Crafting Your Sound...
& Skyrocket Your Demand and Income
Crafting Your Sound...
& Open Up Diverse Career Opportunities
Discover The Secrets Of Rockstar Audio Engineers Who Work On Music For a Living & Are Always In High Demand
Using Gear You Already Have
THE AUDIO ENGINEERING BLUEPRINT
Discover The Secrets Of Rockstar Audio Engineers Who Work On Music For a Living & Are Always In High Demand
Here's Why You Can't Afford To Waste Another Day Learning From YouTube...
It's time to make a name for yourself beyond your current circle.
YouTube has A LOT of information. Some of it is good. Some of it is bad. Some of it just makes you scratch your head.
You're wasting precious time hunched over your computer, searching for "how to...", when you could be launching your music career...
Specifically, I wanted to be a producer, rapper, and record label owner...
These were the early days of home-based recording studios.
It was 1996...
Tupac and Biggie were at the height of their careers (and lives)...
Music companies, such as No Limit Records, Death Row Records, Bad Boy Records, LaFace Records, and Ruthless Records represented the vast majority of the most popular and influential hip-hop and R&B artists and music of the day...
In that same year, Roc-A-Fella Records was created out of necessity, as Jay-Z had been unable to secure a deal with a major record label.
And, I had a very rudimentary home studio setup.
This was still a few years before computers were the norm in home studios...
So, producing music still happened in real time, without the help of sequencers and other looping technologies...
This meant playing each part (drums, bass, piano, synths, etc.) one at a time for the entire length of the song until everything lined up and sounded good.
My vocals were cut on a microphone that cost less than $50...
And there was no acoustic treatment on the walls or in the corners.
My early recordings were mediocre, at best.
Without knowledge, experience, training, coaching, or mentorship, I couldn't even begin to understand why my music didn't sound like the songs on the radio or by my favorite recording artists...
Slowly but surely, Danny began to grasp the concepts that we taught him. He was highly focused and made sure to complete all of the training assignments.
He ultimately got his own computer and DAW, and within months of starting the program, Danny was invited to New York to participate in an A$AP Mob recording session. He was given the stems and asked to mix the project.
Today, Danny Wunderkind has worked with A$AP Rocky, K$upreme, Producer AR, A$AP Ant, and has mixed a couple of A$AP Twelvvy’s latest releases. He has clients in Philly, New York and LA, and also has projects underway with a couple of other well-known artists that he’ll be announcing soon.
Recently, when asked what was the turning point that has helped him achieve all of his success, Danny simply said, “Samori Coles”. As humbling as that was, we know that it was the blueprint, the secret discovery, that has propelled him and so many others to their fullest potential.
Samori’s program made sure that I fully understand the recording process - all the way through mixing and mastering. Thank you Samori for the role you’ve played in helping me create a future for myself, doing what I love.”
- Nik B.
Hands-on training so that you learn by doing, not by listening to lectures
An opportunity to learn and use industry-standard software, or focus on your preferred DAW if you've already committed and invested in specific recording software
Training in a community with other music creators like you which will immediately broaden your network and increase your collaboration opportunities
Optional tuition financing with low payments that can be spread out over 3 years, so that you can focus on becoming a professional audio engineer without any financial burden
The accumulation of valuable, studio-ready experience so that you'll be a proficient and competent audio engineer by the time that you get your certification
Training, coaching, and mentorship by a Team of audio engineering professionals with more than a century of combined experience, multiple gold and platinum records, and commercial recording studio ownership, who have worked on music with and for major labels and major recording artists
The opportunity to record live bands, podcasts, and vocal projects from numerous musical genres, as part of your curriculum and training
The ability to periodically work on your own projects throughout the learning experience
Training with a small group which will ensure that you're getting the time and attention that you need to learn and grow, regardless of your current level of experience
Audio Engineering Certification which will authenticate your completion of this comprehensive and essential training program
Professional development and career advisement opportunities in order to help optimize your career potential in the music industry
Based on your commitment, dedication, and performance in this program, you'll be given preferential consideration for internship and audio engineering opportunities at Lil' Drummaboy Recordings
A convenient, evening class schedule that takes into account current work schedules and responsibilities
And, so much more...
I was at my wits' end.
When I could afford it...
I would rent studio time at commercial studios to try to get "that" sound that I was looking for...
Which often turned out to be a total waste of time and money...
Because, even though I would pay hundreds of dollars for studio sessions...
I never felt like I captured the same magic in my performances at other studios that I captured in my home studio.
The reality is that no place feels as comfortable as home.
At the same time, those so-called "professional" audio engineers just weren't delivering the sound that I was going for...
That's when it started to dawn on me that most of them didn't know exactly how to achieve that "radio-quality", major label sound either.
The frustration was overwhelming...
When I shared my music with "professionals" they would often say...
"You're not using EQ. You need to use equalizers."
But, if I knew how and when to use them, I'm sure that I would have.
Or, they would say...
"You're not using compression, are you?"
To that, I thought...
"How and when do I do that?"
I would try to look over the shoulders of more experienced engineers...
But they always seemed annoyed...
And, definitely weren't willing to share what they knew.
The best advice that I could get was...
"Your signal is too hot"...
Or...
"Your music's not mastered is it?"...
Or...
Believe it or not...
"Digital sounds horrible. You need to record in analog".
And, there was nothing worse than that sense of defeat when...
The mixes sounded alright in the home studio...
But, sounded like hot garbage in the car and in other listening environments.
Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh!!!!!
I was in H.S.P...
Home Studio Purgatory...
That place where 95% of home studio owners and independent music creators live...
Passionate about creating and working on new music...
But, always knowing that my music was "missing something".
Then...
One day...
Something happened.
Something clicked.
That's when I knew...
I had made a HUGE discovery!
I uncovered THE BLUEPRINT...
Play the videos below to hear more of their success stories...
Lil' Drummaboy Recordings' Audio Engineering School is also known as The Audio Engineering Blueprint.
Led by LDB Founder and Program Developer, Samori Coles, the instructional team for The Audio Engineering Blueprint is second to none.
The team has a combined 100+ years of experience, multiple gold and platinum records, Grammy nominations and awards, commercial recording studio ownership, and resumes that include working on projects for the biggest labels and recording artists in the World.
Samori has worked on music that has featured Freeway, Sunshine Anderson, and Styles P, to name a few. He has also produced and recorded projects for such brands as Warner Music, Madison Square Garden, NPR, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster.
A voting member of The Recording Academy (The Grammys), Samori has taught thousands of music creators across the globe. His students have been nominated for Grammy awards, worked with major label artists, opened their own studios, and been employed by Fortune 100 companies.
With more than a decade of recording and production experience, Mike has worked on projects that have ranged from Hip-Hop to Rock to R&B to Jazz, and more.
A prolific music producer, his work has been placed with numerous artists and media companies. Mike has also worked on radio as a show producer and host.
He has engineering credits on several GRAMMY nominated and Grammy Award winning projects, and currently has several projects in development under his Sound Doctor Productions umbrella.
He has worked with such legendary acts as Patti LaBelle, Celine Dion, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, and Kool and The Gang. Craig also served as a Governor and Chapter President for the Philadelphia Chapter of The Recording Academy (The Grammys).
He has worked on a wide range of audio-visual projects over the years, scoring everything from narrative films to episodic series, animation, and commercials. His work has been featured at the New York Independent Film Festival, Venice Shorts, the Prague International Indie Film Festival, and many others.
My mixes became more consistent, and sounded just as good outside of my studio as they did when I listened through my monitors.
EQ and compression started to make sense, and I was using these essential tools to take my mixes to another level...
Each day I was excited to produce and record new music. I started booking more clients in my home studio, and even began teaching my discovery to some of those clients.
It was clear that this blueprint, this system, would not only allow me to produce and record as much of my own music as I desired, it would also enable me to produce and record numerous artists, musicians, and bands in the Philadelphia tri-state region, and beyond...
I would deliver to them a sound that would help propel their music to the next level.
Not only that, I could teach my system to others and help them realize their full potential in their own home studios.
From Jazz to hip-hop, reggae to R&B, Pop to Rock, I began recording some of the most prolific artists, bands and musicians in my area...
Also, the students who learned my system were building their own rosters of clients at their home studios. Some were even getting jobs and internships at commercial studios, live venues, colleges and universities, and Fortune 50 companies.
From a home recording studio making $45 per week with a single client, to a six-figure commercial facility
training scores of home studio engineers and producers, my commercial studio, Lil’ Drummaboy Recordings, has become one of the country’s most effective, student-focused, consistent engineering and music production schools...
And, this is where our journeys - yours and mine - align...
Home studio owners who want to achieve a more professional, radio-ready sound
Music producers who want to learn and mix and master their beats like the pros
Artists who are tired of relying on other people to record their music
Those who want to begin, or improve upon, live sound engineering in churches and/or venues
Beginner and intermediate music creators who want to build a solid career in the music industry
Folks who are interested in learning a trade and also love music
Those who truly want to learn the hows, whats, and whys of audio engineering
Anyone who would like to work in a recording studio
Independent audio engineers who want to increase their depth of knowledge and true understanding of the craft
Podcasters who want to be able to record their own professional-quality podcasts
Voice-over artists who would like to be able to record their own high-quality VO work
Anyone who records vocals over beats and wants to achieve major label quality
Bands and musicians who want to save money by recording themselves, at the same or better quality as many commercial studios
9-to-5 professionals who like to make music and want to learn how to make it sound better
Anyone looking for a career change and are interested in the music industry
Home studio owners who already know everything there is to know about recording, editing, mixing, and mastering
Music producers who already mix and master their own beats to perfection
Artists who prefer to spend their hard-earned money booking time at recording studios
Beginner and intermediate music creators who don't want to build careers in the music industry
Folks who are not interested in learning a trade and don't like music
Those who would prefer to get all of their information and training from YouTube
Anyone who isn't interested in recording audio projects of any kind (i.e. music, podcasts, audiobooks, live concerts, etc.)
Independent audio engineers who would prefer to solely get bits and pieces of random information and guidance from their peers
Podcasters who never want to record themselves, and don't want to take control of their own shows
Voice-over artists who aren't interested in recording their own work
Anyone who records vocals over beats and are 100% happy with the sound they are getting, and know that it couldn't be any better than it is
Bands and musicians who never want to record any music and would rather practice every day, and talk about all of their future plans with their bandmates.
Live sound engineers who already know all that there is to know, and don't need or want any additional training.
Your Training Will Include...
How to calculate your room modes so that you will better understand the overall color of your space
The difference between the various types of acoustic treatments so that you can choose the
best option for your space, and not waste time and money in the process
The optimal placement for acoustic treatment
to most effectively control room echo and reflections
The inside scoop on the most affordable resources for acoustic treatment
How to get professional quality results with gear that you already own
Which pieces of equipment are essential to taking your sound to the next level
Why you don’t need certain pieces of gear
If the Mac vs. PC debate is really worth the argument
The one piece of gear that can truly be a game-changer
Why your recording level is the most important factor in the signal flow chain
The optimal level to record your vocals
Which piece of recording gear has the biggest impact on recording levels
Why ignoring recording levels is ruining your recordings
To better understand frequency, and how it affects your perception of sound
The role that equalizers play in achieving radio-quality mixes
The essential frequencies that you need to know to get professional quality results
How to effectively use an equalizer to become an audio ninja
How to use a compressor to your advantage
Secret compression recipes that will supercharge your mixes
How to use compressors to achieve louder, punchier recordings
The essential parameters of compression
Why balance is the core ingredient of audio mixing
A little-known mixing technique that will consistently lead to more balanced mixes
How to use “references” to produce industry-quality recordings
The ultimate tools used for balance
The audio effects that dominate major label recordings
How to use reverb to get the sound that you’ve been looking for
Why delay is the one effect that you need to start using now
How distortion can liven up your vocal recordings
Within 3 months, your comprehension of the fundamental tools and techniques utilized in audio engineering will have significantly expanded. You'll be recording, mixing, and mastering projects at a novice to intermediate level...
At the end of 6 months, when you graduate, you'll be a certified audio engineer with more than 200 hours of experience, training, and practical application in intermediate- to advanced-level audio engineering. You'll be proficient in recording, editing, mixing, and mastering professional audio projects.
By applying today, and being 1 of a handful of students that we're currently accepting, you'll qualify for our "SuperSonic" discount.
It's the type of discount that other schools couldn't match, even if they wanted to.
Details Below...
But, that is not what we're going to charge you.
Why?
Because, while our program provides more value than most audio recording schools, we don't carry the bloat, fluff, and overhead that other schools carry.
In other words, our training is a 100% pure education in Audio Engineering.
There are no ridiculous "prerequisite" classes that you have to take in order to learn what you really want to learn.
We also don't have a bunch of administrators or overpaid professors that don't add value to your education...
At some schools, your tuition dollars actually pay their salaries.
Most importantly, Lil' Drummaboy Recordings is headquartered in Philadelphia...
We're not one of those schools that's headquartered 2000 miles away, with a bunch of executive offices and "management-types"...
Guess who pays for all of that?
That's right, the students do...
It's all baked into their overpriced tuition costs.
Not only is our tuition breathtakingly affordable...
All of our students who successfully complete the program at Lil' Drummaboy Recordings with above average performance* are given the chance to work as interns or employees in our professional recording studio.
No other program will guarantee this...
But, the reason that we can do this is because of our sincere and earnest commitment to adequately preparing you for the pace, rigor, and high-quality standard of commercial recording studios.
Many of our graduates opt to start or expand their own home or commercial recording studios.
With our "SuperSonic" discount, a lot of those students are able to see a return on their investment in less than one year.
We don't believe that you should have to struggle or absorb a heavy debt burden after you've invested your time and money in Recording School.
Our mission is to completely transform your knowledge, skills, and career in the music industry without charging you an arm and a leg.
The Platinum Hearing System is an ear training method that will increase your hearing sensitivity. It will sharpen your ability to dissect the elements and mixing techniques used in your favorite songs. You'll never listen to music the same.
Complement your in-studio training with the online, on-demand version of The Audio Engineering Blueprint. Lifetime access of this blockbuster digital course will ensure that you always have the knowledge, information and guidance of the program whenever you need it.
Felicia Ricci
“Working with Samori was instrumental to my developing my confidence as a producer and artist. I’m glad I met [him] when I did. I feel empowered now to be truly be creative.”
John Morrison
“Working with Samori and Lil’ Drummaboy Recordings was hands down one of the most influential experiences in my creative life. In addition to the growth in the music I make, I learned so much about the business and deepened my relationship to the music community around me.”
In Life, There Are Only 3 Options...
Stagnation leads to de-motivation and frustration. If you fail to act on one-of-a-kind opportunities like The Audio Engineering Blueprint, you might find yourself in a rut.
Years from now, you'll ask yourself, "why didn't I take advantage of the opportunity to learn this craft the right way?"
There's nothing worse than feeling like you've wasted time and energy for nothing.
You'll continue to have the same struggles and challenges, spinning in circles and getting nowhere.
There is no worse feeling than perpetual frustration. Inconsistent recordings and lacking an understanding of the craft will make it virtually impossible to advance.
You'll start to see progress within weeks, and you'll begin to have more control over the sound of your recording projects.
You'll gain the mentorship, training, knowledge and skills that are required to mix and master audio projects at a professional level.
You'll feel empowered to continue to pursue your passions and make your dreams a reality. You'll have a valuable skill that will remain with you for life.
In Life, There Are Only 3 Options...
Stagnation leads to de-motivation and frustration. If you fail to act on one-of-a-kind opportunities like The Audio Engineering Blueprint, you might find yourself in a rut.
Years from now, you'll ask yourself, "why didn't I take advantage of the opportunity to learn this craft the right way?"
There's nothing worse than feeling like you've wasted time and energy for nothing.
You'll continue to have the same struggles and challenges, spinning in circles and getting nowhere.
There is no worse feeling than perpetual frustration. Inconsistent recordings and lacking an understanding of the craft will make it virtually impossible to advance.
You'll start to see progress within weeks, and you'll begin to have more control over the sound of your recording projects.
You'll gain the mentorship, training, knowledge and skills that are required to mix and master audio projects at a professional level.
You'll feel empowered to continue to pursue your passions and make your dreams a reality. You'll have a valuable skill that will remain with you for life.
In the fall of 1997, he left his day job as a Senior Financial Analyst at a Fortune 100 company and boarded a Greyhound bus in his hometown (Omaha, Nebraska), in pursuit of a career in the music industry.
Unsure where the journey would take him, Samori knew that he was passionate about making music and spending his time concentrating on his dreams; which were succeeding in the music industry and starting his own business.
After what seemed like a never-ending Greyhound bus ride, he ultimately found his way to Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) where he started out producing and recording his own music, as well as the music of others, out of an apartment in the Germantown section of the city.
While there were many ups and downs, successes and failures, achievements and disappointments; eventually the road less travelled led to breakthroughs that have allowed Samori to build one of Philadelphia’s most renowned music recording studios and production training facilities, Lil’ Drummaboy Recordings.
What is unique about the man that many of his students affectionately call “Sensei”, is that while he is an accomplished audio engineer and music producer who is a voting member of The Recording Academy (The Grammys); Samori has remained committed to teaching, coaching and mentoring students of all ages who desire to learn the crafts of audio engineering, music production and/or the music business. To date, he has shared his knowledge, wisdom, and insight to thousands of students across the globe.
Frequently Asked Questions
The next cohort will begin on Thursday, September 19th at 7:00pm. Class will be every Thursday evening from 7:00pm - 8:30pm. There are also two lab sessions per week.
Not all. Some of our students are absolute beginners. These students tend to do very well in our program because they haven’t picked up a lot of bad audio engineering habits.
The majority of our students are adult learners (18+). However, we have trained younger students, as well. Any student who is younger than 18 years of age will have to be enrolled by a parent or legal guardian.
In today’s music industry, there are a number of popular software programs that our students like to use. Our core training is the craft of Audio Engineering, which is the same regardless of the software program used. We will also provide demonstrations and training in Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, and FL Studio. Some of our instructors are also proficient in Ableton Live, Studio One, and Cubase.
It is best to focus on one software program. We understand that students entering our program will most likely have already invested in software. That is why we make sure that we are able to offer training in a number of different platforms.
WE DO NOT RECOMMEND BOUNCING AROUND IN DIFFERENT SOFTWARE PROGRAMS. PICK ONE FOR AUDIO ENGINEERING AND MASTER IT.
You don’t need any equipment to start the program. In the first class, we will make recommendations as to the equipment that would be beneficial for your progress and development. The primary equipment that we recommend are a computer, D.A.W. (i.e. recording software), audio interface, microphone, studio monitors and/or headphones.
You’ll want to maintain an excellent attendance record. That is the best way to ensure the stellar results that have realized by our past graduates. However, if you have to miss a class due to work, schedule conflict, illness, etc., the content will be available online (unless it’s an in-studio project or recording). There won’t be any make-up classes, but you’ll definitely be able to stay caught up on the core curriculum.
Yes, there will be numerous opportunities to work on your own music and collaborate with your classmates.
Those students who maintain above average performance in the program, based on certain benchmarks that we rate students on, will have the opportunity to intern or work at our commercial recording studio.
The music industry is extremely competitive. We believe in our program so much that we know that you’ll be prepared when you graduate.
In addition, you’ll be provided with general career advisement and resume development. If your desire is to work for other studios or companies in the music industry, you’ll have the general requirements to submit your resume and represent yourself professionally.
There are no guarantees that other companies will be hiring or will hire you. But, you’ll be 10x more experienced, trained and prepared than you are today.
Yes. We do offer our own unique financing option. This allows you to set up monthly installments for the program.
Once you’ve completed your free strategy session, you’ll be able to learn more about our zero-interest financing option that does not require a credit check.
Our instructors and coaches have a combined experience of more than 100 years in audio engineering and music production. They have numerous gold and platinum records, grammy nominations, and credits for working with some of the biggest names in the music industry, included H.E.R, Lizzo, Post Malone, Freeway, Patti LaBelle, Chris Brown, Celine Dion, and so many more.
Our founder, Samori Coles, began his career more than 25 years ago as an independent artist and music producer. He built Lil’ Drummaboy Recordings to provide other independents with the training, guidance, and mentorship that he wishes he had all those years ago.
We understand you like no other school does. We know exactly what you need to accomplish your goals.
There is no fluff with us. You will get hands-on, real-world experience, focus, attention, and training that will significantly develop your proficiency and skills as an audio engineer. We can guarantee this because we have been training music creators just like you for more than 20 years.
Our school was founded and is headquartered in Philadelphia. The instructors listed above are actually the ones that will be working with you at various phases in the program.
The actual value of our core program is $18,800. When including the bonuses and add-ons, the value increases to $27,090.
However, by taking advantage of our current offer, you'll be able to enroll in the program at a fraction of the cost.
This offer will not last long. Click the button on the page to 'Apply'. You'll then be taken to a calendar to schedule a free strategy session to get further details.
The “SuperSonic” discount is a limited time offer. There is no guarantee that it will be available for future class enrollments.
No. The Audio Engineering Blueprint focuses on the craft of audio engineering. You will be trained to record, edit, mix, and master music and audio projects at a professional level.
Audio Engineers are the folks in the studio that handle the recording process. They make sure that the projects that they engineer have that major-label quality that is competitive with the music of other artists in the industry.
If you want to learn how to make beats, you can check out our Music Production Program.
Audio Engineering is the process of recording, editing, mixing, and/or mastering audio projects.
Audio Engineers work in the music industry, film industry, radio, TV, podcasts, live sound, audio/visual departments in colleges and companies, etc. They are sonic anchors that ensure that any of the sound involved in any of these industries is of the highest quality.
While many of our students have a desire to either work in the music industry or achieve better sounding recordings in their home studios, there are many career options for audio engineers.
Audio Engineering is a trade similar to plumbing, audio mechanics, carpentry, etc. It’s a specific skillset that offers unique opportunities that many aspiring music creators aren’t aware of.
The Audio Engineering Blueprint takes place in-studio at Lil’ Drummaboy Recordings. We are located on one of the most artistically and culturally rich epicenters in Philadelphia history - South Street.
Our address is:
Lil’ Drummaboy Recordings
818 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Yes. You will receive a certificate of completion when you graduate from our Audio Engineering School.