Knowledge

A reading & viewing list
for the working ear.

A curated set of outside resources I return to — and recommend to students, early-career designers, and clients trying to understand the discipline behind the systems they're commissioning.

§ 01 — Featured Series

Fusion Studio Webinars.

A continuing public series hosted by Mercer Aplin at Purdue University's Fusion Studio for Entertainment and Engineering — conversations with practitioners shaping live performance, themed entertainment, Broadway, and the science of listening.

Full playlist on YouTube ↗
Hosted by Mercer Aplin
From Campfire to Concert Hall: Human Instinct and the Design of Listening Spaces
Mercer Aplin · First Fridays @ Fusion Studio
Spatial Audio
Spatial Audio: Shaping Sound, Story, and Audience Experience — with Jordan Tani
Hosted by Mercer Aplin · Fusion Studio
Broadway & Fabrication
Behind the Scenes of Broadway: Engineering, Fabrication, and the Art of Making — with Ashley Bishop
Hosted by Mercer Aplin · Fusion Studio
Broadway Systems
Designing Solutions for Broadway — with Matt Jordan
Hosted by Mercer Aplin · Fusion Studio
Themed Entertainment
Coordinating the Ride: Systems Integration in Themed Entertainment
Hosted by Mercer Aplin · Fusion Studio
Career & Practice
A Career in Motion: Project Highlights with Paul Brunner
Hosted by Mercer Aplin · First Fridays @ Fusion Studio
Acoustics & Engineering
Entertainment and Engineering with Bill Gorlin
Hosted by Mercer Aplin · First Fridays @ Fusion Studio
§ 03 — Viewing

Lectures, demos & field notes.

Hand-picked talks and tutorials from designers, engineers, and educators — from theatre sound history and subwoofer arrays to spatial hearing and shop skills.

Sound Design
Creating Unforgettable Sounds for Call of Duty — AUDIOLAND
Sledgehammer Games
Theatre Systems
Bob McCarthy on Theatre Sound: A Historical Journey
Meyer Sound
Tuning & Optimization
Sound Check Strategy (Updated)
Dave Rat
Low-Frequency Design
Pro Audio Subwoofer Array Sound Quality
Dave Rat
Psychoacoustics
Spatial Hearing — Lecture 4.3.1
NPTEL · IIT Madras
Ear Training
The Best Ear Training Method for Audio Engineers
Audio University
Shop Skills
How to Solder XLR Microphone Cables — Step by Step
Audio University
Signal Flow
Balanced vs Unbalanced Audio — Do Balanced Cables Sound Better?
Audio University
Documentation Tools
AutoCAD — Tutorial for Beginners in 12 Minutes
Skills Factory