The Experience

What to expect

During our 4-day Song Production Masterclass, you’ll have unparalleled access to the skills and expertise of our team in two of the most iconic recording studios in the world. You’ll follow Andrew Scheps as he leads you through the different stages of producing and recording a song in two world-class recording studios. The first two days will be spent in Angel One at Angel Studios, where Sam Smith, Jacob Collier, Nile Rodgers, Florence and the Machine, Paolo Nutini, Gary Barlow and The Cure have all recorded. On day three you move to Abbey Road’s Studio Three. Here you’ll spend the day mixing in the control room of Studio Three. Studio Three has been home to sessions with Frank Ocean, Liam Gallagher, Florence and the Machine and Krept and Konan and Pink Floyd.

On the last day, you’ll move back to Angel Studios to spend time under the expert guidance of Abbey Road mastering engineer Oli Morgan. Then we’ll wrap up with a debrief to review and digest what you’ve learnt throughout the masterclass.

The four days will cover:

Day 1 – Recording

• Introductions & meet the team
• Recording session set up – studio signal flow and patching, the recording path, console considerations.
• Microphone selection, positioning, and the recording path.
• Session management – Pro Tools templates
• Production considerations (tempo / use of click track / song mood, arrangement & dynamics)
• The recording path – console settings, EQ, dynamics, outboard, plug-ins
• Recording technique – drums, bass, guitar (acoustic and electric), piano / synths / keyboard

Day 2 – Recording

• Recording technique – lead vocals, backing vocals, strings (violin, cello), percussion.
• Session review
• The importance of the monitor mix
• Mix preparation

Day 3 – Mixing

• Session management / workstation (DAW) & desk configuration / project settings.
• Artistic considerations
• Monitoring
• Panning
• EQ (desk, plug-ins & outboard)
• Dynamics (compressors, gates, expanders, limiters, desk, plug-ins & outboard)
• Time-based effects (delay, reverb, chorus, phase, flange)
• Grouping/bussing
• Session automation
• Bus / mix-bus compression
• Mastering preparation

Day 4 – Mastering & Review

• Session preparation
• Expectation management
• Artistic considerations
• Technical considerations
• Mastering workflows
• Tools (monitors, eq, dynamics, limiting, converters)
• Technique
• Software v Hardware
• Vinyl mastering
• Deliverables
• Session review
• Q&A

Note: As this is a live session this is a loose schedule and subject to change at any time.