Level 2: Advanced Techniques

In this level, we turn it up a notch. You’ll get an introduction to synthesis, mixdown fundamentals, EQ, compression, sampling & remixing — all the basic principles you'll need to get a song to sound the way you want.

 
 

You’ll learn about:

  • mastering THE most important tool to finally eliminate muddiness and other imperfections from your tracks

  • when exactly to boost or remove frequencies in a sound

  • the strengths & weaknesses of different EQs, and when to use certain ones to make your mixdown clean

  • what an oscillator, filter, LFO, envelope, modulation, ADSR are and how to use them to shape your synth sounds to craft the sounds you hear in other songs you like or the ones you have in your own head

  • what's the difference between compression & limiting and exactly what to use each for

  • the 2 ways to use compression and how to use them properly so you don't have a squashed or weak mix

  • the dangers of too much compression and how to avoid a relentless wall of sound that tires people’s ears out and takes the energy out of your mix

  • ​​how to harness wavetable synthesis so you can make more complex sounds with this amazing tool

  • why frequency masking occurs and how to avoid two sounds drowning each other out

  • how to properly set up audio and MIDI tracks

  • why Resample is the secret weapon of sound designers and how to quickly record MIDI instruments or effects to audio so you can warp, reverse, chop or edit the sound

  • a simple trick that producers use to move forward and finish the tune rather than constantly going back and fine tuning

  • how to avoid washing out your mix when using reverb and delay and craft creative sounds and feel by sculpting the 3D space of your mix

  • how to use distortions to add a bit of bite or warmth to your mix, or how to use them to create aggressive basses, leads, or drums for in your face sound

  • one of the oldest artist practices in the book and how you can use this technique to your advantage

  • a handy technique for getting a quick starting point when trying to recreate a melody, groove, or drum pattern from a certain song

  • how to use a vocoder for those Daft Punk-esque vocals

  • the way I organize my tracks to save time and headaches when working through the mixdown process

  • how to use reference tracks to make it easier getting the sound you want

  • why you need to still mix in mono to properly judge volume and loudness and how to quickly & painlessly check mono while in the flow

  • the technique you'll need to use to remove unintentional clashes between sounds

  • when to use low or high Q values in your EQ boosts and cuts

  • why keeping your low end clean is crucial and how to do it properly

  • the 2 techniques you can use to keep the kick and bass playing nicely in a mix and when to use each

  • one of your greatest friends when working with vocals and how to use it to get them beautifully clear in your mix

  • why you need to use different compression setting for individual tracks vs. groups and what kind of compression you'll need for each

  • the best way to add colour and warmth to your sound and the tools to do so

  • the test you always need to do when mixing and how it helps you focus on making the right changes, rather than aimlessly turning knobs in an attempt to make it sound "better"