What Are the Components of a DAW?
Whereas the core of most tape-based systems is a tape recorder along with a mixing console, a DAW usually consists of a computer, software, an audio card and sometimes an external Analog-to-Digital and Digital-to-Analog converter also called an audio interface. DAWs such as Pro Tools have extensive mixing capabilities built-in but other lower-end systems require a mixing console. Of course, there are all kinds of variations to these basic elements, which we will get into later. For now, let's focus on the big picture.
Where Does the Audio Go?
In a tape-based system, the audio is recorded to tape. With a disk-based system, the audio is recorded to a large hard drive attached to the computer.
Now, let's look at how this affects your work: In order to record or hear audio with tape, the tape itself must physically pass over the record or playback heads. If you want to record something at one minute into the tape, the tape has to be positioned at that exact point. This necessity to physically move tape means that you spend a lot of time rewinding and fast-forwarding to find specific locations for playback and recording.
On disk-based systems, you can go to any point in time instantaneously, without having to fast-forward or rewind. This is possible because the audio is recorded onto the hard disk in no particular order. It's actually the DAW software that provides the capability for tracks (like tape) and tells the computer and processing cards to go and "fetch" the audio and play it at whatever time and on whatever track you want. It is a road map that provides the computer with the order in which it has to playback your audio.
With disk-based systems, all you have to do is add hard drive space to get more recording time. You can still choose where and when in your session the computer plays back that audio, but if you want to change the time, simply drag the audio to another point in time! If you need a section (such as a drum loop) repeated over and over, just duplicate over and over: the computer will repeat sections as many times as you tell it to and best of all, it uses no additional hard drive space for such repetitions. As you can see, this is very different from tape based technology.
Non-Destructive Recording
Like a tape deck, your disk-based system will offer a certain number of tracks. But it is important to realize that the number of tracks available does not limit the number of takes you can record with a disk-based system. We expect this to be a little confusing at first, since you are probably used to working in a destructive environment. But once you start thinking non-destructively, it makes a lot of sense.
Number of Tracks vs. Number of Takes
When we refer to "Number of tracks" on a DAW, we are referring to the number of simultaneous playback tracks. In other words, an 8-track system can play back only eight simultaneous tracks of audio at one time. But because our systems record non-destructively (without altering the existing audio files), you can keep recording again and again until you get it right, regardless of the number of tracks available. In fact, you can record a virtually unlimited number of takes - limited only by the amount of hard drive space on your computer.
To make this benefit crystal clear, here's a real-world example: Let's say you want to record a song that already has full accompaniment (e.g. drums, bass, guitar, background vocals, etc.). With tape, you'd probably have only one or two tracks left - and you can keep only as many takes as you have free tracks. That means you have to stop recording after each performance and really concentrate on whether or not you like that take and can move on, or if you think you can do another, better take. Of course, if you don't ever get a better take and you've erased your earlier take - the one that you should have kept - you just have to settle for less than the best.
This is a horrible way to work. It disrupts the creative flow and makes everybody in the studio tense, particularly artists who will do a much better job if allowed to relax and focus just on their performance. The process of recording and its limitations should be invisible to them and there should be a sense of freedom that will help bring out their best.
With a Digidesign Pro Tools system, the vocalist in the above scenario could simply keep recording takes - ten, hundred, or even a thousand takes - whatever is needed for everyone to be satisfied with the performance. Later, you audition each take and piece together the perfect take from different parts of each performance. With Pro Tools, you can use the computer to automate this process and perfect the transition with editing tools like cross fades while keeping the audio quality in its pristine original state. Of course, the same holds true no matter what you are recording - vocals, guitar solos or saxophone.
When a track is record-enabled, you can punch in and punch out at the end of a section and pull open the full take using the trim tool. This is very handy when you wish you had recorded a rehearsal.
There are many similarities between a traditional multi-track audio environment and a top-of-the-line Digital Audio Workstation or DAW such as the Pro Tools system from Digidesign. Both types of systems have tracks with individual level and pan controls. Both types of systems have facilities to add reverberation, compression/limiting, equalization and other processing functions. And finally, there are input and output connections for audio in both types of systems and some method of routing, switching or patching the audio between different points. And ultimately, in both types of systems, all the audio is mixed to stereo or into surround sound.