The music in your head.
A track you can finish.

Understand the DAW and create an original musical loop.

1. 01What is music production?

   Producer roles; overview of DAWs; audio versus MIDI; Ableton Session and Arrangement Views; basic audio settings; saving projects.

   In class: Build and save a four-bar idea using a drum or instrument sound.

   Your task: Open Ableton independently and save two short project ideas.

2. 02Rhythm, drums and tempo

   BPM; beats and bars; 4/4 timing; kick, snare, clap and hi-hat; grid and quantization.

   In class: Program a basic eight-bar drum groove and one contrasting variation.

   Your task: Create three grooves at different tempos; export one as audio.

3. 03MIDI and virtual instruments

   MIDI clip creation; piano roll; notes; velocity; quantization; inserting and browsing instruments.

   In class: Record or draw a simple melodic motif above the drum pattern.

   Your task: Produce an eight-bar musical loop with drums and one instrument.

4. 04Music theory for producers

   Notes; intervals; major/minor scales; triads; chord progressions; musical key and simple melodies.

   In class: Write four chords and a short melody in a compatible key.

   Your task: Create a 16-bar loop with drums, chords and melody; submit the project.

Turn a loop into a developing musical arrangement.

1. 05Basslines and groove

   Role of bass; root notes; rhythmic bass movement; relationship between the kick and bass.

   In class: Program a bassline that supports the chords and drums.

   Your task: Create two bassline options and compare their feel.

2. 06Basic synthesizers and sampling

   Oscillators; filters; ADSR envelopes; presets; sample selection; basic audio warping.

   In class: Change the character of a synth patch and add one authorized sample.

   Your task: Make a short sound palette with at least three complementary elements.

3. 07Introduction to audio recording

   Recording and monitoring; input gain; audio tracks; basic trimming and fades; avoiding clipping.

   In class: Record a voice, guitar or percussion sound, or edit instructor-supplied permitted audio.

   Your task: Add one recorded or edited audio element to the project.

4. 08Song structure and arrangement

   Intro, verse, chorus, breakdown, drop, outro; repetition versus development; basic transitions.

   In class: Arrange the current loop into a beginning, middle and ending.

   Your task: Submit a full-length rough arrangement for feedback.

Apply basic effects and make a presentable demo.

1. 09Effects and automation

   EQ; reverb; delay; filter sweeps; automation; musical transitions.

   In class: Add subtle effects and two useful automations to the arrangement.

   Your task: Improve transitions and make at least one variation between sections.

2. 10Introduction to mixing

   Volume balances; panning; frequency overlap; gain staging and headroom; reference listening.

   In class: Build a rough mix with balanced instruments and unclipped output.

   Your task: Export an updated mix and write three things to improve.

3. 11Production cleanup and export

   Removing unnecessary sounds; basic editing; listening through the whole track; WAV/MP3 formats.

   In class: Review the complete arrangement and fix its biggest weak points.

   Your task: Prepare final Ableton session and stereo audio export.

4. 12Beginner final project

   Creative presentation; listening with intent; responding to feedback; project archiving.

   In class: Present the original demo; explain its structure and production choices.

   Your task: Submit a complete track/demo, saved Ableton project and WAV or MP3.

Improve composition, groove and sound choices.

1. 13Critical listening and reference analysis

   How to listen analytically; arrangement maps; frequency roles; energy curves; interpreting references ethically.

   In class: Analyze two songs and build a reference map with section lengths and key sounds.

   Your task: Write a new, original track brief inspired by specific production qualities.

2. 14Advanced drum programming

   Swing; velocity; microtiming; accents; ghost notes; layering; percussion variation.

   In class: Rebuild and vary a drum groove with rhythmic intention.

   Your task: Submit two grooves expressing different energy levels.

3. 15Harmony, melody and hooks

   Chord inversions; seventh chords; call-and-response; hook writing; tension and release.

   In class: Create a memorable 16-bar musical hook and complementary harmony.

   Your task: Expand the idea into two contrasting sections.

4. 16Synth sound design

   Signal flow; oscillators; filters; envelopes; LFOs; basic modulation; layering.

   In class: Build a bass patch and lead patch from simple starting sounds.

   Your task: Save and explain two original preset designs.

Develop a production that evolves and makes sense.

1. 17Kick, bass and low-end management

   Kick selection; bass envelopes; low-frequency arrangement; sidechain compression; basic phase awareness.

   In class: Refine low end so rhythm and bass work together.

   Your task: A/B two kick-bass combinations and explain the better fit.

2. 18Vocal and audio editing

   Warping; timing; clip edits; comping basics; pitch correction concepts; audio cleanup.

   In class: Edit an original or legitimately supplied recorded performance.

   Your task: Include a clean edited audio element in the project.

3. 19Creative sampling and resampling

   Slicing; resampling; layering; transformation; source attribution and licensing awareness.

   In class: Transform an authorized original audio fragment into an instrument or texture.

   Your task: Create a short composition around the transformed element.

4. 20Advanced arrangement techniques

   Transitions; contrast; density; risers; build-ups; breakdowns; musical development.

   In class: Complete an intentional start-to-finish arrangement.

   Your task: Submit full track arrangement with written notes on its emotional arc.

Produce an independent mix with reliable session organization.

1. 21Session organization and routing

   Groups; buses; send-return effects; gain structure; naming; templates; CPU management.

   In class: Organize a full production and set up relevant buses.

   Your task: Submit a navigable project with sensible track structure.

2. 22EQ, compression and spatial effects

   Frequency masking; subtractive EQ; compressor settings; saturation; reverb; delay; stereo positioning.

   In class: Mix drums, bass and harmonic elements with clear priorities.

   Your task: Complete first full mix and label the processing choices.

3. 23Mix critique and revisions

   Comparing reference mixes; checking small speakers/headphones; dynamics; tonal balance; translation.

   In class: Conduct a structured playback review and fix issues.

   Your task: Revise mix and note three decisions made independently.

4. 24Intermediate final project

   Independent finishing; quality assurance; explaining choices; preparing files.

   In class: Present the track, session organization and mix decisions.

   Your task: Submit fully arranged original track, Ableton session and stereo WAV.

Go beyond imitation toward personal creative choices.

1. 25Artistic direction and production identity

   Influence analysis; sound palettes; timbre; emotional storytelling; references versus copying.

   In class: Define a sonic concept and select a cohesive sound palette.

   Your task: Write a one-page artistic/technical brief for a capstone track.

2. 26Advanced synthesis and modulation

   Deeper subtractive methods; wavetable/FM concepts; modulation matrix; movement; patch layering.

   In class: Design signature lead, bass and atmosphere sounds.

   Your task: Save three documented original patches or racks.

3. 27Sophisticated composition and arrangement

   Advanced voicings; tension; phrase development; automation arcs; counter-melodies; evolving structures.

   In class: Build the full musical skeleton of the capstone.

   Your task: Deliver a complete arrangement draft with markers and transitions.

4. 28Advanced drum and bass processing

   Transient design; parallel processing; saturation; phase/correlation basics; low-end translation.

   In class: Build a punchy controlled rhythm section while keeping dynamics.

   Your task: Compare processed/unprocessed versions at matched loudness.

Refine audio design, detailed mixes and mastering judgement.

1. 29Creative audio processing and resampling

   Multistage effects; spectral/textural experimentation; commitment to audio; workflow trade-offs.

   In class: Create original audio textures and integrate them musically.

   Your task: Deliver two transformed sound assets and demonstrate their role.

2. 30Advanced mixing I

   Mix planning; corrective EQ; masking; compression; phase issues; gain staging and bussing.

   In class: Create and implement an intentional mix strategy.

   Your task: Submit first detailed capstone mix with problem/solution notes.

3. 31Advanced mixing II

   Stereo image; depth; time-based FX; automation; parallel processing; translation checks.

   In class: Critique the mix on multiple listening systems or simulations.

   Your task: Deliver revised mix and written quality-control checklist.

4. 32Mastering essentials

   Loudness and dynamic range; LUFS; true peak; limiting; export specs; different platform requirements.

   In class: Compare alternative masters and distinguish musical versus technical changes.

   Your task: Export a controlled master and suitable premaster; record settings.

Operate with reproducible, accountable production processes.

1. 33Professional session management

   Templates; collect-all-and-save; file names; version control; freeze/flatten; third-party assets.

   In class: Package capstone session for reliable reopening.

   Your task: Deliver clean and logically named session versions.

2. 34Deliverables, rights and release readiness

   Masters; premaster; stems; sample and vocal permissions; metadata; songwriter splits overview.

   In class: Prepare aligned stems, premaster and master, and document third-party assets.

   Your task: Build a complete production handover folder.

3. 35Detailed capstone revisions

   Industry-style critique; correcting technical defects; creative judgment; decision logs.

   In class: Work through prioritized critique and make final revisions.

   Your task: Deliver final revised track and short explanation of changes.

4. 36Advanced portfolio presentation

   Critical listening; self-assessment; future development goals; professional presentation.

   In class: Present capstone, technical decisions, and production files.

   Your task: Submit final project, audio package and development plan.