Members-Only Courses, Real Professors, and a Supportive Community
What To Expect at Audio University
Watching YouTube Videos Isn't Enough
These days, with endless tips and tricks videos, it's easier than ever to get distracted. You might fall into the trap of watching videos all day, without ever putting your skills to the test on a real project. But learning the theory is only a small part of improving your skills.
To become successful at anything you need the following: theory, practice, feedback, and community.
Theory without practice ➡️ You'll never really understand how to apply the theory.
Practice without theory ➡️ You'll be lost when the gear isn't working as expected.
Practice without feedback ➡️ You risk building bad habits that will be difficult to break later.
Theory, practice, and feedback without community ➡️ You'll slow down your growth and limit your opportunities in the future.
When I enrolled in the Audio Production program at my university, my skills started to dramatically improve. Not only was I learning new things from my classes, but I was also practicing, getting answers to my questions, and building my network in the process.
This is the reason we have created Audio University - to bring these four elements to you.
Audio University is not an accredited university, of course. So you won't receive a bachelors degree like you would when you complete a four-year university program. However, you will get access to college professors, practice exercises, feedback on your work, and the opportunity to build a network of like-minded people.
I have been creating music for most of my life and have reached a point in my career where I was missing some knowledge as a primarily self taught producer/engineer.
I had never signed up for an online course or community before so therefore I was a little dubious as to how good the content would be. However, I had watched many of Kyle's Audio University videos and was always drawn to his calm and informative approach to teaching.
Within my live first session with the fantastic Gabe Herman, I had said to myself that the subscription fee was worth it just for that one session! To be in a community with some of the finest and most knowledgeable people within the industry and having the opportunity to take in their humble and masterful approach to teaching is something that I can recommend very highly, as within only a few weeks, my knowledge had expanded greatly and the positive reinforcement I had received helped to boost confidence in my work.
ADAM
Audio University Member
Learn From Experts Who Know How To Teach
Have you ever tried learning audio from someone who can't explain things very well? It's kind of frustrating, isn't it?
Even if someone has a lot of professional experience doing something, that doesn't necessarily mean they will be good at teaching it to someone else.
Audio University guest instructors not only have years of experience mixing and recording, but they are also experienced teachers. They teach audio production at colleges, universities, and training facilities around the world.
Become a Member
MONTHLY
Access to all membership features, including:
$19/mo
YEARLY
Access to all membership features, including:
$169/yr
$228/yr
I'm usually extremely cautious about joining 'communities' due to several negative experiences in the past. So, it takes a lot for me to come out of my shell. But I definitely like how you've set everything up so far. I love the idea that you will select people who are actually good at teaching, and not just showing off their creds.
Quincy
Audio University Member
As a member, you'll gain full access to the Mixing Essentials Course, where you’ll explore essential techniques for EQ, compression, and time-based effects. Led by Prof. Gabe Herman, a professor with nearly 20 years of experience teaching audio, this series provides in-depth knowledge and hands-on techniques for improving your mixes.
In addition to the Mixing Essentials Course, you’ll have access to upcoming content, including new courses that will expand on various aspects of audio production. Each month, you’ll receive fresh material and insights designed to help you grow as an audio professional. Whether you're revisiting previous sessions or diving into brand-new content, this membership offers a continuous learning journey.
With on-demand access and interactive support through chat, this membership ensures you're always up to date with the latest tools and techniques in audio production. Stay tuned for even more courses and exclusive content coming soon!
The Mixing Essentials Course features Prof. Gabe Herman, Associate Professor of Music Production and Technology at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School. With 25 years of experience as a freelance audio engineer and nearly two decades of teaching, Prof. Herman brings a wealth of knowledge to the course. The series is organized into the following sessions:
Equalization
The equalizer is one of the most used tools in the mix engineers toolkit. In the first part of the Mixing Essentials Series, Gabe will help you understand how the tool works and some best practices for how to integrate equalization into your mix practice. Some topics covered include (but aren’t limited to):
- Review of what EQ can and cannot do - what is it made for and why engineers use it?
- What is masking and how do you understand when it is happening?
- Is it better to boost or to cut when using EQ, and why does it matter?
- Should we use an EQ before or after compression?
- Techniques for using EQ to generate character in a recording; “the bad stuff on purpose…”
- How to tell when an EQ is successful at getting you results and when it's making things worse.
You will walk away with techniques you can put into practice immediately to sweeten and punch up your mixes.
Compression & Limiting
In the audio animal kingdom, the compressor is (perhaps) the most used and least understood species. In the hands of an experienced engineer, they can bring life and power to a mix. The path towards learning how to use compressors is tricky. One must learn not just how they mechanically work, but also how to think critically about how they are applied. Compress too much or at the wrong time and you might just end up causing more harm than good.
In part two of The Mixing Essentials Series, you will learn to think of compressors as harmonic saturation devices that use time-based controls (attack/release) to change the dynamic qualities of instruments in a mix. We will also cover how compression can be applied to a fully mixed track to knock back errant transients and “glue” the mix together. Comparative listening exercises will illuminate what happens when a compressor is pushed too far, and you’ll lean strategies for how to apply just the right amount of compression to any single instrument, sub-group, or mix.
This mix clinic builds on techniques presented in part 1 “EQ”, but can be useful to anyone interested in improving their mix abilities.
Reverb & Delay
There is nothing more satisfying than a big plate reverb or a trippy delay at the right moment on a track. When tracking, it can turbo-boost a performers abilities and coach out daring stunts that would be unthinkable in a dry vacuum. It gives tracks the big feels, turns snare drums to thunder, and can make guitars surf!
You’ve probably already started using time-based effects in your mixes, but have you ever wondered how to use reverb and delay to break through the creative wall? Presets will get you started, but there are an infinite number of possibilities available to any engineer willing to learn the basics of time-based effects processing and get experimental. Part III of The Mixing Essentials Series explores some of the ways you can use reverb and delay to add dimension to snare drums, vocals, and other instruments, as well as some best practices for managing session routing and preserving valuable system resources. Practical demonstrations will illustrate how to build depth throughout a mix using multiple processors, each with their own time window.
Building on techniques covered in parts one and two, this third series will add new polish to your mixes and give you the courage to break free of presets.
Instructor:
Gabe Herman
Associate Professor of Music Production & Technology - University of Hartford
Gabe Herman is a music producer, audio engineer, sound designer and educator.
Gabe has engineered and produced numerous music recordings in a variety of genres spanning from classical ensembles to modern rock, contemporary world beat music, jazz, blues, R&B and more on just about every form of media outlet.
He owns and operates AudioGabriel, a production company that focuses on creative, new works with notable local, regional and internationally recognized performing artists from around the world.
His film scores, audio post, and sound design work have premiered and won awards at over 21 film festivals and he has also mixed and designed sound for a number of original programming series for NBC, VS, the Outdoor Channel and MTV as well as other prominent media outlets.
Gabe is a tenured Associate Professor of Music Production & Technology at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School. In his classes, students learn how to translate their passion for the music industry into important skills necessary for vibrant careers in the entertainment industry as engineers, producers and performers.
Gabe is a full, professional member of the Audio Engineering Society where he has served as a Regional Vice President for the Eastern US and Canada as well as Chair of the AES Education Committee, representing all audio education based AES programming throughout the world.
Become a Member
MONTHLY
Access to all membership features, including:
$19/mo
YEARLY
Access to all membership features, including:
$169/yr
$228/yr
What Current Members Are Saying
Big thank you to Gabe and Kyle for a fantastic first session. Can't express how buzzing I am to be a part of this great community!
adam // Member
This entire lesson was an “AHA” moment for totally changing the way to begin to listen to a mix.
john // Member
Being self-taught, the AU channel has been pivotal in my learning journey, so I’m excited to see how I grow through the community.
Heidi // Member
About the Founder
Kyle Mathias
In 2008, Kyle and his friends wanted to record their band, but had no money to pay someone to do it. They saved up, bought some cheap mics and an audio interface, and started experimenting with recording and mixing.
After high school, he attended a four-year university to study audio production. The university gave him access to great teachers, some of the best equipment on the market, and a community of classmates who would one day become colleagues.
He went on to work for a live sound company that provided sound for concerts, music festivals, corporate events, and conventions. He has also done work in systems integration, designing audio and video systems for a variety of applications and spaces.
In 2019, Kyle founded Audio University to help musicians, audio engineers, and students learn audio production through easy-to-understand videos.
"I have learned much more than in my audio class in college!"
Thank god for this channel, I've learned so much watching these videos. And thanks to some connections my dad has, I'm able to practice all of this stuff in a studio. Safe to say, I have learned much more than in my audio class in college!
@PR1ME98
"I am thrilled at the wealth of knowledge you've presented"
I've just come across your channel and am thrilled at the wealth of knowledge you've presented in just the first few videos I've watched. Just a personal note: I learned a lot at Berklee and paid a lot for the knowledge gained, which I then taught other students at several colleges. And now, to see and hear your presentations on YouTube, sharing similar valuable information (but even more concisely and clearly than did my teachers at music school) fills me with joy! What a wonderful day and age we live in, with such amazing technology, and now the Internet to share it with the rest of the world. You are doing a fabulous job, sir. Please keep it up. I've subscribed to your channel and will eagerly watch and learn your materials, which you present so professionally.
Steve Kuban
"1 trillion times better than anything any teacher I've had has ever tried to explain"
You explain every single concept that you talk about in your videos 1 trillion times better than anything any teacher I've had in school has ever tried to explain. You're really great at explaining things in a way that I can understand it.
Bradley Brookwood
Frequently Asked Questions
As a member, you'll have access to our platform using a web browser or smartphone app.
The educational content on the platform will include mix reviews, Q&A sessions, and Audio University courses.
You can join live sessions from the platform and ask questions in real-time or watch the replay on-demand at your convenience.
Join conversations in one of the ongoing threads, ask for help, and share tips with other community members.
Audio University membership is for anyone who wants to learn audio production - musicians, audio engineers, amateurs, and pros.
YouTube is a wealth of information for music producers who want to step up their mixing chops. In fact, there are lots of videos on the Audio University YouTube channel that you may find helpful!
As a YouTube viewer myself, I know that you can learn just about anything. But watching an Audio University video on YouTube doesn't provide the experience you'll get as a member.
Membership means you'll be invited to join exclusive live sessions where you can ask questions and meet other musicians and audio engineers like you.
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