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Setting Up Templates & Settings w/ Aiden Lavelle

 

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Setting Up Templates & Settings w/ Aiden Lavelle

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Course Lessons

Course Preview

Less than 1 minute

Introduction

4 minutes

Building a template - fundamentals

21 minutes

Building a template - in practice

24 minutes

Live Q & A

Q & A

5 minutes

About This Course

Emphasising on the importance of workflow and the ability to access sounds as soon as you need them, Aidan teaches you how to use templates to speed up your creation process.

You will learn: 

  • Sample Rate & SMPTE
  • Building A Template
  • Saving  A Template
  • Customising Toolbar
  • Bussing

Lessons: 

1. Introduction

Aidan shows us how he routes his hardware audio devices into the template. This avoids setting up channel strips every time you open Logic. 

2. Building a Template- Fundamentals :

Working in a new session, Aidan shows the settings most DAWs have when it comes to preparing a session. He looks at Sample Rate, Buffer Size, MIDI Sync and more. 

3. Building a Template- In Practice:

Aidan shows you how to improve your workflow with a few simple tips that involve: setting up a sidechain trigger, assigning colours to the tracks and building your own template. 

Meet Your Teacher

Aidan Levelle 

Over nearly 20 years Aidan has contributed to the wider context of music, film and TV, which has seen him work with some of the biggest artists in the industry. His contribution to music has seen him release work on Parlophone, Global Underground, Crosstown Rebels, Get Physical, Bedrock Records, Rebellion, My Favorite Robot, Olmeto Records, Surrender All, Culprit, Akbal Music and more.

As a DJ he has seen a career that has stretched the globe and has highlights of some of the most revered slots, playing gigs at Miami Winter Conference, Amsterdams ADE, Manchester’s The Warehouse Project, Barcelona’s Sonar Festival, Mexico’s BMP Festival, The UK’s Glastonbury Festival and playing alongside on his journey such esteemed artists as Art Department, Bill Patrick, Bob Moses, Bushwaka, Carl Craig, Craig Richards, Clive Henry, Damian Lazarus, Davide Squillace, Denis Kurtel, DJ Harvey, DJ Three, Droog, Ellen Allien, Francesca Lombardo, Felix Da Housecat, Fur Coat, Ida Engberg, Infinity Ink, Kevin Saunderson, Konrad Black, Laurent Garnier, Maceo Plex, MK, Pete Tong, Mark Jenkyns, Russ Yallop, Sasha, Scuba, Subb-an, Shaun Reeves, Thugfucker, The Martinez Brothers Tiga the list goes on.

Discussions

Dream of finally finishing that draft or launching that side-hustle? Make your next creative project your best yet, with simple steps from creative superstar Emma Gannon!

Discussions

Dream of finally finishing that draft or launching that side-hustle? Make your next creative project your best yet, with simple steps from creative superstar Emma Gannon!

About This Class 

Dream of finally finishing that draft or launching that side-hustle? Make your next creative project your best yet, with simple steps from creative superstar Emma Gannon!

In this new class, Emma shares the framework that allowed her to overcome self-doubt and carve her own path as an author, broadcaster, and podcast host. The secret to her success? Fed up with feeling afraid—of failure, of not being good enough, even of success—Emma dug into the science behind self-sabotage and learned exactly how to get out of her own way.

Now, Emma is sharing what she’s learned so that you can do the same: unlock your creative potential while feeling energized and empowered! 

Together with Emma, you will:

  • Identify the patterns in your life, and let go of habits that don’t serve you
  • Cut out comparison to figure out what you really want and need
  • Silence your inner critic by talking back to negative beliefs and behaviors
  • Own your success and vulnerability—both go hand-in-hand with creativity

Packed with insights and examples from Emma’s personal journey, this class is designed for every creative who needs a pep-talk or extra push to get started—and includes five exclusive downloadable worksheets to support you along the way.

Whether you’re looking to break through block, remove self-imposed pressure, or simply approach each new project with intention, this 45-minute class will unlock your confidence as a creative. Get started and celebrate taking the first step!

______________________________

All you need to follow along is a pen and paper. Download the worksheets to follow along with Emma’s exercises, or jot your thoughts in a notebook.

Resources

  • Introduction
  • Week one

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Referencing Other Tracks to Build Your Own w/ JackyDEFECTED favourite Jacky has in a short space of time racked up an impressive collection of releases across Elrow Music, FFRR, Repopulate Mars, VIVA and of course DFTD among many others. Known for his versatility when DJing, his chunky studio productions reflect this too, spanning the genres of disco, tech and deep house. Having hit the top of the Beatport charts on numerous occasions, he certainly has plenty of music production knowledge to share with you. Lesson: In this course, DJ & Producer Jacky explains how to use reference tracks to help you build your own track. Jacky explains how to select and use reference tracks to act as a guide and help you build your own track. You will learn: How to analyse a reference track How to use a reference track to help build your own track Why referencing is an important tool in music production 1: Referencing Other Tracks To Build Your Own - Introduction & Listening Exercise Jacky introduces the session and plays through Mr Oizo’s ‘Flat Beat’ which he will be using as an example of a reference track. 2. Analysing A Reference Track Jacky deconstructs his example reference track to explain why track arrangement is important. He analyses Mr Oizo’s ‘Flat Beat’ and breaks down the subtleties and elements Mr Oizo has used in each section of the song. 3. Applying Your Reference Track How to build your own track using a reference track. Having analysed in depth your reference track, Jacky discusses how to transfer the knowledge you have gained through analysis, and how to then apply this to help you build your own track. 4. Why You Should Use Reference Tracks Jacky explains why referencing tracks is highly beneficial for creating your own tracks. Q&A Jacky answers general questions on music production and building your own house track. Questions include should you use automation on the master channel, how to add groove to your track and how to work faster in Ableton. When automating a high pass filter on the kick, do you ever automate on the master channel or on the individual track channel? Can you automate the delay of the whole channel? Do you just have to add groove on the channel? I’m asking because when I adjust the delay whilst the track is playing the audio skips and makes a cracking noise… If you are new to Ableton Live, what is the best method to organise your sound library in order to be able to work faster?
Arrangement Best Practices w/ JackyDEFECTED favourite Jacky has in a short space of time racked up an impressive collection of releases across Elrow Music, FFRR, Repopulate Mars, VIVA and of course DFTD among many others. Known for his versatility when DJing, his chunky studio productions reflect this too, spanning the genres of disco, tech and deep house. Having hit the top of the Beatport charts on numerous occasions, he certainly has plenty of music production knowledge to share with you. Lesson: In this session, DJ & Producer Jacky shows you the best way to arrange a house track. Jacky picks up where he left off in the previous masterclass (see ‘How to build a house track from start to finish). He demonstrates the best way to arrange your musical ideas in order to turn them into a full house track. You will learn: Techniques and tips for arranging your tracks How to arrange an entire track quickly How to make a breakdown How to make a powerful drop How to go beyond a 4 bar loop How to mix kick and bass How to EQ you bass for a tight low end How to make your basslines interesting How to sidechain Chapter 1: Introduction Jacky introduces himself and reviews the project files we worked on in the previous masterclass ‘How To Build A House Track From Scratch'. He shows you how to create a new bassline for a house track and how he uses Ableton Live’s stock plugins: auto filter, saturator, EQ and compression. Chapter 2: Mixing the bass & kick How to mix a bassline with a kick drum. Jacky shows you how he applies sidechaining and EQ to ensure that kick and bass sit together cleanly in the mix. You will learn how to modify your basslines to make them more interesting to listeners. Chapter 3: Arrangement Techniques Learn how to arrange a track. Jacky teaches you how to turn your ideas and loops into an entire song. Get an exclusive look at Jacky and Mat.Joe’s forthcoming track ‘Never Be The Same’ and see how they have arranged their track, using ‘tension and release’ and LFOs in the breakdown to create a bigger, harder hitting impact on the drop. Chapter 4: Q&A Jacky answers questions on arranging a House track in Ableton Live. Questions include: techniques to add groove to your percussion, whether you should find the key of your kick drum, how you should group instruments, and how to use reference tracks to help your song arrangement. How do you add more groove to your drums? Do you check the key of the kick or the vocals in order to make a bassline? How do you know what is the root note of your bassline? Do you always apply makeup gain when using a compressor? Which instruments do you usually group together? Do you recommend layering the bassline and adding the low mid and/or high notes? Do you use reference tracks to help you arrange your tracks? What VSTs are used in the Spray audio effect rack (which Jacky uses in ‘Colly Wolly’)
Basic Compression and EQ on your Low End w/ Lenny FontanaHouse legend Lenny Fontana shows you how to use basic compression and EQ on your low end. Lenny is a stalwart of the House scene, with over 25 years experience Djing and producing. Born and raised New Yorker Lenny has an impressive catalogue of hits, including a top 10 in the UK charts and much more. He is the founder of the mighty: Karmic Power Records and was also the first US DJ to play in Ibiza. Lenny has an impressive knowledge when it comes to production, his lessons are encouraging and full of tips and tricks. In this workshop Lenny works on the kick, bass, guitar and other elements from his track with Chris Willis: 'Top of the World'. Lenny uses external plugins from Waves to add compression and EQ and as a bonus he shows how to glue your kick and bass together. He uses Digital Performer but the techniques can be applied to any DAW. . In this lesson you will learn: The basics of compression and EQ: when to use them and how to apply them successfully. How to use compression on: A kick drum. A live bass recording. A live guitar recording. Conga’s. Horns. Rhodes How to glue your kick and bass together with the Shadow Hills: Class A, Mastering Compressor. 1. Intro and Track Playthrough: Lenny introduces himself, what the lesson will cover and plays through the track that he will be working on. 2. Compression on Kick and Bass: In this chapter Lenny applies compression to an acoustic kick drum and then a live recorded bass guitar from his track. He explains the uses of compression, what to listen for and how to apply it to each element. He then adds fine tuning whilst playing the kick and bass together. 3. EQ on Kick and Bass: Using EQ on the kick and bass to accentuate the elements that you like and remove those that you don’t. Lenny talks you through eqing these two parts of your track, explaining what you are aiming to achieve and how to do it. Once this is locked in he plays them with the whole track to show how to adjust their volume levels effectively. 4. Compression and EQ on Live Guitar: Using compression and EQ on a live guitar recording to control it and bring out certain qualities, making sounds brighter or darker and which Hz responds to which part of the sound. Once again Lenny uses the DBX 160 (s) and SSL G-Channel. 5. Compression and EQ on Conga’s: Using compression and EQ on conga’s to control the sound and bring out elements that work in your track. Using the compressor to tame the dynamics, Lenny then uses an eq preset and adjusts to bring out the slap of hands on the top of the drum. 6. Compression and EQ on Horns: How to use a compressor to control the dynamics of horns and an eq to adjust the sounds to taste. Lenny shows how to bring the peaks of your horns down without squashing them and how to make them brighter but not screechy. 8. Compression and EQ on Rhodes: Controlling Rhodes in your tracks and emphasizing the qualities that you like and fit with the vibe. Lenny shows how to control their dynamics, eq to taste and then readjust volume so that your Rhodes fit in the mix. Q & A with Lenny #2 Lenny answers questions on basic compression and EQ on low end, other elements in your mix and other areas of music production. Sending Kick and Bass to a Bus and Glueing Once you have added basic compression and EQ on low end elements you want to glue them together with processing. Lenny shows how to set up a bus and then use a mastering compressor for cohesion. Setting up channels to route your kick and bass to a bus. Glueing the kick and bass together with the Shadow Hills: Class A, Mastering Compressor. Meta description: Lenny Fontana teaches how to use basic compression and EQ on your low end. He walks you through processing a kick, bassline and some bonus mid-range elements.
Workflow Techniques for Hard House w/ Amber DAmber covers a range of topics including production mentality, how to find your sound, how to use samples in a creative manner. Amber shows you how she approaches producing hard house music using FL Studio. This course is designed for both beginners and intermediate producers. You will learn: How to use sidechain for cleaner mixdowns How to mix kick and bass Tips to better organise your projects in FL Studio How to ‘find your sound’ How to use samples in FL Studio Creative techniques using reverb, filters and vocals The art of remixing a track The best mindset for music production Lessons: 1: Introduction Amber introduces herself as a hard dance and house DJ/producer, explaining her musical background and influences. 2: Track playthrough and Mindset Amber plays through her song and explains her mindset for producing hard dance music. Track playthrough Mindset when producing 3: Track deconstruction Amber begins to deconstruct one of her own hard dance tracks in FLStudio. She explains how she uses techniques such as sidechaining, EQ and layering, as well as offering tips on how to mix the kick and bass for a tight low end. Amber demonstrates how to use a filter envelope to modify a kick sample to taste. Kick Drum & Clap Mixing Kick & Bass Sidechaining using the LFO Tool 4: Organising Your Project Learn how the professionals organise their projects. Amber suggests tips and tricks to speed up your workflow in FLStudio. Organising your ideas Workflow advice 5: USING SAMPLES TO ‘FIND YOUR SOUND’ Amber shares her ideas on how to ‘find your sound’ as a music producer and how to get inspired to overcome writer’s block. She explains her approach to using samples and what the difference is between REX and WAV files. How to find ‘your sound’ How to use samples 6: How To Remix How you can use remixing to your benefit. Amber explains why reworking another artist’s track can help you with your own music production. She talks you through her remix of Dance Monkey, revealing several creative techniques she uses with reverb, filters and vocal acapellas. Track Playthrough Dance Monkey Remix Deconstruction 7: Live Q&A Amber answers questions on how to use FL Studio for music production. Questions include: what FX does she apply to her master channel, how to find the pitch of a kick sample and the best way to use samples. What FX does Amber apply to her master channel when in the creative stage? How to find the tone of a kick sample? What is the best way to make fast acid patterns? Transistor Bass How can you use ‘busy’ samples that have lots of elements playing at the same time?
Vocal House Production w/ Ian BlandIan Bland has over 30 years’ experience in music production, with hits across many different labels and under many different monikers, his biggest claim to fame being Dream Frequency and Dancing Divaz. He is smashing it today with releases on Todd Terry’s: InHouse and other big names, he also runs his own label: Maison Records. His lessons are full of next level techniques and tips to up your production game. Lesson: To get a balanced and powerful mix in any genre, each element needs to be processed correctly and have its own place. In this lesson Ian uses a mixture of third party plugins and stock Logic Pro FX to mix each element of a Vocal House track. It includes how to get an analog sound from digital equipment, mix classic key sounds and add depth to vocals. You will learn how to mix: Drums. Bass. Keys. Vocals. 1. Mixing Drums Ian shows you how to process your drums so that they sit well in the mix. He explains how to process the kick separately with Slate Digital Plugins and stock Logic Pro FX. Then he looks at the drums as a whole and uses Metric AB to compare them to a reference track that he knows works in the club. 2. Mixing Bass Mixing down your bass so that it is powerful but not overpowering and doesn’t clash with other elements in the mix. Ian uses third party plugins such as Nicky Romero’s: Kickstart and Logic Pro’s Utility and Overdrive. 3. Mixing Rhodes This chapter shows you how to mix one of the staples of Vocal House, Rhodes. Ian gives some of his best tips for writing chords, how to use Auto-Filter to slowly introduce keys, how to use FX such as ChromaVerb and Stereo Spread to add depth to your productions and more. 4. Mixing the Main Piano Processing your main keys so that they sound the best they can in your mix. Again, Ian uses a mixture of third party plugins and Logic stock FX. How to add character with VintageVerb from Valhalla, using Metric AB and Oxford EQ together and other powerful techniques. Mixing your vocals so that they shine in your mix. Ian shows how to add warmth with Virtual Mix Rack plugins, compression with Logic Pro’s stock compressor, stereo width with Stereo delay and other techniques. 6. Extensive Q and A Ian answers questions on mixing Vocal House and production techniques applicable to all genres. Questions include: alternative ways to add distortion to percussion, using sends and returns and templates in Logic Pro. What other distortions do you suggest for percussion? How do you get so many slots in your FX chain? Can you recommend any third party Tape Delays? Where do you use your Span plugin? Do you use a template? Would you put your reverb through Aux sends? What are your top tips for making the most of spare time and workflow? Do you use Ableton too? Do you use any Waves plugins? Who did the vocals in this track? Do you use Logic for recording vocals? Would you recommend Logic or Ableton for mixing down? What hardware do you use? Ian bland talks you through his approach to mixing Vocal House. He works through the main elements in typical vocal house productions: drums, keys and vocals.
Stepper Track Deconstruction w/ KreatureAlthough Ash Burgoyne - better known under his moniker Kreature - has retained his youthful appearance, he’s actually already a veteran in the dance scene, having been involved in music for over 15 years. From humble beginnings as a precocious bedroom DJ, by the time he turned 18, Ash had already secured a career in music, touring as a DJ around South Africa, Australia and Europe. Growing up, Ash had a broad and eclectic taste, listening to everything from jungle to garage to disco. His productions can be seen to reflect these diverse listening habits, spanning deep house, tech, minimal, techno, acid and down tempo electronica. Quickly earning the respect of his peers, Kreature has released across numerous labels such as Solid Grooves, Under No Illusion, Swerve Digital, Resonance Records and District 9. Kreature deconstructs his Tech House track ‘Stepper’, which was and produced in Ableton Live and released on Solid Grooves. In this masterclass, he reveals plenty of production tips and techniques that you can implement to make your own productions sound more refined and professional. You will learn: How to create a minimal / tech house track like a pro How to create your own kicks How to shape kicks for better mixing How to synthesise your own bass sounds How to use transient shapers like Smackattack Layering techniques and tips How to use Ableton Live’s groove pool How to build percussive layers Sound design techniques EQing best practices (subtractive, mid side etc.) Introduction Tech House producer Kreature introduces himself, his track ‘Stepper’ and explains how he plans to break down each element so you can see exactly how he created his tech house groover. Kick How to synthesise your own kick. Kreature discusses different ways of creating kick drums, either through synthesis or layering. Learn how to sculpt a kick drum using Punchbox, or blending different kick samples on top of each other. Kreature shows you how to tune and EQ kicks so that the low frequencies of your tracks work in harmony. How to create bass sounds for tech house. Kreature analyses his bass sounds and offers insight into the techniques he applies in order to achieve a solid low end. You will learn tips related to EQ, sidechaining, transient shapers, useful bass plugins and layering that will help you to create big, clean, powerful bass yourself. Building Drums 1 Having finished creating the bass and kick, Kreature shows you how he creates the percussive layers’. Ash deconstructs the individual drum parts, the processing applied to each element, how he uses return tracks, and how to add swing using Ableton Live’s groove pool. Plugins used include the saturator, MetaFlanger, Decapitator and Abbey Road Reverb. Building Drums 2 Part 2 of building the drum section of Kreature’s tech house track ‘Stepper’. Ash explains how he creates the top layer of his percussion, modifying and shaping them sonically to taste by using Smackattack transient shaper. He goes into greater detail how he uses percussive samples and the additional plugins (e.g FilterFreak) he uses to enhance their sound. Drum Processing A more in depth look at the processing applied to the drum elements of ‘Stepper’. Plugins discussed include Soundtoys Decapitator, Glue Compressor, FabFilter EQ, Autofilter, Ableton’s EQ 8. Ash also answers questions related to mixing, making drums sounds glue together and how to use mid side EQ. Pads, FX & Vocals Ash examines the final parts of his track ‘Stepper’. Kreature shows you how he created his pads and noise FX, what vocal processing he applies, and how to synthesise one of his additional bass sounds.
The Art of Mixing & Mastering w/ Richard EarnshawRichard Earnshaw has done it all: for over 20 years he has been a songwriter, music producer, sound engineer and mastering engineer. The classically trained pianist is also the co-founder of Duffnote, Guess Records and One51 labels. For decades the soulful house maestro has been prolific, releasing on esteemed labels such as DEFECTED, Soulfuric, Ministry of Sound, Sony Music, Hed Kandi and Peppermint Jam. Richard has gained vast experience working with the very best in the industry, collaborating with the likes of Jocelyn Brown, Roy Ayres and Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King, whilst being commissioned to remix disco heavyweights Dave Lee (formerly Joey Negro), Miguel Migs, Rasmus Faber and Martin Solveig. Richard’s productions tastefully draw upon elements of jazz and disco, resulting in a spectacular, chart-topping record more often than not! Richard shares valuable tips on mixdown techniques, mastering techniques and looks at his go-to plugins to carry out mixdowns. In this workshop, you will learn: Mixdown techniques Mastering techniques How to create space in the mix What are the best plugins to use when mixing and mastering What hardware the pros use How to make your tracks sound loud Why it is important to know the limitations of your studio monitors Whether you should use external mastering sites such as LANDR Chapter 1: Introduction Richard introduces himself and the track he will be using to explain his mixing and mastering techniques. Chapter 2: Mixing Techniques Techniques for mixing a track. Richard shares his favourite plugins, how he uses EQ and suggests tips for creating space in the mix. You will learn how to process samples in order to achieve a well balanced mixdown. Chapter 3: Mastering A Track Richard discusses hardware and the art of mastering a track in Pro Tools, however the techniques he discusses are applicable to any DAW. Chapter 4: Q&A Richard answers questions on mixing and mastering. Questions include: Techniques for filling out the mid-range frequency, what headphones would he recommend, how to use stereo frequency analysers to assist your mixing decision making, how much compression to apply, and what FX to apply when mastering. What is your chain of plugins used on the drum bus chain? When bouncing down for premaster do you pull down the master fader? Or mixing down to -6db? Do you route to a mixbus premaster? Are you using the same presets for the master on each track? With compression in general, do you have any guidelines on what to do? And do you EQ after compression? Is mastering just making the volume loud? Do you run synths or drum sounds through pre-amps to beef up their sounds? What are your views on using sites such as LANDR for mastering? Do you really need to use a summing mixer? What other DAW (besides Ableton) would you recommend for a Windows user?
House Music Masterclass w/ Eddie Amador“Not everyone understands house music”...but Eddie Amador certainly does. After writing those now famous lyrics for his seminal anthem ‘House Music’ back in 1997, Eddie cemented his place as a legendary figure within the House music scene. His ability to create unforgettable House Music anthems - filled with deep, hypnotic grooves and soulful, moving lyrics - mean that his productions have been played countless times by the world’s best DJs, including the likes of: Carl Cox, Frankie Knuckles, Roger Sanchez, Pete Tong, Danny Tenaglia. He has also completed remixes for the biggest names in the industry, such as Madonna, Donna Summer, Jason Derulo and Michael Bublé, receiving a Grammy Nomination for ‘Remixer Of The Year’ in 2015. In this course he shares some of his vast knowledge he has accumulated over the years, offering production tips and techniques he uses to create a professionally sounding House music track. Lesson: Eddie Amador shares his best practices for writing house music in Ableton. Looking into layering sounds and the importance of vocals, he dives into the house music fundamentals from start to finish. You will learn how to: Use Ableton Live’s stock plugins Layer sounds Why you should use sample packs Arrange and structure a House music track Use vocals to create killer hooks Why you don’t need fancy studio equipment Use tension and release Chapter 1: Introduction Eddie introduces himself and discusses how he approaches building a House music track. He explains what is important when structuring a track, why he uses samples and why he thinks vocals are essential in House music. Chapter 2: Track Deconstruction Eddie deconstructs one of his songs, explaining how he arranges a House music track, beginning with the intro, then building this up with layers. He shows us how he uses sample libraries and creates tension in the build up to the drop. Chapter 3: Q&A Eddie answers questions on House music production in Ableton Live. Questions include: how to apply compression & EQ to process vocals, how to layer sounds, build tension, whether to use external VSTs or stock plugins and how he applies automation... AUTOMATION Qs What automation does Eddie use in his build ups? Why does Eddie use automation in linear steps (Either turned on or off)? Do you ever automate the gain on utility rather than automating the track’s volume? And is there an advantage to doing this? Processing vocals - how do you apply FX to vocals? How does Eddie create his killer vocal hooks and know what makes a killer hook? If you don’t have access to a vocalist, what would you recommend if you want to work with vocals? ARRANGEMENT Qs Key tips on how to arrange a track… How do you create tension in a buildup? What advice can you give for layering sounds? How many strings & synths would you use?
Live Drums & Samples w/ Rhiannon MairRhiannon Mair is a producer, engineer and songwriter championed by Music Tech Magazine as one of the ‘UK’s rising stars of production’. She has worked with artists including Martha Hill, Charlotte Clark, Laura Marling, Bryde, Emma McGrath and LUNA with her work receiving national radio playlisting and multiple Spotify New Music Friday placements. Following her nominations for Breakthrough Engineer and Breakthrough Producer of the year at the 2019 MPG Awards, Rhiannon was voted onto the Board of Directors for the Music Producers Guild and currently stands as an Executive director. As a songwriter, Rhiannon has co-written with artists, as well as writing for brand clients such as Netflix, Sky and STARZ Play. Lesson: Songwriter and music producer Rhiannon Mair shares her knowledge on working with drums and making them sound professional. Using a track recorded at Universal Publishing Studio’s on Pro-Tools, she shows us how she treats her drum channels and what her go to plugins are. You will learn: The mics she used for this track for each drum Various plug in chains using Waves Q10, Brainworx BX Hybrid, UAD Little Labs, Sonnox Oxford Dynamics and Steven Slate Trigger to treat the drums. Triggering MIDI samples from a live drum channel Working with boxy sounding rooms and how to counter this. Bussing and working with auxiliary channels for full drum kits. Stereo image for a live drum kit. Chapter 1: Microphones for Drums Chapter 2 - Kick Drums Rhiannon discusses her go-to plugins when it comes to treating Kick drums, as well as miking techniques to get the best sound possible. She also shares valuable tips on working with kicks of different frequencies and layering them. Chapter 3 - Snares Rhiannon shares her tips on recording the right snare, and getting it right in the studio. She then shares her methods of treating snare drums to achieve clarity and snapiness in the mix. Rhiannon mentions the gate is used to capture the loudest part of the sound, while removing everything else. Filters would roll off frequencies that are needed for the sound. Layering snares Chapter 4: Working with room mics Rhiannon mentions the room she recorded in was small which led to the overhead mics sounding ‘boxy’. She shares valuable information on working her mixing chain and how to deal with issues from the recording stage. Chapter 5 - Toms Using triggers and processing functions to achieve a desirable tom sound. Rhiannon shares creative techniques to make drums sound punchy. She talks about troubleshooting midi sampled drums vs live drums to make them sit in time, using trigger functions and specialist plugins - Massey DRT. Chapter 7: Bussing and working with auxiliary sends. Rhiannon shares her plugin chain for her bus channels that all the drums are sent to. This helps the drums stand out in the mix and can sound more polished, punchy and warm.
In-depth Mastering w/ Richard EarnshawA classically trained jazz musician, producer, DJ, remixer, songwriter, co-founder of the iCulture brand and Duffnote, One51, Guess Record labels, Richard has been nothing short of prolific when it comes to output having featured on a long list of labels including Soulfuric, Defected, Large, Reel People Music, Groove Culture, Salted Music, Purple Music, Morehouse, Swing City, Peppermint Jam, Hed Kandi, Ministry of Sound, Sony Music and many more. An accomplished mastering engineer and an apple listed master provider, Richard goes in depth with his mastering chain and highlights important processes and issues to tackle. You will learn: How a premaster should be Plugin selection Stereo Width Codecs Limiters Mid/Side EQing Creating Smooth Tops Export Formats for streaming Technical execution Chapter 1: LOOKING AT THE PRE-MASTER The finished product should be almost ready in the mixdown stages, a mastering engineers job is to make the sound shine more and balanced across all listening devices, not to fix mixing mistakes. Chapter 2: PLUGIN SELECTION AND LOUDNESS Sonarworks room correction software can be used to sort out any issues you may encounter in the room. Richard goes through his go-to plugins for mastering and discusses the trivial loudness wars topic. Chapter 3: BASS Bass takes up the most space in the mix, Richard discusses what you can do to shape the sound and discusses other mix issues. Chapter 4: STEREO WIDTH AND CODECS Making small increments to every plug-in in the chain, Richard explains how to apply stereo width into your master while discussing the various codecs to consider when exporting a master. Chapter 5: TRACK LISTENING & LOUDNESS Keep your bass in mono. Chapter 6: MID/SIDE EQ & IMAGING An essential tool for any master, it allows you to mix frequencies in the centre of the mix or the sides of the mix. Richard does this using Logics EQ and Ozone 9. Chapter 7: SMOOTH TOPS One of the biggest issues is not having your room give you accurate feedback on what you are listening to, as well as your hearing. Hearing damage starts with high frequencies usually so please wear ear protection in loud environments. Chapter 8: EXPORT FORMATS & MASTERING ENGINEERS The standard way of delivering masters for all platforms is 16Bit 44.1KHZ WAV. Richard advises against using automatic mastering platforms as it will never be the same as having a human do it.
Music Theory Hacks w/ SaytekWith global recognition for his live modular shows and releases on Carl Cox and Christopher Coe’s Awesome Soundwave label, Saytek is definitely someone whose advice is worth listening to and his lessons are always easy to understand and inspiring. Lesson: In this lesson Saytek reveals some music theory hacks to improve your music production in Ableton Live. He will teach you music theory hacks to help your workflow and ensure that you write functional harmonies and melodies. He will offer production tips and explain how you can choose the right chord to evoke emotion, create and release tension and much more. You will learn: Theory Hacks for how to write major chords Theory Hacks for how to write minor chords Theory Hacks to ensure you stay in key What are the different types of chords When you should use each type of chord How to use Ableton Live’s chord and scale plugins 1 - Major & Minor Scale Hacks: Saytek explains why music theory is important, how it can help your music production and shares helpful tools such as KeyDetect that can aid you. He will teach you a clever shortcut for working out which notes belong in any diatonic major or minor scale. You will learn how to apply a pattern in the sequence of intervals between the notes of a major/minor scale, and how to then transpose these notes to different keys. 2: Working In Key How to ensure that you work within key. Saytek will show you how to apply the technique we learnt in the previous section to only compose in the key you are working in. He will also teach you the different types of chords such as the major, minor, diminished, major seventh and minor seventh. 3: Creating Moods With Different Types Of Chords Find out why certain chord patterns evoke emotion and mood and learn how to resolve a sequence of chords that feel unfinished. Saytek also shares some tips for how to use inversions and build tension in a breakdown. 4: Music Theory Hacks: Q&A Saytek answers questions about music theory. Why is there a sharp in the scale spacing example you showed us? What transition of notes or scales would you suggest for melodic flow to create energy on the dancefloor? Can you use major and minor chords in the same key? And can you develop from one key to another and then resolve back to the original key? Can I hack my keyboard to only play chords in a particular key? Is there a plugin that can do this for me? What’s the formula for working out the relative key? Is Saytek going to cover his Ableton Live rig integration in a future course? Can you share a hack for a groovy bassline structure in relation to scale and key?
Creating Edits, Bootlegs & Mashups w/ Rob TisseraRob Tissera is one of dance music's most prolific stars. A top-selling producer and versatile dj whose technical brilliance and effervescent sets have seen him pack out parties across the globe. Tissera's experience and ability to thrill audiences playing any genre is something only a handful of DJ can match. Famed for his hi-energy hard trance and hard house sets he's also rocked audiences playing dirty funk, uplifting house or big room trance. Rob starts an edit from scratch, using the famous At Night vocal, he demonstrates how he would start an edit and finish it fully. Merging several tracks (in key) to make one uniform ‘Edit’. In this lesson you will learn: How to choose the right samples Getting a sample in time (Warping) Arranging a track Creating builds and tension Editing a vocal Chapter 1: Setting up and choosing samples Using Ableton’s Warp function, Rob explains how to check timings with your start and end point and warp to your BPM. He shows us how to find the key of the track using Mixed In Key and how to find vocal samples to fit that key. Chapter 2: How to time a vocal Rob shows us his process on finding acapella samples. Using sites like Acapella 4 U and Vocal It. He dives into the Warp function on Ableton and shares insightful tips on how to get the vocal sample in time with the groove. Chapter 3: Arranging the track & adding in sounds. Working in 16 and 8 bar phrases, Rob explains how he would arrange the track to lead up to the vocal sample. He goes through his process of finding sounds to fit, keeping them in time and applying effects. Chapter 4: Creating Builds and Impact Rob shows us how to create build ups using kick rolls, uplifters and impacts on the break. He arranges crashes every 8 bars to keep the track moving. Chapter 5: Arranging the acapella Rob demonstrates what to do when the acapella isn’t fully uniform with the track. Making critical decisions to make sure the track flows well. Chapter 6: Making the breakdown more powerful Using snare rolls built in the Chapter 4, Rob demos how he would make a breakdown hit harder and create more tension and release.
House & Techno Chord Stabs w/ SaytekWith global recognition for his live modular shows and releases on Carl Cox and Christopher Coe’s Awesome Soundwave label, Saytek is definitely someone whose advice is worth listening to and his lessons are always easy to understand and inspiring. Saytek dives into the essence of grooving house and techno - Chord Stabs. In a detailed lesson on how you can create your own, get creative with samples and polyrhythms to create moving music. You will learn: Polyrhythm chords How to make chord stabs Fixed Interval Chords Using various sounds as chord stabs Chapter 1: Intro to Chord Stabs Saytek explains how chord stabs have been around dance music since it’s birth. Heard a lot in house, techno, dub techno and many other sub genres. Chapter 2: Making chords Starting with a simple triad chord, Saytek explains how he would make interesting chords from scratch and ways to automate and process it. Chapter 3: Fixed Interval Chords By resampling, Saytek shows us how to make a Fixed Interval Chord. Starting off with a grand piano in G Minor, by freezing the track you can make fixed interval chords. Chapter 4: Getting creative with sounds Saytek makes this track more ravey by using a horn sound added into the melody. He explains how to treat and process it to fit with the tune.
 
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