Friday, July 13, 2012

Using a Multiple Monitor Computer for Audio Recording, Engineering and Production

If you’re a musician (or an aspiring musician) and you’ve setup your own home studio, then you probably recognize that screen real estate is extremely valuable.  It doesn’t matter which recording program you use, Logic, ProTools, Cubasic, or one of the many other that are available.  With all of the plugins, samples and additional tools that you use alone with the main recording program, having an extra screen available will make recording significantly easier.  In this article we’re going to discuss some different setups and how you can maximize your recording efforts by using multiple screens.


Here’s a prime example of how using multiple monitors can help enhance your recording.  Using a second monitor is great way monitor multiple tracks at once and monitor each and every plugin at the same time with your second monitor.  You can also use the additional screen to monitor other applications such as email or communications tools, such as Skype.   Having this extra space means you’ll get less distracted and you’ll be able to multi-task while recording.

And I should point out that Windows users aren’t the only ones that are using multiple monitors.  Mac users, especially power Mac users have been using multiple monitors for quite some time as well and can definitely appreciate the benefits of having their full mixing abilities available while they are reviewing each individual track on the second screen.   And with OSX Lion setting up multiple monitors on multiple screens is actually rather easy to do.  It just takes a couple of quick clicks to do so.  The cool thing is regardless of if you prefer Pro Logic 9 or Pro Tools, it’s easy to use multiple monitors and benefit from them.
Regardless of what type of audio recording you end up doing, and regardless of what program you use, having multiple monitors is going to be a key benefit for your recording experience.  You’ll appreciate the extra screen real estate and you’ll enjoy not having to bounce back and forth between tools are you record, edit, mix and create.