Enroll in Summer Academy to gain new skills & get a head start on your career!
WAM Accelerated Summer Academy: June 5–16 (Accelerated Program) – Tickets are now available!
WAM Fall Academy (tentative): Tuesdays, August 22–December 12
Do you just need your Pro Tools Certification?
We are also offering Pro Tools Fundamentals PT101 and PT110! Learn more below!
WAM’s Accelerated Summer Academy – In-Person OR Virtual
This two-week accelerated program is taught by professional recording engineers, designed to provide students with a basic understanding of audio production, recording, and mixing, and is available in-person, or virtually!
Over the course of two weeks, students will learn the fundamentals of audio production and recording in Week 1, followed by an (optional) in-depth look at the industry-standard software, Pro Tools, and introductory mixing and signal processing techniques in Week 2.
By the end of the workshop, students will have gained the knowledge and skills necessary to produce audio recordings and mixes. Summer Academy is condensed so you can learn in a hurry and get to work!
Do you just need your Pro Tools Certification?
We are also offering Pro Tools Fundamentals PT101 and PT110. Combine them to complete your Pro Tools Specialist Certification after passing the Pro Tools exam. Learn more below!
Academy includes:
- Level 1 – Basic Audio Production
- Level 2 – Studio Recording, Production, Mixing, and Signal Processing
Recommended Add-Ons
- Pro Tools Fundamentals 101
- Pro Tools Fundamentals 110
INSTRUCTORS
- Heidi Trefethen
- Lien Do
SCHEDULE: DATES/TIMES
Optional Orientation + Community Building + Networking
- Mon, June 5, 10am–12pm PT
LEVEL 1 (In-Person OR Virtual)
- Mon, June 5 – 12:30–3 pm Pacific / 3:30–6pm Eastern
- Tues–Fri, June 6–9 – 10 am–12:30 pm Pacific / 1–3:30pm Eastern
- Fri, June 16 – 10 am–1 pm Pacific / 1–4pm Eastern
LEVEL 2 (In-Person OR Virtual) – *Virtual Students in Level 2 are encouraged to have access to Pro Tools.
- Mon, June 5 – 3:30 pm–5:30 pm Pacific / 6:30 pm–8:30 pm Eastern
- Tues–Fri, June 6–9 – 1:00 pm–5 pm Pacific / 3:00 pm–8 pm Eastern
- Wed–Thurs, June 14–15 – 10 am–5 pm Pacific / 1 pm–8 pm Eastern
- Fri, June 16 – 2:00 pm–5 pm Pacific / 5:00 pm–8 pm Eastern
Pro Tools 101 (Add – On, In-Person ONLY)
- Mon–Tues, June 12–13, 10 am–6 pm
Pro Tools 110 (Add – On, In-Person ONLY)
- Sat-Sun, June 17–18, 10 am–6 pm
PRICING
*WAM Members email education@womensaudiomission.org for PROMO code.
Academy Level 1 AND Level 2 Bundle
- Early Bird (until May 22) – $500 – *Sales have ended
- General (after May 22) – $550
- Member – $500
Individual Courses Level 1 OR Level 2
- General – $300
- Member – $250
Pro Tools
- Single Pro Tools Course (PT 101 OR 110) – General – $300, Member – $250
- Pro Tools Certification (PT 101 AND 110) – General – $500, Member – $450
LOCATIONS
- WAM Offices : 447 Minna Street, San Francisco, CA
- WAM Studios : 542-544 Natoma St, San Francisco, CA
- WAM Oakland Learning Lab : 1900 Fruitvale Ave, Unit 3A, 3rd floor, Oakland
- Virtual: Online, via Zoom
INDIVIDUAL COURSE DETAILS
LEVEL 1 : BASIC AUDIO PRODUCTION
This foundational-level course provides the necessary audio skills for basic recording, production, and digital technologies.
LEVEL 2 : STUDIO RECORDING, PRODUCTION, MIXING & SIGNAL PROCESSING
This course builds from the foundations of Academy Level 1.
You will learn studio recording and production techniques, including signal flow and patchbays, headphone mixes, and mic placement. It also covers basic mixing and signal processing using Pro Tools software. The program is offered onsite at ” WAMO,” WAM’s Oakland learning lab.
RECOMMENDED ADD-ON: PRO TOOLS FUNDAMENTALS
Pro Tools Fundamentals classes introduce fundamental Pro Tools concepts and principles, covering everything an individual needs to know to complete a basic Pro Tools project, from initial setup to final mixdown. These courses are strongly recommended for those enrolled in WAM Academy.
- Pro Tools Fundamentals PT101: Introduces fundamental Pro Tools concepts and principles, covering everything an individual needs to know to complete a basic Pro Tools project, from initial setup to final mixdown. NOTE: This class is an add-on in Academy.
- Pro Tools Fundamentals PT110: Expands upon the Pro Tools Fundamentals PT101 course and includes using MIDI, virtual instruments, and additional recording and mixing tools.
Take each course separately or combine them to complete your Pro Tools Specialist Certification (after passing the Pro Tools exam). More info below.
Become an Avid Certified User at WAM
WAM is proud to be an Avid Learning Partner. Thank you, Avid!
To gain the title of Avid Certified User for Pro Tools, you must take our two courses, Pro Tools Fundamentals (PT101) and Pro Tools Fundamentals (PT110), before sitting and passing the associated certification exam, as shown in the graphic below.
Course e-books are provided to all registered students, and the exam fee is covered in the cost of the course.
Instructors: Heidi Trefethen (PT 101), Beth Sweeney (PT 110)
Pro Tools 101 (Add – On, In-Person ONLY)
- Mon–Tues, June 12–13, 10 am–6 pm
Pro Tools 110 (Add – On, In-Person ONLY)
- Sat-Sun, June 17–18, 10 am–6 pm
Location
- WAM Oakland Learning Lab, located at 1900 Fruitvale Ave, Unit 3A, 3rd floor, Oakland
Pricing
- Single Pro Tools Course (PT 101 OR 110): General – $300, Member – $250
- Pro Tools Certification (PT 101 AND 110) – General – $500, Member – $450
*You must receive approval from the class instructor if you did not take Pro Tools Fundamentals (PT101) with WAM.
Visit our Avid Certified User page here for more info, or click the thumbnail below.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS
Heidi Trefethen is a recording and live sound engineer, producer, classical and jazz French Hornist, educator and composer. During her 31 years of work in the music industry, Heidi has worked with artists such as Shawn Colvin, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, Michelle Ndegeocello, Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul, and Mary, and has a Concert Sound credit on PBS’ American Masters | Holly Near: Singing for Our Lives.
As a French Hornist, she has performed and given master classes in Italy, Thailand, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the UK, Canada. The LA Philharmonic, Il Teatro d’opera di Roma, the SFJAZZ Monday Night Band and several Bay Area regional orchestras are a few of the ensembles she has performed with. Heidi is a faculty member of the SFJAZZ Digital Lab, Women’s Audio Mission, the Institute for the Musical Arts and teaches private classes and lessons.
Heidi is also a GRAMMY® Voting member, Governor on the Board of the San Francisco Chapter of the Recording Academy. She is the San Francisco Chapters’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Ambassador to the National DEI Team of the Recording Academy. She is passionate about equality and creating a healthy environment for women of color, gender non-conforming and women-identified individuals in the music industry.
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Lien Do is a Sacramento-born multi-disciplinary media artist living in the Bay Area. They hold a double bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Davis in Music and Design. Their expertise extends to a wide range of fields, including record engineering, ADR, music composition, production, editing, and mixing.
Since 2015, Lien has been serving as the co-owner and co-head engineer of Different Fur Studios in San Francisco, alongside Grace Coleman. They are also the co-founder of LIEMA, a post-audio and film production company, and a core member of the queer Vietnamese media collective, Sunkissed Productions.
Lien is a professor of post-production film audio for the MFA Graduate School program SOCDOC at UC Santa Cruz. They have also delivered guest lectures at various institutions, including UCLA and other community groups. Also, they were featured as an artist in residence at SFMoma’s Open Space, where they presented a physics sound installation that explored the potential of harnessing Sympathetic Resonance through future climate change and its impact on communication.
Lastly, they are a music producer who operates under the name Leviathe working with various artists. Throughout their work, Lien demonstrates a deep commitment to accessibility, diversity, and inclusivity in the arts.
Women’s Audio Mission courses focus on increasing the gender balance in audio production and technology sectors since fewer than 5% of the population employed in these sectors are women and gender-expansive individuals. There are limited spots available in WAM classes, and they often sell out, so we ask that if you are not woman-identified (cisgender or transgender), nonbinary, or gender-expansive, you reconsider enrolling in the class. We will not turn anyone away, but please be mindful that if you take up a seat in the class, that is one less woman, non-binary, or gender-expansive individual that we can serve. We thank you for your understanding in advance and for joining us in our mission to advance women and girls in music production and the recording arts.
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