Production
Produce with Purpose. Mix with Mastery
Mixing and Mastering
Mixing is where your music truly comes alive. In this module, we’ll start from the very basics—what makes a mix “good,” how sound flows through your DAW, and how to set up a workflow that takes you all the way from rough balance to final master. You’ll learn how to listen critically, whether you’re working on headphones or speakers, and discover how tools like Sonarworks can help you get reliable results no matter where you are. From there, we dive into the core tools of mixing. You’ll explore how to use EQ to shape instruments naturally and make sure they fit together without clashing. Reverbs and delays will help you create depth and space, while compressors and limiters will give your tracks punch and control. We’ll also look at tuning tools like Melodyne and Auto-Tune, teaching you how to use them both subtly for natural corrections and creatively for modern pop effects. As you progress, you’ll uncover more advanced techniques like sidechaining, saturation, and distortion—powerful ways to create movement, add grit, or bring out harmonic richness in your music. We’ll also explore how AI is changing the world of mixing and mastering, showing you how tools like iZotope and Sonible can speed up your workflow without replacing your own creative choices. Automation will become your secret weapon, helping you breathe life into your mix with dynamic changes in levels, effects, and tone. Finally, we’ll move into mastering—the last step in preparing a song for release. You’ll learn how to balance loudness, polish your sound, and use both traditional and AI-powered tools to get a professional finish. To tie it all together, you’ll watch complete start-to-finish demonstrations across multiple genres, including dance, hip-hop/trap, and ballads, giving you real-world examples of how everything comes together. By the end of this module, you won’t just know how to mix—you’ll feel confident shaping sound in any style, delivering tracks that stand shoulder to shoulder with today’s best releases.
Genre Specific Programming
Every genre of music speaks its own language. In this module, you’ll explore the defining characteristics of some of the world’s most influential styles and learn how to produce tracks that feel authentic, powerful, and ready for today’s audiences. We’ll begin with Dance Pop, breaking down the sounds and production approaches behind artists like Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris, and Robyn—music designed to move both the heart and the dance floor. From there, you’ll step into the world of EDM and House, studying the energy and drops that define artists such as Martin Garrix, Fred Again.., and Tiësto. Hip-Hop and Trap take center stage next, where you’ll learn from the sonic worlds of legends like Dr. Dre and Kanye West alongside today’s innovators like Metro Boomin and Travis Scott. We’ll also take a look at New Jack Swing, the genre-bending style that fused R&B and hip-hop rhythms in the late ’80s and ’90s, influencing artists from Bobby Brown to Bruno Mars. Moving into global markets, you’ll dive deep into K-Pop, learning the structures and sounds that power groups like BTS, Blackpink, and Seventeen. You’ll also explore Latin Pop and Reggaeton, understanding the rhythms and flavor of artists like Bad Bunny, Karol G, and Luis Fonsi. For those craving something heavier, you’ll spend time on Dubstep, exploring the raw energy of Skrillex and Virtual Riot, as well as Funky Pop, where groove and musicianship shine through artists like Anderson .Paak, Bruno Mars, and Prince. From there, you’ll move into Disco and House, learning from pioneers like Nile Rodgers and Daft Punk, before discovering the colorful soundscapes of Hyperpop, championed by artists like Charli XCX and 100 gecs.
Synth Programming
Synthesizers are at the core of modern music—from lush pads and bass-heavy drops to funky leads and futuristic textures. This module gives you the knowledge and hands-on skills to move beyond presets and start creating your own unique sounds from scratch. We begin with the basics of synthesis, looking at analog synths, oscillators, filters, and amplifiers to understand how sound is shaped at its core. From there, you’ll dive into oscillators, experimenting with waveforms, detuning, unison, wavetables, and FM sync to create tones that feel rich and alive. Next, we’ll explore envelopes and filters—the tools that define how sounds move and breathe. You’ll practice sculpting sound with cutoff, resonance, and envelope control before moving on to LFOs, where you’ll add motion and rhythm through tremolo, wah-wah, and BPM-synced effects. Then we’ll expand into modulation techniques, from the basics to advanced modulation matrices in synths like Serum and modular setups like Moog. Along the way, you’ll also get familiar with global parameters like glide, pitch bends, MPE, and voice settings that give your patches polish and playability. To bring context, we’ll study legendary synths like the Juno-6, Prophet-5, and Minimoog, as well as analyze songs where synths play a starring role—from Bruno Mars to Daft Punk. As your confidence grows, you’ll learn how to edit presets effectively, tweak parameters for your own needs, and eventually build your own custom patches for pads, basses, plucks, and leads. Advanced sessions cover granular synthesis with modern tools like Serum 2 and Omnisphere, as well as the deep world of FM synthesis, made famous by the Yamaha DX7. We’ll also explore genre-specific applications like EDM sound design, creating risers, noise sweeps, and LFO-based effects, plus working with arpeggiators to generate rhythmic, evolving sequences. Finally, you’ll experiment with vocoders, talk boxes, and other vocal processors, giving you the tools to transform the human voice into one of the most creative instruments in electronic music.
Sampling Techniques
Sampling has been at the heart of modern music for decades—from hip-hop beats built on vinyl breaks to cutting-edge textures shaped by today’s digital tools. This module takes you through the history, theory, and hands-on practice of sampling so you can use it creatively and confidently in your own productions. We start with the history of samplers, exploring the evolution from early 8-bit machines and groundbreaking gear like the Fairlight CMI, Synclavier, and AKAI samplers, to the MPC and modern software instruments. Understanding where these tools came from gives you perspective on how they shaped entire genres. From there, we’ll move into sampling theory, covering the technical fundamentals: analog-to-digital conversion, bit rate, sample rate, aliasing, and time-stretching. These concepts will give you the foundation you need to make informed creative choices. Next, you’ll get hands-on with Logic’s Sampler, learning how to map samples, work with multi-samples, and use velocity switches to add realism and dynamics to your sounds. You’ll also explore Auto Sampler, which allows you to capture and create your own sample libraries directly from virtual instruments. For a taste of vintage character, we’ll look at resampling with classic hardware like the MPC60, AKAI S950, and E-MU SP1200—machines that defined the sound of countless hits. Then, we’ll bring it back to the present with software samplers such as NI Battery, NI Kontakt, Waves CR-8, Arturia Segments, and Serum 2, showing how each can be used to design modern, unique sounds. By the end of this module, you’ll know not just how to use samples, but how to create your own—turning everyday sounds, virtual instruments, or classic recordings into the raw material for hit records.
Groove Writing
Groove is what makes music move us—it’s the invisible force that makes people nod their heads, tap their feet, or get up and dance. In this module, you’ll learn what groove really is, how to feel it, and how to shape it in your own songs and productions. We start with the fundamentals: what is groove, and why do we respond to it? You’ll explore how rhythm, timing, and feel combine to create that magic quality that makes a song irresistible. From there, we’ll take a theoretical approach using Kang’s Groove Method, breaking down rhythm concepts like downbeats, upbeats, subdivisions, note lengths, and the power of silence. You’ll discover how contrast and space are just as important as the notes themselves. Next, we’ll look at swing and shuffle, two essential rhythmic tools. You’ll learn the difference between swing and triplets, how shuffle beats work, and how groove shifts when you add swing to a rhythm. We’ll also explore the sense of speed—how two songs at the same tempo can feel completely different, and why mixing engineers need to understand groove to make everything sit just right. Finally, you’ll get hands-on with groove analysis of famous songs. We’ll break down tracks from funk, hip-hop, trap, New Jack Swing, house, and EDM, studying what makes their grooves unique and recreating them inside a DAW. By the end of this module, you’ll not only understand groove—you’ll know how to create it, shape it, and use it to give your music the kind of movement and energy that makes people feel.
Instrumentation and Arranging
The instruments you choose and how you arrange them can completely transform a song. This module explores the role of core band instruments and how to arrange them effectively across different genres, giving you a deeper understanding of texture, balance, and emotional impact in music. We’ll begin with the drums, looking at how rhythm drives songs in genres from pop to hip-hop to rock. Then we’ll move into the bass, focusing on how it anchors a track both rhythmically and harmonically, and how frequency ranges shift across genres. The piano is next, examining its versatility as both a harmonic and melodic instrument, followed by the guitar, which has shaped everything from intimate ballads to stadium anthems. Beyond the traditional band setup, we’ll explore the effective use of strings in pop music, studying iconic arrangements from artists like Britney Spears and Chic, and how orchestral elements can lift modern productions. We’ll also cover synths—their role as both foundational layers and as sources of memorable hooks—and finish by exploring how instruments can function not just in their traditional roles, but as layers or lead melodic voices in contemporary arrangements. By the end of this module, you’ll understand not just how instruments are used, but how to combine and arrange them in ways that serve the song and create maximum emotional impact.
Modern Technologies and AI
Music is evolving faster than ever, and today’s creators are working at the intersection of artistry and technology. This module explores how modern tools—and especially AI—are reshaping songwriting, production, and the music business. We’ll begin with a look at the evolution of songwriting, tracing its journey from the analog era to today’s AI-driven workflows. You’ll see how technology has always shaped the way we write songs and get hands-on with tools that expand creative possibilities. From there, we’ll explore lyric writing in the AI era, blending timeless writing techniques with modern software to help you generate ideas, refine drafts, and keep your lyrics both fresh and authentic. Melody and harmony are also changing. In AI for melody and chord progressions, you’ll combine music theory with new-generation AI tools to discover patterns, generate options, and elevate your compositions. On the rhythm side, AI in beat-making and production will show you how smart tools can supercharge sound design and workflow, helping you create modern, cutting-edge tracks with speed and precision. Vocals are at the core of today’s music, and in AI vocal processing and performance enhancement, you’ll learn how to refine, tune, and even transform vocals while keeping their emotional impact intact. You’ll also explore AI-assisted song arranging, experimenting with tools like AIVA, Amper Music, and iZotope Neutron to structure dynamic, professional productions. Beyond creativity, AI is revolutionizing the business. In AI in music business and marketing, you’ll learn how tools like Chartmetric, SoundCampaign, and Musiio can help you target audiences, automate campaigns, and even predict trends. We’ll also look forward in The future of AI and human creativity, discussing how artists can harness technology without losing emotional authenticity. Finally, we’ll tackle the legal aspects of AI—from copyright and licensing to ethical concerns around ownership of AI-generated content—ensuring you understand not just the creative, but also the legal landscape of this new era. By the end of this module, you’ll be equipped to embrace the future of music-making—using AI as a partner in your creative process while staying rooted in the artistry that makes songs timeless.
