4.8
stars
1,775 ratings
•
549 reviews

Stephen Webber

80,413 already enrolled

Offered By

Berklee College of Music

About this Course

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Explore the art of record production and how to make recordings that other people will love listening to. This course will teach you how to make emotionally moving recordings on almost any recording equipment, including your phone or laptop. The emphasis is on mastering tangible artistic concepts; the gear you use is up to you. You will learn to develop the most important tool in the recording studio: your ears. You will learn to enhance every aspect of your own productions, both sonically and musically, by employing deeper listening skills. 
Assignments will include posting your own recordings for peer review, and reviewing your classmates’ work by employing specific tools and strategies. If you use a digital audio workstation to record and mix, that’s great, but as long as you can record into your computer and post an MP3, you can complete the assignments. 

As you learn about the art of record production in this 4-week course, you will also learn about yourself and who you are as an artist and producer. It is not necessary that you read music or play an instrument to take this course.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Intermediate Level

There is no prior experience or knowledge required to enroll in this course.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

What you will learn

Discuss why one musical recording is more compelling than another and identify the unique elements of the recording that contribute to it

Begin to assess and establish your identity, vision, and intention as an artist and producer

Write and develop a compelling piece of music by utilizing various tools

Establish the sonic signature of your production by utilizing specific production techniques

Skills you will gain

Audio Production
Music
Music production
Songwriting
Music recording

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Intermediate Level

There is no prior experience or knowledge required to enroll in this course.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.89/5 (257 Ratings)

Stephen Webber

Executive Director and Dean of Strategic Initiatives

BerkleeNYC

80,592 Learners

2 Courses

Offered by

Berklee College of Music

Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music is through the study and practice of contemporary music. For more than half a century, the college has evolved to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. Berklee serves distance learners worldwide through its award-winning online extension school, Berklee Online.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(19,410 ratings)

Week

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Welcome to The Art of Music Production

Welcome to The Art of Music Production! Before you begin the course, we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 1 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz

3 hours to complete

Listening Like A Producer

By the end of this lesson, you’ll understand the concepts of listening to music emotionally and technically. Strategies for maintaining objectivity and using kinesthetic observations to discover musical effectiveness will be internalized. You’ll train yourself to make distinctions on what works and what doesn’t work, rather than just passively listening as a fan.

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 18 min), 2 readings, 3 quizzes

Week

Week 2

4 hours to complete

Identity, Vision, and Intention

In this lesson, you’ll hone in on your identity as a recording artist: who are you, and what are you meaning to convey through your music? You’ll work on refining your vision and intention for the recordings you’ll make employing these skills, and record and post a “work tape” of a new piece of music.

4 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 21 min), 3 readings, 4 quizzes

Week

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Strengthening Musical Productions: Tools & Strategies

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to employ several useful techniques for strengthening your songs and instrumental tracks. You’ll acquire skills in prosody, focus, and an intelligent approach to repetition. You’ll also learn to craft better melodies, write better lyrics, and construct a musical form that best suits the emotional contour you are trying to accomplish with your recording. You’ll understand the principles of getting the most out of feedback on your recordings, in order to gather valuable perspective to better convey your intended response. You’ll incorporate notes from your colleagues to further refine your recording and re-post an updated version.

3 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 50 min), 2 readings, 3 quizzes

Week

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Defining the Sonic Signature of your Song

By the end of this lesson, you will address the sonic signature as it relates to your intention and vision, as well as your technology resources and acoustic space. You’ll learn about microphone techniques, getting good levels, and mixing with reverb, EQ and compression. You will record your material, having made some deliberate decisions about the sound of your record, and post your recording for peer review according to specific criteria.

3 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 47 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes

Reviews

4.8

549 reviews

5 stars
84.46%
4 stars
11.84%
3 stars
2.40%
2 stars
0.67%
1 star
0.61%

TOP REVIEWS FROM THE ART OF MUSIC PRODUCTION

by RMJul 28, 2020

I really enjoyed this course. I learned how to create my very first music song all on my own using an interface. I am independent and ready to make lots more music in my home on my own time by myself.

by LRSep 25, 2016

Exceptional and essential guide for music producers. This course really makes you think of music production from a holistic perspective. I'll never listen to music the same superficial way anymore...

by PCJul 21, 2016

Definitely stretched me to think of myself as an artist rather than just a musician. This course is a great starting point for someone who wants to get into the nitty gritty of the creative process!

by BDAug 21, 2018

Really enjoyed this and got a lot out of it. Great curriculum, great delivery. Meaningful assignments, great community. Highly recommend if you want to reflect on and hone your artistic vision.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.
Will I be working on my own music?
Absolutely. You will be writing new pieces and making new recordings that will incorporate specific elements in order to learn new skills. The assignments in this course require you to submit your own, original work.
What do I need in order to submit recording assignments?
During the course, you will be asked to submit recorded examples of your song ideas. You may also use your smartphone or tablet. You may also use your computer's built-in microphone or an external microphone plugged directly into your computer (via built-in ports or an external audio interface), in addition to basic audio recording software, such as Audacity, that will allow you to record yourself and save the recording in MP3 format.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

The Art of Music Production