Studio Pass: Sylvia Massy with Sylvia Massy

learn recording from the engineer that recorded Prince, Johnny Cash and Red Hot Chili Peppers

Studio Pass: Sylvia Massy
  • 27 video lessons
  • 9 hours and 32 minutes of class content
  • Streaming access on desktop and mobile browsers
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee
Over the last 30+ years, Sylvia Massy has built a career as one of the gutsiest and most innovative recording engineers and producers. She has worked with legends like Prince and Johnny Cash, and won awards for her work with bands like Tool, System of a Down and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. In this once-in-a-lifetime experience, you will get a peek inside the recording process of one of rock’s legendary engineers. 
While she is a proficient master of vintage gear, Sylvia stresses that great records come not from having the right gear, but from capturing great performances. Join Sylvia as she records a song in the studio with Seattle ALT-rock band Thunderpussy, and learn how to work with an artist to capture that magical take in your own work. Pulling from her years of experience and sharing stories from her newly published book Recording UnHinged, Sylvia will show you:
  • How to get interesting and vibrant drum sounds, using the room and the drummer to your advantage
  • Capturing great sounding guitars at the source, without editing and reamping
  • Pushing vocalists to deliver their best vocal takes 
  • Mixing both in the box and through a console using outboard gear
Sylvia is also known as a prolific educator, speaking and teaching at some of the best recording schools around the world. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the industry’s most celebrated A-list producers. 

Course Instructor

Sylvia Massy

Sylvia Massy

Sylvia Massy has been Producing, Engineering and Mixing popular music for decades. She’s renowned for her work with Tool, System of a Down, Johnny Cash and Prince. She’s received over 25 gold and platinum records including awards for her work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sevendust and Tom Petty. She’s also an accomplished fine artist, a published columnist, in-demand educator and relentless entrepreneur. But to her many friends, she’s just Sylvia, the Radiant Being.

Studio Pass: Sylvia Massy with Sylvia Massy is rated 5.0 stars by 20 students

  • E. Dec 28, 2020

    I couldn't even finish and I had to write a review. This women rocks. She is tuning the snare drum, oh my god. She was like "get out of the way drummer, Sylvia is here." This women is awesome.

  • Marek B. Mar 17, 2019

    Fantastic course. Very highly recommended.

  • Gabriele Q. Nov 19, 2018

    Glad to see how a great Sound Engineer approach to these things. Best moments of the video is when she says : "Scooooooott" lol

  • Manu V. Jul 18, 2017

    Sylvia is AMAZING. Many crazy ideas, that i will def try by myself... See you later guys, im off to buy a garden Hose

  • A. Oct 15, 2016

    Cool class.

  • N. Jun 28, 2016

    This amazing course covers the essential and optional techniques in analogue and digital recording, from mic placement to re-amp. The experienced coordinator and engineer explained the work flow from the start until the recording session ends. The best recording class I have ever joined so far.

  • MARCUS V S. Jun 25, 2016

    Awesome! A great opportunity to pick into the creative mind of one of the greatest and get that kind of knowledge that you can't acquire otherwise. Highly recommended!

  • Christian . Jun 24, 2016

    this is really great class, it was very inspiring and sylvia is superior in her arts!! to me one of the best courses in the audio section on creative live up2date It shows where the magic comes from, working at the source and use creative production methods 5 Stars *****

  • G. Apr 15, 2016

    Really great Workshop, truly inspiring and fun to watch. Sylvia shows a lot of cool tricks and her motivational skills are great. Also very good job from the whole team capturing it.

  • Lyndon W. Mar 27, 2016

    Truly inspiring master-class by one of the industry greats. A well disciplined rock band helps keep things moving things along swiftly - allowing plenty of time for Sylvia to try out some wild and spontaneous recording techniques that will inspire everyone. I enjoyed every moment and learnt so much. Congratulations to all involved.

  • C. Mar 25, 2016

    A great insight into the elements of record making and record producing. Such a pleasure to watch Sylvia Massy at work. Both newbies and old dogs can benefit from this class!

  • H. Mar 25, 2016

    Wow, that was such a blast. Thanks so much Sylvia and everyone else for making this such a fun experience. I picked up so many new ideas that I can't wait to try out! Sylvia is such a creative producer, it was so much fun to be a fly on the wall watching everything. Loved it!!

  • Martin D. Mar 25, 2016

    Hate to be a critic but Sylvia didn't use the gate to do anything except turn down the tom toms. Gates need a threshold set to gate something but it wasn't - just left at factory default fully open) and she turned the output down instead - unconventional indeed. Sorry to nitpick but the rest of the course was great - just her knowledge of how to use a Waves gate needs some work...

  • Marcelo E. Mar 24, 2016

    Awesome class! So great to learn from how Sylvia work. This is real world knowledge.

  • R. Mar 24, 2016

    This Studio Pass episode with Sylvia Massey covers a lot of ground. From fundamentals like correct mic placement and phase to experimentation with amps, cell phone delay and a few extra parts, Sylvia makes it fun! I have been lucky enough in my career to work with a number of great engineers and producers. I haven't had the opportunity to work with her, but Sylvia is certainly in that category, and anyone who gets a chance to work with her would be a lucky person. This broadcast is the next best thing. Great job there at Avast Studio and fantastic camera work! And as for Thunderpussy; you guys rock!

  • Wessel S. Mar 24, 2016

    Sylvia Massy is truly a creative genius. She shows a lot of things that cannot be achieved with plugins - recording tricks that really rock. I took away a lot of new ideas and a new way of thinking about tracking especially. The song recorded is great and the band Thunderpussy are really cool and fun!

  • BRyan D. Mar 24, 2016

    Fantastic. I purchased the session. Well worth it to see someone so creative at work. Thank you for this service you are providing. Awesome.

  • P. Mar 24, 2016

    Just excellent!

  • Geoffrey C. Mar 23, 2016

    Today's class was great, well done to all the tech team at Creative Live for capturing it so expertly, I'm sure it was a long day! It's amazing to be able to peek over the shoulder of such an excellent producer.

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