FREE LESSON — Examples from our 500 page course

These answers to your questions are all taken from the actual course.

1. "What do I need for my home-studio?"

There are various levels of home-studios. The cost can vary from a couple of hundred dollars to many thousands.

The simplest home-studio set-up might be:
1. Microphone 2. Headphones
3. Computer with a Recording Program

Fortunately, these days home-studio equipment is practically the same as what the pros use in state-of-the-art studios. They just have more of it and know how to use it to its fullest capabilities.
Make sure all your equipment is of the same quality within that level. One weak link in the chain will destroy the higher quality that all the other pieces give.

In other words don't buy a $2,000 recording program and a $20 microphone.

It's not the quantity of equipment you have, and to a certain extent not even the quality, it's how you use it.

Furthermore, the type of equipment you need is very personal and depends greatly upon your own particular music styles.

Quality and value are two key elements when selecting your recording equipment. And how much do you want to spend?

If you will be recording masters of your own songs for release to the public, then you will need a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) which is a combination recorder and mixer all in one unit.

But if you're just recording demos of your own songs, a simple four-track combination recorder/mixer would be enough. Plus a single mic, a set of headphones, a small monitor amp, and bookshelf-sized speakers.

There is no such thing Easy Street when it comes to producing great-sounding tracks so don't believe the manufacturers' hype about their product making you an overnight star.

Beware of the "used-car salesman" approach. Many retailers make their money through commissions.

These days the amount of options are staggering, the various formats are confusing and new pieces of equipment are becoming available every day.

So what should you buy? What's best for you? How do you hook it up? How does it work? What do you need to put together a complete studio? How do you select the correct equipment for your own particular needs?

Also consider whether your studio will be totally for your own personal use or might it expand to become a commercial enterprise?

And bear this in mind - about 90% of all people who put together their own home-studio will decide to expand their system within a fairly short time period. More expenses and space needed.

And be honest! How much - if any - prior experience do you have in recording? If you are a novice you must start simply. You cannot run before you can walk.

These and many more questions will be answered in your course. You and your instructor will be able to make the correct equipment choices that fit your own personal needs when the time comes.

Click here to check out our webpage for a basic mid-priced home-studio set-up with which you could create pro-quality recordings. (There are 28 more pages on this subject in your course).

2. Why is your school so cheap? I'm skeptical!

Because we've been in business for over twenty years, we've absorbed all the costs associated with forming a new school. We want to pass these savings along to our students.

Furthermore, now that we are offering the Online version, we have no printing or mailing costs anymore. That saves us tons of money.

And we don't have to build classrooms or residential units for our students to live in while they are taking our course.

To be quite honest and blunt - we totally believe that many of those high-profile residential recording schools are just ripping you off. BIG TIME! They have dozens of employees whose only job it is to manipulate the system and secure you a massive student loan which you are burdened with for the rest of your life.

We implore you - just ask some of their graduates. And find out the truth - how many of their graduates actually get a solid job worthy of all that tuition money they've spent?

3. "Which microphone should I buy?"

It's a real microphone jungle out there! Hundreds of different types of mics are available. Which one is right for you?

The small home-studio needs only one or two. A professional studio will have dozens if not hundreds. Each mic has a distinctive sound and is used for a particular purpose.

There are two main types of mic. The dynamic mic and the condenser mic. If you can afford only one for your home-studio then let it be a dynamic microphone.

For around $100, the Shure SM58 is most highly recommended. It will record almost everything successfully including vocals.

But if you can afford a second mic, it may cost a little more but get a condenser mic. It's better than a dynamic for some delicate acoustic instruments and it actually does a better job on most vocals.

Every different musical instrument is best captured by just one or two particular microphones. In our course you will learn how to select the correct mic for each job.

Once you have learned which mic to use for a particular job, you must know how and where to place it in relation to the sound that is to be captured. This is the art of microphone technique.

You can't just plonk down a mic anywhere and hope for a good result. It's not as simple as you think. You will learn how to select and position the right mic for each particular job.

Miking vocals is also a special art. How many times have we heard: "I don't like the sound of my voice."You will also be encouraged to experiment and discover new ways with which to produce your own unique sounds. (30 more pages on this subject in you course)

4. "Do I need any equipment to take your course?"

We have actually had successful graduates who have not had any equipment at all, and yet they have had no trouble understanding our program and following the lessons.

This is how user-friendly and down-to-earth the lessons are presented to you.

But if you do have a home recording set-up, no matter how simple, even your tone-deaf grandma will be able to immediately notice vast improvements in your recordings.

If you are seriously thinking of becoming one of our students, PLEASE DO NOT run out and buy any equipment right now. Here's the reason:

There is so much stuff out there that you will probably select equipment that may not be quite right for you. What you need depends upon your style of music. We can advise you exactly what would be best for your own personal music needs.

Just to give one example as to what we mean by this, it may come as a surprise to many, but in most producers' opinions, Pro Tools is NOT the best program to use for recording rap or hip-hop music.

What is? Join our school and you'll find out! (More in the course!)

5. "I don't like the sound of my vocal."

You're not alone! Most singers hate the sound of their own voice when they hear it recorded for the first time. Trying a different microphone can sometimes make the world of difference.

If that doesn't work you don't have to run off and take singing lessons! There are many things we can do to make it more appealing:

Equalize it.
Compress it.
Add reverberation or echo to it.
Double it or add a harmony to it.
Combine it with an effect such as chorusing or flanging.
Make it totally in tune with the band.

All of these changes can be made even after the vocal has been recorded. There are various plug-ins that are specifically designed to take care of every one of these modifications. (There are many more pages about vocal recording in the course).

6. "Why are my mixes thin and not as loud as commercial CDs?"

Your computer recording will be noticeably lower in level than any commercially-released CDs, even if you have raised the recording right up to its peak level.

Your "final mix" isn't really final! There is one more all-important stage your tracks must go through.

Commercial recordings are almost always "mastered" after the final mixes shave been done. One of the functions of this mastering stage is to increase the loudness of the recordings.

This is done using a combination of very high-quality compressors, limiters and equalizers.

The mastering stage is where experience really matters. All of these processors can easily mess up the mix. That's why it's important to use a great mastering engineer who has had lots of experience with good track record. Age really matters here.

This is a stage which can cost a few hundred dollars but everyone who has had it done all agree that it's money well spent.

If you can't afford to go this extra step, home-studio mastering plug-ins are available but you really have to do your homework to make them work really successfully. Lots of trial-and-error.

The mysterious mastering stage is completely explained in great detail in our course because some of our graduates go on to a career in professional mastering. (20 more pages on this in your course)


7. "I'm a beginner. Do I need any knowledge of electronics?"

No you do not. We do our best to keep any physics and maths to the bare minimum in our program. What little there is, is simple to understand and can be learned quite easily.

Most recording engineers have only a slight knowledge of electronics. There are always skilled technicians just a phone-call away in the event an equipment failure occurs. In fact, being a recording studio maintenance engineer is quite a lucrative and interesting occupation. Most of them start life as sound engineers.

In the not-too-distant past, the sound engineer really did need to understand his equipment because he alone was responsible for its maintenance and functionality. In this new throwaway world, replacement is often easier and quicker than repair.

8. "I have had some experience. Can AIA still help me?"

You've been in and out of studios for many years. You have been writing and producing some really great recordings but you don't seem to be finding any real success.

Now you realize that you may need some help to succeed. That's a start. We can help.

You will learn from successful producers how and where to submit your recorded work for consideration by the people that really count. This is not just another out-of-date internet or phonebook listing.

If you try to do this alone - beware. There are hungry sharks out there. So-called song-agents who charge exorbitant fees for pitching your work to major labels. We know that major labels do not sign acts this way. Anyway, the days of the majors are long gone.

Just ask these charlatans to prove their claims. Neither they nor the labels will be able provide you with a list of their top-ten successes or successful signings. It's all hype. Totally unfounded hogwash.

These back-alley hustlers will bleed you month-by-month by telling you how close you are to getting your songs accepted when in truth they're sitting on a Malibu beach, roasting their fat bums and doing nothing.

And steer clear of those songwriter competitions and workshops. Most of the other "songwriters" are only there to steal your best lines.

Pete Miller at AIA will show you exactly where you may be going wrong when trying to pitch or promote your music. He will point out new directions and advise you how to avoid the pitfalls.

The entertainment business is a strange beast indeed. It is highly competitive and back-stabbingly cruel.

And unfortunately it's no longer about talent.

In fact talent can actually be your downfall! If you don't use it correctly.

You can't get there on your own. I'll say it again - - you won't make it alone.

Not even the Beatles or Bob Dylan or Elvis could make it on their own. They needed help, and even if they hadn't, they'd have found only limited success a lot later than if they had accepted help in the beginning from the right persons.

AIA will get you there faster than if you try to do it on your own.

9. "How do I form my own record label?"

The actual setting up of your business is fairly straightforward.

First, you have to come up with a good name for your record company and do some research to see if this name is available and has not been trademarked or copyrighted by another company. You can usually do this with a quick google internet search.

You should also check to see if this name is available as an internet web address for the website that you will eventually put up (www.myrecordlabel.com). If it is - buy it right away while it's still available.

Then you register this name with your local authority. There is usually a small filing fee to do this. Go down to your local city hall and tell them that you are starting a business. They will direct you where to go.

Different states require slightly different filing procedures. You may have to file a "Fictitious Business Name Statement" in one of your local newspapers.

Then you should design your logo, record label, business cards and letterhead etc. Maybe open a Post Office Box if you don't want to use your home address. Get an e-mail address and maybe a business telephone/fax number.

If you're just going to be releasing your own material then you'll need to find avenues for distribution, either over the internet and/or through wholesalers who will place your records in retail outlets.

If you're going to be releasing music by other bands and artists, then you're going to have to get contracts made up. This may entail utilizing the services of a lawyer - and they don't come cheap. And make sure he or she is experienced in entertainment law.

You have to become a bit of a business person because you'll be dealing with a variety of companies. For example, CD duplication plants*, printers, graphic artists and designers, photography studios, artists' managers, booking agents, P.R. people, reporters and journalists, radio stations and many more.

When it comes time to offer your product to the public, your internet website should be up and running. Try to make it as attractive and professional looking as possible because your credibility and reputation are on the line here.

If you have a web-savvy friend, use them. Otherwise use a pro.

And don't forget to copyright your songs before you release them to the public. Then get a seller's permit from City Hall.

*Footnote: The actual CD or record manufacturing process is a hard subject to address in the short form. There are many frustrations and pitfalls that can easily be avoided once you have digested this all-important lesson in our training course.

Promotion and distribution is discussed in the course along with the inner structure of the music industry. Getting your music safely onto the internet is also covered.

Peter Miller has had his own independent label since 1974 so he knows what he's talking about.

Now go out and find the next superstar and sign them to your label. Produce their first million dollar hit and Pete will vote for you at the Grammy Awards next year! Good luck! (35 more pages in the course).

10. "Which software and which DAW is best?"

Music software programs let you record, edit, arrange, mix and master audio tracks for songwriting, studio production, live performance, film and television sound tracks and other professional audio production tasks.

Most of them do the exact same thing but in slightly different ways. Some use different terminology for identical operations but once you get over this boundary, they're fairly easy to navigate.

Some have more bells and whistles than others in what they can and cannot do, and some come along with bigger bundles of plug-ins. (Plug-ins are smaller programs that lie within the main program and give you more sonic options - for example, a reverberation plug-in.)

Different programs tend to work better with certain styles of music. For example, guitar players like Logic and Adobe Audition whereas keyboard players tend to prefer Digital Performer.

A lot of rap and hip-hop programs are junk (junk might be an offensive term) but these producers lean towards Sony Acid Pro because it is more tuned towards making beats and samples. It's quite easy to use and you can learn it in a couple of hours.

To make more complex beats with more options, Fruity Loops may be your best bet. It's great for making drum loops.

If you are going to use your program inside the computer and link it up to a Digital Audio Workstation, it is important to double-check that the DAW you choose is compatible with the music software that you use.

And also make sure that the versions of each are also compatible - an older version of one DAW may not work with a newer updated version of a particular program.

At this time, Pro Tools is a dominant force in audio production. If you intend to look for a job as an engineer in established studios, then you should definitely learn how to use Pro Tools. It has become the industry standard almost everywhere around the world.

Cubase has become a very popular starter-application because of its simplicity and also the fact that it is relatively inexpensive.

Don't think that just because some of these programs are free that they aren't any good. Even most of the free apps (for example Garage Band) allow you to do many things that their more expensive counterparts can do.

Whether you use Pro Tools, Performer Nuendo, Cubase, Logic, Sonar or any other program, you will make the same decisions as your music progresses.

They're just different roads to the same end. Some routes are a little harder to navigate that's all. What matters most is that your choices should become comfortable to use.

You shouldn't have to fight the program while you're working. You must be able to focus on the music. (Much more in the course).

11. "What equipment do I need for a commercial studio?"

Let's look at some different scenarios:

If you will be recording masters for local bands then you will need at least a mid-sized DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) which has about a dozen input channels.

Plus about ten microphones of various kinds along with mic stands and headphones for all the musicians.

You will require a much larger space than if the studio were just for yourself. So where will the studio be located? Live drums are very loud.

Equipment breaks down. Consider technical support. Is it readily available in your neighborhood or country? If not, then stay away from older or used equipment.

A maintenance engineer may be difficult to locate which could result in a loss of income when your studio malfunctions. Many clients in this business are not famous for their patience or even loyalty. The show must go on!

If you intend allowing other engineers to run sessions in your studio then your set-up and interfacing should adhere to industry protocol. Otherwise, they will have difficulty operating it and frequently interrupt your siesta to ask "Where are the inputs to the restrooms?"

If you will be recording music for videos and motion pictures and/or advertising jingles for radio or television, a digital audio workstation is the preferred choice of professionals in this business.

Producers and advertising agency people are renowned for changing their minds at the eleventh hour, so revisions and edits on a DAW can be made very quickly without having to resort to re-recording the whole piece from scratch.

Spoken word recording is becoming big deal to the cute Kindle and its family of book-reading gizmos. This requires a far simpler set-up. A much smaller mixer, less tracks on the recorder, minimal processing equipment, but a pair of really good condenser microphones.

Plus an extremely quiet recording booth or room with little or no sound reflection.

If you have high ambitions and want to record all of the above, plus superstars, now we're talking big bucks. A world class state-of-the-art recording studio can cost upwards of a $250,000. Some companies have invested over $10 million in their facility.

Simply stated, they contain everything from 96 channel recording consoles to 48 track recording machines and a couple of hundred microphones, not to mention jacuzzis, pool tables, pinball machines and a private golf course in the grounds.

You would be wise to use the services of a professional studio designer and audio consultant before embarking upon such a venture.

An enterprise such as this needs to comply with a maze of laws, building codes, taxes and bureaucratic red tape. Are you prepared to deal with that?

Then there's the business of live sound. Do you intend taking your equipment on the road to record live performances in clubs etc? If so, you'll need a truck and transportation containers plus excessive lengths of cabling to meet the demands of different sized stages.

And let us repeat this all-important question . . . what is your anticipated financial budget? You must make a list for all the equipment plus studio construction and total up the anticipated expense.

Now double it! That's right -- DOUBLE IT! Your projections will assuredly be wrong. Possibly very wrong. Do you still really want to build a studio?

We have talked about the requirements for various applications and environments. Once you decide which avenue you intend to pursue, make sure all your equipment is of virtually identical quality within that level. One weak link in the chain will destroy the higher quality that all the other pieces give. (27 more pages in the course)

12. "How do I take the tests?"

We've made our testing real easy and fun. You simply go online and take them whenever you're ready.

You can take as long as you need - there are no time limits, and there certainly is no charge. Never has been and never will be!

As soon as you have taken a test (there are 5 altogether) you will be able to see your results and the total number of points you have scored.

If your instructor feels that you need a little more personal attention on any particular subject, he will send such explanations to you on a one-to-one basis.

After you have completed your final test, your gold-seal Audio Institute of America Diploma will be personally dated and signed by Peter Miller himself and promptly mailed to your home address.

And after you have graduated, you will be encouraged to keep in touch with AIA throughout your music career, whether it becomes a hobby or on a professional level.


13. "What's the difference between a demo and a master?"

Think of the demo as a blueprint or a prototype for a masterpiece.

Demo recordings were originally conceived to sell the song - not the recording artistry. In the old days a demo was quickly made by a songwriter or publisher to sell a song or an artist or record label.

If the song was good enough, the recording quality was irrelevant. Furthermore, the songwriter could focus on the song itself rather than the sound production.

The demo doesn't have to sound as polished or professional as the master. As long as the vocal is understandable and the singer is singing pretty much in tune, these are the important features.

K.I.S.S. = keep it simple stupid!

Keep a demo simple but effective. Don't use too many effects and don't belabor the individual sounds.

Sometimes it happens that that "great sound" you got on the demo can't be duplicated on the master no matter how much you try to copy all the original settings. That magic dust has just disappeared.

A demo is also the way in which a songwriter can experiment with different ideas until the "right way" is found. For example changing the song structure, switching verses with bridges, trying different keys, different speeds, different attitudes.

When finally a result is obtained that seems to be the perfect best, then - and only then, should the recording of the actual master begin.

Songwriters also need to get their ideas and notions down into a recorded format as soon as the inspiration strikes or it may be lost and gone forever. A simple on/off recording cassette recorder is by far the quickest way to do this.

You don't need to go switching on equipment, plugging in mics and opening recording programs or the inspiration will dissolve into a sea mist and wisp away.

Just make a rough-and-ready recording as soon as you possibly can - any way you can. Capturing that illusive moment is essential. Then take your time to work on it and perfect it later.

Songwriters have been known to telephone themselves and sing an idea into their own answering machines.

A master however, needs to be a complete recording of far higher quality - not only in performance and musicianship, but also in sound. It always takes much longer to produce and should have the production values that would be something the fans would want to buy.

Nowadays it's actually possible to make recordings in your home-studio that equal or even surpass the quality of masters made in professional state-of-the-art studios.

However, if you are promoting yourself to a record label, you should definitely not submit anything less than your absolute best performance. This is where demos are not allowed. Remember this - you don't get a second chance with most companies.

The industry now expects master-quality demos if you’re shopping for a record deal. (One complete lesson on this in the course).

14. "What is mastering?"

When you have finished mixing all the songs for your album you may think that it is now ready to be presented to your eagerly-awaiting public. Not so! There is one more all-important stage your tracks must go through.

Commercial recordings are almost always "mastered" after the final mixes have been completed. This is usually done by a "mastering engineer" in a "mastering room."

It can however also be done by the people at the manufacturing plant where you plan to get your CD copies produced.

One way or another, your "final mixes" should be "mastered" by a professional. They will sound even better.

A mastering room is a bit like a recording studio with a specialized selection of extremely high quality equipment.

One of the functions of this mastering stage is to increase the loudness of the overall recordings. This is done using a delicate combination of compressors, limiters and equalizers.

This ensures that all your songs are the same volume and all have the same tonal quality so that they blend well as a cohesive sounding album. The engineer also determines the varying lengths of silence in between each track.

Experience really matters here. All of these processes could easily mess up your mixes. That's why it's important to use a great mastering engineer who has had lots of experience in different styles of music. Age really counts here. A youngster will not have had enough experience.

It is a stage which can cost a few hundred dollars but everyone who has ever had it done all agree that it's money well spent.

If you can't afford to go this extra step, home-studio mastering software is available but you really have to do your homework to make it work properly. Lots of trial-and-error.

The mysterious mastering stage is completely explained in great detail in our course because we know some of our graduates go on to become professional mastering engineers.

And by the way, when you are shopping for a place to get your CDs manufactured, check the small print in the companies ads -- CD replication is better than CD duplication. (Much more in the course).

  

SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
 

Microphone and Headphones

Computer Recording Program on a Laptop


Tascam Digital Audio Workstation


Tascam 4 track Digital Recorder


Yamaha Audio Workstation


Roland Digital Audio Workstation

 


 



Various models of mics

 


Neumann U87 microphone

 

 

 


Pro Tools computer window #3

 


Pro Tools computer window #4

 


Lexicon revererberation unit control panel




Mastering Room


Parametric Equalizer


Compressor Plug-in

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recording Artist's Contract

 

Sellers Permit

Agent's Contract

Pete's Indie Record Label formed in 1974



Pro Tools Software


Cakewalk Software


Apple Logic software


Sony Acid Pro Software


Motu Software

 

 

 






Tascam digital cassette recorder


Sony analog cassette recorder

 


Zoom digital recorder


Olympus portable recorder

 

 

 

 

Mastering Room


SoundBlade Mastering Software


Izotope Mastering Software

 

 

Church sound


Speaker Array

 



Isolation room

Bass Traps


Acoustic Panel



Rack of compressors and limiters


Urei compresssor

 

Teletronox Compressor


Chandler Compressor



Eventide Harmonzer

 

DW Fearn Compressor


 

 



API Parametric Equalizer

 


ZSound Guitar Modeler

Line6 Distortion Modeler

 

Tannoy Monitors

 

Alesis Monitors

 

JBL Monitors

 

 



 

 

Distortion Pedals

 

 

OTHER JOB FIELDS
Music arranger, Orchestrator, Music publisher, Conductor, Concert artist, Symphony orchestra member, Studio musician, Choir singer, Music teacher, Musical instrument salesperson, Instrument repair technician, Theatrical agent, Manager, Pop singer, Band member, Songwriter, Disc jockey, Recording artist, Movie/radio/TV music director, Record producer, Church organist, Music librarian, Music therapist, Piano tuner, Copyist, Music critic, Accompanist, Composer, Music publisher, Music store manager, Record company executive, Record distributor, Promotions manager, Artist and repertoire man or woman, Instrument rental dealer, Live show promoter, Publicity manager, CD plant employee, Record pressing plant technician/executive, Stage lighting technician, Road equipment manager, Personal manager, Audio magazine employee, BMI or ASCAP employee, Album cover artist . . . the list goes on . . .

 

 

 

15. "Will your course teach live sound engineering?"

Almost all of our course is applicable to live sound reinforcement. Sound is sound - and whether you are mixing to a PA system or to a recording device, all the basic essentials of audio are the same. Most of the equipment in live sound is similar to that used in the recording studio.

And don't forget this -- many artists these days request their live performances to be recorded as it happens. There is absolutely no room for error here - only one chance to get it right and there's no chance for a re-take!

AIA has had many students who have gone on to successful careers in live sound. Some have gone on the road with famous touring bands, some have found work in their local night clubs and some have operated the mixing desk in houses of worship. There are many other avenues to pursue in live sound.

However, talking about the equipment, there are a few obvious differences. Many mics that work well in the studio are not good for live use. Especially condenser mics which pick up sound from afar.

Dynamic mics are mostly favored in live sound and they are more likely to be rough handled and less susceptible to howling feedback. Feedback is not a concern in the studio. However wind noise for outdoor work can be a major problem and condensers are particularly sensitive to air movement.

Live sound engineers are used to working at a much faster pace than studio sessions usually progress.

Reliable equipment that can be trusted is more important than delicate handle-me-with-care pieces. Designer mic pre-amps aren't necessary because their sound is not so critically judged as it is in the recording studio.

Similarly stage mixers are less transparent than studio desks.
Digital Audio Workstations can be used for live work but it is much more practical to use a purpose-designed mixing console where you can immediately grasp a control knob in an emergency.
Most equipment is the same in recording and live sound. Compressors and equalizers are the same as are noise gates reverberation units and other processors.

The main difference in the two fields lies in the amplification of the sound. The size of the loudspeakers and the quantity and size of the power amplifiers are vastly different. This is the area where your studio training falls short but there are various books and websites that we can highly recommend.

Any sound engineer should be able to make the transfer from recording to live sound quite easily. There are so many similarities in the equipment and the techniques are practically the same.

In our course we investigate the acoustics of speaker enclosures, monitor amplifiers, cross-over systems and the analysis and correction of room sound.

No front-of-house engineer can successfully mix live sound unless he or she understands the principles of loudspeakers and monitoring. (There are many more pages and a complete lesson on this in the course).

16. "Do I need to soundproof my recording room?"

You may not need to soundproof your room. Usually the carpet, window shades and furniture will stop sound from bouncing around the walls. But if your recording room is too reverberant, then these echos do show up on your recordings.

Reverberation can always be added to a recording, even after the tracks have been recorded. But it's very difficult to totally remove it.

Soundproofing can be applied in some very simple and cost-effective ways. Sound can be absorbed by many different materials. Thick carpet is always a first choice. Hanging heavy drapes on the walls and maybe even attaching some of it to the ceiling and over the windows works very well.

Any soft material that contains air pockets will also make a good sound absorber.

If you really need to stop sound from entering or escaping, you may have to build a double wall which is essentially a room within a room. You must leave a few inches of airspace in between the two walls.

It is important that the sound from your monitor speakers reach your ears in the most direct and uncolored way possible, otherwise you will not be able to make those perfect mixes. Your ears will not being telling the truth and you will be making the wrong adjustments to the sounds.

Different substances absorb different frequencies. If you use only porous materials, your room will become bass-heavy because the low frequencies will still keep bouncing around. Then you will need to install some "bass-traps" as well.

Our course teaches you exactly how to build your own recording studio - either in your home or in a commercial location. Different styles and approaches for the layout of your studio are examined.

Building sound absorption walls, how thick they should be, vocal booths, choosing the right equipment, inter-connection, and legal aspects are all examined. Plus a ton of valuable information that most first-time studio builders overlook when putting together their first room.

“I have built four recording studios in my lifetime. It wasn't until the 4th. that I finally got it right! - Peter Miller” (There are 45 more pages about this subject in your course).

17. "What is the difference between a compressor and a limiter?"

A limiter is like a compressor on steroids.

When you compress a sound, the loud parts get quieter and the quiet sections may become louder. This is useful if you want to make your CDs as loud as possible.

If you set the compressor or limiter correctly, the overall volume from beginning to end stays at a high level throughout.

The student engineer should not attempt to use a multi-function compressor until he or she has mastered one of the basic models.

The controls usually found on a basic unit are: Input, Output, Attack, Release and Ratio. (25 pages on compressors in the course).

18. "If you could choose only one compressor or limiter - which would it be?"

Most engineers choose the Fairchild because of the wonderful sound it gives and also because the Beatles used it at Abbey Road on almost all of their records. It now comes as a computer plug-in.

Your course devotes an entire lesson to compressors. How they work and how to set them correctly. These devices make your recordings sound truly professional if you know how to use them properly. If you don't, your recordings will suffer badly.

You are able to actually watch the engineer adjust the settings and listen and compare the sounds before and after they have been compressed.

We live in the age of total signal processing. Some other special effects units such as noise gates, expanders, chorusing units, flangers and harmonizers are also fully examined in your course.

This is one exciting stage of the recording process!

19. "How do I set a compressor?"

Compressors are very useful work tools but they can also be playful toys that create exciting sounds. They are available as computer plug-ins or external hardware units.

There are two main reasons to use compression. One is to keep the volume of any instrument or vocal at a steady level so that it sits nicely with the instrumental backing.

The second reason is if you want to get "that distinctive compressed sound" which most compressors give. Each unit makes its own "sonic footprint" which can be very desirable.

For example, almost all of the Beatles records carry that sonic footprint that was created by using a Fairchild compressor.

Compression can be applied to a single vocal or instrument, or it can be applied to the complete mix of voices and music.

Different musical instruments require slightly different compressor settings in order for them to work best.

Whichever compressor you use, the principles of how to set it correctly are the same. For general use here's how you set a compressor:

Start off by learning on a simple compressor rather than one which has too many controls.

A simple unit should have these five controls: Input. Output. Attack. Release. Ratio. Plus a meter which indicates how much compression is occurring.

It is good to have a starting point:

Set the Ratio control to 4:1
Set the Attack control to a short setting of about one millisecond.
Set the Release control to a medium setting of about 100 milliseconds.

Make sure that the sound you want to compress is being sent into the compressor.

If the Gain Reduction meter isn't moving, this means that the threshold is set too low. You need to increase the strength of the input signal.

Adjust the Input control until a movement of about 5-7 dB is showing on the meter. (The Input control is also known as the Threshold control.)

Finally adjust the Output control so that a satisfactory level is being sent back out of the compressor to the recorder.

You should experiment a little and see how a lower threshold setting gives you more gain reduction and a higher threshold gives you less. You'll hear how dramatically the sound can change.

Then play around with the other controls so you can get a feel for their functions.

Finally, try sending different musical instruments through the compressor. You'll soon discover that each one needs different settings to achieve the desired result that you want.

There are no hard-and-fast rules to follow regarding compression so you can set the unit to work as transparently or dramatically as you wish. It's usually dependent upon your music. Just make sure that you're not introducing unwanted distortion. (More in the course).

20. "What is an Equalizer?"

The bass and treble controls on your home stereo are the simplest form of equalizer, but in the studio there are many more variations than this. They are probably the most important tool in the whole studio.

You can alter the sound of each and every instrument by applying some equalization to it. This is how all the instruments are set to meld with one another and create that perfect sounding mix. A painting with many colors, none of which stand out or overshadow any other.

Think of it as a curry which has too much chili pepper. Adding a little yogurt makes it more palatable.

You will get acquainted with the various types of equalizers, learning what each can and cannot do to any particular sound. Your ears will receive a crash-course in critical listening. You will learn exactly which frequencies are important for every type of voice and musical instrument.

Did you know that most people in the world only hear music whereas sound engineers and musicians listen to music. Think about it! (Two complete lessons on equalization inside your course).

21. "Why do my drums and bass sound weak?"

This is more likely to be a problem when you are recording live instruments rather than using drum loops of prerecorded drums and bass.

If you are recording live drums, a weak sound may be due to using the wrong microphones. It could also be that you have not positioned each mic correctly in relation to each of the drums.

The same problems can apply to the mic on the electric bass's speaker cabinet. Wrong mic + wrong position = bad sound.

The quick fix? It's all about EQ. (Equalization) Adding or subtracting different amounts at different frequencies.

Frequencies are measured in Hertz (Hz) The human ear can hear frequencies as low as 16Hz to the high of 16,000Hz

Each drum has a particular frequency area in the low range which, if boosted, makes that drum sound bigger and fatter. For example in the case of a bass drum that magic frequency is around 80 Hz.

If you boost that frequency just a little bit with your equalizer, you'll hear a marked difference in the sound. It'll sound much bigger and fatter.

Most bass guitar tracks are recorded with the bass plugged directly into the recording system. The sound from the instrument's pick-up doesn't go through an amp and speaker as it does on stage. Fatness is obtained by careful use of the equalizer in the recording program.
An amp modeling plug-in is also a good way to fatten your sound.

Amp modeling can mimic very closely the sound of real amps and speakers. But once again, modeling sometimes produces a lightweight sound so equalization has to be applied.

But you could improve that sound by sending the modeled signal into an amp and speaker and put a mic on the speaker.

Mic it from a distance of 3-4 feet so that you also pick up some of the reflected sound from the walls. It all adds up to a fatter sound.

You could use this sound alone, or you could even mix it in with the original modeled signal.

So you see - there are many was to fatten the beast! Once again, experimentation is the name of the game. (There are 28 pages in your course devoted to drums and bass recording)

22. "Should I monitor on headphone or speakers?"

You should always use a good pair of speakers whenever you possibly can. This is because speakers tend to reproduce a more truthful representation of the actual sound than headphones do.

If your mix sounds good on speakers, then it will definitely sound good on headphones too.

Actually, it is easier to create a great-sounding mix on headphones, but unfortunately that mix probably won't sound half as good on most people's home-stereos or even on your car radio.

Computer speakers are not the best speakers to use for recording. They are okay to start with but once you really get better in your mixing, you definitely need to purchase a pair of speakers that are made specifically for recording purposes and not for home-stereo units or computers.

The difference is simple. Studio monitor speakers are made to sound as "flat" as possible. This means that they reproduce all sounds as faithfully as possible with no added bass or treble.
Home stereo speakers are made to beautify the sounds. That's not what we want in the studio.

People choose their home speakers by the way different brands sound in their own ears. The most pleasant ones win. Everybody has different ideas on what sounds best to them. It's a very personal choice.

If budget is an issue, just find a pair of speakers that are at least half-ways decent in quality. It'll really help you a lot more than you could possibly imagine.

Nowadays people listen to their music on all sorts of speakers, headphones and even bud-sized earphones, so a mix should sound great on all these devices.

It's a daunting challenge - but a lot of fun!

Sometimes engineers do a dozen or more different mixes of the same song before they finally select "that magic mix" for release.

When an engineer has done the first mix of a song in their studio, they will take that mix outside and listen to it on any number of different systems in the "real world".

This might include the speakers in someone else's home, or a good set of headphones, or maybe cheap iphone earbuds. They'll even go and listen to it on their car stereo!

Each time they listen in a different environment, they think about what might be missing, or what instrument seems too soft or too loud and how the mix could be improved.

Back in the recording studio they will make these subtle changes then repeat the "real world" listening process as many times as it takes until finally that perfect mix is obtained.

It will be the best compromise for all systems.

Engineers sometimes sweat on a mix for days and days.

After a while you will know instinctively how all these inferior systems reproduce the sounds and you will mix accordingly without having to step outside so often.

And if you do insist on using headphones, get a less-expensive pair that don't sound that good. (Much more on monitoring and mixing).

23. "Is distortion okay?"

Only if you intend it to sound distorted.

Let it be known that loud sounds alter the hearing process and cause distortion in the ears. You're not hearing a loud sound exactly as it really is. Your ear is actually changing that sound in order to protect itself.

Slight amounts of distortion can add fatness to thin-sounding signals. Most equalizers induce varying amounts of distortion. Especially the cheaper ones.

Of course you wouldn't normally introduce enough distortion to make it audible and obnoxious, unless the music requires it.

Big, powerful solid-state bass amplifiers are built to deliver a pure clean sound. When recorded, this can sound thin. There have been studio session bass players that use an alternative amp for this purpose. It would be low in power, use tubes instead of transistors, and therefore distorts when cranked up.

Similarly an amp's loudspeakers may be perfect for stage but might sound thin in the studio. Today's speakers are very clean at high sound levels which doesn't always produce a heavy sound on recording.

Try using some older speakers and overdriving them a bit. This usually produces a slightly distorted but fatter sound.

24. "Can I get a job in the industry?"

Yes, you certainly can. There are many more jobs for a sound engineer than you probably imagined. We have listed some of the audio-related careers below.

Once you have completed your course AIA is prepared to help you find a job anywhere in the world. We have contacts and AIA graduates in over 160 different countries who may be willing and able to locate positions in this exciting business.

You may have to settle for an entry-level position to begin with but the skills you have learned from your course will soon push you up the ladder to higher levels.

Being a sound/recording engineer is one of the most exciting and prestigious jobs there is.

Comparative median salaries:
Recording studio engineer $40,000 per year
Assistant/second engineer $25,000
Radio production engineer $38,000
TV/video production engineer $42,500
Corporate/government/educational $40,800
Film re-recording engineer $55,000
Equipment dealer/distributor/rental $45,000

Number of years working in pro-audio industry:
1-5 years -- 10%

5-9 years -- 17%

10-14 years -- 28%

15-24 years -- 25%

25 + years -- 19%

The final lesson in your course is devoted entirely to the subject of finding a job. Whether you plan to open your own studio or seek employment in an established facility, this valuable lesson will assist you in reaching your goal.

Your course will prepare you for the real world of engineering. Once you have this knowledge, the recording world is yours for the taking.

Turn an exciting hobby into a rewarding career. Endless hours of fun can lead to a serious career in recording. The program can help you expand your home set-up into a professional recording studio and increase your prospects for success.

It will prepare you for the real world of audio engineering and place you one step ahead of your competitors. You will learn the amount of money each job can put in your pocket.

We even teach you how to write a killer resume and prepare your "Show-Reel" to give to prospective employers. (The final lesson in your course is devoted entirely to the subject of getting a job).

25. "How can I get my music played on radio?"

Write a great song. Make a fabulous recording of it.

It will be played on the radio. Guaranteed!

AIA will listen to your mixes FOR FREE! We will never, ever charge you to do this.