Learn Audio Production

Coming Soon

Shape sound from recording to release. Audio production covers microphone technique, DAW workflows, mixing, mastering, and publishing — whether you’re making music, podcasts, or sound design.

This course builds from recording fundamentals through mixing techniques to mastering and distribution across platforms.

Start Here — Learning Roadmap

A suggested path from zero to polished audio production. Follow these steps in order:

1. Understand sound fundamentals — Learn what frequency, amplitude, phase, and waveforms are; understand how decibels, sample rate, and bit depth work
2. Set up your DAW — Install REAPER or Audacity and learn navigation, recording, track management, and basic editing (cut, copy, fade)
3. Learn microphone technique — Understand polar patterns (cardioid, omni, figure-8), proximity effect, gain staging, and proper mic placement for vocals and instruments
4. Record your first tracks — Practice recording vocals or an instrument with clean gain, minimal background noise, and proper monitoring
5. Study EQ and compression — The two most important mixing tools; learn to cut problem frequencies, shape tone, and control dynamics
6. Build a mixing workflow — Gain staging, bussing, panning, aux sends, and effects chains; learn to balance a full mix from drums to vocals
7. Add time-based effects — Reverb, delay, and modulation effects; understand sends vs inserts and how to create depth and space
8. Practice mastering basics — Learn limiting, stereo imaging, loudness standards (LUFS), and how to prepare a final mix for distribution
9. Explore sound design and synthesis — Subtractive, FM, wavetable, and granular synthesis; build patches from scratch in Vital or Surge XT
10. Publish and distribute — Export formats (WAV, FLAC, MP3), metadata tagging, distribution platforms (DistroKid, Bandcamp), and podcast hosting

Official & Core Documentation

• REAPER User Guide — Complete official documentation for REAPER with keyboard shortcuts and workflow guides (Beginner to Advanced)
• Audacity Manual — Official documentation covering recording, editing, effects, and plugin support (Beginner)
• Ardour Manual — Comprehensive guide to the open-source professional DAW covering recording, mixing, and MIDI (Intermediate)
• Sound On Sound — Synth Secrets — The definitive 63-part series on synthesis fundamentals, from oscillators to modular patching (Intermediate to Advanced)
• Pro Audio Files — In-depth articles on recording, mixing, and mastering technique from working engineers (Intermediate)
• iZotope Learn — Free educational articles on mixing, mastering, and audio repair from plugin developers (Beginner to Intermediate)
• LANDR Blog — Music production guides covering mixing, mastering, synthesis, and music theory (Beginner to Intermediate)
• Audio Engineering Society (AES) — The professional organization for audio engineers with technical papers and standards (Advanced)

GitHub Awesome Lists & Curated Collections

• awesome-music-production — Curated list of software, services, and resources to create and distribute music, including DAWs, plugins, and utilities
• awesome-music — Comprehensive music projects list covering audio tools, music programming, and composition software
• awesome-audio — Audio technology resources for developers including books, courses, tutorials, and blogs
• awesome-musicdsp — Music DSP and audio programming resources for building synthesizers, effects, and audio tools
• awesome-audio-dsp — Audio DSP and plugin development resources covering filters, FFT, and real-time processing
• awesome-audio-visualization — Audio visualization experiments, libraries, and creative coding projects using Web Audio API
• awesome-audiovisual — Curated list of audiovisual projects covering live sound, lighting, and AV technology

Free & Open Source Tools

DAWs & Editors

• REAPER — Professional DAW with unlimited free evaluation — used in film scoring, game audio, and music production (All levels)
• Audacity — Free, open-source multi-track audio editor for recording, editing, and basic mixing (Beginner)
• Ardour — Free, open-source DAW for recording, editing, and mixing — full-featured professional workflow on Linux, macOS, and Windows (Intermediate)
• LMMS — Free, open-source DAW focused on beat-making and electronic music with built-in instruments and effects (Beginner)
• Cakewalk by BandLab — Formerly premium DAW, now completely free — unlimited tracks, VST support, and professional mixing tools (Intermediate)
• GarageBand — Free on Mac/iOS with loops, virtual instruments, and an intuitive interface for beginners (Beginner)

Free Synthesizers & Instruments

• Vital — Free spectral warping wavetable synthesizer matching the quality of Serum and Massive — hundreds of YouTube tutorials available (Beginner to Advanced)
• Surge XT — Open-source hybrid synthesizer with wavetable, FM, and subtractive synthesis — rivals commercial synths (Intermediate to Advanced)
• Dexed — Open-source DX7 emulation that loads original presets — perfect for learning FM synthesis (Intermediate)
• Spitfire Audio LABS — Free orchestral, piano, and textural instruments from a leading sample library company (Beginner)
• Zebralette 3 — Free wavetable synth from u-he that grows with you from basic patches to complex sound design (Beginner to Intermediate)
• Helm — Open-source polyphonic synthesizer with a clean visual interface (Beginner)

Free Effects Plugins

• TDR Nova — Free dynamic equalizer — one of the best EQ plugins available at any price (Intermediate)
• Valhalla Supermassive — Free delay and reverb plugin with lush, massive soundscapes (Beginner to Intermediate)
• Kilohearts Essentials — Free bundle of effects including EQ, compressor, delay, and distortion (Beginner)
• Bedroom Producers Blog — Free VST Directory — Continuously updated directory of the best free VST plugins across all categories (All levels)

Interactive Courses & Hands-On Platforms

Free Courses

• SoundGym School — Free audio learning programs curated by sound experts with ear training exercises (Beginner to Intermediate)
• Waves — From Demo to Master — Free mixing and production course with Grammy-winning producer Dave Darlington (Intermediate)
• Recording Revolution — Home studio recording and mixing techniques with structured learning paths (Beginner to Intermediate)
• Class Central — Audio Mixing — Aggregator of 400+ free audio mixing courses from universities and platforms (All levels)

University & MOOC Courses

• Coursera — Music Production Specialization (Berklee) — Berklee College of Music’s structured program covering songwriting through production — audit for free (Beginner to Intermediate)
• Coursera — Mixing and Completing Your Music Production — GRAMMY GO course on professional mixing workflows — enroll for free (Intermediate)
• Coursera — Electronic Music Production — Berklee’s electronic music courses covering synthesis, arrangement, and mixing (Intermediate)
• edX — Music Technology — University-level music technology courses from top institutions (Beginner to Intermediate)

Structured Tutorials

• Mixing Music Live — Online courses in live sound and music production with hands-on exercises (Intermediate)
• Produce Like A Pro Academy — Warren Huart’s structured course library covering recording, mixing, and production (Intermediate, Paid)
• ADSR Tutorials — Sound design and production tutorials with downloadable presets and samples (Intermediate, Paid)

Video Courses & YouTube Channels

Structured Course Playlists

• In The Mix — Clear, well-structured mixing and mastering tutorials covering EQ, compression, reverb, and stereo imaging (Beginner to Intermediate)
• Dan Worrall — Deep technical audio engineering with rigorous explanations of signal processing, EQ, and dynamics (Advanced)
• Produce Like A Pro — Warren Huart shares recording and mixing wisdom from decades producing rock, pop, and metal (Intermediate to Advanced)
• You Suck at Producing — Entertaining tutorials on mixing, mastering, and sound design for electronic music (Beginner to Intermediate)

Individual Creators & Channels

• Rick Beato — Music theory, production analysis, and “What Makes This Song Great?” breakdowns from a Grammy-nominated producer (Intermediate to Advanced)
• Musician on a Mission — Home studio mixing guides focused on getting professional results in any room (Beginner)
• Pensado’s Place — Grammy-winning mix engineer Dave Pensado interviews industry heavyweights (Intermediate to Advanced)
• Podcastage — Exhaustive microphone reviews and podcasting setup guides for every budget (Beginner)
• Production Music Live — In-depth electronic music tutorials covering sound design, mixing, and arrangement (Intermediate)
• Andrew Huang — Creative music production experiments and challenges exploring unconventional sound sources (Beginner to Intermediate)
• Spectre Sound Studios — Metal and rock mixing tutorials with practical, no-nonsense advice (Intermediate)
• Composing Gloves — Music composition, arrangement, and orchestration tutorials for game and film scoring (Intermediate to Advanced)

Books & Long-Form Reading

Free Online Resources

• Cambridge-MT Multitrack Library — Free multitrack stems for practicing mixing — hundreds of real songs across genres (Beginner to Advanced)
• Sound On Sound Archives — Decades of in-depth technical articles on recording, mixing, and gear (All levels)
• Bedroom Producers Blog — Curated free plugins, sample packs, and production news updated regularly (All levels)
• iZotope Learn Articles — Free guides on mixing, mastering, and audio restoration from plugin developers (Beginner to Intermediate)

Essential Paid Books

• Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio — Mike Senior’s practical guide with real-world mixing techniques and free multitrack practice sessions (Beginner to Intermediate, Paid)
• Mastering Audio — Bob Katz’s definitive guide to mastering, loudness, and delivery formats (Intermediate to Advanced, Paid)
• The Recording Engineer’s Handbook — Bobby Owsinski on miking techniques for every instrument (Intermediate, Paid)
• The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook — Bobby Owsinski’s in-depth guide blending modern and time-tested mixing practices (Intermediate, Paid)
• The Producer’s Manual — Paul White’s comprehensive resource from basic audio concepts to advanced production (Beginner to Advanced, Paid)
• The Master Handbook of Acoustics — F. Alton Everest’s guide to understanding and treating room acoustics (Advanced, Paid)

Community, Practice & News

Forums & Discussion

• r/audioengineering — Technical discussions on recording, equipment, and professional workflows (130k+ members)
• r/WeAreTheMusicMakers — Broad music creation community blending production, composition, and career advice (2M+ members)
• r/mixingmastering — Share mixes, get feedback, and discuss compression, EQ, and post-production technique
• KVR Audio Forum — The go-to community for plugin discussions, production software, and audio development
• Gearspace — Professional audio forum covering studio gear, acoustics, recording, and mixing (formerly Gearslutz)
• Cockos REAPER Forum — Official REAPER community with scripting help, workflow tips, and plugin recommendations

Inspiration & Practice

• Cambridge-MT Multitracks — Download real multitrack sessions and practice mixing across genres (All levels)
• Splice — Sample library and collaboration platform with millions of royalty-free sounds (Paid subscription)
• Bandcamp — Independent music platform for discovering and supporting artists across every genre
• SoundCloud — Upload your mixes and productions to get feedback from a global community

Industry News & Blogs

• Sound On Sound — The bible of music recording with deep technical articles, reviews, and tutorials
• MusicRadar — Gear reviews, production tips, and free samples from the team behind Computer Music and Future Music
• Attack Magazine — Electronic music production tutorials, reviews, and free plugin roundups
• KVR Audio — The largest database of audio plugins with news, reviews, and a marketplace

Tools & Environments

Free Sound Resources

• Freesound — Collaborative database of 400,000+ Creative Commons sound samples for any project
• Free Music Archive — Royalty-free music under Creative Commons licenses from a curated library
• BBC Sound Effects — 33,000+ sound effects from the BBC archive available for personal, educational, and research use
• NASA Audio Collection — Space mission audio, rocket launches, and atmospheric sounds — all public domain

Ear Training & Practice

• SoundGym — Browser-based ear training games for developing frequency recognition, compression detection, and stereo perception
• Tone Deaf Test — Free music theory lessons and ear training exercises covering intervals, scales, and chords
• TrainYourEars — Desktop ear training software for developing EQ and frequency recognition skills (Paid)