In this Start to Finish video series, see how all of the pieces of the record making puzzle fit together.
Learn how Grammy winner Fab Dupont:
- Produces
- Tracks
- Overdubs
- Edits
- Mixes
- Recalls
- Masters
With over 3.5 hours of non-stop teaching, this is your chance to observe not just the details that going into making a radio-ready record but also how an award winning producer keeps the "bigger picture" in focus and enhances the band's vision for the song.
This tutorial is a fountain of record making know-how and inspiration.
Get ready for tons of tips, tricks and methods that you can apply to your next recording session.
Producing:
- Setting up and laying out the band in the studio to track together to capture a "live" feel
- Mic choices and placement for drums, bass, guitar and vocals
- Studio signal flow and patching
- Making on-the-fly arrangement tweaking to give the song a solid pop structure
- Double tracking guitars for a full and wide sound
- Vocal harmonies and doubling
Mixing:
- Vocal editing and comping that quickly finds the optimal takes for each moment of the song
- Sonically transforming drum tracks recorded by himself from "pretty good" to a modern, punchy and aggressive drum sound
- Using analog summing and stem mixing techniques for maximum depth and mix clarity
- Adding reverb and delay effects to reinforce the vocal presence and give the mix some "sauce"
- Blending together multiple guitar amps with an amp simulator to create a thick and present guitar tone
- Dialing in the perfect vocal tone and compression for the genre
- Mix bus equalization and compression as well as using the special analog 2-Bus+ processing
- Automating the mix to bring out all of the special moments of the song
- Listening and utilizing a reference mixes playlist
- Using multiple drum crush buses to get the perfect amount of smack out of the kick and snare
- Adding life to entire mix as a whole and piece by piece
Recalling:
- After stepping away from the studio, Fab and Joey return with mix changes big and small
- Enhancing the drums sound with a sample and a little extra EQ and automation
- Tweaking the guitar mic blend
- Refining the vocal sound with EQ and subtle Melodyne
- Altering the equalization on the mix bus
Mastering:
- How to take a song that's been mixed with a "mastered" sound in mind
- Mastering signal flow and workflow
- Metering and loudness
- Matching the tone and vibe with the band's previous record
- Making tweaks to the overall sonic shape and most importantly depth of the mix
- Opening up the sides and cleaning up the guitar tone using mid-side EQ
- Refine your listening skills with detailed "Listen For" exercises all along the way
This is an honest look at the WHOLE record making process, mistakes and all, so you can learn every step that goes into producing a modern rock song.
Even engineers and producers who don't make rock records will walk away with ideas and tricks they can bring from the rock world to their own music.
Don't forget, you can download the raw stems to the full song to hear the results of the tracking session and then try your hand at mixing and mastering the song!
