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Cirencester Deer Park School - Music Technology
This page has key concepts connected to a DAW. There are also links to some resources to help you.
Table of Contents
The Computer
The Computer
Operating System
The operating system (OS) manages all of the software and hardware on the computer. It performs basic tasks such as file, memory and process management, handling input and output, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.
Random Access Memory
RAM is the main memory in a computer. It is much faster to read from and write to than other kinds of storage, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD) or optical drive.
Random Access Memory is volatile. That means data is retained in RAM as long as the computer is on, but it is lost when the computer is turned off. When the computer is rebooted, the OS and other files are reloaded into RAM, usually from an HDD or SSD.
Hard Drives
A computer hard drive (or a hard disk or HDD) is one kind of technology that stores the operating system, applications, and data files such a documents, pictures and music that your computer uses. The rest of the components in your computer work together to show you the applications and files stored on your hard drive.
Processor
A processor is an integrated electronic circuit that performs the calculations that run a computer. A processor performs arithmetical, logical, input/output (I/O) and other basic instructions that are passed from an operating system (OS). Most other processes are dependent on the operations of a processor.
Display
A computer monitor is an output device that displays information in either as pictures or text.
External Storage
Storage
Storage devices are the computer hardware used to remember/store data. There are many types of storage devices, each with their own benefits and drawbacks.
Hard disk drive (HDD) is an electromagnet in the read/write head charges the disk’s surface with either a positive or negative charge, this is how binary 1 or 0 is represented.
Universal Serial Bus (USB)
Short for universal serial bus, USB is a plug and play interface that allows a computer to communicate with peripheral and other devices. USB-connected devices cover a broad range; anything from keyboards and mice to music players and flash drives.
USB may also send power to certain devices, such as powering smartphones and tablets and charging their batteries.
Solid State Drive (SSD)
Solid state drives are non-volatile storage devices capable of holding large amounts of data.They use NAND flash memories (millions of transistors wired in a series on a circuit board), giving them the advantage of having no mechanical moving parts and therefore immediate access to the data.
Cloud Storage
Cloud storage allows you to save data and files in an off-site location that you access either through the public internet or a dedicated private network connection. Data that you transfer off-site for storage becomes the responsibility of a third-party cloud provider. The provider hosts, secures, manages, and maintains the servers and associated infrastructure and ensures you have access to the data whenever you need it.
Network Drives
A network drive is a shared storage device that can be accessed by two or more computers on the same network.
Data Input Devices
Computer Keyboard
Mouse
Track-Pad
Touchscreen
Audio Output
Headphones
Speakers
Portable Devices
Smartphones
Tablets
What are the advantages of using headphones?
You can hear panning easily as you have one speaker in each ear
This isolates the sounds, so other people can't hear them
When recording:
Having headphones means your can hear what you are playing
Using headphones is better than having speakers as speakers would cause feedback when near a microphone
If musicians are in different rooms for recording they still need to hear each other, headphones can solve this problem
Each musician could have a different mix of sound if they have headphones. They might want to hear more of themselves than the other musicians, they could do this if they all have heaphones on
What are studio monitors used for?
Monitors are another word for speakers
Speakers are a good way of sharing sound and multiple people can listen at the same time.
There main use in a studio for speakers is to hear and mix the recording.
When recording:
It isn't usual to use speakers when recording as if microphones are being used it would cause feedback, this could damage equipment and your ears!
You could use speakers in a recording session if you weren't using a microphone, so just recording a guitar, or keyboard etc
A MIDI controller is any hardware or software that generates and transmits Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) data to MIDI-enabled devices, typically to trigger sounds and control parameters performance.
The most commonly used MIDI controller is the electronic musical keyboard MIDI controller. When the keys are played, the MIDI controller sends MIDI data about the pitch of the note, how hard the note was played (velocity) and its duration.
Other MIDI controllers are wind controllers, which a musician blows into and presses keys to transmit MIDI data, and electronic drums.
The MIDI controller may have any number of sliders, knobs, buttons, pedals and other sensors, and may or may not include a piano keyboard.
Most modern MIDI controller connect with USB connectors. Click here for more information about the types of MIDI connector.
Older midi interfaces use an in/out cable to USB.
Midi Keyboard
Midi Guitar
Midi Percussion
Midi Wind Controller
Launchpad Controllers
Control Surfaces
This is a small audio interface that we have in school. It allows connecting both mics and guitars to the computer. The analogue signal comes in to the mixer, it is then converted to a digital signal. You can connect it to the computer via a USB connection.
Saffire Audio Interface
This interface allows 8 inputs to be plugged in at once, each channel has a separate input and gain control.
This is the monitoring section as shows you the level of each channel which you can adjust with the gain controls.
A MIDI interface sends data from a controller (keyboard,drum kit, pad etc.) to a DAW. This data is made of of different packets of information, see the information below for what messages can be sent.
This box sends data from a MIDI controller to the computer. The 5 pin connector has been replaced by USB C connections.
MIDI OUT sends data from the controller to the Computer
MIDI IN can take MIDI signals in to the device
MIDI THRU allows MIDI messages to pass through the device to another MIDI device
MIDI Messages- These are types of messages that got sent from a MIDI device
Note on/off – determines which note is pressed, how long it’s held and contains velocity data.
Pitch bend – determines any change in pitch due to moving the pitch bend wheel/stick.
Aftertouch – determines pressure applied to a key after the initial press. Not all MIDI controllers have aftertouch. Where applicable, aftertouch can be designated to trigger different effects.
Control changes – A control change can be any parameter change on your MIDI controller. It could be a slider/fader, knob, or button.
Program changes – determines the selected patch/sound.
1. What system controls peripheral devices and performs basic tasks?
2. What type of memory is volatile so that it is lost when the computer is turned off?
3. What is the internal storage called on a computer?
4. What integrated electronic circuit runs calculations in a computer?
5. What does USB stand for?
6. Give one advantage and disadvantage of cloud storage?
7. Name 3 data input devices?
8. Name an output device?
9. What are the advantages of using headphones when recording?
10. Name 3 types of MIDI controller?
11. Name 3 MIDI messages that a controller sends to the computer?
12. What does phantom power do?
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