Calibrate a sound card with an external mixer with a digitized sound generated at specific amplitude. Levels measured by any sound card software should match the levels of the external mixer. The mixer should go into the red when the software goes into the red. Usually things get red hot on the computer at about -6dB. Verify the frequency range of the monitors by generating a sound at specific frequencies.

My basic desktop audio engineering kit is a digital audio editor, a digital audio sequencer and a digital audio spectrum analyzer. My basic desktop sound-building kit is a digital audio effects engine, a MIDI sequencer, a MIDI keyboard, a microphone and the ability to extract digital audio from CDs.

Since I am not a literate musician, I prefer digital audio sequencers to MIDI sequencers. Putting the most man-hours in the digital audio sequencer contributes greatest to my final product (before mastering)—a digital audio file.

Tempo, to the desktop musician, is just another way to synchronize rhythms across digital audio and/or MIDI applications.

Audio tracks can be mixed with these basic utensils: volume, panning and equalization. Ideally, each track in the mix should occupy its own spectra of frequencies (this is why EQ is so important).

My compositions consist of several layers. Time is kept in the so-called metronomic layer. Background colors may appear as repeated phrases. Swing moves in systems of counterpoint. The most common transition is what filmmakers call “the cut.” I sometimes build long bridges. I need to work on break beats. I need to let bassists and guitarists plug into my system. I look forward to recording in complete silence with expensive microphones.