StudioMini XL 2.0! ! ! ! ! User Manual

Copyright Fantastocrats © 2010. All rights reserved.

Under the copyright laws, this manual may not be copied, in whole or in part, without the written consent of Fantastocrats.

This manual can also be found in the Guide section of our website, where you can download and add it to iBooks:

http://www.studiomini.me

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ContentsIntroduction to Multitrack Recording! 4StudioMini XL Main Interface! 6

Main Controls! 6

Faders! 7

Record Enable, Mute, Solo & Loops Buttons! 8

Meters! 10

Track Delete! 11

Song Title & Time Display! 11

Tab Bar! 12

Recording Techniques! 19Built-in Microphone! 19

Audio Input Through Headphone Jack! 20

Audio Input through Camera Connection Kit! 21

Recording Example! 22Equipment! 23

Connecting Everything! 24

Recording Sessions! 25

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Introduction to Multitrack Recording

Multitrack recording refers to an audio recording method that is the standard for recording music and producing professional quality results. The process was invented in the 1950s and quickly became the technique by which nearly all music has been recorded and produced since.

In the pre-digital era music was recorded on tape. Areas of tape were designated as “tracks”, which were separate channels where audio was recorded. These tracks could be recorded onto at the same time, or recorded separately.

For example, if the tape is separated into 4 tracks there could be a microphone picking up a singer being recorded on track 1. Another microphone could pick up the drummer on track 2, another could pick up the bass player on track 3 and another mic could pick up the guitar on track 4. If the band is playing at the same time the recording could happen simultaneously on all 4 separate tracks. This is the way live albums are recorded.

Alternately, the drummer could be recorded first on track 2. Then, while listening back to the drum track the bass player could be recorded on track 3. The guitar player could go next and while listening to bass and drums on tracks 3 & 2 he could “lay down” his guitar part on track 4. Finally the singer could go into a vocal isolation booth and while listening back to the rhythm section on tracks 2, 3 &

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4 record the vocal performance on track 1, creating the complete song. This is the preferred method for recording studio albums, allowing the producers, musicians, and engineers to focus their attention on one performance at a time.

Finally when all the recording and production is finished, these multiple tracks are mixed down to 2 tracks with a mixer, producing the final Stereo sound recording. A mixer unitʼs basic function is to adjust each trackʼs output level in order to blend everything together.

In the digital era weʼre no longer recording on tape, but the basic concepts are the same. We record audio on separate tracks and finish by mixing them all down to a single stereo file. What only a couple of decades ago required a professional studio full of audio gear costing thousands of dollars you can now do with StudioMini XL on your iPad! And StudioMini XL does a lot more, keep reading to find out all the cool things you can do with it.

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StudioMini XL Main Interface

StudioMini XL is an 8 track recording studio that runs on your iPad. Considering that almost all of their albums were recorded using 4 track machines, imagine what the Beatles would have thought of StudioMini XL running on an iPad!

Main Controls

From right to left, we have the Record button, Stop button, Play/

Pause button, Timeline slider and Repeat button.

The Record button begins recording on that track. Only one track at a time can be recorded onto at a time. The iPad has a single mono input, either through the built-in Microphone or through the input accessed by the headphone jack.

The Stop button stops playback or recording and returns the song to the beginning.

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The Play button begins playback. During playback it lights up and becomes a Pause button, allowing you to pause playback in order to continue playing from that exact point.

The Timeline slider moves as the song progresses during playback. You can move it to shift to any point in the song.

The Repeat button repeats the current song indefinitely.

Faders

There are 9 Faders. The first 8 correspond to the 8 audio tracks you can record onto. The 9th track is for Loops. Moving the Faders

adjusts their corresponding track volumes, balancing the various tracks to get the ideal mix.

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Record Enable, Mute, Solo & Loops Buttons

Record Enable buttons, marked by an R, are how you set up a track for recording. You press the R on the track you want to record onto, and then youʼre able to press the Record button to begin recording on the track.

Mute buttons mute audio output on their corresponding tracks.

Solo buttons mute all un-soloed tracks.

To avoid confusion Mute and Solo buttons cannot be used at the same time.

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The Loops button lets you access the bundled audio loops. This is how you select a Loop to play along with. There is a Metronome, along with 78 drum grooves in various styles to choose from.

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When Record Enable, Mute, Solo and Loops buttons are not accessible they appear darker. Buttons become disabled like this at times to maintain proper operation.

Meters

Meters are calibrated to dynamically display each tracksʼ volume output level. They also display the input volume level of a track during recording, which will help you make adjustments to capture the perfect sound.

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Track Delete

Swipe vertically directly where the meter for the track you want to delete is located.

Song Title & Time Display

This is where the song title is displayed. Touching here brings up the keyboard letting you title the current song. On the right side is a time display.

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Tab Bar

There are 8 buttons in the Tab Bar. Letʼs look at them from left to right:

1. NewPress this to create a new song. It will save the current song and load a brand new one.

2. CopyThis will create a copy of the current song, while keeping a saved version of the original.

3. SyncThis button will bring up the Sync window, which is where you go to download your songs to your computer, upload audio files from your computer into StudioMini XL, and to create and share final mixes of your song.

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i. Download Audio Filesa) Wi-Fi Sync: Make sure you’re connected to the same Wi-Fi router as your computer. On your PC or Mac start any web browser and type in the http address from the screen. Then select audio files to download to your desktop.

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b) iTunes File Sharing: Connect your device with your computer through USB and start iTunes. Select your device from the left pane and then select “Apps” on the top tab. Scroll down and you will see StudioMini XL under File Sharing. Select the Songs folder and “Save to...”

ii.MixdownYou can choose “mix” to create a mixed audio file in either WAV or AAC format. This file is then available for iTunes File Sharing or Wi-Fi Sync. Choose “email” to create a mixed audio file and attach it to an email to send out right from your device.

AAC is a compressed format similar to mp3. It can be opened with Quicktime on either a Mac or a Windows PC. In order to import it into iTunes or Garageband choose “Save As” from within Quicktime and select iPhone as the destination format.

WAV is a larger file since it is uncompressed high quality audio. WAV is easier to work with because it is a universal format read by virtually every OS and audio program out there.

iii.IMPORT AUDIO FILESFollow the instructions for iTunes File Sharing from above. This time select “Add...” and then upload your files. Audio files must be in the WAV format. Then on the

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previous Sync screen choose “Import” and a list of your files will appear. Select one, hit next and then choose which track you want the file placed on.

4. NotesBrings up the Notes window, where you can type out lyrics, notes, chord progressions etc. You can access this window during playback and during recording, so you can enter notes while you listen back, or read out lyrics and chord progressions while you record.

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5. SongsTakes you to a window with a scrollable list of your songs. You can load a different song or delete a song by swiping across itʼs title.

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6. TunerThe Tuner window has 12 buttons that produce all 12 chromatic pitches. There is also a picker wheel for referencing different tunings.

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7. Input

This is where you enable Stereo Recording. Turning the switch on enables the feature, but only when available. Why only then? Because the iPadʼs built in mic and the audio input through the headphone jack are mono. However if you have a stereo USB audio interface (like a Griffin iMic) plugged into the iPad through the Camera Connection Kit, then StudioMini XL will detect and use it (if the switch is on). This is useful if youʼre connecting external gear to record, like drum machines, samplers, synths etc. Most instrument and vocal tracking (recording) is done in mono though, so if youʼre using a single mic, e.g. for vocals or guitar, then leave the switch off and StudioMini XL will ignore the available stereo input and record in mono.

8. Help

The Help window has a Quick Start guide, the StudioMini XL User Manual, a direct email link, and an info button.

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Recording Techniques

Make sure to check out our websitesʼ Guide section for a series of videos going over various recording setups.

http://www.studiomini.me

Built-in Microphone

Fundamentally important to recording with the built-in mic is that you use headphones. There needs to be a clear separation between what the mic is picking up and what you are listening to. Letʼs look at an example: Youʼve written a great new song and you want to record it. Youʼve picked a Loop that has the perfect drum groove for your song, and will use that to keep you in time. You plan to record yourself playing guitar on track 1, then record yourself singing a lead vocal melody on track 2, and finally add a backup vocal part on track 3. Without headphones that drum groove would be played by the speaker, and then be picked up by the microphone while you recorded your guitar part on track 1. You donʼt want a blend of guitar and drums, You want a clean guitar performance on track 1. The way to do this is to use headphones while recording.

Also very important are your position relative to the microphone, and your performance volume. iOS devices donʼt allow access to the input level, so if you need more or less volume on the input signal you need to adjust your position relative to the mic, and/or

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adjust the volume of your instrument/voice. Take a look at the chart below showing you where the microphone is located.

Continuing the above example, now you have a great guitar part recorded and you want to get your lead vocal down. You can hold the device in your hand and do a couple of test runs to get the positioning right for a good signal level. You donʼt want a level that is too “hot” because that will produce distortion. If youʼre singing loudly and put the mic up to your mouth this will most likely be the case. You also donʼt want a faint signal, where you have the device on the other side of the room and youʼre singing softly. It takes some trial and error experimentation, but the results are well worth the effort.

Audio Input Through Headphone Jack

There is also an audio input accessed from the headphone jack. The headphone jack is not an ordinary one, which you can tell by looking at the plug on the cable from an Apple iPhone headset. Youʼll notice that there are 3 lines on the plug, where usually headphones only have 2. This in known as a TRRS connector. These 3 distinct parts are separated as: 1 for audio input, and 2 for stereo audio output. Having direct access to the devicesʼ audio input like this is a huge advantage because it means you can record with any microphone, as long as you connect to the audio input correctly.

There are some complexities and things that need to be done right to get good results with this technique. There are different

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types of microphones out there, with different connectors and different requirements. Connecting a microphone directly to your device wonʼt work for a few different reasons. Most mics donʼt have 1/8” plugs, and even if you found one that does (or you bought an adaptor) you wouldnʼt have access to the audio output then. Also any decent quality mic will require pre-amplification from somewhere, and the level of this pre-amplification needs to be adjustable so you can get just the right input level.

The obvious choice here is to use a hardware mixer to help out. A small hardware mixer alongside your iPad can give you a complete pro recording setup:

a) Mic preamp (microphone preamplifier) for your mic, or other audio device you want to connect to the mixer. In addition, professional condenser mics need phantom power, which you can also get from a mixer. This gives you studio quality sound and precise control over the input level.

b) Monitoring: by blending the audio output from your iOS device with the mic input within the mixer you can get the right headphone monitor balance between the tracks youʼre listening back to and your performance.

Audio Input through Camera Connection Kit

The final method for getting audio in and out of the iPad is by using Appleʼs Camera Connection Kit along with a USB audio interface. Keep in mind that this is not an official method for connecting gear, and some future iOS update may not allow it any longer. The Camera Connection Kit gives you a USB input into the iPad, and there are a

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select number of audio interfaces that work well with the iPad. We have gotten great results from the Griffin iMic and the Shure x2u, but of course you can do your own research and experiment with other interfaces. They are not guaranteed to work however, and if they donʼt it does not mean that itʼs StudioMini XLʼs fault, since these connections have to do with how devices interact with the operating system. The recording audio quality using this method is far better than using the headphone jack input.

Recording Example

How would you connect all this and record a song? Letʼs take a look at a recording scenario and how you could apply these techniques:

Youʼve just finished writing a song youʼre very excited about and want to record it with StudioMini XL, mix it, and email it to a record label rep you recently met; all from your iPad. Youʼve picked out a Loop that feels right for your song, and you have a bass player and trumpet player that will play on your song. Your plan is to:

1) record a guitar part with your Les Paul, played through a Fender Princeton Reverb amp

2) record a bass line3) record your lead vocal4) record a trumpet solo for the final part of the song

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Equipment

What you will need:

1. Mixer - There are plenty of mixers out there to choose from, many inexpensive and portable. Features it must have:

• at least one mic preamp (ideally with phantom power)• AUX Send (FX Send)

2. Microphone - There are 2 types of microphones to consider, Dynamic and Condenser.

Dynamic mics are cheaper, more rugged, and are less susceptible to feedback. This is the type of mic most often used for live performances. In the studio they are used on electric guitar amps, bass amps, drums and horns. You can use a good dynamic mic on anything. Audio engineering is a whole art and science with many choices coming down to the desired results and personal preference.

Condenser mics can be fairly expensive. The are very sensitive and relatively delicate. They usually need extra power from the mixer, phantom power. Condenser mics are the most often used mics in pro studios, especially on vocals, acoustic guitars and generally anything nuanced.

3. Camera Connection Kit & iMic - You can use other USB audio interfaces, but research and trial and error experimentation may be needed to find which ones work with the iPad.

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4. 1/8” male to 1/4” male cable - You could instead use an 1/8” to 1/8” male to male cable and then use a 1/4” female to male adapter on one end.

5. Headphones - You can use any headphones, for example your Apple headphones. There are better pro headphone options out there and we suggest studio headphones that fit over the ears.

Connecting Everything

1) Plug the mic into a mixer channel. Go with channel 1 or 2, since they will most likely have a preamp. If itʼs a condenser mic make sure to turn your mixerʼs phantom power on.

2) Plug the Camera Connection Kit adapter into the iPad and then plug the iMic into that.

3) Plug the 1/8” plug into the iMicʼs input jack and the 1/4” plug into your mixerʼs AUX Send.

4) Plug your headphones into the iMicʼs output jack.

Thatʼs it! That wasnʼt too bad, right?

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Recording Sessions

Now for the actual recording sessions.

Track 1 - Electric guitarFirst get your sound together. Play around for a bit and make sure everything sounds good to you. Then take your microphone and place it near your amp. If itʼs a dynamic mic place it right up to the amp, if itʼs a condenser mic place it a few feet away. Then do a couple of test recordings to help you adjust all the levels on the mixer. The channel you have your mic plugged into has a preamp with a mic gain and a fader for the overall channel level. Also your mixer channel has a knob for how much volume from the channel you want to send to the AUX Send, which in turn is going into your iPad. You need to find the right balance between mic gain, channel volume and how much signal youʼre sending from that channel to the AUX Send. Itʼs important to do a few test recordings. While you record note StudioMini XLʼs meter for the track being recorded onto. You want a signal that is strong enough to hit green, but not so strong that itʼs constantly hitting red. Listen back also to make sure everything sounds good. Once youʼve found the perfect balance youʼre ready to record!

Track 2 - BassYou have a friend that is an awesome bass player and sheʼs going to play bass on your song. Plug her bass directly into the mixer and follow the same steps as above. Electric bass (unlike electric guitar) can sound great plugged in directly like this.

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Track 3 - Vocals

Follow similar steps to what you did for recording guitar.

Track 4 - Trumpet

Now letʼs say that you know a great jazz trumpet player and youʼve talked him into playing a solo on your song. But he doesnʼt have a lot of time and the only chance to record him is at his practice room. You donʼt want to deal with mics and the mixer, and you want to record him with your iPad. Trumpet can get pretty loud, and remember that the iPad doesnʼt have a preamp control like a mixer. The only way to make sure the signal isnʼt loud too “hot” and distort is to adjust the position of the iPad mic. You will need headphones with a long enough cable, or an extension cord for them. You need the trumpet player to be able to hear what heʼs playing over, and at the same time you need to be free to move the iPad around to get the perfect sound.

Once youʼre done recording itʼs time to mix. Adjust all the faders in StudioMini XL to get the perfect balance, then choose Sync-Email and your finished song is off to that record label rep you want to impress!

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