Running a Virtual Recording Studio

There isn't that much difference in 2011 between a traditional recording studio, as in recording onto tape, and a virtual recording studio, where you record directly to a computer. Audio immediately enters into what we might call the virtual realm immediately upon recording. Instead of being held on tape format, audio can literally be beamed through the air and transferred from one box to another. It can also be duplicated and replicated any number of times without losing any fidelity.

The best news of all is that the virtual recording studio is the one that is simultaneously more advanced AND more affordable. In fact, odds are incredibly high that you already own a virtual recording studio. If you have a computer with a sound card and any kind of microphone, then your virtual recording studio is probably sitting in a room in your house, or on your laptop.

Just a few years ago, that kind of home recording studio would not have been quite enough to yield professional quality audio. But today, with the availability of unbelievably affordable (some ever free!) recording software and USB microphones, professional sound audio is achievable for just about anyone with a computer, or even a smart phone now!

At the risk of over-simplifying it, the process goes something like this:

Open your recording software that might have cost you anywhere between $0 and $50 to start out with.Speak, sing, or play an instrument in front of a microphone that is hooked up to your computer via a USB cable (or to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch).Save your finished song, voice-over, or whatever audio you were recording.Done.

Speed, quality and ease are the benefits of the virtual recording studio. And if you are collaborating with others on a project involving audio, there is no better way to do it than virtually. Say you need someone with that movie-announce voice to do the intro and "outtro" of your podcast or radio show. Just send that person (if you don't know them already, you can hire them from places like Voices.com...all in cyberspace) the script via e-mail. They record your script and send it back to you via e-mail. Now all you have to do is insert the movie-announcer voice into your recording software, put some royalty-free background music behind it (or even music you composed and recorded), and voila, you have a professional podcast or radio show introduction and closer, all done in the virtual world; no tapes or CDs to mail back and forth, etc.

Of course you can do the same thing with music. Is your singer in Washington, your other singer in London, and your bass player in Los Angeles? No problem. Send them all an audio file of the demo song over the internet, have them record their parts and e-mail them back to you, then mix it all together into a final song. Your band may never have even seen each other during recording! How amazing is that?

If you'd like to investigate the virtually (no pun intended) limitless audio possibilities of a virtual recording studio, come visit Home Brew Audio on the web. Who knows? A new career may be in the offing with the virtual recording studio you may not even know you already had.

Learn to record and produce professional sounding audio from home. With fun and short video tutorials we'll show you how to start with a $0-$5 budget, and then how to improve your studio for a few dollars at a time as your knowledge and confidence increase. If you would like to start doing home recording on computer in the next hour, visit us here: Home Recording

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The Five Longest Running West End Shows in History

Rarely will you meet a person who does not know the significance of the west end in London, or, for that matter, a person who would say no to tickets to one of the dozens of shows that are running there on any one night. It might be more difficult to find someone who can name the five longest running west end shows in history, though they are sure to give a good stab at it.

While might seem impressive that Billy Elliot the musical has already entered its sixth year on stage, following its opening in 2005, and the current jersey boys theatre extravaganza, telling the history of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, opened in 2006, these modern hits come nowhere near the tenures of the west end reliables.

The Mousetrap

This is the longest running show in the west end by far and, in fact, is the longest running show in the world. Since its opening night on November 25, 1952, the mousetrap has clocked up more than 24,000 performances over 58 years. It is strange, given that the identity of the killer in this quintessential murderer mystery has been revealed in countless reviews and newspaper articles.

Written by Agatha Christie, the author herself revealed in her autobiography that she had given the show eight months on the west end. However, its continuing success is mostly down to the excellence in its plot and production, and perhaps the charm of a time in British history that is now long gone.

Les Miserables

Based on the 1862 classic novel written by Victor Hugo, Les Miserables is one of the most famous musicals in history. Originally produced in Paris, it arrived in the west end in 1985 and has since been a constant presence on the theatre listings, with more than 10,000 performances already under its belt. Surprisingly, the first reviews of this show were largely critical, prompting some to believe that its run would be short. However, the public took to it, ensuring that its initial booking of three months was extended.

The Phantom of the Opera

Having opened in the west end in 1986, it is now one of the best known musicals by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It too is based on a classic French novel of the same name, which was written by Gaston Leroux in 1910. For many, it is the quintessential romance story, with the phantom a disfigured musical genius obsessing over a beautiful soprano, who shows him compassion despite the ordeal he puts her through. The show has won the hearts of millions of people around the world, with a quarter of a century spent in the west end so far.

Blood Brothers

Recognised as one of the great contemporary social commentaries, this musical hit the west end in 1983 after success in Liverpool. Its initial run lasted only for six months, but it returned to London in 1988 at the Albery Theatre where it has already run for more than 22 years. The plot centres around the separation of twins and their respective lives at opposite ends of the social spectrum, one amongst the upper crust and the other being working class but unemployed. Their love for the same girl brings them together with tragic consequences.

Cats

Another Andrew Lloyd Webber creation, Cats is one of the most talked about musicals. However, it is the only one of the list of five to have closed in the west end, with its final performance occurring on May 11, 2002, precisely 21 years after its opening night in 1981. So far, it has been produced in 20 languages and was an equally notable phenomenon on Broadway between 1982 and 2000, with more than 6,000 performances in New York. Its final show in London was broadcast on a giant screen in Covent Garden to fans not able to acquire a ticket to the final show.

The full list of great west end shows is significantly longer, and the new generation of classics are surely on their way to securing equally impressive runs. Amongst the favourites is Billy Elliot the musical, which is based on the successful 2000 Oscar nominated movie of the same name. It is already an award winner on stage and looks set for its own place in history.

Because of the love for music, romance and drama that the public has, there is no reason to think not, even if it is a US import, such as the popular jersey boys, theatre goers will continue to flock to the west end.

Kathryn Dawson writes articles about west end shows, one of the things you have to see when you are in London. London is often home to many award winning and popular shows such as Billy Elliot the musical, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera as well as jersey boys theatre, and popular shows mean that good seats are often unavailable. London Tickets use Albemarle of London for all purchases so it means you can buy tickets for your favourite shows easily and safely.

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