Publisher Resources

ULTIMATE HOME RECORDING SCHOOL (1ST EDITION)

The "Ultimate Home Recording School (1st Edition) is our top of the line training course for the recording musician, audio engineer or music producer.

Featuring over 6 Hours of Premium Hands-On Training to help you master your home recording studio. Hosted by David Wills (Engineer/Consultant with Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins), this is the one-stop training on Home Recording that you've been looking for.

Basically, if you've ever wanted to have David spend the weekend at your house and teach you everything he has learned from working over 25 years with the best names in the business...this is your ticket to that experience.

Whether you use a software solution like Pro Tools, Cubase, Logic or Reason...or a hardware multitrack recorder, this massive library of training tutorials takes you from novice to expert.

All of our product specific training DVDs center on what buttons to press and what screens to navigate, but this set was developed to teach you the unchanging principles of Recording, Mixing & Mastering your songs.

There simply is no other training product like this that takes you through the entire home recording process in such complete way.

INTRODUCTION
What We’ll Learn
Why New Equipment won't save you
The Scope...How to Record, Mix & Master
The Five Sessions
Your Teacher
A Brief History Of Recording
…The Early Days
…Multitrack Arrives
…Multitrack Matures
…The Home Recording Revolution
…The MIDI Revolution
...The Digital Audio Revolution

SESSION 1-WHAT IS SOUND?
The 3 Elements of Sound
Volume has consequences
Tonal Content has consequences
Environment has consequences
The Tonal Spectrum
The 10 Octaves of Frequency Content
The Signal Path
The 3 Rules of Recording
Rule number 1. Capture it CLEAN
Rule number 2. Get the best possible signal to noise ratio
Rule number 3. Isolate the sound
Dynamics
Points to remember

SESSION 2-RECORDING
Microphones
Microphone Recommendations
Microphone Placement
The Proximity Effect
Pickup Patterns
Getting a Killer Vocal Sound
Dealing with Plosives
Working with your Environment
Dealing with Reflections
Acoustic Treatments
The BIG Problems
Distortion
Unwanted sounds
Recording/Overdubbing
Punching In/Out
Alternate Tracks/Takes/Comping
Bouncing
Editing
Points to Remember

SESSION 3-EFFECTS
Mixer Basics
Effects Routing
Using Aux Sends
Pre/Post Fader Sends
Using an Insert Routing
Dynamic Effects
...Compressors
...Limiters
...Noise Gates
EQs/Filters/De-Essers
Delays
Calculating Delay times
Reverb
Gated Reverb
Modulation Effects
...Chorus
...Flanger
...Phaser
...Tremolo
...Vibrato
Pitch Shifter/Split Harmonizer
AutoTune
To “Print” or not to Print
Points to Remember

SESSION 4-MIXING
Mixing Styles
Who is the Star?
What CAN we do?
...Mixing Levels
...Panning across the Stereo Spread
...Using an Effects Loop
...Using Insert Effects
...Using EQ (Equalization)
The Mixing Process
...Fixing Problems
...Getting a Rough Mix
...Polishing your Mix
The Mixing Landscape
Blending Levels
EQ and Scooping/Masking
Notching Frequencies
Moving Sounds in 3D Space
Using Effects
Adding "Air" to Vocals
The Mixdown Process
The 4 Main Frequency Ranges
Getting to Know the Frequency Chart
Important Frequencies
Importance of Monitors
Points to Remember

SESSION 5-MASTERING
What is Mastering?
Mastering Effects
Multiband Compressors
Stereo EQs
Stereo Processing
Limiting
Software Mastering Demos
Mastering Points
Exporting and Archiving
Distribution of your Tracks
Marketing Your Music
Using Social Media

GRADUATION!

 

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ULTIMATE LIVE SOUND SCHOOL (1ST EDITION)

The "Ultimate Live Sound School" (1st Edition) is our top of the line training set for anyone interested in designing, troubleshooting and running a live sound system.

Hosted by David Wills (Sound Guru with Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins), this is the one stop training on Live Sound that you've been looking for. If you have problems understanding how to get Excellent, Consistent Sound out of your PA System, this training resource will give you everything you need to know and a step by step plan to...

• Eliminate Feedback
• Get Crystal Clear Vocals
• Be an EQ Expert
• Run Monitors
• Master Compressors/Gates
• Troubleshoot Impossible Problems
• Design/Upgrade your System

Apart from working with the biggest names in the business on massive world tours, David has mixed thousands of events in Mega-Churches and little local Churches.

"My heart goes out to all the Churches around the world that have bad, inconsistent sound week after week. I do some consulting with many of them but I wanted to create a resource that you could have in your library and give to any new volunteer who wants to run sound. It's basically like hiring me for a weekend to train your sound team...but you can do it time after time as new volunteers cycle through." - (David Wills)

Let the master of Pro Audio train your team to bring you CONSISTENT, EXCELLENT sound. There simply is no other training product like this that takes you through designing, troubleshooting and running your live sound system in such a complete way.

INTRODUCTION
Introduction to Live Sound
Course Outline
What is a sound system made up of?
What is the role of a live sound engineer?
(mediator between artistic and engineering worlds)

SOUND THEORY
What is Sound?
Understanding Levels
Understanding Frequency Spectrum
Understanding Acoustics

THE EQUIPMENT
Can you design it yourself?
(Music Store vs. Professional Designers)
Choosing a Vendor
Overview of Equipment
Snakes
Mixing Consoles
Amps
Speakers
Monitors
Effects
Microphones
Wireless Systems

SETTING UP THE STAGE
Overview
Input Types
Mic Selection/Placement
Monitor Placement
Front of House Speaker Placement (Delays)

USING A MIXING CONSOLE
Overview
Input Channel
Aux Sends
Using Effects
Monitor Mixes
SubGroups
Advanced Applications

TROUBLESHOOTING
What kinds of problems will you have?
Understanding Signal Flow
Troubleshooting Logic
Line Checks
Wireless Systems
Feedback Issues
Distortion
Sound Checks

MIXING
Breakdown of the tools available
Blending Levels
Using EQ
Controlling Dynamics
Using Effects
Monitor Mixes

RECORDING/DUPLICATION
Recording
Duplication

GRADUATION!

 

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ULTIMATE GUITAR TONE SCHOOL

The Ultimate Guitar Tone School is a complete Encyclopedia of Guitar Tone designed to give you a ticket to an experience that is difficult if not impossible to get anywhere else.

A single place to hear each and every part of your guitar tone signal chain broken down into their individual elements so that you can emulate any tone you wish.

An online library of video modules that take you on a tour of the decades of guitar masters and how tones have been built by Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Brian May, Keith Richards and Eddie Van Halen.

INTRODUCTION
Breakdown of course subjects
History of the Electric Guitar
Variables in Signal Chain

WHAT IS TONE?
What is Sound?
Understanding Standing Waves & Harmonics
Nodes and Antinodes
Harmonic Content on Guitar String
Harmonics produced by Distortion
Understanding Modulation

GUITARS
Main Guitar Types
Pickup Demonstrations (all positions)
- Fender Stratocaster
- Fender Telecaster
- Epiphone Les Paul
- Epiphone 335 Dot
- 1967 Gretsch with FilterTrons
- 1961 Fender Jazzmaster
- 2007 Duesenberg Starplayer TV
- 1969 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop with Lollar Imperials
Guitar Controls
Guitar Woods
Necks
Scale Length
Pickup Placement
MIDI Pickups

AMPS
Overview
DIY "Lamington" Tube Amp
How do Tube Amps work?
Tone Stacks
Reading Schematics
Building the "Lamington" Tube Amp
Gain Staging
 - Fenders
 - Marshalls
 - Hi Gain
Amp Effects Loops
Amp Switching

SPEAKERS / MICS
Overview
Specifications
Series / Parallel
Impedance Matching
Miking up Amps
Microphone Positions and Blending

EFFECTS
Overview
Gain (Overdrive, Distortion & Fuzz)
Dynamics (Compressors & Noise Gates)
Flangers
Phasers
Chorus
Tremolo / Vibrato
Rotary Speaker Emulators
Ring Modulators
Wah-wah
EQs
Pitch Shifters
Delays (Slapback, Rockabilly, Ping-pong, Patterned)
Reverb
Loopers
Effect Order
Buffers

RIGS
Overview
Pedalboard Design
True Bypass Loopers
Effect Loops
4-Wire Setup
Wet-Dry Rigs
Wet-Dry-Wet Rigs

ICONIC TONES
Fender Era
 - Chuck Berry
 - BB King
 - Keith Richards
 - Stevie Ray Vaughan
 - Brian Setzer
 - Brent Mason
Marshall Era
 - Jimmy Hendrix
 - Eric Clapton
 - Jimmy Page
 - Joe Perry
 - Billy Gibbons
 - Slash
High-Gain Era
 - Eddie Van Halen
 - Randy Rhoades
 - Zakk Wylde
 - Eric Johnson
Vox Era
 - Gretsch / Vox Combo
 - Duesenberg / Vox Combo
 - Brian May

GRADUATION!

 

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MASTERCLASS - COMPRESSORS, LIMITERS & GATES

If you've been looking to the absolutely BEST training on the planet for Compression, Limiting and Noise Gates...you've found it! Over 3 hours of Premium Training on all things to do with dynamic processing.

While I cover these subjects in our Ultimate Home Recording School and Ultimate Live Sound School, this course is for you maniacs who want to know it ALL :)  The knowledge and examples in this course are of the caliber that you would find taught in high end $30,000 a year sound schools like Berklee and Full Sail.

INTRODUCTION
Variety of Dynamics Processors
History of Dynamics Processors
Compression Analogies
Compressors, Limiters & Gates

COMPRESSORS
Detection & Gain Reduction
Example: Matching Levels of Sidestick and Snare
Makeup Gain
Threshold, Ratio & Makeup
Attack & Release Times
Example: Shaping a Tom Sound
Example: Guitars & Bass
Knees
Limiters
RMS vs Peak Metering

NOISE GATES
Explanation of Noise Gates
Background Noise Gating Example
Example: Noisy Guitar
Example: Gating Drums

ROUTING
The Main Channel Types
Single Channel
Subgroubs
Master Channels
In the Hardware World
In the Software World
Sidechains
Example: Dance Music Pad
Example: Ducking Vocal Announcement
Example: De Essing
Parallel Processing
Serial Processing

TYPES OF COMPRESSORS
Vintage Compressors
Optical
FET
Tube
VCA
Multiband Compressors
Pop Quiz of multiple Compressors

DYNAMIC PROCESSORS IN ACTION
...Kick Drum
...Snare Drum
...Bass Guitar
...Electric Guitar
...Acoustic Guitar
...Acoustic Piano
...Male Vocal 1
...Male Vocal 2
...Male Vocal 3
...Female Vocal 1
...Female Vocal 2
...Female Vocal 3
...Split Vocal Example

BONUS MATERIAL
RMS vs. Peak Metering
Geek Math Section ;)
Understanding Presets
Bonus Trick!

 

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MASTERCLASS - EQ

If you've been looking to the absolutely BEST training on the planet to be a master of EQ...you've found it! Over 3 hours of Premium Training on all things to do with EQ.

While I cover these subjects in our Ultimate Home Recording School and Ultimate Live Sound School, this course is for you maniacs who want to know it ALL :)  The knowledge and examples in this course are of the caliber that you would find taught in high end $30,000 a year sound schools like Berklee and Full Sail.

INTRODUCTION

What is EQ?
Types of EQ

THE FREQUENCY SPECTRUM
20Hz to 20K Sweep
Wavelengths
The EQ Chart
Octaves and Hz
Where is Midrange?
Graphic EQs
How to choose EQ points

USING THE TOOLS
Basic Bass and Treble
Channel Strip EQ
Parametric EQ
EQ Routing

EQ IN ACTION (DRUMS/BASS)
Kick Drum
Snare Drum
Hi Hat
Toms
Overheads
Ride
Room Mics
Shakers
Tambourine
Bass - Fingered
Bass - Picked
SONG 1
Kick
Snare
Hi Hat
Toms
Cymbals
Bass
Acoustic Guitar
Clean Electric Guitar
Electric Guitar Effects
Electric Guitar 2
Guitars Group
Piano and Keyboards
Vocals and Overall Mix
Vocal Solos - Male and Female Examples
SONG 2
Overview
Bass
Acoustic Guitar
Electric Guitar and Keys
Vocals
Vocal Radio Effect
SONG 3
Overview
Vocals

TOP TEN EQ TIPS & TRICKS
Using a Spectral Viewer
Boost Wide and Cut Narrow
Harmonics and Overtones
Negative EQ
Radio Effect
Using Subgroups
In Place EQing
EQing Performances
Time Management
Use your Ears

 

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MASTERCLASS - KILLER VOCALS

If you've been looking to the absolutely BEST training on the planet for Producing, Arranging and Recording Killer Vocals...you've found it! Over 4 hours of Premium Training.

While there are many production tools that give you "plug and play" radio-quality sounds to your mixes, getting Killer Vocals is one of the last elements of your mix that can't be cured by just using the "right microphone" or latest plugin.  David Wills takes you step by step through the industry best practices that are used in all major studios.  Look through all the subjects covered from caring for and warming up your voice, to arrangement, editing and mixing to get the kinds of vocals that you deserve but have not been able to get.

Don't buy another microphone or preamp thinking that will fix your problems...get the training you need to get the vocal sounds of your dreams.

INTRODUCTION

YOUR VOCALS
Physiology of your Voice
Proper Breathing Technique
Chest vs Belly Breathing
Falsetto
Warming Up Exercises
Hydration
Yawning
Core Warmup
Neck and Shoulders Warmup
Mouth and Tongue Warmup
Lip Trills
Tongue Trills
Breathing Warmup
1-3-5 Sirens
1-3-5-Octave Sirens
The Big Three Enemies

VOCAL PARTS
Benefits of Vocal Arrangements
Types of Vocal Parts
Harmony 101
Using a Keyboard for Chord Shapes
Becoming a Student of Harmony

TRACKING VOCALS
Microphone Recommendations
Phantom Power
Addressing your Microphone
Mounting your Microphone
Proximity Effect
Handling Plosives
Using Pop Filters
Setting Levels
Preparing for Tracking Vocals
Auditioning our Backing Tracks
Tracking your Lead Vocal
Punching In
Comping Vocals
Editing Comps
Doubling Vocals
Performance Tricks
Doubling Example
Double Levels
Harmony Example 1 - "Echo parts"
Importance of Preset Tracks
Basic mix of 3 part Harmonies
Plate Reverb on Harmonies
Cleaning up Edit Points
Harmony Example 2 - "Call and Response"
Harmony Example 3 - "Pad or Wash"
Confidence in Falsettos Parts
"Flying" Vocals
Harmony Example 4 - "Call and Response 2"
"Flying" Vocals example 2
Bridge Vocals

EDITING VOCALS
Editing Lead vs. Backing Vocals
Cleaning up Timeline
Color Coding Tracks
Time Correcting Doubled Vocals
Correcting Hard Consonants
Correcting Time Slices
Pitch Correction Overview
Correction Speed
Formant Control
Time Correcting Bridge Harmonies
Sliding Releases
Pitch Editing our Lead Vocal
Chopping Parts
Working with Drift
Working with Transition Time
Working with Glissando Parts

MIXING VOCALS
Backing Tracks Mix
Rhythm Section Mix
Lead Vocal vs Double balance
Lead Vocal vs Harmonies balance
Compress before EQ
Compressing the Lead Vocal
Creating a Crush Channel
Creating a Backing Vocal Crush Buss
Cleaning up Backing Vocals with Noise Gates
EQ Overview "Corrective vs Creative"
EQing our Lead Vocal
Using a HPF
Adding "Air" to Lead Vocal
Removing "Boxiness" from Lead Vocal
Adding "Intelligibility" to Lead Vocal
Creating EQ Presets
Adding Time Based Effects
Early Reflections vs Tail
Delays with Feedback
Adding a "Radio Effect" Echo
Completing the Final Mix
Automation

GRADUATION

 

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MASTERCLASS - MIXING

The Masterclass in Mixing course is your answer to getting the mix that you deserve.  In over 3 1/2 hours of premium training you'll learn precisely how to break apart a mix and build it up from scratch.

Using standard tools like EQ, Gates and Compression along with more advanced techniques like Transient Design and Parallel Crush Busses, you'll see 2 complete songs mixed right before your eyes.

"Forever Begins Today" is a Pop song with real drums, funky guitars and massive layers of vocals. Then "Next to You" is a 6/8 ballad with electronic drums, piano, acoustic and distorted guitars and a "quartet" style backing vocal arrangement.

Not only is this perfect for recording musicians, it's also great practice for live sound engineers to use some industry standard techniques along with newer "secrets" that give you a perfect mix. And because all source audio and MIDI files are included on the DVDs and the online access page...you can drop them into your favorite DAW or hardware recorder and quickly try your own mixes.

As a BONUS, there is an Exclusive Interview with Clark Hagan (Grammy Award Winning Audio Engineer) who has studied under Elvis's long time engineer. Yours free with the course.