Lesson 1Headphone monitoring and talkback: cue mix routing, independent mixes, bleed control, headphone amp setupsSet up solid headphone monitoring and talkback systems to keep performers at ease and on beat. You will create cue mixes, handle sound leakage, set up headphone amplifiers, and ensure clear chats from the control area to the recording floor.
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 acoustic treatment for true monitoring and controlled recording. You will position absorption panels, diffusers, and bass traps, select materials, and balance quietness with liveliness for various studio areas in your setup.
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 troubleshootingBuild a neat, noise-free signal path from microphone to recorder. You will label channels, use phantom power safely, handle balanced cables, and fix hum, buzz, and ground issues with proper patching 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 groundingLearn how preamps and DI boxes affect tone, noise, and space. You will control impedance, gain levels, and choose colored or clean options, plus pick DI types and grounding for quiet, reliable 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 proceduresMaster repeatable microphone placement 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 behaviorStudy how microphone design influences polar patterns, frequency response, and quick sounds. You will compare heart-shaped types, closeness effect, and side rejection to pick the best mic for each job.
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 out which microphones work best on common studio instruments and why. You will pair mic types and patterns with kick drums, snares, toms, overheads, guitar amps, bass setups, and vocal styles for consistent 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 sightlinesPlan studio layouts that mix isolation with easy talk. You will use booths, separate rooms, screens, and view lines to cut sound leakage while keeping performers comfy 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, shape, and build affect sound balance, fade time, and imaging. You will set fade targets, predict room modes, and use practical treatments for controlled, musical spaces.
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
