Lesson 1Headphone monitoring and talkback: cue mix routing, independent mixes, bleed control, headphone amp setupsSet up dependable headphone monitoring and talkback systems to keep performers relaxed and on beat. You will create cue mixes, handle bleed, set up headphone amps, and ensure clear communication from the control room to the studio 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 treatments for precise monitoring and controlled recording. You will position absorption panels, diffusers, and bass traps, select suitable materials, and balance quietness with liveliness across various studio areas.
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 organised, 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 loops with methodical 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 influence tone, noise, and headroom. You will control impedance, gain staging, and options for coloured or clean sounds, while picking DI types and grounding methods for quiet, steady performance.
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 placement methods for mono and stereo recording. You will try close miking, XY, ORTF, spaced pairs, and mid-side techniques, while handling distances, 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 behaviorInvestigate how microphone design affects polar patterns, frequency response, and transient capture. You will compare cardioid types, proximity effects, and off-axis sounds to select the best mic for each recording 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 typical studio instruments and why. You will pair mic types and patterns with kick drums, snares, toms, overheads, guitar amps, bass DI or amp, and various vocal styles for dependable tones.
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 layouts that balance isolation and interaction. You will employ booths, isolation rooms, gobos, and sightline plans to reduce bleed while ensuring performers feel at ease and connected 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 impact frequency balance, decay, and imaging. You will establish RT60 goals, forecast room modes, and use practical treatments for controlled, musical recording 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
