Audio Recording Tips: What DSP Effects Are and How to Use Them

There are quite a few amazing tools on the market for home audio recording fans, and these days it’s certainly possible to make pro-quality recordings with an inexpensive setup. One of the more popular tools in recent years has been DSP effects, but many home producers don’t understand how they work. It’s easy to just chalk it up to “magic,” but understanding DSP effects can bring new life to your recordings.

Here’s a quick explanation of DSP effects and how you can use them to record better songs (and any other types of audio that you’re interested in).

What’s DSP? DSP stands for digital signal processing. Basically, a digital effect is applied to an audio file, shaping the sound wave or affecting the EQ, adding delay, all of that fun stuff that you’ve probably been using for years. As the effects are digital, they’re usually handled by your computer’s processor, or dedicated sound processing hardware–like if you’ve got a really high quality sound card, or if you use a digital audio workstation to record.

DSP effects are far more common than analog effects these days. They’re almost infinitely powerful, although just as with analog effects, there are high-quality and low-quality DSP effects out there.

Types of DSP. DirectX, CST, VST and AU are all common types of DSP, and they’re differentiated by the programs that allow their usage. Most major audio programs like ProTools and Adobe Audition use VST and DirectX, so these are some of the forerunners, although Apple’s AU has gained a lot of steam, since it allows for more power. Check your audio recording program’s documentation to see what types of DSP it allows.

DSP effects can be purchased online, and they’re easy to add in to your audio program. Most audio programs will have a ton of onboard DSP effects, but they’re generally low quality when compared to downloadable effects. For instance, Antares AutoTune is a popular DSP effect that allows vocals (or any other instrument) to be, well, automatically tuned to a song. Many programs have their own version of AutoTune, but Antares’ version is popular for a reason: it works exceptionally well.

Using DSP. If you don’t have a powerful computer, you’ll want to apply DSP and then save a new copy of the audio track, then remove the DSP, as this allows you to use effects without putting a tremendous draw on your processor. Many computers can handle simple DSP, such as simple reverb effects.

It should be noted that no amount of DSP will cover up a poorly recorded track. If you can’t get a good sound, look to your miking technique and the microphones that you use before fiddling with DSP. After that, though, have at it–DSP effects are a fun way to add new sounds to your recordings, and they can make a big difference when used correctly.

If you’ve got a question about a particular DSP effect, be sure to send me a message or post your thoughts in the comments section below.