12 Weeks
Level 5 (Proof of a Bachelor's Degree Required)
3-Credit Tuition
$2,817Non-Credit Tuition
$2,615Are you prepared to enroll in this graduate course?
Take Audio and Recording Fundamentals and Mixing Techniques self-assessments to check your readiness for this material.Creative Recording and Editing Techniques is a practical, in-depth study of essential and creative recording techniques as well as an exploration of advanced audio editing techniques and considerations. You will learn to maximize the emotional impact of recordings by focusing on the music-driven intersection of the technical and creative skills necessary to achieve professional sounding recordings in any setting, from professional recording environments, to portable studios with minimal gear. You will learn core and creative editing techniques meant to expand, repair, and maximize the emotional potential of any recording. You will also envision detailed aural objectives and expand your recording vocabulary and expertise in order to determine frequency, dynamic, spatial, ensemble, and arrangement choices in recordings.
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Record and edit impactful and commercially-competitive recordings within both collaborative and self-contained contexts
- Achieve professional standards of fidelity and musicality, in service of the project, by applying creative recording techniques
- Envision detailed aural objectives in order to determine crucial frequency, dynamic, spatial, ensemble, and arrangement choices in recordings
- Use multi-microphone recording techniques
- Apply advanced DAW editing techniques
Syllabus
Lesson 1: Purpose of Music/Purpose of Music Production
- Philosophy and Review: Recording - Purpose, Definitions, and Important Considerations
- The Human Microphone - The Limits of Our Hearing
- An Engineer’s First Questions–What Are We Recording?
- What Is the Emotional Objective?
- Assignment 1: Choosing Your Recording Project
Lesson 2: Listening Environment and Recording Drums
- Calibrating Our Ears and Listening Environment - A Practical Approach
- The Paramount Importance of a Reference Mix
- Workflow Efficiency in the DAW
- Importing Reference Mixes and Preparing for Recording
- Recording Level and Gain Staging
- Assignment 2: Analysis and Signal Flow Testing
Lesson 3: Producing Drum Tracks
- Tuning
- Drum/Cymbal Choice
- Performance Considerations
- Drum Editing
- Assignment 3: Recording or Programming Drums
Lesson 4: Percussion and Loops
- What Are We Recording?
- What Is the Emotional Objective?
- Anticipating Symbiotic Issues
- Mic Choice Considerations (Dynamics, Condensers, and Ribbons)
- Percussion Editing
- Assignment 4: Recording Percussion
Lesson 5: Bass
- DI or Amps or Both
- Upright Bass
- Other Low Frequency Instruments
- Assignment 5: Recording Bass
Lesson 6: Guitars
- Electric Guitars
- Acoustic Guitars
- Guitar Editing
- Assignment 6: Recording Guitars
Lesson 7: Keyboards
- Hardware
- Software
- Electric Pianos and Hardware Synthesizers
- Acoustic Pianos
- Software Synthesizers
- Keyboard Editing
- Assignment 7: Recording and Editing Keys
Lesson 8: Horns and Miscellaneous Instruments
- Exploring Textures
- Vocals: Lead
- Vocal Editing
- Assignment 8: Recording Pads
Lesson 9: Vocals
- Backgrounds
- Special Effects
- Correct Vocal Setup
- Recording Duplicate Layers
- Advanced Vocal Editing
- Assignment 9: Recording Vocals
Lesson 10: Recording and Editing
- Recording Special Effects
- Recording with Varispeed
- Reamping Interesting Spaces
- Editing Special Effects
- Assignment 10: Final Project
Lesson 11: Emotional and Technical Check-In During the Final Stages of Production
- Technical and Emotional Considerations
- Preparing the Final Recording for Mixing and Mastering
- Open Forum
- Assignment: Final Project
Lesson 12: Next Steps
- Review and Synthesis of the Topics Covered in the Course
- Areas of Improvement
- Final Course Reflections
Requirements
Ready to submit an unofficial copy of your transcript?
Submit TranscriptPrerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements
Prerequisite Courses, Knowledge, and/or Skills
Completion of Microphone Techniques, Recording and Producing in the Home Studio, and Advanced Mixing Techniques or equivalent knowledge and experience is required.
In order to be successful in this course, you should have the following background prior to enrolling:
- Multi-track production experience working with a Digital Audio Workstation, such as Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Digital Performer, Traktor, or Ableton *Please note that Pro Tools is the software officially required for the course
- Access to basic, high-quality equipment to record and produce music (DAW, microphone(s), audio interface, monitors, headphones, plug-ins, etc.)
- Experience programming software-based MIDI instruments
- Experience recording multi-microphone acoustic instruments (such as drums or multi-instrument ensembles)
- Experience collaborating on projects as a music producer/engineer
- Ability to write effectively and clearly when conveying information and ideas
Textbook(s)
- No textbooks required
Recording
- Students will need to find 4-6 musicians who they will collaborate with, and record for various projects.
Software
- Pro Tools (Intro or Artist editions not sufficient)
Hardware
- MIDI controller
- Audio interface, with a minimum of 8 mic preamps
- One of the following combinations of 8 XLR microphones:
- Option 1:
- 4 dynamics (one of these should be appropriate for kick drum and bass, such as the Shure Beta 52A)
- 2 matched pairs of condensers (4 total)
- Option 2:
- 5 dynamics (one of these should be appropriate for kick drum and bass, such as the Shure Beta 52A)
- Matched pair of condensers (2 total)
- 1 ribbon
- Option 1:
- Professional-quality studio monitors (pair), such as Dynaudio's or Focal's, as well as necessary cables
- Professional over-ear studio headphones, such as Sennheiser HD 600, beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO, etc.
- iLok USB required to use Pro Tools offline. iLok Cloud (free) may be used instead, but requires a continuous internet connection while using Pro Tools.
Important Technical/System Considerations
- At least 50 GB unused storage space
Student Deals
After enrolling, be sure to check out our Student Deals page for various offers on software, hardware, and more. Please contact support@online.berklee.edu with any questions.
General Course Requirements
Below are the minimum requirements to access the course environment and participate in Live Classes. Please make sure to also check the Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements section above, and ensure your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements for all software needed for your course.
Mac Users
PC Users
All Users
- Latest version of Google Chrome
- Zoom meeting software
- Webcam
- Speakers or headphones
- External or internal microphone
- Broadband Internet connection
Instructors
Author & Instructor
After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 1999, Enrique Gonzalez Müller started his career as a music producer and engineer at the Plant Studios, working with artists like The Dave Matthews Band, Joe Satriani, Joan Baez and Les Claypool. In his home country of Venezuela, he's produced many chart-topping albums for Caramelos de Cianuro, Viniloversus, Desorden Publico and in 2009 his collaboration with Los Amigos Invisibles won the band a Latin GRAMMY® Award for their album Commercial. In Italy, among many collaborations, Gonzalez Müller has produced, arranged and mixed albums for L’Aura and scored a #1 hit with "Teach Me Again" from Elisa and Tina Turner. In the US, he has recently worked with Jason Newsted (former Metallica), the Kronos Quartet, Nine Inch Nails and toured with Wynton Marsalis as well as many up and coming artists. In 2015, Enrique was the recipient of Berklee's Distinguished Faculty Award for his innovative work as an educator.
What's Next?
When taken for credit, Creative Recording and Editing Techniques in Music Production can be applied towards the completion of these related programs:
Related Certificate Programs
Related Degree Major
Questions?
Contact our Academic Advisors by phone at 1-866-BERKLEE (U.S.), 1-617-747-2146 (INT'L), or by email at advisors@online.berklee.edu.
