Online Instruction by MasterClass & FaderPro Offer Decidedly Different, Yet Effective Approaches to Music Production
studio Lessons By MIKE GWERTZMAN
DJ TIMES
DJ EXPO 2018
Editor’s Note: In our previous issue, Jennifer Harmon reported on Musicians Institute Online’s “Intro to DJing,” a 10-lesson internet class for upstart jocks. In this issue, Mike Gwertzman examines online classes from MasterClass.com and FaderPro.com, both of which concentrate on music production.
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I’m only five minutes into Armin van Buuren’s first lesson in his MasterClass on dance-music production, and the Dutch trance megastar has already tossed a bucket of cold water onto most aspiring artists’ aspirations. “I know there’s a lot of people out there who may dream about private jets and Vegas residencies and playing mainstages on all the big festivals around the world,” he says directly to the camera. “And yes, you can do it. But there’s a bigger chance that you won’t.” It was somewhat of a surprise to hear this piece of raw honesty so early into his class, which spans 33 separate video topics. But this bit of Dutch directness is a great lead- in to understanding one of the fundamental truths about making music: There’s many people doing it, there’s a lot to learn, and if you don’t love the process of making music itself, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. That said, producing electronic music has never been more accessible than it is right now. Gone are the days when bulky mixing boards and real-deal recording studios were necessary to make tracks. Nowadays, you don’t even need expensive synthesizers or obscure pieces of discontinued gear. Today, anyone with a laptop and a simple piece of software can come up with a club-ready track. But with that accessibility has come
ubiquity – digital labels have proliferated, thousands of tracks are released every month, and platforms abound where would-be artists can post their work. Sites like Splice give producers access to unlimited amounts of samples and loops via the Internet. Labels are deluged with demos. So, what can an artist do to perfect their sound, and stand out from the pack? The natural answer is to seek help from those who have succeeded. And there’s an increasing number of avenues where artists can learn from top-name stars via online instruction. MasterClass.com – the online education platform that offers classes covering everything from playing basketball (taught by Steph Curry) to fashion design (with Marc Jacobs) – offers two separate classes on dance-music production. FaderPro.com offers up dozens of classes on electronic-music production, with prominent partnerships with Toolroom, Armada and Hospital Records, taught by well-known artists like Mark Knight, Umek, Harry Romero and more. These paid platforms represent a step-up from free sites like YouTube, where you can spend hours sifting through the hundreds of user-uploaded freebie tutorials. And at the same time, they don’t require the same dedication as enrolling in an online-production class like you might at Point Blank Studio. In exchange for your cash, you’re getting access to the knowledge, tips and tricks from successful and experienced artists. These platforms have done the curating for you. But are they your best resource for learning how to produce electronic music online? What do they offer that’s any different from all the other production content that’s out on the Internet?
Getting Ready to Learn Before digging in, it’s best to prepare yourself on how to optimize your learning experience. These courses offer video content, with the instructor dropping knowledge and tips while working in their DAW and studio. It’s helpful to prepare yourself and know what you’ll be seeing – if you’re an Ableton Live user for example, you’ll get more out of the class if the teacher is also working with the same software. If you’re a complete novice when it comes to production, you’d probably want to familiarize yourself with navigating the software and understanding the basics first. The artists running these courses are not here to teach introductory lessons. If you don’t have that fundamental knowledge as a foundation, you might find yourself struggling to keep up with all the information coming your way. I’d suggest keeping a notepad open and accessible, either digitally or with old-fashioned pen and paper. As you watch, you’ll want to jot down some of the concepts, suggestions or tools that the artist recommends. And with so much content to watch, all these tips can quickly pile up. Writing down the ones that resonate most with you – if you’re struggling with arrangement, or how can’t seem to structure chord progressions for example – will help you make the most of these classes. Give yourself time. These courses can run several hours, and even if some of the tips don’t make sense for you, the ones that do can likely result in big improvements in your production technique and results. That means you’ll want to watch each video in its entirety – and be prepared to then practice what you’ve seen in your own projects. Sometimes you’ll want to re-watch some particularly insightful lessons. Don’t rush and try to absorb everything you see, because you never know when something you’ve seen will be relevant to your own work. MasterClass: Armin van Buuren & deadmau5 If you’ve used YouTube to search for production tutorials, you’ve probably seen a commercial for MasterClass’ electronic music lessons. The ads are slick, exciting and star-driven: “Meet your new instructor.” And who wouldn’t get excited about learning how to make music directly from superstars like deadmau5 and Armin van Buuren? MasterClass separates itself from other learning platforms by focusing on celebrities and stars as its hook. Can you learn more about making music from someone other than a proven hit-maker and top-tier artist? Perhaps. But MasterClass is betting that you’re more inclined to spend $90 per class (or $180 for an annual unlimited pass – giving you access to every class on MasterClass) to hear what the luminaries have to say. David Rogier, the co-founder and CEO of Masterclass, explains the site’s approach. “There are lots of places to learn how to use the tools,” he says. “But what we wanted to do was figure out how masters approach their craft and make it so everyone could get in their heads [e.g., how they approach arranging, payoffs, vocals, sets, synths, crowds and building a career].” Rogier also told me that he believes electronic music is an “underappreciated art form,” and promised there will be more classes coming down the line. If the word “class” conjures up memories of high-school misery or stressful deadlines in college, fear not: The MasterClass format is fairly casual and a lot of fun. Instead of being given curriculum, or assignments, you’re presented with a series of lessons. Each lesson is a video – with both of the classes discussed here shot in the artists’ respective studios. Each lesson comes with an accompanying workbook, summarizing the ideas conveyed in the lesson, and offering tips for the student so they can put these concepts into practice. There’s also a comment board attached to each lesson so viewers can exchange their thoughts with their peers. A good way to describe the MasterClass experience is intimate. Shot from multiple camera angles, with top-shelf production (Hollywood-style lighting, snappy editing), the MasterClass videos primarily feature the instructor talking to the viewer directly. Both begin with a bit of insight into the artists’ history and
