Mixing : Functions of Studio equipment according to David Gibson

Get the most of your studio equipment knowing the functions of all of the different devices

Dave Gibson brings a comprehensive guide to understanding functions of studio equipment in his book "The art of Mixing" according to him studio equipment can be broken down in the following categories.

To simplify all of the functions of a huge variety of studio equipment, I have broken down all of the functions of studio equipment into categories based on the function of each piece in the recording studio.

1. Sound Creators : all instruments, accosting to electric, voice to synths
2. Sound Routers : mixing boards, patch bays, splitters
3. Storage Devices : recorders, tape players, sequencers, samplers
4. Sound transducers : miss, pickups, headphones speakers
5. Sound manipulators : processing and effects.

Effects rack

Sound creators range from acoustic to electric instruments, from voice to synthesizers.

Sound creators

Sound routers route sound from one place to another. Mixing boards route the signal to four places: the multitrack, the monitor speakers, cue headphones (for the band out in the studio), and the effects (so we can have a good time). Patch bays are just the back of effects - the back of the mic panels, the back of the multitrack (inputs / outputs), the back of the console (ins / outs) and the back of the effects (ins / outs) - located next to each other so we can use short cables to connect them.

Sound routers

Storage devices store sound or MIDI information and play it back. Tape players store digital or analog sound; sequencers store MIDI information. Some storage devices can be used to edit the sound while it is stored.

Storage devices

Sound transducers take one form of energy and change it into another. Microphones take mechanical energy, or sound waves and change it into electrical energy. Speakers take electrical energy and change it into mechanical energy, or sound waves. Likewise pickups on guitars take the movement of the strings and change it to electrical energy.

Sound transducers

You can read more about the functions of studio equipment and the most important things you need to know about mixing, in Dave Gibson's book "The Art of Mixing 2nd Edition" A visual guide to recording engineer and production.