Looking for some great deals on musical instruments, amps, racks, effect pedals, and more? Look no further. Here’s a list of the best deals santa brought this year:
Note: If you’re looking for the best VST christmas deals, we’ve compiled them here. The best hardware deals can be found here.
Native Instruments, Ableton, FL Studio, Logic Pro: These are some of the names that keep us up at night during Christmas eve, dreaming that santa gives us a little treat in the form of heavily discounted DAWs.
Well, this year santa delivered: Some of the most popular DAWs have been knocked down quite a bit, and some are even free!
For a summarized table of the best deals, check below:
EDITOR’S NOTE: Looking for a summarised list of best rent-to-own VST plugins? Check the table below, with our selection of the four best rent-to-own services. Also please note that this list is constantly updated so bookmark it for later reference.
If you are on a mobile device, please scroll left and right in the table to see all the entries, and up and down in the cells to see all the content.
Name
Plugins Included
Cost per month
Our Rating
Editor’s Value Choice
49 plugins on offer. Including: Serum, Ozone 9, Arturia, Studio 1 Professional.
Starts at 4.99$ per plugin. Option for a free 3 day trial.
First month FREE! Weekly sound packs 70+ instruments and effects
19.99$
4.6/5
Over 200 waves plugins. to choose from. You will NOT OWN them at the end, you have to keep paying to access them.
6.99$ for 16 plugins. 9.99$ for 42 plugins. 19.99$ for 60 plugins.
4.9/5
It’s really fascinating when you think how easy it is today to make your own home studio and be able to make solid music with it. What’s more, you can even set up a mobile studio with your laptop and an audio interface and take it anywhere with you to either record or just make your music. It’s something that opens up new possibilities and was unimaginable back in the old days.
What’s also great is that you can even rent different plugins by using some handy services today.
In this brief guide, we will be taking a closer look and explaining how so-called “rent-to-own” plugin services work, as well as some great products that you can get on them.
Rent-to-own VST plugin system
The whole idea is to have a service and a system that will allow you to rent plugins for a certain monthly price. But, as the name of this concept would suggest, if you rent these plugins long enough to pay for their full price, the product (or, in some cases, a bundle of multiple products) is yours.
It’s the same principle we see on the housing market when you rent a home for a while, see if it fits your needs, and decide if you want to keep paying for it until you pay off the full price. You can just cancel any time you want.
What’s really useful here is that you no longer need to deal with demos and all the annoying features that come with such them.
And you don’t have to buy a full version after 30 days only to realize that you don’t really like this product 3 months after paying the full license price. Is there a plugin you think will help you in your creative endeavors? Try and rent it for a few months and see what the full product with all of its features is like.
If you think you’ll need the plugin in the longterm, you can keep renting it until you pay off the full price. If you need it for some smaller tweaks and adjustments in a few of your songs, then rent it for a month or two.
It really is that simple.
NOTE: Waves had a rent to own service but it has been discontinued. Instead, they made it cheaper but removed the “own” part, so that you perpetually pay for the subscription.
There are usually no extra charges and you pay around the same price in the end as you would for the plugin on the creator’s website. The plugins you can purchase via these services can be effects, synths, or any other different products, sometimes even entire Digital Audio Workstations.
It’s especially useful if there’s a pricy plugin that you set your eyes on but can’t afford to pay the full price upfront. All of the best vst plugins, the ones used by the pros, are now available for anyone with a few extra dollars per month.
With all this in mind, we’ll now go into some of the rent-to-own plugin services that you can find online.
VST plugins
Splice is one of the most famous services of this kind. On there, you can also buy royalty-free samples, get your hands on some of the plugins in the rent-to-own section, or even buy DAWs. Splice can either be used in the browser or via their specialized desktop app.
This app allows you to open project files of a few different DAWs: Logic Pro, Ableton Live, GarageBand, or FL Studio.
It also comes as an extremely useful service for collaborative projects, serving as sort of a GitHub for musicians. The rented plugins can be used in individual DAWs or within the app.
Whether it’s plugins or any other services that they offer, you can purchase them with Splice credits. There are four pricing models for buying these credits, going from $7.99 per month up to $139.99 per year.
At the moment, there are 49 plugins and DAWs to choose from. The list includes Ozone 9 Advanced compressor and EQ, Serum synth, Punchbox distortion and synth, and others. Some of these made our best vst synth list.
Here are some of the plugins on offer at :
Plugin Name
Plugin Maker
1. Serum
Xfer Records
2. Ozone 9 Advanced
iZotope
3. VocalSynth
2
iZotope
4. Nectar 3
iZotope
5. Neutron 3 Advanced
iZotope
6. V Collection
7
Arturia
7. Studio One
Professional
PreSonus
8. Ozone 9 + Neutron
3 Advanced
iZotope
9. Decimort 2
D16 Group
10. MOVEMENT
Output
11. Pigments
Arturia
12. RX 7 Standard
iZotope
13. Punchbox
D16 Group
14. Neutron 3
Standard
iZotope
15. Toraverb 2
D16 Group
16. Devastor 2
D16 Group
17. Ozone 9 Standard
iZotope
18. Ozone 9 +
Neutron 3 Standard
iZotope
19. Circle²
FutureAudioWorkshop
20. Zone
Audiaire
21. Regroover
Pro
Accusonus
22. Parallels
Softube
23. Beatformer
Accusonus
24. D16 FX Bundle
D16 Group
25. Nuxx
Audiaire
26. Tekturon
D16 Group
27. Antresol
D16 Group
Biggest Upcoming Competitor: Plugin Alliance by Native Instruments
It definitely doesn’t have the wide range that Splice does, but did you know our friends at Plugin Alliance now offer three rent-to-own plugins, including an EQ, mastering software, and more?
Why are we excited about this?
For starters, these are great high quality plugins and it’s fantastic that PA is making them more accessible In addition, they are included as part of PA’s bundles, so there are multiple ways of paying for them if you decide the ren-to-own model isn’t ultimately for you. However, PA has a staggering variety of plugins and what we’re excited about is if this means they are going to start offering MORE OPTIONS on the rent-to-own model. Truly, this could be the start of something new, so BOOKMARK THIS PAGE to stay updated as we are keeping an eye out for any of their other plugins that they may add to their rent-to-own scheme.
With Landr, you can try out plugins and other products for 3 days completely free of charge. But the platform is also very well-known for its different trap beats and samples and also allows collaborative projects, kind of similar to the Splice model.
Their main plugin offer is a synth called Lethal. This is a very versatile synthesizer plugin with around 50 GB of different sounds (with all expansions included), presets, and samples.
The monthly rent-to-own price is $9.99 and you can stop it or cancel it at any time. Although it’s aimed for trap sounds, it comes really in handy for other genres as well. With Lethal, you can get any of the 24 different expansions, each specified for a certain style of music. These expansions, however, are charged separately.
We’re very pleased to shout out about the APOGEE NATIVE range of rent-to-own plugins.
We’re listing this next to LANDR because if you like the look of Landr’s versatility and expansion pack variety, you’ll love APOGEE NATIVE.
What does it involve?
The biggest plus of the APOGEE NATIVE range is that it includes versatile, one-of-a-kind plugins that you don’t really get elsewhere. If you want something a bit outside the mainstream, this is the option for you.
The rent-to-own scheme applies to its vintage/modern FX bundle as well as Clearmountain Phase (flanger/phaser) PULTEC Equaliser, Opto3A vintage compressor/limiter, and many more unique sounding FX at accessible prices!
This one is new and interesting for most old-school producers like myself. Oh, Reason! We loved you, but now we don’t because we all love Ableton now. Reason was the… reason we started. It had all the flexible routing that we need, and the workflow that suited us best until something better appeared.
We know Reason is back, and with a vengeance. If you already own Reason software, you will get 50% off the first year, which is great. For 19.99 per month you get not only plugins, but also the Reason stand-alone DAW and Reason Rack. Reason Rack is a plugin host (VST/AU/AAX) that you can insert into your own DAW of choice to access the main contents of this pack, which are 70+ plugins plus a lot of sound packs. These sound pack are always new and interesting and are updated weekly.
The 70+ plugins contain all the stuff that Reason has ever made! Also, you will get access to everything that Reason will make in the future. The Reason+ companion app will automatically give you the recent updates, for both devices and sample libraries. And if you are not sure, you get the first month free of charge!
Waves.com is a service that sells an abundance of different plugins. There are over 200 plugins for any kind of studio work that you need: effects, synths, distortions, even specialized professional-level guitar plugins. Waves VST plugins are top class, trusted and recommended by almost everyone in the industry.
Even if the service does not end with a full ownership of plugins, it is still worth noting on the list.
These plugins and different software can be bought in bundles. There are three basic subscription models for bundles. Depending on the number of plugins that you want, they offer a Silver, Gold and Platinum package.
If you feel that first you want to try music production with free products and then move to rent professional VST plugins, we have an extensive list here.
Of course, you can just cancel any time before the subscription period ends and you’ll be charged for the last payment at the end of the billing cycle. What’s really great is that there are literally hundreds of plugins to choose from.
You can also buy different product bundles straight away if you don’t feel like taking the subscription.
Aside from these, Waves offer different educational courses, digital mixers, racks, and even some specialized hardware products.
Final Thoughts
How do they all compare?
With the 2023/24 updates, we would say Splice, Plugin Alliance, Reason, and APOGEE NATIVE are the best options on this list for scope and versatility.
Ultimately rent to own is about the freedom to not have to make too much of an investment; ultimately, or top picks are the ones that balance ariety and range with affordability and accessibility.
To sum up:
So why consider rent to own if you haven’t already?
Investing in a good set of plugins for your music production setup can really have an impact on your sound. It used to be the case that the premium VSTs such as the ones sold by waves were only available for the professional studios, but fortunately along with technical innovation, plugin companies have been investing in business model innovation.
The results are great for the bedroom producer. You can now go pro for only a few bucks a month. We hope this article has helped you choose a rent-to-own service. If you have any other suggestions, please leave them in the comment box below.
If you’re building your own studio, it is of crucial importance to get good quality auxiliary gear like a nice microphone arm. It will give you the freedom and comfort you need to get your creations to the next level instantly.
Editor’s note: This list is always updated to always reflect the status of the market, so make sure you bookmark it and come back for your future purchases.
If you are playing an instrument like guitar or piano/keyboards and want to record your voice, you really can’t skip the microphone arm. The characteristics of this device are very important, in order to get the best recording possible without vibrations and jitter. A good microphone arm is also providing a feel of quality, staying in the position you set it with no complications.
And it’s not only about the rack-mounted effects, good computers or audio interfaces. You should never overlook the basic stuff, like having the very best mic arm you can.
For other software tools that complement your instrument and voice, make sure you check our constant updating list of best VST synths to get some more sounds in your music.
But the thing about boom microphone arms is that there are so many products to choose from these days that it’s getting hard to find the right one for you. We have selected the ones that are appealing for us, from Amazon’s current listings. There are actually three “winners”, one Budget Choice, which is about the cheapest you can get and still work with it fine, one Overall Choice and one Value Choice, the latter being the one you should get if you don’t have any special needs and can afford it.
– Clamp Mount
– Perfect for travel and quick setup.
– 5/8 inch microphone threading and adapter
– Integrated XLR cable
– Can hold the Blue Yeti microphone
Over the last few years or so, we’ve seen the rise of famous YouTubers and it seems that many other people are trying their luck in this field.
They, or at least the ones that aspire for greatness are using good microphones in order to sound great, especially on headphones where a bad quality microphone can simply ruin the viewer’s overall experience. Especially true for podcasts and content where only the voice is heard.
But even a good microphone is not so good if it is not placed properly and if it not seated correctly on a firm surface. People use their hands for gestures and to manipulate other tools like the computer, to show the viewer’s their content, so it’s only logical to see the increased number of these products on the market.
In order to make it easier for everyone, we decided to do some digging and find the best microphone stands out there. Please note that this list is continually updated in order to reflect current market status.
Whether you’re doing regular studio work or are trying to find a perfect stand for your YouTube videos or podcasts, these will most definitely come in handy.
So without further ado, here’s a breakdown of our favorite mic stands:
Price Range: $$
Mic Compatibility:
Standard 5/8”-27 Mic Threads for Connecting Most Podcast and Vocal Microphones, Including Shure SM7B, Shure MV7 Models
Built in Cables Included: None, but it has a separate connection at the microphone end to prevent wear and tear on the mic connector.
Our Score: 9.5 Max Load Capacity: Spring-Loaded Articulating Arm with 2.4 lbs./1.1 kg Max Weight Capacity & 38.6“/980mm Max Extension Mounting Options: Mounts or Clamps to Desks, Tables & Similar-Sized Surfaces 2. 17”/55mm Max in Thickness Close Alternative Model:
3 main characteristics made us choose the Gator Frameworks Deluxe 2000 Series microphone arm:
Firstly and foremost it’s a sturdy and durable arm. The kind of arm that you buy once and own for life
Its simple design looks good in any setup. It’s light, but can hold up mics weighing up to 2.4lbs (39oz or 1.1 kg).
Its a professional grade mic arm at a relatively affordable price.
It does not have an integrated XLR cable, which at first sounds like a con and not a pro, but believe is, integrated XLR cables are ok until they stop working, then replacing them is a nightmare.
Compared with some of the other models in this list, the ator Frameworks Deluxe 2000 Series microphone arm has more of a classic design, simple and timeless.
While the fact that there is no integrated cable may feel like an untidy solution to some, we found it provides way more flexibility and ease of use when switching up your setup and cables.
All in all, it’s a quality boom arm that allows stable operation, full 360 degree rotation, and a solid vertical and horizontal reach.
The Gator Frameworks Deluxe 2000 microphone arm is also fairly light, somewhere around 3.2 lbs./1.5 kg and it’s size is 22.25”/565mm (L), 7”/177mm (W), 1.63”/40mm (H).
Overall, it’s a solid choice for mid-range podcast and streaming setups plus of course recording your voice while you play your instrument for tracks, demos, etc.
Price Range: $
Mic Compatibility:
Not compatible with Blue Yeti Built in Cables: XLR Male to Female.
Our Score: 9.2 Max Load Capacity:53oz / 1.5KG Mounting Options: Clamp
Close Alternative Model:
The NW-35 can come in a few different bundles. One of the versions features an integrated XLR cable which definitely comes in handy.
Overall, it’s a decently built boom arm that won’t fail on you and that will keep the microphone at the desired height.
We found it’s swivel mount to be quite smooth when adjusting from side to side, which is great for long and live recordings.
It comes with a solid table mounting clamp and a shock mount.
In terms of cables, the Neewer NW-35 comes with a XLR male to female cable built into the tubes of the stand, which is great since it hides all cables, however, please note that if you plan to use your computer to record the audio, you’ll need to plugin in an audio interface to convert the XLR cable to USB.
For this price, you’ll definitely be satisfied with the quality.
Price Range: $
Mic Compatibility:
RØDE Microphones, Blue Yeti, and others compatible if bought with shock mount.
Built in Cables Included: XLR Male to Female.
Our Score: 8.7 Max Load Capacity: 35oz / 1 kg Mounting Options: Clamp Close Alternative Model:
Another cheaper arm, the Pyle PMKSH04 is somewhat of a beginner to intermediate product that is a great solution for those looking for a budget friendly option.
Nothing too fancy really, as it features that standard classic design with springs on the outside.
However, it holds up well, the clamp is fairly solid, and it comes with a shock mount and a cable threaded through its construction.
And even though it’s a light stand, it can hold the famous Blue Yeti microphone, which is not light.
Those who use this boom arm are pretty satisfied with this Microphone Arm.
The PMKSH04 has some great features for the price of around $30.
Now, the InnoGear Mic Stand is a bit more serious.
Even though it’s well-built and supports even some heavier microphones, it weighs only 3.6 pounds.
What’s really great about this InnoGear microphone boom arm is that springs are inside of the square steel tube construction, and not the outside.
This not only gives it great looks but also makes it very stable. You won’t have any trouble keeping balance with this one. The 5/8-inch thread adapter is also included with the stand. Plus it comes with cable ties.
Pretty well-built, stable, flexible, and looks great.
We have one minor complaint: The swivel mount doesn’t really work well.
You have to loosen the screw of the base boom to adjust from left to right. Once you that it works fine though.
Heil Sound PL-2T is also another one of those arms with internal springs.
Although the brand is not well known, this microphone arm is a good bang for the buck.
One of its great features is that the top and the backplates can be removed for proper cable threading. It also comes with the standard C-clamp mount and can accept both shock mounts or 5/8-inch threaded clips.
This boom arm can hold microphones of up to 3.5 pounds (slightly below 1.6 kilograms), which is pretty impressive.
However, putting on just a little extra won’t do any harm either. It’s a fairly solid and stable piece that is relatively affordable.
Up next, we have the Blue Compass Premium. It’s also an arm with both the springs and the cables hidden inside.
However, this one is a bit more practical since it features simplified construction.
This also gives it a very sleek design and allows you to keep things tidy.
The Blue Compass Premium is intended for Yeti or any other professional broadcast microphones and is compatible with standard shock mounts.
It allows full 360-degree rotation and a maximum horizontal reach of 32 inches. Since it has a very silent operation, it’s a popular boom arm for Twitch streamers and it’s fairly known within the YouTube creator community.
Despite the affordable price, Knox Gear Microphone Suspension Arm stand is a pretty solid boom arm. Also it s a bit different than the rest due to its suspension arm design. We find in interesting and depending on your furniture setup, useful.
It’s considered to be an entry-level product, but it’s proven to be useful thanks to its internal spring construction, and stability.
The most impressive feature (and its strongest point) is the fact that it can hold microphones that weigh up to 5 pounds.
If you want to have a decent boom arm for heavier microphones without busting a bank, you should definitely look into this one.
However, it might be a bit of a downside that you have to attach the cable via velcro strips. On the up-side, it includes 5/8 to 3/8-inch thread adapter
While significantly more expensive than the other stands on this list, the K&M 23860 is a fully professional microphone arm and represents the highest quality entry in this list.
It might not be a famous brand, but it’s certainly a high-end piece and some of the biggest YouTubers have been using it for some time.
It’s an all-tube steel stand with an XLR cable integrated into the construction.
The reach is pretty impressive, up to 37 inches, and it easily holds up microphones of up to 3.2 pounds with perfect stability. It might get a bit pricy, well over $200, but it’s most definitely worth every penny if you want to go pro.
The on-stage MBS5000 is our go to mic boom for podcasts and broadcasting.
From the products we tried, it was the best budget boom arm in terms of durability and build quality.
With two springs, it allows to fix mics and other devices (such as tablets) of up to 3.5lbs.
A common setup with this model is to buy a couple of them and have a tablet in one arm and a mic in the other.
It comes with a 10′ XLR cable, so if your mic setup is UBS, beware that you will have to have some interface or digital converter to plug into your laptop.
In terms of installation, the on-starage MBS500 comes with two options:
A C-Style clamp for surfaces up to 2″ thick
A flange mount for permanent fixtures
It’s a pretty durable boom arm with square tubing, and in our opinion, well-worth the 50 bucks it costs.
Final Thoughts on Microphone Arms
Microphone stands are a relatively cheap piece of gear that can be a great addition for podcast production, or any kind of voice-over work.
In our experience, the cheap mic boom arms tend to break easily, and we thus recommend going over the 100$ mark.
However, this is up to you. If you’re a beginner looking to dip your toes in the podcasting world, the entry level options such as the Newer N35 are still a great option.
As always, we welcome your feedback in the comment section.
The shopping season is upon us. Some of our readers will shrivel at the thought of standing in line for hours, wrestling other shoppers to get that brand new flat screen tv you don’t need.
Others will recognize that this is the season to load up on VSTs, plugins, DAWs, and music gear without having to leave their house.
With that in mind, we’ve searched the web and reached out to our partners to find the best Halloween gems.
PS: stay tuned for black friday and christmas deals.
Serato sampler is a tried and tested plugin for sampling.
We could give you an in-depth review, but the name speaks for itself, plus most of you will be familiar with this plugin already, so here are the promotion details:
We’ve recently published an article on the best distortion plugins and ravage just barely missed the list.
It’s still a very solid plugin if you’re looking for a wide variety of distortion types offering Digital, Tube, Diode, Lin Fold, Zero Sq and Rectify.
And the offer is simply unbelievable: Pluginboutique is offering 95% until the end of the year. This means that the plugin that usually costs close to 200$ is now listed at 9.9$!
Softube is one of the most reputable plugin providers in the market.
This halloween, up until the end of the month, they are offering 41% off their tube tech collection, which includes the tube-tech compress and equalizer collections.
These collections include the Tube-Tech CL 1B, a widely used compressor in a variety of genres, and the Tube-Tech Mk II equalizer, as well as a few other EQs and compressors.
SoundSpot Ravage
Maker: Soundspot
Plugin Type: Sampler
Discount: Up to 41%
Expiry Date: 31 October 2019
Our Rating: 4.8/5
Air music is a fairly well known VST maker. They have previsously released an impressive drum synth, and now they are offering an astounding 90% off some of their synths.
These include the Vaccum series, the Loom II, and Hybrid 3.
Air Music Synths
Maker: Air Music
Plugin Type: Synth
Discount: Up to 90%
Expiry Date: 1 November 2019
Our Rating: 4.2/5
Are you into futuristic synths? Then you’re probably familiar with glitch machine.
They are the reference when it comes to warped sounds and glitches. These are particularly popular with electronic music producers but can be used in a variety of genres including rock and hip-hop.
The bundle that is currently being offered at a steep discount (would normally cost 255$, now costs 15$) includes:
Note: This list is in constant update, so feel free to check back in a few days for new deals, or sign up to our newsletter to get notified of new deals.
Investing in an online music production “masterclass” course is one of the best decisions you will make this year.
This might seem like a pretty bold statement, specially for those of you who have previously tried free courses or dabble around some youtube videos on production, but it’s the truth: Knowledge is more important than any piece of gear in your studio. Furthermore, enrolling in one of the below courses is nothing like doing a free course or watching youtube videos.
These online music production masterclass courses allow you to follow a tried and tested structure devised by top producers and engineers, plus incentivises you to follow through, as you have money invested.
– Electronic Music Production, – Vocal Recording, – Ableton Live.
9.3/10
What’s so good about Groove3 and why is it our editor’s choice? For starters, it’s simply a great all-rounder beginner course and, as evidenced by the course reviews, has helped many musicians cut their teeth in production.
The curriculum is varied, the pricing is low, and it focuses on pro-quality video lessons in comparison to many lower-quality user-made courses on sites such as Udemy and Skillshare.
The best part is that it lets you learn at your own pace and in your own style due to the variety and flexibility of it’s content. This is not simply a walk-through, step-by-step course. One small downside is it is not as ‘official’ as some others – there is no qualification at the end, for example. However, it is a fantastic course overall, so read on for a breakdown.
Music style: All
Financial Investment: Low
Duration: Over 20 000 hours of video + over 20 books. 1 077 Courses 17 979 Individual Tutorials.
Main DAW used: All DAWs available.
Our Rating: 9.5/10
Skill Level: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Certificate upon completion: No
PROS:
High quality of content
Content available on all formats and platforms: Video, books, Desktop, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku.
Very affordable on a month-to-month basis
High quality instructors
Most comprehensive library of learning resources
CONS:
Lack of focus
Can be overwhelming
We’ll start with our favorite online music production course: . What an absolute gold mine of music production knowledge.
If you watched all of groove3’s videos back-to-back you’d take over 2 years to finish, probably much more, given that they update the content regularly.
There are tutorials on all topics you can imagine, including all DAWs, Plugins, and musical styles. If you search the forums, it’s often mentioned as a student favorite, along with some of the masterclass courses we’ll review below.
When it comes to price, an all-access pass costs only 89$, with . This represents without a doubt the best value of all courses.
We’ve found this to be a great way to stay focused for idle studio time. Simply browse around their website, find an interesting video, watch it, then apply it to your current project.
Do you want to learn from the pros? If you’ve heard of electronic music, you’ve heard of Deadmau5. That’s right, Deadmau5’s Masterclass Course was actually the first course we’ve had a chance to review.
Electronic mixing is an art not a science. On the website MasterClass, designed to let you learn from professionals in their field, Deadmau5 goes deeper than just production and shows you how getting to the beating heart of EDM lets you emulate his distinctive, crisp sound.
Over six hours of tracks cover melody, composition, and the creative process plus how these areas intersect with production. This learn-from-home course is designed to inspire and delight both fans and those who want to break into EDM, and truly doesn’t disappoint.
Music style: EDM / Electronic
Financial Investment: Low / Moderate
Duration: 6 hours of video + assignments
Main DAW used: Ableton, though teachings can be applied to any DAW.
Our Rating: 9.3/10
Skill Level: Beginner
Certificate upon completion: No
Pros:
Very entertaining, huge production value. Very easy to follow through with the teachings.
Very well-rounded. All major topics are discussed (mastering, mixing, synths, drums, music business, live performance, and more).
Composed of videos, assignments, and discussions.
Great community if you’re willing to engage.
Cons:
This 6 hour course will set you back 90$. It’s not a cheap course by any means, but we found the cost/quality relation to be quite good.
It’s a short course. It could benefit from going more in-depth into certain topics.
Course Structure
The course has 23 lessons, all delivered through video classes. It also has assignments and discussions.
The classes touch upon the following topics:
The Deadmau5 Production Process
Building Your Home Studio
Melodic Structures
Arrangements
Synthesized Sounds
Modular Synths
Digital Vs. Analog Synths
Sound Design with Effects And Processing
Drums / Beats
Song Structure
Remixed
Mixing
Mastering (includes case study)
Starting a Career
Music Business
On Stage Performance
Our Thoughts
Overall, this is a solid and very well rounded online music production masterclass course. It won’t hold your hand and automatically offer you a career in audio engineering or music production, but if you follow through with all the tips shared, your chances of making it will increase exponentially.
Furthermore, if you take your time to network and reach out to the community, you’ll likely make some useful connections out of this online music production masterclass course.
This is a great course for anyone looking for a well-balanced course on electronic / pop / hip-hop / digital music production, with no specific focus on any are of the music production process, but rather a wholistic approach. It gives you a framework, the one used by deadmau5, to produce a song. It is not a case study, i.e- it won’t show you how deadmau5 produces a song from scratch, but it will show you every single step of the process. We recommend to people that are starting out and want something a bit lighter (shorter) and more fun.
Up next is Hans Zimmer’s online music production masterclass course.This is more niche than some of the courses on this list; it’s specifically for audio professionals – or beginners – interested in the creative production process behind film scoring. This is another option from the great distance-learning site Masterclass, and works as an excellent resource for insight into how to produce film scores.
There is one downside which we go into more detail later – there is not that much cohesive focus on a step-by-step set of skills. Instead, it is broken up with highlights of Zimmer’s work as a composer. However, it is still a very good course for producers of any skill level.
Music style: Film Scoring / Soundtrack / Sound Design
Financial Investment: Low / Moderate
Duration: 4.5 hours of video + assignments
Main DAW used: N/A.
Our Rating: 8.5/10
Skill Level: Intermediate
Course Structure
Themes
Story
Directors
Sound Palettes
Creating with Synths
Scoring to Picture
Scoring Under Dialogue
Tempo
Music Diary
Character
Case Study: Frost/Nixon
Working With Musicians
Feedback & Revisions
Audience Feedback
Writing Tips
Hans’ Journey
Learning by Listening
Life of a Composer
Closing
Our Thoughts
This is a very interesting course. The simple fact that you get to hear Hans Zimmer talk in first person about stuff that he has never revealed on interviews is worth the cost of the program.
However, we found the structure a bit random.
As we mention above, the structure isn’t for everyone. Unlike deadmau5’s course, this program kind of jumped around topics, with one class being solely about Hans’ career and progression in the industry. To be honest, if we wanted to learn about that, we could just check one of the hundreds of interviews that he’s given.
Having said that, there are loads of golden nuggets there about his process, inspiration, and process. It is packed with loads of synthesiser tips as well as general aesthetic in sound design.
To finish off our selection of Masterclass courses, we’ll have a look at Timbaland’s online music production course. Hip-hop can be a challenging genre to produce because of the amount of skill invovled across diferent areas, from melody, unbderstanding of software, and subtler technique. A proper round-up of the best online hip hop production courses could be an article of it’s own.
Hip-hop history is also more technologically innovative than many genres, from killer sampling that has gone down in legend to the invention of the DJ scratch. However, despite this legacy, it doesn’t take a lot to get started and this course shows you how to investigate the more pop-oriented end of hip-hop.
Music style: Hip-Hop / Pop
Financial Investment: Low / Moderate
Duration: 3.5 hours of video + assignments
Main DAW used: Ableton
Our Rating: 8.5/10
Skill Level: Beginner / Intermediate
Course Structure:
Studio Session: Making a Beatbox Beat
Building Beats: Tim’s Process
Making a Beat: Getting Warmed Up
Song Origins: “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”
Making a Beat: Starting With a Chord Progression
Making a Beat: Tweaking and Layering Drums
Song Origins: “Pony”
Making a Beat: Manipulating Vocal Samples
Making a Beat: Creating a Breakdown
Song Origins: “Gossip Folks”
Making a Beat: Adding a Topline
Song Origins: “Are You That Somebody?”
Tim’s Influences
How to Persevere
Our Thoughts
Despite how important technical skills can be in hip-hop production, we found this masterclass to be the least technical of all online music production masterclass courses reviewed. Perhaps on purpose, as Timbaland’s production process seems to be based a lot around feeling, leaning on his team to fill in the more technical gaps. However, this does mean it’s a very accessible and simple course for beginners that gives you the confidence to begin producing from your bedroom. Plus, the way it takes you from making beats to creating a whole song makes it a great breakdown on the process.
We still found it very useful and inspiring, with some pretty straight forward but useful tips such as thinking about drums through beatbox.
His team of “co-producers” also share some gems on drums layering, chord progression, beatmaking, and more.
If you’re a hip hop head, you’ll love this course. You’ll learn about how Timba produced hits for Missy Elliot, Jay-Z, and others, as well as some inspiring tips on how to succeed in the industry and production studio. If you’re not a hip hop nerd, then you might find it not that inspiring. Though we still recommend purchasing it as part of the masterclass bundle of classes.
If you want a qualification with your course, then this is the one for you. Point Blank is an award-winning, well established English music school, which has opened its expertise to the online sector. If you want a serious, life-changing course for a music career in production or sound engineering, you can’t beat it. The sheer diversity of courses that they offer, including Music Business courses, is practically unmatched. This Online Music Production Masterclass Course set is both formal and fun due to its interactive elements.
Music style: None in Specific
Financial Investment: Medium-high
Duration: Depends on the subject of choice.
Main DAW used: Ableton
Our Rating: 9.5/10.
Skill Level: Intermediate-High
The “Online” courses of Point Blank Music School are actual real-time/live lecture by teachers, customised to you as a student. You get to ask questions and interact with your teacher via webcam. Each course thus has it’s own structure.
Our thoughts:
So, this is clearly something different. There are no pre-recorded sessions, like the others, which also explains the high price point in comparison. Essentially, this is an online degree at a virtal university and courses do, in fact, go up to bachelor degree level. As a drawback, this means you have to enroll like you would to a school. The only difference is that that the school location is your home, if you cannot access the offline schools Point Blank Music School has running in London, L.A., Mumbai, Ibiza and China.
We feel like this product is for the more advanced music production, since asking questions is key here.
If you feel like you have run out of material to study on your own and feel like it’s time to get 1:1 with a teacher who can guide you further then look no further and click the button below to access the Point Blank Music School website.
Producertech is a well established music course provider,founded in 2009 by Rob Jones. All their content is high-quality and on demand with clear care and effort put into it. However, f all their online music production courses, EQ fundamentals is one of our favourites. Although DAW knowledge is often transferrable depending on your skill level, what makes this course stand out is it is actually one of the best online music production courses for Ableton specifically.
Here’s why:
Music style: None in Specific
Financial Investment: Low
Duration: 2.5 hours of video + assignments +
Main DAW used: Ableton
Our Rating: 9/10.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Course Structure:
Introduction to Frequencies
EQ Controls
EQ in Isolation
Frequency Demo #3 – Combining the Piano and Sine Wave
The Frequency Spectrum Explained
EQ with respect to other parts
EQ’ing Drums
Common EQ Practices
EQ’ing Kick and Bass
EQ on the Master Channel
EQ In The Mix
Our thoughts:
This course is, in our opinion, a must-do for all aspiring producers. Having a solid grasp of EQ can be the difference between an amateur-sounding song and a commercial-grade end product.
Producertech’s EQ Fundamentals online music production masterclass course will give you the foundation you need to make clean sounding mixed, at a very accessible cost (25$).
It doesn’t have a rock star teacher or cover 10 different topics, but that is, in our opinion, a strength. There is no magic pill that will make you a successful musician. Instead, the path to success is continued investment in small courses on different topics. Simply put, this is the best specialist course to learn how to EQ online. This laser focused course will give you a very complete foundation on one of the most important skills in the game: EQing.
It also comes with the EXPOSE software, which allows you to “test” your final mix for any potential issues. We were positively surprised by the production quality of the course. Here’s a sample video from the course:
In addition it’s one of the best places to learn to use Ableton if you’re not familiar with the popular alternative DAW. There is a special focus on bass and kick mixing, thus making it slightly more relevant to electronic, hip-hop, and pop producers, though it really suits any kind of music style.
Berklee’s website claims you can learn in your own time and create your degree online, meaning even though it is one of the most famous music schools in the world, you don’t have to follow strict rules. This institution is a pioneer in online music production courses, having started in 2002! They still are an industry leader and offer the most formal, academic type of education you’ll find in this list. Yes, you can teach yourself music production online. However, if you want a really good academic course that gives you a degree, this can’t be beaten.
Music style: Electronic
Financial Investment: Moderate
Duration: Around 6 months (4 hours / week recommended)
Main DAW used: Ableton, though teachings can be applied to any DAW.
Our Rating: 9.5/10.
Skill Level: Beginner / Intermediate
Certificate upon completion: Yes
Course Structure:
The Technology of Music Production
Introduction to Ableton Live
Creating Sounds for Electronic Music
The Art of Vocal Production
Our Thoughts:
This is a solid course for students looking for a serious commitment and some degree of credibility. It teaches all the theoretic background + gives you a solid foundation in ableton production and recording / mastering vocals.
If you’re looking for some credibility in the industry, the Beerklee is something to stick in your CV that can also teach you some good theory.
However, there are more advanced and complete courses in this list in terms of knowledge.
Finally, one of the main advantages is that coursera offers financial aid to certain students.
All in all, it is pretty inexpensive, at 39$/month, and if you’re feeling motivated, you can knock it off in a couple of months, getting a “mini” degree for a very affordable price.
Next up, we have a couple of Udemy courses. Udemy allows users to upload their own courses to teach the world their skills. The website has a mixed bag, so we’ve included several. We can’t fully say what is or isn’t the best Udemy music production course – but this is a good breakdown. We’ll start with probably the most popular music course in the platform, “Music Production in Logic Pro X”.
Udemy has a lot of online music production course programs on it’s website, they mostly have a similar structure to the Logic X one which is our reference.
This course was developed by Digital Music Masters, a well-established music school.
Music style: None in Specific
Financial Investment: Low
Duration: 38 hours of video + articles and resources
Main DAW used: Logic Pro X
Our Rating: 9/10.
Skill Level: Beginner / Intermediate
Our Thoughts
This is mostly for those more advanced. What we like is that you can just pay for one “topic” and not buy the whole online music production masterclass course package like with the others. Thus, it’s more of a specialized music production course, in the same way that ones aimed at skills like EQ or reverb are. You just get to Udemy, shop for what you want to know and that’s it.
These courses are mostly focused on DAW workflows, with some specific items covering hardware gear like the Maschine and others focusing on specific sub-genres like music for games. All in all, we think it is good product if you just want to fill some specific empty spaces in your skill arsenal.
We hope that the above suggestions help you kickstart your music production career/hobby. It may seem daunting to teach yourself music production online and that’s why we recommend courses to make things easier and give a more comprehensive view of what a killer mixing and mastering process looks like. Honestly, all of these have made the list because they are worth your investment in both time and money.
This article is in constant update as we try new courses, so if you have any recommendations, please post them below in the comments section!
For the next week you can get free Front DAW VST/AU plugin by United Plugins.
Front DAW plugin emulates three types of vintage console sounds.
Description from plugin developer:
“The digital world with its clarity and accuracy lacks some vibe from the old times. This is why English producer and remixer Greg Brimson, also United Plugins powered artist, approached us with his idea for a dream plugin. ‘Create a front door for every recording, and call it Front DAW, guys,’ said he, ‘so that every track would have a true analogue input.’ Thanks to him you can turn your DAW Mixer into a real Analogue Console.”
Until the end of August Cherry Audio offer their Voltage Modular plugin Nucleus edition for free.
Voltage Modular is a VST plugin that emulates modular systems (like Eurorack, Buchla etc). Unlike Softube Modular it doesn’t offer 1:1 emulation of real modules but comes with a handy collection of 20+ modules that cover basic synthesis needs. Collection of modules can be expanded with a Cherry Audio store that have 300+ modules built by Cherry Audio and third party developers.
Audio resolution manipulator for sound design and destruction. This plugin was created with producers, sound designers, and musicians in mind and allows you to create low-resolution audio and bit crushed sound through a variety of modes each with different sonic characteristics