Advanced Mixing Course

This course is for those who have some previous music production experience but feel that their music is lacking the professional punchy sound. We will reveal the secrets of expert sound engineers who have worked with the likes of The Rolling Stones, U2 and Bjork. With the aid of weekly personalised video feedback you will learn about panning, balancing, compression, EQ, aural perception, gates, limiting and effects.

Course Materials:

Weekly webchat with an experienced pro music producer

Personalised project feedback via video

Over 50 Quicktime video tutorials

300 pages of notes

Song files and audio samples

24/7 access to student / tutor discussion forums

Course Contents:

Introduction to Mixing

• The mixing environment
• Cables and connections
• Basic acoustics
• Monitoring
• Some useful reference material

The Foundations

• Setting up your computer
• How to prepare for a mixing session
• Pan pots and faders
• Group your tracks

Frequencies and Equalisation

• Exploring the frequency ranges of different instruments
• High and Low Pass Filters
• Exploring EQ: Parametric and Graphic
• Boosting, cutting and notching frequencies

Dynamics: Compression, Limiting & Noise Gates

• Exploring classic compressors
• Compression parameters: Ratio, Threshold, Attack and Release
• Using a compressor as Limiter
• Noise Gate parameters: Attack, Release, Range and Threshold

Spacial Awareness

• Room ambience: natural and artificial reverb
• Reverbs: plate, spring, digital and convolution
• Which reverb to use and when
• Reverb parameters: pre-delay and damping, decay, early reflection

Delay, Modulation & Other FX

• Forms of delay: digital delay, tape delay, ping-pong, multi-tap delays
• Delay parameters: feedback, delay time, hi-cut 
• Techniques for chorus and pitch shifting
• Flange and phase parameters

Mixing Vocals

• How to clean up a vocal recording
• Professional EQ'ing vocals techniques
• Techniques for compressing vocals
• Using de-essers

Automation

• Why use automation when mixing?
• Automating plug-in parameters
• On-line and off-line automation techniques
• How to use control surfaces

Putting It All Together

• Professional mixing techniques
• How to use reference materials
• Using "stems"
• Using stereo bus EQ

Common Problems and Trouble Shooting

• Sample rates
• How to fix phase shift issues
• How to use sidechaining 
• Fader and headroom levels

Adding the Finishing Touches

• Checklist for your final mix
• Compressing your mix
• DIY mastering techniques
• Printing your mix 

Final Project

• Complete a project that covers all the course content

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Tutor profile

JC Concato
JC's previous projects include production, engineering and remix work for the likes of Bjork, Portishead, The Cure, Erasure, Allister Whitehead, Galliano, Pressure Drop, Raggatwins and Renegade Soundwave.

Created on this course