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- We round up the best music production courses for beginners.
- Up your music production game with these 9 courses.
- Synthesis, EQ, compression, mixing, mastering and more.
The Best Beginner Music Production Courses
Starting out as a music producer can often be an overwhelming and confusing leap to take. A lot of people often find themselves unsure of which digital audio workstation (DAW) to use, what skills they should learn first, and are left to figure out what tools they actually need.
There are many other common questions regarding more specific topics like EQ, compression, mixing and arrangement. We here at PH have tried to compile a list of what we think are the 9 best music production courses for beginners.
This list should cover nearly everything you need to know and help point you in the right direction as you get started on your personal journey with making music.
Don’t forget to also check out our pick of the top 5 best free and paid DJ courses.
1. ProducerTech’s “EQ Fundamentals”
Suited for anyone struggling to achieve a well-defined mixdown, and wants to learn the ins and outs of how to properly EQ.
First up we will begin with a topic that any producer will want to get their head around as early as possible and that EQ’ing.
This course is brought to you via Producertech and is hosted by Rob Jones, who boasts over two decades of industry experience and has been actively involved in creating and curating a wide selection of Ableton-certified deep-dives on the topic of music production.
This course will take you through all the fundamentals of EQ and cover everything from the basic interface of an EQ unit/plugin and how to apply EQ to a variety of different instruments and sounds to create a better overall mix.
For more in-depth information on this course and its entirety, click here.
2. ProducerTech’s “Complete Guide to Compression”
Suited for anyone who wants to achieve a proper understanding of audio signal compression to improve their mixing and mastering skills.
The compressor is a well known but rarely well-used tool which can be a powerful weapon in any producers arsenal.
When looking for a compressor plugin, it might be worth noting what sort of hardware compressor it has been made on, as some compressors will favour some sonic applications more than others.
This lesson will run you through the nitty-gritty of audio compression and all of its majestic mystery.
Keep in mind that this lesson will primarily use the Ableton Live native compressor plugin for demonstrative purposes, but all the information learned through this tutorial can be used in a transferrable manner and applied to any other compressor.
This course will teach you how to use a sidechain, how to use attack and release settings appropriately, how to compress drums, vocals and even do things such as de-ess a vocal recording.
For more info on this absolute necessity of a course, click here.
3. Noiselab
Suited for beginners who have decided to commit to learning the ins and outs of Ableton Live.
Use codePRODUCERHIVEat checkout to receive 20% off your membership!
What makes them unique is that instead of focusing on a variety of digital audio workstations (DAWs), they have set out to createthe most comprehensive online tutorial platform specifically for Ableton Live users.
This does mean you get a fewer number of tutorials compared to other online courses, but it also means that all 300+
Highlights of the course content for me included:
- Ableton Live ‘Hacks’— a lot of ‘out of the box’ techniques like using multiband compression to open up space to a track. Had never thought to try this upwards compression technique!
- ‘Deconstructing Hit Songs’—an insightful category of lessons where tutors would break down drum techniques and concepts used in popular songs by Skrillex, Kendrick Lamar, Carl Cox and a few others. These are goldmines of info!
- Learning how to actually finish songs— arguably the hardest part of music production for many!
Read our full review of
Remember to use code PRODUCERHIVEat checkout and receive 20% off your membership!
4. ProducerTech’s “Complete Beginners Guide to Logic Pro 9″
Suited for those looking to get their heads around Logic Pro 9, with a free extended trial and a bunch of sounds and samples tossed in from Loopmasters to boot.
This course from Producer Tech will go from the very first introduction of Logic as a DAW and cover all of its basic features and functionality – helping you to get used to the interface, before taking you beneath the surface to explore looping, using the piano roll, creating; editing and using midi, arrangement, recording, compression and filtering and building a beat.
You will be taken all the way through the process of creation right up to and including the process of mixing and mastering your own track.
It is also worth noting that
This course from Producer Tech will go from the very first introduction of Logic as a DAW and cover all of its basic features and functionality – helping you to get used to the interface, before taking you beneath the surface to explore:
- Looping
- Using the piano roll
- Creating, editing and using MIDI
- Arrangement
- Recording
- Compression
- Filtering
Click here to find out more information regarding this specific course and to download an ‘obligation free information pack’.
5. CreativeLive’s “Masterclass”
Suited for anyone looking to master sound design techniques within FL Studio .
For those using
This particular class contains over 9 hours total of in-depth footage and detail which will aid you in your understanding of sound design and creation.
This particular class contains over 9 hours total of in-depth footage and detail which will aid you in your understanding of sound design and creation.
This tutorial covers some (of my favourite) plugins including:
- Harmor
- Sytrus
- Harmless
- Sawer
- Sakura, and more
Click here to view the course in full detail.
6. Education & Bass Online
Suited for anyone looking to master the styles of underground bass music ala DnB + Dubstep.
Education & Bass Online’s content isbest-suited for the modern bass music producer, i.e. DnB, dubstep, etc.
The lecturers are also delivered by some of the most prominent figures in the scene, such as Nomine/Outrage, Leon Switch,Nurve(Macabre Unit), Occult, LSNand DubApe to name a few.
The course content is a good balance of exploringnative plugins(geared mostly towards Ableton, Logic & Cubase), butthere are also a handful of courses that explore some popular, paid VSTs such as Omnisphere, Massive and Serum.
Spending only just a week digesting the content of the course, I uncovered little nuggets of wisdom that made me go from “how did I never discover that feature before?” to “I have to try this right now”. There were moments where I had to pause the videos, just to open up Ableton and try out the techniques myself.
Highlights of the course content for me included:
- Learning how Leon Switch createsbeautifully textured synth-leads in Ableton’s Analog
- Learning how to program Nurve’ssignature mid-bass growls in Serum
- Being blown away by co*cktail Party Effect’s‘no-input mixer hardware technique’
Read our full review of E&B Online’s coursehere.
7. Jason Anthony’s “Music Composition Techniques”
Suited for those who have trouble creating meaningful chord progressions and want to improve their music theory.
Your beats are getting better and better and you can feel yourself levelling up, but do you feel an invisible ceiling in your way, preventing you from ascending into greatness?
Often times, that ceiling is (in most cases) an understanding of music theory and composition.
That’s where Jason Allen comes in.
His course is designed from the ground up to help you get a fundamental understanding of music in both theory and application. Chord progressions, melody writing, music production analysis are all packed into this course, which is a one-stop-shop for those looking to better their understanding of music at its core.
Skillshare offers a free all-access pass for new signups, click here to take advantage of the offer while it lasts!
8. Blueprint to Beatmaking: A Step-By-Step System to Hip Hop Music Production
Suited for anyone looking to understand how to write modern Hip Hop.
Next in our essential lesson-plan line up we have Kia Orion. Founder of Beat School and a swathe of other educational music-related programs and lessons, Kia has been teaching and helping people for years.
His specific class, “Blueprint to Beatmaking“, is curated and created specifically to help people who may perhaps be stuck on an idea or be suffering from writer’s block, and those trying to figure out a workflow or a way to manage their creative output.
The full breakdown of the lesson plan for the Blueprint to Beatmaking course is currently available here, along with a stack of other bits and bobs that anyone who gives a hoot about electronic music will most likely not want to miss out on.
Click here to view the course in full detail.
9. Alison
Alison offer some great options for not only learning music production but venturing into the world of music theory that are perfect for beginners.
Their Music Producer
Courses are free, however there are a range of additional paid options should you wish to upgrade (which include the ability to download a certificate on completion of your course – perfect for your resume!).
Head over to Alison’s website for more information on courses, prices and content.
