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J. Anthony Allen

Welcome to Ultimate Sound Design Recipe Book, Vol 3: Drums and Vocals.

In this class, you won't just be hearing from me. You will have 5 incredibly experienced, professional instructors. I'll be one of them, but I've brought in some of the top sound designers working right now to give up their secrets.

Read more

Welcome to Ultimate Sound Design Recipe Book, Vol 3: Drums and Vocals.

In this class, you won't just be hearing from me. You will have 5 incredibly experienced, professional instructors. I'll be one of them, but I've brought in some of the top sound designers working right now to give up their secrets.

  • Jack Denny: Best known for his role as one of three producers and performers in the super-group Ternion Sound. These guys are all over the world right now.

  • Joe Dumpling: Known primarily under his alias Dumpling, Joe is a top-notch producer and multi-instrumentalist. And an experienced teacher, too.

  • Zak Khan: Zak is making some of the funkiest, coolest music I've heard in a long time, so I was super excited he agreed to help out with some videos here. Get ready for something special.

  • James Patrick: You've met James before in some of my other classes, but he is also a world-renowned producer and performer, and accomplished teacher (and Ableton Certified Trainer)

  • Me.  I'll be guiding you through all of the lessons from these guests and filling in anything that needs to be filled in.

The goal of this class is to help you define your sound by learning some of the tricks of the best in the world.

100% Answer Rate. Every single question posted to this class is answered within 24 hours by the instructor. Software:This course is NOT specific to any DAW program.

This is a course about techniques. Most techniques that you see the instructors doing can be replicated in several different applications. We will focus here on techniques, and learning with step-by-step examples of how to make specific sounds.

Topics Covered: 

  • Making Drum Sounds from Anything

  • Giving Life to your Kick

  • Transients and "Beaters"

  • Making a Snare Drum Selector

  • Giving Live to your Hihats

  • The Original 808

  • Recreating 808 Sounds

  • Drum Fills

  • Resampling Drums

  • Finding Vocal Samples

  • Chopping and Processing Vocal Samples

  • Turning Vocals into Drum Sounds

  • And much, much more.

If you are ready to start making professional sounding tracks, this is the class that will start you on that journey. Get started today.

Dr. Allen is a university music professor and is a top-rated Udemy instructor - with nearly 100 courses and over 300,000 students.

In 2017 Star Tribune Business featured him as a "Mover and a Shaker," and he is recognized by the Grammy Foundation for his music education classes. 

I guarantee that this course is the most thorough sound design course available ANYWHERE on the market - or your money back (30-day money-back guarantee)

Closed captions have been added to all lessons in this course.

Praise for Courses by Jason Allen:

⇢  "It seems like every little detail is being covered in an extremely simple fashion. The learning process becomes relaxed and allows complex concepts to get absorbed easily. My only regret is not taking this course earlier." - M. Shah

⇢  "Great for everyone without any knowledge so far. I bought all three parts... It's the best investment in leveling up my skills so far.." - Z. Palce

⇢  "Excellent explanations.  No more or less than what is needed." - A. Tóth

⇢  "VERY COOL. I've waited for years to see a good video course, now I don't have to wait anymore. Thank You. " - Jeffrey Koury

⇢  "I am learning LOTS.  And I really like having the worksheets. " - A. Deichsel

⇢  "The basics explained very clearly - loads of really useful tips. " - J. Pook

⇢  "Jason is really quick and great with questions, always a great resource for an online class. " M. Smith

Students who register for this course will receive ongoing exclusive content and discounts for all future classes in the series. 

Enroll now

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction
My Approach in this Class
How to Use This Class
Let's start with the basics: Building dynamic and engaging drum sounds.
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Features insights from multiple experienced sound designers, offering diverse perspectives and techniques that can broaden a learner's understanding and creative toolkit
Focuses on techniques applicable across various DAWs, making it valuable for users of different software platforms and promoting a deeper understanding of sound design principles
Explores the creation of drum sounds from unconventional sources, which encourages experimentation and innovation in sound design
Includes vocal sound design techniques, expanding the scope beyond drums and offering a more comprehensive approach to sound design
Covers the classic 808 sound, which is foundational knowledge for producers in many genres, especially hip-hop and electronic music
Instructors may use specific software and plugins, which may require learners to independently research and adapt techniques to their preferred tools

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Reviews summary

Expert sound design techniques: drums & vocals

According to learners, this course offers a wealth of practical sound design techniques for drums and vocals, taught by a diverse group of experienced, professional instructors. Many students found the specific "recipes" and workflows highly valuable for achieving a professional sound and defining their unique style. The course is largely praised for its hands-on, applicable content, with reviewers highlighting the high quality of instruction and the deep dives into various processing methods. While not DAW-specific, requiring some adaptation, students appreciate the focus on universal techniques.
Best for those with some production background.
"While it claims to start with basics, having some prior knowledge of sound design and production is definitely helpful."
"As Volume 3, it makes sense that some parts assume familiarity with previous volumes or general concepts."
"Beginners might find some concepts or workflows a bit advanced initially."
"I found it built well on my existing knowledge of sound design."
"It's clearly aimed at producers looking to refine their skills rather than absolute novices."
Techniques are universal but require adaptation.
"I appreciated that the course wasn't tied to a single DAW; the principles are universal."
"While the techniques work anywhere, you sometimes need to figure out the exact steps in your own software."
"It's good that it's DAW-agnostic, but beginners might need to do a little extra work to follow along in their specific program."
"The focus on technique over specific software is a major strength."
"The methods shown can be replicated in any major production software."
Specific and relevant content for producers.
"This volume focusing specifically on drums and vocals is exactly what I needed to elevate those elements in my mixes."
"The detailed attention given to kicks, snares, hi-hats, and vocal manipulation is excellent."
"It's great that the course dives deep into these crucial parts of a track."
"Covering both drum and vocal sound design in one course is very convenient and comprehensive."
"I found the techniques for making drums from anything particularly creative and useful."
Helps achieve higher production quality.
"Applying the techniques from this course has noticeably improved the quality and impact of my drum and vocal sounds."
"My tracks sound much more professional and polished after implementing these methods."
"The course delivered on its promise to help me make professional sounding tracks."
"I feel more confident in my ability to design unique and powerful sounds."
"These sound design tips are essential for anyone serious about music production."
Provides actionable steps and clear workflows.
"The course is packed with immediately usable techniques and 'recipes' that I can apply to my own tracks."
"I really appreciate the step-by-step examples of how to achieve specific sounds."
"These methods are highly practical and help me move beyond just theoretical understanding."
"Lots of great tricks and tips for processing drums and vocals that I hadn't thought of before."
"I learned several new workflows for resampling and chopping that are game-changers."
Learn from multiple experts in the field.
"The different instructors bring their unique perspectives and techniques, which is incredibly valuable."
"Learning from actual working professionals like James Patrick and Zak Khan is inspiring and insightful."
"It's great having multiple experts break down their workflows and thought processes."
"I loved getting insights from various producers; it wasn't just one viewpoint."
"The guest instructors alone are worth the price of admission."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Ultimate Sound Design Recipe Book Vol 3: Drums & Vocals with these activities:
Review Basic Synthesis Techniques
Refresh your understanding of basic synthesis techniques to better grasp how drum and vocal sounds are created and manipulated.
Show steps
  • Watch tutorials on different synthesis methods.
  • Experiment with synthesizers in your DAW.
  • Recreate simple sounds using synthesis.
Read 'The Art of Mixing: A Visual Guide to Recording, Engineering, and Production'
Understand the fundamentals of mixing to enhance your sound design skills for drums and vocals.
Show steps
  • Read chapters on EQ and compression.
  • Study the visual representations of mixing concepts.
  • Apply the techniques to your own sound design projects.
Recreate Drum Sounds from Popular Songs
Practice recreating drum sounds from popular songs to develop your ear and sound design skills.
Show steps
  • Choose a popular song with distinct drum sounds.
  • Analyze the frequency spectrum and dynamics of the drums.
  • Use your DAW and plugins to recreate the sounds.
  • Compare your recreation to the original.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Design a Custom Drum Kit
Apply the techniques learned in the course to design a unique and custom drum kit.
Show steps
  • Gather or create individual drum samples.
  • Process and layer the samples to create unique sounds.
  • Organize the sounds into a drum kit in your DAW.
  • Create a demo track using your custom drum kit.
Create a Sound Design Tutorial
Solidify your understanding by creating a tutorial explaining a specific sound design technique covered in the course.
Show steps
  • Choose a sound design technique from the course.
  • Write a script and record a video tutorial.
  • Edit the video and add visual aids.
  • Share your tutorial online.
Read 'Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio'
Learn practical mixing techniques for drums and vocals in a home studio setting.
Show steps
  • Read chapters on EQ and compression for drums and vocals.
  • Experiment with the techniques in your own mixes.
  • Analyze the mixes of professional tracks.
Build a Vocal Processing Rack
Create a reusable vocal processing rack in your DAW to streamline your vocal sound design workflow.
Show steps
  • Experiment with different vocal processing plugins.
  • Chain the plugins together in a logical order.
  • Create macro controls for easy adjustments.
  • Save the rack as a preset for future use.

Career center

Learners who complete Ultimate Sound Design Recipe Book Vol 3: Drums & Vocals will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Sound Designer
A Sound Designer crafts sonic landscapes for various media, including film, television, video games, and music productions. This course is designed to help you learn some of the tricks of the best sound designers in the world. With instruction that includes making drum sounds from anything, giving life to your kick, and resampling drums, the course could help you build a foundation in creating unique and compelling sounds, which could be useful for a sound designer. Also, because the course emphasizes techniques applicable across different digital audio workstations, it may be especially helpful.
Music Producer
The Music Producer oversees the creative and technical aspects of recording music, from initial concept to final master. This course is designed to help you learn some of the tricks of the best music producers in the world and may assist you in defining your sound. With instruction that includes recreating 808 sounds, flipping and chopping drums, and chopping and processing vocal samples, this course may help you master essential techniques for production. Given this, understanding how to give life to a kick or hihat may be essential. This course may be especially helpful as it emphasizes techniques applicable across different digital audio workstations.
Audio Engineer
An Audio Engineer is responsible for the technical aspects of recording, mixing, and mastering audio. An audio engineer could benefit from the array of techniques the course instructors offer. With instruction that includes making drum sounds from anything, resampling drums, finding vocal samples, and turning vocals into drum sounds, this course may help you build a foundation in creating high-quality audio. The course’s coverage of topics, such as transients and beaters, could be useful for the audio engineer seeking to refine their skills.
Electronic Musician
An Electronic Musician creates music using electronic instruments and digital audio workstations. This course is designed to help you learn tricks to define your sound. With instruction that includes recreating 808 sounds, resampling drums, finding vocal samples, and turning vocals into drum sounds, this course helps you master essential techniques for electronic music production. For the electronic musician, the course may be especially helpful given its discussion of resampling and drum fills.
DJ
A DJ mixes and blends recorded music for live audiences or broadcasts. A DJ can benefit from learning some of the tricks and techniques that are discussed in this course. With instruction that includes chopping and processing vocal samples, resampling drums, and creating drum fills, the course could help you develop the skills to create unique and engaging mixes. Ultimately, for any DJ who uses prerecorded tracks, learning to make drum sounds from anything may be essential.
Remixer
A Remixer takes existing recordings and reinterprets them by adding new elements, sounds, and structures. The course material may be useful as remixers generally have a wide understanding of sound design. With instruction that includes turning vocals into drum sounds, flipping and chopping drums, finding vocal samples, and recreating 808 sounds, the course may help you create innovative remixes. Given this, instruction on resampling is very relevant.
Game Audio Designer
A Game Audio Designer creates and implements sound effects, music, and dialogue for video games to enhance the player experience. With instruction that includes making drum sounds from anything, resampling drums, and finding vocal samples, the course may help you create immersive and unique soundscapes. A game audio designer would find instruction on resampling especially helpful.
Podcast Editor
A Podcast Editor is responsible for cleaning, editing, and enhancing audio recordings to create polished podcast episodes. With instruction that includes finding vocal samples, chopping and processing vocal samples, and resampling, the course may help you refine your audio editing skills for podcasts. A podcast editor would find the instruction on vocals particularly relevant.
Foley Artist
A Foley Artist creates sound effects for films and other media by recording everyday sounds in sync with the visuals. This course may be useful for Foley Artists given that the course speaks about making sounds from anything. With instruction that includes making drum sounds from anything, resampling, and manipulating transients and beaters, this course may help you in creating realistic and innovative sound effects. Instruction will make you a more creative Foley artist.
Audio Post Production Specialist
An Audio Post Production Specialist works on the audio elements of films, television shows, and other media after the initial recording. The course may be useful for those who want to improve their understanding of sound mixing for films. With instruction on resampling, drum fills, and vocal processing, the course may provide helpful techniques for cleaning, enhancing, and sweetening audio tracks. With increased understanding of sound design, one may become a better Audio Post Production Specialist.
Sound Effects Editor
A Sound Effects Editor creates, edits, and organizes sound effects for various media, ensuring they enhance the overall audio experience. This course may be useful for those who want to be sound effects editors. With instruction that includes resampling, drum processing, and vocal manipulation, the course may offer helpful techniques for crafting innovative and engaging sound effects. This is because the course speaks about how to make sounds from just about anything.
Voice-Over Artist
A Voice over Artist records narration or character voices for various media, including commercials, animations, and audiobooks. This course may be beneficial as it covers the manipulation voices in the style of drums. With instruction that includes finding vocal samples, chopping and processing vocal samples, and turning vocals into drum sounds, the course may help you explore new ways to utilize your voice in creative projects. Learning how to make beats is one way to better understand rhythm.
Multimedia Artist
A Multimedia Artist combines various art forms, including video, audio, and graphics, to create engaging content for different platforms. This course may be useful for multimedia artists. With instruction that includes making drum sounds, manipulating vocals, and resampling audio, the course may help you integrate creative sound design into your multimedia projects. Multimedia artists will find it helpful for creating video and audio.
YouTube Content Creator
A YouTube Content Creator produces videos for the YouTube platform, often requiring skills in video editing, audio production, and content creation. The course may be useful for creating intros and background music. With instruction that includes making drum sounds, manipulating vocals, and resampling audio, the course may help you enhance the production value of your videos. Those using music in their videos would find this course especially helpful.
Musical Instrument Designer
A Musical Instrument Designer creates and engineers new musical instruments, both physical and digital, exploring innovative sounds and playing experiences. This course may be useful for musical instrument designers. With instruction that includes making drum sounds from anything, manipulating 808 sounds, and resampling, may help you to conceptualize new sounds and experiment with digital audio processing techniques used in instrument design. Being able to make drums is key to understanding rhythm.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Ultimate Sound Design Recipe Book Vol 3: Drums & Vocals.
Provides a visual approach to understanding mixing concepts, which is highly relevant to sound design. It covers topics like EQ, compression, and spatial effects, all crucial for shaping drum and vocal sounds. The book useful reference for understanding the signal flow and processing techniques discussed in the course. It is commonly used by audio engineering students and professionals.
Offers practical advice on achieving professional-sounding mixes in a home studio environment. It covers essential mixing techniques applicable to drums and vocals, such as EQ, compression, and reverb. While not a textbook, it valuable resource for understanding the nuances of mixing and mastering. It provides a wealth of tips and tricks for improving your mixes.

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