Recording Methods
Day One: Background information on sound, studio components, and equipment
Day Two: Mixing Console
Day Three: Hands-on Recording
Day Four: Hands-on Mixing

Cakewalk Sonar Professional Series Syllabus

First Hour
Greeting and Windows 95 Overview
Software Essentials
Installing Cakewalk Pro Audio
Installing MIDI Drivers
Connecting Equipment
Configuration of Audio Hardware
Using a Sound Card: Layout and Connections
Starting Cakewalk Pro Audio/Sonar
General Layout
Buttons
Software Setup
Instruments and MIDI Devices
Second Hour
The Track View Window
Layout and Design
What are Tracks
Tailoring Trackview Layout
Muting and Soloing
Recording MIDI
Recording Digital Audio
Inserting Digital Audio Files
Saving a Song and Exiting Cakewalk Pro Audio
Editing a Song
Establishing Clips
Establishing Markers
Extending a Song
Copying and Pasting Clips (Drag and Drop)
Combining Clips
New Tracks (Clones)
Instrument Multiple Instructions (MIDI Channel Chaos)
Editing Features
Undo/Redo
Selecting Options
Quantize and Groove Quantize
Length
Slide
Transpose
Scale Velocities
Others (Fit to Time, Retrograde, Interpolate)
Third Hour
Other Cakewalk Pro Audio Views
Audio View (Appendix A, Figure 4)
Audio Events Versus Embedded Digital Audio Files
Basics (Buttons)
Commands (Removing Silence, EQ, dB Increase/Decrease, Normalize)
Piano Roll View
Drum/Percussion Notes Versus Other Instrument Notes
Basics (Buttons and the Note Pane)
Selecting and Drawing Notes
Velocity Pane
Event List View
Basic Layout and Types of Information
Notes, Control, Patch, Wheel, SYSX, Lyrics, etc.
Inserting and Deleting
Staff View
Basic Layout (Tools)
Number of Staffs
Adding Lyrics
Adding Expression Marks
Lyrics View
Adding and Editing Lyrics
Lyric View Onstage
Tempo View
Basic Layout (Tools)
Modifying Tempo
System Exclusive View
Receiving, Sending, Name, Saving, Loading, Auto
Markers View
Adding, Changing, Deleting
Faders View
Configuring Faders and Knobs
Recording Fader Movement
Fourth Hour
Items Not Covered in Detail
Controllers View, Meter Key View, Play List View,
A Word About CAL
A Word about SMPTE and MMC
A Word About Instrument Definitions
Your First Simple Recording Session
Selecting Instruments
Song Outline
Recording
Mixing and Fixing
Using Samples (Sonar)
Questions and Answers

First Hour
The Midi Cable
Understanding the Electronic Message
Information Flow Characteristics and Limitations

Second Hour
Kinds of Information (Notes versus SYSX)
Sample Midi Live and Recording Setups

First Hour
Determining How Much Space to Devote to the Studio
Developing the General Layout
Control Room
Equipment
Console and Speakers
Outboard Gear
Instruments
Temperature Considerations and Ventilation
Sound Proofing
Second Hour
The Sound Room
The Snake and Headphones
Vocal Booth
Microphone Selection
Headphone Considerations
Instrument Amplifiers and Direct Lines
Temperature Considerations and Ventilation
Sound Proofing

Studio Engineering Nuts and Bolts: Recording/Mixing

First Hour
The Control Room
Cables and Wiring
Outboard Gear
Compressors/Limiters
Speakers
Instruments and Tone Generators
Second Hour
The Mixing Console
Third Hour
The Sound Room
Voice Recording
Microphone Basics
Headphones
Choirs and Background Vocals
Instrument Recording
Direct In
Amplifier Mic-ing

Hands-on: How to Write a Song Using Midi

First Hour
Selecting a Primary Instrument to Use in Writing
Overview of a Song's General Makeup
The Initial Song Idea
Developing the Idea
Building a Winning Hook
Second Hour
Developing the Verses
Developing the Vamp
Developing a Solo
Arrangement Considerations
Selecting Instruments
Producing the Song
Questions and Answers

Three Hour Sessions
Revolve around ongoing studio activities.  Apprenticeships cost $35.00 per 3-hour meeting.

Three Hour Course
Hands-on use of the Roland VS-1880 Hard Disk Recorder and Digital Editor requires that the student own, and bring to class, the unit.  The course first acquaints the user with the digital mixer and its functions (including digital controls during mixing).  Next the course covers the digital recorder functions from basic recording to editing and mixing to effects processing and use.