Set up the project and recording levels
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The idea in everyday life
Create an organized project with deliberate technical settings, routing, input levels, and backups.
A session template is a clean workbench: every tool and signal has a known place before performance starts.
One step at a time.
Use the sample or information you have permission to use. Keep your work as you go. You can pause between steps.
- 1
Create a project folder for session, audio, exports, references, notes, and backups with versioned naming.
- 2
Choose sample rate and bit depth appropriate to the destination, set a stable buffer, and avoid unnecessary format changes.
- 3
Label and color tracks, choose their inputs and outputs, and set up the performer’s headphone mix. Check for delay, or use direct monitoring to hear the input without the software delay.
- 4
Set the microphone preamp level using the loudest expected performance. Leave headroom—space below the level that causes clipping. Record a test and check for distortion, noise, or sounds that cancel when tracks play together.
See how it works.
Kai reduces interface gain after the chorus test peaks, sets a low-latency cue, and confirms the recorded file—not just the monitor path—is clean.
Did you cover these?
- Your work includes a reusable session template, technical settings note, labeled routing map, and clean gain-staged test recording.
- Check this common mistake: Recording as close to zero as possible because a small waveform looks weak, causing irreversible clipping on the real take.
- The loudest test remains clean, the performer hears a useful cue mix, and every recorded file lands in the correct folder.
What to finish
A reusable session template, technical settings note, labeled routing map, and clean gain-staged test recording.
Watch for this
Recording as close to zero as possible because a small waveform looks weak, causing irreversible clipping on the real take.
How can I tell I understand it?
The loudest test remains clean, the performer hears a useful cue mix, and every recorded file lands in the correct folder.
Quick knowledge check
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Go to the knowledge checkOptional course overview video · same video as Lesson 1
Music Production 101
From Berklee Online. Watch here or open it on YouTube .
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