Lesson 1Headphone Monitoring and Talkback: Cue Mix Routing, Personal Mixes, Bleed Control, Headphone Amp SetupsSet up solid headphone monitoring and talkback systems to keep performers relaxed and on beat. You will create cue mixes, handle bleed issues, set up headphone amps, and ensure smooth communication from the control room to the recording area.
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 Details: Absorption, Diffusion, Bass Traps Placement and MaterialsApply specific acoustic treatments for precise monitoring and controlled recording. You will position absorption panels, diffusers, and bass traps, select suitable materials, and balance dead spaces with lively areas for various studio sections.
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 Labelling, Phantom Power Rules, Grounding and Hum TroubleshootingBuild a neat, noise-free signal path from microphone to recorder. You will label channels clearly, use phantom power safely, handle balanced cables, and fix hum, buzz, and ground loops with systematic 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, Coloured vs Clean Preamps, DI Box Types and GroundingLearn how preamps and DI boxes affect tone, noise, and headroom. You will control impedance, stage gains properly, choose between coloured and clean preamps, and select DI types with grounding setups for quiet, reliable 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 ProceduresMaster repeatable microphone placement for mono and stereo recording. You will try close miking, XY, ORTF, spaced pairs, and mid-side techniques, while handling distances, phase alignment, and time 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 Basics: Polar Patterns, Transient Response, Proximity Effect, Off-Axis BehaviourDiscover how microphone design influences polar patterns, frequency response, and transient capture. You will compare cardioid types, proximity effects, and off-axis sounds to pick the best mic for each recording job.
Dynamic, condenser, and ribbon basicsCardioid, omni, and figure-8 behaviourSupercardioid and hypercardioid use casesTransient response and diaphragm sizeManaging proximity effect on vocalsOff-axis coloration and rejectionLesson 7Microphone Selection for Instruments: 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 match mic types and patterns to kick drums, snares, toms, overheads, guitar amps, bass DI or amp, and various vocal styles for consistent 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 Isolation Rooms, Gobos, and Operator SightlinesPlan studio layouts that balance isolation with easy communication. You will use booths, isolation rooms, gobos, and sightline methods to reduce bleed while keeping performers 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 affect frequency balance, decay time, and sound imaging. You will set RT60 goals, 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
