Staff Picks
Producertech
Beginner's Guide to Music Theory for Producers
With so many producers today approaching the art without any classical training in music, composing tracks with more melodic elements can be a challenging task. This course is designed to help students with little to no knowledge of music theory get a solid grasp on the basics, to help with creating quality basslines, leadlines, hooks and riffs in their music.
Going right from the very start, with a guide to the different musical notes, Rob then progresses onto the most popular scales, showing how they can be figured out and played in various ways, depending on your preferred workflow. These skills are then applied into some lengthier lessons that provide basic guidelines for making basslines and melodies.
Subsequent lessons then introduce students to polyphonic accompaniment, with simple intervals and chords, including the major and minor triads in their regular, transposed and inverted forms. All techniques are shown in practice along the way, through the construction of various phrases inside projects, including a guide to building your own chord progression. There’s also a lesson dedicated to arpeggios, showing what they are and how different MIDI tools can be utilised to create engaging rhythmic sequences.
Signing up to the course provides instant access to the streamed lessons, plus MIDI files of all the patterns made throughout the tutorials, in addition to a cheat sheet and even theory quiz, for putting any newly-acquired knowledge to the test. By the end of the course, students will be armed with all the necessary skills to confidently create musical parts in the key of their song, and have a deeper understanding of the theoretical side of music production.
Course Aims:
• be able to locate notes on a piano keyboard • know what the key of a song is • understand the meaning of scale, and basic types like major and minor • be able to create basslines and melodies in key • know what intervals and chords are, including the triad • know the basics of rhythm and using it to create more interesting melodic phrases • know the MIDI tools available to help with playing and composing in key • know how to compose without any MIDI tools or hardware • be able to make riffs with single intervals • be able to make simple chord progressions • know how to create arp lines, with or without an arpeggiator
£
19
.95*
Producertech
Music Mixing Fundamentals
Whilst careful selection of sounds and arrangement are certainly the 2 greatest factors in determining the quality of a track, the successful mixing of parts will make or break that track. As such, knowing the main stages of mixing music and principles behind each one is hugely important when producing. In this detailed set of lectures, you’ll be guided through the whole process slowly and methodically, with everything explained clearly along the way.
After some examples of good and bad arranging, and why they impact heavily on the quality of the mix, the first major process of level balancing is explored. Initially, terms such as ‘clipping’ and ‘headroom’ are explained, after which volumes of tracks are balanced with respect to master channel metering. Different approaches to mixing are shown, including mixing up and mixing in mono.
The next couple of modules deal with the 2 single most important audio effects when mixing, which are compression and EQ. The absolute basics of these effects are relayed, serving as a good introduction to someone completely new to them, before numerous examples of how to apply them within the mix are provided.
Huge topics of stereo width and then using reverb and send effects to address the width and depth of the mix are then explored, showing how free plugin Imager 2 can be used to visualise, control and also apply width to sounds. There’s also a guide to using delays to add width manually, as well as a number of other 3rd-party widening plugins. Reflected sound is then added to individual sounds via insert reverb, and then compared to send reverb, where all sounds in the mix can be placed into the same virtual space, which is further analysed carefully for frequency content.
The final main lecture tackles master channel processing, mostly dealing with compression and EQ, from light application to more aggressive techniques like multi-band compression. Some ‘pro tips’ on examining the stereo information on the master channel and controlling it with mid-side EQ complete the main body of the course, before Rob delivers a series of useful suggestions for kit and practices that will help produce a robust and well rounded mix.
Enrolling on the course provides nearly 5 hours of streamed tutorials, as well as all the accompanying course materials, which include Ableton Live projects and stems from the lessons. Sign up now to start learning essential mixing fundamentals and elevate your production abilities today!
£
29
.95*
Producertech
Advanced Guide to Music Theory for Producers
Following on from the success of the Beginner’s Guide to Music Theory for Producers, this Advanced Guide promises to expand your knowledge of music theory to greatly assist in the creation of more musical tracks. Whatever your level of music theory, there are tonnes of useful techniques and workflows for working both with a keyboard and purely in the DAW, all demonstrated in the production of various popular genres like Hip Hop, House, DnB and Trap.
The course begins with a summary of the Beginner’s Course, showing how to create melodic accompaniment and chords to go with a jazzy break, before moving onto the first advanced topic of modulation, meaning moving to a different key, starting off with the relative major and minor. There is also a thorough look at diatonic triad harmonies, covering the ways that triads change when shifted to different positions in the scale, and how this affects the mood of a song. A funky organ phrase is then put together with a House beat, which moves through a series of regular and inverted triads to create a catchy hook.
The next section shows how a track can move to a different key in a breakdown, and how the harmony and so rules for other melodic parts changes when doing so. There is also a focus on the circle of fifths relationship, showing how it connects all 12 chromatic tones, and the many different ways it’s been used to create popular music from the Baroque period right through to classic House!
After exploring a lush bassline, which is used as the basis for a Liquid DnB groove, there are a series of lessons that work through some of the more advanced chord types, including 7ths and 9ths, with both used to construct Hip Hop and Trap grooves, working mostly with the mouse. The course ends with a module on advanced scales, covering modes, pentatonic and chromatic, as well as a workflow for creating your own scale based purely on note selection in the piano roll.
In addition to all the streamed tutorials, signing up to the course provides access to a download pack containing all the projects, MIDI patterns and samples from the course, as well as a bonus assessment, for testing your newly acquired skills.
£
19
.95*
Producertech
Compression Fundamentals
Compression is one of the most essential aspects of producing music, ensuring tracks have consistent dynamics and loudness levels that meet professional standards. On this comprehensive course from Senior Tutor Rob Jones, you’ll learn the main principles behind the technique, plus a tonne of different methods for how to apply it.
The course begins with a demonstration of how compression affects an audio signal, before moving into a series of lessons covering each of the main parameters. Once the theory is covered, Rob moves into his first realtime Compression Session, starting work on the course project by showing how to process the snare and leads.
The second half of the course then focuses on more advanced techniques, including sidechain options, peak and RMS detection, parallel processing and multi-band compression. Again, after the theory is explained, Rob develops each technique further in another realtime Compression Session.
Signing up to the course provides instant access to 3 hours of streamed tutorials, as well as the projects and samples featured in them, plus written notes to refer to and assist in the learning process. There is even an included assessment, complete with listening exercises to help with technical ear training.
Check out the free sample module for an example of the lesson content before signing up to the course, which will have you mastering compression and fattening up your mixes in no time!
£
19
.95*
Producertech
Beginner's Guide to Music Production in Ableton Live
Ableton Live is one of the most popular DAWs around, loved for its flexibility and intuitive workflow. On this brand new course from Senior Tutor and Ableton Certified Trainer Rob Jones, you’ll go from first steps with the software right through to exporting a final arrangement, and everything in between!
The course is suitable for all ages and abilities, taking students through all of the main areas of the software slowly and clearly, to help forge a thorough understanding of the different ways music can be made. Once setting up the software has been covered, Rob embarks on two hour-long lectures focussed purely on working with audio samples in session and arrangement view, respectively, showing how to lay out simple song structures in each. He then moves onto MIDI, explaining the fundamentals of working with instruments and demonstrating the numerous ways of producing melodic accompaniment.
The subsequent lessons then develop skills for editing and track building in the arrangement, as well as teaching how to create beats with Drum Racks, how to record audio and the basics of mixing, covering balancing, panning and applying a number of different effects. Other topics featured include using 3rd-party plugins, sampling with Simpler, assigning MIDI controllers, and even some bonus tutorials on working with Loopmasters Loopcloud.
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to confidently work with audio samples and MIDI instruments in Ableton, whether making simple backing beats for performing with session view or more fleshed out songs in the arrangement.
The 10 hours of streamed tutorials come with the projects from the modules, plus written notes providing a neat summary of the content of each lesson, along with a bonus 500MB pack of samples from Loopmasters to kick start your personal sample library! In addition, there are assignments at certain stages throughout the course, with extra materials provided for practicing all of the different techniques learned in the tutorials.
Check out the sample module for an example of the teaching style and course content, so you can see for yourself how much there is to learn from Rob’s experience and software knowledge, which will have you on the road to becoming a serious music producer in no time!
£
99
.95*
Producertech
Producer's Guide to Ozone 8
iZotope’s Ozone 8 is one of the most comprehensive software mastering suites currently available and has quickly become an essential plugin for producers. On this course by accomplished DJ producer and music educator Joshua Casper, you’ll acquire all the knowledge you need to be able create your own professional-sounding masters with Ozone.
After introducing the basics and the mastering assistant, which uses machine learning to automatically create custom presets specifically tailored to your track, Joshua moves onto the learn features, EQ matching and using the references panel, so you’ll quickly get up to speed with the main operational features and already be able to start mastering your own material to a reasonable level. However, the tutorials then progress into a detailed exploration of each of Ozone 8’s modules, covering both modern and vintage types and providing more than a few demonstrations along the way.
In addition to working with Tonal Balance Control, iZotope’s included software for assisted track equalisation, Joshua discusses general and global parameters, dithering, codec previews, and even how to export your track. The course then concludes with a realtime track mastering session, showing 2 different examples of mastering, one with modern and one with vintage modules, to compare the techniques used on each process and resulting mastered sound.
As well as accessing the streamed tutorials, signing up to the course provides access to a download pack containing 10 additional presets for Ozone and the premastered track from the videos, so you not only learn how to master with the software but also have extra materials for doing so. Check out the free sample modules from the course before signing up for an example of the tutorial content, which will enable your knowledge of Ozone and mastering to be fully realised!
£
19
.95*
Producertech
Advanced Guide to Synthesis
Building confidence with sound design is one of the most important aspects when creating original music and wanting your tracks to be unique. The best way to improve this is to get inside the mind of an experienced sound designer. On this course from Producertech, you’ll be guided through the creation of numerous presets in comprehensive sessions where every part of the process is clearly and concisely explained.
Course tutor Seppa is a renowned Bass Music producer and advanced sound designer and in this set of tutorials, you’ll learn all his techniques for making awesome patches with some of today’s most popular synths, namely Serum and Vital.
The first 2 modules focus purely on bass, showing different workflows for creating dirty, evolving basses, whilst always ensuring they deliver sufficient clarity and punch. The following 2 look at different leads, with a quality poly synth for playing chords, followed by a massive monophonic lead for making epic hooks. After this, Seppa moves onto pads and FX, finishing up with a wonky sequence preset for adding quirky rhythms to your tracks.
Synthesis techniques you can expect to learn on the course include wavetable creation, wave-shaping and manipulation, unison voicing application, serial and parallel filtering, extensive LFO modulation and how to process sounds with many different types of effects, such as phaser, flanger, delay, compressor, EQ, formant and comb filter, and lots more!
Signing up to the course gets you instant access to nearly 4 hours of lessons, plus the presets made along the way and 15 bonus Loopmasters patches for Serum. Enrol today to join Seppa in this epic masterclass and start creating incredible sounds of your own!
£
29
.95*
Jafunk
Pro Mixing Masterclass
The mixing process is a hugely important final stage of producing a track and is necessary to add the professional touches that make your music sound sweet! In this compact masterclass, producer Jafunk concisely delivers all the techniques required to transform a mix, as he works through the sounds in his popular track ‘Fool For You’.
Starting with the drums, Jafunk looks at all the individual processing like bass enhancement, saturation and EQ, as well as delay for adding width, before moving onto send effects and bus compression. He then works his way through the melodic sounds, beginning with bass and synths then moving onto guitar and FX, again focussing on level balancing, frequency shaping and stereo imaging.
Although a few 3rd party plugins are incorporated in places, the majority of techniques are carried out with DAW (Ableton Live) factory devices and can be easily transferred over to other DAWs.
Signing up to this masterclass provides instant access to over an hour of streamed tutorials, as well as a delicious pack of bonus Funk samples from Loopmasters. Check out the sample module for an example of Jafunk’s clear and concise teaching approach, as he imparts the essential mixing tips needed to make your mixes sound professional.
£
9
.95*
Seppa
Advanced Bass Music Production Techniques 2
With its gigantic basslines and seriously heavy beats, Bass Music is regarded as amongst the most challenging genres to produce, requiring a substantial amount of knowledge and technical precision. Thankfully, one of the top producers in the field, Seppa, has returned to the Producertech community to deliver his second set of tutorials on Advanced Bass Music Techniques, sharing his accumulated experience from the last 12 years of producing professionally, so help is very much at hand!
The course begins with a series of sound design tutorials, showing how Seppa creates his varied palette of melodic and textured sounds from which the bulk of his tracks are constructed. These include 2 serious bass patches, both built from scratch with Serum and then processed with a wide range of 3rd-party and factory DAW plugins, as well as a custom delayed and pitched FX composition, which uses a default synth patch used as the basis. The final sound design session then shows how to transform an old vinyl sample into digital gold!
In the next section, Seppa moves onto beats, beginning by designing the main kick and snare, then combining them with an assortment of percussion samples, which are sequenced into a trio of solid breaks. The beats are mixed and laid out in the arrangement, forming the backbone of the first main drop section.
The last part of the course sees Seppa guiding through a lengthy series of arrangement tutorials, starting by building a fat drop and 2 accompanying variations. Textures are applied from the sound palette, as extra layers for the drums and bass, whilst melodies are added to the last passage, to form the beginnings of the first breakdown. This is then developed into a second drop, which extends the ideas from the first half, and the arrangement is then completed and any mixing issues and improvements addressed.
Signing up to the course gives you immediate access to the streamed tutorials, as well as the Ableton Live project created on the course and a 100MB bonus pack of Bass Music samples from Loopmasters. Check out the sample module before signing up and listen to the arrangement from the course, both embedded on the course page, so you can see and hear for yourself the quality of Seppa’s music and broad depth of knowledge imparted in his tutorials.
Producertech · Seppa Advanced Bass Music Production Techniques 2 - Course Track
£
29
.95*
Producertech
Beginner's Guide to Song Arranging
Making loops and jamming with musical ideas, although fun, can be a trap we get stuck in all too often, sometimes finding it hard to get out of ‘loop mode’ and start putting an actual track together. On this course, you’ll be provided with the knowledge required to gain a good understanding of how music is arranged, from how and why song sections are structured, to specific techniques for improving the arrangement.
The course begins with a detailed look at 2 successful tracks in varying styles, one a vocal-based pop track and the other a Tech House banger! The arrangements are completely broken down and scrutinised, then a summary of the main similarities and differences is given, with an explanation of why each song is arranged the way it is.
The subsequent modules then show the main stages of building up an arrangement, starting with the beats and creating drum fills, then introducing melodic parts and discussing the hierarchy and placement of each. Introduction, breakdown and drop sections are then laid out, showing the main concepts behind a breakdown and different methods for achieving it. Sections are then bolstered with additional layers to support the melodies and create more engagement, including vocal textures and chords.
The latter part of the course focuses heavily on FX, starting with samples that are used to enhance definition and flow, and then moving on to devices like reverb and delay, used to add character and depth, as well as improve transitions. More advanced techniques like automation and send effects are covered that, although technically more challenging, are explained slowly and clearly so that even those with little experience should be able to follow along without issues. There is also some focus on tonality and tuning, working out the key of parts and the track, and exploring other keys to move to temporarily during the arrangement.
By the end of the course, students should have a good idea of the necessary considerations and different approaches to arranging a track, ultimately helping construct clear goals to work to when making music. Signing up grants immediate access to almost 3 hours of tutorials, plus supporting materials like written guides and software projects, providing all the teachings and support needed to start arranging quality music of your own.
£
19
.95*
Producertech
EQ Fundamentals
Equalisation is one of the most essential skills to master when mixing a track, and having a solid understanding of the core principles that govern its usage is tantamount to creating a professional-sounding mix. On this course from certified trainer Rob Jones, you’ll be taken through each of the fundamentals of EQ, so you come away armed with the knowledge and direction you need to confidently apply equalisation in your music.
As EQ is about shaping frequencies, many areas of the course focus on the composition of sounds, to help students fully understand each part of the frequency spectrum and what exactly it contributes to different musical parts. The course is peppered with a multitude of ‘frequency demos’, as well as practical production examples, to ensure a thorough grasp of frequencies is attained.
Once all the key aspects of spectral content and main types of EQ have been taught, there are lessons showing how to EQ a number of different sounds in a track, both independently and with respect to one another. Sources shown include vocals, guitar parts, bass, piano, organs and other accompaniment. There is also a module dedicated to drums, which conveys some important considerations for EQing your kick drum, snare and cymbals, as well as the whole kit together on a drums buss.
A specific focus is also given to mixing bass, with a module looking at a number of different kick and bass combinations, to help with achieving the all important tight bottom end.
After covering EQ on the master channel, the course wraps up with a summary of the provided practice material, which includes 2 separate sets of stems, given both as raw audio and mixed and unmixed projects for a number of the main DAWs. With this wealth of material, plus a multiple choice assessment at the end of the course, students can be assured they’ll have everything necessary to progress their EQ skills to the next level!
£
19
.95*
Producertech
Beginner's Guide to Synthesis
With the huge range of synthesisers available today, comprising both DAW factory instruments and 3rd party synth plugins, a knowledge of how to use them is an essential part of modern production. This course aims to give you all of the fundamental skills and confidence to tackle sound design with any synthesiser with ease, to enable easier patch editing and creation of your own presets from scratch.
The tutorials work through all of the main sections of a synth, including oscillators, filters, envelopes, LFOs, arpeggiators and more, explaining the function and control set of each one. To make the course as universal as possible, a wide range of synths are featured in the tutorials, with many of the most popular synth plugins and DAW built-in instruments shown.
The tutorials are punctuated with white board demonstrations, to help convey the main synthesising principles, combined with numerous examples of patch creation every step of the way. Students will learn how much can be done with relatively little on a synth, whilst also absorbing a wealth of techniques that will provide a solid foundation for designing many different types of sound. Although the course is primarily aimed at beginners, due to the technical nature of sound design, the level is mostly intermediate with an occasional foray into more advanced territory in one or two places!
Signing up to the course provides immediate access to 3 hours of streamed tutorials, as well as an included assessment, to provide some interactive feedback on students’ synthesising knowledge. As with all Producertech courses, free sample module(s) are available to enable viewing of excerpts before signing up, for an example of the course style and content, which will have you mastering synthesis in no time!
£
19
.95*
Producertech
The Art of Sampling
Sampling is perhaps the most popular means of creating musical parts in modern production, inherent in a vast number of applications, from drum construction, to leads, to FX. This course covers all of the core concepts of sampling, using a range of DAW factory and 3rd party plugin instruments, providing students with a fundamental understanding of how to confidently work with whatever samplers they own.
Alongside lessons on many of the standard sampler parameters and behavioural aspects, including root note and transposition, start and end controls and looping, and the main types of envelope, there are numerous examples of how to apply techniques in the creation of unique and natural-sounding parts. Examples include pitch-shifted and modulated percussion, old school and current vocal presets, classic basses and velocity-modulated hats.
Once all areas of single-sampling have been covered, the lessons move on to multi-sampling, initially explaining the main considerations like keyboard mapping and velocity zones. Following this, there is a step-by-step guide to sampling a vintage accordion, teaching students how to convert any instrument in their studio into a multi-sampled patch.
Accompanying the streamed tutorials from the course are both the samples from the lessons and a 100MB bonus pack of varied oneshots and loops, giving students both the physical materials required for sampling and the ability to competently use them!
£
19
.95*
Jafunk
Pro Arranging Masterclass
Once you’ve got a fully-fledged groove locked down, the ability to expand it out into a complete arrangement can sometimes seem a challenging process. In this course from Producertech resident tutor and professional producer Jafunk, you’ll learn a multitude of concepts for how to approach this task, from the development of harmony, to the flow of energy and everything in between.
Jafunk uses his recent, popular release ‘Nightlife’ as the example for the course, where he fully breaks down every aspect of the track. The first lesson provides an explanation of the concepts covered on the course, followed by an overview of how the track is structured. Subsequent to this is a detailed exploration of the theory and instrumental arranging, showing how every part in the song is carefully orchestrated into its own space in the mix.
Once a thorough outline of the musical composition of the track has been provided, Jafunk shows how the initial loop was conceived by the building up of individual components, and then how each of those parts is developed through the arrangement. Certain sections are constructed so as to tell a particular story or paint a scene, whilst others are led by harmony and musical ideas.
As well as garnering a good understanding of how to structure a vocal pop or dance track in terms of sections, the course helps with learning about energy management throughout a song and how to successfully transition from one section to the next. The latter goes into both textural and classic dance techniques, such as the use of FX and automation, as well as more musical approaches, with certain instruments also helping to build and release tension.
Enrolling on the course gives you instant access to over an hour of concise and technique-rich, streamed tutorials, in addition to the project from the course and MIDI files for the track, and even a bonus pack of Jafunk’s samples to add to your collection - the perfect set of lessons and materials to help inspire and guide you to making solid arrangements of your own.
£
12
.99*
Producertech
Lead Fundamentals
Once a groove consisting of beats and bass has been locked down, adding accompanying leads can be a daunting next step for beginners. With so many different options available, it’s hard to know where to even begin! This series of courses goes from the very top, showing simple workflows for coming up with engaging rhythms and melodies, then moving onto more advanced areas of sound design and FX processing, to arm you with a wide array of techniques for making captivating leads.
This first course is designed as the perfect next step after our Bassline Fundamentals course and begins with the absolute essentials when it comes to rhythm and pitch, helping you understand what notes to play and the timing to play them with.
As leads can often be very simple whilst still being effective in a lot of styles of electronic music, the first module focuses mostly on timing, showing how a wide range of ideas can be conceived purely from a repeating sample with an interesting rhythm. This is developed later in the module by introducing various level adjustments when it comes to overall volume and also waveform envelope, all carried out by straight forward editing of samples directly on audio tracks.
The next module then moves away from one-note patterns and into the world of melodies, starting with a brief explanation of key signatures and scales, before a demonstration of 3 ideas for coming up with melodic phrases, which are put to practice in both the major and minor key. There is also a bonus lesson showing how to create your own arps, or arpeggios, which are rhythmic melodies that can be applied to both a main lead or background element with great effect, so a very useful concept to know about.
By the end of the course, you’ll be armed with a multitude of simple techniques for working with audio and MIDI to come up with a whole host of leads that can be added to electronic music of any style.
Enrolling on the course provides immediate access to the streamed tutorials, as well as the Ableton projects from the lessons and a selection of bonus lead samples to practice with - all you need to start making quality leads today!
£
19
.95*
Seppa
Sub Bass Masterclass
One of the most challenging aspects of electronic music production is the bottom end of the mix. When producing any styles, but especially the louder or harder ones, a thorough understanding of bass frequencies is essential if you want to deliver a track with a professional sound that packs a punch whilst sounding clean and clear.
Producertech’s resident Bass Music specialist has stepped up to create a comprehensive masterclass on the subject. With 15 years plus experience as a producer, record label boss and tutor, he brings a wealth of knowledge, conveyed in an articulate manner that’s easily accessible to all.
If you want to learn what the frequencies at the bottom end entail, to understand how sub frequency fundamentals and harmonics are created and managed in various styles of popular music, this course is for you!
The lessons go from the very top, with an explanation and analysis of bass frequencies, combining with various sound design examples that show how to make sub and full range bass patches on 2 of today’s most popular synths: Vital and Phaseplant. (All techniques are transferrable to other synths like Serum, Massive or DAW factory instruments.) Seppa then provides a module dedicated solely to the relationship between kick and bass, showing several different approaches to making them work harmoniously in the mix.
The second half of the course then moves onto genre production, looking at how bass is handled in Dubstep, House and Drum & Bass. A number of different bassline approaches are included, with sustained sub bass patterns contrasting with longer, more melodic phrases with punchy transients, to show the differences between the two. The lessons then wrap up with a summary of sub levels on the master channel in all three styles, giving a guide to the main objectives to aim for.
Enrolling on the course provides instant access to 5 hours of streamed tutorials, along with the projects and stems from the lessons, so you can more closely inspect the course material if you need to. Sign up now to start learning from the best, becoming a sub bass master and tightening up your mixes today!
£
49
.95*
Producertech
Bassline Fundamentals
Bassline composition knowledge is a huge part of producing electronic music, ensuring that the low end of a track is delivering the necessary components that complete the groove. On this series of courses, you’ll learn the fundamentals of bassline creation from the ground up, covering all the principles and theory, as well as a wide range of techniques and specific examples that put everything into practice.
On this first part designed for beginners, the main focuses are the cornerstones of any bassline, which are its rhythm and pitch. By the end of the course, you’ll have a good understanding of the core aspects of timing of a bassline along with the different pitches it can play, all of which can be applied in a wide range of styles.
The rhythm module starts at the very beginning with the main note timings and demonstrations of how to create a continuous bassline with a fixed speed, showing workflows for working with samples on audio tracks in addition to within sampler instruments on MIDI tracks, explaining the differences and pros and cons of each method. Concepts like syncopation are then explained as patterns are made by repeating rhythmic motifs with varying levels, which are expanded to form longer phrases at the end of the module, taking a single oneshot sample right up to a 4-bar bassline.
At the start of the next module, a number of 1-bar basslines are added to a fixed chord loop, to show how different complimentary rhythms and octave shifts can create a series of contrasting grooves. One of the basslines is then expanded in the subsequent lesson to produce multiple 4- and 8- bar bassline examples that explore the relationship between the bassline and chords loop, as they both either remain static or move to different pitches, to understand how the harmony of the song is affected as a result. The last lesson changes up the style as a string of funky, live-sounding, melodic basslines in G minor are made, emulating a real bass guitar player through the handling of pitch and also level and timing editing techniques that create a more natural sound.
Signing up to the course gets you immediate access to the streamed tutorials, along with all the projects from the course and a selection of bonus bass samples to practice with; the complete package to take you from zero understanding to someone who can competently construct interesting and dynamic basslines in the key of your music.
£
19
.95*
Producertech
Jungle Production Fundamentals
Nomine (aka Andrew Ferguson) is a hugely experienced Producer, DJ and audio engineer whose journey through the UK's dance music scene began over 20 years ago. Initially known as Outrage, Andrew was one of the pioneers of the jungle sound, DJing on Rinse FM in the station’s early pirate days and releasing tracks on Goldie’s Metalheadz label. With his more recent music now appearing on labels such as Tempa, Dubzilla Recordings and his own Nomine Sound, alongside lecturing at the University of Bedfordshire and SAE, you can trust in Nomine to deliver a truly insightful, and infinitely useful, series of tutorials on Jungle production.
With over five hours of comprehensive videos, this massive course will teach you all of the ins and outs of creating Jungle, the fast paced and instantly recognisable genre that's been tearing up dancefloors since the early 90s. You'll gain a deep understanding of the classic sounds that can be found in countless tracks, as well as a detailed look at Nomine's meticulous approach to engineering and refined production methodology. Not content to just show you what he does, the course is also packed with workflow tips and tricks to transport your production abilities to the next level.
With unlimited availability after purchase, the course and accompanying materials are available to stream online 24/7/365. Included with the course are 120MB of bonus Jungle Samples, courtesy of Loopmasters, for use in your own productions. Check out the trailer and sample module now to kick-start your Jungle production journey today!
£
39
.95*
Jafunk
Funk Bass Production Masterclass
Producing basslines with all the soulfulness and funk of a skilled bassist can be tricky without any knowledge of how to put them together. Understanding the theory and composition, as well as how to jam and perform with a keyboard, will transform the process into something that not only produces great results but is also a lot of fun!
On this course from Jafunk, you’ll learn both the methodology behind playing basslines and the subsequent processing required to ensure the bass sounds professional and cuts through the mix.
The first half of the 2-hour course is devoted to the theory and playing styles, broken down into easily digestible chunks to allow for easier absorbing and practicing of every technique. Lessons include tips for learning keys and scales, mastering intervals like octaves and fifths, with chromatic inflections, pitch bends and slides, chords and key modulation, and lots more.
By the end of part 1, you’ll have learned all of the fundamental theory needed to play seriously funky bass on a MIDI keyboard, with numerous examples shown along the way, to help cement your understanding.
Part 2 then delves into the production side, beginning with synth patch editing and then exploring each of the plugins in Jafunk’s bass FX chain, which includes saturation, bass maximisation, series and parallel compression, and EQ. There is also a bonus section looking at processing recorded bass guitar, including some audio editing and gating techniques, followed by the ways FX processing differs to synth bass.
Enrolling on the course gets you instant access to the streamed tutorials, plus Jafunk’s practice Ableton Live project and MIDI clips from the theory section, along with a bonus pack of bass samples for adding to your collection; all you need to get making quality funk basslines today!
£
19
.95*
Producertech
Groove Fundamentals
Groove is a ubiquitous term in music production, appearing on hardware like drum machines, within editors in DAWs and on many software instruments too, but what is it actually referring to? This course answers this very question, with a detailed exploration of groove handling within a range of different applications, to help you become a master of the groove!
Most people tend to think of groove when producing beats, as it’s a parameter most commonly found when creating rhythmic patterns like drums. As such, the lessons begin by explaining the most popular forms of groove, which are 1/8- and 1/16- note swing. This is done through the creation of a classic jazz cymbal pattern at full and half speeds.
After some initial theory is covered, the next module shows how that theory applies when making House beats, as more syncopated percussion is combined with the main drums. This is developed further as rhythmic melodies like basslines and arps are added into the mix, which need a similar treatment when it comes to groove, to ensure all sounds are working together. Another module looks at manual groove handling, showing how loop timing can be adjusted through audio warping and regular editing, so that a consistent groove is achieved.
The last module demonstrates the ways groove is handled in 2 popular DAWs, Logic Pro and Ableton Live, with the latter being investigated further in a subsequent lesson to show more unique features like groove extraction, randomisation and volume modulation.
Enrolling on the course provides instant access to over 90 minutes of tutorials, as well as the software projects and written notes from the lessons, so sign up now to firm up your production knowledge and start making tight grooves today!
£
9
.95*
Paul Maddox
Raw Techno Production Techniques
Techno legend Paul Maddox, one half of Spektre and resident course creator, returns to deliver a new set of tutorials on producing raw Techno in Ableton Live. With a wealth of production and teaching experience combined with an extensive knowledge of the software, these tutorials are a must-have for anyone wanting to learn the essentials for making heavy Techno tracks of their own.
On the course, Paul shows the fundamentals for building up a techno track, through 2 separate groove examples, with increasing intensity. The first groove has a deeper and dubbier vibe, with a hypnotic, tribal bass and filtered piano stab, whilst the second is an even more full-on, super high energy track with a wonky synth lead line driving the groove.
All the parts are made using factory samples from Live’s library, mostly 707s, with an additional foley recording from Paul’s collection, whilst melodic parts are designed from the ground up using Sampler and Wavetable. As well as learning how to design and sequence parts, you’ll acquire a wealth of mixing knowledge and some different approaches to creating an arrangement, with both manual layout and timeline recording included.
Signing up to the course gives you immediate access to over 2 hours of streamed tutorials, along with the projects made and a 100MB bonus pack of Techno samples from Loopmasters. Check out the free sample lesson before signing up, for an example of Paul’s clear teaching style and technique-laden video content, which will enrich your production skillset and have you making Techno bangers in no time!
£
19
.95*
Simon Shackleton
Essential Beats Production Techniques Part 2
Drums lay at the core of every good track, providing the rhythmic energy and beating heart of the music. Making sure that those drums are solid and satisfying is therefore an essential part of producing high quality tracks. On this in-depth course, experienced producer Simon Shackleton will take you on a journey as he builds up a number of complete grooves from the ground up, explaining every decision meticulously along the way.
This second part of the course moves onto 2 new genres, looking this time at Nu Disco and Electronica or Breakbeat. Like the first part, the lessons go in detail through each process of constructing the beat with a large palette of samples, beginning with a core loop or main drums like kick and snare. Individual drums are designed by layering of numerous oneshots, carefully selected and then blended, using different processing to ensure each part fits together seamlessly and adds its own unique elements into the mix.
Straight and top loops are made, through the skilful combining of loops, chopped up initially to select only the desired segments and then inserted into 2- and 4- bar phrases, to create the backbone of the drums, as well as higher frequency textures to add pace and excitement. Send reverb is employed, which is also automated to create occasional ‘spot FX’ that permeate and spice up the break.
All sounds and groups are meticulously mixed and mastered as the drums develop, with complex effects chains utilised to shape and polish the sound. Devices include regular, dynamic and mid/side EQ, parallel compression, saturation and width control, all used to ensure every part of the break has the required substance and isn’t adding any unwanted components into the mix.
Once you’ve enrolled on the course, you’ll have instant 24/7 access to 4 hours of streamed tutorials, as well as downloads of the projects from each module, and finally a bonus pack of drum samples from Loopmasters. Sample modules are available as examples of the course style and content, so you can see how articulate and engaging a tutor Simon is before signing up. Enrol now to start learning from a master in the field and turbo charge your beats production knowledge today!
£
29
.95*
Jafunk
Pro Vocal Production Masterclass
Talented and prolific producer Jafunk has returned to the Producertech community to give another masterclass on an area of his expertise, namely vocal production. In this set of tutorials, he’ll take you through all the techniques involved in going from raw recordings to polished and perfectly mixed vocals, using his recent track ‘You Got Me’.
Beginning with a number of suggestions for how to go about achieving a high quality recording, Jafunk then dives straight into the project, initially looking at corrective procedures for improving the timing and pitch of vocal takes, by manually editing and using the 3rd-party plugin Melodyne. He then moves onto setting levels and panning layers, to achieve a strong but pleasantly spread vocal.
After all parts are sufficiently synchronised, tuned and sounding as one, he moves onto vocal enhancement, working through each of the plugins used to add the polish and professional touches that elevate the vocal in the mix. Signals are compressed and saturated, sibilance is removed and width and depth are applied with delay and reverb. Once Nick’s voice has been treated, Jafunk shows how similar processing can be applied to Dana’s voice, so that both vocalists are made to inhabit the same space and the track has a unified sound.
In addition to the streamed tutorials, signing up to the course provides 115MB of bonus vocal samples, giving you additional sounds for your own library and materials to practice your newly-acquired techniques with. Before signing up, check out the track from the course below...
Jafunk · You Got Me
£
9
.95*
Producertech
Beginner's Guide to Beats Production
If you’re wanting to produce beats but clueless about where to start, this course is for you! In a little over 90 minutes, you’ll be taught all the basics of beats production and acquire a bonus pack of drum samples to kick off your collection.
The course starts with lessons on the kinds of sounds or individual instruments that make up a beat, and some of the fundamentals when it comes to the theory side, covering all things tempo and timing. After the main principles of rhythm have been outlined, the subsequent modules go through each of the most popular methods for producing beats, from working with samples to playing various instruments.
The first process shows how beats can be made with simple placement of oneshots along the arrangement timeline, whatever music software you use, following basic guidelines of alternating kicks and snares. Loopcloud is then demonstrated as a way of simplifying the process further, with its built-in pattern presets for creating instant loops for you.
Once sampling techniques have been covered, the lessons turn to MIDI, looking at the differences and similarities to producing beats with a drum instrument, such as the factory devices that come with virtually all music software. Taking this a stage further, 3rd-party plugins are then incorporated, with Loopcloud Drum being an example of how their included kits and ability to sequence drums within the instrument provide instant options for creating beats.
By the end of the course, you can expect to have a decent understanding of the main ways of producing drums and can start to make more educated decisions about which direction to go in. You’ll also have a bonus pack of samples to put your newly-acquired knowledge to use!
£
9
.95*