Disclosure: We may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. Read our full affiliate disclosure here.
- Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of music production courses on Skillshare?
- We tried a whole bunch and narrowed down our top 3 picks in this list.
- If you’re looking to learn music production for free, read on.
Learn Music Production For Free
When it comes to learning new skills or information, or just brushing up existing knowledge, Skillshare is a platform where you can learn from teachers alongside classes of other students around the globe – all at your own pace. The courses are interactive, have homework and assignments, and a great support network that includes class participation in public channels, with full teacher guidance.
My experience with Skillshare.
I have been a member for a few years now, and while I haven’t yet eclipsed the 20 000+ classes they offer, I have taught myself many new skills. Mixing, sound design, graphic design, photo editing, productivity/creativity hacks, and most recently – blogging and marketing. These topics have had some great classes and some that have changed how I operate in some areas.
Skillshare’s usually $10 a month, but we’re currently running a promotion with them that gives you free access.
That’s unlimited access to over 18,000 classes on everything from music production and recording, to design, photography, video skills, and more.
At the time of writing, there are over 2,200+ music-related classes you can access for free!
1. Learn How to Mix Music with Young Guru
Length: 53m
Throughout his career, Young Guru has earned his reputation as one of the most renowned recording and mixing engineers in music today. Having worked with artists such as Jay-Z, Beyonce, Drake, and Kanye West, Young Guru has received several Grammy nominations for his works and collaborations.
Fast forward to now, with the ever-growing world of online education outlets, Guru has decided offer his skills, secrets and vast amounts of industry knowledge in the form of several Skillshare courses.
Lesson Structure
This online Skillshare class is made up of four sections, which include exclusive videos and materials broken up into the following lessons:
- Organizing a Mix – working with the basic components to a DIY mix, which include the Digital Audio Workstation [DAW], the tracks, and the controls, and how to optimally organize all of the audio information and tools for the task at hand
- Determining Levels – how to arrange levels for the artist’s vision for the song
- Adding Effects – how to work with basic effects like phasers, enhancers, reverb and delays, as well as create negative space or blend/fade where appropriate
- Tonal Balance – how to recognize when perfect tonal balance has been achieved
Learn How To Mix Music With Young Guru is the highest ranking and most popular course for music production on Skillshare, and for good reason.
Having also done this course myself some time ago, I can say that it is worth checking out and absorbing the wealth of knowledge that Guru offers.
Recommended For You
Is Noiselab The Best Ableton Live Crash Course Out There?
8 Best Music Production Courses You Have To Check Out
2. Music Theory for Electronic Music Producers
Length: 3h 15m
Jason Allen has worn the hats of composer, producer, songwriter, engineer, sound designer, DJ, remix artist, multi-media artist, performer, inventor, and entrepreneur. Allen is a versatile creator whose diverse project experience ranges from works written for the Minnesota Orchestra to pieces developed for film, TV, and radio. Allen teaches at the University of St. Thomasin St. Paul, MN., and is an Ableton Live Certified Instructor. Hehas a PhD in music composition, 2 Master’s degrees in music composition and electronic music, and a bachelors degree in guitar performance.
Another offering for Skillshare, Jason has used his extensive knowledge and repertoire to develop a “class designed for the electronic musician that wants to take their tracks to the next level.”
In this course, students will focus on learning how to organize pitches and rhythms to make dynamic and interesting melodies and harmonies.
It is stated that no experience with music theory is necessary, nor is playing an instrument and reading music. Your computer and DAW is all that are required to get started right away!
3. Mixing At Home With Stock Plugins
Length: 1h 24m
Mixing isn’t about inserting a bunch of fancy and expensive plugins hoping to get a radio-ready sound. Rather it’s all about strategic use of a few key effects you already own.
Graham Cochrane, Teacher and founder of The Recording Revolution goes over the ins and outs of getting a professional-sounding mix with only the stock, onboard plug-ins that come with your DAW. I found this course quite insightful as I swore stock plugs were for amateurs and always thought I needed the best and latest releases (oh, how mistaken I was).
Through strategic use of EQ, compression, reverb, delay and distortion, students will take tracks recorded in a home studio and polish them up to commercial standards.
You’ll learn how to:
- Process your master fader
- Harness parallel compression in multiple ways to fatten up your mix
- Get clarity through a few simple EQ moves.
This class is ideal for the bedroom or project studio musician who has a basic working knowledge of their DAW but wants to learn how to take their mixes to the next level.
Whether your a beginner, intermediate or advanced learner, there’s something for every musician and producer across all skill levels. If you’re feeling swamped by choice, give our list a try.
Try out Skillshare and get free access to over 18,000 online classes. Happy learning!
Pip Dolan
Pip is a Co-founder and brand Director at Producer Hive. He DJ'dD&B and Jungle in Sydney’s dance music scene, while running DIY underground warehouse parties with friends. He was asemi-finalist for the score of the silent film ‘Beast vs. The Sun’ at Sydney’s 2010 Tropfest Film Festival, and went on to sign house and techno tracks to Worthy’s‘Anabatic Records.’
As a producer, Pip has released tracks as RUINS (with his partner Sarah Tonkin) and solo as Askham on labels such asWu-Xi,Never Slept,Simply Deep, andDialectic Recordings.He has alsobeen featured on music blogs likeStoney RoadsandTriple J Unearthed.
As a DJ and promoter, he has performed at festivals such as High and Dry,Subsonic Music, and supported a plethora of internationals such as DjRum, Pariah, Current Value, and Raiden, to name a few.
Today, Pip runs a popular electronic music podcast ‘Constructions’under his and friends' brand 'Construct'.
