Capstone & Certification

The two credentials

Two paths through the Capstone. Pick the one that matches your goals — completion, or facilitator authorization.

What to submit

The Capstone submission is one finished, mastered track plus context. Both tiers submit the same baseline package; Tier 2 adds the workflow demonstration.

Source material — pick one

You can mix and master either the FTM demo stem pack or your own recorded song. Both are valid; both are graded against the same rubric.

• Option A — FTM demo stem pack (recommended for first-time submitters): 8–12 individual WAV stems of an unmixed song, provided by FTM. Same source material as everyone else, which makes the work easier to compare and grade. The current demo stem pack is a placeholder until Matteo releases a stem pack from one of his original songs (in progress).
• Option B — your own song: a song you wrote and recorded yourself, presented as individual track stems. More personal but harder to grade objectively. Requires good source recording (Module 1.6 — you can't mix what isn't there).

Baseline submission package (both tiers)

1. Final mastered stereo WAV — 24-bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz, integrated LUFS at your declared target (typically -14 LUFS for streaming), true peak ≤ -1 dBTP. File named: YourName_SongTitle_Master_v1_YYYY-MM-DD.wav.
2. 1-page mix notes (PDF or Markdown) with the following sections:
   • Genre & intended platform (e.g., "indie folk, streaming-first")
   • 2–3 reference tracks you A/B'd against, with artist + song titles
   • Integrated LUFS and true-peak readings of your final master
   • The strongest part of your mix in your own opinion (1 sentence)
   • The biggest remaining flaw you couldn't fix (1 sentence) — honesty here is graded; "nothing wrong" is a flag
   • Source recording details: source = your own song / FTM stem pack, what mics/DI/sample sources, room or context

Tier 2 add-on (mentor-reviewed)

For the FTM-Certified Audio Engineer credential, add one of the following:

• Loom or QuickTime screen recording, 5–10 minutes, walking through your DAW session live. Show: opening the project, the mix bus chain, soloing 2–3 key tracks, talking through one EQ choice and one compression choice. Doesn't need to be polished or scripted — needs to demonstrate it's your work and you understand your own decisions. OR
• 30-minute live video call with Matteo — schedule via Circle. You walk through your session live, Matteo asks follow-up questions, suggests one move, the conversation itself counts as the review.

The FTM Engineering Rubric

Submissions are graded across six dimensions, weighted by importance. The rubric is the same for both tiers; passing thresholds differ.

Failing isn't punitive. If a submission lands below the passing score, the reviewer (peer for Tier 1, Matteo for Tier 2) gives written feedback identifying the criteria below threshold and the specific moves that would lift them. Members revise and resubmit — there's no limit on revision attempts. The score isn't the certification; the learning is. The score just tells us the learning is taking root.

The submission flow

Six stages from "I'm ready to submit" to "I have a credential."

Certificate previews

The two PDF certificates members receive on passing. Final printed/digital versions match these layouts; legal disclaimer language is locked in below and reviewed by counsel before issuance.

Mix notes template

Copy this template, fill in your answers, save as YourName_SongTitle_MixNotes_v1_YYYY-MM-DD.pdf, attach to your Capstone submission post.

Engineer: [Your name]
Song title: [Title]
Source: [FTM stem pack name / Original song]
Submission tier: [Tier 1 — Completion / Tier 2 — Engineer]

GENRE & PLATFORM
Intended genre: [e.g., indie folk, modern pop, lo-fi hip-hop]
Intended primary platform: [e.g., Spotify, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, vinyl]
Target integrated LUFS: [e.g., -14 LUFS]
Target true peak ceiling: [e.g., -1 dBTP]

REFERENCE TRACKS
1. [Artist] — [Song]
2. [Artist] — [Song]
3. [Artist] — [Song] (optional)

FINAL MEASUREMENTS
Integrated LUFS reading on master: [-X.X LUFS]
True peak reading on master: [-X.X dBTP]
Master file name: [YourName_SongTitle_Master_v1_YYYY-MM-DD.wav]

ASSESSMENT
Strongest part of my mix: [1 sentence]
Biggest remaining flaw I couldn't fix: [1 sentence — be honest]

SOURCE NOTES (if Option B — own song)
What was recorded: [tracks, instruments, vocals]
Mics / DIs / sample sources used: [brief list]
Room / context: [brief — bedroom, treated home studio, project studio]

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS
Anything else you want the reviewer to know: [free-form, 2–3 sentences max]

After you certify

A credential is the start of something, not the end. Here's what comes next.

For Tier 1 (Completion) graduates

• Mix more songs. The fastest path to mastery is reps. Aim for 12 mixed tracks in your first year post-cert — different genres, different sources, different challenges.
• Pursue Tier 2 if it interests you. Most Tier 1 graduates aren't ready for Tier 2 immediately. Mix 4–6 more tracks with the methods, then submit for the Engineer credential when your work hits the 75+ rubric threshold consistently.
• Stay in Circle. Be the peer reviewer for the next cohort. Reviewing other people's mixes is one of the strongest ways to deepen your own ear.

For Tier 2 (Engineer) graduates

• Teach. Lead a session at the next FTM gathering. Run a small audio engineering breakout for FTM members in your region. Build a workshop that uses this curriculum as the spine.
• Mentor. The next Tier 2 cohort needs reviewers as the program scales. Matteo will invite Tier 2 graduates to co-mentor as the program grows.
• Build a portfolio. 5+ released, mastered tracks. Public credit on Bandcamp/Spotify. The credential opens doors; the work walks through them.
• Pursue mastering specialization (advanced). Matteo noted in Module 12 that mastering could have its own 10-module course. If you find mastering compelling, that's the natural next FTM track when it launches — you'll be early to it.

"You've not just earned a certificate. You've earned a valuable skill that will bless many"

— FTM, on the spirit of certification