Creating a Professional Sound w/ Jack Wood
Creating a Professional Sound w/ Jack Wood
Course Lessons
Course Preview
Introduction
Organising Your Project
Making a Sound Louder Without Affecting the Mix
Stem Mixing the Drums
Live Q&A
About This Course
Learning how to make your music sound professional does not have to be a lengthy process. If you’ve spent hours tweaking the mix of your latest track and it still doesn't bear comparison with your favourite releases, this course will give you the help you need to take your productions to the next level with Ableton Live.
You will learn how to:
- Pro grade mixing template
- Why sound/ sample selection is key
- Gain staging strategy
- Basic EQ for a clean sound
- Sidechain compression
- Identifying issues in the mix
- EQ and compression
- How to make something quieter but sound louder
- Advanced Bus Processing
Lessons:
1. Introduction
Jack introduces himself and what he will be covering in this course. He talks about problems he faced when starting off and what he did to overcome them to achieve professional sounding tracks.
2. Organising Your Project
Using templates to mix your tracks is key to saving time and staying consistent from track to track. Alex gives you some simple tips on setting up your project for easy and convenient workflow, from pre-loading samples into your instrument racks to using reference tracks to help your mix.
3. Making a Sound Louder Without Affecting the Mix
Jack shows you how to get the most out of your sounds without having to turn the volume up in the mix. He demonstrates how he uses basic mixing techniques such as EQ and Compression to create space in the mix for each element and let the samples shine through.
4. Stem Mixing the Drums
Jack demonstrates a ‘stem mix’ of his drum buss channel, going through each track in the group and what processing he would use to make it sit better in the mix and drum groove.
5. Live Q&A
- Would you suggest not to exaggerate with the stereo expander as it may make your tracks sound worse in clubs?
- Can you give some tips on panning on drums, synths and vocals? Why or why not?
- The majority of your track is in MIDI, would you recommend this over audio files and what is the reason why?
- Can you show how you would go about mixing kick and bass as these are the areas I struggle with when pushing the volume for the final mix?
- I see you mix a lot in session view, do you use automation for your affects and mixing?
Meet Your Teacher
Jack Wood
Jack Wood is a Mixmasters member who is smashing our Artist Breakthrough Accelerator program receiving plaudits from Glasgow Underground, Solid Grooves and Axtone. This fresh newcomer from Manchester is set to make a stir in the house and techno community.
Spending the last few years locked away in the studio learning and honing in his production skills, he is finally ready to showcase some of his latest tracks. Taking inspiration from DJs such as John Summit, Solardo, Eli Brown, Leftwing: Kody, Chris Lake and many more.
Discussions
Dream of finally finishing that draft or launching that side-hustle? Make your next creative project your best yet, with simple steps from creative superstar Emma Gannon!
Discussions
Dream of finally finishing that draft or launching that side-hustle? Make your next creative project your best yet, with simple steps from creative superstar Emma Gannon!
About This Class
Dream of finally finishing that draft or launching that side-hustle? Make your next creative project your best yet, with simple steps from creative superstar Emma Gannon!
In this new class, Emma shares the framework that allowed her to overcome self-doubt and carve her own path as an author, broadcaster, and podcast host. The secret to her success? Fed up with feeling afraid—of failure, of not being good enough, even of success—Emma dug into the science behind self-sabotage and learned exactly how to get out of her own way.
Now, Emma is sharing what she’s learned so that you can do the same: unlock your creative potential while feeling energized and empowered!
Together with Emma, you will:
- Identify the patterns in your life, and let go of habits that don’t serve you
- Cut out comparison to figure out what you really want and need
- Silence your inner critic by talking back to negative beliefs and behaviors
- Own your success and vulnerability—both go hand-in-hand with creativity
Packed with insights and examples from Emma’s personal journey, this class is designed for every creative who needs a pep-talk or extra push to get started—and includes five exclusive downloadable worksheets to support you along the way.
Whether you’re looking to break through block, remove self-imposed pressure, or simply approach each new project with intention, this 45-minute class will unlock your confidence as a creative. Get started and celebrate taking the first step!
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All you need to follow along is a pen and paper. Download the worksheets to follow along with Emma’s exercises, or jot your thoughts in a notebook.
Resources
- Introduction
- Week one
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