District Sound Lab is a state of the art recording and audio production facility based in Bethesda, MD, just outside of Washington, DC.

Our mission is to provide a wide range of studio services while focusing on MIDI arrangement and sound synthesis. We are unique in that we specialize in loop-based music, including electronic dance music, down tempo, hip-hop and many other genres. We achieve professional quality results using a combination of cutting edge digital technology and classic analog gear.

We strive to provide the DC Metro area with the best quality studio services and lessons.

District Sound Lab offers a wide range of services at a very reasonable rate, including:

• Recording
• Mixing
• Production
• Mastering
• Corporate Services
• Lessons

Please call or e-mail us for rates. Review our policies and disclaimers.

To discuss the details of your project or lesson needs, contact us at: info@districtsoundlab.com or call 240.535.6935.

"Repetition doesn't really exist. As far as your mind is concerned, nothing happens the same twice, even if in every technical sense, the thing is identical. Your perception is constantly shifting. It doesn't stay in one place."
-Brian Eno

Web design & development by Paul Pick-Aluas. Art direction & photography by Alison Bours. Additional photography by Andy Fundeneanu. Logo design by Graham Jackson. Thanks to George Pick for the camera equipment and advice.

Computers	Mac Pro
	2 x MacBook Pro
Monitors	2 x 22" Monitors
	32" LCD Television
Audio Interfaces	Apogee Ensemble
	Native Instruments Audio Kontrol 1
Speakers	Event Opals
	Avantone Mixcubes
	Klipsch ProMedia 2.1
Headphones	Sennheiser HD600
	Sennheiser HD25 II
	Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro
	Sony MDR7506
	Etymotic Research ER-4P
Controllers	Tascam US2400 24-Fader DAW Controller
	Novation Remote 37 SL MIDI Keyboard
	Akai MPD18
	Akai APC40 Ableton Controller
	Evolution UC33e
	Focusrite Liquid Mix 32
	Akai MPK Mini
	M-Audio Sustain Pedal
Hardware Synthesizers	Moog Minimoog Voyager RME
	Dave Smith Instruments Prophet '08
	Access Virus TI
	Novation Bass Station
Microphones	2 x Audio Technica AT4050 Condenser Microphones
	Electro-Voice RE20 Dynamic Microphone
Guitars	Fender Deluxe American Stratocaster
	Fender Deluxe Mexican Jazz Bass
Guitar Pedals	Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner Pedal
	Fulltone Clyde Wah Pedal
	Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer
	Boss BD-2 Blues Driver
	Electro-Harmonix Small Stone Phaser Pedal
	Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man
Miscellaneous Hardware	Mogami cables
	2 x PowerCenter Pro 900
	M-Audio MidiSport 4x4 MIDI Interface
	Behringer UltraPatch Pro Patch Bay
Software	Logic Pro 9
	Ableton Suite 8
	Waves Mercury Bundle
	Celemony Melodyne Editor
	Antares Auto-Tune Evo
	Native Instruments Komplete 7
	Native Instruments Kore 2
	Native Instruments Deep Freq
	Focusrite Liquid Mix 32
	FXpansion GURU
	Spectrasonics Trilian
	Rob Papen Predator
	Rob Papen SubBoomBass
	Rob Papen Albino 3
	G-Force Oddity
	Novation Bass Station
	u-He Zebra 2
	Izotope Ozone 4
	Izotope Nectar
	Izotope Vinyl
	Mixed in Key
	And many others...
Acoustic Treatment	8 x 6" Thick Vertical Corner Bass Traps
	12 x 4" Thick Wall-Ceiling Corner Bass Traps
	4" Thick Ceiling Cloud
	2" Thick First and Second Reflection Point Panels
	4" Thick Front Wall Panels (SBIR)
	4' x 4' Rear Wall 2D Diffuser Array
	24 x 1' x 1' Side Wall Diffusers

Computers	2.8 GHz Quad Core Mac Pro w/ 10GB RAM running an OCZ Vertex2 Solid State Drive, 2 x 1TB WD Caviar Black Hard Drives, 500GB WD Scorpio Hard Drive
	2.16 GHz MacBook Pro w/ 4GB RAM
	2.2 GHz Quad-Core 17" MacBook Pro with i7 chip, 8GB RAM, running a 120GB OWC Mercury EXTREME Pro 6G solid state drive and 500GB 7200rpm serial ATA drive
Monitors	2 x Acer 22" Monitors — Our two primary computer screens.
	32" Olevia LCD Television — For visual inspiration.
Audio Interfaces	Apogee Ensemble — The flagship audio interface made by one of the most well respected companies in audio. Fully integrated with Apple computers, the Apogee Ensemble features 4 transparent preamps and the best converters in the business.
	Native Instruments Audio Kontrol 1 — Ultra compact and of top quality, the Audio Kontrol features two microphone preamps plus all the connections necessary to make it ideal for DJ'ing and mobile recording.
Speakers	Event Opals atop Primacoustic Recoil Stabilizers atop Sand-Filled Raxxess Speaker Stands — Simply the best studio monitors we have ever heard, and probably the best studio monitors in the world. The folks at Future Music felt the exact same way, announcing the Opals as the winner in their high-end monitor throw down and giving them the coveted Future Music Platinum award. Featuring a frequency response that ranges from 30Hz to 22kHz, the Opals offer deep, thumping bass, accurate mids, and crystal clear highs. These speakers are incredibly powerful at 750 watts each, making them ideal for pumping out techno and house day after day. Fortunately, they are also detailed enough for critical listening and mixing the most nuanced of sources. Resting these monsters atop Primacoustic's famed Recoil Stabilizers provides the best decoupling in the business and allows them to work to their fullest potential.
	Avantone Mixcubes atop Auralex MoPads — Although having a pair of super-speakers like the Event Opals is wonderful, it is just as important to have a pair of crappy speakers. For years, engineers have been checking their mixes on the notorious Yamaha NS10's and Auratones with the mentality that, "If it sounds good through these, it will sound good through anything". We agree, and always check our mixes through these little boxes. Also, since they have no crossovers they are ideal for checking critical midrange decisions such as the volume of vocals or electric guitars.
	Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 — This small subwoofer equipped system is great for seeing what things will sound like through a very common low end, bass hyped rig. Same idea as the MixCubes, but a very different kind of sound.
Headphones	Sennheiser HD600 — In our humble opinion, the best headphones in the world (at least below $1000). The HD600's are the more accurate version of their newer cousin, the HD650's. Having the most accurate bass and smoothest response we have ever heard in a headphone, these cans are perfect for checking details and also work well as yet another reference for mixing.
	Sennheiser HD25 II — Our favorite pair of DJ'ing and general listening headphones. They feature a very forward, punchy sound. They also provide a lot of isolation, which is a definite plus.
	Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro — Offering a much deeper, darker sound, the DT770s are certainly an acquired taste. A favorite reference for many electronic music producers (probably because of their very extended bass), these headphones are just great to have around for almost everything. Their superior isolation makes them very useful for tracking vocals, as well.
	Sony MDR7506 — Probably the most recognizable headphone in the world, these headphones have been a studio standard for many years. Although far brighter than anything else in our headphone arsenal, these cans are great for tracking.
	Etymotic Research ER-4P — We really love having the 'best of' in as many gear categories as possible, which is why we love these tiny ear buds. We never would have thought that in-ear headphones could provide studio-grade sound until we heard these. Simply unreal! And since they are literally 'in-ear' headphones, they offer by far the best isolation. Ideal for when you cannot afford any headphone bleed whatsoever.
Controllers	Tascam US2400 24-Fader DAW Controller — This 24-fader control surface is the centerpiece of our studio. Although it is useful for tracking and standard navigation, it is indispensable in mixing. Having full sized, 100mm faders makes all the difference. We could never go back to mixing with a mouse.
	Novation Remote 37 SL MIDI Keyboard — A fully featured MIDI controller, the Remote SL has a knob and slider for anything you could possibly want to control. This is incredibly useful for electronic music production considering that you are constantly tweaking more than one parameter at a time. Also, the keyboard action is really nice.
	Akai MPD18 — A bare bones pad controller. Perfect for experimenting with percussive lines and very useful in live situations for launching samples or anything else that you can think of.
	Akai APC40 Ableton Controller — The now-standard Ableton controller. We use it mostly for recording and performing Live sets although it works really well for producing, as well, especially for juggling ideas in Ableton's session view.
	Evolution UC33e — Featuring 24 assignable knobs and 9 assignable faders, this controller can be used for almost anything you can think of. Whether for tweaking soft synth parameters or EQ'ing tracks in your Live set, this is an incredibly useful controller.
	Focusrite Liquid Mix 32 Controller — The hardware counterpart of an extremely powerful software suite. Bringing analog feel to digital versatility, we simply love this device and use it in nearly all tracks produced in our studio. See software section for more details.
	Akai MPK Mini — A very useful mini 25-key MIDI controller. Ideal for travel and live sets.
	M-Audio Sustain Pedal
Hardware Synthesizers	Moog Minimoog Voyager RME — The rack mountable version of the most famous analog synthesizer in the world. Simply the fattest sounding synth in existence. Ideal for bass lines and other huge sounds.
	Dave Smith Instruments Prophet '08 — A very versatile, 8-voice analog synthesizer, the Prophet '08 is the modern incarnation of the classic Prophet V. Featuring a very different kind of analog sound than the Moog, the Prophet is famous for its lush string sounds and modulated effects.
	Access Virus TI — The German workhorse. The Virus TI is capable of over 80 stereo voices. It is one of the fattest sounding digital synthesizers out there. Simply put, it is an absolute beast, capable of delivering in every way. Although we really love our analog synths, if we could keep only one hardware synth, it would probably be this one.
	Novation Bass Station — A very portable but capable analog synth specialized in creating bass sounds. Great for reproducing TB-303 tones. A classic of the early '90s.
Microphones	2 x Audio Technica AT4050 Condenser Microphones — A very low noise, gorgeous sounding large diaphragm condenser microphone. We record all our vocals through this and are able to get phenomenal results. It is also ideal for recording acoustic guitar and other acoustic instruments.
	Electro-Voice RE20 Dynamic Microphone — The classic broadcast microphone. Perfect for voice-overs, although it can work really well with some vocalists. After all, it's what Thom Yorke uses.
Guitars	Fender Deluxe American Stratocaster w/ Lindy Fralin Vintage Hot Pickups and Blender Wiring — A beautiful sounding, classic, American made axe. As good as Stratocasters get. The Lindy Fralin pickups give it just a bit more output, darkening the sound a bit and making it easier to push it into distortion. The Blender wiring allows the mixing of neck and bridge pickups, an option usually only possible on Telecasters. The result is, as you may have guessed, a very Telecaster like tone.
	Fender Deluxe Mexican Jazz Bass — Classic jazz bass tone. The noiseless pickups are great for recording as they eliminate single coil hum.
Guitar Pedals	Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner Pedal
	Fulltone Clyde Wah Pedal — A boutique wah wah pedal with a very wide range, the Fulltone Clyde sounds fantastic.
	Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer, Modified By Keeley Electronics — The classic mid-hump overdrive popularized by many guitarists. The Keeley mod brings it back to the quality of the original units.
	Boss BD-2 Blues Driver, Modified By Keeley Electronics — A much more scooped kind of overdrive, the Blues Drive has a much more metallic sort of tone. In combination with the Tube Screamer, just about any guitar tone imaginable can be greated. The Keeley mod brings it back to the quality of the original units.
	Electro-Harmonix Small Stone Phaser Pedal — A classic phaser pedal that generates thick, sweeping phase shifts with liquid transparency.
	Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man Delay/Chorus/Vibrato Pedal — Our favorite guitar pedal ever! Generates beautifully organic sounding analog delay. Nothing beats running an analog synthesizer through this unit.
Miscellaneous Hardware	Mogami cables — All primary connections are made using high quality Mogami cables.
	2 x PowerCenter Pro 900 — All gear is run through these power centers to provide high quality power and prevent spikes that can cause damage and compromise sound quality.
	M-Audio MidiSport 4x4 MIDI Interface — USB MIDI hub used to connect all external modules.
	Behringer UltraPatch Pro Patch Bay — The only Behringer product we would ever consider using. Works great! Does not adversely affect the sound in any way.
Software	Logic Pro 9 — Our primary DAW. Although we use dozens of other pieces of software, we always end up running everything into Logic and doing our mixing and mastering here. The integration with Apogee is perfect, the software is very stable, the environment is professional and yields an efficient workflow, and the sound engine is top notch. The included Soundtrack Pro and WaveBurner software are great for everything from reducing noise to mastering and compiling CDs.
	Ableton Suite 8 — For our purposes, Ableton is an incredibly powerful composition tool and live performance platform, although it is definitely capable as a fully featured DAW in its own right. The non-linear environment and unique plug-ins that come with Ableton are incredibly inspirational. It also allows for very creative free form performance, live production, or 'DJ'ing', if you wish to call it that.
	Waves Mercury Bundle — The biggest and baddest bundle from the best plugin company in the world, Waves. Featuring over 100 processors and over 250 component plugins, the Mercury Bundle includes everything from classic compressors and equalizers to time-domain effects and analog component modeling, Finally-the world of Waves in one massive collection!
	Celemony Melodyne Editor — Quite possibly the coolest piece of kit we possess, Melodyne not only lets you correct time and pitch, but also does the seemingly impossible and lets you pick individual notes out of polyphonic material! Celemony's impressive DNA (Direct Note Access) analyzes chords, splits them into their individual notes, and lets you work with the pitch of each of those notes. Melodyne Editor also lets you transpose notes, change timing, and even change formants, for perfect results everytime.
	Antares Auto-Tune Evo — Incredibly precise and easy to use, Auto-Tune is a studio staple. Aside from standard pitch correction, it also allows for the notorious effect made famous by T-Pain and Cher.
	Native Instruments Komplete 7 — Native Instruments' massive suite featuring 24 incredible sounding synthesizers, samplers, pianos, organs, emulations and effects! Our personal favorites are Battery 3, Massive, FM8, and Kontakt. Featuring tools that are used by nearly every EDM producer in the world, Komplete 7 is definitely the most powerful music production software suite out there.
	Native Instruments Kore 2 — A universal sound platform that integrates all software instruments and effects into a single, unified interface. Includes some very unique features such as stacking and morphing sounds.
	Native Instruments Deep Freq — A very powerful and unique sounding multi-effect hybrid that exploits the engines of Absynth, Guitar Rig, and Reaktor. Used by many producers including one of our favorites, Martin Buttrich.
	Focusrite Liquid Mix 32 — Including a very useful hardware controller, the Liquid Mix encompasses a huge collection of emulations of classic compressors and equalizers. Featuring emulations of tube, discrete, silicon chip, optical, and hybrid hardware, the Liquid Mix includes over 40 compressor and 20 EQ models, including many of the classics that have been used for decades. Used by many famous EDM producers including Chris Liebing and D. Ramirez.
	FXpansion GURU — A very powerful self contained beat production suite, GURU takes the best features of hardware beat boxes, drum samplers, and loop manglers, and combines them into a unique, inspirational instrument.
	Spectrasonics Trilian — Trilian is a programmable, sample-based Virtual Bass Module that combines a massive 34-gigabyte core library with a powerful synth engine and easy to use interface. It is the successor to Spectrasonics' award-winning Trilogy bass instrument, offering deeper control and a library 10 times bigger than that of Trilogy.
	Rob Papen Predator — A massive sounding, very powerful synthesizer that is ideal for huge bass lines and cutting leads. Can also be used as an effect to run other sources through. Overall, a really awesome synth that finds itself in many studios.
	Rob Papen SubBoomBass — A synthesizer designed specifically for delivering low lows. Creates really massive sounds that somehow seem to always sit in the mix really nicely.
	Rob Papen Albino 3 — One of Rob Papen's classic synths, Albino 3 is a workhorse capable of pretty much anything you throw at it.
	G-Force Oddity — A beautifully done emulation of ARP's classic analog Odyssey synthesizer that was manufactured between 1971 and 1976 and used by a diverse roster of artists including Kraftwerk, Portishead, and Herbie Hancock. Features a very unique morphing feature that allows for a real time transition between two user defined presets.
	Novation Bass Station — An emulation of the classic 1990's synthesizer that was used in countless electronic tracks. Carefully modeled to recreate the distinctive analog-digital character of the original (it had digital oscillators and an analog filter), the Bass Station is a very useful tool.
	u-He Zebra 2 — The brainchild of mad scientist Urs Heckmann, Zebra 2 is an incredibly powerful wireless modular synthesizer. It combines numerous synthesis techniques (subtractive, additive, fm, wavetable, etc.) with a powerful modulation engine that smoothly integrates with the built-in effects section.
	Izotope Ozone 4 — Great sounding, all in one mastering solution. We occasionally use it as a part of our mastering chain, although we advise against doing all of the mastering work with this one tool. Also very useful on individual tracks.
	Izotope Nectar — A complete vocal suite featuring 11 vocal production effects. Has all the features of the famed auto tune, plus much, much more.
	Izotope Vinyl — Authentic Lo-Fi vinyl simulation.
	Mixed in Key — Used by many A-list DJ's including Dubfire, Pete Tong, David Guetta, and many others, Mixed in Key analyzes music and determines key and tempo information, easily facilitating harmonic mixing and allowing for quick organization of sets.
	And many others...
Acoustic Treatment	By far the most important pieces of gear in the studio. In fact, if you ever plan on setting up your own home studio, we cannot implore you more to spend your money on acoustic treatment before almost anything else. It has made by far the biggest improvement in sound in our studio. More than the speakers. More than the interface. Our acoustic treatment scheme is one that we spent weeks planning and implemented under the advisement of some of the most reputable acousticians in the country.
	8 x 6" Thick Vertical Corner Bass Traps
	12 x 4" Thick Wall-Ceiling Corner Bass Traps
	4" Thick Ceiling Cloud
	2" Thick First and Second Reflection Point Panels
	4" Thick Front Wall Panels (SBIR)
	4' x 4' Rear Wall 2D Diffuser Array
	24 x 1' x 1' Side Wall Diffusers

The growth in affordable music studios around the world combined with advancements in music technology have led to an increased expectation for independent musicians to have high quality professionally recorded tracks. We strive to give musicians the opportunity to invest in their careers by creating professional recordings to share with fans and record labels alike.

Our combination of high-end recording equipment and strategically placed acoustic treatment allow us to create beautiful sounding, professional quality recordings. From our high-end condenser microphones to our cream of the crop Apogee converters, our pristine signal flow ensures the highest quality recording possible at a very affordable price.

While we specialize in vocals, we can professionally record anything from acoustic and electric guitars to any instrument in an orchestra.

Please call or e-mail us for rates.

"Talking about music is like dancing about architecture."
-Martin Mull

If you ask most music fans why they purchase certain albums, you might be surprised to learn that the way an album sounds is usually as big a factor as the actual songwriting. The truth is, mixing music is as much of an art as writing it, and this could not be truer with electronic music, where some of the mixing techniques involved are literally part of the composition.

Mixing is a nonlinear balancing act. Having a well-trained ear and profound understanding of the processes and tools involved is of paramount importance. Also having a neutral mixing environment and high quality equipment is of the essence.

Our elaborate acoustic treatment scheme and incredibly accurate Event Opal monitors allow us to hear every nuance so we can make correct mixing decisions. We possess the room, equipment, knowledge, and experience to make your mix sound balanced, pristine, and professional.

Please call or e-mail us for rates.

"A mix is a sonic portrait of the music. The same as different portraits of a person can each project a unique impression, different mixes can convey the essence of the music in extremely different ways. We are mixing engineers but more importantly, we are mixing artists."
-Roey Izhaki

The traditional role of a music producer is to be the overseer of quality at every level of a project, from recording all the way through mastering. He or she makes sure the overall final product is as perfect as possible, acting almost like a director on a film set. The electronic music and hip-hop producer, however, is the actual composer and arranger of the instrumentals of a song.

District Sound Lab offers both 'kinds' of production, providing guidance and cohesiveness to musicians who want to turn their ideas into complete songs, as well as creating beats and arrangements for singers and rappers in need of instrumentals.

Our strong foundation in and primary focus on sound synthesis and composition makes us very capable in all styles of production. Whether you are a singer, rapper, or composer, we can take your ideas to the next level and turn them into a professional work of art.

Please call or e-mail us for rates.

"Today's producers have become the quintessential factors in ensuring an album's success. They provide an overall energy or vibe to the whole project. It is a cohesiveness that is conceptualized and applied to the entire project."
-David Gibson

Mastering has earned a bit of a mysterious reputation, perhaps because of its subtle and artistic nature. In a nutshell, it is a form of audio post-production that essentially involves taking the final mix and preparing it for duplication.

It involves a series of very subtle changes including fixing minor flaws, applying noise reduction, adjusting the stereo width, equalizing the mix as a whole, compressing or expanding the dynamic range, and adjusting the volume so that it is at a competitive level.

Mastering also involves setting the spacing between songs, creating or correcting fades, and adjusting the sequence and relative volume levels of songs on an album so that it flows smoothly from beginning to end.

It is the last step in creating a professional level recording, adding the final polish that will turn your mix into a commercially viable production.

We provide standard stereo mastering as well as stem mastering, which is a method based on creating sub mixes (drums, vocals, etc.) and mastering them individually, then combining the results into a final stereo file. We recommend this type of mastering for clients who are not fully confident in their mixes, or have a particularly problematic mix that is out of balance. Stem mastering offers much more control because each stem can be run through its own signal chain.

Please call or e-mail us for rates.

"Mastering is the process of turning a collection of songs into a record."
-Bobby Owsinski

We offer many corporate and miscellaneous studio services, including but not limited to:

• Video Post Production
• Audio for TV and Radio
• Sound Design
• Commercials
• Voice-Overs/Dubbing
• Music Beds
• Automated Recordings
• Jingles
• Karaoke

Please call or e-mail us for rates.

"If it sounds right, it IS right."
-Joe Meek

Initial Consultations

• Initial consultations are free of charge.

Payments

• Please call or e-mail us for rates.
• Billable session time begins at exact time booked.
• Time is billed in half hour increments.
• Overtime—if available—is at the same hourly rate.
• Pre-session setup time—if available—is at the same hourly rate.
• Accepted payment methods include cash, money orders, and PayPal. A 4% fee will be added to all PayPal payments. Paypal payments must be cleared before recording, mixing, and production sessions and lessons as well as before mastered songs are delivered.
• Payment is due in full at the beginning of a session.
• Rates are generally hourly but can be made per project so long as detailed terms are discussed and agreed upon before the beginning of the project.
• Package deals can also be discussed so long as they are agreed upon before the beginning of the project.
• For beat production and composition work, a flat fee must be negotiated on a per project basis.
• For mastering work, the rate is per song. Package deals can be negotiated for entire albums. Payment must be made in full before final masters are delivered.
• For lessons, 50% of total fee must be paid prior to commencement and 50% half way through the length of the class.
• Rates are subject to change.

Cancellation

• Clients are required to cancel a session at least 48 hours in advance. Failure to do so will incur a fee of 50% of the respective session's total cost that must be paid prior to the next session.

Project Storage

• Due to the unreliable nature of digital media, District Sound Lab cannot guarantee the safe use or storage of digital audio files. We do have a back up system for all project data, however, all clients are required to provide their own hard drive on which to back up all files during and after every single session to prevent the loss of project files.

CDs

• Clients can bring their own blank CDs on which to burn updated versions of projects, if desired. All clients are entitled to a free burned CD upon completion of respective project.

District Sound Lab offers a variety of lessons catered specifically to the aspiring modern musician. All of our lessons are hands on and one-on-one, allowing full attention to be paid to the needs and interests of every student.

Each lesson features a very specific curriculum but can be custom tailored to your particular interests. For example, electronic music and hip-hop production techniques are very similar but have different focuses. We would be happy to adjust our lessons to fit your preferred musical taste. We also do not lock you into lessons. You can start and stop whenever you want.

Lessons for pairs of students are available upon request for a fee of one and a half the single student cost.

*** All lessons are now available! ***

Please contact us for pricing and other information. Discounts and block rates are available!

Available Lessons:

• EMP101 Electronic Dance Music Production
• LOG101 Introduction to Music Production with Logic Pro 9
• LOG301 Advanced Music Production with Logic Pro 9
• ABL101 Music Production with Ableton Live 8
• ABL102 Live Performance with Ableton Live 8
• REC101 Principles of Recording and Mixing
• MAS101 Principles of Mastering
• SYN101 Principles of Sound Synthesis
• CLS101 Critical Listening Skills
• ACO101 Principles of Studio Acoustics

Lesson Packages:

Custom lesson packages are available. Please let us know which lessons you are interested in and we can bundle them together for a discounted rate.

Hourly Lessons:

Hourly lessons are also available in any of the topics covered in our currently available courses. Packages are available.

Detailed Lesson Information

EMP101 Electronic Dance Music Production

This lesson is designed to teach you the techniques used in electronic dance music production. Regardless what style of electronic dance music you are into, the techniques are the same. This is our flagship lesson, and we highly recommend bundling it with a Logic or Ableton lesson as well as any others you may be interested in to further your understanding of the process as a whole. Topics include:

• Kick Drum Techniques
• Snare Drum and Clap Techniques
• Hi-Hat Techniques
• Cymbal and Percussion Techniques
• Drum Programming
• Adjusting the Groove
• Bass Techniques
• Sub Bass Techniques
• Vocal Techniques
• Editing Vocals
• Vocal Production and Effects
• Side-Chaining
• Sampling
• Basic Synthesis
• Leads, Stabs, and Arpeggios
• Keyboards and Pads
• Adding Effects
• Loops
• Arrangement - Structure of a Tech-House Track
• Arrangement - Structure of an Electro Track
• Arrangement - Structure of a Vocal House Track
• Transitional Elements
• Mixing Techniques
• Automation and MIDI Controllers
• Mastering Techniques
• Remixing
• Project - Creating a Track From Start to Finish

LOG101 Introduction to Music Production with Logic Pro 9

This lesson offers a comprehensive introduction to professional audio production with Logic Pro 9. You will learn the basics of every step of the production process, including recording, arranging, mixing, producing, and polishing audio with Logic Pro 9. Topics include:

• Installation and Preferences
• Exploring the Interface and Navigating the Project
• Recording and Editing Audio
• Recording, Programming, and Editing MIDI
• Programming Drums with Ultrabeat
• Manipulating Tempo and Time Stretching
• Arrangement
• Mixing
• Automation and MIDI Controllers
• Using External MIDI Devices
• Troubleshooting and Optimization
• Keyboard Shortcuts

LOG301 Advanced Music Production with Logic Pro 9

This lesson builds on the concepts learned in the introductory Logic course to take your skills to the next level. You will increase your workflow efficiency and accelerate editing tasks. You will also unlock the vast potential of Logic's powerful software instruments by designing your own sounds from scratch. Topics include:

• Building Drum Sounds with Ultrabeat
• Synthesis with the ES2
• Sampling with the EXS24 mkII
• Sound Design with Sculpture
• Speeding Up Workflow
• Working with Time and Pitch
• Working with the Arrangement
• Advanced Audio Editing
• Advanced MIDI Editing
• Managing the Mix and Controlling Signal Flow
• MIDI Processing in the Environment

ABL101 Music Production with Ableton Live 8

This lesson offers a comprehensive introduction to professional audio production with Ableton Live 8. You will learn how Ableton handles every step of the production process, including recording, arranging, mixing, producing, and live performance. Topics include:

• Installation and Preferences
• Exploring the Interface and Navigating the Project
• Creation, Production, and Performance
• The Live Browser and Control Bar
• Audio in Live
• MIDI in Live
• Recording and Global Record
• Arrangement View - The Linear Method
• Session View - The Nonlinear Method
• Clips, Tracks and Scenes
• Audio and MIDI Clips
• Grooves
• Grouping Tracks
• Automation and MIDI Controllers
• Elastic Time and Warp Modes
• Loops and Slicing
• Live's Instruments
• Audio and MIDI Effects
• Device Racks
• DJing and Live Performance

ABL102 Live Performance with Ableton Live 8

This lesson explores the methods of using Live as a powerful performance platform. You will learn how to harness the power of Live's unique real time features, which will allow you to do everything from DJing and live remixing to creating mixes and recording podcasts. Topics include:

• Installation and Preferences
• Exploring the Interface and Navigating the Project
• The Arrangement and Session Views
• Clips, Tracks, and Scenes
• Audio and MIDI Clips
• Audio and MIDI Effects
• Elastic Time and Warp Modes
• The Crossfader
• Looping
• Live Scrubbing
• Using Live Controllers (UC33e and APC40)
• Using Effects Live
• Sampling Techniques
• Mixing Techniques
• Recording the Performance

REC101 Principles of Recording and Mixing

This lesson explores the fundamental audio engineering principles that are absolutely essential to anyone interested in learning how to record, mix, and produce music. After all, what is the point in learning about Logic or Ableton's compressors if you don't actually know how to use them? Topics include:

• Sound and Hearing
• Studio Procedures
• Signal Flow
• Digital Audio Technology
• MIDI
• Synchronization
• Noise Reduction
• Monitoring
• Phase
• Microphone Design
• Microphone Applications
• Signal Processing
• Equalization
• Distortion
• Compression
• Limiting
• Expansion
• Gating
• Volume
• Delay
• Pitch Shift
• Reverb
• Automation
• Panorama, Frequency Range, Depth, and Balance
• The Process of Mixing
• Checking the Mix
• Cross-Checking the Mix
• Preparing for Mastering

MAS101 Principles of Mastering

Mastering has a mysterious reputation because of its subtle and artistic nature. Most mastering houses have multi-million dollar rooms and engineers with decades of experience. This lesson seeks to demystify mastering and teach you all the processes involved. You may not be able to get the same results as a pro mastering house, but you will be 90% of the way there. Topics include:

• Equalization
• Compression
• Multi-Band Compression
• Expansion
• Limiting
• Adjusting Stereo Width
• Adding Reverb
• Harmonic Exciter
• Fixing Flaws
• Noise Reduction
• Setting the Spacing Between Songs
• Adjusting the Relative Volume Levels of Songs
• Creating Fades
• The Loudness Wars

SYN101 Principles of Sound Synthesis

This lesson is designed to teach the fundamental principles of sound synthesis. You will learn about several kinds of synthesis although the focus is primarily on subtractive and FM synthesis since that is what a vast majority of synthesizers use. You will reverse engineer presets and learn how to build your own custom patches. Topics include:

• Analog, Digital and Hybrid Synthesizers
• Additive Synthesis
• Subtractive Synthesis
• Granular, Wavetable, and Phase Distortion Synthesis
• Global Controls
• Oscillators
• Filters
• LFOs
• Envelope Generators
• Modulation
• Adding Effects
• Arpeggiators
• Step Sequencers
• Sound Creation Techniques
• Automation and MIDI Controllers
• Comparing Synthesizers - The Moog Voyager, Dave Smith Prophet '08, and Access Virus

CLT101 Critical Listening Skills

By far the most important pieces of gear in a studio are our ears. Engineers and producers spend tens of thousands of dollars on expensive preamps and compressors but do not take the time to properly train their ears. This lesson aims to do just that. Topics include:

• Protecting Your Ears
• The Aesthetic of Sound in Recordings
• Understanding the Mix
• Developing Listening Skills
• Developing Sound Evaluation Skills
• Judging Sound Quality
• Estimating Frequencies, Sound Level Changes, and Band Limitations.
• Frequency Response Abnormalities
• Detecting Distortion
• Signal vs. Noise
• Voice Colorations
• Loudness, Pitch, and Timbre
• Masking
• Equal-Loudness Contours and Non-Linearities
• Consonance and Dissonance

ACO101 Principles of Studio Acoustics

The second most important piece of gear after ours ears is the sound of the mixing environment. In fact, what usually separates a home studio from a professional studio is the acoustics. This lesson will teach you the fundamental principles of studio acoustics and how to apply them to make the best of the space you have. Topics include:

• Fundamentals of Sound
• Acoustics vs. Sound Isolation
• First and Second Reflection Points
• Flutter Echo
• Reverberant Decay
• Room Modes and Standing Waves
• Room Dimensions and Shapes
• Why Not to Use EQ
• High Frequency Absorption
• Bass Traps
• Diffusion
• Case Studies and Analysis