Music production refers to the process of planning, developing, recording, and refining a piece of music of any genre. Music production exists in all types of music and is required for any kind of track, whether it’s EDM, rap, pop, or country. The great thing about learning music production is that it’s all-encompassing, and music production can refer to the entire life cycle of a song all the way up until its release.
Production can include songwriting, recording, mixing, mastering, and more. Learning music production can open up various doors for you, including even making your own music if that’s something you’re interested in.
Nowadays, a lot of music is made on computers, or at least mixed there. You can make and record an entire song or album solely from your computer and post it to a streaming platform or music-sharing website like Bandcamp. Music production is extremely accessible if you own a computer, therefore it’s incredibly straightforward to learn online, too. If you have ever wondered about what it would be like to take a music production class online, whether it’s just for fun or for your career, look no further than this list of 10 free courses in music production
1. Vocal Recording Technology
Hosted by edX, offered by Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music is one of the most difficult music schools to get into, and you need to be incredibly intelligent and versed in music to be admitted. Unfortunately, this doesn’t help those who are interested in music but have never pursued it. Luckily, edX has partnered with Berklee to bring students this exciting vocal recording technology course completely for free. The course takes approximately 6 weeks to complete if you work at a pace of about 5 to 6 hours a week, and you can purchase a verified certificate from the university for only $49, much less than it costs to take a college course.
During this class, you will learn about the explosion of musical creativity as a result of accessibility and digitization. This class will be beneficial to you whether you want to sing, produce, mix, or more, and you will gain a well-rounded understanding of vocal technologies. Not only will you learn about the voice, but you will also learn about the environment that alters it, which includes microphones, compressors, conversion, listening environment, and more. By the end of the course, you will understand how to enhance your music with vocals, and how to use emerging techniques to perfect these vocals.
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes (with $49 fee)
Time to Complete: Approximately 6 weeks
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Start anytime and go at your own pace
- Offered by one of the world’s most prestigious music schools
- Learn how to enhance your tracks with pristine vocals
Cons:
- Certificate of achievement costs $49
2. Music Production Specialization
Hosted by Coursera, offered by Berklee College of Music
One of the great things about Coursera is that outside of offering impeccable individual free online courses, they also often group these courses together to create proprietary specializations for students. This specialization also comes from Berklee College of Music, which is great as you can be connected to one of the most prestigious music schools for free. This specialization contains four courses that include a major capstone project, and it takes about 5 months to complete if you work at a pace of about 3 hours a week. Upon completion of the specialization, you will earn a shareable certificate to present to employers or add to your LinkedIn profile.
During these courses, you will learn both the art and technology behind music production, and you will also learn about all of the tools the pros use. The specialization will finish with a capstone project that entails you creating, producing, and submitting a fully finalized song. The class uses a peer-reviewing style, so you will always be able to get feedback from your classmates and instructors on your work.
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes
Time to Complete: Approximately 5 months
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Start anytime and go at your own pace
- Offered by one of the world’s most prestigious music schools
- Create your own song in a final capstone project
Cons:
- Longer course, takes 5 months to complete
3. Become a Music Producer
Hosted by LinkedIn Learning, offered by several instructors
Most professionals that you talk to are familiar with LinkedIn, especially in our increasingly digital age. LinkedIn is one of the world’s most popular professional networking sites where people can connect and find new jobs. Their sister website, LinkedIn Learning, is one that fewer people know about and more people should. The site is a MOOC (massive open online course) platform that has thousands of professional courses to help people move their careers forward. While it would typically require a flat, subscription-based fee to access all of the site’s content, new users can currently get a one-month free trial of the content. One month is plenty of time to get started on this music production path, which takes 33 hours to fully complete.
This pathway contains 13 different courses, each of them covering a different aspect of music production. Some of the topics of these courses include techniques for recording audio, EQ and filters, mixing, reverb, delay and modulation, the business of songwriting, and more. By the time you’ve finished, you will feel fully confident creating your own songs or moving into the music business.
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes
Time to Complete: Approximately 33 hours
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Start anytime and go at your own pace
- Learn about various different topics within music production
- Taught by various qualified instructors
Cons:
- Longer course, takes 33 hours to complete
- Content is locked behind paywall after free trial
4. LOFI FUNDAMENTALS: Make CHILL Hip-Hop Beats – Music Production For Beginners
Hosted by Skillshare, offered by Kia Orion
This course from Skillshare is more focused on one specific type of music rather than production overall, which is really great if you know you want to focus on LoFi music. Skillshare, similar to LinkedIn Learning, operates on a subscription-based fee system where you pay a monthly rate in order to access all of the site’s content. For right now, however, new users can access a 14-day trial of Skillshare Premium for free, which is plenty of time to get working on this 3.5-hour course from Kia Orion. The course has 30 different units that tell you how to take your LoFi production to the next level, and also suggests what you can do next.
If you listen to chill hip-hop beats when you study or relax and wonder how they’re made, this course is perfect for you. During the course, you’ll learn how to get that gritty hip-hop sound that producers have mastered, trading in years of trial-and-error for a few hours of a crash course. Class projects allow you to collaborate with other students and get feedback on your work, sharing your newfound skill for making beats with your classmates.
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: Approximately 3.5 hours
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Start anytime and go at your own pace
- Learn how to make gritty, bouncy LoFi beats
- Only takes a few hours to complete
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement
5. Music Producer Masterclass: Making Electronic Music
Hosted by Alison, offered by Chester Sky
In this professional-level course, you will learn how to effectively use FL Studio, which is a digital audio workspace application designed for music producers. Alison is a MOOC platform that has thousands of free courses designed to push students to go further in their careers, and their site is mostly composed of courses meant for professionals. Alison is free to join and most of the courses are free to access, many of them offering the opportunity for certification upon completion. This course allows you to get a CPD (continued professional development) certification, which you can purchase once you’ve finished.
Alison describes this music production course as a “one-stop shop,” meaning that you won’t need to go anywhere else to learn more music production skills, you’ll be ready to go! The course takes between 4 and 5 hours to complete and has been given a high rating on the site by nearly 7,000 students. Once you’ve finished the course, you will feel like a master of FL Studio and be ready to take on your own musical challenges.
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes (With accreditation)
Time to Complete: Approximately 4-5 hours
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Start anytime and go at your own pace
- Learn how to work with the FL Studio application
- Become a master of music production
Cons:
- Certification requires additional effort / cost
6. Electronic Music Production in Ableton Live (Level I)
Hosted by Udemy, offered by Noiselab Courses
Ableton Live is a different type of audio mixing and recording software developed by Ableton, and the interesting thing about it is that it’s designed to be a tool for live performances as well as recordings. This course is great for those who want to get into the performance side of music as well as production, and Udemy can certainly help you achieve your dreams. Udemy is free to join and offers instructors the opportunity to create and price their own course materials, meaning that students also have the option of only choosing to take free courses when they sign up. This is great as it means you’ll never need to remember to cancel a free trial, and your class will always be available to review.
This 4-hour class has been given a 4.7 out of 5 star rating from more than 400 reviews, and people really seem to love this course. During the course, you’ll learn about DAWs (digital audio workstations) and why they’re important, also understanding how the Ableton Live software is a unique kind of DAW. Noiselab is one of the top resources for music producers, so be sure to stay updated with them if you plan on learning more.
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: Approximately 4 hours
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Start anytime and go at your own pace
- Learn how to work with the Ableton Live workspace
- Master music production as well as live performance techniques
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement
7. Audio Production: Learn the Fundamentals
Hosted by YouTube, offered by Envato Tuts
YouTube, while it might not first come to mind when thinking about where to find high-quality online courses, is actually one of the best places. YouTube is completely free to join, and you likely won’t even need to make an account if you already have a Google account. Any video you find on YouTube is completely free to save, watch, and review at any time, so your course materials will always be available to you to review. Envato Tuts is a channel that implores students to think creatively, teaching about subjects like filmmaking, app-building, and digital design. This audio production course takes less than two hours to complete and can be revisited whenever you want.
Dave Bode, a veteran in the audio production field, teaches this course, bringing students along on a variety of different topics and tips. During the class, you’ll learn about the basics of signal and noise, how to convert analog to digital, how to handle various types of audio equipment, how to work with audio in Reaper, how to record on bass and electric guitars, and more.
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: Approximately 2 hours
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Start anytime and go at your own pace
- Learn about analog vs. digital and how to convert audio
- Taught by Dave Bode, a veteran in the field
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement
8. Music Technology Foundations
Hosted by edX, offered by the University of Adelaide
As mentioned previously, edX frequently partners with renowned universities like the University of Adelaide or the Berklee College of Music to bring students to college-level courses for free. This music technology course is no exception, and completing it will teach you how to apply music technology to your own creative endeavors. A verified certificate from the university can be added to your course for a small fee of $169, far less than it would cost to take the course in person. This class takes about 6 weeks to complete if you work at a pace of about 2 to 3 hours a week, and it is well worth the time.
This class will teach you how to fully record and produce your own music, which is great for those who are musicians themselves or want to work in the music industry. You will learn about music technology through freeware and browser-based apps, meaning you’ll never need to spend money on expensive software. By the end of the course, you’ll understand the foundational principles of sound, audio recording, MIDI, sequencing, and more.
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes (With $169 fee)
Time to Complete: Approximately 6 weeks
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Start anytime and go at your own pace
- Learn how to fully record and produce your own music
- Offered by the University of Adelaide, a preeminent institution
Cons:
- Certificate of achievement does not come free with the course
9. Electronic Music Production Specialization
Hosted by Coursera, offered by Berklee College of Music
This Coursera specialization is very similar to the one in the #2 spot on this list, as both are based in music production and are offered by the Berklee College of Music. However, this specialization is completely focused in electronic music, which is music made solely through a computer. As mentioned earlier, Coursera’s specializations are very unique and interesting because they combine a handful of courses to give students a more well-rounded learning experience. This specialization takes about 5 months to complete if you work at a pace of about 3 hours a week, and you’ll earn a shareable certificate upon completion that can be shared with potential employers or collaborators.
There are four courses in this specialization that culminate in learning about electronic music performance techniques, which is something you’ll want to know if you want to play your music live. By the end of the specialization, you will have learned about using Ableton Live as a mechanism for electronic music production as well as performance. Each one of the courses has received more than a 4-star rating on the site, so you’ll be learning some highly valuable material.
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes
Time to Complete: Approximately 5 months
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Start anytime and go at your own pace
- Learn how to record and perform with Ableton Live
- Earn a free shareable certificate upon completion
Cons:
- Longer course, takes 5 months to fully complete
10. Logic Pro X Video Tutorial Series
Hosted by YouTube, offered by MusicTechHelpGuy
This series of tutorials on Logic Pro X is housed on YouTube, which, as we mentioned before, you might seem skeptical about using to find online courses. However, since YouTube is completely free to join and use, it’s easy to find free course materials that have been distributed by reputable instructors. If you already have a Google account, you can simply sign in to access YouTube and make your own playlists, which you can revisit at any time. This set of videos from MusicTechHelpGuy contains nearly 200 individual lessons, each of which lasting between 10 minutes and an hour.
MusicTechHelpGuy is a channel that aims to help audio professionals with video tutorials, offering lessons on music production, Logic Pro X, and more. Logic Pro X tutorials are great for those who have a Mac computer, as the software can be obtained for relatively cheap through Apple and is very user-friendly.
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: As long as needed, hundreds of videos
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Start anytime and go at your own pace
- Pick out specific skills to learn if you don’t want to watch all videos
- YouTube is free to join, view, and revisit anytime
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement
- Not a structured course, instructor does not oversee
Frequently Asked Questions About Free Online Courses for Music Production
Music production can be intimidating, especially when it can sometimes feel like the music industry is completely saturated full of talented artists. Learning how to produce music on your computer can be daunting, but it can also be incredibly fun. If you’re a musical person in general and you already have some knowledge of music theory, you will likely find it incredibly easy and engaging to work on some of these online courses. Even if you’ve never picked up an instrument before, you are bound to learn something amazing!
Even if you’re excited about these classes and want to jump in right away, we’re sure you still have some questions about these courses and what they’ll be like. This is why we’ve designed the following FAQ section, which will list some of the most commonly asked questions about free online courses for music production and answer them in detail to calm your nerves and leave you feeling confident.
What Will I Gain From A Free Online Course for Music Production?
When you take an online music production course, it will likely focus on one of the popular DAWs (digital audio workspaces), which could include Logic Pro X, FL Studio, or Ableton Live. Many of the courses on this list use those platforms, and any of them are suitable to begin a successful personal or professional career in music. During the class, you’ll be taught about things like audio and how to record successful audio, how to mix your music, how to record live performances, and how to perform your own music live. If any of these skills sound interesting to you, you should definitely consider one of the courses on the list.
Are Free Online Courses for Music Production Hard?
Music production definitely isn’t easy, and many producers will tell you that it’s taken them years to get to the level they’re currently at. So, while some might call music production courses “hard,” they’re also incredibly fun and rewarding. If you’re a musical person and enjoy making your own music, you will undoubtedly find joy in a music production class as it will allow you to learn more in-depth about your passion and make your music even better. Everyone enjoys music to some capacity, no matter the genre, so everyone has something they can take away from one of these courses, even if they find it difficult.
How Long Do Free Online Music Production Courses Take?
Since many of the courses on this list are offered by prestigious universities like the Berklee College of Music or the University of Adelaide, they are offered at the college-level and follow a kind of university schedule. Many take a few months or the equivalent of a college semester to complete, as this is how long they would take you if you took them in-person. Some other courses, however, like the ones offered on YouTube, might only take you a few hours to complete as they are mostly comprised of professionals just offering their skills or tricks for free to students.
Are Free Online Music Production Courses Worth It?
100-percent, yes! Online music production courses are definitely worth it because so much of music production exists online nowadays, and more and more people are using their computers to create music. When you learn how to produce your own music, there is even the ultimate possibility of fame or wealth if your music goes viral or you get noticed by a major record label. While this might be a long shot, taking a free online music production course could be the first step on your path to musical success.
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