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A battery contains one or more electrochemical cells in which chemical reactions create an electrical potential between two immersed terminals. This potential can be discharged as current passing through a load. An electrochemical cell should not be confused with an electrolytic cell, which is powered by an external source of electricity to promote electrolysis, whereby chemical compounds are broken down to their constituent elements. An electrolytic cell thus consumes electricity, while an electrochemical cell produces electricity. Batteries range in size from button cells to large lead-acid units that store power generated by solar panels or windmills in locations that can be off the grid. Arrays of large batteries can provide bridging power for businesses or even small communities where conventional power is unreliable. Schematic symbols for a battery are shown in Figure 2-2. The longer of the two lines represents the positive side of the battery, in each case. One way to remember t

There are more microphone choices than ever before. There could be a whole book on just microphones and their uses. The following section will feature common mics and touch on a cross section of what is out there. I have incorporated mics that a home recordist could afford as well as a fewer high-end mics that you may encounter in a professional recording studio.  This is only a taste of what is out there. The guide below provides a picture to help identify the mic, a price guide, the microphone's transducer type and pickup pattern, specifically what the mic was designed for, what instrument to try it on, and a frequency response graph. Dynamic Mics AKG D 12 The AKG D 12 is a dynamic microphone with a cardioid polar pattern. This means that it “hears” best what happens in front of it while rejecting sound from the sides or rear. The sound entry of the D 12 is bright nickel plated. The dynamic transducer with its special “Bass Chamber” is handmade. The Bass Chamber boosts th

Microphones, or mics, are used to capture a sound much like our ears. Microphones are one of an audio engineer's finest tools. If you were an artist, microphones would be analogous to your color palette. Every microphone choice is like a stroke of the brush adding texture, tone, and color. Which microphones you choose can influence whether a recording is bright or dark, edgy or mellow, or muddy or clear. Three steps are involved in recording: capturing the sound, storing the sound, and listening back to the sound. The microphone represents the first step, capturing the sound. Getting to know how a microphone captures a particular instrument or sound takes time and experience. So what differentiates one microphone from another? Besides cost and esthetics, there are many other factors. Microphone Basics Microphones, or mics, are used to capture a sound much like our ears. Microphones are one of an audio engineer's finest tools. If you were an artist, microphones would b

Equalization, or EQ, can be used to describe the action of equalizing a sound, a control to change the tone, or a reference to the tone of a sound. More than likely you have already equalized something in your life. If you have ever changed the bass or treble settings on your car or home stereo, then you have performed this basic engineering function. In audio production, there are a variety of equalizer controls at your disposal, to change the tone of a recording. Equalizers, also called EQs, are available as standalone rack units, as part of a channel strip, and as software plug-ins. What actually happens when a sound is equalized? The tone of an overall sound is altered by increasing or decreasing the amplitude of a particular frequency or a range of frequencies, such as bass. Remember the terms frequency and amplitude? They are two essential elements in understanding audio, especially when we are discussing equalization. Understanding the different frequency ranges and h