Complete Advance Music Production & Audio Engineering

Vision - Understanding Sound by practically recording variety of sources in studio environment. Understanding Source of recording, the environment & signal chain along with all the mono & stereo microphone techniques by practically recording complex musical and non musical audio sources.

Application - Recording & Dubbing Engineer.

Learning theory of recording equipments and its signal flow is must but to attain professional recording candidate has to record variety of sources with different microphones with different microphone techniques. Doing this practically also helps in understanding behaviour of sound in acoustic domain, electrical domain as well in digital domain.

Candidate will learn about rooms, recording precautions, signal flow from source to speakers and to listening perception, candidate will also get exposure to various equipments used in professional recording equipments and how to produce best results within limited amount of decent equipments.

Candidate will perform Mono recordings, various stereo recordings and also multi-microphone techniques with various performers and sources.

Vision - This is an extremely important module for the development and understanding of western music theory, on the basis of which all DAWs function. In this course we will be learning concepts like harmony, seventh harmony, borrowed harmony, rhythm, harmonic rhythm, melody, transposition, modulation, etc.

We cover all the important topics that will give the student required musical and compositional skills to create their own compositions and arrangements.

The module focuses on both basic and advanced concepts of harmony, melody and rhythm. The classes are focused on not only the learning of chords, scales, harmonies, etc but also their application in specific genres of music. More complex ideas like modes, key changes, borrowed chords etc are also presented to the students during the advanced classes. We also focus on song composition, which would enable one to recognise the various parts of a song and how they have been woven together.

The students will be able to apply this knowledge to their own arrangements and come up with original compositions from scratch. The idea of music theory is also important to understand fundamental concepts like tuning and intonation that play a major role in the sonority of music. It is also important for mixing and live sound engineering, as having all instruments tuned in relation to each other is the first step towards a sound mix. Rhythmic concepts are also a focal point in the module as it forms the foundation for any music. Western music theory is also the prevalent type of tuning used for most modern mainstream Indian Music, as a result there is ample crossover.

Application: Music Composers & Music programmer / Arranger 

• Understanding and effectively using chord progressions, seventh chords, borrowed chords, extended chords and altered chords
• Understanding and using major, minor, pentatonic, harmonic and other types of scales
• Understanding modulation between different scales
• Knowledge of rhythm and note durations, both British and American forms
• Understanding of concepts like cadences, ostinatos, drones and various articulations.
• Original Compositions
• Creating interesting arrangements
• Covering popular music of any genre
• Creating backing tracks for live shows
• Tuning musical instruments
• Identifying and addressing issues stemming from tuning and intonation

Vision - The arrangement module helps student understand the application of music theory when composing a song.

The module focuses on various forms that we can purpose for our own compositions. Understanding the form gives us an idea about how to chart the evolution of a musical idea over a time period. We learn to create contrast between different sections and add variations to make thing sound more interesting. With the help of proper arrangement techniques student will be able to quickly put their ideas into the DAW and start tinkering with them.

If the students are having problems with finishing songs or developing a song further from a loop, then this module will hep them to get out of the rut. We will also learn song structure on a genre by genre basis. We have dedicated classes based on the arrangements of specific genres of music. We also go over how to create tension and resolution within our arrangements to make the song more palatable to a wider audience.

Application - Music Arranger / Programmer 

• Understanding song writing forms and arrangement forms
• Understanding the different sections of a song i.e. verse, chorus and bridge
• Knowledge of various genres and song structures of that style
• Creating contact between sections
• Creating tension and resolution
• Creating variation to keep listeners invested over a long period of time
• Understanding how to create dynamic changes between song sections
• Fleshing out small loops into full songs 
• Understanding instruments, what makes them sound authentic and choosing the correct register for programming notes
• Making templates for different types of music for faster workflow

Vision - In this module we cover the fundamental concepts, both electrical and acoustic, that are employed to measured and convert both audio levels and signals.

These concepts provide a stable base for the students to understand audio in various domains and how they relate to each other. It would provide a better understanding of the potential of a particular piece of equipment and aid in better decision making when choosing the right tools for a specific job.

Throughout the module we go over various parameters that are provided in professional equipment data sheets because the data tells us the limits of our equipment. As a result we can prevent overloading, prevent damage or maintain our equipment with efficiency. Audio equipments are relatively expensive products hence handling them properly will ensure durability and proper functioning.

Another focus of the module is to understand how audio levels are calculated, converted and measured so that we can have a concrete quantitative idea of the amplitude of audio being transmitted both in terms of signal and actual output. Metering is another important topic that is covered since most software and pro equipment will have metering systems to monitor the audio. These systems vary according to the nature of our source.

Understanding metering and how audio levels work is a fundamental step towards proper mixing and mastering, because all streaming or distribution mediums employ specific loudness standards. We will also cover the irregularities that are inherently present in our ears in terms of how we perceive audio levels so that we can prevent any sort of overcompensation in our mixes as a result of faulty listening practices.

Applications :

• In choosing proper equipment for specific work
• Combining signals and levels
• Metering over various domains
• Creating a stable listening environment
• Selecting the right accessories for our equipment
• Understanding loudness problems and addressing them
• Measuring Critical Distance, Ambient Noise Levels, Sound Pressure Level, etc using Sound Level Meters
• Calculation of logarithmic values and conversion of various audio units
• Calculating important factors like dynamic range, gain, signal-to-noise ratio etc, for a better grasp over the recording and mixing process
• Calibrating speakers and other equipments according to our needs
• Understanding how various properties of audio function in Acoustic, Electrical and Digital domains

Hardware Used :
• Scientific Calculator
• Sound Level Meter

Vision - This module focuses on the proper and most effective way to communicate between various audio equipments.

We focus heavily on signal types and their most suitable methods of transference. Signals are also dependent on their medium which would include connectors and wires.

We provide the student an in-depth knowledge of the various connectors required in a professional studio or a live set-up and the proper wires for these connections. Everything from preparing a wire, to soldering it to the connector terminals, along with proper assembly and strengthening is covered in this course, so that the student can make their own high quality audio wires according to their need of the hour and not be dependent on music stores and delivery services, which generally overcharge for a lower quality product.

Student are provided their own kits which contain the necessary item for serious wire construction. Soldering is also an important topic in the module as it is the primary skill required for crafting wires.

Interference is also a major focal point in the module, since the electrical signal carried through our audio cables can be easily compromised in the presence of external factors. These problems create a lot of headache in the studio as they are hard to eradicate.

In crypto cipher we focus on quick identification of these problems and the most cost effective ways of getting rid of them. The course also focuses on crafting one’s own reliable power supply for studio and live use which can eliminate grounding issues, electrical noise and interference.

The student are taught how to craft their own extension boards for extended connectivity.

Grounding and earthing are two major topics of this module as well, because problems in these fields can create hazardous situations in a studio or live setting, not to mention the degradation of signal that can also occur. The students are also taught correct audio wiring conventions according to AES (Audio Engineering Society) standards for the best results.

Applications:
• Creating personalised wires for specific and generalised purposes
• Identifying and eliminating interference problems
• Understanding proper grounding practices for a noise free recording studio
• Understanding Balanced and Unbalanced signals and their limitations and advantages
• Repairing and testing various audio wires for internal issues and rectifying them
• Establishing proper signal flow between various equipment
• Eliminating hum and ground loops in the studio
• Creating extension boards and switch boards specific for audio applications
• Using DI boxes and their application for converting signals
• Learning Soldering for proper cable construction and repair
• Configuring and wiring patch bays from scratch
• Cable management and maintenance
• Complete studio wiring

Hardware Used:
• Solder Iron and related soldering tools like solder wire, nipper, stripper, etc. (students will be provided kits containing necessary items)
• Connectors (XLR, TRS, RCA, etc) and Wires (STP, UTP and Snake)
• Gangbox, Switches, Sockets and Fuse
• Multimeter

Mixing & Mastering Tools Used During the Course

FabFilter Pro-C2 , FabFilter Pro-MB, FabFilter Pro-G, FabFilter Pro-DS, FabFilter Pro-L2 , FabFilter Pro-Q3, Izotope Nuetron Mixing Environment , Izotope Ozone, Plugins from Melda-Production , Great Collection of Soundtoys ( Decapitator, Echoboy , Little Alterboy and many more ) 

Complete Analogue Emulations from UAD

Lexicon Reverbs, Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder, dbx 160 Compressor, Empirical Labs EL7 FATSO Jr/Sr, EMT 140 Plate, Fairchild 660, Fairchild 670, Little Labs IBP Phase Alignment Tool, Maag EQ4, Manley Massive Passive EQ (STD & MST), Moog Multi-Mode Filter, Pultec-Pro Legacy, Roland Dimension D, Sonnox Oxford Inflator, Studer A800 Tape Recorder, Teletronix LA-2A, UA 1176

Application : Work as a Mixing & Mastering Engineer

Concepts of Mixing & Mastering build up from very first of session at Crypto Cipher. The course is structured in such a way that candidate has to learn each and every tool before the Mixing & Mastering module. There is no shortcut of learning Mixing & Mastering Process.

Control over each tool inside D.A.W, Recording, Editing, Sound Designing, Track Arrangements, Understanding of audio measurement units and handing Studio interconnections, Acoustics all combine together and prepare an individual for pro mixing & mastering decisions.

Project Submission Includes

Mixing Projects Tasks ( Projects will be provided by Academy ), Submission of Full Track by candidate in which start to finish track will be done by candidate only. Sound Design on Video project and Analysis of famous tracks submission.

Mixing & Mastering Course finally prepares the candidate to deliver Professional Quality Tracks.

Vision - A mixer is the signal routing hub of a studio or live-show. Whether within a software or in physical hardware form, a mixer is inescapable as it provides us with a multitude of ways we can setup our equipment to send, receive or record audio.

Mixers are often manufacturer specific but there are some overarching similarities in all of them. In this course we focus on the various categories of mixers used for commercial, professional and on-stage purposes.

The academy has different types of mixers that are taught to the students with full in depth knowledge of the physical working parts on the mixer and how the internal circuitry functions, so that they can operate one properly in a live or studio setting.

We also teach students how to read block diagrams and signal flow diagrams to diagnose problems within the signal chain and to understand how the mixer can send and receive sound from other equipment effectively.

We also look at the various connection types supported by these mixers. We deal with mainly real life applications of these mixers on a stage or studio, simulating relevant scenarios that a professional audio engineer is likely to face in their field of work.

The students are taught how to deal with analog and digital signals depending on the type of mixer they are dealing with and how they can accomplish various goals using these mixers.

Applications:
• Operating analog mixers
• Operating digital mixers
• Operating hybrid mixers
• Connecting mixers together
• Connecting mixers to other audio equipment
• Setting up a mixer for specialised situations like in a studio or live show
• Subgrouping, Routing, Monitoring and Mixing directly from the mixer in both live and studio settings.
• Creating specialised mixer cables according to requirement
• Live Sound applications

Hardware Used:
• Soundcraft Signature 22 MTK
• Soundcraft GB4
• Allen and Heath QU-32
• Soldering tools
• TRS and TS connectors

Vision - Acoustics is the most important knowledge for constructing a studio space be it for personal or professional reasons.

Having an isolated space for music ensures total control over the listening environment and also gives one the freedom to experiment and monitor sounds at will, without the fear of noise complaints or even disturbance from surrounding areas. It also gives us the knowledge of how to treat a room so that it can have a transparent frequency response which would mean that the person in the room is listening to the audio in an ideal condition, which would again lead to better mixes and prevent overcompensation.

The module covers the various properties of sound that governs its transmission in any physical space. This would stop us from introducing any kind of acoustic distortion, perhaps in the form of improper utilisation of studio space, into our acoustic signals.

We also focus on soundproofing, which refers to the isolation of an area from its surrounding region such that the sound within the room is contained inside, while the sound outside the room is obstructed from bleeding into the main room. This would provide us with the required ambient noise levels for high quality sound recording and also a quiet space for monitoring and mixing our sound without interference.

We will cover the conventional methods used for soundproofing a studio including decoupling mechanisms, damping, leafing, etc. All the aspects of a room are looked at individually as a result we can compare what practices will yield the best results for one specific type of studio.

Soundproofing is sub-divided into the topics: Walls, Floors, Ceilings, Windows and Doors. All of these components come together to create a soundproofed room, hence we look into specific construction methods and material requirements for each aspect.

Another focal point of the module is Acoustic Treatment which refers to the sonic character of any physical space and how to get it under control. We look at various practices used for flattening the frequency response of the room, including the materials required for this purpose, their dimensions and placement. Acoustic treatment also includes speaker placement and calibration.

Applications:
• In choosing proper equipment for specific work
• Combining signals and levels
• Metering over various domains
• Creating a stable listening environment
• Selecting the right accessories for our equipment
• Understanding loudness problems and addressing them
• Measuring Critical Distance, Ambient Noise Levels, Sound Pressure Level, etc using Sound Level Meters
• Calculation of logarithmic values and conversion of various audio units
• Calculating important factors like dynamic range, gain, signal-to-noise ratio etc, for a better grasp over the recording and mixing process
• Calibrating speakers and other equipments according to our needs
• Understanding how various properties of audio function in Acoustic, Electrical and Digital domains

Hardware Used:
• Scientific Calculator
• Sound Level Meter