The 5 Components of Recording Quality

In order to achieve the best recording it is important to understand the 5 Components of Recording Quality.  Compromises in any one or more of these 5 components will significantly impact recording quality.  The human ear is very sensitive and slight reductions in recording quality can diminish the listener’s enjoyment. 

1. The Performer:  Recording quality begins with the performer, and the recording is ultimately a representation of their creative expression. Of the 5 components, the performer contributes the greatest variability in recording quality.  Performers must be well rested, well practiced and rehearsed and in a performance mindset.
2. The Instruments:  The instruments will define the range, richness and fullness of tones and harmonics. Are the instruments of quality construction and in good working condition?  For example, is the piano tuned, voiced and regulated?  Does the saxophone have a good reed?  Lower quality instruments or instruments in poor condition can produce undesirable sounds like clicking and buzzing – and will have a limited range of richness and fullness.
3. The Room (or Recording Space):  The room is an often overlooked but a very important component of recording quality.  The room “colors” the sound of the recording.  If the room is acoustically pleasing it will enhance the sound quality of a recording.  On the other hand, the wrong room can make it quite challenging to get a good recording.  Your Audio Engineer can make some minor adjustments to room acoustics, however, it is important for you to select a good room to work with.  MySound Studios can help you with room assessment.  The room must also isolate unwanted external noises.  The sound of a passing truck or train can not be edited without sacrificing sound quality.
4. The Recording Equipment:  The job of the recording equipment is to accurately capture what is happening sonically during the performance, with as little distortion as possible.  MySound Studios uses some of the industry’s finest equipment.  The microphones we use are the world’s most accurate and our preamps have the lowest distortion that money can buy.  We record directly to Hard Disk Drive using 24-bit/96kHz sampling. We use the same editing and mastering software that is preferred by most of the world’s finest studios. 
5. The Audio Engineer:  The experience of the Audio Engineer is critical to the entire process.  The Engineer must be able to asses a complex acoustic situation and select the proper gear for the job.  The Engineer must then properly setup and operate that equipment to capture a good recording.  And finally it is the job of the Engineer to edit and master the raw recording so that it sounds good on a wide range of playback devices.  Our Engineers are degreed (BSEE) Engineers with many years of experience.  Your Audio Engineer will use their knowledge and training to get the best recording possible.

MySound Studios fully guarantees the recording quality resulting components 4 and 5 above.  The first 3 components are the responsibility of the customer.