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Welcome to WebTET! If you're serious about sharpening your audio production skills and developing that elusive "producer's ear," this one’s for you. The Technical Ear Trainer is an interactive online training platform designed as the companion to Audio Production and Critical Listening, 2nd Edition. It’s a legit tool for engineers, producers, and anyone who wants to mix with intention, not guesswork. 🔍 What Is It? The Technical Ear Trainer (TET) is web-based software that helps you: • Identify EQ boosts/cuts by ear • Recognize compression characteristics (attack, release, threshold) • Master frequency ranges through drills • Train your ears like a craftsperson, not a hobbyist This tool is built for focused, structured training — not just “listening a lot.” It’s like gym workouts for your ears. 🧠 What You’ll Learn Once you open the Tasks menu on the site, you’ll find exercises that focus on: • EQ Training – Frequency, gain, and bandwidth identification • Dynamics Training – Spotting compression settings by ear • Critical Listening – Tonal balance, spectral focus, and nuance The system gives you instant feedback so you’re not just guessing — you’re learning. 🛠️ How To Use It 1. Head to: https://webtet.net/apcl/#/ 2. Choose a task from the dropdown menu 3. Listen closely to the examples — reference, then processed 4. Select your answer and see how close you were 5. Repeat and build your score as your ears sharpen Use headphones or monitors in a quiet room for best results — this is precision listening, not background noise. 📘 Need the Textbook? This software was designed to pair with the book Audio Production and Critical Listening (2nd Ed.). You don’t need the book to use the software, but the full experience connects the theory to the training. Grab it here: 🔗 Purchase on Amazon Final Word from Sarcasmix We don’t guess around here. We train. The Technical Ear Trainer is part of the Sarcasmix workflow. Whether you're new or experienced, this is how you get razor-sharp ears that know what they’re doing. Using it already? Drop your thoughts below. Just starting? Let us know how it’s going. We’re building audio assassins out here.

If you’re trying to actually get better at mixing — not just mess around in your DAW until something sounds kinda decent — you need to be using this site: 👉 https://cambridge-mt.com/ms/mtk/ It’s called the Cambridge Music Technology Multitrack Library, and it’s stacked with hundreds of real multitrack songs from all kinds of genres. Totally free. Totally legal. No catch. 💡 What It Is This thing was put together by Mike Senior (same guy who wrote Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio — solid book by the way). He got full permission to share the raw tracks from tons of artists so you can download them and practice mixing like it’s a real session. You’ll get: • Vocals, drums, guitars, synths — full session stems • Reference mixes (sometimes the final version the artist approved) • Notes on the recording and production • Projects from beginner to pro-level 🎯 Why It’s Dope This isn’t polished YouTube sample pack stuff. It’s raw — like the kind of sessions you’ll actually deal with when you work with real artists. It’ll teach you to: • Get your gain staging right • Clean up muddy mixes • Place vocals where they belong • Deal with bleed, noise, bad edits, all the fun stuff You’re not gonna get better just watching videos. You’ve gotta do the work. This site lets you do that. 🧠 How to Use It 1. Pick a track: Go here: https://cambridge-mt.com/ms/mtk/ Pick a genre you vibe with, or something outside your comfort zone. 2. Download the multitracks: It’ll come in a zip folder — drag those WAVs into your DAW. 3. Treat it like a real session: Label your tracks, group your busses, build a rough mix, and go from there. 4. Set a goal: Maybe you’re working on vocal EQ, maybe it’s reverb tails, maybe it’s automation. Don’t just noodle, focus. 5. Bounce your mix and compare it to the reference: This is how you train your ears. What’s off? What’d you nail? What still needs work? Bonus: Redo the same track in a totally different style just for fun. Lo-fi version? Overcompressed 90s radio mix? No rules. 🧱 Use It to Build a Portfolio You’re sitting on a goldmine of projects. Finish five or six of these and you’ve got legit mixes to showcase your sound — even if you’ve never had a client. That’s how you start building credibility. 🗣️ Final Thoughts No excuses now. You’ve got free stems, unlimited practice reps, and nothing in your way but discipline. We’re not here to “hope we get better” we train to be the best. So load up a session, get your levels right, and put in the work. If you're in the Sarcasmix circle, this is mandatory homework. Post your first mix in the thread when you’re done. Let’s see who’s really about it.

If you’re building your plugin collection, whether you're mixing, producing, or just learning, these are trusted sources for both free and paid audio tools. No sketchy downloads. No filler plugins that sound like a demo tape from 2004. Just the real stuff — clean, reliable, and worth your time. TAL Software 🔗 https://tal-software.com/ TAL offers a solid range of analog-inspired synths, delays, reverbs, and modulation effects. A lot of it is free, and it actually sounds good — especially for synth-based genres or retro-style production. Recommended: • TAL-Chorus-LX (Juno-style chorus) • TAL-Reverb-4 (simple, smooth plate reverb) • TAL-NoiseMaker (versatile subtractive synth) Don’tCrack Freeware List 🔗 https://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/ An old-school but reliable hub with hundreds of free plugins sorted by category. Not everything is gold, but you’ll find some solid utilities, creative FX, and unique processors here — especially for producers on a tight budget. KVR Audio 🔗 https://www.kvraudio.com/ KVR is more than just a plugin site — it’s a massive community hub for music production. You’ll find: • A full plugin database with search filters • User ratings and dev info • News on updates, new releases, and developer deals • Active forums for advice, reviews, and feedback This is where you go to stay in the loop and discover lesser-known gems. TBProAudio 🔗 https://www.tbproaudio.de/download Known for reliable metering and utility plugins — stuff that’s useful in every mix, especially when you’re working with loudness targets or broadcast standards. Good tools to grab: • mvMeter2 – vintage-style meters • dpMeter5 – detailed LUFS/peak metering • sTiltV2 – simple tilt EQ for tonal balancing Plugin Boutique 🔗 https://www.pluginboutique.com/?a_aid=650e09ca3c663 One of the main online stores for audio plugins. They run regular sales and bundles on brands like iZotope, FabFilter, Soundtoys, and more. Even better, they usually offer a free plugin with every purchase, no matter how small. Sign up for their newsletter their monthly freebie is often worth grabbing even if you’re not buying anything. Quick Tips • Stick to a few key tools and learn them well • Vet free plugins before using them in real sessions • Keep your plugin folders organized (by type or vendor) • Make backups of your licenses/installers just in case Final Note:You don’t need hundreds of plugins to make great music. You just need a few good ones and the skills to use them right. These sites will get you what you need without wasting time or money. If you've got a go-to free plugin not listed here, drop it in the thread and put someone else on.