Audio Engineering Course

Lesson 1 • Human Hearing and Perception

Examines the anatomy of the ear and psychoacoustic principles. Connects biological hearing to engineering decisions made during recording and mixing.

Lesson 2 • Physics of Sound Waves

Covers frequency, amplitude, wavelength, and wave behavior. Provides the scientific basis for understanding how audio signals are generated and transmitted.

Lesson 3 • Room Acoustics and Behavior

Analyzes how sound interacts with enclosed spaces. Prepares students to identify acoustic problems before applying treatment or signal processing.

Lesson 4 • Decibels and Measurement Units

Defines dB scales used in audio engineering and their practical applications. Builds numerical literacy required for gain staging and signal flow.

Lesson 1 • Analog Signal Fundamentals

Explains voltage, current, impedance, and balanced versus unbalanced connections. Grounds students in the electrical behavior underlying all analog audio gear.

Lesson 2 • Gain Structure and Headroom

Teaches optimal level-setting at each stage of a signal chain. Prevents noise floor issues and clipping throughout recording and playback systems.

Lesson 3 • Digital Audio Fundamentals

Introduces sampling, quantization, and the analog-to-digital conversion process. Bridges analog concepts to the digital domain used in modern production.

Lesson 4 • Mixing Consoles and Routing

Covers channel strip architecture, bus routing, and auxiliary sends. Students learn to configure consoles for tracking, overdubbing, and mixing sessions.

Lesson 1 • Source-Specific Placement Strategies

Applies microphone selection and positioning to vocals, drums, guitars, and brass. Students develop placement instincts through source-by-source analysis.

Lesson 2 • Microphone Transducer Types

Compares dynamic, condenser, and ribbon microphone operating principles. Students match transducer characteristics to source material and recording context.

Lesson 3 • Polar Patterns and Off-Axis Response

Analyzes cardioid, omnidirectional, figure-eight, and hypercardioid patterns. Students use polar data to control room sound and source isolation.

Lesson 4 • Stereo Microphone Techniques

Teaches XY, ORTF, mid-side, and spaced pair configurations. Students capture width and depth in stereo recordings with phase-coherent results.

Lesson 1 • Session Archiving and File Management

Establishes naming conventions, backup protocols, and session handoff standards. Protects recordings and ensures compatibility across studios and collaborators.

Lesson 2 • Tracking Best Practices

Covers take management, comping strategies, and communication with performers. Students capture the best possible performances efficiently and professionally.

Lesson 3 • Pre-Production Planning

Covers song arrangement review, session scheduling, and technical riders. Reduces on-session surprises by resolving creative and technical decisions in advance.

Lesson 4 • Studio Setup and Patching

Guides physical setup of microphones, stands, cables, and patch bay routing. Students build efficient, noise-free signal chains before talent arrives.

Lesson 1 • Comping and Assembly Editing

Guides construction of composite performances from multiple takes. Students build seamless comps that sound like single, unified performances.

Lesson 2 • Noise Reduction and Cleanup

Covers removing clicks, pops, breath noise, and room tone inconsistencies. Clean source audio reduces processing demands in mixing and mastering stages.

Lesson 3 • DAW Editing Tools and Navigation

Introduces clip-based editing, grid snapping, and keyboard shortcuts for efficient workflow. Mastery of these tools accelerates every subsequent editing task.

Lesson 4 • Pitch Correction and Tuning

Applies automatic and manual pitch correction to vocal and melodic tracks. Students balance technical accuracy with natural-sounding performance preservation.

Lesson 1 • Compression and Dynamics Control

Covers threshold, ratio, attack, release, and makeup gain for controlling dynamics. Students apply compression musically to enhance groove, sustain, and punch.

Lesson 2 • Mix Preparation and Organization

Covers track naming, color coding, grouping, and gain staging before processing begins. Organized sessions reduce errors and speed up creative mixing decisions.

Lesson 3 • Equalization Principles and Practice

Explains parametric, graphic, and dynamic EQ types and their musical applications. Students sculpt frequency content to achieve clarity and separation between elements.

Lesson 4 • Automation and Mix Dynamics

Teaches volume, pan, and plugin parameter automation for dynamic mix evolution. Students write and edit automation to serve the emotional arc of a song.

Lesson 1 • Mix Translation and Reference Monitoring

Teaches checking mixes on multiple playback systems and against commercial references. Students identify and correct translation problems before final delivery.

Lesson 2 • Mix Bus and Stem Processing

Applies EQ, compression, limiting, and stereo enhancement to the mix bus and stems. Students achieve cohesion and loudness competitiveness without sacrificing dynamics.

Lesson 3 • Parallel and Serial Processing Chains

Compares parallel and serial routing for drums, vocals, and full mixes. Students design processing chains that preserve transients while adding density and color.

Lesson 4 • Genre-Specific Mixing Approaches

Analyzes mixing conventions for pop, hip-hop, rock, jazz, and electronic music. Students adapt core techniques to meet genre expectations and audience preferences.

Lesson 1 • Loudness Standards and Metering

Explains integrated loudness, true peak, and short-term loudness metrics for streaming and broadcast. Students target platform-specific loudness without over-limiting dynamics.

Lesson 2 • Mastering Signal Chain Design

Sequences EQ, compression, saturation, limiting, and metering in a mastering context. Students build mastering chains that enhance without altering the mix engineer's intent.

Lesson 3 • Sequencing and Album Mastering

Covers track ordering, spacing, fades, and tonal consistency across an album project. Students deliver cohesive album masters with professional sequencing and flow.

Lesson 4 • Quality Control and Master Review

Establishes a systematic QC process for catching errors before final delivery. Students develop listening checklists and technical verification routines for every master.