| PART I |
| Lesson 1 | |
THE
ESSENCE OF RECORDING ENGINEERING. For home recording and professional
careers. The basic set-up of a recording system is discussed
and how each piece is inter-connected. The qualities and responsibilities
of a successful engineer and music producer are examined in
order that the student may catch the essence of the recording
profession. Your success depends on your ability to adapt to
a variety of musical styles and recording situations with a
professional attitude. The roles and dutes for each participantat
a recording session are clearly defined. |
| Lesson 2 |  |
WHAT
IS SOUND? Recording is all about sound. To make great recordings,
the engineer must understand the nature of sound itself. You
can't capture sound successfully if you don't know what it is.
Our journey begins with the origin of sound waves. A simple
appreciation of basic audio theory will enable you to make each
individual element in your recordings sound great. |
| Lesson 3 | |
LET'S
MAKE AN ALBUM TOGETHER! Your instructor guides you step by step,
through the recording of a complete album. An actual project
is thoroughly analyzed to give you an understanding of the entire
process. This is a delightfully informative section where each
stage is explained in fine detail and a multitude of secret
tricks are divulged. Your recordings will have that professional
sound - just like those that come out of a major recording studio.
You'll really feel like you are actually setting up and recording
a live band. |
| Lesson 4 | |
THE
RECORDING SESSION...PART 2. Continuing the analysis of a complete
recording project, this is the stage where the vocals are added
to previously recorded rhythm tracks. How to correct errors
and add new parts, plus the overdubbing procedures for all types
of musical instruments. |
| Lesson 5 | |
THE
FINAL MIX. This is the third stage of our album project. Now
comes the delicate art of mixing where you'll master the skills
of blending sound to create moods. The correct procedures for
recording masters are discussed so that your mixes will be in
the correct format for sending to CD duplication factories. |
| PART II |
| Lesson 6 | |
DIGITAL
HOME RECORDING. A recently updated lesson on hard disk digital
workstations, which includes computer based digital programs
such as Pro Tools, Cakewalk and Digital Performer etc. You'll
learn which plug-ins you'll need to add that professional sparkle
to your tracks. There are thousands of programs out there -
you'll find out which ones are best for your particular type
of music. Digital mixers are evaluated and surround sound mixing
is explained. |
| Lesson 7 | |
INDEPENDENT
RECORD PRODUCTION. For those of you who aim to produce and distribute
your own CD, DVD, or vinyl record, this lesson is a must. There
are many frustrations and pitfalls in record making that can
easily be avoided once you have digested this lesson. Promotion
and distribution is discussed along with the inner structure
of the music industry. Recording artists often quiz the engineer
on the mysterious mastering stage of CD and DVD production.
Getting your music onto the internet with mp3 is covered. |
| Lesson 8 | |
THE
MICROPHONE JUNGLE. Now we begin to examine the various pieces
of equipment that are found in the recording studio. There are
hundreds of different types of microphone available. Which one
is right for you? Each has a distinctive sound and is used for
a particular purpose. You will learn how they work and the application
for which each microphone is best suited. |
| Lesson 9 | |
MIC
TECHNIQUE. Once you have learned which mic to use for a particular
job, you must know how and where to place it in relation to
the sound source that is to be captured. This is very important
information. You will learn how to experiment and discover many
ways with which to produce your own unique sounds. |
| Lesson 10 | |
MUSICAL
INSTRUMENT MIKING. This lesson is filled with photographs
and practical suggestions for miking vocals and dozens of
different musical instruments. The preferred choices of many
veteran engineers are listed along with some of their personal
tricks which have been used on countless hit records. You
will learn how to select and position the right mic for each
particular job. |
| PART III |
| Lesson 11 | |
HOW
TO RECORD LIVE DRUMS. A complete lesson is devoted to the art
of recording drums. They are possibly the most sensitive of
all instruments to record due to the necessity of a multitude
of mics and processors. All the tricks in the book are needed
to harness their sound. |
| Lesson 12 | |
HOW
TO BUILD YOUR OWN STUDIO. In your own home or in a business
environment, different styles and approaches for the layout
are examined. Building sound absorption partitions, vocal booths,
choosing the right equipment, inter-connection, and soundproofing
is examined. |
| Lesson 13 | |
ECHO
AND REVERBERATION. We enter the magical kingdom of Signal Processing
where sound is shaped through the use of reverberation units,
digital delays and many other artificial forms of echo production
- all the way to the celestial outer limits of the latest digital
reverberators. You will learn how, and at what stage in your
recordings to apply echo, and which instruments are better suited
to particular types of echo unit. |
| Lesson 14 | |
SPECIAL
EFFECTS UNITS. Further exploration into the exciting universe
of Signal Processing with some ofthe more advanced devices including
limiters, compressors, noise gates, expanders, chorusing units,
flangers and harmonizers. You are able to listen and compare
the sound of each effect with your Action-Audio CDs in this
exciting stage of the recording process. |
| Lesson 15 | |
EQUALIZERS.
The bass and treble controls on your home stereo are the simplest
form of equalizer, but in the studio, there are many more variations.
They are probably the most important signal processing tool
in the whole studio.You will get acquainted with the various
types, learning what each can and cannot do to a sound. |
| PART IV |
| Lesson 16 | |
THE
MIXING DESK. The nucleus of the control room - the desk (or
computer screen) at which you will eventually sit and confidently
control. The mixing stage will make or break your recordings.
Its parts and functions are clearly presented. Mixing theories
are discussed. We examine the layout and features of a typical
mixing console and analyze each module, knob by knob. You follow
along on your full size AIA HANDS-ON CONSOLE TRAINING POSTER. |
| Lesson 17 | |
THE
TAPE RECORDER. Believe it or not, almost all major studios in
the world still use analog tape recorders. Many of our graduates
have progressed to become chief engineers in such studios. We
hope you will too so we keep this lesson in your course. The
professional recording engineer must be familiar with the operation
of various tape recorders, from 2 track to 24 track. |
| Lesson 18 | |
CALIBRATION.
This means how to keep the recording machines fine-tuned to
ensure top flight performance every time. You become a little
bit of a mechanic by learning how to make these adjustments
in easy step-by-step instructions. It's a bit like learning
how to drive a car! |
| Lesson 19 | |
DIGITAL
RECORDING SOFTWARE. An in-depth look at the more popular computer
software programs that are dedicated to music production. Also
how control surfaces make the operations more user-friendly.
Digital Plug-ins are evaluated along with software libraries
from where the producer can access every instrument and sound
imaginable to include in their recordings. |
| Lesson 20 | |
LOUDSPEAKERS
AND MONITORING. No engineer can make perfect recordings unless
he or she is listening through a flat (neutral) monitoring system.
Here we investigate the acoustics of a control room, speaker
enclosures, monitor amplifiers, and the analysis and correction
of room sound. Live sound engineers will find this lesson especially
rewarding. |
| PART V |
| Lesson 21 | |
EDITING.
Digital and analog editing techniques are fully explored. They
are quite different from one another. Cutting and pasting on
a computer is analysed. You also learn how to mark, splice and
re-arrange portions of recording tape. You will become an ace
editor and be able to make edits that are impossible to detect. |
| Lesson 22 | |
DIGITAL
RECORDING. This special section deals with the very latest developments
in digital audio. The successful recording engineer has to stay
abreast of the newest technological changes.You learn about
the basic principles of the revolutionary digital recording
technology, and compare the advantages of digital over the traditional
analog recording system. |
| Lesson 23 | |
MIDI.
Another exciting revolution which changed the recording world.
The interconnection of musical instruments, drum machines, and
samplers are thoroughly investigated. Students are exposed to
the many facets of MIDI interface as it applies to modern recording.
|
| Lesson 24 | |
MUSIC.
No engineer can become completely successful if they don't understand
the basic concepts of musical composition. The fundamentals
of music theory are illustrated in our unique system so that
you may be able to relate to terminology used by the musicians
at a session. |
| Lesson 25 | |
GETTING
A JOB. Whether you plan to open your own studio or seek employment
in an established facility, this valuable lesson will assist
you in reaching your goal. It will prepare you for the real
world of audio engineering and place you one step ahead of your
competitors. |
|
These
lessons are accompanied by Sonic-Route Action Audio CDs.
|
