Learn Pro Tools, production, and the music business — directly from Chris Steinmetz.
Thirty years mixing and producing multi-platinum records, pointed at your project. No classroom. No cohort. Twelve 1:1 sessions in six weeks, or a single 2-hour intensive on the thing you're stuck on.
$975 for 12 sessions over 6 weeks · or $180 for a single 2-hour intensive
Chicago in person or remote worldwide · reply within 2 business days · sessions are a 2-hour minimum
Every session is shaped by the same ears that mixed and produced records for KISS, Alice in Chains, Disturbed, Kanye West, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Common, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Miles Davis, and many more — taught to you, one on one.
Thirty years in rooms most people only read about.
Chris Steinmetz is a multi-platinum producer, engineer, and mixer with three decades in the industry — former Chief Engineer at Chicago Trax Recording, former Senior Producer/Engineer at Chicago Recording Company, and now owner of Stonecutter Studios. This isn't a curriculum built from textbooks. It's the actual workflow, the actual deal points, and the actual judgment calls behind records that reached platinum — taught the same way Chris would walk a new engineer through it in his own room.
Sessions are 1:1, minimum two hours, scheduled around both calendars.
Built for people already doing the work.
- •You'll get the most out of this if you're a self-producing artist and your next release needs to sound like a real record — not a demo.
- •You'll get the most out of this if you're an engineer or student who knows the technical side but never learned deals, pricing, or how a real room actually runs.
- •You'll get the most out of this if you're a producer, manager, or small label who wants a second opinion from someone who's been in the chair for thirty years.
A focused 1:1 alternative to a two-year program. The 6-week intensive is $975 for 12 sessions.
This is private 1:1 time with Chris, not a group class or cohort program — so if you're specifically looking for a group-class experience, this format won't be the right fit.
What you walk away with.
- •A mix and session that do not sound like a demo
- •A Pro Tools / production workflow you can run without Chris in the room
- •The deal points, pricing, and paperwork most programs skip
Two tracks. One mentor.
Every 1:1 program blends both tracks. The 6-week intensive is 12 sessions over 6 weeks, built around your project, not a semester.
Track AProduction & Pro Tools+
Hands-on, basic to intermediate — signal flow, session setup, editing, and the workflow used on platinum records.
What each job actually does day to day, and how to think like both at once.
Gain staging, mic technique, the mix bus, and how a rough take becomes a finished record.
Getting the best performance out of anyone in the room, on a deadline.
Track BMusic Business+
Labels, managers, publishers — how those relationships actually work in practice.
What's standard, what's negotiable, and what should raise a flag.
Reading the paperwork before you sign it, in plain language.
Running a session and a release like a business, including distribution and royalties.
Production & Pro Tools
Hands-on, basic to intermediate — signal flow, session setup, editing, and the workflow used on platinum records.
What each job actually does day to day, and how to think like both at once.
Gain staging, mic technique, the mix bus, and how a rough take becomes a finished record.
Getting the best performance out of anyone in the room, on a deadline.
Music Business
Labels, managers, publishers — how those relationships actually work in practice.
What's standard, what's negotiable, and what should raise a flag.
Reading the paperwork before you sign it, in plain language.
Running a session and a release like a business, including distribution and royalties.
Built around your schedule, not a semester.
Sessions run in person in Chicago or remote via video, worldwide — your call.
- •12 sessions over 6 weeks (usually two a week)
- •Each session is 2 hours minimum, longer if the calendars allow
- •Schedule is set from Chris's and the client's availability
- •Chicago in person or remote. In-person sessions are encouraged to run longer.
- •Covers production, Pro Tools, and the business track, paced to your project.
Twelve drop-in sessions at $180 would be $2,160.
Book a 15-minute discovery callNot sure about 6 weeks? Start with one session.
- •One 2-hour minimum session on a Pro Tools skill, a mix in progress, or a specific business question
- •Book longer when both sides are free. In-person is encouraged to go longer than remote.
- •Retainer-style monthly access for artists, producers, or label teams. Not the lead offer.
Every session is a 2-hour minimum. Extra time is billed only if you both book it. In-person (Chicago) is the better format if you want a longer day. Remote is built for a tight 2 hours unless you schedule more. Prefer to talk now? (312) 698-9977
From the first call to your first session.
Book a 15-minute discovery call
A short, direct call — no application gatekeeping.
Map the track
Production, business, or both — and pick the 6-week intensive or a single session.
Lock the calendar
12 sessions across 6 weeks, or one intensive, on dates that work for both of you.
Meet in Chicago or remote
Two-hour minimum. In-person, plan on a longer day if you can.
Chris reviews every fit personally. A handful of 1:1 students per quarter. Nothing is scheduled until the call.
Common questions.
What's the difference between this, the on-demand Masterclasses, and the Live Workshops?
Masterclasses are self-paced video. Live Workshops are small-group. This page is 1:1 time with Chris, built around your project.
Do I need my own Pro Tools setup?
Not for in-person sessions in Chicago. For remote, having Pro Tools or your DAW installed helps. Business-track sessions don't require it.
Is this in-person or remote?
Both. In-person is at Stonecutter in Chicago, by appointment, and is the better choice if you want to go longer than two hours. Remote is worldwide over video.
How is pricing actually determined?
The 6-week intensive is $975 for 12 sessions. A single session is $180 for a 2-hour minimum. Longer holds are available when both calendars allow. Retainer pricing is quoted after the call.
How many sessions is the 6-week?
Twelve sessions over six weeks, typically two per week. We place them around your schedule and Chris's, not on a fixed class night.
How long is each session?
Two hours minimum. You can book longer based on availability. In-person sessions are encouraged to run longer than remote.
Do I apply first?
No. Book the 15-minute call. If it's a fit, Chris sends the plan and you pick dates.
I'm not an artist — I manage a roster or a label. Can I still apply?
Yes. Use the Ongoing Mentorship tier. Start with the same 15-minute call.
Ready to work directly with Chris?
12 sessions in 6 weeks for $975, or a single 2-hour intensive for $180. Start with a 15-minute call.
The call is 15 minutes. No application.
Book a 15-minute discovery call