I recently had to set up a wireless MIDI link between a laptop and a MIDI-enabled pipe organ. I learnt a few lessons along the way, so this is partly a tutorial, partly some notes on the lessons learned, and partly a mini review of the devices I bought. My use case After a recentContinue reading “Bluetooth MIDI with CME WIDI”
Category Archives: Audio
Behringer B-1 vs B-2
These two large-diaphragm condenser microphones from Behringer are likely to be among the first condenser microphones that audio engineers on a budget lay their hands on. What’s the fuss about? Are these good microphones? And how do they differ? The Behringer B-1 and B-2 are Behringer’s top of the range microphones. As part of theContinue reading “Behringer B-1 vs B-2”
Boundary microphones
Boundary microphones are an often-overlooked type of microphone which can be extremely useful in some situations. They might not be ideal for studio recording but they really come into their own for live sound work. Firstly – what are boundary microphones? They are a specialised type of condenser microphone which is placed against a hardContinue reading “Boundary microphones”
Finding 32-bit WAV audio files on Linux
I was trying to find a way to search my archive of recordings on Linux and return the filenames of 32-bit WAV audio files. It’s a little tricky, but I did it. You’ll need to install the ffprobe command (part of the ffmpeg package). I came up with this command. It’s quite long and maybe not the mostContinue reading “Finding 32-bit WAV audio files on Linux”
eBay Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) Program
This week, I had a clear out of some of my audio equipment and listed an Eagle G148 microphone for sale on eBay. Within hours, the listing had been taken down by eBay and I was sent this message: Your listing has been removed: Trademark Violation – Unauthorized Item Hello dj_judas21,After reviewing your eBay account,Continue reading “eBay Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) Program”
Spem in alium: a motet for 40 synthesizers
Spem in alium was written by Thomas Tallis in c1570 and stands apart from most other choral music because it is written for 40 parts. Most choral music, regardless of the number of people in the choir, only has 4-6 parts. Just for its sheer flamboyance, Spem is famed among choristers due to the challengesContinue reading “Spem in alium: a motet for 40 synthesizers”
Microphone techniques for recording grand piano
There are many methods of recording a grand piano with their various pros and cons which are suitable for different applications. I recently did some experiments to try and figure out the best way of making a stereo recording in a reverberant room (in this case, a church). This video demonstrates six different methods but it is justContinue reading “Microphone techniques for recording grand piano”
Camera sounds
A couple of members of the Vintage Camera Collectors group persuaded me to concentrate on where my two main hobbies (photography and audio recording) meet, and record the sounds of some of my cameras. Quite a lot of my cameras currently have film in them so I started with just a small selection. Unfortunately allContinue reading “Camera sounds”
Sontronics customer care
My most recent microphone purchase was a pair of Sontronics STC-1 small condenser microphones, primarily as an upgrade for some less expensive microphones I already owned. I did my homework before buying, and ultimately decided on the STC-1 over other brands based on the technical data, although the lifetime warranty was a nice touch too. Now,Continue reading “Sontronics customer care”
5.1 recording with a Williams star array
I’m becoming interested in surround-sound (5.1) recording. For me, this doesn’t mean upmixing a multi-track recording and encoding as 5.1, but capturing the real ambiance of the environment in true 5.1. There are several methods of using multiple microphones in array to record in surround, and they are discussed in reasonable detail at DPA’s Mic University.Continue reading “5.1 recording with a Williams star array”
Jonathan Gazeley 