Audio Engineering Professor Course

Lesson 1 • Human Hearing and Perception

Examines the auditory system and psychoacoustic principles. Connects physical sound properties to subjective listener experience for informed engineering decisions.

Lesson 2 • Room Acoustics and Behavior

Analyzes reflection, absorption, diffusion, and resonance in enclosed spaces. Prepares students to evaluate any room before placing microphones or speakers.

Lesson 3 • Decibels and Measurement Units

Introduces the decibel scale, SPL, dBFS, and related units used in professional audio. Ensures accurate communication of levels across all engineering contexts.

Lesson 4 • Acoustic Treatment Principles

Covers bass traps, broadband absorbers, and diffusers for controlling room response. Students apply these principles to design functional listening and recording spaces.

Lesson 1 • Microphone Preamplifiers and Gain

Explains preamp function, gain structure, and noise floor management. Students learn to set optimal gain before any processing is applied.

Lesson 2 • Analog Signal Fundamentals

Defines voltage levels, impedance, balanced and unbalanced connections, and connector types. Provides the electrical foundation for understanding all studio wiring.

Lesson 3 • Digital Audio Workstation Signal Flow

Traces signal routing inside a DAW including I/O, virtual instruments, and plugin chains. Connects analog routing concepts to the digital domain.

Lesson 4 • Mixing Console Architecture

Breaks down channel strips, buses, aux sends, and master sections on analog consoles. Builds the routing literacy needed for both analog and digital mixing environments.

Lesson 1 • Microphone Transducer Types

Compares dynamic, condenser, ribbon, and boundary microphone operating principles. Establishes the technical basis for choosing the right transducer for each application.

Lesson 2 • Stereo Microphone Techniques

Covers XY, ORTF, Mid-Side, Blumlein, and spaced pair configurations for stereo recording. Students evaluate width, mono compatibility, and phase coherence for each technique.

Lesson 3 • Polar Patterns and Off-Axis Response

Analyzes cardioid, omnidirectional, figure-8, and hypercardioid patterns and their practical implications. Guides pattern selection based on source isolation and room acoustics.

Lesson 4 • Microphone Specifications and Frequency Response

Interprets spec sheets including sensitivity, self-noise, SPL handling, and frequency response curves. Students match microphone specs to recording requirements.

Lesson 1 • Recording, Editing, and Comping

Covers punch recording, loop recording, playlist comping, and non-destructive editing. Students assemble polished performances from multiple takes efficiently.

Lesson 2 • Audio Interface and Clock Management

Covers converter quality, word clock, jitter, and synchronization between devices. Ensures students maintain digital integrity across complex studio setups.

Lesson 3 • DAW Session Setup and Organization

Establishes professional session templates, track naming, color coding, and file management. Efficient organization reduces errors and speeds up every stage of production.

Lesson 4 • MIDI Production and Integration

Explains MIDI protocol, virtual instruments, quantization, and MIDI-to-audio workflows. Integrates MIDI production seamlessly with audio recording in a hybrid session.

Lesson 1 • Spectral and Pitch Processing

Covers pitch correction, pitch shifting, vocoding, and spectral repair tools. Students apply pitch processing transparently and creatively depending on project needs.

Lesson 2 • Reverb and Acoustic Simulation

Examines plate, spring, room, hall, and convolution reverb algorithms and their parameters. Students match reverb type and settings to genre, source, and mix context.

Lesson 3 • Modulation Effects

Explains chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, and vibrato through LFO-based modulation principles. Students apply modulation to add movement and texture without cluttering a mix.

Lesson 4 • Delay and Echo Effects

Covers tape, analog, digital, and multi-tap delay with tempo synchronization and feedback control. Students use delay rhythmically and spatially to enhance arrangements.

Lesson 1 • Gain Staging and Mix Preparation

Establishes proper level management from individual tracks through the master bus before processing. Prevents clipping and ensures headroom for all downstream processing.

Lesson 2 • Equalization in Mixing

Covers subtractive and additive EQ, high-pass filtering, and frequency spectrum management. Students carve space for each element in a dense mix.

Lesson 3 • Mix Automation and Finalization

Covers volume, pan, and plugin parameter automation to create dynamic, evolving mixes. Students write and edit automation for a complete song from intro to outro.

Lesson 4 • Spatial Processing and Depth

Uses panning, reverb, delay, and stereo width tools to create a three-dimensional mix image. Students place elements in a convincing stereo or immersive field.

Lesson 1 • Dynamic Control in Mastering

Applies multiband compression, stereo bus compression, and limiting to control macro-dynamics. Students balance punch and loudness without sacrificing transient integrity.

Lesson 2 • Mastering Philosophy and Workflow

Defines mastering's role as the final quality-control and translation stage of audio production. Students develop a consistent, repeatable mastering workflow for any genre.

Lesson 3 • Tonal Correction and Enhancement

Uses linear-phase and minimum-phase EQ to correct tonal imbalances and enhance overall frequency response. Students achieve a balanced master that translates across systems.

Lesson 4 • Loudness Standards and Metering

Covers integrated LUFS, short-term LUFS, true peak, and platform-specific loudness targets. Students deliver masters that meet streaming and broadcast normalization requirements.

Lesson 1 • Live Sound System Components

Identifies PA speakers, amplifiers, subwoofers, crossovers, and signal processors in a live rig. Students understand how each component contributes to overall system performance.

Lesson 2 • System Tuning and Optimization

Uses measurement software, time alignment, and parametric EQ to optimize PA system response. Students tune a system to a venue for flat, consistent coverage.

Lesson 3 • Feedback Control and Gain Management

Identifies feedback causes and applies ring-out, notch filtering, and gain-before-feedback techniques. Students maximize system gain while eliminating feedback in any venue.

Lesson 4 • Monitor Engineering and IEM Systems

Explains wedge monitors, in-ear monitor systems, and personal mixing for performers. Students configure monitor mixes that serve musicians without compromising FOH.