Making Your Own Music-What A Record Is?

This post I will discuss what a record is when making your own music. As simple as it sounds, the answer to what a record is, not what you might expect. The term record is a compact disk with music on it. It also includes pre-recorded cassettes and vinyl disk that are dead. Since the 1960 their is an on going argument of a definition of what a record is. A record is both an audio-only and an audiovisual device(meaning one with sound and visual images), such as videocassettes and DVD's, which play video as well as audio material. Another definition is any other device that is capable of transmitting sound alone, or sound with visual images. Back in the day records were not duplicated in mass amounts. Records were made by musicians and singers perform for each record that was actually sold. Just think how much work that would be if you sold say two million albums back in the old days.

Making your own music a big factor in creating a record is the master

The term master has two meanings:

1. The original recording made in the recording studio is called the master, because it is the master from which all copies are made. Master recordings are now done mostly on computer hard drives. These recordings are a multitrack, meaning that each instrument and voice part is recorded on a separate track or channel. Drums on one track, guitar on another, voice on another, etc. When this process is recorded then the master is edited, mixed, and EQ'd. Just like in films, editing means to cut out the parts that you don't like. Mixing means getting the right level for each track, so that every instrument or part are at the correct volume. The sound can also be enhanced by the EQ process. The mixed multitrack is then reduced down to a two-track stereophonic master, which is then ready for the duplication process. So basically there are two maters-the original multitrack, and the finished two-track.

2. The word "master" also means a recording of one particular song. Thus, you might say an album has "ten masters", meaning ten separate selections. These individual recordings are also called "cuts".

Next post I will discuss royalty computation. Making your own music at home, click here.