Introduction to music production

About this course

The course introduces a music production workflow from developing musical ideas to assembling and refining a finished track. Participants work with software instruments, MIDI keyboard input, recorded and imported audio, MIDI editing, corrective audio edits, and basic mixing focused on balance and stereo position. Teaching combines tutor demonstrations and explanations with class discussion and practical work on individual projects. Participants present work in progress for feedback from the tutor and other learners. Projects can be exported for use in other music software.

What you'll learn

• Build a track using software instruments, recordings and other musical sources
• Enter musical ideas with a MIDI keyboard and edit MIDI data
• Record and import audio into an audio editing programme
• Carry out basic corrective audio editing
• Create a basic mix with attention to sound balance and stereo position

Is this course right for you?

This course is intended for beginners in music production. Learners should be confident using computers and managing files, and able to follow written and spoken instructions, take notes and contribute to discussions in English. The course involves individual project work, presentations of work in progress and feedback from tutors and peers. Working on projects between sessions is recommended for making progress.

• Suitable for learners new to music production
• Requires confidence with computers, IT and file management
• Includes individual project work and sharing work in progress
• Learners benefit from being able to practise between sessions

Before you go

• Individual Mac workstations running Logic or GarageBand are used during the course.
• Access to a laptop or desktop is ideally needed for working on projects at home.
• A tablet or iPad can be used at home, although app functions are more limited.