| UNIT |
DESCRIPTION |
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| INTRODUCTION |
Welcome |
| ABOUT THIS COURSE |
What the course is and what it isn't. |
| COURSE REQUIREMENTS |
What will help you benefit from the course. |
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| 01 SOUND & TECHNOLOGY |
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| Sound Waves |
Intro to Soundwaves |
| Frequency, Phase, Polarity, Combining Sounds |
Cycles and Phase and Polarity, oh my! |
| How Sound Travels |
Here to There |
| Wavelength and Pitch |
Cycle length, Musical Pitch and the Doppler Shift |
| Frequency Response Curves |
One sound, many frequencies |
| Human Hearing |
How we hear |
| Transducers |
Converting sound |
| Balanced vs Unbalanced |
Another reason to love polarity |
| Audio Monitors / Speakers |
Monitoring Sound |
| Sound Storage |
Physical, Magnetic, Digital |
| Analog and Digital |
Analog and Digital |
| Unit Test 01a |
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| 02 THE EVOLUTION OF RECORDING |
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| History of Recording part 1 |
Up to the Overdub |
| History of Recording part 2 |
After the Overdub |
| The Sync Head |
How the ability to overdub and punch in and out affected music production |
| Digital |
Digitizing and Manipulating Audio |
| Digital Tools |
01110100 01101111 01101111 01101100 01110011 |
| The Studio as an Instrument |
Composing with Technology |
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| 03 AUDIO PRODUCTION TOOLS |
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| Intro to Audio Production Tools |
Microphones, Mixers, Processing, Studios, Computers |
| Audio Production Elements |
Sounds, Capturing, Storing, Manipulating |
| Audio Signal Path and Gain Structure |
Audio Paths, Gain at each Stage |
| Sound Recorders |
Common Elements of Sound Recorders |
| Digital Recorders and Non-destructive Editing |
Referencing file points rather than cutting tape |
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| 04 BASIC MUSIC FOR MUSICIANS |
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| Why you should know about music |
You must understand music to be a creative technician |
| Dynamics |
Change |
| Arrangements |
Instrument Interactivity, Song Parts and Map |
| Instrumentation |
Common Instruments |
| Rhythmic Elements |
Bars and Beats |
| Rhythmic Dynamics |
Pushing and Pulling together and seperately |
| Harmonic Elements |
Harmonic Notes and their Interaction |
| Instruments in the Studio |
Microphones and Plugs - comprehensive basics |
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| 05 HOW PEOPLE USE MUSIC |
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| Why you should care about how music is used |
Keeping it real |
| Ethnomusicology |
Music and Culture |
| Consumers and Music |
Consumers and Music |
| Surround Sound |
Surround Sound and the Consumer |
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| 06 THE STUDIO |
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| The Studio |
Studio Overview |
| Combining Sounds |
Combining sounds through an Audio Bus |
| Recording / Mixing Consoles |
Recording / Mixing Consoles (Boards) |
| Gain |
Volume at different Stages |
| Studio Monitoring |
The importance of having good speakers |
| Cues / Headphones |
How the musicians hear themselves |
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| 07 RECORDING |
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| Intro to Microphones |
Microphones |
| Microphone Types |
Mic Types |
| Polar Patterns |
Areas around the mic that will be captured |
| The Right Mic |
The best mic may not be the most expensive one |
| Microphone Positioning |
Hearing where to put the mic |
| Spacial Micing |
Capturing a space rather than a point |
| Feedback |
Avoiding feedback |
| Controlling sound in the room |
Placing musicians, tweaking room acoustics, Room mics |
| As Pure as Possible |
Don't degrade the sounds captured by your microphones |
| Recording Drums |
Drums and Microphones. |
| VIDEO / Drum Microphones |
Drum mic choice and placement |
| VIDEO / Kick Mic Approaches |
Open (single) head kicks vs. Closed (double) head kicks. |
| VIDEO / Kick Mic Placement 1 |
Open head kick mic placement - specific examples CAMERA MIC |
| VIDEO / Kick Mic Placement 2 |
Open head kick mic placement - specific examplesACTUAL KICK MIC |
| VIDEO / Kick Mic EQ |
Now that we have the kick mic, let's EQ it! |
| Recording Acoustic Bass |
Micing, Pickups's, Compression. |
| Recording Electric Bass |
Micing, Direct, Compression, Bootsie. |
| Recording Acoustic Guitar |
Micing, Stereo, etc. |
| Recording Electric Guitar |
Micing, Stereo, etc |
| Recording Piano |
Micing, Listening |
| Recording Organ & Rhodes |
Micing, Distance, Stereo. |
| Recording Horns & Winds |
Micing. |
| Recording Percussion |
Micing (Conga > Belltrees and beyond). |
| Recording Vocals / for engineers |
Micing, Mic Pre-amps, Compression, and Caring about your singer |
| Recording Vocals / for singers |
Make sure you leave the studio with the sound you want |
| Recording Backing Vocals |
Micing, Compression, How to work FAST. |
| Recording Anything Else |
Searching for the right placement and microphone (notice the order!) |
| Intimate Recording |
Capturing quiet. |
| Rec. MIDI |
MIDI. |
| Software |
Computer Software. |
| Basic Tracking |
Recording the song. |
| Overdubs |
Refine and add more parts. |
| Punching In/Out |
Fixing parts by recording over them while the artist performs again. |
| Trench Work |
Flying, moving, pitching, and not telling anyone��_ |
| Running a Session |
How to keep everyone happy and get good results from a session. |
| Ruining a Session |
How to make sure that nobody ever wants to hire you again. |
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| 08 EDITING |
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| Editing |
Cut and Paste |
| Editing Speech & Music |
Cutting words and music |
| Arrangement Editing |
Moving parts of a song |
| Loop Edits |
Again! Again! |
| Multiple Edits |
Musical repeats |
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| 09 PROCESSING AND EFFECTS |
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| Pure or Processed? |
When to leave well enough alone |
| Audio Processing |
Changing sound |
| EQ |
Increasing or Decreasing selected frequency ranges |
| Threshold-based Effects |
Threshold, Key, Side-chain |
| Compression |
Controlling the rate of volume increase |
| Limiting |
Extreme control of the rate of volume increase |
| Gate and Expansion |
Changing volume, based on volume |
| Delay and Reverb |
Distinct Echoes and Roomy Scattering |
| Chorus, Phase Shifter, Flanger |
Modulating Effects |
| Distortion |
Overloading a Stage in an Audio Path |
| Time Alignment and Aural Excitement |
Changing the edge and air of a sound |
| Harmonizing, Pitch Shift, Autotune |
Pitch changing |
| Envelope Filter |
Filters that change settings based on sound volume |
| Guitar Effects |
Using cheap guitar pedals |
| Automating Effects |
Saving effect setting changes |
| Inserting and Chaining Effects |
Effects in a line |
| Sending to Effects |
Using a channel send to feed sound into a common Audio Bus |
| Bus and Master Fader Effects |
Using effects along an Audio Bus or Master Fader |
| Processing Delay and Latency |
The time it takes for effects to happen |
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| 10 MIXING |
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| Why Mix? |
Can't I just let the tracks play the arrangement? |
| Gestalt |
The whole mix is more than just the tracks played together |
| Necessary Understanding |
Understanding the client, the music / culture, and the instrument functions |
| Mixing Tools |
Processing and Automation |
| Imagery, Space, and Depth |
The space within which you are working |
| Finding the Song |
You can't mix the song if you don't know what is important |
| Creating a Mood |
Does the song need "mood lighting"? What if the tracks are in a bad mood? |
| The Demo |
The original Demo and the Production |
| The Melody and Passing the Ball |
Keeping everyone's eye on the ball |
| Sustaining and Renewing Interest |
Renew focus or just keep it going |
| What a mix should sound like |
There is no answer to this question |
| Mixing Considerations |
Consider these points when you mix |
| How I Mix |
The process I often find myself following while mixing |
| Learning to Mix |
How to learn when there is no place to learn |
| Starting Steps |
Generic steps to get you started |
| AB to CD |
Comparing to other work. |
| Instrument Roles |
What instruments do |
| Band Dynamics |
Everyone gives and takes. |
| Individual Dynamics |
Volume, Tone, Intimacy / it all changes. |
| Dense Mixes |
When there's just too much stuff. |
| Automation |
Capturing YOUR dynamics so you only have to do it once. |
| Recalling a Mix |
Recalling the settings of a mix |
| The Song |
Do you really understand exactly WHAT are you mixing? |
| Instrument Roles |
What instruments usually do what function, and why they don't have to. |
| Psychoacoustics |
Hearing, direction, and imagination. |
| Stereo and Beyond |
Mono, Stereo, Eno's 3-speaker setup, Quad, Dolby Surround, 5.1, 8.1 and beyond (and mixing for each). |
| Getting Sounds |
What should each instrument sound like? |
| Midrange 1 |
Be careful. Expect and allow change. |
| Using Delays |
Echo parts, make rhythms, etc...ET Thorngren. |
| Reverb |
Creating and using spaces without making mud. |
| Silence |
A very effective tool when working with sound. |
| Stereo Compression |
Smooshing the whole thing together. |
| Vocal Sounds |
Clear, round, big, intimate, raging, sibilance, pops, doubling, etc. |
| Vocal Placement |
Where and how loud? |
| Dynamic Rides |
I keep telling you, change is good! |
| Puzzle Pieces |
Fitting things together. |
| VIDEO / Kick Mic EQ |
This page is in the Recording section, but what is listed also applies to MIXING. |
| Mixing Drums |
Too much to list here. |
| Mixing Bass |
Too much to list here. |
| Mixing Guitars |
Too much to list here. |
| Mixing Piano and Keyboards |
Too much to list here. |
| Mixing Orchestras |
Too much to list here, but the word "dynamics" is used more than once. |
| Stereo Placement & Width |
How to use BOTH speakers instead of just making things twice as loud. |
| The Fade |
More than just the end of the song. |
| Is it FINISHED? |
When to know when it's done (or when to put it aside for the time being). |
| Clarity |
Hearing everything. |
| What sound is right? |
How expensive should your mix sound? Aiming for specific sounds. |
| Remixing |
Alternate versions and different directions (from a different mix pass to a whole new production). |
| Changing & Replacing Parts |
When what there is just isn't what you need for what you want to do. |
| Console vs Computer |
Mixing out of a computer. |
| VIDEO / The first 10 minutes |
The First 10 minutes of mixing for Ro Tierney |
| A. VIDEO / Introduction |
Introduction to DEconstruction |
| B. VIDEO / Mixing in Logic |
Welcome to Logic! |
| C. VIDEO / Why Ride? |
WHY I spend so much time on dynamic rides. |
| D. VIDEO / Guitar Solo |
Automated volume, pan, reverb and delay. |
| E. Bass |
Bass EQ and Multi-Compression |
| F. VIDEO / Lead Vocal Pt 1 |
Lead Vocal EQ and *DYNAMIC RIDING* |
| G. Lead Vocal Pt 2 |
Using reverb and delay to create a vocal space |
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| 11 MASTERING: |
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| What is Mastering? |
Isn't it done already? |
| Loud vs Dynamic |
Should your song be as loud as the radio commercial if you lose intimacy? |
| Mastering to enhance sound |
Using Mastering techniques to improve sound |
| Mastering to prepare product |
Preparing for final output |
| Master while Mixing? |
Can this be done while mixing instead of being a separate process? |
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| 12 OUTPUT: |
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| What format? |
1/2" or MP3? |
| Special versions? |
Making variations (different mixes, mono versions, etc). |
| CD & Web output |
Understand how people will hear your mix. |
| Redbook and Codes |
CD tech. |
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| 13 AUDIO PRODUCTION ROLES |
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| Audio Production Roles |
The People behind the Production |
| Assistant, Intern |
The Assistant and the Intern |
| Studio Manager, Studio Tech |
Keeping the Studio up and booked |
| Producer |
Similar to a Film Director |
| Recording / Mixing Engineer |
From sound source to speakers |
| Mastering Engineer |
Improving sound and preparing for output |
| Client / Artist |
The money / The talent |
| Manufacturing / Distribution |
Making copies and getting them out |
| Other Roles |
Other Production Roles |
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| 14 AUDIO JOBS |
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| Audio Jobs |
Different ways to use your skills |
| Recording / Mixing Engineer |
From mics to speakers for fun and profit |
| Live Mixer |
Making bands sound great live, working with the room, stage monitors vs house, feedback, rides and effects, etc. |
| Mastering Engineer |
Finishing the sound, getting ready for final release |
| Editing |
Cutting and pasting |
| Voiceovers |
Working with spoken word |
| Sound Designer |
Creating sound environments and effects |
| Foley |
Augmenting sounds |
| Field Recording |
Capturing in the wild |
| Forensics |
Just the facts, ma'am |
| Corporate Audio |
Sound at Work |
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| 15 PRODUCING |
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| The Artist |
Composer, Performer, etc |
| The Song |
Finding the right song for your artist. |
| Arranging |
More than just parts. |
| PreProduction |
Getting ready so you do not waste time, money and creativity during the actual sessions. |
| Producing Music |
Getting the most out of the musicians while they are in the studio. |
| Tight Tracks |
Pull out the microscope and lets fix what we find. |
| Producing Vocal Sessions |
Getting the most out of a singer in the studio. |
| Comping Vocals & Instruments |
Combining the best from different performances into a single track. |
| Production Teams |
Getting the right people to help. |
| Capturing the Demo |
Why so many demos feel better than the "real" version. |
| Roadblocks |
Things that can slow down (or even stop) a project and how to (try to) minimize their chance of happening. |
| Guest Lectures |
Guest lectures from friends and peers. |
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| 16 BUSINESS |
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| Clients |
People that pay you to do what you love. |
| Client Involvement |
Should they tell you what to do or leave you alone? |
| Musicians in the Studio |
Keeping them happy and avoiding problems. |
| Getting paid |
Billing |
| Management |
Getting someone else to deal with the business. |
| Marketing |
Selling yourself. |
| Making lots of money |
(this space for rent) |
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| 17 GUERILLA RECORDING |
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| GR Basics |
Welcome to the Jungle - making more with less. |
| GR Tools |
Tools o' the trade. |
| GR Studio Setups |
How to get up & running when you're down & out. |
| GR Recording Basic Tracks |
Guerilla Recording as easy as 1-2-8 |
| GR Overdubbing |
Expensive overdubs without the price. |
| GR Mixing / Maximizing CPU |
Guerilla Mixing / How to get the most plug-in power from a limited computer system. |
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| 18 FOR MUSICIANS: |
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| Mic Technique for Singers |
Don't just compress your voice! (I will recruit help for this). |
| Making Beats |
Part 1 of a series of tutorials for getting a beat together |
| Guest Lectures |
Guest lectures from friends and peers. |
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| 19 OTHER |
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| "TIPS & OPINIONS" |
My original "tips" page was more of a spewing of opinions. |
| A Digital World / Good Side |
Digital is awesome! |
| A Digital World / Bad Side |
A juicy and controversial rant against Digital (with an important REPLY) |
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| 20 YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED |
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| (future) |
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