There are a number of online music production resources you can learn from if you are trying to improve your production skills. But if you have little to no budget, you won’t be able to use some of these resources as they can be expensive. In this article, we’ll explain how you can learn music production for free using some alternative resources.
1. Use Forums like Reddit
Forums are communities people can go to when they want to ask questions about specific topics. One example of a forum is Reddit. Reddit is a platform where users can discuss and share information on a variety of topics, including music production. There are even specific subreddits for topics like making EDM music, making hip-hop music, and more. Here are ways you can use Reddit and other forums to learn about music production:
- Participate in discussion threads: There are threads within forums that allow you to ask questions, get feedback on your music, and communicate with other music producers of all skill levels. If you are stuck trying to learn about specific music production topics, people within the forum will explain these topics in an easy-to-understand way. Some forums may even have something called a “megathread” that has some commonly asked questions the community asks with in-depth answers.
- Read and learn from others: Forums contain a large amount of information, and you can find many posts, articles, and tutorials on music production and related topics. High-quality posts will typically have higher upvotes, which means the community found the posts valuable. By reading and learning from these posts, you can expand your understanding of music production and pick up new tips and tricks that you would otherwise have missed out on.
- Share your own work: Sharing your own music production work on Reddit can be a great way to receive feedback and advice from other users. For example, they can give insight to your mixes and sound levels and can let you know whether the songs you’re making are interesting and unique. This instant feedback can help you identify areas for improvement and learn new techniques, and can also provide you with the motivation necessary to keep learning.
2. Watch Youtube Videos
If you are more of a visual learner, then YouTube is a resource you can use for learning music production for free. Here are some ways you can use YouTube to learn music production:
- Watch tutorials: There are many YouTube channels that will explain music production concepts. You can watch how experienced music producers mix, master, do sound design, and more. Watching these tutorials can help you learn new techniques, understand the music production process, and pick up new tips and tricks.
- Study music production sessions: Many music producers actually show the process they go through to create a track from start to finish. You can see the music samples they use, what they’re thinking about while working on the song, and how they arrange their music from beginning to end. Watching these sessions can give you unique insights you can use. You can even comment on these videos to ask questions and get responses from these music producers and other people.
- Stay up-to-date with the latest software and hardware: There are constant changes and updates to music production software and hardware, and YouTube will often explain these new developments and updates that you can watch to keep yourself up-to-date on industry trends.
3. Read Online Articles
Reading articles online is a great way to learn music production. Simply search for a question you have on a search engine like Google, and you’ll have access to thousands of articles from different websites that answer the questions you have. Reading these articles can help you understand complex concepts, learn new techniques, and pick up new tips and tricks. Keep in mind that certain websites will have better content than others, so you may have to do some digging to find these websites.
4. Watch streams on Twitch and YouTube
Streams are live video broadcasts you can watch on Twitch, Youtube, and other platforms. There are a few grammy-nominated music producers that live stream content such as their music production process. one example of a music producer that streams is Kenny Beats. Kenny Beats is a music producer known for collaborating with many artists and producing songs that get listened to thousands of times a month. He streams on Twitch and shares so many valuable insights into the music industry and production process.
Music production streamers can demonstrate their techniques, answer questions from viewers, and interact with their audience in real-time. This provides a valuable opportunity for music production enthusiasts to learn from experienced producers, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding of the music production process.
5. Subscribe to Newsletters
A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication you can receive via email, that provides information on a specific topic or industry. Newsletters can be a great way to learn music production for free. Here are a few ways you can use newsletters to learn music production:
- Receive expert advice and insights: Music production newsletters contain knowledge and expertise you can read on a consistent basis. Rather than doing constant searches to find information, you can have curated music production information sent straight to your inbox from experienced music producers.
- Stay up-to-date with industry news and trends: The music production industry is constantly changing, and newsletters can help you stay up to date about new trends.
6. Practice Using Reference Tracks
A reference track is a pre-existing recording that you can use as a point of comparison or inspiration while producing your own song. Using completed songs from music industry professionals as a reference is a fast and easy way to learn music production for free. Simply use a well-known song in your genre of choice, drag it into your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), and try to reproduce it. Reproducing it means copying the rhythms, chord progression, melodies, and sounds into your tracks. You can even use an EQ to isolate and hear certain frequencies better to make this process easier. You will learn so much about the arrangement, song structure, and mixing just by doing this over and over again.
7. Use Free Music Production Courses
You may be able to find music production courses on websites like Coursera to learn music production for free. These courses can be a great way to learn the basics of music production without spending any money. However, there are typically gaps in information with these courses, so you will have to do additional research to get a holistic understanding of music production concepts and techniques.
Is it possible to learn music production for free?
Yes, it is possible to completely learn music production for free. Because of how many numerous resources there are available online, nearly every music production topic you wanted to learn someone has created a free resource for. The only downside is the lack of structure that comes with learning music production on your own for free, as you will need to leverage multiple sources to get a full understanding of certain topics. However, with dedication and a willingness to learn, you gain a strong understanding of the music production process and improve your skills over time.