Learning track

For producers

Make decisions by ear, then know why they worked. Start by learning to listen fairly, get to know the effects you reach for every day, put rhythm and harmony to work, and finish with mixes that hold up on any speaker. No code or maths required.

  1. 1Learn to listen
  2. 2Shape the sound
  3. 3Make it move
  4. 4Finish the mix

Stage 1

Learn to listen

Hear what's really in a sound and compare changes fairly, so louder never fools you again.

  1. 01Listening and comparingHow to tell whether a change is really betterComing soon
  2. 02Level and loudnessDecibels, peaks, RMS and LUFS, and why louder always sounds betterComing soon
  3. 03Seeing soundWaveforms, spectrums and spectrograms, and what each one hidesComing soon

Stage 2

Shape the sound

The everyday effects, explained by ear: what each one does, and where it starts to hurt.

  1. 04EQShaping tone with bands, shelves and filtersComing soon
  2. 05CompressionHow a compressor turns loud parts down, and why that can sound biggerEarly draft
  3. 06Distortion and saturationWhy drive adds harmonics, why it can sound harsh on high notes, and how to fix itComing soon
  4. 07Delay and echoSlapback to dub: time, feedback, filtering and syncComing soon
  5. 08ReverbRooms, halls and plates, and how size, decay and predelay place a soundComing soon

Stage 3

Make it move

Grooves, patterns and chords that feel played rather than programmed.

  1. 09Drum programmingKick, snare, hats and the small details that make a beat feel humanComing soon
  2. 10Rhythm, meter and groovePulse, subdivision, swing, and why a grid alone doesn't grooveComing soon
  3. 11Sequencers and arpeggiatorsPatterns, steps and turning chords into motionComing soon
  4. 12Chords and voicingSame notes, different feelings: how spacing and order change a chordEarly draft

Stage 4

Finish the mix

Make every part fit, keep the low end solid and know when you're done.

  1. 13Making room with EQWhy every track sounds fine alone and muddy togetherComing soon
  2. 14Low endKick and bass that work together on big and small speakersComing soon
  3. 15Stereo and spatial processingPanning, width, mid/side, and why some sounds disappear in monoEarly draft
  4. 16Finishing and referencesLoudness targets, reference tracks and knowing when to stopComing soon