Audio Mixing and Mastering Course

Lesson 1 • Metering and Level Management

Introduces peak, RMS, and LUFS meters and their role in maintaining headroom. Accurate metering is prerequisite to all gain-staging work ahead.

Lesson 2 • DAW Setup and Signal Flow

Guides students through routing audio from input to output inside a DAW. Proper signal flow prevents gain-staging errors addressed in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Digital Audio Fundamentals

Explains sample rate, bit depth, and the analog-to-digital conversion chain. Connects technical specs to audible quality and file management choices.

Lesson 1 • Session Organisation Strategies

Covers track naming, colour coding, grouping, and folder structures for efficient navigation. An organised session reduces errors and speeds up revision cycles.

Lesson 2 • Rough Mix and Balance

Introduces static fader balancing as the first creative step before any processing. A solid rough mix reveals arrangement problems early and guides EQ and compression decisions.

Lesson 3 • Trimming and Clip Gain

Teaches pre-fader clip gain adjustment to normalise raw recordings before mixing. Consistent clip levels simplify fader automation and plugin behaviour.

Lesson 1 • Corrective EQ Practices

Focuses on identifying and removing resonances, mud, and harshness from individual tracks. Corrective EQ creates a clean foundation before creative shaping begins.

Lesson 2 • EQ for Mix Separation

Teaches frequency slotting and complementary EQ to prevent masking between instruments. Proper separation ensures each element is audible in a dense arrangement.

Lesson 3 • Linear Phase vs. Minimum Phase EQ

Compares phase behaviour of linear and minimum phase designs and their appropriate use cases. Choosing the correct EQ type prevents unwanted artefacts in critical mix stages.

Lesson 4 • EQ Types and Controls

Surveys parametric, graphic, shelving, and dynamic EQ designs and their controls. Understanding filter types enables informed tool selection for each mixing task.

Lesson 1 • Gates, Expanders, and Transient Shapers

Covers noise gates, downward expansion, and transient designers for controlling dynamics below threshold. These tools clean up recordings and sculpt attack and sustain independently.

Lesson 2 • Bus and Glue Compression

Applies light compression to subgroups and the mix bus to unify elements and add cohesion. Glue compression is the final dynamics layer before mastering begins.

Lesson 3 • Compression Styles and Topologies

Surveys VCA, FET, optical, and tube compressor behaviours and their sonic signatures. Matching compressor topology to source material produces more musical results.

Lesson 4 • Multiband and Dynamic Compression

Introduces frequency-selective compression for controlling problem bands without affecting the full signal. Multiband tools bridge dynamics processing and EQ for complex sources.

Lesson 1 • Send and Return Routing for Effects

Establishes the send-return workflow for shared reverb and delay buses to save CPU and maintain consistency. Proper routing prevents phase issues and simplifies automation.

Lesson 2 • Reverb Types and Parameters

Surveys room, hall, plate, and convolution reverbs and their key parameters. Selecting the right reverb type defines the perceived acoustic environment of the mix.

Lesson 3 • Depth and Dimension Techniques

Combines reverb, delay, EQ, and volume to place elements at perceived distances in the mix. Depth layering separates foreground leads from background pads and ambience.

Lesson 4 • Delay and Echo Techniques

Covers tempo-synced delay, ping-pong, and slapback for rhythmic and spatial effects. Delay complements reverb by adding dimension without excessive low-frequency buildup.

Lesson 1 • Automation for Dynamic Mixes

Teaches volume, pan, and send automation to create movement and maintain focus throughout a song. Automation elevates a static mix into a dynamic, emotionally engaging performance.

Lesson 2 • Vocal Chain Processing

Builds a complete vocal processing chain from noise reduction through compression, EQ, and saturation. The vocal chain is the most audible element and sets the standard for the mix.

Lesson 3 • Guitars and Melodic Instruments

Applies tonal shaping and spatial placement to guitars, keys, and synths within the frequency spectrum. Melodic instruments must complement vocals without competing for the same space.

Lesson 4 • Drum Mixing Strategies

Covers individual drum processing, room blending, and bus compression for a cohesive kit sound. Drums anchor the rhythmic and dynamic foundation of the entire mix.

Lesson 1 • Stereo Enhancement in Mastering

Uses mid-side processing and stereo wideners to optimise width and mono compatibility at the mastering stage. Stereo adjustments must be subtle to avoid phase cancellation on mono systems.

Lesson 2 • Mastering Compression and Limiting

Covers gentle bus compression and brick-wall limiting to control dynamics and achieve target loudness. Proper limiting maximises loudness without introducing distortion or pumping.

Lesson 3 • Loudness Standards and Metering

Explains integrated LUFS targets, true peak limits, and dynamic range metrics for streaming platforms. Meeting platform standards ensures consistent playback without automatic volume reduction.

Lesson 4 • Mastering Goals and Workflow

Defines mastering as the final quality control and loudness optimisation stage before distribution. Understanding its scope prevents over-processing and preserves the mix engineer's intent.

Lesson 1 • Export Formats and Delivery Specs

Defines file format requirements for streaming, vinyl, broadcast, and sync licensing delivery. Delivering the correct format prevents rejection and ensures optimal playback quality.

Lesson 2 • Multiband Processing in Mastering

Applies frequency-selective compression and limiting to address band-specific dynamic issues in the master. Multiband mastering corrects problems that broadband tools cannot target precisely.

Lesson 3 • Dithering and Bit-Depth Reduction

Explains quantisation noise and how dithering minimises artefacts when reducing bit depth for delivery. Correct dithering is the final processing step before any export.

Lesson 4 • Harmonic Saturation and Excitation

Adds controlled harmonic distortion to enhance perceived loudness and warmth without raising peak levels. Saturation in mastering must be transparent and frequency-targeted.