5.2 sections

5.2.1 - Choosing an Appropriate Sampling Rate

This section is very practical, since having the right sample rate is crucial to recording a high quality sound. This section is well-written, and straight forward. I also thought it was interesting to read about the different reasons we would need to record above 20 kHz.

5.2.2 - Input Levels, Output Levels, and Dynamic Range

Like several of the sections in this chapter, I think that this section is quite practical. Learning about clipping and the different ways to avoid it is crucial for successful recording of audio. At the top of page 25, where it talks about the Bit Depth and Dynamic Range supplement, it mentions that the supplement is linked at the top of the section, but it is actually linked on page 25, right next to this sentence.

5.2.3.1 - Latency in a Live Performance

I feel like this section needs, a little bit more info on how to prevent this kind of latency, but there might just not be any more to say. I'm not sure, it just felt a little bit empty at the end of the section and I felt like there could have been some more detail there. Latency is a big issue, and even though live music production isn't necessarily as much of what this course is about, I feel like perhaps this could use a bit more content.

5.2.3.2 - Writing to the Hard Drive During Digital Audio Recording

This section does a really good job of explaining why it is important to use an external hard drive with firewire when working with digital sound recording. It kept it simple and I think anyone would be able to easily understand it. I think that it is possible that this section may be better placed in Chapter 1, but I can understand why it is placed here as well.

Page 28 mentions dynamic allocation of space in passing, but never mentions it again. I think there should be a little bit of an explanation of dynamic allocation of memory, if it is gonna be mentioned like this. No music major is going to understand what it is if it is just mentioned in passing like this.

5.2.3.3 - Latency, Drivers, and Buffer Size

This section is helpful and easy to understand. It covers the required content well and deals with the potential problems associated with latency as good as can be expected.

5.2.3.4 - Software Vs. Hardware Monitoring During Digital Audio Recording

All of these different sections on latency seem like a little bit of overkill, but at the same time it is clear that these different sections are different and all important in one way or another. Perhaps combining a few of them and condensing them would be better. I also feel like 5.2.3.4 should be placed right after 5.2.3.2. There's nothing wrong with this section, though.

5.2.4 - Word Clock

This is a good concept to end the section with, since it kind of brings all of the latency concepts together and deals with them all with basically one solution.


Conclusion

This chapter is very practical and important to understanding how to record or create a good audio track to/ on a computer. It got a bit dry at times, but I feel like most of the content is pretty important and worth reading if the student really wants to learn how to record and create quality audio tracks.