Day 1

Hours 1-7

- Why you use a studio

- Function of the course - what specifically a runner/assistant role involves in a studio

- Sound difference between samples and recorded instruments

- Types of microphone

- Types of cables - Balanced vs Unbalanced jacks, XLRs, Bantam

- What is a pre-amp // DI // EQ // Filter // Outboard (Line Inputs only)

- Difference between mixers - live room and CR room

- How a microphone works - transducers, magnets, diaphragms

- Why you need +48v - difference in sound quality between condensers, dynamics and ribbons

- Mic up a rehearsal using the mixer, 1 of each microphone and using XLR, Balanced jack, unbalanced jack

- Recapp of the day/questions


Day 2

Hours 7-14

- How a guitar/bass pickup works

- Signal flow into a recording device - function of preamp, line amp, converter etc

- Routing signal upstairs / using tie lines

- Functions of a patchbay

- Sample rate and Bit Depth

- Difference between analogue and digital audio

- Demonstration of samplers and Midi

- History of recording technology

- Recapp of the day/questions


Day 3

Hours 14-21

- Using a patchbay

- Using guitar pedals

- Functions of EQ in tone

- Functions of EQ for correction

- D-Essing and reasons why

- Envelopes - ADSR

- Envelopes in Compressions

- Envelopes in Synthesis

- Basics of synthesis

- Difference between analogue and software synths

- Recapp/Q's


Day 4

Hours 21-28

- Routing signal up from control room

- Routing headphones - cue, hearbacks, via analogue / via DAW

- Basics of recording (single mics)

- Sonic uses of different mics for different instruments

- Recording techniques - multi mics

- Basics of phase

- Vocal chains

- Drum recording

- Piano recording

- Recapp/Qs


Day 5

Hours 28-35

- Reverb

- Recording an impulse response

- Reasons for use - creative/invisible

- Delays - digital / analogue (tape delays)

- Creative FX - phase, chorus, wawa, tremolo

- Using guitar pedals

- Using DI's in real life to record

- Re-amping // what is it, how to do it and why

- Recapp/Qs


Day 6

Hours 35-42

- Compression - what is it

- History of compression

- Similarities between compression and saturation

- Understanding transients in rhythmical music

- Using envelopes in compression

- Compression for tonal or creative uses

- Parallel compression (and other FX)

- Compression in tape saturation

- Limiters - what, why and when

- Practical examples

- Recapp/Qs


Day 7

Hours 42-49

- Drum recording

- How to set up a drum kit

- Using basic mic techniques to record

- Understanding phase in drum recording

- Using external preamps

- How to pack down a drum kit

- Recapp/Qs


Day 8

Hours 49-56

- Drum + Bass recording live

- Setting up and recording drums with multi mic techniques (Stage 1)

- Recording bass with DI

- Recording bass with preamp pedal

- Routing multiple headphone mixers

- Mini recording session

- Packdown

- Recapp/Qs


Day 9

Hours 56-63

- Drum, Bass and Guitar recording live

- Setting up and recording drums with multi mic techniques (Stage 2)

- How to split the signal on a DI and why (bass)

- Mini recording session

- Basics of mixing - compression, EQ, gain staging

- Headroom - analogue vs digital

- Basic mixdown of recording session - watched demo

- Packdown/Recapp/Qs


Day 10

Hours 63-70

- Drum and Piano recording live

- Setting up and recording piano

- Different stereo mic techniques (piano)

- Setting up headphone splitters in CR

- Setting up and recording drums with multi mic techniques (Stage 2)

- Mini recording session

- Mini mixdown session - individual sessions (practical exercise)

- Packdown/Recapp/Qs


Day 11

Hours 70-77

- Drum, Keys+Vocals and Bass Recording (Live/Overdubs)

- How to set things up in the control room (keys/vox/hearbacks)

- Setting up and recording drums - multi mic techniques (Stage 3)

- Mini recording session

- More in depth mix down - demo followed by practical experiments on the rig

- Mastering/Limiters - the basics in practice

- Printing a mix

- Packdown/Recapp/Qs


Day 12

Hours 77-84

- Full band setup (drums, bass, guitar, piano, vocals/keys in CR - Stage 3)

- In depth mix session - practical - each student takes a section (verse, chorus, bridge)

- Use of stems/printing stems

- Using mix bus processing - compression sidechains, width etc

- Mastering - loudness, width, Mid/Side processing

- MP3 vs WAV

- Packdown/Recapp/Qs


Days 13

Hours 84-91

- Full band setup - different instrument in control room (Stage 4 - full mics, full CR processing)

- Drum change over for alternative use of space

- Maximising efficiency in cable routing and management

- How instrument placement in the room affects sound

- How to run off a monitor print

- Mix bus processing recapp

- Packdown/Qs


Day 14

Hours 91-98

- Setup for overdub sessions - final vocals, keyboards etc

- Overdub session - understanding comps, how sessions expand as the record develops

- In depth mix session - OTB (using summing and analog mixers) include reamping, vocal tuning, correct gain staging, creative FX

- Taking recalls - how and why

- Mixdown and Mastering session

- Extensive recapp of topics of the course from start to end to consolidate and summarise learning. This is the final session before the real ones with a full band!

- Packdown/Qs


Days 15 & 16

Hours 98-112

- Recording with real band days x 2


As a final part of the course, we are hoping to provide 2 days work experience at a larger analogue recording facility for all of our students. This will most likely be RAK Studios, Strongroom Studios or Snap Studios. These placements are ultimately at the discretion of the studio managers, but have been preliminarily agreed.