Lesson 1Headphone monitoring and talkback: cue mix routing, independent mixes, bleed control, headphone amp setupsEstablish strong headphone listening and communication systems to keep artists relaxed and on beat. You will create listening mixes, handle sound leakage, set up headphone amplifiers, and ensure smooth talk from the control area to the recording space.
Creating main and individual cue mixesLatency considerations for monitoringControlling click and guide bleedHeadphone amp distribution optionsTalkback routing and dim functionsProtecting hearing and safe levelsLesson 2Acoustic treatment specifics: absorption, diffusion, bass traps placement and materialsUse focused sound treatment for true listening and managed recording. You will position absorbers, diffusers, and bass traps, select materials, and balance quietness with energy for various studio areas in local setups.
Early reflection control at mix positionBroadband absorption panel placementBass trap locations and designsChoosing safe, effective materialsUsing diffusion for spaciousnessTreating vocal and drum areasLesson 3Cabling, gain staging, and patching: channel labeling, phantom power rules, grounding and hum troubleshootingCreate an organized, quiet signal route from microphone to device. You will mark channels, use phantom power carefully, handle balanced wires, and fix hum, buzz, and ground issues with step-by-step connection methods.
Balanced versus unbalanced connectionsChannel labeling and documentationSafe phantom power proceduresNormalled and half-normalled patchbaysDiagnosing hum and ground loopsSignal flow checks and test tonesLesson 4Preamp and DI choices: impedance, gain staging, color vs clean preamps, DI box types and groundingGrasp how preamps and DI boxes affect tone, noise, and space. You will control impedance, gain levels, and colored versus clear options, while picking DI types and grounding for silent, dependable work.
Mic preamp topology and headroomInput impedance and mic interactionClean versus colored preamp choicesActive versus passive DI selectionGround lift and hum reductionGain staging into convertersLesson 5Mic placement techniques: close miking, XY/ORTF, spaced pairs, mid-side, distance choices and phase-check proceduresBuild consistent microphone positioning for single and stereo recording. You will try close miking, XY, ORTF, spaced pairs, and mid-side, while handling distance, phase matching, and timing differences.
Close miking for isolation and punchXY and ORTF stereo techniquesSpaced pair setups and spacing rulesMid-side configuration and decodingPhase alignment and polarity checksUsing measurement tools for phaseLesson 6Microphone fundamentals: polar patterns, transient response, proximity effect, off-axis behaviorExamine how microphone build influences pattern, frequency reply, and quick sounds. You will compare heart-shaped types, closeness effect, and side response to select the best mic for each task.
Dynamic, condenser, and ribbon basicsCardioid, omni, and figure-8 behaviorSupercardioid and hypercardioid use casesTransient response and diaphragm sizeManaging proximity effect on vocalsOff-axis coloration and rejectionLesson 7Microphone selection for sources: recommended types for kick, snare, toms, overheads, guitar amps, bass DI/amp, lead and backing vocalsFind microphones that work well on usual studio instruments and reasons why. You will pair mic type and pattern to drums, overheads, guitar amps, bass, and vocals for steady, repeatable sounds.
Kick drum: dynamic and boundary optionsSnare top and bottom mic choicesTom mics and bleed considerationsOverheads: condensers and ribbonsGuitar amp close and room micsLead and backing vocal mic selectionLesson 8Isolation and layout: drum booth, amp iso rooms, gobos, and operator sightlinesArrange studio spaces that balance separation with talk. You will use booths, isolation rooms, screens, and view lines to reduce leakage while keeping artists at ease and linked to the control room.
Drum booth design and trade-offsAmp iso rooms and re-ampingUsing gobos for flexible isolationManaging line-of-sight and windowsBalancing bleed versus feelCable runs and safety pathwaysLesson 9Recording room selection: dimensions, RT60 targets, room modes and modal treatment strategiesUnderstand how room size, form, and build impact frequency balance, decay, and image. You will set decay goals, foresee room modes, and use practical treatments for controlled, musical areas.
Evaluating room dimensions and proportionsSetting genre-appropriate RT60 targetsIdentifying axial, tangential, and oblique modesUsing software to predict room resonancesBass trapping for modal controlPositioning speakers and listening spot
