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Chord Control:

Learn The Art of Sketching

Build the skills to write ideas fast, find your best ones, then turn them into finished tracks that feel like you.

No piano or previous theory required.

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For producers who:

  • Already know at least the basics of their DAW

  • Feel weak with music theory or composition in the piano roll

  • Can get trapped in circles while mixing, overcompensating for unclear writing

  • Want to be able to make lots of ideas quickly & find the ones that feel alive before touching the mix

  • Want to develop their overall musicianship inside the DAW

  • Want to feel like the mouse + piano roll is an instrument they can play

I made this course because sketching changed my life

I spent years trying to fix writing problems with mixing. I’d spend weeks going in circles swapping sounds and tweaking plugins.

The tracks got louder and cleaner, but they didn’t feel better. 80% of my energy was going into the polish instead of the core. It was exhausting.

One day I decided to try something different:
Instead of trying to force my first idea, I "sketched" lots of ideas and only let the ones I loved pull me forward into production.

It changed everything.

My ideas got better, my mixes got fuller (with less plugins), and finishing became easier - because I was starting from sketches that already felt alive.

Over time, this sketching practice helped me finish hundreds of tracks, feel confident in my writing, and build a career in music (MTV, Volkswagen, Major League Baseball, KSHMR).

I built this course to help you do the same: quickly sketch ideas, find your best ones, and turn them into full tracks that feel like you.

From there you can quietly experience the joy of sketching anytime - or share your work with the world, allowing it to attract the right people and opportunities into your life.

If you feel creatively stuck, overcompensating in the mix, or unintentional in your writing… it’s time to sketch.

You might find sketching becomes your favorite part of the whole process!

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Build the skills to sketch with speed & confidence

 

The sketch to production workflow

Learn how sketch-to-production works, and can improve your whole process as a high-level workflow.

Music theory in the piano roll

Learn practical theory to sketch chords, melodies & rhythms fast to find your best ideas. This is where the piano roll starts feeling like an instrument you can play.

Orchestral sketching

Take your sketches farther with orchestral composition techniques to bring a timeless foundation into your ideas.

Electronic sketching & sound design

Learn electronic sketching and sound design frameworks to quickly create strong sounds that support your sketches.

Reference track analysis

Learn to analyze any reference track and turn it into simple rules that guide your sketch-to-production process.

Professional project breakdowns

Learn from 20+ tracks I’ve finished, so you can see how sketches become full productions across genres and emotions.

Long-term growth mindsets

Learn mindsets to grow your craft, share your work, and align with followers and opportunities that are right for you.

Use the tools I built to help my own process

 

Purposeful Progressions MIDI pack

I made this organized pack to help start my sketches from clean & emotion-filled progressions.

100+ Serum presets 

Clear, simple sounds I made to support my sketching... with a few oddballs for fun. Compatible with Serum 1 & Serum 2.

Start-to-finish process checklist

I've refined this checklist based on the exact process that has helped me sketch and finish hundreds of tracks.

Chord progression database

I built this database to help me catalog all my favorite progressions, and the emotions inside them.

I can't recommend Avery's course enough.

He approaches chord building and producing concepts better than any other teacher I've found online.

In less than a couple months the money I invested has paid itself back in time saved and skill improvement. Less unsuccessful searching on YouTube, more writing and producing with intention.

If you wanna become a more confident and efficient writer & producer, Avery's your man.

Tyler Lombard, 

U.S. Billboard #1 and Platinum-selling Songwriter 

Start sketching now

Find your best ideas.
Turn them into finished tracks.
Bring more fun into your process.

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Enroll in the first module, 100% free.

  • The Art of Song Sketching
  • Universal Theory Fundamentals
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Unlock everything + updates

Everything to empower your sketching.
Payment plan available on checkout.

  • All 180+ lessons
  • All 20+ track breakdowns
  • All MIDI & presets
  • All cheatsheets
  • Lifetime access + updates
  • Message me questions
$197 - ENROLL IN FULL COURSE

Price may increase as more content is added. Buy today and get all updates for life.

Guarantee: Love it or get a refund within 30 days.
Questions: [email protected] 

Frequently asked questions

Got another question? Send an email: [email protected]

Join hundreds of producers transforming their process

 

All Modules

  1. WELCOME

    1 lesson
    1. Welcome! About me & why I made this course

  2. THE ART OF SONG SKETCHING

    1 lesson
    1. Sketch to Production Workflow

  3. UNIVERSAL THEORY FUNDAMENTALS

    7 lessons
    1. Chords In The Major Scale
    2. Chords In The Minor Scale
    3. Major vs Minor: It's Just Perspective!
    4. Chords In ANY Scale (Featuring Double Harmonic Minor Scale)
    5. How to "Hear" Emotion in Scales
    6. Rhythm Fundamentals & "Feeling" Groove
    7. Demonstrations of Common Grooves

  4. HOW TO WRITE CHORD PROGRESSIONS

    38 lesson
    1. Chord Progression Database

    1. How to Make Great Progressions That Work Across Genres

      1. Chords & Progressions PDF Lesson
      2. How to Use Tonic, Subdominant & Dominant Functions
      3. QIUCK TIP: Start from I vi or IV
      4. How to use "Substitute Chords"
      5. Substitute Chords In Action
      6. Writing Longer Progressions With Substitutes
      7. Writing Progressions In Minor
      8. Substitutions In Minor
      9. How To Use "Bass Inversions"
      10. How to Use Chord "Voicing" for Unlimited Expression
      11. A Few Practical Voicings
      12. The Magic of I V vi IV
      13. The Magic of the i III VI VII
      14. "Diads" - How to Make Less into More
      15. STUDENT RECORDING: What are "passing chords?"

    2. How to Add Color to your Chords with 7ths & Extensions

      1. Building 7th Chords
      2. Building Extended Chords
      3. Sharp and Flat Extended Chords
      4. Writing Progressions With 7th Extended and Suspended
      5. Playing on the Keyboard
      6. 7th and Extensions under an Ostinato Examples
      7. QUICK TIP: Sus Chords vs Add Chords

    3. Add a "Mature" Sound with Secondary Dominant Chords

      1. Intro to Secondary Dominant Chords
      2. Secondary Dominants In Action
      3. The Most Common Secondary Dominant Major V in Minor Progressions

    4. Writing "Advanced" Chords (Soul, Jazz, JPop, etc)

      1. IMPORTANT NOTE BEFORE WE START
      2. Instant Soul - Minor 7 9 Major 7 9 Trick
      3. Tritone Substitution
      4. Passing Diminished Chords
      5. Augmented b9 Dominant Chords
      6. Comparing SD TS PD
      7. Soul Progressions
      8. Chords In 5 Levels
      9. Tweaking a I vi IV V

    5. Extra Tips

      1. Hearing Chords Under a Vocal Sample
      2. Hooktheory
      3. Google Search for Chords

  5. HOW TO UNLOCK NEW WORLDS WITH MODES

    10 lessons
    1. Mode Chord Chart PDFs & Lesson
    2. Introduction to Modes
    3. Major vs Minor Modes
    4. Dorian
    5. Phrygian
    6. Lydian
    7. Mixolydian
    8. Locrian
    9. Modal Interchange
    10. Major Minor Interchange

  6. HOW TO WRITE GOOD MELODIES

    14 lessons
    1. USE THIS EVERYWHERE: Setup, Repeat, Vary, Destroy
    2. Magic of the Pentatonic Scale
    3. How to Hear the "Personality" of Notes
    4. STUDENT RECORDING: Emotion of Notes
    5. Framework: Rhythm Melodies
    6. Framework: Writing Melodies on Chords
    7. Framework: Building "Ostinatos"
    8. Framework: Building "Arpeggios"
    9. Framework: Building "Riffs"
    10. Framework: How to Evolve a Melodic Idea
    11. Live 10 Minute Sketch Mindset Walkthrough
    12. STUDENT RECORDING: Melody Critique & Writing with Intention
    13. STUDENT RECORDING: Demonstration to help see "chords" as "melodies"
    14. STUDENT RECORDING: "Sky Full of Stars" - Coldplay (Theory & Recomposition)

  7. ORCHESTRAL COMPOSITION FRAMEWORKS

    25 lessons

    1. Setting Up

      1. Recommended VSTs Sample Libraries
      2. Making Your Orchestral Template
      3. Navigating Sample Libraries Articulations
      4. Dealing with Delay in Instruments
      5. Using Modulation Expression
      6. Personality of Instruments

    2. Composition Techniques

      1. Orchestrating Chords The Power of Layering
      2. Orchestral Sketching
      3. Epic Ostinatos
      4. How to Compose Staccato String Momentum
      5. Creating Moods Setting Scenes with Chords Orchestration
      6. Ensemble vs Solo Sounds
      7. Solo Piano to Orchestrated Concept
      8. From Chords to Orchestration Demonstration
      9. Writing Orchestral Percussion Patterns
      10. Percussion Production Techniques
      11. STUDENT RECORDING: His MIDI Idea into Epic Orchestral

    3. Orchestral Song Breakdowns

      1. Hans Zimmer - Time
      2. Adventure Awaits [My Favorite]
      3. Game Village Shop Theme Sketch to Production
      4. Hero Emerges
      5. Rock Orchestral
      6. Wurld
      7. Inspiring Future
      8. Piano Buildup

  8. ELECTRONIC SOUND DESIGN & SONGWRITING FRAMEWORKS

    51 lesson
    1. MIDI From Lessons

    1. Every Button In Serum

      1. Intro to Sound Design with Serum
      2. The Oscillators & Wavetables
      3. The Filter Compressed
      4. Envelopes, LFOs & Modulation Basics
      5. The Voicing Parameters
      6. The Macros
      7. The Mod Modulator
      8. Pitch Bend
      9. The Velocity Note Modulators
      10. Overview of the FX

    2. Essential Chord Sound Design

      1. Supersaw
      2. Supersaw Stabs
      3. 3 Steps to Big EDM Chord Melodies
      4. Slow Closer
      5. Chord Wobblers
      6. Chord Pluckers
      7. Pads

    3. Essential Bass Design

      1. Basic House Basses
      2. Midtempo Cyberpunk Bass
      3. Organ +7 Bass
      4. Plucker Bass
      5. Reso Bass Lead
      6. The 808 Bass
      7. The Sub Bass
      8. The Reese Bass
      9. The Pluck Bass
      10. Electro Slap House Bass
      11. Aggressive Bass FM

    4. Essential Lead Design

      1. Arp Plucks
      2. Pluck Leads
      3. Sync Lead
      4. Supersaw Lead
      5. Sandstorm Lead
      6. Pitch Cycler Lead

    5. Essential FX Design

      1. Tonal Risers
      2. Noise Risers

    6. Electronic Song Breakdowns & Frameworks

      1. EDM Sketch to Polished Idea Step by Step
      2. Electronic Pop Arranagement Formula
      3. Take It [Electro Pop]
      4. Tornado [EDM]
      5. All Around Us [Electro Pop]
      6. Universe Breakdown [Electro Pop]
      7. Liftoff [Electro Trap Pop]
      8. Electronic Rock Breakdown
      9. Dreaming [Electro Pop w Vocal]
      10. How To Write Melodic EDM Drops [EDM]
      11. Sketch to Production: Melodic Cinematic EDM
      12. Trance - Chord sketch to production concept
      13. Synthwave - Chord sketch to production concept
      14. Nudisco - Chord sketch to production concept

  9. FULL WORKFLOW: FROM REFERENCE TO FINISH

    29 lesson
    1. Introduction: What We Will Make

    1. Before You Start

      1. 1. How to Analyze a Reference Track
      2. 2. Song Recomposition
      3. 2.5 Sourcing Good Presets
      4. 3. Preparing Your Project
      5. 3.5 How to Setup Custom Drum Kits - Splice Sample Picking

    2. Writing The Song

      1. 4. Writing Our Verse
      2. 5. Writing our Prechorus Buildup
      3. 6. Writing the Drop Chords (read description)
      4. 7. Writing our Drop Melody
      5. 8. Refining the Drop Melody
      6. 9. Adding Sidechain Compression to Drop
      7. 10. Writing our 2nd Verse
      8. 11. Writing the 2nd Prechorus Buildup Drop
      9. 12. Writing our Outro
      10. 13. Full Sketch Listen Through Small Adjustment

    3. Mixing / Mastering

      1. 14. The 6 Mixing Tools
      2. 15. Mixing the Arpeggios
      3. 16. Mixing the Verse Chords
      4. 17. Mixing the Verse Bass Adjusting Everything Together
      5. 18. Mixing the Verse Drums FX
      6. 19. Checking the Output Level before Mixing Farther
      7. 20. Mixing the Drop Part 1
      8. 21. Mixing the Drop Melody
      9. 22. Mixing the 2nd Verse
      10. 23. Prechorus Build Drop Mix Check
      11. 24. Checking the Final Mix
      12. 25. Mastering Part 1
      13. 26. Mastering Part 2

  10. LONG-GAME AUTHENTIC GROWTH

    12 lessons
    1. How To Get Good: Everything In One Video
    2. The 3 Step "Inevitable Success" Plan
    3. Mindsets that Help Me Stay Consistent Over Years
    4. What is a "Professional" Song?
    5. STUDENT RECORDING: Philosophy of being a creator & the "3 Buckets" to categorize each song into
    6. Active vs Passive Income
    7. How to Get Work: The Big Picture
    8. Growing your "Authentic Opportunity Network"
    9. Production Music Libraries - How to Get Your Music Into TV, Film & Advertising
    10. Licensing a song for 1,200 - Email Exchange with Music Production House
    11. Intro to Performance Rights Organizations
    12. Reaching Millions through Stock Music - Avery Berman Interview

  11. BONUS PROJECT BREAKDOWNS

    10 lessons
    1. Custom Music [Brand Commercial Music Breakdown]
    2. Beat Your Meat [Video Game Theme Breakdown]
    3. Devastation [Dark Orchestral Electronic]
    4. Trap [Made for Major League Baseball Network]
    5. Real To The Ends [Trap]
    6. We Crush It [Made for Sports]
    7. Technology [Made for Corporate & Advertising Stock Use]
    8. Action Trailer [Made for Sports & Promo]
    9. Above Ground vs Underwater Theme [Dynamic Soundtrack]
    10. STUDENT RECORDING: Breaking down 2 stock track arrangements & big picture composition mindsets