The Sound Kitchen is a sound engineering course aimed at anyone who is passionate about sound and wants to learn the how-to's of great sound. The course uses lots of music and it is both inspirational and technical; but make no mistake, you will have more than your money’s worth of technical insight and input.
The Sound Kitchen is a sound engineering course aimed at anyone who is passionate about sound and wants to learn the how-to's of great sound. The course uses lots of music and it is both inspirational and technical; but make no mistake, you will have more than your money’s worth of technical insight and input.
The instruction is music based. Therefore there are always audio examples (there is also a lesson that will help you develop your hearing skills with audio clips you can download). We use a Digital Audio Workstation so that you can immediately put into practice the concepts expressed in some of the lessons, ending up making music (better) rather than just hearing someone talk about it. Furthermore, if you wanted to, you will be able to use the DAW (within the licensed time period) to exercise some sound engineering routines by yourself independently from the course.
The course is very practical and the terminology is not overly technical (again do not assume that this is a shortfall, as often seasoned engineers have learned a great deal from the course approach and teachings).
At the end of the course, you will be able to plan a sound production, choose well-suited equipment, set up a PA, and with practice, mix a production/song (live or in your home studio).
"Ears before gear": is a sentence I coined to embody the idea that the most important piece of equipment to achieve great sound is the engineer. Ultimately great gear will sound poorly if the engineer cannot use it well. The opposite is also true that average gear in the right hands will sound great. This mindset is thematic across the entire course.
The numbers
A total of almost 14 hours of video tuition
69 video clips
Manually entered Captions, so that everyone can understand every word
9 sections
9 quizzes (to help you review each section)
89 audio clips (to download) used for hearing training
2 DAW program available (PC and MAC) each with a tailor-made session
Multi-track songs performed by top South African musicians, recorded in a high-end studio in Cape Town, South Africa
Plenty of brain-stretching and ear developing DAW exercises
I am confident that you will learn a great deal and will enjoy doing so. I look forward to seeing you among my new students. Ciao. Tim
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
THE KEY TO SOUND ENGINEERING IS LISTENING
The journey of sound, from production to perception
DEFINITION OF SOUND
The perception of a vibrating object via a medium
2 elements make up what we call sound:
Two sides: production and perception
Two languages: the language of science (production) and the language of music (perception). The sound engineer needs to speak both, to take music to science and science to music.
Key to sound: listening
Key to sound: listening
Key to sound: listening
Key to sound: listening
Key to sound: listening
Music is an expression of unity bound together by listening. Failing in listening is the most common and greatest musical and sound engineering failure.
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
3 STEPS OF SOUND ENGINEERING
DEFINITION OF SOUND ENGINEERING
Sound engineering is the ability to listen, reproduce and process sounds.
Three steps of sound engineering:
1. Listening
2. Imagining
3. Creating
The art of sound engineering
Sound engineering in its purest form is an art, because:
- It is an expression of human creative skill and imagination
- It produces works appreciated (primarily) for their beauty and/or emotional power
Sound engineering is essentially the combination of three different disciplines:
1. Acoustic engineering
2. Electronic engineering
3. "Musical" engineering
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
THE MINDSET OF A SUCEFUL SOUND ENGINEER
A. SOUND SYSTEM IS:
- An instrument in the hand of an engineer
- A vehicle in the hand of an artist/producer (not the engineer’s vehicle, F1 example)
B. THREE QUALITIES OF A GREAT SOUND ENGINEER (Renato Cantele’s quote)
1. Passion: pleasure and deep expression
2. Perseverance: always seeing challenges through
3. Respect: input from people (band and audience)
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
WE CAN ALL DO SOUND
Check if you retained the most important notions of this section
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
UNDERSTANDING MUSICAL "HEIGHT" & PITCH MEASURING UNIT
3 Distinctive characteristics of sound
A. VIBRATIONS: sinusoid description (concepts of periodicity, amplitude, terminology description)
B. PITCH, INTENSITY, TIMBRE
C. PITCH
The attribute of sound perception that gives the impression of (musical) “height”, enabling us to arrange sounds from low to high
The frequency of the vibration (how many cycles in a second), measured in Hz.
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF INTENSITY & ITS UNIT OF MEASUREMENT
INTENSITY
The attribute of sound perception that gives the impression of loudness, enabling us to arrange sounds from soft to loud
The amplitude of the vibration (in absolute terms), measured in dB
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF INTENSITY & ITS UNIT OF MEASUREMENT
INTENSITY
The attribute of sound perception that gives the impression of loudness, enabling us to arrange sounds from soft to loud
The amplitude of the vibration (in absolute terms), measured in dB
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF INTENSITY & ITS UNIT OF MEASUREMENT
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF HARMONICS
TIMBRE
The attribute of sound perception that enables us to distinguish between different sounds even if they share the same loudness.
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
FURTHER UNDERSTANDING OF TIMBRE
The harmonic content (quantity) and balance (their individual intensities and interaction)of a sound.
Also dependent on pitch and intensity (in a lesser way)
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
APPLICATION OF A FREQUENCY RESPONSE GRAPH
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
THE ROLE OF TIMBRE IN MIXING & DESCRIPTION OF DURATION AND PHASE
Duration is obviously the length of a sound. However the duration of a sound influences the integrity of our perception. A minimum length is required for our ears to establish the pitch, intensity and timbre of a sound. These minimum times vary at different frequencies.
Phase is the relationship in time between same or different frequencies produced by the same or different sources. When it comes to colour and perception of sound, phase is one of the most influential sound characteristics. Note: phase can also be described in relation to other sound laws in a different way.
OUTCOME OF LESSON
CONNECTING THE TWO LANGUAGES OF SOUND IN A PRACTICAL WAY
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
THE MINDSET BEHIND GREAT SOUND PRODUCTION
Sound production is the journey necessary to facilitate the perception of sound. It needs to be in place to take a sound and make it accessible. From the stage to the audience, from a recording room to a living room, the journey is always the same and it always goes through the same five stages:
1. Input sound field*
2. Input transducers**
3. Signal processing
4. Output transducers
5. Listener sound field
* An enclosure (literal, like a room or conceptual, like an open air stage) of air where sound is produced
**Transducer = translator, convertor: from one form of energy into another
Two of the five stages belong to the acoustic domain and three to the electronic domain. We call the latter 3 a sound system.
A sound system is the means (an arrangement of electronic components) with which we are able to relay sound from a source to an audience, for whatever reason and purpose.
Said differently, a sound system is the means that helps people to hear.
Most common applications of a sound system:
OUTCOME OF LESSON
IMPLICATIONS OF SOUND PRODUCTION
- Sound production spans over the acoustic and the electronic domain
- Sound production is a chain of events, like a journey. In most cases if a problem/issue is picked up in one stage, it is carried through to the remaining stages
- A sound production is successful when each aspect is correctly addressed. Hence, it is not about majoring on one of the five stages, but rather covering each one well (example: great mixer into poor speakers will still make for a poor production)
- If there is an issue/s in one of the five stages, the next will have to address and compensate for it. The problem would not be dealt with, as it can only be dealt with in the stage were the issue arose. The best approach is to solve the problem rather than to compensate (example: bad microphone = bad sound = EQ used to compensate, rather than for aesthetic reasons)
- If you use your resources to compensate you cannot create
- The weakest link in the chain of events determines the overall quality (example: the quality of a great microphone and great speakers will be brought down by the quality of a poor mixer) of the sound production
- The sum of all the errors (inaccuracies) in all the stages will determine the overall error (example: a sound source will be coloured by the overall sum of the frequency responses of microphone, mixer, speakers, and room)
- The departing goal of sound production is not to have altered (or minimally alter) a sound source when the journey ends. A sound production departs successfully when a listener (being on stage or in the audience) would perceive no timbre difference when comparing the same source
- If the above goal is achieved, the engineer is in the best position to manipulate the sound for aesthetic reasons to serve the musical vision of the production.
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
MINDSET OF A SUCCESSFUL ENGINEER IS TO SEE HIMSELF AS THE KEEPER OF THE SOUND PRODUCTION NOT JUST A TECHNICIAN WHO WORKS ON A SOUND SYSTEM
The sound engineer’s job is to have the ability to control or manipulate the sound. This is important in order to be able to serve the musical/sound vision of the production.
It also means that the sound engineer is in “charge” of the overall sound production, not only of the sound system.
There are mainly three ways to manipulate sound:
1. Acoustically
2. Electronically
3. Relationally
We will address Acoustics control next year. The majority of this course will be about Electronic control. For now let us consider it as the “Relational” control.
“Relational” control
An engineer needs to (to a great extent):
There are things that cannot be address with acoustic treatment or electronic manipulation.
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
A GREAT ENGINNER KNOWS HOW TO WORK WITH PEOPLE
Music is a spiritual/emotional expression and it is therefore obvious that not all things pertaining music are of a technical nature and can be addressed technically.
Burnie Groundman: “How long does it take?” “As long as we remain defensive” (paraphrased)
Fundamental: be open and not defensive
Further observations:
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
THE "CONTROL" POLICY OF AN ENGINEER: ISOLATION
Definition
Isolation is the ability to reduce unwanted sounds in a specific input (a vocal microphone for example) or sound field (audience sitting area).
Isolation is the control policy of an engineer. Without isolation or with poor isolation, he will have little or no control.
It is very important to achieve:
Isolation (for both of the above-mentioned scenarios) can be achieved with:
1. Acoustic treatment (for stage and individual instruments)
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
THE "CONTROL" POLICY OF AN ENGINEER: ISOLATION (continues)
2. Stage layout (attempting to reduce and/or control bleed into microphones)
3. Microphone choices and use of microphones (attempting to reduce and/or control bleed into microphones)
4. Monitoring choices and useage (reducing the on stage sound for the sake of the house) (picture)
Further observations:
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
THE CORRECT USAGE OF CABLES
Cable types:
1. Speaker: connects amp to speaker (resistance proportional to length inversely proportional to size). Best scenario, amp close to speaker.
2. Signal: connects analogue audio equipment.
3. Digital
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
THE CORRECT USAGE OF CABLES: BALANCED VERSUS UNBALANCED
Two types of signal cable:
a. Unbalanced
uses 2 wire cable (ground – signal) and a 2 pin connectors (mainly with
a slave and tip connectors), ground connects to sleeve and line to tip
b. Balanced uses 3 wire cable (ground, hot (signal), cold (signal)) an a 3 pin connector (XLR or TRS ¼` jack)
BALANCE CONNECTION
As far as possible ALWAYS use a balanced cable/connection
PATCHING PRINCIPLE: for every output a correlating input exists
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
SIGNAL MATCHING
A DI box accomplishes three fundamental functions necessary to correctly interconnect equipment electronically:
1. Impedance matching
2. Signal balancing
3. Signal attenuation (when necessary)
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
IS A BALANCED CONNECTION A STEREO SIGNAL?
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
THE FIRST STEP INTO A SOUND SYSTEM
Definition: input transducer
Note: Sine wave shape is preserved as Voltage varies rather than Air Pressure
11 descriptive characteristics of microphones:
1. Diaphragm (size of diaphragm determines the freq. range)
2. SPL handling
3. S/N ratio (signal to noise ratio)
4. Transient period
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
HOW A MICROPHONE WORKS
11 descriptive characteristics of microphones (continues):
5. Transduction method:
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
HOW TO "POSITION" A MICROPHONE
11 descriptive characteristics of microphones (continues):
6. Pick up pattern
Omni-directional
Cardioid
SuperCardioid
HyperCardioid
Figure 8 or bi-directional
6A. Proximity effect
OUTCOME OF LESSON:
WHAT A MIC "SOUNDS" LIKE
11 descriptive characteristics of microphones (continues):
7. Proximity effect
8. Functional design
9. Frequency response
10. Connection type: balanced / unbalanced
11. Impedance
OUTCOME OF LESSON
ORIENTATION ON SAMPLITUDE, THE PC DAW USED IN THIS COURSE
OUTCOME OF LESSON
ORIENTATION ON REAPER, THE MAC DAW USED IN THIS COURSE
OUTCOME OF LESSON
UNDERSTANDING SIGNAL PROCESSING
Signal processing is the ability to control sound with electronic or digital equipment
Signal processing types
Signal processing is achieved by controlling five different aspects of sound:
1. Tone processing – controlling timbre
2. Intensity processing – controlling intensity
3. Time processing – controlling time
4. Routing – controlling the signal paths
5. Effects – adding them for aesthetic and production reasons
OUTCOME OF LESSON
UNDERSTANDING THE EQUALIZER
TONE PROCESSING: EQUALIZATION
Equalization is the process of changing the frequency response of an audio signal, therefore changing its timbre. It is achieved with the use of an equalizer.
Equalizer is:
- An electronic or digital devise that processes the frequency response of a signal
- Made up of bands
A band is:
- One change to the frequency response of the processed signal
- Frequency dependant gain control
OUTCOME OF LESSON
UNDERSTANDING THE BAND OF AN EQUALIZER
An equalizer has four possible EQ band types:
1. Fixed
2. Variable or sweepable
3. Parametric
4. Semi parametric
OUTCOME OF LESSON
UNDERSTANDING THE POSSIBLE CHANGES AN EQUALIZER BAND BRINGS TO THE FREQUENCY RESPONSE
There are six EQ shapes (or frequency response alteration shapes):
1. Low shelving (low frequency band related)
2. High shelving (high frequency band related)
3. Bell or peak
OUTCOME OF LESSON
UNDERSTANDING THE POSSIBLE CHANGES AN EQUALIZER BAND BRINGS TO THE FREQUENCY RESPONSE
Six EQ shapes (or frequency response alteration shapes):
4. HPF (high pass filter)
5. LPF (low pass filter)
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW TO USE AN EQUALIZER
Tone processing steps:
1. Listen – listen flat
2. Imagine – process audio info mentally and set a sound/musical goal
3. Create – with the use of the equalizer achieve the goal set
NOTE EQ tips (pictures)
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW TO USE AN EQUALIZER
Practical tips for equalizing:
OUTCOME OF LESSON
EQUALIZER HOW TOs
How and why run an A-B comparison
How to find a frequency using the "sweep" technique
OUTCOME OF LESSON
USE OF THE SWEEPING TECHNIQUES
We can use the sweeping technique in 2 ways:
OUTCOME OF LESSON
A MIXER IS A MULTI-DEVICE PIECE OF GEAR
A mixer is an electronic or digital audio unit made up of different electronic/digital devices by which two or more (up to all five) signal processing types are controlled.
Devices making up a mixer:
1. Pre-amp (Intensity processing – controlling intensity)
2. Equalizer (Tone processing – controlling timbre)
3. Routing matrix (Routing - controlling the signal paths)
4. On board effects units (Adding efffects for aesthetic and production reasons)
some analogue and most digital mixers
5. On board dynamics (Intensity processing – controlling intensity)
some analogue and most digital mixers
6. On board input or output delay (Time processing – controlling time)
some digital mixers
An average analogue mixer will perform the following audio processing:
1. Dynamic
2. Tone
3. Routing
OUTCOME OF LESSON
WHAT ON EARTH IS A SIGNAL PATH?
A signal Path, is the path covered by a signal in a sound system from input to output transduction. It describes at which stage of the “journey” the sound is processed by a specific devise.
Examples:
Mic----Pre Amp----Eq----Compression----Routing system----Amplifier----Speaker
Mic----Pre Amp----Compression----Eq----Routing system----Amplifier----Speaker
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW TO USE SIGNAL METERING IN A MIXER
METERING
Every mixer has a metering section (from very simple to more articulated). The metering section helps the engineer monitor a signal (or a bunch of them) on a dB scale. On all mixers, the main meter can be assigned to measure a signal in different places of the signal path. Understanding how to use metering effectively within a mixer, is at the basis of Gain Setting and troubleshooting.
OUTCOME OF LESSON
UNDERSTANDING THE PRE-AMP
A Pre-amp is the electronic devise that changes the voltage/current level of input signal. Every signal produces a different voltage level. It is necessary to set each input level similarly. We call this gain structure.
• Gain structure concepts:
- Beginning of mix
- Setting a correct gain is crucial to correct signal flow
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW TO SET A CHANNEL'S PRE-AMP LEVEL
OUTCOME OF LESSON
GETTING TO KNOW THE MIXER ROUTING TERMINOLOGY
Description: The facility by which we can send (rout) an input signal to one or more outputs at the same time. The way in which the signal is routed to an output will mostly be one of the following (or a combination of):
1. Fixed, when a signal is directly patched to an output without a level control in-between. Example: Pre Fader Direct Output for a single channel
2. Variable, when a signal is sent to an output via a level control (like a fader or a potentiometer). Example: Normal mixer channel to a LR master or Subgroup Master
3. Pre / post fader (refer to signal path)
4. Pre / post EQ (refer to signal path)
OUTCOME OF LESSON
ROUTING MADE PRACTICAL
1. Individual channel direct output: Can be pre or postfader and pre or postEq, also can be variable but mostly is fixed
2. Auxiliary mixes: Can be pre or postfader and pre or postEq and almost always is variable. Monitor mixes are mainly derived with this routing type from the input signals. Each channel has access to the same auxiliary output via a potentiometer/fader.
NOTE: When using the same mixer for FOH and monitor mixes, it would be important to have pre fader and post Eq auxiliary rooting for the monitor mixes. Make sure you know what type of auxiliary routing is available in your mixer by reading the manual.
3. Insert: always pre fader, almost always pre Eq but some mixers allow postEqinsert as an option
4. Channel to master outputs: always post fader and post Eq and obviously variable (via the fader). Almost always a mono to stereo routing via a Panorama (PAN) control. More advanced routings are also available like LCR or surround.
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW THE CHANNEL TO MASTER CONNECTION WORKS
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW A LOUDSPEAKER WORKS
9 FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
1. A loudspeaker is an electro-acoustic device made up of one or more drivers.
2. A driver is an output transducer with a specific frequency range and frequency response. One single driver does not cover well the full frequency range
3. To cover the audible frequency range, a loudspeaker uses a number of drivers that cover a section of the frequency range. Each of these sections is called way or band (we refer to a 3 way speakers, a 2 way speakers and so on).
4. A way can be made up of 1 or more drive of the same type.
5. Within a loudspeaker system additional way or bands will be added by additional loudspeakers that function in another frequency range. For example, adding a sub (that has a frequency range in the low part of the sound spectrum) will add a 3rd way to a 2way speaker.
6. Where the frequency range of a way/band ends, the frequency range of the other way/band starts.
7. The point where the 2 way/band meet is called crossover point
8. An electronic device called crossover will perform the “division” of the audible frequency range into the different ways/bands.
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW A LOUDSPEAKER CROSSOVER SYSTEM WORKS
9 FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS (CONTINUES)
9. A Crossover system can be either: passive (made up of passive electronic components) or active (made up of active electronic components often packaged in an analogue or digital audio unit)
- Passive: Amp -> Passive crossover -> Drivers
- Active: Active crossover -> Amp1 & 2 -> Drivers
OUTCOME OF LESSON
THE INDISPENSABLE NOTIONS OF A LOUDSPEAKER
SIX IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF A LOUDSPEAKER
1. Impedance
2. Power ratings (continuous, program, peak - match program power to amp power)
OUTCOME OF LESSON
THE INDISPENSABLE NOTIONS OF A LOUDSPEAKER
SIX IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF A LOUDSPEAKER (continues)
3. Sensitivity (example 97dbSPL, 1watt@1 meter)
OUTCOME OF LESSON
THE INDISPENSABLE NOTIONS OF A LOUDSPEAKER
SIX IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF A LOUDSPEAKER (continues)
4. Coverage (how the speaker “projects” high frequencies on the horizontal and vertical plane, calculated between the two -6 db points in a polar pattern generally at 1kHz)
- Coverage for monitors
5. Max SPL
6. Frequency response
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW TO SET UP A PA IN A ROOM
Speaker choice - Choosing the right speaker for a room is a complex matter, however it can be simplified to the two most crucial aspects:
A. Level:
B. Coverage:
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW TO SET UP A PA IN A ROOM (continues)
Speaker placement Once a speaker has been carefully chosen, it needs to be placed carefully. To place a speaker, it needs to be:
A. Elevated (generally as much as possible) so that the level difference between front and last row differ the least amount possible
B. Turned (horizontally)
C. Tilted (vertically) to cover the audience in the best possible way
When placing a speaker, 2 other important considerations are:
1. Acoustic gain (to prevent feedback) – refer to next lesson
2. Spill on stage (to prevent feedback and “masking” of the monitors)
NOTE: it is absolutely fundamental to have a clear knowledge of the specifications of a loudspeaker before using it
SYSTEM DESIGN
A
very important branch of sound engineering is “system design”
(generally performed by a “system engineer”). System design is the
science/art of setting up a PA system for a specific audience.
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW TO CONTROL FEEDBACK
IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES:
A. MASKING
B. ACOUSTIC GAIN
FEEDBACK CONTROL BY PLACEMENTOUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW TO CONTROL FEEDBACK WITH EQ
OUTCOME OF LESSON
THE MIX: THE APEX OF SOUND PRODUCTION
BASIC MIXING PRINCIPLES
1. The harvest: mixing is the harvest of a sound production. If the sound production was well planned and implemented, the mix will be on a solid foundation
2. A mix is built, like “a house”
3. The cardinal principle in mixing: listening
4. The role of “processing” in a mix
5. The role of music in the success of a mix
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW TO ATTAIN MUSICAL BALANCE
MUSICAL COMPONENTS
1. Pulse
2. Rhythm
3. Harmony
4. Melody
OUTCOME OF LESSON
BUILDING A MIX IS LIKE BUILDING A HOUSE
THE MUSICAL BUILDING
1. Pulse – the foundation
2. Rhythm – the walls
3. Harmony (more than one note at the same time) – the roof
4. Melody – the dweller
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HANDLING DIFFERENT SOUNDS IN A MIX
A. SOUNDS: FUNDAMENTAL AND FILLERS
B. GAIN STRUCTURE (the mix before the mix)
OUTCOME OF LESSON
WHAT A MIX IS REALLY ALL ABOUT
A. THE MASKING PRINCIPLE
B. UNMASKING WITH EQ
C. MIXING IN CONTEXT
OUTCOME OF LESSON
HOW DO I KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS AT THE RIGHT LEVEL?
A. THE DOMINO EFFECT
B. WHAT CAN I DROP?
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