Have you have ever dreamed of becoming a recording studio engineer?  

 If the idea of working with musicians in a creative musical environment appeals to you, then your opportunity has finally arrived. There is now a low cost effective method that can give you the tools you need to help you make the transition into the recording studio.   With as little as a  $300.00 deposit, you can begin your journey to understanding the recording process with Pro-Tools taught to you by an experienced recording engineer.
As we meet twice a week for your class, the first 10 hours will be paid for by your deposit. After that the classes will $30.00 per class hour. Generally the classes will be 5-6  hours per week to gain a good basic understanding of the recording process. 

Pudding Stone Recording Studio can help get you begin to make your dream a reality.

Hello my name is Bruce Bolin. I am the producer/engineer at Pudding Stone Recording Studio. Many times I have been asked how I became a recording engineer. My reply is that I was always curious about the recording process, so I began by recording the music that I played, then started recording my band and that led to recording other bands and after some years I graduated to having my own studio. Nowadays things move so quickly that to acquire the basic knowledge can take a student many years of study. Today there are several methods of gaining the needed recording studio knowledge. There are schools at the college level, but the down side is that you need to attend daily classes with many other students. Getting one on one with the instructor can be difficult when there are twenty-five other students wanting his attention too. In my opinion this is why the academic approach is not the best the answer. You may try to get some exposure by serving as an intern for a recording studio. But the reality is that the studio will want someone with basic recording skills, so that the intern can be trained to become part of the studio’s workforce. There are some correspondence classes offered but without hands on experience the student can wind up with to many gaps in his or her knowledge.  While there are numerous audio recording schools, they are very expensive and require the student to live in a dormitory or in off campus housing which only adds to the expense.
 

These are some of the problems that face a person that would like to lean how to record with today's tools.

Here’s how my plan works.

You and I will meet at my recording studio once you have purchased your Pro Tools interface (a Digi-Design M-Box or a 002 or 003) and  a tower or laptop computer. We will begin the class on our first meeting.  I will be inquiring about your previous experience and personal goals with regard to recording. We will begin by installing your software (if you haven't already done so).  I will take you step by step through the operation of the Pro-Tools software. My hands on approach insures the you the student will gain the knowledge to begin recording during the very first lesson. We will record some music with you the student at the computer going through the steps to completing a recording.  The first lesson covers how to set up a session with the Pro-Tools software and hardware that are the standard of the industry. During the classes we will cover, creating tracks, understanding the edit and mix windows and the tools that make editing much easier. The use of plug-ins, digital processing, using automation for mixing and in time an overview of mastering. Also I will include some basic microphone identification and placement concepts and practical recording applications. We will also cover signal flow, trouble shooting and session and file management such as how to overdub a sax solo or punch in a bad note for the lead vocalist or how to save your session in a way that it can be easily recovered.

 
We cover concepts on making sure the musicians will have a good headphone mix to allow them to feel comfortable and perform at their very best during a recording session. Class sizes are kept small so your not lost in a sea of other students.
 
Most often  you are one on one with the instructor. In addition, we always try expose  students to live sound re-enforcement when ever possible and live recording opportunities as well. We believe that an engineer should be proficient both in and out of the studio. These days mobile recording accounts for more opportunities available to recording engineers.

 I have drawn up a list of 13 helpful rules called "Bruce’s Bullets" that you will be given to help you through many of your sessions and give you the benefit of my years of experience. These are professional concepts that really work in a studio environment.

These Pro-Tools audio classes usually take about six weeks to complete though some students have completed the classes in less time. Make no mistake about it, these classes have a lot of information and the learning curve is steep.  The beauty is that you can work at your own pace. We recommend that the students spend at least 4-6 hours per week on homework practicing the recording concepts that we have taught them. After you have completed the course We will ask you to record and mix a song using me as the talent or you can bring in some of your friends to record. In this way we can evaluate your level of recording knowledge.  You may always use me as a resource in case you have any recording questions that need answering. 

Here are two testimonials from students who have taken the classes.

James Hackett writes: "I have been taking the class for a month and I love it! When I first came to the studio I knew nothing about recording. In the short time that I have been in the class I have learned more than I thought was possible. Not only is it a great studio, but the engineer/instructor is the best. When I complete the class my hopes are to go out on my own and record as an independent engineer. Taking this class was the right decision for me"

Michael La Rue writes: "When I started my search for an audio engineering training classes, I was looking for a course that would fine tune and add to the skills I have acquired on my own in the last few years. Luckily  when I found and spoke with Bruce from Pudding Stone Recording Studio, he provided exactly what I was looking for. These classes are set up for someone with little or no experience in audio engineering. Bruce's experience an knowledge gave answers to questions that are far beyond anything I would ask and I am not a beginner. I am confident that when I finish these classes, I will have the knowledge and skill needed to enter the professional world of the audio engineer".

I have taught a number of audio engineering courses over the last twenty years, but this course on Pro Tools is laid out in a comprehensive manner that is easier for the student to digest. It’s not easy and it takes commitment but if you have your eye on the prize you can succeed. Check it out and see if this Pro-Tools course is what you've been looking for.

I am looking forward to hearing from you,

                  Bruce Bolin  Producer, Engineer