5 Music Production Schools For Beginners

Even the best musicians and producers in the world can't claim to know everything about music production. Music is an endless journey where you can only improve your work, and as someone who's just starting out, you may want to get a head start by taking a music course or two.

Music production courses aren't a must; many of today's biggest producers got to where they are by self-studying and tuning their work until they made it onto the big stage. That said, these courses can jumpstart your career, teaching the fundamentals necessary to become a successful producer. 

You may think you could simply learn everything through YouTube videos, blogs, and forums. That may be possible; however, the issue is that YouTube videos and the like are only great for specific subjects like how to use the piano in Logic Pro and not for more general topics like music production as a whole. 

Having a carefully planned list of content you need to learn created by professionals is a much better and more efficient way of learning music production. What's key here is that these courses, like any, are guides on producing music; without putting in the time and effort, you can't expect to become a fully-fledged producer just because you paid for a few courses.

1. Berklee College of Music: Music Production Specialization

One of the best music colleges in the world, Berklee College of Music has some of the biggest names in music as alumni, like Steven Tyler, Quincy Jones, and Steve Vai. However, don't be intimidated by the big names; their online courses are affordable and comprehensive.

The Music Production Specialization course is a four-part course that teaches everything you need to begin your music production career. The course is comprised of The Art of Music Production, The Technology of Music Production, Pro Tools Basics, and Music Production Capstone. 

The Art of Music Production discusses how to make compelling music and establish your identity and your own unique sound.

The Technology of Music Production talks about basic sound physics and how to work with DAWs, effects, and filters.

As the name suggests, Pro Tools Basics teaches how to use Pro Tools for recording, balancing, applying effects, and utilizing synths and samplers.

Lastly, the Music Production Capstone will have you go through everything you've learned by completing a project while also teaching you some important tips like using emotional and dynamic timelines to map out your song and how to run a recording session effectively.

The courses are available on Coursera, where you can pick and choose whichever courses you want. You'll have to pay a monthly subscription fee of $39 (financial aid is available), with the first month being free. 

Each course should take you around a week or less to complete, with all four courses taking around four weeks. The courses are comprised of online videos and related assignments, and you only need a computer that can at least run Pro Tools Intro and preferably a mic. You don't need any prior experience for the course.

2. Berklee College of Music: Electronic Music Production Specialization

If you want a course that will teach you the basics of music production with a focus on electronic music, then you should opt for this four-part course instead. The four courses in this program are The Technology of Music Production, Introduction to Ableton Live, Creating Sounds for Electronic Music, and Electronic Music Performance Techniques.

The Technology of Music Production course is the same as the one in the Music Production Specialization, so if you plan to take both courses, the Electronic Music Production Specialization will take less time to complete.

Introduction to Ableton Live will teach you the basics of how to work with one of the best and most popular DAWs, from programming MIDI drums and instruments to creating a piece of music.

Creating Sounds for Electronic Music will discuss creating custom synth patches and editing.

Finally, Electronic Music Performance Techniques will give an in-depth guide on EDIs (Electronic Digital Instruments), building drum beats and reading drum notations, creating bass lines and harmonic accompaniment, and how to live loop and perform an arrangement.

Similar to Music Production Specialization, the course will take around a month to complete and costs $39 a month (the first month is free). However, you'll have to have basic knowledge about musical concepts and a computer that can run Ableton Live.

As for structure, the course includes online lectures and reading, related assignments, and an applied learning project.

3. Udemy: Music + Audio Production in Logic Pro X and Complete Mixing Masterclass

Udemy offers a wide variety of courses on everything music, and the courses can be bought individually rather than having to pay a monthly or annual fee to have access to the courses.

The Music + Audio Production in Logic Pro X – The Complete Course offers everything you need to master the most popular DAW for Mac and iOS users. The course costs $113 and includes 40 hours of on-demand video, 14 articles, and two downloadable resources. 

If you’re looking for courses that focus on teaching Logic Pro, check out my article of the top five Logic Pro courses.

As for the other course that I recommend, the Complete Mixing Masterclass offers a deep-dive into mixing, compression, EQ, Panning, FX, setting up a mixing environment, fixing out of tune instruments, sound engineering, and mastering.

The course costs $80 and includes 7.5 hours of video, six articles, and two downloadable resources. It doesn't offer a degree in music production; however, in music production, degrees don't mean much, and what matters is the quality of your work. 

That said, the next two courses on this list are some of the best programs you can devote your time to. They won't take up as much time as a bachelor's degree while still offering tangible proof of your knowledge and ability.

4. Academy of Art University: Online Associate of Arts in Music Production

Instead of taking online courses, you could devote two years to learning music production and get an associate's degree in music production. An Associate's degree is a great starting point as you can easily get hired for entry-level jobs in the music industry and get a good grasp of music technology, recording techniques, and industry practices.

The online AA in Music Production from the Academy of Art University offers an extensive music creation and editing program. It consists of 33 core credits, 18 liberal arts credits, and 15 credits in the major.

As for the courses, they include music theory, production, recording industry history, film music, Pro Tools, mixing, songwriting, Ableton Live Certification, and music editing.

The cost of the courses varies due to factors like whether the students are domestic or not and the entry year. Overall, the course should cost between $30,000 and $40,000. You can check out the Academy of Art University’s official website for more information.

5. Los Angeles Film School: Online Associate of Science in Music Production

Another online associate’s degree you could opt for is Los Angeles Film School’s online Associate of Science in Music Production degree. 

This program will take you 20 months and offers 60 credits, which include sequencing technology, theory and composition, digital recording, digital audio workstations, mixing, music copyright and business, and advanced production and industry skills.

In addition to music production courses, you also have mathematics, behavioral science, creative writing, and music business management courses, which will teach you crucial fundamentals that can help you turn music production into your primary source of income rather than a hobby or interest.

Lastly, the course will cost around $40,000 for both California and non-California residents.