CPIM tricks - Certified in Production and Inventory Management V.7 Updated: 2023

RECORDING WEEK 2023: These days, it’s perfectly possible to create the majority of your sounds inside your computer, but if you never bother to capture any real-world audio, you and your music will be missing out.

With this in mind, MusicRadar has put together 25 tips for anyone who has an interest in live or studio recording.

1. Get mic'd

Buy yourself at least one decent condenser and one decent dynamic mic as soon as you can. As long as you don’t juggle with them, they’ll last you for years and open up a whole world of fun. Music production is largely about recording stuff - don’t lose sight of that.

2. Go live

Don’t dismiss live recording. With so many samples readily available, it’s very easy to overlook it, but you must try it a few times, as it teaches incredibly useful skills and highlights a lot of principles computer musicians often ignore, such as phasing issues and other mixdown-stage problems. Oh, and it’s fun!

3. Two mics, one guitar

When recording guitars, try using two mics placed centrally but pointing at opposite ends of the instrument. They’ll produce tonally different sounds that can then be panned later for a great stereo effect.

4. Put down a marker

If your musician is swinging their instrument around too much it will affect the sonic quality, no matter how much compression is applied, so it’s sometimes worth hanging a marker or dummy mic and asking the player to keep their instrument level with it.

5. Keep your distance

Live recording and studio recording require different approaches. Live recording is all about close-miking to avoid noise bleed, but this almost always sounds worse than a mic placed a comfortable distance away, so don’t be tempted to close mic in the studio…

6. Be prepared for inspiration

Create a recording template project in your sequencer. With that done, whether you’re a musician, DJ or just an engineer for others, you’ll always be poised to start recording any flashes of inspiration.

7. Balance before buttons

When recording a group of musicians with one mic (a brass section, say), the key is to create the right dynamic balance before you hit the record button. Try placing your players about three metres from the mic and pointing it down at them slightly, so as to capture reflections from the floor.

8. Put the listener in the room

Essential to the successful recording of acoustic instruments is creating the illusion of being in the room. Your ultimate goal is to make it sound like it would to your ears in real life. That is what makes it such a challenge - the whole art is in making up for the fact that no microphone captures sound like our ears do.

9. Move the mic

If you find mechanical noise is clouding a recording (saxophone keys clicking, for example), try placing the mic behind the player or to the side, so that it´s partially shielded from the offending cacophony.

10. Keep acoustic mics at 35-45cm

The ideal distance for an acoustic guitar mic is around 35-45cm away from the soundhole. Place it any closer and your sound will be overly boxy - much further away and you´ll pick up too much of the room´s ambience.

11. Try new styles

Get your musician to try playing in a number of styles (eg, picked and fingered for a guitarist). You never know which might sound better, and you then have layering options for mixdown and different versions for your arrangement stage.

12. 'Verb the vocalists

If your vocalist is struggling to hit the notes, try washing their monitoring signal with a lot of long reverb. They’ll then be able to use the reverb on their voice to better detect their own pitch, making it much easier for them to make adjustments.

13. Double mic pianos

A handy tip for school music teachers: the best way to record an upright piano is with two condenser mics behind, placed left and right and pointing slightly down, with the top and back of the piano removed. If you can’t remove the back, open the top and place the mics left and right, about two feet above.

14. Amp your electric piano

If you’re using a classic electric piano riff, try recording it using an amp or amp modelling plug-in for that authentic live stage sound.

15. Bend time

Struggling with the performance of a riff? Thanks to timestretching, you can play it slower and more accurately, then ramp it up to the right speed later. It’s not cheating if nobody knows and it sounds great!

16. Listen for natural reverb

Does your building have an interesting-sounding hallway or other acoustic space? A really bright-sounding bathroom, perhaps? Put a microphone in there, play your track back and record the room’s natural reverb, ready to mix in.

17. DIY vocal booth

For decent vocal recordings, create a small area packed with duvets and blankets - a wardrobe is ideal. Of course, you need to ensure that you have enough light to read the lyrics and enough space to be able to stand a decent distance from the microphone.

18. Use closed-back headphones

It sounds incredibly obvious but when you’re recording an instrument or voice, make sure that the backing track only plays through well-isolated closed-back earphones with minimal noise-bleed, so as to record a clean signal.

19. Add in ad-libs

Always get loads of ad-libs from your vocalist, and make sure they try singing sections of verses and choruses in separate takes, holding notes so that the tail of one vocal section can be laid out to overlap the start of the next. This can create a really energetic effect.

20. Mic from above

The best placement for a vocal mic is actually slightly above your vocalist, as it forces them to tilt their head back slightly, thus opening up their throat for clear and strong voice projection.

21. Keep them off the booze

Whatever you do, don’t let your vocalist get drunk or worse. There might be a few rare musicians out there who do a better job after they’ve had a few beers, but they are a very small minority, and this is especially true for vocalists… whatever they might tell you!

22. Look out for latency

Recording guitars can be a tricky business because of latency issues in some setups. If you like to monitor with effects, but want to record a clean signal, then you need to use a unit that enables you to output the dry signal alongside the effected version.

An alternative solution is to get hold of a small analogue mixer/splitter and send the signal to your effects unit and the computer simultaneously.

23. Become a vocal coach

If your vocalist just isn’t hitting the right notes, try doing a little DIY vocal coaching. For example, if they’re singing flat, ask them to sing a little sharp. And if they can’t do that, try temporarily tuning the backing track up a few cents (singers tend to be around 10-20 cents sharp or flat) to force them to compensate.

24. Record everything

We’ve already told you to make yourself a recording template, but that’s no good if you don’t use it. You should get into the habit of leaving something recording every time you play an audio instrument, mix, sing or otherwise jam. Then just delete it if you haven’t done anything worth keeping.

25. Rattle and hum

If you’re recording with sensitive microphones, make sure your players aren’t wearing anything that might rattle or bash against their instruments. There’s nothing more annoying than the sound of a watch, button or jangling chain ruining that one perfect take and remaining undiscovered until after the musicians have gone home!

Mastering a skincare routine can be somewhat of an overwhelming process these days. Everyone has slightly different skincare needs, and there are so many products on the market that a mere trip to Sephora can can leave you feeling stressed—and your wallet empty. To get this all wrinkled out (pun intended) we went straight to an expert to guide us on the most effective steps to take to achieve—and maintain—that youthful glow on a daily basis, plus some tips and tricks for routine maintenance that can be done at a dermatologist to further fight those pesky signs of aging.

According to Cosmetic Surgeon and Dermatologist Dr. Ariel Ostad, choosing the right products and treatments is key to both short term and long term skin success. “As we age, our bodies start to produce less collagen, which leads to drier, thinner and less elastin in our skin,” says Ostad. “The loss of collagen leads to wrinkle formation. Your body starts to lose about 1% of collagen a year after you turn 30. Due to the loss of collagen, you may start to notice the appearance of lines forming and pigmentation may occur.”

Below, Ostad shares his tips and tricks for achieving a youthful glow, no matter what age bracket you fall in.

To supplement a proactive skincare routine at home, Dr. Ostad also recommends annual treatments in the office to help effectively reduce some of that pesky sun damage and help tighten and tone the skin as we age. “Prolonged exposure to harmful UV rays can lead to sunspots, fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tone,” he says. “Fraxel Dual laser is a powerful and effective treatment to reverse the effects of sun damage, restoring the skin’s youthful appearance and texture. We also like to use our Fraxel CO2 laser for wrinkles of the face around the mouth and lower eyelids, which is one of the most powerful and versatile lasers in our collection.” Other popular treatments he recommends include Cutera Laser to treat rosacea and facial redness, Morpheus 8 for reducing the appearance of acne scarring and skin tightening, Botox for dynamic wrinkles on the upper face and Hyaluronic acid filler to help stimulate collagen in your skin and fill in hollow areas that may appear such as cheeks, laugh lines, marionette lines, lower lids and temples. Your dermatologist can help advise you on the best treatment plan to address your skincare concerns—just make sure you find a reputable doctor. “A common mistake people make is going to the wrong provider like a medical spa,” says Ostad. “Going to an experienced doctor who understands facial anatomy and aging is very important to ensure you are in good hands.”

In a newly published resource, the global IT research and advisory firm explains that predictive maintenance can help organizations make the most of their data to increase production operations' uptime, Excellerate safety, reduce maintenance costs, and identify hazardous situations before they occur.

TORONTO, Oct. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - As production operations continue to grapple with the need to streamline processes and reduce overhead costs amid economic uncertainty, an increased need for transparency and predictability surrounding maintenance management has become evident. Info-Tech Research Group has published new research, Operational Efficiency Through Predictive Maintenance, to provide support and guidance for the industry. As many operations organizations lack visibility throughout the production process, there is a demand for the enablement of better technology support to reduce downtime, avoid run-to-failure, and mitigate the ripple effects of catastrophic outages when equipment or assets go down. The firm's resource will support operations leaders in their endeavors to Excellerate maintenance planning.

"Predictive maintenance is a powerful addition to a thorough, all-encompassing strategic plant maintenance program," says Kevin Tucker, principal research director of manufacturing research at Info-Tech Research Group. "It is revolutionizing maintenance by avoiding unexpected and catastrophic failures that impair productivity, lower customer satisfaction, and drive up costs for services such as repairs and quality problems." 

The new resource explains that predictive maintenance uses data analysis tools and procedures to enable proactive management of technology, foreseeing issues before they arise. Enabling this maintenance management method also prevents unscheduled reactive maintenance and incurring costs for excessive amounts of preventive maintenance.

Info-Tech provides a breakdown of the tools to employ in the data collection and analytics of predictive maintenance in the resource, highlighting that the key to success lies within using the right tools to capture the correct real-time conditions and provide predictive monitoring data. The suggested tools are outlined below:

• Infrared thermography includes cameras that detect heat spots and provide a thermal image warning.
• Acoustic monitoring uses sonic and ultrasonic levels of monitoring for sounds of liquid and air leaks.
• Motor condition relies on real-time early condition monitoring for defects.
• Eddy inductive current condition involves monitoring for eddy currents in conductors, which cannot be touched. Monitoring must be precise because the current may be moving at a rapid pace.
• Vibration analysis offers pattern readings that can signify early onset imbalances.
• Temperature monitoring refers to holistic tolerance-based temperature management.
• Oil and grease analysis monitors for viscosity and foreign contaminants as well as leaks.
• Internet of things (IoT), extended internet of things (xIoT), industrial internet of things (IIoT), and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) are systems that provide data from a wide variety of proprietary meters.
• Computerized maintenance management systems (CMMs) are used to track and service assets.

As operations organizations work to make the most of their data to increase production operations' uptime, reduce maintenance costs, and identify hazardous situations before they occur, Info-Tech advises operations leaders that the more established and historical maintenance management techniques cannot be replaced by predictive maintenance in all situations. While conventional run-to-failure and preventive programs must still be used in some capacity, the firm's research shows that the implementation of predictive maintenance alongside IIoT will help organizations optimize their data to provide a host of organizational benefits, including saving both time and money, increased safety, and improved workflows.

To access the full resource, including a variety of case studies, download Operational Efficiency Through Predictive Maintenance.

For media inquiries on the subject or to get exclusive, timely commentary from Info-Tech analysts, please contact PR manager Sufyan Al-Hassan at salhassan@infotech.com. 

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 IT and industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com.

View original content to get multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/predictive-maintenance-leads-to-higher-production-output-and-lower-maintenance-costs-new-resource-from-info-tech-research-group-301946148.html

SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group

It's forgivable to not know all of the tricks for how to clean your electric stovetop. While it's one thing to spray down and wipe off spilled foodstuff from the cooktop, cleaning the drip pans can seem like so much more of a production. How exactly are you supposed to remove gunk and carbonated food that's basically been welded onto the metal? Well, you can, using household items and just a little effort. For the grossest drip pans, a soak in a fizzy solution made from hydrogen peroxide and baking soda should do the trick. For the either-this-works-or-they're-going-in-the-trash cases, seal them overnight in large freezer bags containing household ammonia. You will ultimately emerge the victor, clutching the shiny drip pans as proof of your triumph.

Mind you, the above-stated strategies are only reserved for the hard cases. If you've been keeping up with drip-pan maintenance or have inherited some that are still in pretty good shape, a scrub with good old dishwashing liquid should suffice. The old white vinegar and baking soda combination might do the trick, too. (Baking soda not only fizzes like a champ but it also doubles as a terrific abrasive after the pans have had a good soak in vinegar.) No matter which cleaning method you choose, make sure the drip pans are completely cool to the touch before beginning.

Read more: 8 Baking Sheet Mistakes You Want To Avoid

The Next-To-Last Stop: Hydrogen Peroxide And Baking Soda

Baking soda will stand you in good stead for even more stubborn drip pan cleaning challenges. This time, instead of enjoying a spa-like soak in distilled white vinegar, the pans are immersed in a bubbling cauldron. Seal your kitchen sink with a stopper then place the pans in your sink's basin. Coat them liberally in baking soda (the cheap household cleaning version, not the bougie baking brands.) Then pour in some hydrogen peroxide to recreate your middle school science experiment volcano. (You don't have to splurge on the hydrogen peroxide, either. Even the lowest concentration available will do the trick.) Walk away, letting this exothermic reaction lift the baked-on, crusty goo right off the drip pans with the power of carbon dioxide, which also happens to be quite handy for cleaning baking sheets.

After half an hour or so, there shouldn't be anything more for you to do but drain the sink, rinse the pans in cold water, and maybe supply them a little going over with a kitchen sponge. You can, however, repeat this process if necessary. There are some drip pans, however, that even this strategy won't handle. If that's the case for you, it's time to roll out the big guns — well, gun; household ammonia.

Ammonium Hydroxide: The Gunk Terminator

Household ammonia is the common term for ammonium hydroxide, which is basically the chemical compound ammonia suspended in an aqueous, or water, solution. It's powerful stuff and particularly good at breaking down organic fats and grime. In other words, all that crud baked onto your drip pans is about to meet its maker.

Household ammonia can also be caustic when touched or inhaled, so take precautions when using it by donning rubber cleaning gloves and keeping your kitchen well-ventilated. The idea is to seal each nasty drip pan in a large, one-gallon freezer bag which also includes about ¼ cup of household ammonia (even this small amount will suffice — there's no need to submerge the pans). Leave the sealed bags alone for at least 12 hours while the ammonia and its vapors do their work. Open the bags facing away from your face and pour the sludgy ammonia liquid down the sink (chased by lots of cold water). Finally, rinse the freezer bags out thoroughly before throwing them away. At this point, a simple scrub in hot soapy water should bring your drip pans back to shiny life.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.

Peter Uzoho

The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) has said it had no plan of totally shutting down operation and gas production during the yearly routine turnaround maintenance at its six-train, 22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA)-capacity gas processing plant in Finima, Bonny Island, Rivers State.
The liquefaction company made the clarifications yesterday, in a statement issued in response to THISDAY’s investigative report, where multiple sources had insinuated that the company would totally shut down operation and production during its routine maintenance purportedly scheduled to happen by February or March 2024.

“Our attention has been drawn to a THISDAY newspaper report on 12th November 2023 titled “Gas Supply Constraints May Worsen in Nigeria, Europe as NLNG Embarks on Plant Maintenance by February 2024.”
“The report alluded to an alleged total shutdown of Nigeria LNG Limited’s (NLNG’s) six-train plant over a proposed maintenance operation scheduled for February or March 2024.

“NLNG categorically states that this report is false. The Company’s commitment to the safe and uninterrupted functioning of its plant underscores the significance of routine turnaround maintenance, referred to technically as a “Shutdown”, the statement signed by the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Andy Odeh, explained.

The company explained further that contrary to the assertions, a routine turnaround maintenance, while temporarily taking a specific train or unit offline for maintenance purposes did not entail a complete shutdown of the entire plant.
It said the meticulous planning and execution of the essential activity allows for the seamless transfer of production loads to unaffected trains, resulting in minimal impact on overall production.

“The ‘shutdown’ alluded to in the report is a routine turnaround maintenance and is part of NLNG’s production calendar.
“NLNG takes exception to the disconcerting lack of factual accuracy in the report, highlighting the evident absence of discretion. The company emphasises its track record of global achievements during turnaround maintenance, consistently setting high standards in safety and project management to ensure the continued operational efficiency of its assets,” the statement stated.

It noted that a classic example of NLNG’s achievements was the deployment of the Add-On Gate Valve (AOGV) technology in 2022 which involved the replacement of a critical valve while the plant remained online and active.
According to the statement, the NLNG plant was the first in Africa to implement the technology and its 36” line was the largest pipe size across the globe that the AOGV has ever been deployed on.

“It is this kind of engineering excellence and unparalleled maintenance execution discipline that NLNG is known for”, it added.