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All your
expensive recording gear is useless if you
have nothing to plug in to it. This is where
the input device comes into play. An input
device is, simply, any instrument,
microphone, or sound module that produces or
delivers a sound to the recorder.
Instruments
An electric guitar, a bass, a
synthesizer, and drum machines are typical
instruments that plug in to the interface
and represent most of the input devices that
you use in your studio. A synthesizer and
drum machine can plug directly into the Line
In inputs of your interface whereas an
electric guitar or a bass needs a direct box
(or its equivalent) to plug into first. (In
the case of a Digidesign interface, you need
to use one of the inputs with a preamp.)
A direct box is an intermediary device that
allows you to plug your guitar directly into
a mixer without going through your amp
first.
Microphone
You use a microphone (mic) to record the
sound of a voice or an acoustic instrument —
sound sources that, last time I checked,
couldn’t be plugged directly into the
interface. A microphone converts sound waves
into electrical energy that can be
understood by the interface.
Sound
modules
Sound modules are special kinds of
synthesizers and/or drum machines.
What makes a sound module different from a
regular synthesizer or drum machine is that
these contain no triggers or keys that you
can play. Instead, sound modules are
controlled externally by another
synthesizer’s keyboard or by a Musical
Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)
controller (a specializedbox designed to
control MIDI instruments). Sound modules
have MIDI ports (MIDI jacks) to enable you
to connect them to other equipment. |
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