Here's how you can master new audio production skills.

I think the most fundamental thing to remember when recording audio in the digital environment is making sure the signal does not exceed 0db. Setting your levels to record at around -18db to -12db is an optimal target range. Digital audio over 0db is distortion and not in a good way like analog.

All DAW’s have different strengths. You can try them and pick based on what is suited for your workflow. For Me: Pro tools-for tracking/editing studio sessions or onsite corporate records. It’s an empty shell at launch, so you can build what you need. Cubase-Mixing studio projects. It’s opens as a real mixer with all the tools. Nuendo live-recording live shows. Its acts as a tape machine. Wavelab-Mastering. A really well versed non-destructive finishing tool. Have fun, try different processes.

I often tell students that knowing what it is you're after is the most important thing. Without a target, it's impossible to know how to achieve it. Once you know where you're going, the how to get there becomes much easier. Technical skills can be taught, but artistic skills must be inherent and then honed. Once identified, start at the top of the signal chain and work your way down: mic placement is where tonality and equalization begin, then the console gain stage, then the console dynamics and inserts, equalization, leveling, foundational mixing, etc. However, before any mixing, an aligned system is key. Quality sound reinforcement must start with the best possible scenario in the form of an aligned system, as much as practical.

Mastering Audio Production Skills: A Lean Guide Craft Your Path: Identify your target skill (mixing, sound design, mastering?). Set realistic expectations for time commitment. Fuel Your Learning: Online courses (Coursera, Skillshare, Udemy) Books & eBooks (theory & practical application) YouTube tutorials (established creators) Industry blogs & websites (stay on trend) Software documentation (DAW's built-in resources) Master Through Practice: Active learning: Take notes, experiment, challenge yourself. Consistent practice: Schedule dedicated sessions, integrate into projects. Audio community: Share work, get feedback, learn from others. Refine Your Craft: Seek constructive feedback from experienced producers.

I have always found the most helpful way to master new audio production skills is through EXPERIMENTATION and PLAY. It's so necessary to be ok with not being an expert at a new thing right away. It's ok to throw spaghetti at the wall and see what comes out. That's how innovation happens.

Do a lot of different things: read poetry, go walking, cook, carve some wood, watch a play, talk to a therapist, draw with kids, go swimming, listen to the wind in trees, do spontaneous and unplanned things. This might not seem to be related to music production, but I can assure you that all these contrasting things will affect your work in ways no one could foresee. No masterclass or online tutorials can provide this type of learning. Unplugging and diversifying is part of learning the basics, or fundamentals, as my father use to say.

One thing I found helpful when starting was to watch YouTube Channels like Produce Like a Pro by Warren Huart. Warren goes over the fundamentals with care and a language that is easy to understand. I would watch his videos while having my DAW open ready to mimic what he was doing. At first, it is imitation, and stopping to hear what changes you are making to sound. With Warren, I learned the basics of recording instruments and vocals, as well as mixing and editing tracks. Warren shows these concepts using examples from both real-life home studios and professional studios. At the same time, I was learning how to navigate my DAW. This proved to be crucial because it became a tool instead of a hindrance to making music.

Understanding the fundamentals of audio production is crucial before diving into more complex techniques. Familiarize yourself with the basic concepts such as sound wave properties, frequency, amplitude, and the principles of digital audio. Knowing how to operate your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), the software used to record, edit, and mix audio, is equally important. Start with simple tasks like recording a voice or an instrument, and gradually progress to editing and mixing tracks. Mastering the basics of audio production has been essential. A solid understanding of core concepts and DAW operations has enabled me to tackle more complex projects with confidence, ensuring high-quality results.

Know your DAW and your tools, every single piece of gear you have, every single plugin, every single tip/trick you have watch or hear from anybody doesn't matter if personally or professionally or just a random interview on YouTube, simple reel on Instagram or TikTok. The goal is to have a clear inventory of all your resources, physical or intangible. Doesn't matter, once you have your list you can start focusing on learning one by one. The more you practice and spent time with those tools the faster you will learn to think within these you will learn to think and move through them to get the results you want, and the more you do it, the faster you will get them.

There are many types of workflows in audio production, and it is important to get reps in with each. Recording vocals, recording bands, editing drums, comping parts, and tuning vocals are all unique workflows with different best practices. It is important to identify the key commands and session setups that best accommodate each, and practice until they become second nature. The perfect engineer is one who does not get in the way of the music, and a big part of that is working quickly to capture inspiration as it strikes the artist. One of the worst things you can do as an engineer is kill the artist's vibe, either because you are too slow or any other reason. Daily practice will help you avoid this.

If you’re using a DAW then templates are the route to great and efficient work flows. They give you consistency, organisation and speed. Think about your work and build a template to help you advance each job from the very beginning.

In my years in the studio, I have found it useful to become part of the song. This means, as an engineer, you don't just hear the song, you listen to every part of it. You feel it. Every note of every instrument is important. The singer is a lead instrument, don't drown them. Know your platform in and out. listen to the producer and musicians and learn what they expect. You are the one with the magic that brings their music to life. Deliver what the producer is asking for and always in a professional manner. Great knowledge of the platform and how to utilize the proper workflow for any project is a must, though personality, respect and courtesy are a necessity for successful sessions.

I can say this is a really helpful practice but at the same time, don't burn yourself up. If you need to rest, do it. Our ears need special caring. Take care of them. We cannot recover from hearing lost. At the same time, every day I had a goal, let's say finishing some editing or comping vocals for one specific song, or do some sound design. Choose 1 task per day but make it. Do your best every single time.

Along with developing your unique sound you will also become more efficient and strealime your concept to finish work process. A audio producer that is creative but also extremely efficient with there ideas I believe is the most valuable. Espically when you are working with an artist and they need you to create or build an idea. Speed structure and creativity become the 3 most important attributes. And this strengthens with hours and hours of practice.

Consistency is key when honing any skill, and audio production is no exception. In my experience, dedicating time each day to practice is essential. One thing I’ve found helpful is experimenting with different sounds and genres to understand their interaction within your mixes. This also allows you to get comfortable with various audio effects and plugins, which can significantly enhance your sound. An example I’ve seen is a producer who diligently practiced daily, eventually developing a unique style and sound. Regular practice will deepen your understanding of audio production's nuances, enabling you to create more polished and distinctive work.

I always practice with raw audio and listen to how the music evolves in different markets. I love listening back to the music I create, aiming to find the best tone possible. I experiment with new gear and plugins, and I enjoy trying new styles in tracking and recording, even playing instruments while recording. My goal is to continually improve my ear and refine my ability to discern which frequencies work best for different kinds of audio. Depending on my ear, I determine whether a piece needs to be soft or loud, clean or distorted. Daily practice ensures my skills and understanding of audio production keep advancing.

I definitely agree. I would also add that just taking time to listen intently to mixes and music you find appealing coupled with training your ears to recognize the elements ( eq, compression, ambience, dynamics etc) will help you reach your goals in your own audio projects.

I encourage everyone to sit down and compose something every day. It can be 30 seconds long. Just get your creative juices flowing and put down ideas. BUT don't get trapped in never finishing ideas on the other hand.

There are countless resources for learning new techniques and mix tricks. The more you learn, you will actually find many start to contradict each other. Growing in your audio skills means far more than learning the craziest DAW routing, or experimental recording techniques. It often times means applying the appropriate “trick” to the right situation. And don’t neglect the basics. Getting amazing at EQ, the nuances of compression, etc, is - in and of itself - upgrading your audio skills.

Once you have a solid foundation in the basics, upgrade your skills by learning dynamic range control, adding depth with reverb, mastering techniques, and sound design. Experiment with different genres to expand your versatility. Stay updated with the latest industry trends and technology. Benefit from free tutorials, online courses, and attending workshops to gain valuable insights and inspiration.

learn to listen... listen to a lot of music, to train your ear, it's clear that all credible toturials... :-) are very important, but I can teach my youngest son, 14, to program a console and edit but I can't teach him to listen It takes talent to know how to listen... listening to music whenever possible is essential, the tools are within everyone's reach.

My approach has always been to upgrade skills through real-world applications. Every project presents a unique opportunity for growth and learning. Embracing new ideas and technologies, and exploring innovative methods to tackle traditional tasks, keeps the work fresh and exciting. By continually seeking out advanced techniques and incorporating new ideas in sound design, mixing, and mastering, we can elevate our craft and produce audio that truly stands out in the industry.

I strongly agree with upgrading your skill set. There are a lot of people that make great music but few that make great music that sounds professional. When you learn how to master and mix your music you gain control and an further creative reach. Sonically you can create wider,warmer,precievebly louder and cleaner music by learner these additional skills.

"Use your ears" and "learn to listen" are one of the most real and most hated responses but hey are true, the thing is you don't really understand them until you do, one day you are just suddenly listening to a song or something and you hear that "click" on your head and everything makes sense. I would say if you want to get to this point faster you need to use your brain as well and do some little critical thinking. What's instruments are here? Which sound / instrument the main character if this was a movie? What's the emotion behind it? Why the producer decided to make it this way? Also learning how to identify patterns and learning to count would do wonders for music production, mixing and mastering.

There are thousands of technical tricks to be learned in mixing and mastering. All of them are useful, but only if you can perform in your sleep. so at the risk of sounding repetitive, practice makes perfect. Also, knowing why you are attempted to achieve a certain fact is as important as achieving it. It’s quite common to spend hours equalising a piece of Audio only to discover that it needed no equalisation in the first place. Treat your tools like an instrument. For example, it isn’t sufficient just to know where to put your fingers on the guitar, the way in which you do it gives you the unique sound of your musicianship. This applies to mixing tools. And remember that’s the best piece of equipment you have is your ears.

Understand that working with audio is a vocation. It's something you'll find any excuse to do, regardless of where you are in your career. Being out in the field is just as important as messing around with software at home - volunteer at your town hall to enhance your craft skills (such as mixing or cable management). Provide sound equipement on a wet hire basis to people in your community. Offer audio editing and recording on top. Then solidify your craft skills with some real training, like a pro-tools course, or a quick diploma in DAW usage. Spread your wings and get involved in all the areas that audio can give you access to, such as sound for film, live sound, theatre, radio, TV and more!

Develop your ear, understand the music that you’re listening to understand the artist that you’re working with understand the project… And be aware…

I focused so much of my early work on the local community. It doesn't take long before your name become synonymous with audio, and before you know it you're inundated with jobs. The key is to know your worth, and judge each case carefully, making sure you're offering value for money without selling yourself short. Speaking to fellow professionals in the field is the best way to overcome this sometimes daunting business task!

Be careful not to over extended you networking. By this I mean, if you DM 35 people to connect,collab and build relationships. And 15 of them answer your DM , you need to make sure to follow up with all 15. Make promises and commitments that you can stand by. Once you connect with a handful of individuals nurture those interactions and build from there. Continue to network, but stay mindful of your current commitments and don't over extend yourself.

Having both academic and professional experience in audio, I can without a shred of doubt say that the times when I have grown the most and the quickest as an engineer are when I have had the opportunity to learn directly from other professionals on the job. Everyone has unique tips and tricks, and the more people you meet the more knowledge you will pick up to add to your arsenal. A good mentor will take you further than much else. Mentors can take many forms; a mentor can be an engineer, a producer, an artist, a studio manager, or even a studio owner. Each offers unique opportunities to learn directly or through exposure to their industry connections or through hands-on experience. Often a combination of these.

We got more opportunities for the people we know rather than the jobs we have done. I've been in more projects thanks to my own circle and friends than people who has come to me (Even if they do) still they don't have the same consistence than just working with my friends. So yeah, I would say go out there and meet as many people as possible that want to do what you want to do or something similar. My best friend is a singer and wants to be a singer, so I become her music producer. My other best friend is a writer and director so now I do all of his soundtracks. Make your portfolio and have fun, sooner or later the opportunity you are looking for will fall onto your lap.

The best and most well-known sound engineers and mixes in the world did not achieve this status simply by being the best. Somebody needs to know how good you are or at least they need to know that you are a sound engineer or mixer. Networking, meeting others, simply getting yourself in front of people; this is the holy grail of getting on in the industry.

Hunting down an inspirational mentor can totally change a person’s perspective and learning curve, especially when it comes to like minded individuals who might not be so focused as they think they are when they begin their journey in sound

If music production and creation lives in your DNA, then no one has to tell you to be hungry for knowledge. There is so much information out there that you would have to be completely ignorant not to take advantage of all the gems available for free. Keep learning, keep experimenting with your sound. Take time to perfect. Learn to become a perfectionist with your style and others will respect your hustle!

To truly improve on your audio production skills, it's important to stay current with the latest industry techniques and innovations, there’s so much information and knowledge out there just waiting for you to grab it. Make sure to Follow industry leaders and blogs to stay informed about new technologies and trends You can also attend workshops, conferences, masterclasses and online courses to enhance your skills (very important) Do some experimenting with new plugins, software, and hardware to stay ahead of the curve Collaborate and share knowledge with other professionals And make sure to stay connected with the audio production community

The industry is always changing. It is important to not only have good knowledge of where the industry came from, but where it is going. In addition to those listed... -Company email newsletters keep you up to date on new products and major updates. -Organizations such as the Audio Engineering Society are always publishing research and hosting events. -Participating in a network of audio professionals, either a close circle or a LinkedIn group, can help in up-to-date knowledge sharing.

Excellent perspective Mr. Henderson!!! I admire your insight. Your production skills are outstanding because of your musical DNA. You will do great things because of the skills and thought processes you have. God will bless all that you do!!!

Yes and no. It's cool to know about all the gear and the plugins but please don't get fixated on that, plugins don't finish songs, plugins don't fix bad audio automatically that's all bs. I do love gear & plugins, but they are not everything, stay updated on the trends and arrangement, music theory and more: Yes. Just plugins, gear and latest software updates no. Just learn whatever you have and if you find about something new and cool, explore it.

I would caution folks not to interpret this one to mean go out and buy new stuff when it is released. Definitely stay abreast of industry changes and ask yourself if you can accomplish similar end results with the gear you have. (Push your gear and knowdge to the limit and be creative with what you have.) Then ask yourself if your client base has a need for it. If you make new purchases, make sure you have a need and a budget for them and that they will enhance your finished product or ease your workflow and increase productivity.

Yes! A/B your mixes against those of your favorite recordings by other pros. And do this across a wide range of audio playback: listen on cell phones, on external speakers of laptop, earbuds, TV sets, bluetooth in your car, etc... And remember to let your ears rest! In general five minutes of rest for every hour of mixing. Protect your ears in public - they are the tools of your living.

Reflecting on your work during a mix is important, more than you think. Usually, when I'm working on a mix, I will step away from it for a day, and when I come back, hear it with fresh ears. Another key aspect to this is to approach it from the standpoint of a fan: meaning, if I'm walking down Broadway in Nashville, and I hear this coming from one of the bars, would it catch my attention? Would I want to know more about it? Pay for it? When you take the time to look back on a project your working on like that, it tends to give the perspective you need to take the mix/record/project where it needs to go.

be brave to accept feedbacks & learn from it, you will develop faster for sure. seek feedbacks from professionals, look for discord server / facebook group of composers, ask them their feedbacks of your work. feeling of discouragement is normal, but dont dwell in it, keep moving!

Usually as an audio engineer you are balancing what the artist or performers vision and how you feel something should sound. It’s always helped me to say yes to the most outlandish request before I make a judgement about advising my client. Sometimes your own perceptions may bias you and a great idea might be missed if you don’t make the attempt to satisfy someone’s wild request.

Experiment and let your intuition guide your process. If you can envisage in your mind's "ear" what you want to hear; reverse engineer your workflow and processes from there. The sound of any production is the dominant factor in the direction and outcome of any audio project. Analyse, reflect, compare, experiment and try, try and try again to achieve the results you want to hear. Listen back on different headphones and speaker to ensure consistency in output and know your equipment's sonic response on a range of material.

In my experience in this industry, these are the things that I always tend to try and do, along with all the other steps/tips/suggestions here. -Always remember the bands that got you into music. I still listen to all the old records, cassettes, CDs and videos that made me a fan of music. I'm always hearing something new for the first time that I missed. I always find inspiration in what I grew up with. -You will never stop learning this craft. Ever. You will always pick up something new that will fit perfectly into your workflow. -Mistakes are your friend. Make them, learn from them, and don't forget them. Just because you've put something down doesn't mean you can't erase it and put something better in its place.

Learning everyday goes without question but one thing you want to also be mindful of while improving, is being cognizant of what’s hot, what’s getting played, what’s songs are people navigating to, what sounds or elements make it a hit or infectious? While improving your skill and mastering your craft, it’s wise to study your market and get an idea of what’s “poppin” you may be a master in your head but an amateur in reality.