Introduction to Music Production Course

Available as a fast track option

Study in our Manchester classroom, or live online, or a mix of both!

Course updated:

new hybrid delivery new timetable even better value now includes Ableton

Course updated: new hybrid delivery new timetable even better value now includes Ableton

Available as a part-time option (6 months) or Fast Track (3 months)

Course Introduction

Course Fees / Dates / Enrol

This course provides a gateway into music for those whose passion has never fully been realised.

It’s aimed at total beginners, pitched at getting you to a good “in the box” level. This course also has the flexibility of online or in-house training.

With the help of our expert tutors and cutting edge facilities, you’ll be comfortably using Ableton Live and making music. All tasks are highly practical, helping your technical ability increase through creativity.

You’ll get Ableton Live 11 Suite (£539) and a year’s subscription to Roland Cloud (£150) free with this course, so if you prefer to study music production from the comfort of your home studio, this is completely possible.

Fast track 3 months
The fast track option is an in-house course taught over 3 months.

This course will have you writing and producing music – creating ideas and arranging them into a track – confidently with Ableton Live. You will have unlimited access to our Midi Labs to produce using the latest Ableton Live software, Push hardware, and make use of huge sample libraries.

You’ll get 6 months access from your start date.
Hybrid Delivery (in-house or online) 6 months
Join our Midi Lab for class, or the classroom live online – or a flexible mix of both! The hybrid delivery streams the in-house lessons live online in an interactive format. This offers online students the same group interaction, with the ability to ask questions to the tutor and chat to other students as you would in the classroom.

We have scholarship funding that could partly or fully fund this course.

Included with course

• Free Ableton Live Suite (£539) or NI Komplete (£499)
• Free 1 year’s Roland Cloud Ultimate (£150)
• Up to 25% off Focusrite and Native Instruments hardware

HYBRID LESSONS

Introduction to Music Production: 1 x 3hr evening lecture weekly (6 months: 22 lessons). You can attend in-house, or join the classroom live online, or a mix of both.

WEEKLY DROP-INS

Access to 2 x 1hr weekly online drop-ins for you and classmates, where a tutor can answer questions and give you regular feedback on your music. Onwards and upwards!

Course Overview

Ableton Live
Clips, scenes and loops
Session view improvisation
Sampling and warping audio
MIDI editing & programming
Optimal Workflow
Shortcuts and workflow
Arrangement view
Creating and using templates
Advanced browser functions

Music Production
Track analysis
Editing automation
The art of remixing
Modulation and FX
Composition Skills
Arrangement and structure
Music theory for producers
Programming drum patterns
Melodies and chords

CREATIVE STRATEGIES
Motivational music tips
Project file management
Productivity and mindset
Recycling unused material
Basic Sound Design
Subtractive synthesis
Oscillators and generators
Filters and tonal shaping
Envelopes and LFOs

Modules Included

DAW Skills 6 Months / 3 Months Fast Track

Duration: 6 Months or 3 Months Fast Track

The DAW Skills module will give you a strong grounding in music production skills using Ableton Live – arguably the most immediately creative DAW on the market. You’ll learn how to work with MIDI and audio, virtual instruments, MIDI controllers and effects: techniques, which will be built on as the module progresses.

You will learn Ableton live inside out, along with basic sound design with Lives extensive selection of proprietary instruments, formulae for different genres, and techniques to turn your track from an arrangement into a finished piece.

If you’re interested in becoming a successful music producer, or DJ/producer, then this module will teach you essential skills for success in a competitive market place, and gives a solid platform for those looking to move onto further advanced study. We’ll show you how to get the most from your home studio setup, and how to incorporate hardware instruments into your workflow, if this is a direction you’d like to take.

Whether you’re new to music production or have been already producing your own music for a while, you’ll be learning all the essential skills in a creative environment, from industry active expert tutors with a wealth of releases and remixes under their belts. School of Electronic Music is an Ableton Certified Training Centre and a Native Instruments Training Partner.

Introduction to Ableton Live

Ableton Live workflow, MIDI sequencing, audio sample import and editing, music computer setup and specifications, MIDI controllers, audio interfaces.

Music Production Skills

Critical/analytical listening skills, common production techniques, basic synthesis/sound design, remixing skills, how to structure music of different styles/genres.

Home Studio Skills

Modern audio interface connectivity, functionality and signal flow, audio routing and recording.

Additional Midi Lab Access - 3 months

With this training, you’ll get 3 months after your training ends to keep creating. This means you can continue using the Midi Labs, joining the online sound surgeries, and developing your sound.

DAW Skills - 6 months

Duration: 6 months

The DAW Skills module will give you a strong grounding in music production skills using Ableton Live – arguably the most immediately creative DAW on the market. You’ll learn how to work with MIDI and audio, virtual instruments, MIDI controllers and effects: techniques, which will be built on as the module progresses.

You will learn Ableton live inside out, along with basic sound design with Lives extensive selection of proprietary instruments, formulae for different genres, and techniques to turn your track from an arrangement into a finished piece.

If you’re interested in becoming a successful music producer, or DJ/producer, then this module will teach you essential skills for success in a competitive market place, and gives a solid platform for those looking to move onto further advanced study. We’ll show you how to get the most from your home studio setup, and how to incorporate hardware instruments into your workflow, if this is a direction you’d like to take.

Whether you’re new to music production or have been already producing your own music for a while, you’ll be learning all the essential skills in a creative environment, from industry active expert tutors with a wealth of releases and remixes under their belts. School of Electronic Music is an Ableton Certified Training Centre and a Native Instruments Training Partner.

Introduction to Ableton Live

Ableton Live workflow, MIDI sequencing, audio sample import and editing, music computer setup and specifications, MIDI controllers, audio interfaces.

Music Production Skills

Critical/analytical listening skills, common production techniques, basic synthesis/sound design, remixing skills, how to structure music of different styles/genres.

Home Studio Skills

Modern audio interface connectivity, functionality and signal flow, audio routing and recording.

Additional Midi Lab Access - 3 months

With this training, you’ll get 3 months after your training ends to keep creating. This means you can continue using the Midi Labs, joining the online sound surgeries, and developing your sound.

Is this course for me?

Course Dates / Fees / Enrol

You may have a deep desire to make music, but you didn’t study this at school. You may not play an instrument – that’s fine too. It’s not required for this course.

What this course will teach you is how to make music using Ableton Live. Writing in drums, bass, vocals, synths, and absolutely everything else.

Whether you want to make drum’n’bass, hip-hop, house, techno, or something else entirely. We’ll show you how to make it.

Entry Requirements
None. Suitable for beginners or self-taught producers. All you’ll need is a comfy pair of production headphones – no software or prior qualifications needed. If you’re studying online, you will need a computer capable of running Ableton Live Suite, see the kitlist here.
Course Outcome
This course is pitched at getting you to a good “in the box” (software-based) level. You’ll be producing music – creating ideas and arranging them into a track – confidently with Ableton Live. If you’re looking to get to a professional level of music production, check our Complete Music Production Course to progress your knowledge of sound design, mixing and mastering.

Is this course for me?

Course Dates / Fees / Enrol

You may have a deep desire to make music, but you didn’t study this at school. You may not play an instrument – that’s fine too. It’s not required for this course.

What this course will teach you is how to make music using Ableton Live. Writing in drums, bass, vocals, synths, and absolutely everything else.

Whether you want to make drum’n’bass, hip-hop, house, techno, or something else entirely. We’ll show you how to make it.

Entry Requirements
None. Suitable for beginners or self-taught producers. All you’ll need is a comfy pair of production headphones – no software or prior qualifications needed. If you’re studying online, you will need a computer capable of running Ableton Live Suite, see the kitlist here.
Course Outcome
This course is pitched at getting you to a good “in the box” (software-based) level. You’ll be producing music – creating ideas and arranging them into a track – confidently with Ableton Live. If you’re looking to get to a professional level of music production, check our Music Production Course to progress your knowledge of sound design, mixing and mastering.

Enter your email, or arrange a call for more course information

Enrol on course

Change the payment option from the dropdown menu below to view further information.

Start dates and course fees

Start Dates

FAST TRACK- 3 months music production
February 26th 2022: Saturday 12pm – 6pm

April 25th 2022: Monday 12pm – 6pm

HYBRID – 6 months music production
March 16th 2022 Wednesdays 6.30pm – 9.30pm

Scholarships

We have scholarship funding that could partly or fully fund this course. Book a call with a course advisor to find out more.

Course fees

Option One : Advanced Payment
£250 registration fee to secure your place. If your course starts within 1 calendar month, the remaining balance of £1600 is also payable. Total course fees: £1850.

Option Two : Termly Payment
£250 registration fee + 2 x 10-week instalments of £825. If your course starts within 1 calendar month, the first install is also payable. Total course fees: £1900.

Option Three : Monthly payments over 10 months
£250 registration fee + 10 x monthly instalments of £170. If your course starts within 1 calendar month, the first install is also payable. Total course fees: £1950.

Option Four : Monthly payments from 6 – 48 months
We can offer payment plans from 6 – 48 months, subject to passing our criteria. Plans from 0% finance, and from £24 per month. Credit check not always required.

Select this option and a course advisor will give you a call to discuss the best financing option to suit your circumstances. Alternatively you can book a call directly.

When should I enrol?

In short: enrol as soon as you are ready. All live course dates are available for you to enrol on.

Unlike most training centres SEM has a limit on lecturer to student ratio and keeps its class sizes small. We therefore have limited availability and courses fill up in advance. We would recommend enrolling as soon as you are ready, to avoid disappointment.

We would always recommend chatting to one of our friendly course advisors prior to enrolment. Book a call now.

Start dates and course fees

Start Dates

May
6 months music production : Wednesdays 6.30pm – 9.30pm

November
6 months music production : Tuesdays 6.30pm – 9.30pm

Scholarships

We have scholarship funding that could partly or fully fund this course. Book a call with a course advisor to find out more.

Course fees

Option One : Advanced Payment
£250 registration fee to secure your place. If your course starts within 1 calendar month, the remaining balance of £1600 is also payable. Total course fees: £1850.

Option Two : Termly Payment
£250 registration fee + 2 x 10-week instalments of £825. If your course starts within 1 calendar month, the first install is also payable. Total course fees: £1900.

Option Three : Monthly payments over 10 months
£250 registration fee + 10 x monthly instalments of £170. If your course starts within 1 calendar month, the first install is also payable. Total course fees: £1950.

Option Four : Monthly payments from 6 – 48 months
We can offer payment plans from 6 – 48 months, subject to passing our criteria. Plans from 0% finance, and from £24 per month. Credit check not always required.

Select this option and a course advisor will give you a call to discuss the best financing option to suit your circumstances. Alternatively you can book a call directly.

When should I enrol?

In short: enrol as soon as you are ready. All live course dates are available for you to enrol on.

Unlike most training centres SEM has a limit on lecturer to student ratio and keeps its class sizes small. We therefore have limited availability and courses fill up in advance. We would recommend enrolling as soon as you are ready, to avoid disappointment.

We would always recommend chatting to one of our friendly course advisors prior to enrolment. Book a call now.

Introduction To Music Production

£460.00 – £2,035.00

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Next start: 8th March 2023
Study: Wednesday 12pm - 6pm

Course FAQS

I work full-time. Is it possible for me to take this course?

Absolutely, this course has been designed to suit the needs of those with other commitments. A lot of our students work full-time, have family commitments, and study this course successfully alongside.

Your 3-hr lessons take place 1 evening per week, for 22 weeks (this will include some breaks). You can choose to come and join our classroom in Manchester to get the classroom vibe, or you can tune in live on Zoom if that’s easier for you.

Additionally to this, you will have opportunity to jump into 2 x 1hr online sound surgeries each week which are hosted by a tutor, who can give you feedback on your music and answer questions you may have. The sound surgeries are totally optional, and you will need to book in advance before each session.

You will also be able to come in and use our Midi Lab spaces as much or as little as you feel you need. We are open from 10am – 10pm Monday – Friday, and 12 – 9pm on weekends. You can use our online room booking system to book your slots.

We also include Ableton Live Suite with training, so that you have the flexibility to make music at home. Coupled with our comprehensive online learning resources to support your in-house training, it gives you the ability to cover the content at your pace, to fit your schedule.

So as long as the lesson times doesn’t clash with your other commitments it is totally possible to study this course successfully alongside full-time commitments.

Book a call with a course advisor so we can chat to you about this in more detail and work out the best option for you.

Do I need equipment for the course?

If you plan to always study in SEM

Music production headphones with a 1/4″ adapter, an external hard-drive or USBs to save your work, and writing materials are the only equipment you will need.

If you need advice on what flat-response, comfortable music production headphones to purchase, please speak with Bop DJ Manchester who are 5-minutes walk from SEM. They can also offer you discounts as a SEM student.

Every student has access to their own iMac workstation in the school which contains all the software, samples and plugins that you will use throughout the course.

If you plan to study in part at home

Home setup

A home setup is absolutely not essential. Some of our best students have benefitted from only using SEM’s studios, as it has meant they have are working in acoustically treated studios, with the most up-to-date software, and access to in-house tutors.

With this said, if you have a home-setup, or are thinking of setting one up, these are some things you might want to consider:

Mac or PC?

We use all Macs throughout SEM, but PCs are equally fine and can be more cost-effective. If you’re working on a budget, we would strongly recommend firstly thinking about whether a laptop vs a desktop is going to be better for your needs. Once you’ve decided, we would advise focussing on processing power as this will allow your software to run more quickly.

Flat-response monitors, audio interface and a MIDI keyboard

We have some awesome music production partners (which you can view on our student discount page) for a range of extra music equipment options. Remember – these are not essential, but ‘nice to haves’!

Software

The latest Ableton Live Suite is the main music production software used on this course, or Native Instruments Komplete (if you already have a copy of Ableton Live Suite). Please note that the software is given upon full receipt of course fees, or can be received early with a £250 deposit which is refunded upon final payment of your course fees.

Once you have a copy of this, as long as you have a computer (Mac or PC) with adequate system requirements, you should be able to use this to make music at home as well as at SEM. We recommend getting Ableton as early on in the training as you can should you wish to make music at home.

3rd Party Plugins

You will receive a year’s free subscription for Roland Cloud, which will be taught on the course. You will not need any other plugins or software on the course.

I am an international student. Can I apply?

UK Students

Students from within the UK can enrol via the normal way, by clicking ‘Enrol Now’ on their chosen course.

EU and International Students

As this is a hybrid course, you are totally welcome to study our course online remotely.

Our course pricing remains the same – we do not increase the course price for international students.

If you wish to come to Manchester to study, please view our international students page for further information regarding Britain’s exit from the EU, and VISA information. There are a few VISA options for EU and international students:

Standard visitor VISAs
If your main purpose to the UK is as a visitor ie. for leisure, and studying a course is something you wish to do in addition (and is not the main reason for your trip), you may be able to travel to the UK on a standard visitor VISA.

Short term study VISAs – for study up to 6 months
As this course is 6-months, it works well for a short-term study VISA for which the limit is 6 months. If you were looking at studying several courses with us totalling more than 6 months, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t study it with us.

We have several options in place where part of your training could be done online (eg this course could be), with other modules done during the 6 months in the UK. As our courses are modular, we can pack in a lot of training into the 6 months you are here in Manchester, with lots of the modules overlapping during this time to ensure you maximise your time.

Tier 4 Visas
We cannot issue Tier 4 VISAs, which are typically VISAs if you are wanting to study in the UK for longer than 6 months. However if you are a student already in the UK under a Tier 4 VISA (e.g. studying a university course) then you are able to study at SEM alongside, as long as it falls within the timeframe of your Tier 4 VISA allowance.

Please book a call with a course advisor who can discuss what VISA options might be best for you.

Alternatively, we also offer a range of online courses that may be of interest to you.

Do you provide student accommodation?

Student accommodation is not provided with the course.

Please see our accommodation page which has detailed information on both student halls, and private renting in and around Manchester.

It is advised that if you are moving to Manchester from abroad or a different city, the atmosphere of student halls might be better for you.

We can help you with other aspects of re-locating, such as advising you on the best transport links to find us, and where some of the best musical venues around Manchester are.

See our accommodation page for more information, and if you need any assistance in relocating please ring SEM office on 0161 833 4722 to speak with our Student Support Team.

How do I find out more?

Get more detail

We would recommend booking a call with a course advisor first, who can advise on what’s right for you. During this call we can also arrange a personal tour of SEM if you wish. Personal tours take approx. 1 hour, so we can get to know you, and you the school, in a lot more detail.

See SEM in full flow

We also hold Open Events are bustling events where you can get involved in lots of free music production and DJ workshops, and a range of industry seminars. All are welcome and it is a great way to see the school in full flow and meet lots of tutors, but as they are busier events you may not get the same level of information and detail that you would on a personal tour of SEM. You can see the next available Open Event dates and sign up for one here.

Try it for yourself

If you’re keen on music production and DJing and want to see what those areas are like, we would also recommend you come along for a Free Music Production Taster Course, or a DJ Taster Course. This is a great way to get a feel for the tuition style, and learn something new!