Audio Engineering Course

This music production focused program was specifically designed not only to open your ears and challenge your brain, but to supply you with the tools you’ll need to work as a professional audio engineer in any recording studio, even your own! Each 4 hour lesson includes a workbook, hands-on time and a quiz. There is also a final exam to ensure you are qualified and confident when entering the recording industry. 

During your learning experience at the studio, you will undoubtedly have opportunities to meet and work with professional musicians within the industry, examine their work-flow, and get a feel for the average creative process in the control room.

Lesson 1 – Studio Roles and Industry Careers

Project Studio Set-Up, Professional Music Studio Set-Up, Live on-location Recording, Voice-overs and Narrations, The Artist, Session Musicians, Producer, Engineer, Assistant Engineer, Maintenance, Management, Studio Marketing Techniques, Professionalism in the Studio Environment, The Recording Process, Careers Within the Industry

Lesson 2 – Console Familiarization and Live Sound Set-up

Inserts, Channel Input, Mic/Line Input, Dynamic Section, Monitor Section, EQ Section, Phase Reverse, Channel Assignment and Grouping, Aux Busses

Lesson 3 – Sound and Hearing

Sound-Pressure Waves, Waveform Characteristics, Reflection of Sound, Diffraction of Sound, Frequency Response, Phase Polarity, Harmonic Content, Acoustic Envelope, Decibels, The Ear (threshold of hearing, feeling, and pain), Auditory Perception, Perception of Direction and Space

Lesson 4 – Studio Acoustics and Design

Acoustic Isolation, Frequency Balance, Reverberation, Absorption, Reflection, Power Conditioning

Lesson 5 – Microphone Design and Characteristics

The Dynamic Microphone, The Ribbon Microphone, The Condenser Microphone, Directional Response, Frequency Response, Transient Response, Output Characteristics

Lesson 6 – Microphone Application and Tracking

Stereo Miking Techniques, Recording Direct, Microphone Placement (Brass instruments, Guitar, Keyboard, Percussion, Stringed Instruments, Woodwinds), Microphone Selection, Gain, Input and Output Levels, Phantom Power, Multi-track Recording, Punching in/out, Metronome Setup and Application, Talkback Mics

Lesson 7- Signal Processors (Spectrum and Time)

Fixed Frequency Equalizers, Graphic Equalizers, Parametric Equalizers, Paragraphic Equalizers, Peaking Filters, Shelving Filters, High-pass and Low-pass filters, Band-pass and Notch Filters, Psycho-acoustic Processors, Reverberation, Delay, Flanging, Phasing

Lesson 8 – Signal Processors (Amplitude and Multi-effects)

Broadband and Split-band Compressors, Limiters, De-essers, Expanders, Noise Gates, Pitch Shifters, Noise Processors, Voice Processors, Multi-effects Signal Processors

Lesson 9 – Software 

Digital Audio Workstations, Drum Samplers, Guitar/Bass effects, Synthesizers, Signal Processors, Microphone/Preamp/Amplifier Modelers 

Lesson 10 – Editing

Copy, Cut and Paste Audio Files, Envelope Tool, Start and End Points, Looping, Crossfading, Automation

Lesson 11 – Mixing Music

Perspective, Signal Processing, Equalization Values, Guidelines/Tips and Tricks

Lesson 12 – Final Exam/Review

Total Studio Time 48 Hours

Total Cost – $2,999.00 + GST

AB Records Internship Program 

For those who enroll in the audio engineering course, it is recommended that you gain extra hands-on experience through the internship program. You’ll have the opportunity to put everything you’ve learned to use in a professional environment, plus you’ll pick up things that cannot be learned by textbook such as :

• how to properly and positively communicate and execute a successfully run recording session with a client
• daily problem solving & multi-tasking
• how to effectively bring forth new ideas and provide guidance without “butting in”
• workflow and the creative process
• boundaries and etiquette (in terms of allowing clients to handle studio equipment and staff using and storing the client’s gear)
• writing and producing jingles, radio advertisements, and podcasts 

In the working environment of a recording engineer, you will often face circumstances that will force you to learn about musical theory, tuning, and instrument repair (the list goes on). 100% of your internship time will be during professional recording sessions. Your jobs may vary from things like sitting and watching to setting up microphones and tracking a drum set. All internship time will be supervised. 

Cost:

1 – 24 Hours – 30/Hour

25 Hours – $625

50 Hours – $1,000