Writing
David Summer - Published Magazine Articles
David Summer is the author of several articles on the subjects of
Music Technology, Music Education and Software Development.
All of these articles have been published in leading music and software magazines, including
Recording Magazine,
Electronic Musician,
The Instrumentalist and
Dr. Dobb's Journal.
Music Education and Music Technology article topics include
Recording A Capella,
Recording the Flute,
Creativity Traps,
Recording Brass Instruments and
Recording a School Ensemble.
Software Development article topics include
Implementing Audio Captcha,
Displaying Podcast Information and
Developing an Autobuild Process.
When You're the Band, Successfully Recording by Yourself
Successfully recording, producing and performing all alone in a home recording studio.
Helpful advise on recording alone in a home studio.
This is a subject that's often alluded to in recording publications, but rarely addressed head on like this.
Includes advise on both technical and non-technical upfront organization and preperation.
Also things to watch out for when the recording red light is on, the mic is hot and you're all alone, doing everything yourself, producing, engineering, performing, etc.
Article published in Recording magazine, March 2010.
Stella A Cappella, Recording Unaccompanied Vocals
Recording unaccompanied vocals in a personal home recording studio.
Includes advise on helping a vocalist stay in tune while recording a cappella and selecting the proper setting for your particular a cappella recording.
Also includes tips on vocal overdubbing and mixing your a cappella recording.
A short excerpt from the traditional Christmas Carol
Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming,
demonstrates some of the concepts discussed in the article.
This is an a capella recording of the piece arranged and performed by David.
The voices are arranged in 4-part harmony with each part doubled 4 times; bring the total track count to 16. See the article text for recording location and microphone positioning.
David Summer Recording A Cappella
Get Flash player to see this MP3 player and listen to the sound clips.
The sound clip is also available on the Recording Magazine website.
Article published in Recording magazine, October 2006.
Blowin' in the Wind, Recording the Flute
Recording the flute in a personal home recording studio.
Includes selecting a location for the flute recording, as well as choosing the proper microphone and microphone positioning.
Also included is advise for the flutist making a recording.
Two sets of sound clips were written and recorded by David in order to highlight some of the points made in the article text.
The first set of flute sound clips illustrates the effect of using different types of microphones when recording the flute.
David Summer Recording Flute
Get Flash player to see this MP3 player and listen to the sound clips.
Recording of a flute using a
condenser microphone (a Neumann TLM-103).
Recording of a flute using a
dynamic microphone (an Electro-Voice 664A).
Recording of a flute using a
ribbon microphone (a Royer R-122).
The second set of clips shows how changing the position of the microphone can subtly change the way the flute sounds on a recording.
All of the flute sound clips in this set were recorded using the condenser microphone (a Neumann TLM-103).
The flute recorded:
with the microphone positioned
half way down the body of the flute.
with the microphone positioned
close to the flute footjoint.
with the microphone positioned
close to the flute headjoint.
with the microphone positioned
behind the flutist.
All the sound clips were recorded by David in a basement and have no added EQ or effects.
This was done to better illustrate the differences in the microphone types and positions and allow for easy comparison.
The two different musical phrases were written to include notes throughout the commonly used range of the flute.
Refer to the article text for further explanation of the sound clips and the different techniques used to record them.
All of the sound clips are also available on the Recording Magazine website.
You may also be interested in David's Selected Duets for Flute Podcast.
Article published in Recording magazine, March 2006.
Creativity Traps
Finding the proper place for technology in your creative process can be a challenge.
At what point should you bring technology into your project?
How much is too much?
When does technology actually hinder your ability to be creative?
In this Recording Magazine guest editorial David explores when, and when not, to use technology as part of your musically creative process.
Article published in Recording magazine, September 2005.
Brass Tactics, Recording Brass Instruments
Recording great brass sounds in a personal studio.
Concentrating on recording the Trumpet and recording the Trombone, including an overview of the physical characteristics of brass instruments and how they're played.
Three sets of sound clips were written and recorded by David, playing the trumpet and trombone, in order to highlight some of the points made in the article text.
The first set of trumpet sound clips illustrates the effect of using different types of microphones when recording the trumpet.
David Summer Recording Brass
Get Flash player to see this MP3 player and listen to the sound clips.
The trumpet recorded using a
ribbon microphone (a Royer R-122).
The trumpet recorded using a
dynamic microphone (an Electro-Voice 664A).
The trumpet recorded using a
condenser microphone (a Neumann TLM-103).
The second set of clips demonstrates the sound of the muted trumpet.
The three most popular types of mutes are used.
All of the trumpet sound clips in this set were recorded using the ribbon microphone (a Royer R-122).
The trumpet recorded with a
Straight mute.
The trumpet recorded with a
Cup mute.
The trumpet recorded with a
Harmon mute.
The third set of brass recording clips shows how doubling or tripling brass parts can strengthen the sound, resulting in a "fat" horn sound.
All of the brass sound clips in this set were again recorded using the ribbon microphone (a Royer R-122).
Three trumpets and two trombones with the lines doubled and panned left and right.
Three trumpets and two trombones with the lines tripled and panned left, right and center.
All the brass sound clips were recorded by David in a basement and have no added EQ or effects.
This was done to better illustrate the differences in the microphone types and positions and allow for easy comparison.
Refer to the article text for further explanation of the sound clips and the different techniques used to record them.
All of the brass sound clips are also available on the Electronic Musician Magazine website.
You may also be interested in David's Selected Duets for Trumpet Podcast.
Article published in Electronic Musician magazine, November 2004.
Recording a School Ensemble With Computer Software
Using a computer to record your school band, orchestra or other ensemble.
Exploring the basics of personal computer based recording as it pertains to recording a school music ensemble.
Also looks at the many practical and fun uses for school band, orchestra and choral recordings.
Article published in The Instrumentalist magazine, August 2004.
Software Development
Implementing Audio Captcha
How to implement an audio CAPTCHA for your website.
The article reviews Captcha in general,
discusses Section 508 compliance,
illustrates a simple front end for the audio Captcha,
gives a detailed explanation of David's audio Captcha implementation
and suggests customized audio alternatives for better website integration.
See and try out a
practical demonstration of this audio Captcha.
This audio Captcha is synchronized with a visual Captcha counterpart.
It's exceptionally easy to use for a visually challenged website visitor, requiring no mouse interaction at all.
The article also includes the PHP, JavaScript and HTML source files as well as MP3 files that
you can use as a basis for your own audio Captcha implementation.
Article published in Dr. Dobb's magazine, January 2008.
Shelling the Pod
How to dynamically create descriptive web pages in support of podcasts.
These web pages, dynamically created using PHP, present information about a podcast as well as information about each episode of the podcast.
All of this podcast information is dynamically generated using a single source, the podcast's RSS feed file.
The article includes the PHP and HTML source files described in the article text.
This method of dynamically generating information to describe a podcast and it's related episodes from an RSS feed is in use today on several websites.
The article also reviews podcasting in general, syndication principals and RSS file formats including using the iTunes XML namespace.
Article published in Dr. Dobb's magazine, January 2007.
Develop an Autobuild Process
Develop an automated build for your Visual Basic project.
The article includes a build batch file that executes the build, a sample build log file and a utility for keeping track of a build number for your autobuild project.
Also included is information on running VB from the command line and writing build log files.
Note: This article was published in 2000, before the introduction of VB.NET, when VB version 5 and 6 were commonly in use.
Article published in the Visual Basic Programmer's Journal, June 2000.
All sound clips, © Copyright 2004-2010 by David Summer