TH 1551
Sound for the Theatre


Lab #2
CD to Mini Disc

I. Purpose: To successfully dub sound from CD to Mini Disc, demonstrating panning and digital editing techniques.

II. Procedure to operate CD player:

1. Patch CD Outputs L & R to Inputs 1 & 2 on Mixer.

2. Patch Stereo L & R Outputs to Amplifiers 1 & 2.

3. Patch Mixer Aux 1 & 2 to L & R Inputs on Mini Disc Player.

4. Patch Mini Disc L & R Outputs to Inputs 3 & 4 on Mixer.

5. Turn power on for Mixer, Amplifiers 1 & 2, Mini Disc Player and CD Player.

6. Play CD of your choice and bring up Inputs 1 & 2 and Stereo Outputs on Mixer.

You should hear music from the CD Player at this point.

7. Audition the track you want to dub. Track should be around two minutes in length. (Music with several natural pauses within may be more successful with this project.)

8. Press the "Prod/Direct" button on the CD Player, and then the number of the track you want to record.

The CD Player should now play the one track you want to dub one time only.

II. Recording the Mini Disc:

1. Put Mini Disc in Player.

2. Push Record/Pause button on Mini Disc Player.

3. Set Record Levels on Mini Disc Player at 7.

4. Set record volumes for Mini Disc with Aux 1 & 2 by monitoring VU meters on both the Mixer and Mini Disc Player as you play the entire track to insure you do not overdrive the recording signal.

5. Start CD at beginning of preferred track.

6. Push pause button on the Mini Disc Player.

7. Record approximately 30 seconds of song in stereo. (Aux 1 for Input 1 up, Aux 2 out. Aux 2 for Input 2 up, Aux 1 out.)

8. As recording continues, add Aux 2 for Input 1 and Aux 1 for Input 2. Adjust Aux Masters as needed. Record approximately 30 seconds of music. (This is called balanced monaural sound with both sides of original recording sent to both sides of Mini Disc recording.)

9. As recording continues, Pan sound to Left only by taking out Aux 2 in both Inputs 1 and 2. Aux 1 for Input 2 up and take Aux 2 out. Record approximately 30 seconds of music.

10. As recording continues, Pan sound to Right only by bringing Aux 2 in both Inputs 1 and 2 up, and taking Aux 1 for both Inputs 1 & 2 out. Record approximately 30 seconds of music.

11. Fade Inputs 1 & 2 out and push Stop on Mini Disc Player.

III. Procedure for Creating Tracks on Mini Disc Player:

1. Play Mini Disc and bring up 3 & 4 to hear sound.

2. While music is playing, push the Menu/No button and dial the AMS (Audio Management System) wheel on the mini disc to find the Divide Track prompt. When you hear the music change to balanced monaural sound, push the Yes button to divide the recording into two tracks. When the "Rehearsal" prompt appears, listen to the music and dial the AMS to the exact point where you want the track to be divided, then press Yes.

3. Repeat the process to divide the sound into four tracks: Stereo, Balanced Monaural, Pan Left and Pan Right.

IV. Procedure for Editing Unwanted Sounds on Mini Disc Player:

1. Listen to the beginning of Track 1 and divide it into two tracks. The first track should be the silence at the beginning of the original recording, the second track should begin immediately after music begins.

2. Using the AMS, find Edit Track and eliminate Track 1. Track 2 now become Track 1 without unwanted silence at the beginning of the Track. (This technique is often used so sound is heard immediately when Track is played during performances.)

V. Procedure for Editing, Combining and Moving Tracks on Mini Disc Player:

1. Divide Track 2 into three parts (Tracks 2, 3 & 4) at points in the music that have natural pauses, key changes, or other logical points in the music.

2. Edit Track to delete Track 3.

3. Using the AMS, find Combine Tracks and combine the first and third parts. (Tracks 2 & 3)

4. Using the AMS, find Move Track and move Track 2 to Track 1.

IV. Label Tracks:

1. Bring Track 1 into view and use the NAME keys, or computer keyboard to label the first Track as Monaural Edit. Label the second Track as Stereo, the third Track as Left Only and the fourth Track as Right Only.

2. Push Stop and name the Mini Disc (Your Name) Lab #2.

IV. Results:

At the end of this recording session you should have four tracks of recorded music on Mini Disc. The first should be an edited portion of the original song recorded in balanced monaural, the second track in stereo , the third panned to the left, and the fourth panned to the right.

VII. Project Demonstration:

1. Project is due Friday, February 15

2. Someone else in class will be playing your recording so be sure Mini Disc and all tracks are labeled appropriately.

3. Late projects may be submitted for a lowered grade.