May 19-20 | 10AM–5PM | $895

Expand your sonic palette with Sweetwater Studios chief engineer Shawn Dealey for an engaging two-day workshop with innovative Americana guitarist and songwriter Ariel Posen. In this session, you will explore how to record and mix Ariel and his band’s riveting emotional performances through unique and creative techniques. You will work closely with Shawn and Ariel as they share their strategies to create inspiring and engaging recordings and mixes.

This workshop is designed for anyone interested in recording and bringing out the best in their productions. We recommend that attendees be comfortable navigating Pro Tools, miking, patching, and finessing tracks using plug-ins and outboard gear to get the most out of this class.

You’ll Learn:

// Collaborative creativity
// Keeping musicians inspired
// Facilitating musicians who record with a less-structured approach
// Recording and mixing on the fly
// Capturing and leveraging the unexpected
// Transforming mayhem into masterpieces

May 19-20 | 10AM–5PM | $895

Expand your sonic palette with Sweetwater Studios chief engineer Shawn Dealey for an engaging two-day workshop with innovative Americana guitarist and songwriter Ariel Posen. In this session, you will explore how to record and mix Ariel and his band’s riveting emotional performances through unique and creative techniques. You will work closely with Shawn and Ariel as they share their strategies to create inspiring and engaging recordings and mixes.

This workshop is designed for anyone interested in recording and bringing out the best in their productions. We recommend that attendees be comfortable navigating Pro Tools, miking, patching, and finessing tracks using plug-ins and outboard gear to get the most out of this class.

You’ll Learn:

// Collaborative creativity
// Keeping musicians inspired
// Facilitating musicians who record with a less-structured approach
// Recording and mixing on the fly
// Capturing and leveraging the unexpected
// Transforming mayhem into masterpieces

MEET THE INSTRUCTOR – SHAWN DEALEY

MEET THE INSTRUCTOR
SHAWN DEALEY

Equally comfortable mixing in an arena or a recording studio, Shawn Dealey has spent the last 20 years developing his craft as an in-demand recording engineer, mixer, and producer. Working with artists such as Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls, Jared James Nichols, KEN mode, Bootsy Collins, We Came as Romans, Stu Hamm, and countless others, Shawn’s passionate approach to the art of recording, along with his hunger for new techniques, keeps him at the top of his game and can help you excel at yours.

MEET ARIEL POSEN

Ariel Posen has quickly become one of the most promising talents in the music industry. With a soulful voice and emotional lyricism that has captured the hearts of fans everywhere, Ariel has established himself as an artist to watch while touring extensively, performing across the United States, Canada, the UK, and Europe.

Rolling Stone Magazine has dubbed Ariel “a modern-day guitar hero,” while Music Radar lists him as a fan-voted top 10 rock guitarist of the year. Western Canadian Music Awards nominated him for Breakout Artist of the Year in 2020 and 2021, as well as Rock Artist of the Year and Recording of the Year in 2022; with “Reasons Why,” Ariel is poised to continue his ascent as one of the genre-defining artists in the music industry today.

TOPICS & TECHNIQUES WE’LL COVER

DAY 1 – FRIDAY

The Basics of Tracking a Session

Setting up a tracking session
Choosing mics and positioning them for the best sound
EQing instrument sounds in the studio
Choosing the right outboard gear and where to patch it in
Setting up headphone mixes
Keeping musicians inspired
Tracking a session with Shawn and the band
Auditioning different mics and processing chains
Overdubbing instruments, multiple takes, and more

DAY 2 – SATURDAY

Mixing to Yield Professional-sounding Results

Comping tracks – how to choose and assemble the best takes
Editing and finessing tracks with Pro Tools and third-party plug-ins
Prepping tracks for the mix session
Using compression, EQ, and effects
Setting up a mix, including routing and grouping in your DAW
Employing automation to enhance the mixing process
Connecting outboard gear across your mix bus
Getting the most out of bus compression/processing
Making the final tweaks – how to decide when the mix is done
Deciding whether or not you need professional mastering
Knowing what mixes and mix versions you need to send to mastering

ABOUT SWEETWATER STUDIOS WORKSHOPS

Many of the world’s greatest engineers and producers were coached by mentors in the moment, learning their trade and tackling new techniques in live studio sessions. Sweetwater Studios Workshops give us a chance to carry on that tradition and to impart our industry knowledge in a real-world setting that’s informative, exciting, and accessible to anyone who’s passionate about making great recordings.

We’re honored to host incredible performers from a wide variety of genres, to employ professional instructors with years of experience and lengthy lists of credits, and to invite you to this hands-on and ears-on learning opportunity in our world-class, multi-studio facility.