Now that the digital revolution has firmly established itself in the home studio, just about anybody with a PC has the ability to record, edit and mix music at a level of quality that is acceptable for release. And now that everybody and their brother can use these fantastic tools, there is a lot of interesting music being created.

The problem is that many producers, musicians, DJs and hobbyists see the computer as an "end all" production environment in which to work their magic.

As a result there is a commonality to much of the home studio material brought to me for further development. A lot of projects often have the "characteristic" sound of a digital workstation: software plug-ins, reverbs and other effects that sound the same as everybody else's.

Preparing for Analog
There are a few low budget ways to add some out of the ordinary analog options to a computer-based audio setup. Note that in order to do any analog processing, you have to be able to bring the sound out of the computer to the processor, and back in again for recording -- usually through a mixer of some sort.

If you’re monitoring and/or mixing your computer based digital audio through an analog mixer -- be it as small as an eight-channel Mackie or as large as a 72-input SSL, you’ll have to deal with impedance and level factors before you can send signal out into any pedals or guitar amps. Here’s the long and short of it: professional mixing consoles, as well as many consumer mixers, operate at a hotter level than pedals -- +4 dB -- while pedals operate at –10 dB.

Also, most mixers operate at what is called a "balanced" signal level, while pedals and amps operate at "unbalanced." So, the goal is to be able to get from "+4 / balanced" to "–10/unbalanced" and back again with relative ease.

This can be accomplished via quite a few adaptor methods, with prices ranging from a $50 gizmo from Radio Shack to a $1000 dedicated box with extensive routing options. You may have to hit Radio shack to buy some cable adaptors as well, depending on what type of output or send options your mixer provides.

Pedals
One of the best ways to tweak audio in a digital production environment is to process it using guitar pedals. Anything is possible in the world of guitar pedals, and some of the best stuff I've ever done was processed through my $50 used Crybaby wah wah pedal.

A distortion pedal can do wonders to a drum kit. Vocals, spoken word, turntable grooves -- you name it, I've sent them all through pedals. Be forewarned -- they can be addictive, and pricey.

Microphones
Microphone placement can be another home studio shortcoming. Even if you can only afford one or two microphones, moving them around and working the room is a great way to create space and depth. Don't forget that the sound of the room is an important part of the production equation.

As budget permits, try to increase your microphone count. In a lot of ways, more mics are better. A great way to make elements have their own distinct identity and clarity in a mix is to use different mics on different tracks. This lets the sonic signature of various microphones make their own imprints. They don't have to be pricey. Some of my favorite places for cheap microphones are pawn shops. I've picked up mics for $10 that often bring "something extra" to a part within a track. One of my favorite "dirty mics" is a gnarly sounding Japanese Fentone model. Price: $50.

Re-amping
Re-amping is an interesting trick that sends an existing sound to a guitar amp, then re-records it. This can yield fantastic results. In order to do this, you'll need a microphone or two and a guitar amp.

Say you're working on a tune where the vocals need a little something extra to pop out in a mix. Send the vocal track out to the guitar amp from the mixer, set up your microphone to record off the monitors, adjust the amp and hit record. As mentioned above, move the mic around work the room. Equalizing the sound going to the amp can affect the sound, and two microphones allow for stereo possibilities. The possibilities are infinite. I've re-amped entire mixes with great results.

It's all about experimenting. The studio as laboratory. Break out that pedal and run a loop through it -- you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Useful URLS
Visit these websites for more information on analog effects in the home digital studio: www.henryeng.com/hemb2.html; www.reamp.com; www.littlelabs.com/pcp.html.

Walt Salva is a producer, studio engineer and writer for Mix magazine. You can learn more about his studio services at www.planet-3.com/.