximum threshold, the unpleasant resonance will cause problems to the sound’s overall balance.
For example, tango nuevo (new tango) encapsulates different Latin American sound categories, particularly jazz and techno. Balancing these audio characteristics in a music studio can become challenging without good audio equipment.
Listening to tango nuevo sounds with an untrained ear might allow resonance spikes to go into the audio’s final production. As a result, some areas of the music’s frequency might sound harsh, especially for the mids and highs.
But, using the correct recording equipment, such as an audio analyzer, helps address harsh resonance spikes. An audio analyzer helps music producers (for Latin American sounds or otherwise) see resonance buildup in real-time.
The graph produced with this device’s help will show sharp, narrow peaks for the upper midrange frequencies. If you see higher-than-average peaks in these areas, you can rectify the problem immediately.
Produce High-Quality Sounds
Have you tried recording reggae songs with your smartphone’s microphone? Perhaps, you or other listeners might cringe upon hearing the audio quality produced by the mobile device’s built-in mic.
But, if you have good audio equipment, recording your reggae music or other Latin American sounds might produce entrancing chills than awkward feelings in listeners. With that in mind, consider using a high-quality microphone in recording audio files.
Still, the myriad of choices on the market might make it challenging for you to select the best recording mic to use. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose an appropriate microphone for your current sound studio setup:
- Dynamic Microphone: A thin, lightweight recording device that generates audio signals by a conductor’s motion within a magnetic field. In other words, it produces sounds through disruptions in its magnetic field caused by exterior audio, such as from instruments or vocals. Dynamic mics tend to be quite inexpensive and ideal for recording instruments like drums and electric guitars.
- Condenser Microphone: This mic is ideal for creating high-quality fidelity in recorded audio. The condenser mic tends to have a better response rate to sound waves’ nuances than the dynamic microphone. Hence, consider using a condenser as an all-around choice for recording various audio types.
- Ribbon Microphone: Use a ribbon mic if you want a ‘vintage’ touch to the produced Latin American sounds. One example application is to use this microphone in recording cumbia, a folklore genre from Colombia. Although this device’s structure tends to be quite delicate, it can still handle daily studio use’s meticulousness.
Remember, Latin American music has a broad range of categories, from bossa nova to the Zapateado. Using the correct microphone with other excellent audio equipment will help you produce high-quality sounds.
Streamlined Workflows
It’s safe to say that there’s nothing wrong with using vintage equipment in recording Latin American music. But, consider using modern audio recording gear if you want to streamline the sound production workflow.
Say goodbye to the days when you need to try and reproduce similar sounds from scratch. Now, you can use updated audio hardware and software to help you produce templates. Therefore, you don’t have to spend the first 15 minutes of your tango music recording session adjusting sound banks or choosing drum loops.
Furthermore, you can customize certain features to help make your sound recording workflows faster than before. For example, use or create shortcuts on your digital audio workstation (DAW) so you don’t have to cycle through numerous buttons and menu commands to use your desired feature.
Also, you might consider using good-quality audio equipment to record a digital file of your music tracks. That way, you can work forward and backward. In other words, these tools help you progress through your recorded sounds and work in reverse to find mistakes.
In summary, using highly functional gear can help you improve efficiency in recording Latin American sounds. In return, you can upload and share your unique tracks for the music world to enjoy.
Check The Tonal Balance Of A Mix
Many Latin American sounds come from different cultures and origins. Listening to music produced in this region lets listeners hear culturally diverse audio. Thus, the audio must present the correct tonal balance to emanate accurate feelings of cultural diversity.
Use good-quality audio gear in your recording studio to achieve this particular goal. Certain equipment helps you check the tonal balance of music mixes, allowing you to see and hear imbalances in the audio’s tonal value.
For example, recording Brazilian jazz may require different frequency levels for the instruments and vocals. Take, for example, the song titled Marcos Valle by Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. This song has elements of collaboration and improvisation by the two recording artists. If these creatives didn’t use high-quality recording equipment at the time of the final sound production, tonal imbalances might be apparent across the song’s different audio frequencies. However, that’s not the case as Marcos Valle immerses listeners into a world of lush melodies and superb vocals.
Note that differences might be apparent in different areas of the sound spectrum when recording Latin American sounds. But, these dissimilarities should promote equilibrium to make the audio pleasing for the senses.
Conclusion
Good audio equipment promotes various benefits in recording Latin American sounds. The right gear can help you identify resonance problems, check the tonal balance of mixes, and produce high-quality sounds. With tools like the right microphone and audio analyzer, you may have a better-than-average chance of recording hit reggae, tango, or other genres of Latin American music.
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