It is the primary goal of every training and education program to apply theoretical content and expertise in practice, while developing skills, experience and competence. That’s why the many practical assignments and exercises available to you at HOFA-College in various topics are so important. These exercises are often, but not exclusively, about Mixing and Mastering – more specific topics such as acoustics, film sound, game audio or the music business are covered as well. The focus of the exercises can vary widely so that a broad spectrum of knowledge is imparted, and you are optimally trained during your course.
Various topics and practical exercises
The practical assignments and exams relate to the relevant topics.
Here are a few examples of the practical exercises in various topics of our online courses:
The Acoustics assignment involves creating a room acoustics plan for your home studio and optimizing your acoustic working conditions.
Games are a different side of sound and music production. The topic course Game Audio gives you an insight into the audio production for video games. The practical exam is an opportunity to work with a game programmed exclusively for HOFA-College. Create dialogues, produce sound in your DAW and implement it in the game using middleware. We will analyse your work and take a closer look at the implementation of the sound as well as the creative parts such as recording and sound design.
The area of Audio Engineering for Film has its own priorities. Ideally, image and sound should go hand in hand to convey the impressions of the film appropriately. In addition to dialog editing and sound design, the assignments in this course also include the sound editing of an image film.
In addition to the technical and creative aspects, distribution and marketing are also important factors for the success of a production. The practical tasks in the Music Business topic course deal with these issues. You will learn, for example, what is important when calculating an offer and how to plan and schedule a release.
More practical exercises based on the specific topic are available in the courses on Recording, Music Theory & Songwriting and Music Video Production.
In addition to the practical exercises that are aligned with the respective topic course, you will also have the option of submitting your own productions for analysis. In the topic courses on producing, for example, this is an explicit part of the programme, leaving no limits to your creativity.
Professional feedback on your practical submissions
All your submissions are individually reviewed and rated by a team of experienced audio engineers and tutors. This provides you with professional feedback, valuable input and helpful tips for your work. Due to their wide variety of backgrounds, the well-trained HOFA team always has exactly the right specialists for every topic.
We will describe this in more detail below using the example of a “mix analysis”, i.e. an analysis in the Mixing topic.
The mix analysis
As the term suggests, a mix analysis is the evaluation and assessment of a mix you have created based on audio engineering aspects. In addition to professional feedback as part of a detailed analysis, the HOFA tutors provide numerous tips and suggestions on how you can further optimize the sound and compatibility of the various elements. You can then implement these and decide for yourself whether you prefer the result compared to your original version. The mix analysis is always in written form.
Many of the mixing tasks are productions by renowned artists such as the alternative band “Die Happy” or the techno producer Boris Brejcha. We believe it is important to have a wide variety of genres, allowing you to leave your comfort zone.
The following video features two of our tutors analysing two mixes of a Peter Gabriel song from his 2023 album i/o:
Key aspects of the analysis
In the first modules, the submitted mixes are assessed primarily regarding a specific task or a particular field of mixing that was covered in the course. In the more advanced modules, the demands on the engineer increase, which means that the creative process can also play an important role in the mixing process.
The main focus here is on creating a balanced and coherent mix from the provided multitracks – just as it is the case when a customer gives you a mixing job.
The analysis of the submitted mixes is mainly based on the following aspects:
Balanced levels: Are the individual elements of the mix – such as the various instrument groups and the vocals – arranged appropriately in the hierarchy of the mix?
Spectral design and frequency shaping: Are the individual elements arranged appropriately in the frequency spectrum?
Dynamics: Are dynamic elements controlled sufficiently? How does the compression of the individual tracks and the entire mix sound? Are the different song parts levelled appropriately to each other?
Depth: Do the individual elements have an appropriate spatial depth? Do the different spaces complement each other to create a coherent overall picture?
Frequency image: Are there frequency ranges that are either too strong or too weak?
Creative aspects: Each engineer has their own style and therefore sets their own priorities. There is no standard solution that fits in with every situation –when it comes to working with creative effects in different genres, there is a wide scope.
This creative freedom is exactly what draws us to music. If a hundred engineers are mixing a song, each version will sound different, but all of them can work!
Reference mix
Along with the analysis of your mix, you will receive a reference mix that was created in the HOFA-Studios and approved by the artists. When comparing the two mixes, the reference mix serves as a guideline for the sound of individual elements and the overall mix. You will also receive detailed instructions on how to adjust the volume of the HOFA mix to match your mix so that you can make the best possible comparison.
Visualization of your work
The analysis also includes a visual check of your work to graphically display the relevant issues. We use the HOFA IQ-Series Analyser for this purpose. The plugin shows, among other things, the frequency curve of your mix. This can be used to identify and explain possible over- or underemphasis and to visually reflect the auditory impressions. On the way to a trained hearing, such orientation is helpful until you can rely on your own ear with confidence.
However, you should never forget that a visual tool should primarily serve as a supplement and that the auditory impression is always decisive in the end.
- The upper “peak curve” shows short-term peaks in the frequency spectrum between 20 Hz and 20 kHz.
- The “energy curve” below shows the average frequency energy of the audio material between 20 Hz and 20 kHz.
- The “frequency correlator” shows the stereo image according to the frequency range.
- The LUFS display provides information about the average loudness of the audio material.
You will learn how to use tools such as the HOFA IQ-Series Analyser during your online course.
Detailed mix documentation
In addition to individual feedback, a mix analysis features a detailed mix documentation. This always refers to the mix that was created in the HOFA-Studios and explains all relevant mixing steps. For example, you will find screenshots showing the plugins, the mixer view and levels, panning and automation of the various channels and groups.
Overview of all topics and practical exercises
| Topic | Practical excercises |
|---|---|
| Recording | 2 |
| Mixing | 16 |
| Mastering | 2 |
| Digital Audio Production | 1 |
| Editing | 1 |
| Producing Electronic Music & Hip-Hop | 1 |
| Producing Pop, Rock & Heavy Rock | 1 |
| Drum Programming | 1 |
| Sound Design | 1 |
| Harmony, Music Theory & Songwriting | 1 |
| Producing Orchestral Music | 1 |
| Live Sound Engineering | 1 |
| Acoustics | 1 |
| Audio Engineering for Film | 1 |
| Music Video Production | 1 |
| Game Audio | 1 |
| Academic Work | 1 |
| Music Business | 1 |
The analysis of your practical submissions is an essential and unique part of your audio engineering training at HOFA-College. The aim is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your work and approach so that you can optimize your workflow and carry over theory into practice. You will also develop inspiration, orientation and an awareness of sound and techniques that will enable you to work at a professional level.
By the way, all 35 practical tasks are included in the AUDIO DIPLOMA online course.
If you have any further questions about the HOFA-College online courses in audio engineering, please contact us by phone at +49 7251 3472-111 or by email at info@hofa-college.com.
