Week 1

Full Tracking Session

Full Tracking Session Setup, Tracking the Session, Student Initial Assessment/Session, Review Lessons Learned, Mix one of the songs from Tracking Session, Assess and Document Wins, Lessons Learned, Challenges & Clarification Needs, Share Concepts/Challenges/Insights/Perspective

 

Week 2

Mission, Vision, Planning & Hustle

Personal Mission Statement; Finding & Exploiting Your Strengths; 1/2/3 & 5 Year Goals; Blue Sky; Studio Etiquette; Hustle; Finding Work; Keys to Successful Recordings; Planning; Budgeting; Scheduling/Coordinating; Tracking, Overdubbing, Mixing, and Mastering; Session/File Delivery;

Payment & Contract Terms.

 

Week 3

Signal Flow from Microphone to iPhone & Hard Drive to Vault

Microphones; Cabling; Tie Lines; Patch Bay; Mic Pres: Interfacing; DAW/Session Routing; DSP; Summing; 2 Bus; Output; File Format Selection; Hosting: Delivery; Data Integrity, Management, Storage & Backup.

 

Week 4

Microphones, Micing & Mic Pre Amps

How Humans Hear; Microphone Types; Micing Techniques; Mic Pre Amps. The engineer will explore Hands-On & achieve Proficiency of Microphones; Micing & Mic Pre Amps with Mentor; Assess Relationship with your Artist & determine if they are a Good Fit for your Semester Project.

 

Week 5

Compression & Limiting

Compressor & Limiter Types; Techniques & Usage; Vari-Mu; FET; Optical; Tube; VCA; Multi-Band; Hard/Soft Knee. Achieve Proficiency of Compressors/Limiters; Utilize Compressor & Limiter Techniques on Source Files

​

Week 6

Equalization

Types of EQ; Band Pass Filters; Q: Shelves & Techniques; EQing without EQ {Mic Selection/Placement/Multi-Band Compression} Proficiency of EQ Concepts. How to utilize EQing Techniques on Source Files

​

Week 7

Time Based & Modulation EFX

Reverbs; Delays; Modulation; Flangers; Micing Live Chambers; Tape Machine Flanges & Delays. Time-Based & Modulation EFX’s; How to Utilize Time Based & Modulation EFX’s Techniques on Source Files

​

Week 8

Analog or Digital – What, When & Why?

History of Recorded Sound; State of the Art by Era; Tape Machine Setup & Alignment; Tape Compression; Tape Speeds; Tape Formulations; Tape Machine Techniques; Digital Foundations; Sample Frequencies; Bit Rates; Error Correction; File Formats; Compression Algorithms.

 

Week 9

Intro to Tracking

Advancing a Session; Selecting a Studio; Your Support Staff (Studio Manager/Assistants); Studio Plots; Session Setup Ergonomics; Collecting Media (Work-tapes & Session Media); Working with Session Musicians; Communication (Talkbacks & Headphone Mixes); Utilizing Resources (Dividing Up Spaces & Rooms for Best Uses); Cable Runs; Mic Selection; Mic Pre Selection; Signal Flow & Patch Bay Efficiency; Getting Great Sounds Quickly; File/Session Ergonomics; Workflow; Markers; Quick Execution of Overdubs; Punching In; On The Fly Crossfades; Great Play Backs for Clients; Session Saving & Clean Up for Media Delivery.

 

Week 10

Overdubbing

10:1 {Mentor Group} Preparing Sessions for Overdubs; Pocketing Your Tracks; Programming; Control Room Recording; Working 1 on 1 with Musicians & Vocalists; Vocal Mic Shoot Out; More Me Headphone Mixes; Getting the Best Vocals Out of Artists; Comping Vocals; Tuning Vocals; Mixing as You Go.

​

Weeks 11 - 13

Mixing

Absolute Vs Relative Phase: Power Transfer; Session Templates & Management; The BIG Picture; 1st Listens; Managing Low End; Bigger; Fatter; Stronger; Width & Depth; Drum Bus Processing; 2 Mix Processing; Vocals; Everything In-Between; Music References/Referencing; Keeping Perspective; Ear Fatigue; Monitor Levels; Printing Files.

 

Week 14

Mastering

History of Media; Format & Destination; File & Session Prep; Sending & Receiving Files; Monitoring for Kickers & The iPhone Age; Headroom; Red Book CD Masters; DDP Images; Louder=Better; Making up Gain; Clocks & Converters; Clipping Converters/Error Correction; Broadcast Levels; Online Normalizing Algorithms; Building a Production Master; Client Delivery

​

Week 15

The Business

Music Business Contracts, Publishing, Points, IP Brand Building; Your Work, Your Fingerprint; Liability & Responsibility; File Delivery; Contracts; Fine Print; Producer/Engineer Points; Rights of Refusal; IP; Publishing; Hand Shake Deals; Speculative Work; Development Deals; Producer Deals; Producer/Engineer Managers; Payment Terms; Scope of Work

​

Week 16

Reflections & Final Assessment

Mentor/Engineer Final Assessments; Review Engineers Mission Statement; 1, 2, 3 & 5 Year Goals & Plan Moving Forward; Final Project Listening Party