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Mic into Audio Interface - most important for high fidelity

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I see a Bi-directional or Omnidirectional microphone working best in a podcast where the mic is being crowded or two people having a conversation in close proximity.

Shotguns are most typically found on shotgun microphones used for live shots (film and television) or used for mic-ing guitar cabinets for recordings.

Cardioid mic is the most popular pattern from stage mics, to desk mics, headset mics, webcam mics.

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Requires a dedicated Hardware Pre-Amps. If the mic is bound to hit the preamp, the preamp has a gain control.

Condenser microphones are preferred in the studio environment where the audio can be tightly controlled.

This is in contrast to the dynamic microphones that are generally preferred for live performance or extra-studio recordings. It is because the condenser microphones are designed to pick the nuanced and subtle sounds instead of abrasive and loud sounds.

Thus, the microphone is able to pick a clear and crisper audio signal which sounds very natural when it is reproduced.

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The sound the microphone picks up is able to be modelled meaning that each dynamic mic will have its own unique signature.  Can handle-less noise.

These mics usually come with really simple construction and we use these mics for really loud sounds signals and vocal recordings.

If you have a fully treated room, you can go with condenser mics. But if you’re in a bit noisy environment or there is a traffic noise or any other background rumble, then dynamic mics are suitable for this kind of situation.

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Whenever a sound is made in a room, here’s what happens to it:

1. Starting at the source, it projects outward in all directions.

2. A small portion of it (known as direct sound) travels in a straight line to the microphone.

3. The remainder (known as reflected sound) bounces randomly between the surfaces of the room.

4. Moments later, some of those reflections reach the microphone by chance.

Properly treating the room by removing the natural reverb and diffusing the sound is required to get the most accurate sound.

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This was one of the programs and bits they introduced to us which was 3D sound. They gave us a 4 speaker demonstration in the Recording Room. 3D audio and creating a immersive experience with sound is something I want to experiment with further as it goes hand in and with my interests in guitars and music production.

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Mastering is attempting to

•Fine tune the levels and dynamics of a completed mix

•Transfer and convert the mix to the required format(s) for delivery

•Enhance the sonic characteristics of the mix in line with the underlying genre, style, and target

audience

•Ensure that the mix is acceptable on various different playback systems

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Mixing is putting different elements into the mix together. Whereas mastering is about refining the entire mix.

Mixing is where creative work is done, mastering is where the intention of the creator is being highlighted.

Mixing is about having interesting ideas, mastering is about adding detail and performing quality checks to these ideas.

A mixing engineer sees the mix as a collection of individual stems/trakcs, a mastering engineer sees the mix as a collection of frequencies.

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A DAW or Digital Audio Workstation is a program used to record, mix and master your recordings. Upon chatting with Mark after the session was over he recommended I have a look at a DAW called Reaper if I was looking to get started.

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When mastering it's important to keep the dB and LU levels especially if you're going to be releasing the music on streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.

If done correctly the overall song/audio should have a similar level of loudness throughout.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClgVMjczaFc

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Creating an Ambisonic Audio File using Reaper and the ATK for Reaper

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Found a free MIDI file-sharing website and chose this song, used free VSTI plugins (Labs from Spitfire Audio, AmpleBassII and MT Power Drums)

Wanted to create an experience where you were standing in the middle of a band rehearsing/performing. Would be an interesting concept for live performances or just general mixing and mastering.

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Here I sampled noises from the animation titled "Neon Genesis Evangelion" a sci-fi mecha show. They feature many weird noises and frequencies that the mechs make and I thought it would be interesting to experiment with the noise + a virtual soundscape.

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Here I just wanted to add some more depth and elements to the second test that I conducted.

I managed to get a free drum track online (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecad80CBktY)
Recorded my own guitars with the help of Amplitube 5, as well as the bass. Other virtual instruments was done with Spitfire Audio's Labs

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In conclusion, I found this mixing and recording workflow drop-in really useful as it gave me more insight into an area and industry which I am definitely passionate about and interested in. If not for this RnD week I'm not sure if I would ever get an opportunity to learn from industry professionals which such friendly and relaxed tutors/environment.

I will continue to build upon the skills I gained here, and continue mixing, mastering, and producing music. I'm still unsure about how I could implement soundscapes into my graphic design work in the future, but I think that calls for even more experiments and trials in the future.

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RISO (Risograph) printing is a duplication-printing technique that was developed in Japan in the 1980's by the Riso Kaguku Corporation.

Riso printing uses master plates and ink drums, to produce hundreds of duplications a minute in color. Can be seen as a photocopier and offset prinrint press.

As seen above each drum contains 1 colour and with RISO printing you can only print in up to 2 colours. (+ paper color) A print can be run through multiple times, each pass adds another layer of colour increasing it's intensity.

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The bold colours, handcrafted feel, and minimalist overtones of this design movement produce memorable graphic designs that deserve to be studied up close and personal. Here are a few examples of some of the creative projects that are possible with risograph printing.

The cool thing about riso is that it’s an acquired visual taste of sorts. Most of us are used to working with laser or inkjet printers or photocopiers, but that doesn’t have to be the norm. A risograph provides creatives with a new set of possibilities when it comes to producing everything from books and zines to illustrations and pamphlets.

If you have an eye or just a strong preference for handcrafted designs that exhibit a lot of care and personal touches, then it’s well worth exploring this design movement. When so much of design is too polished and perfect these days, especially in the digital realm then risograph printing is ideal for bringing design back to its more rough-hewn and minimalist roots.

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Another very handy resource that rave provides just by the RISO printers is a few infographics about how to properly format your file prior to printing. Because of how riso works, every new print requires both tubs to cut out your specific design. So it's crucial when RISO printing to get everything right unless you'll have to pay more for a second print if the first has any mistakes!

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Here's just a quick photo I captured on the day of the induction when Sayed opened up the RISO printer to give us a clearer picture of how the machine works.

For this induction we were told to sent prints that only contained black and red.

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This is the original design I did for the riso print, I envision having it cut out and placed on my arcade stick.

I was inspired by some of the prints Sayed had on display, and being an anime enjoyer I wanted to have my print design to be derived from that too.

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Even though we graphic students had a RISO print induction back in term 1 of year 1, it was great to have a refresher on RISO printing.

I think the most beneficial aspect is this time we were actually able to print out our own RISO prints (previously it was not possible because the RISO printers we're booked up to 3 months)

Being able to see the properties of a RISO print up close and working with it was equally as beneficial too! I definitely feel that I have a better understanding of the aesthetic qualities of a riso print.

I'm also very thankful that I was able to incorporate another RnD session with one of my passions, that being fighting games (Tekken). Bringing this fight stick to campus for some games on the PS4 I also received a lot of compliments on the aesthetics which couldn't have been possible with the RISO.

The RISO printer is definitely a machine I want to utilize more in tandem with any design briefs I receive in the future. I truly enjoy the visual qualities that only can be achieved on a RISO printer.

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It was very interesting to gain an insight into the architecture industry as it was an area of study I was interested in while applying to universities and thinking of what I want to study in the future.

I didn't know that the architecture industry suffers from a lack of female presence which is something I wholeheartedly believe should be improved in all industries.

It really shone a new light when Sarah elaborated on how the history of the first black female architecture has been covered up to the public and requires extensive research to find information that should be more heavily pushed towards the mainstream education system.

XXAOC - Female Architects of Colour.
Hearing about this was very inspirational, being a person of color having these support groups, and pushing diversity and representation was something I covered with my previous brief so I'm very happy to see a movement like this being pushed.

Don't start a studio - Start a network / find and/or build a community.

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Olya's discussion felt a lot more relevant to me as a Graphic Designer just because they are from a similar background too.

Evening Class - an independent community that Olya had built from scratch was really inspiring and to see what you're able to achieve from such a humble background. Even to this day even though Olya no longer engages with Evening Class as frequently it has been able to still grow into a stable platform where designers looking to further their craft.

In addition to this, hearing firsthand the problems and challenges that they faced and what they had to do to overcome those issues really touched me on a human emotional level. It's vital that we identify the problem and come up with a solution for it, so to have a professional share their story with such charisma and sarcasm was very enjoyable.

Another notable point was the feeling that her career was over when she had their baby, I found that part really funny. But the feeling of "this is the end" is often a sign that new things are being lined up for you. So that's one mindset that I want to try to incorporate more into my attitude towards life.

Being a designer we also often forget that we have our own voice that we are able to bring across, i.e the housing crisis around Evening Class and how they used their skills to be able to educate and publicize the problems at hand. Sticking it up to the "man" is something that I respect very much and to be able to do that while supporting the local community is very beautiful. A voice for the people and yourself.

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Evening Class is a self-organising design experiment in London.

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As a designer who has not yet gone into the industry or has had experience in a design firm. Learning about the traditional hierarchy and its associated roles. From top to bottom: Studio Director, Creative Director, Senior, Mid-weight, Junior, and Intern. Is definitely beneficial to know as a Graphic Designer.
The majority of these enterprises in the cultural sector (95%) are micro-businesses, meaning they employ fewer than 10 people. The main goal of these enterprises is one thing, making money and income. The way in which this function is through Hierarchy and discipline, mechanism of coordination, exploitation, wealth extraction, division and/or collapsing of labor and pay gaps. These politics are hidden behind language and can be seen in the forms of Collaborative, non-hierarchical, progressive/liberal, designer-lead, and diverse. Knowing these red flags when I do step into the industry would place me one step against my competition.

The next structure we covered was self-employed/freelance. The data shows that 1 in 4 creative sector workers are self-employed. The way they work is organized serves a specific political function. These functions are fragmentation, individualized, work/life balance slippage, no rent for the employer, unpredictable distribution of work, lack of support and training, lack of protection, deregulation, and wage depreciation caused by the global market.

The third structure is co-ops, where the first structure is a triangle this one is a circle which for example can comprise of. A motion designer, a developer, a project manager, a studio manager, a digital designer, and a graphic designer. This structure brings more concrete roles to each member where they have their area of specialization. Coops work to serve a specific political function: no hierarchy, more resilient working structures, equal pay, democratic decision making, member support/training, members collectively decide on the use of surplus, challenge dominant structures and is organized around co-operative principles.

These principles are:
1. Voluntary and Open Membership
2. Democratic Member Control
3. Member Economic Participation
4. Autonomy and Independence
5. Education, Training, and Information
6. Co-operation among Co-operatives
7. Concern for Community

A co-op can be a design studio, a workshop, working space, library of resources and tools, or a gallery. The limit knows no bounds. A third of human life is spent working, and the current age of retirement has risen to 68 between 2044 and 2046. 17.9 million working days lost due to work-related stress, depression and anxiety in 2019/20 accounted for 51% of all work-related cases.

The last support structure we covered were Trade Unions. A labour union (trade union) is an organisation of workers dedicated to improving wages, hours and working conditions within their workplace. The union negotiates directly with employers and workers' behalf and is funded by its members' union dues.

Unions facilitate the process of collective bargaining, which allows an organised group of workers to sit down with their employers, address concerns, make demands which includes pay benefits, hours, workplace safety, health care, family leave, diversity, company transparency and much more. (Teen Vogue USA)

Employers are under an obligation to protect their employees from the risk of injury while at work, including the risk of injury to their mental health caused by the development of depression and anxiety as a result of work-related stress. (The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974)

I felt as though Chris has unpacked for us the more financial and economical aspects of working as a designer which I honestly did not have much insight or knowledge prior to the brief talk. And I really have no regrets about attending this talk as it provided me with so much more consideration when it comes to life as a designer.