Practical Recording Techniques, 7th Edition

Chapter 15 DAW Signal Flow

DOI: 10.4324/9781315696331-15

The heart of a computer-based recording studio is the DAW (digital audio workstation). To review, it has three parts (see Figure 5.8):

• The computer runs recording software, stores the recorded audio, and stores the software’s settings.
• The audio interface accepts all sorts of input signals and sends them to the computer for recording. The interface also sends the monitor mix to monitor speakers.
• The recording software lets you record tracks, edit them, mix them, and add effects, EQ, and stereo positioning (panning).

In any audio system or device, signals flow or travel from an input, through the system, to an output. The controls you adjust in a DAW affect the signal flow, so understanding ...