Academy
Learn the process.
The Academy is a collection of guides, workflows, and learning resources for people who want to understand recording, production, and creative project development.
Browse Guides
Start with a category, then open the guide that matches the part of the project you are working on.
GETTING STARTED
Getting Started
- Home Studio Setup A starter guide for setting up a home studio with the right room, desk, computer, audio gear, and habits before spending money on upgrades.
- Home Recording Gear A starter guide for choosing the basic recording gear needed to capture vocals, instruments, podcasts, voiceovers, and rough music ideas at home.
- Microphone Basics A starter guide for understanding microphone types, pickup patterns, placement, and the basic choices that affect recording quality.
- Audio Interface Basics A starter guide for understanding what an audio interface does, how it connects microphones and instruments, and what to check before buying one.
- Recording Space Basics A starter guide for setting up a recording space that controls noise, reflections, microphone placement, and room problems before buying more gear.
- Remote Recording A starter guide for recording with someone who is not in the same room, including gear, internet setup, file handling, monitoring, and session planning.
PLANNING
Planning
- Cover Art A starter guide for making cover art that fits the project, reads well at small sizes, and works across music, podcast, and release platforms.
- Titles and Descriptions A starter guide for naming creative work and writing descriptions that tell people what the project is, what to expect, and why it is worth opening.
RECORDING
Recording
- Lighting Basics A starter guide for lighting video, photo, and studio work with basic placement, soft light, contrast, background separation, and exposure.
- Camera Framing A starter guide for framing shots with subject placement, headroom, leading room, shot size, background control, and composition.
- Talking Head Video Setup A starter guide for setting up talking head videos with camera placement, lighting, lens choice, audio, background, and recording habits.
- Performance Video A starter guide for filming music performances, live sessions, highlight clips, and artist videos with usable shots, clean audio, and enough coverage to edit.
- Music Video Basics A starter guide for planning and shooting a music video with a concept, locations, playback, coverage, performance takes, and footage that can survive the edit.
EDITING AND SOUND
Editing and Sound
- Video Editing A starter guide for editing video with timelines, cuts, pacing, software choice, audio cleanup, organization, and exports.
- Cleaning Up Audio A starter guide for fixing noisy recordings, uneven volume, mouth sounds, background hum, harsh speech, and other problems before the final edit.
- Editing Workflow A starter guide for organizing footage, building a rough cut, cleaning up edits, managing revisions, and exporting finished projects without losing track of files.
- Mixing Basics A starter guide for balancing audio tracks with volume, panning, EQ, compression, space, automation, and basic mix decisions.
- Mastering Basics A starter guide for preparing a finished mix for release with loudness, EQ, limiting, reference tracks, export checks, and final listening tests.
- Preparing Audio for Release A starter guide for checking final audio files before release, including loudness, file formats, metadata, exports, naming, and playback tests.
RELEASE
Release
- Promotion Basics A starter guide for sharing a release, podcast, video, or creative project with clips, posts, timing, artwork, descriptions, and basic follow-up.
- Release Strategy A starter guide for planning a release with timing, assets, platform setup, promotion, follow-up, and a schedule that keeps the project from feeling rushed.
PODCAST
Podcast
- How to Start a Podcast A starter guide for starting a podcast with a topic, format, setup, recording plan, publishing path, and enough structure to keep making episodes.
- Podcast Setup A starter guide for setting up a podcast space with microphones, headphones, recording software, room control, video gear, and a layout that can be used again.
- Podcast Gear A starter guide for choosing podcast gear that matches the show, recording space, budget, number of speakers, and audio or video setup.
- Podcast Planning A starter guide for planning podcast topics, seasons, episodes, scripts, guest prep, and recording notes before the microphone is on.
- Podcast Format A starter guide for choosing a podcast format that fits the topic, host style, recording setup, schedule, and kind of episodes the show can keep making.
- Podcast Name Ideas A starter guide for choosing a podcast name that fits the show, makes sense in a feed, and gives listeners a clear reason to click.
- Podcast Episode Outline A starter guide for outlining podcast episodes with openings, main points, questions, transitions, timing, and closing notes before recording.
- Podcast Intro A starter guide for writing and recording a podcast intro that tells listeners what the episode is about without wasting the first minute.
- Interview Questions A starter guide for preparing podcast interview questions that lead to better answers, stronger follow-ups, and conversations that do not feel canned.
- How to Record a Podcast A starter guide for recording a podcast with the right room, microphone setup, levels, headphones, tracks, backups, and session habits.
- Podcast Editing A starter guide for editing podcast episodes with clean cuts, better pacing, audio cleanup, music placement, file organization, and final export checks.
- Podcast Audio Basics A starter guide for getting podcast audio right with microphone placement, recording levels, room control, editing tools, and final voice balance.
- Podcast Loudness A starter guide for setting podcast loudness with LUFS, peaks, compression, limiting, normalization, and final playback checks.
- Video Podcast Setup A starter guide for setting up a video podcast with cameras, microphones, lighting, framing, recording software, remote guests, and files that are ready to edit.
- Podcast Camera Setup A starter guide for choosing and setting up podcast cameras with framing, lighting, power, storage, angles, and recording settings.
- How to Publish a Podcast A starter guide for publishing a podcast with a host, RSS feed, show details, episode files, platform checks, and launch steps.
- Podcast Hosting A starter guide for understanding podcast hosting platforms, RSS feeds, distribution, analytics, storage, pricing, and the host’s role in keeping a show active.
MUSIC
Music
- How to Start Recording Music A starter guide for recording music at home with a basic setup, a DAW, an audio interface, microphones, headphones, and a simple first-song workflow.
- Choosing a DAW A starter guide for choosing recording software based on workflow, budget, computer setup, music style, and the kind of projects being made.
- Getting Started with Logic Pro A starter guide for opening Logic Pro, setting up a project, recording audio and MIDI, using basic tools, and exporting a first song idea.
- Songwriting Basics A beginner friendly guide to songwriting, including chords, melody, lyrics, and structure. Learn how to turn a simple idea into a complete song.
- Writing Lyrics A practical guide to writing song lyrics, including generating ideas, using rhyme and meter, telling a story, and revising lines until they hit.
- Song Structure A practical guide to song structure, including common sections like verse, chorus, and bridge, and how to arrange them into a complete song.
- Demo Planning A practical guide for planning a song demo, including setting goals, choosing the right level of production, and preparing before you hit record.
- How to Record a Demo A practical guide for recording a song demo quickly, including capturing ideas, basic arrangements, simple production, and knowing when a demo is done enough to share.
- Recording Vocals A practical guide for recording vocals at home, including microphone choice, room treatment, mic placement, gain staging, and getting a strong performance.
- Recording Guitar A practical guide for recording electric guitar, including mic placement, amp settings, direct input, amp modelers, and getting a good guitar tone at home.
- Recording Acoustic Guitar A practical guide for recording acoustic guitar at home, including mic placement, room considerations, mic types, and getting a clean natural sound.
- Recording MIDI A beginner friendly guide to recording MIDI, including MIDI controllers, software instruments, editing notes, and using MIDI in a home studio setup.
- Music Editing A practical guide for editing music in a DAW, including cutting, timing correction, comping takes, noise removal, and preparing tracks for mixing.
- Mixing Vocals A practical guide for mixing vocals, including leveling, EQ, compression, reverb, delay, and getting vocals to sit right in a song.
- How to Release a Song A step by step guide for releasing a song independently, including distribution, publishing registration, copyright, and getting the song ready for streaming platforms.
- Music Distribution A starter guide for getting music onto streaming platforms, choosing a distributor, understanding royalties, and preparing releases for Spotify, Apple Music, and other services.