SOUNDSCAPE SCHOOL FOR THE RECORDING ARTS

Royal Oak, MI

Learn to record, mix, and master like a pro

The Soundscape School for the Recording & Mixing Arts was founded by lead instructor and chief engineer Tim Smith in 2008 and has since then expanded to become one of the most highly respected institutions for audio education in the Midwest. With over thirty years of working professionally in the music industry, Tim laid out the foundation for each of our offered programs. His audio background knowledge spans from analogue to digital recording as well as live sound engineering.

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WHY Study at Soundscape?

  • One On One State Licensed Training
  • Knowledgeable & Experienced Award-Winning Program Instructors
  • All Text Books & Learning Materials Included In The Tuition Cost
  • Hands-On Training In A State Of The Art Facility Where National & Local Clients Make Records Twelve Months Out Of The Year
  • A Guaranteed Post Grad Work Experience Opportunity Following The Successful Completion Of The Selected Enrolled Program
  • Flexible Course Scheduling
  • No Crowded Classrooms
  • A Comfortable, Creative & Professional Learning Environment
OUR COURSES
COMPLETE STUDIO ENGINEERING
16 Weeks / 144 Clock Hours – $7,500
(TEXT AND MATERiALS iNCLudeD)

This powerful package was designed for the serious aspiring sound engineer! With both “The Creative Studio Recording” and “The Advanced Master Mixing” classroom training combined, the student takes advantage of an additional “Intro To Music Mastering Study” as well as over $1,000.00 in savings versus taking the two classes separately!

IN THIS COURSE YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO:

  • Record and capture sound like a pro!
  • Create an exciting competitive mix!
  • Master your songs so they sound great on every system!
VIEW COURSE OUTLINE
  • DAW & Outboard Gear Routing
  • A Comprehensive Study Of Studio Lingo & Terminology
  • Anatomy Of Dynamic, Condenser & Ribbon Microphones
  • Microphone Choice & Placement Techniques
  • Understanding Frequency Response
  • Understanding Gain Structure & Signal Path
  • Using Direct Boxes In Conjunction With Microphone Recording
  • Recording The Drum Kit
  • Recording The Electric & Upright Bass
  • Recording The Electric & Acoustic Guitar
  • Vocal Recording Techniques
  • Piano Recording Techniques
  • Full Band Single Room Multi-Track Recording
  • Full Band Isolated Multi-Track Recording
  • Recording With Compressors, Limiters & EQ’s
  • General Navigation Of The Recording Studio
  • Fletcher Munsen Equal Loudness Contour Curves
  • Analyzing Commercial Mixes & Breaking Down Traditional Mixing Styles
  • Creating Your “Stereo Image” With Three Dimensional Mixing Strategies
  • Using Reference Mixes For Instrument Balance & Tone
  • Logical Mix Prep Steps
  • Understanding “Inserts, Sends & Returns”
  • Taking Advantage Of Good Gain Structure Throughout The Mixing Process
  • EQ (How To Use It & What Not To Do)
  • Effectively Creating Space With Reverbs, Delays & Gates
  • “Cracking The Compressor” (An In Depth Formula For Success)
  • Various Multing, Comping & Parallel Compression Techniques For Creating Fatter Mixes
  • Compressing Your Master Mix Bus
  • Preparing The Final Reference Mixes For Your Client
  • Preparing The Final High Resolution Mixes For The Mastering Engineer
  • Analyzing Your Mixes
  • Understanding RMS & Peak Values
  • Creating Loud Competitive Reference Mixes

*Please note there is a $250 processing fee included in your purchase when you checkout using the “Purchase Half Tuition” option.

ADVANCED MASTER MIXING
8 Weeks / 72 Clock Hours – $4,450
(TEXT AND MATERiALS iNCLudeD)

In the Advanced Master Mixing class, past and present-day audio mixing styles and traditions are thoroughly explored. Students are taught general navigation of dynamic as well as creative techniques for delivering competitive commercial branded mixes.

IN THIS COURSE YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO:

  • Build radio ready mixes!
  • Work with industry standard hardware, software and plugins!
  • Prep your final mix for professional mastering!
VIEW COURSE OUTLINE
  • Fletcher Munsen Equal Loudness Contour Curves
  • Analyzing Commercial Mixes & Breaking Down Traditional Mixing Styles
  • Creating Your “Stereo Image” With Three Dimensional Mixing Strategies
  • Using Reference Mixes For Instrument Balance & Tone
  • Logical Mix Prep Steps
  • Understanding “Inserts, Sends & Returns”
  • Taking Advantage Of Good Gain Structure Throughout The Mixing Process
  • EQ (How To Use It & What Not To Do)
  • Effectively Creating Space With Reverbs, Delays & Gates
  • “Cracking The Compressor” (An In Depth Formula For Success)
  • Various Multing, Comping & Parallel Compression Techniques For Creating Fatter Mixes
  • Compressing Your Master Mix Bus
  • Preparing The Final Reference Mixes For Your Client
  • Preparing The Final High Resolution Mixes For The Mastering Engineer

*Please note there is a $250 processing fee included in your purchase when you checkout using the “Purchase Half Tuition” option.

CREATIVE STUDIO RECORDING
8 Weeks / 72 Clock Hours – $4,450
(TEXT AND MATERiALS iNCLudeD)

In our first offered program, the Creative Studio Recording course, students work with multiple musicians in various exercises learning the fine art of microphone placement and professional recording techniques while gaining much needed experience for assistant entry level positions out in the field.

IN THIS COURSE YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO:

  • Understand your acoustical environment!
  • Choosing the right mic for the job!
  • Record and capture sound like a pro!
VIEW COURSE OUTLINE
  • DAW & Outboard Gear Routing
  • A Comprehensive Study Of Studio Lingo & Terminology
  • Anatomy Of Dynamic, Condenser & Ribbon Microphones
  • Microphone Choice & Placement Techniques
  • Understanding Frequency Response
  • Understanding Gain Structure & Signal Path
  • Using Direct Boxes In Conjunction With Microphone Recording
  • Recording The Drum Kit
  • Recording The Electric & Upright Bass
  • Recording The Electric & Acoustic Guitar
  • Vocal Recording Techniques
  • Piano Recording Techniques
  • Full Band Single Room Multi-Track Recording
  • Full Band Isolated Multi-Track Recording
  • Recording With Compressors, Limiters & EQ’s
  • General Navigation Of The Recording Studio

*Please note there is a $250 processing fee included in your purchase when you checkout using the “Purchase Half Tuition” option.

Class Start Dates Include: FEBRUARY, JUNE & OCTOber.

Registration for any of our three offered classes is recommended at least two to four months in advance. Registration begins with the “full or half” tuition purchase of a recording arts program. We offer two choices for getting started:

1. Online, which can be done quickly & easily from the comfort of your own home. Shortly after you have made your tuition purchase, A Soundscape Representative will contact you to create a starting date & course schedule.

2. On site, here at The Soundscape. We ask that you first make an appointment. To do so, you may either fill out the “Schedule A Classroom Tour” form located on this page or give us a call directly at: 248.439.0499

PAYMENTS
We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express & Pay Pal. Please note a 4% processing fee will be added to your final purchase at checkout.

ABOUT OUR STATE LICENSE:
The Soundscape Recording Studio & School For The Recording Arts operates under license by The Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity (LEO). Each of our offered programs is state-approved.

STUDENT REVIEWS

What I have to say about the program is very simple and straight to the point. If you’d like to share a studio space with someone who shares the same amount of passion for what you’ve chosen as your career path, Tim Smith is the Engineer you should be investing in. Not only does his passion lie in the field, but also in sharing the knowledge he’s already obtained. While I was going through the “Complete Studio Engineering” course. Tim was very quick to pick out the areas where my weakness’ were. Not only that, but by pointing them out; it forced me to make a conscious effort to focus on these things. With his intriguing teaching techniques; anything I didn’t understand by the end of the day, towards the end of the program I could teach it to someone else. Working in the same environment as Tim gave me an opportunity to work one on one with an actual professional sound engineer. I wasn’t in a classroom competing for my instructor’s attention. Earlier I mentioned his (Tim’s) teaching techniques. What I meant by this, is that he uses a lot of great analogies and more importantly, real life scenarios to help you understand when the things you learn throughout the course are applicable. The only critique I have about the course, is that I wish it’d have lasted my whole life. I had a great mentor who was kind enough to share his extensive knowledge about sound with me, but also understanding enough to work with me through some unexpected predicaments. You put your heart into this, so will he. It’s worth the time and investment if you have the work ethic.

Sean Calvin

…My class was filled with a ton of valuable information. From the start my objective was to get my foot in the door as a recording or mixing engineer. I learned much more than I expected to and would highly recommend this class to anyone who wants to get started in this business.

Nicholas Wylie

…I first worked with Tim on a recording-mixing project which ultimately led me to this class. It was The Complete Studio Engineering class that gave me the knowledge to record and mix my band’s debut CD. I learned so much taking the course, I can’t imagine getting this type of information anywhere else. I’m really happy that I came to The Soundscape School for the Recording Arts. I would recommend this class to anyone who’s serious about making a living as a studio recording or mixing engineer.

Chadd Mattison

…I entered the course expecting to learn a lot, and I definitely did. What I now appreciate the most is that, more than just learning the technical aspects, I got real world experiences and I learned what it means to be a professional recording and mixing engineer. Without a doubt, I would recommend this program to anyone interested in a career in the audio arts!

Ryan Yunck