git:20251218.8e57ad2 to git:20260113.90b2d6e

---

name: audio-production

description: Professional audio production for music, podcasts, and sound design. Use when working with audio recording, mixing, mastering, or sound design for any medium.

---

# Audio Production

Comprehensive guide for professional audio production across music, podcasts, video, and interactive media.

## Audio Fundamentals

### The Audio Signal Chain

```

SOURCE → CAPTURE → PROCESS → OUTPUT

Detailed:

┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐

│ Source │→→→│ Mic │→→→│ Preamp │→→→│Interface│

│(voice, │ │ │ │ │ │ (A/D) │

│ instr.) │ │ │ │ │ │ │

└─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └────┬────┘

│

▼

┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐

│Speakers │←←←│ (D/A) │←←←│ Mix │←←←│ DAW │

│Headphone│ │Interface│ │ Master │ │Recording│

└─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘

```

### Key Audio Concepts

### Frequency Spectrum

```

20 Hz 20,000 Hz

├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤

SUB-BASS │ BASS │ LOW-MID │ MID │ HIGH-MID │ HIGH

20-60 │ 60-250 │ 250-500 │500-2k │ 2k-6k │ 6k-20k

│ │ │ │ │

Rumble │ Warmth │ Body │ Pres- │ Presence │ Air

Feel │ Punch │ Muddiness│ ence │ Harshness│ Sibilance

```

### Decibel Reference Points

```

dBFS (Full Scale):

0 dBFS ████████████ Digital maximum (clipping)

-3 dBFS ██████████ Peaks (leave headroom)

-6 dBFS █████████ Recommended peak ceiling

-12 dBFS ███████ Average loud signal

-18 dBFS ██████ Recommended recording level

-24 dBFS ████ Conservative level

-60 dBFS █ Noise floor target

```

---

## Recording

### Microphone Types

### Polar Patterns

```

CARDIOID FIGURE-8 OMNI

╭─────╮ ╭───╮ ╭─────╮

╭─┤ ├─╮ ╭─┤ ├─╮ ╭─┤ ├─╮

│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ │ ● │ │ │ │ ● │ │ │ │ ● │ │

│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

╰─┤ ├─╯ ╰─┤ ├─╯ ╰─┤ ├─╯

╰─────╯ ╰───╯ ╰─────╯

Front pickup Front + Back All around

```

### Recording Levels

```

Target Peaks: -12 to -6 dBFS

Average Level: -18 to -12 dBFS

Why?

- Leaves headroom for processing

- Matches analog equipment sweet spot

- Prevents digital clipping

- 24-bit has plenty of resolution

```

### Recording Best Practices

- [ ] Set gain before recording (never during)

- [ ] Record at 24-bit minimum

- [ ] Use 48kHz for video, 44.1kHz for music

- [ ] Monitor with headphones

- [ ] Record a few seconds of room tone

- [ ] Check phase when using multiple mics

- [ ] Label takes immediately

---

## Essential Processing

### EQ (Equalization)

```

Types:

- High-pass filter (HPF): Removes low frequencies

- Low-pass filter (LPF): Removes high frequencies

- Bell/Peak: Boost or cut specific frequency

- Shelf: Boost or cut above/below frequency

Common Applications:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐

│ Vocal: │

│ HPF at 80-100Hz (remove rumble) │

│ Cut 200-300Hz (reduce mud) │

│ Boost 3-5kHz (presence) │

│ Shelf boost 10kHz+ (air) │

├─────────────────────────────────────────┤

│ Kick Drum: │

│ Boost 50-80Hz (sub) │

│ Cut 300-400Hz (boxiness) │

│ Boost 3-5kHz (attack/click) │

├─────────────────────────────────────────┤

│ Electric Guitar: │

│ HPF at 80Hz │

│ Cut 400-600Hz if muddy │

│ Boost 2-4kHz (bite) │

└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

```

### Compression

```

Parameters:

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐

│ Threshold: Level where compression starts │

│ Ratio: Amount of compression (4:1, 8:1, etc.) │

│ Attack: Time to engage (fast=punch, slow=body)│

│ Release: Time to disengage │

│ Knee: Hard (sudden) or soft (gradual) │

│ Makeup Gain: Restore lost volume │

└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Common Settings:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐

│ Vocals: 3:1-4:1, medium attack/release │

│ Drums: 4:1-8:1, fast attack │

│ Bass: 4:1, medium attack │

│ Mix Bus: 2:1-3:1, slow attack, 1-3dB GR│

└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

```

### Reverb

```

Key Parameters:

- Pre-delay: Time before reverb (50-100ms for vocals)

- Decay/RT60: How long it lasts

- Damping: High-frequency absorption

- Size: Room dimensions

- Mix/Wet-Dry: Balance with original

```

### Delay

---

## Mixing

### Gain Staging

```

Signal Flow Levels:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐

│ Input: -18 dBFS (sweet spot) │

│ ↓ │

│ Plugin 1: Output matches input level │

│ ↓ │

│ Plugin 2: Output matches input level │

│ ↓ │

│ Fader: Unity (0 dB) ideally │

│ ↓ │

│ Bus: -12 to -6 dBFS peaks │

│ ↓ │

│ Master: -6 dBFS peaks (before limit) │

└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

```

### Panning Guidelines

```

Stereo Field:

Hard L L L-C CENTER R-C R Hard R

│ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ │ │ │ │ │ │

Rhythm Gtr1 Keys1 Vocal Keys2 Gtr2 Rhythm

Gtr BVox1 Bass BVox2 Gtr

Kick

Snare

Common Positions:

- Center (0): Lead vocal, bass, kick, snare

- Slight L/R: Main instruments, harmonies

- Wide L/R: Rhythm guitars, stereo keys

- Hard L/R: Doubled parts, effects

```

### Frequency Balancing

```

Making space (subtractive EQ approach):

┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐

│ Kick: Boost 60Hz │ Cut from Bass here │

│ Bass: Boost 80-100 │ Cut from Kick here │

│ Gtr: Owns 1-3kHz │ Cut vocal slightly │

│ Vocal: Boost 3-5kHz │ Cut guitar slightly │

└────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Each element should have its own frequency "home"

```

### Mix Bus Processing

```

Typical Chain:

1. Subtle EQ (tonal shaping)

2. Light compression (2:1, 1-3dB GR)

3. Stereo enhancement (if needed)

4. Limiter (only for reference bounce)

Keep mix bus processing minimal!

Leave headroom for mastering.

```

---

## Mastering

### Mastering Goals

1. **Tonal Balance**: Even frequency response

2. **Dynamics**: Appropriate loudness/dynamics

3. **Stereo Image**: Width and mono compatibility

4. **Translation**: Sounds good everywhere

5. **Format**: Prepare for distribution

### Loudness Standards

### Mastering Chain (Typical)

```

1. Reference Import

└─→ Compare to commercial releases

2. EQ (Linear Phase)

└─→ Broad adjustments only

3. Multiband Compression

└─→ Control specific bands

4. Stereo Width

└─→ Enhance or narrow

5. Limiting

└─→ Final loudness, prevent clipping

6. Dither (if needed)

└─→ 16-bit conversion only

```

---

## Podcast Production

### Recording Setup

```

Recommended Signal Chain:

Mic → Audio Interface → DAW

Equipment Tiers:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐

│ Budget: USB Mic (Blue Yeti, AT2020) │

│ Mid: SM7B + Cloudlifter + Interface│

│ Pro: Large diaphragm condenser │

│ + high-end preamp │

└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

```

### Podcast Processing Chain

```

1. Noise Reduction

└─→ Remove room noise, hum

2. De-essing

└─→ Tame harsh "s" sounds

3. Compression

└─→ Even out volume (3:1-4:1)

4. EQ

└─→ HPF at 80Hz, presence boost

5. Limiter

└─→ Catch peaks, -1 dBFS ceiling

Target: -16 LUFS (mono), -19 LUFS (stereo)

True Peak: -1 dBTP

```

### Podcast Export Settings

```

Standard:

- Format: MP3 or AAC

- Bitrate: 128 kbps (mono), 192 kbps (stereo)

- Sample rate: 44.1 kHz

High Quality:

- Format: AAC

- Bitrate: 256 kbps

- Sample rate: 48 kHz

Chapters: Use ID3 tags for chapter markers

Artwork: 3000x3000 minimum, JPG or PNG

```

---

## Sound Design

### Creating Sounds

```

Approaches:

1. Recording: Capture real sounds (foley)

2. Synthesis: Create from oscillators

3. Sampling: Manipulate existing sounds

4. Processing: Transform through effects

5. Layering: Combine multiple sources

```

### Synthesis Types

### Layering Formula

```

Sound Design Stack:

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐

│ TOP: High frequencies (air, presence)│

│ MID: Character, tone │

│ LOW: Foundation, weight │

│ SUB: Felt, not heard (20-60Hz) │

│ TRANSIENT: Attack, punch │

└─────────────────────────────────────┘

Process each layer separately, combine at end.

```

---

## DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations)

---

## File Formats

### Export Specifications

```

For Mastering:

- Format: WAV

- Bit depth: 24-bit (or 32-bit float)

- Sample rate: Match session (typically 44.1/48kHz)

- Headroom: -6 dBFS peaks

For Distribution:

- Format: WAV or FLAC (lossless)

- Bit depth: 16-bit (with dither)

- Sample rate: 44.1 kHz

- Loudness: Platform target LUFS

```

---

## Best Practices

### DO:

- Record at proper levels (-18 dBFS average)

- Use reference tracks

- Take breaks (ear fatigue is real)

- Check mono compatibility

- Use subtractive EQ first

- Process in series, not parallel (usually)

- Save project versions regularly

- Export stems for backup

### DON'T:

- Record with processing (usually)

- Mix at high volumes

- Over-compress everything

- Solo instruments too long

- Trust only one playback system

- Rush the mixing process

- Forget to dither (16-bit only)

- Master your own mixes (ideally)

---

## Quality Checklist

### Pre-Export

- [ ] Gain staging correct throughout

- [ ] No clipping or distortion

- [ ] Phase issues resolved

- [ ] Mono compatibility checked

- [ ] Low-end translation verified

- [ ] High frequencies not harsh

### Final Check

- [ ] Listen on multiple systems

- [ ] Check in car, phone, earbuds

- [ ] Verify format specifications

- [ ] Confirm LUFS target met

- [ ] True peak below -1 dBTP

- [ ] Metadata correctly embedded