Coming 2027

Dream Big Studios Audio Engineering Academy

Learn to record, mix and master in 6 months

A 26-week, hands-on program that takes you from opening Pro Tools for the first time to delivering a fully recorded, mixed and mastered song of your own.

Join the waitlist See what you’ll learn

  • 26weeks, one class a week
  • 6students per class
  • 78hours in class
  • 4finished songs

What you’ll walk away with

Real skills, on real sessions.

  • 01

    Run a Pro Tools session

    Confidence running a session from setup to final bounce, using keyboard shortcuts.

  • 02

    Record real artists

    Microphone choice and placement, gain staging, tracking vocals and instruments with an artist in the room.

  • 03

    Edit cleanly

    Comping, timing, tuning, clean fades and session organization.

  • 04

    Mix with intent

    Balance, EQ, compression, reverb and delay, automation, and delivering revisions to a client.

  • 05

    Master the basics

    Loudness for streaming, final checks and delivering release-ready files.

  • 06

    Leave with a portfolio

    Four finished songs and a starter plan for getting paid work.

Curriculum

Six months, week by week.

Every week has three parts: class with the instructor, lab time in Studio B, and homework that builds toward a finished project.

Month 1 Weeks 1–4

Pro Tools foundations

By week 4, every student can build, organize, route and bounce a Pro Tools session without help.

Week1

In class

Welcome, studio tour and rules. How sound works: frequency, amplitude, decibels, phase. Signal flow from mic to speaker.

Lab

Listening tour of Studio A and B; ear-training warm-ups.

Homework

Listening journal: pick 3 favorite songs and describe the low end, the vocal and the space in each (1 page).

Week2

In class

The Pro Tools interface: Edit and Mix windows, track types, sessions, sample rate and bit depth, where files live.

Lab

Create a session, name and color tracks, save it as a template.

Homework

Build an 8-track session template. Learn the 15 shortcuts on the handout; quiz next class.

Week3

In class

Edit modes (Grid, Slip, Shuffle, Spot), the Smart Tool, clips, playlists, fades, markers.

Lab

Chop and arrange a provided beat to a grid.

Homework

Rearrange a provided 2-minute instrumental into intro / verse / hook / verse / hook / outro with clean fades.

Week4

In class

Routing: I/O setup, inserts, sends, aux tracks, buses, bouncing and file formats.

Lab

Build a headphone mix and an effects bus.

Homework

Project 1 due.

Month 2 Weeks 5–9

Recording

By week 9, each student has engineered a full recording session with a real artist, start to finish.

Week5

In class

Microphones: dynamic, condenser and ribbon; polar patterns; proximity effect. The studio’s mics and when to use each.

Lab

Mic shootout: the same voice on 3 mics at 3 distances.

Homework

Write a half-page comparison of the shootout recordings: which mic fit which voice, and why.

Week6

In class

Gain staging: preamp gain, healthy levels (peaks around −10 dBFS, average near −18 dBFS), clipping, headphone mixes, talkback.

Lab

Record spoken word and sung lines at correct levels; fix a clipped take.

Homework

Record 3 vocal takes (lab or home) and log the input levels for each.

Week7

In class

Tracking vocals: booth setup, pop filter, distance, punch-ins, loop record, playlists. Coaching an artist: how to give direction without killing the vibe.

Lab

Students take turns engineering a vocal session for a classmate.

Homework

Finish a lead vocal with at least 3 full playlists plus doubles and ad-libs.

Week8

In class

Instruments and MIDI: guitar and bass through a DI, keys, virtual instruments, MIDI editing and quantizing.

Lab

Record a DI guitar or bass part and a MIDI keys part.

Homework

Program a 16-bar MIDI part (drums, keys or bass) that fits the week 3 instrumental.

Week9

In class

Running a session: prep, track sheets, backups, time management, delivering files, studio etiquette.

Lab

Project 2 session with a guest artist.

Homework

Project 2 due.

Months 3–6 Weeks 10–26

Edit, mix, master, and build your portfolio

The second half of the course turns your recordings into finished, release-ready songs. The week-by-week outline for these months is coming soon.

  • EditingComping, timing, tuning, clean fades and session organization.
  • MixingBalance, EQ, compression, reverb and delay, automation, and delivering revisions to a client.
  • Mastering basicsLoudness for streaming, final checks and delivering release-ready files.
  • PortfolioFour mixed and mastered songs and a starter plan for getting paid work.

Course at a glance

The details.

Who it’s for
Adults and students 16+ (16–17 with a parent’s signed consent). No experience needed.
Class size
6 students per cohort
Length
26 weeks (6 months), one 3-hour class a week = 78 class hours
Lab time
2 hours a week per student, booked in Studio B outside class = up to 52 lab hours
Where
Dream Big Studios, Studio A (lectures, demos) and Studio B (hands-on labs)
Tuition
$3,000, or $500 a month for 6 months
Instructor
Antonio Noriega, owner and head engineer, with Dream Big engineers as guest instructors
Completion
Dream Big Studios Certificate of Completion + a 4-song portfolio

What you’ll need

  • A laptop

    Mac or Windows, able to run Pro Tools, for homework. Students without one can do homework during lab time on studio computers.

  • Pro Tools

    Use the studio’s systems in class and lab. For home use, students buy their own subscription.

  • Headphones and a drive

    Closed-back studio headphones and a 500 GB+ external drive for session files.

About certification: The official Avid Certified Specialist: Pro Tools credential requires completing PT101 and PT110 at an Avid Learning Partner school and passing Avid’s exam. This course covers the same skills; becoming a Learning Partner is a future option for the Academy.

Coming 2027

Get a seat in the first class.

Classes are limited to six students. Join the waitlist and you’ll hear about dates, pricing and open seats before anyone else.

  • No payment now
  • Tuition: $3,000 or $500 a month for 6 months
  • No experience needed

Questions? Text us.

Join the waitlist

Be first to hear dates, pricing and open seats. Six seats per class.

Your experience (optional)

No payment now. We’ll only contact you about the Academy.

Good to know

Do I need any experience?

No. The course starts with how sound works and your first Pro Tools session. People who already record are welcome too, and you can tell us your level when you join the waitlist.

Will I get an Avid Pro Tools certification?

Not directly. The official Avid Certified Specialist: Pro Tools credential requires completing PT101 and PT110 at an Avid Learning Partner school and passing Avid’s exam. This course covers the same skills, and becoming a Learning Partner is a future option for the Academy. You finish with a Dream Big Studios Certificate of Completion and a 4-song portfolio.

Can I pay monthly?

Yes. Tuition is $3,000, or $500 a month for 6 months.

I’m 16 or 17. Can I join?

Yes, with a parent’s signed consent.

When does the first class start?

Dates aren’t set yet. People on the waitlist hear about dates, pricing and open seats first. Classes are limited to six students.