KERN audio / guides
learn the fundamentals.
structured learning paths built by the people who write the DSP. no fluff, no affiliate links: just what you need to know.
SMOOTH path
resonance
taming harshness in your mix
from understanding why mixes sound harsh to choosing the right tool for the job. eight stages covering everything from basic EQ to spectral processing.
15 stages | 17 / 17 published
WARM path
saturation
adding warmth and character to your mix
from understanding harmonic distortion to choosing between tube, tape, and transformer characters. seven stages from gentle warmth to mix bus glue.
8 stages | 9 / 9 published
WIDE path
stereo
widening your mix without losing mono
from understanding stereo perception to psychoacoustic expansion. seven stages covering panning, M/S, Haas effect, and correlation-safe widening.
8 stages | 8 / 8 published
PUSH path
compression
dynamic control for your mix
from understanding threshold and ratio to spectral compression and mix bus glue. eight stages covering everything from basic dynamics to per-band upward compression.
10 stages | 8 / 14 published
OPEN path
reverb
space, depth, and the craft of artificial rooms
from what reverb actually is to why cheap algorithms ring metallic and why stereo reverb vanishes in mono, through to reverse swells and voicing reverb for synths. six stages on the physics and craft of artificial space, ahead of the OPEN beta.
7 stages | 7 / 7 published
CHECK path
toolkit
essential tools for every producer
curated plugin recommendations organized by what you actually need: metering, saturation, stereo, compression, and more.
2 stages | 2 / 2 published
weekly editorial
field notes
one mixing or DSP idea per Tuesday
shorter, weekly companion to the structured guides above. sound science, build-logs from the studio, and longreads on the position behind the catalog. ~5 minute read per issue.
12 issues published | ships every Tuesday