Mixing & Mastering Curriculum Overview Class 1: Introduction and Overview ● Defining a good mix (with listening examples) ● What to listen for in a mix ● Importance of reference tracks ● Tools: monitors, room treatment, plugins, Sonar Works ● Mix position, cross referencing ● Science of sound (understanding frequency, human hearing) ● Frequency ranges (Low, low-mids, mids, high-mids, highs, air) ● Leveling + panning (practice on unmixed session) Class 2: EQ ● Optional: Types of EQ: Parametric, graphic, passive, dynamic ● What are is the mix engineer trying to accomplish ● EQ ranges: 30Hz and below (sub), 30-60Hz, 60-150Hz (body of bass), 150- 250Hz (low-mid), 250-500Hz (boxiness), 8kHz=more presence ● Functional vs creative EQ ● EQ curves explained ● Resonance ● Reductive EQ ● Additive EQ ● Setting up the correct EQ for each type of instrument (bass/kick/snare/hats/vocal/guitar/piano/high string/pad) Class 3: Compression ● History of compression (control volume fluctuation) ● How does a compressor work (demonstrate on drums) ● Types: VCA, FET, Vari-mu, Opto ● Threshold, ratio, attack, release ● What are settings for fast to slow (Demo release by applying compression to a sound with reverb) Week 4: Compression cont. + Saturation/Distortion ● Demo on different instruments as well as on master ● Side-chain compression (vs side-chain filter) ● What is limiting/limiter is a compressor ● Peak vs RMS ● What is distortion? (Good and bad distortion) ● When and why to use distortion ● Analog vs digital distortion ● Coloring sound Class 5: Reverb ● What is reverb ● Different types of reverb: spring, plate, digital, convolution ● Functional vs creative ● Insert vs send/return Class 6: Delay ● What is delay ● Types of delay: slap back, tape, digital, ping pong ● Functional vs creative ● Delay as send/return ● Phasing ● Modulation: Chorus, flanger, phaser Class 7: Stereo Imaging ● EQ delay ● Reverb panning ● Imaging plugins ● Stereo vs mono delay ● Stereo vs mono reverb ● Referencing in mono ● What is phase ● M/S processing Class 8: Vocal Processing ● Vocal processing overview ● EQ ● De-essing ● Compression ● Saturation ● Reverb + delay ● Reverb + delay throws Class 9: Advanced Techniques: Parallel Processing + Automation ● Parallel compression ● Multi-band compression ● Serial compression (demo on bass and vox) ● Parallel saturation ● Automation (when and why to use it) ● Reverb + delay throws Class 10: Mastering Intro ● What is mastering: fixing and improving tonal and dynamic issues, bringing volume to consumer level, bringing mix forward, tightening bass ● (What does mastering incorrectly sound like) ● Mastering for self vs mastering someone else ● Order of operations (coloration, stereo imager, EQ, compression, EQ) ● Sample rate, bit depth ● Short term vs integrated LUFS ● What is normalization Class 11: Mastering Deeper Dive ● EQ in mastering - dynamic EQ ● Dynamics in mastering – compression and multiband compression ● Limiting ● De-essing ● Stereo Imaging ● Adding color and character ● Serial limiting (2 or 3 limiters) Class 12: Mastering + Final Presentation ● Mastering for different platforms (Spotify, iTunes, Amazon) ● Dithering ● Izotope: Ozone ● 44.100kHz, 16Bit .