Prep Sessions

During the first week, students learn the fundamental operation of analog consoles (within the DAW) and Pro Tools systems. Signal flow is emphasized so students gain a deeper understanding that will help them quickly adapt to other gear and software they'll encounter.

Equalization, compression, limiting, delay and reverb are other important topics for the first few weeks. Students can then boost up their initial signal processing skills in the DAW lab.

Microphone selection and placement are other fundamental skills. Students practice setting up for recording sessions. Getting the headphones set up is part of these prep sessions too.

Recording Sessions

The artist start rolling in during the second month of the program. Students apply the skills they learned in the prep sessions, handing all the hands-on duties of console and Pro Tools operation. Recording Master Class instructors guide the workflow of the first few sessions, making sure that students also learn broader responsibilities that go beyond knobs, buttons and faders.

Successful recording also depends very much on dealing with creative personalities and practicing smart and reactive workflow. Session management is gradually put on the shoulders of students as they gain more experience.

Production

Music production skills have greatly expanded as digital technology has provided new options. A song's arrangement, tuning, timing and tempo used to be basically locked-in after recording. Now all of these qualities can be endlessly changed to the point that production can be a method of song creation unto itself. In addition, signal processing such as equalization, compression, delay, reverb, saturation, and distortion are part of the radical changes that can take place after the tracks are recorded.

RMC students initially learn and practice these production skills in the DAW lab. Editing, drum replacement, vocal comp and tuning are among the first assignments. Moving to projects in Studios B and C, students use the MIDI and loop capabilities of Logic Pro X and Pro Tools to expand their production skills.

Mixing Sessions

Mixing is an art form that has few rules and many approaches. Prep mixing sessions take place in the second month where RMC instructors demonstrate a variety of approaches that are used by successful mix engineers. Being able to blend dozens of tracks with clarity and spectral balance is held up as the typical goal of a good mix. 

Students start their own "real" mixing in the third month. At this point, students have sharpened their signal processing and production skills so they can apply these abilities to their mixes as needed.

Students have a wide selection of source material for their mixing sessions. They most often choose tracks from the artist they've been recording, but they can also pull tracks from RMC huge session archive. Pop, Hip-Hop, Rap RnB - RMC students can create a very diverse portfolio of mixes if desired.