Audio Master class review

Audio Master Class is an online course for learning how to do audio well. By audio I mean how to record music, how to mix it, and something about all the cool gadgets you can buy to edit music.

If you don't have time to read the entire article, the summary is here:
I find this course to be very light and not very educational. At least if you want to learn as much as possible. If you have no knowledge on this topic you can read and learn a lot. But when you have learned a lot there is still more to learn. Stuff that you cannot find here.

Information about the course

The course is called Music Production and Sound Engineering and are built up of 12 modules, each covering a topic. On print the main text of the course corresponds roughly to 40 pages, printed from Internet Explorer. The twelve topics are:

1. Analog & digital audio
2. Microphones
3. Microphone preamplifiers
4. Equalization
5. Compression
6. Recording Software
7. Effects & Plug-ins
8. Synthesis & Sampling
9. Recording Techniques
10. Mixing
11. Mastering
12. Marketing Your Music & Recording Services

Each module are built up of:

• An introduction.
• The module main text (large HTML page).
• The answers the questions in the main module text.
• Examples.
• Assignment.
• Assignment notes.

For each module you are expected to spend at least a week working on the module text and on the assignment. I am not sure if this is because of the alleged complexity of the course or if it is to make sure you have read and understood the content.

The only way to learn is to spend time and experiment. The course only points you in the right direction, you'll have to work hard to get through the course.

Extras

If you look at the web pages for Audio Master Class, and more specifically to their publications you will find content they want to charge you for. This is content that to my knowledge is not included in the course. I had to ask to get some of them available for me.

My review

I have read through much of the material and the author talks us easy through each chapter of the book and it is fairly easy to learn and understand the topic.

You get listening samples, you get to download good samples you can work with and try for yourself. This is something I have not found anywhere else.

But it stops there. When I am ready to learn more, and I sure will do so - I need to look elsewhere to find the knowledge I hunger for. And if so this course is mostly waste of your money. Money is a scared resource. (The book Mixing Engineers handbook seems to give me a lot more value for the money.)

About the author

My experience with music production and mixing is very very limited, I have started out with the best intent to try learn something new and exiting. But I find it hard to find any good place where I can learn the basics before I go practice.