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Write Chords, Melodies & Sketches with Control

 
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Find Your Voice in the Piano Roll

If you want to write stronger, more intentional music from scratch, this course is for you. 

Hi, I'm Avery. I've been writing in the piano roll since 2008. It's my favorite thing. I’d like to help make it yours, too.

My approach is simple:
Create from your heart. Use your brain as guardrails.

Over the years this has led to composing music that's been streamed millions of times, received 2 awards, and been used in thousands of commercial placements including with Major League Baseball, Volkswagen and KSHMR.

All of it starting in the piano roll, building from the frameworks I teach here.

The goal of this course:

1. Make music theory and composition click inside the piano roll.

2. Give you reusable frameworks to turn theory into emotive chords, melodies and sketches fast - without sounding like a theory robot. 

3. Show many examples so you can improve immediately.

Each lesson is built like a private lesson - conversational, clear, and actionable.

By the end, you'll have the confidence to open the piano roll and quickly build ideas that feel clear, emotive - and like you.

Guaranteed or your money back: If you don't feel noticeably faster and more connected to your own music after going through this course, just let me know. 

Always happy to chat if you have any questions.

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Lessons That Help You Actually Write Music

 

How do I compose & develop effective sketches?

A "sketch" is a clear musical idea. Learn what they look like, how to build them yourself - and how to use "sketching" as the ultimate practice routine. This is a key foundation to writing music with control.

How do I "hear" rhythm & groove in the piano roll?

Rhythm is the first thing that makes your music feel grounded and alive. Learn the parameters of rhythm, and how to craft grooves with more intention.

How do I write chord progressions that tell stories?

From catchy triads to lush extended chords to jazz-influenced movement. Learn piano roll music theory in a way that helps you write chord progressions easily - built on your emotions and storytelling.

How do I write melodies that are addictive and emotive?

Melody is the hero. Learn frameworks that help you write strong ones more easily and quickly, across scales & emotions.

How do I compose with the emotion of each "mode?"

Modes are where exciting musical colors are, used constantly in popular & soundtrack music. Learn how to hear the "special' emotion in each of them, and compose with it.

How do I write using orchestral VSTs?

From epic string ostinatos to intimate scenes. Learn simple frameworks that help unlock the power of the orchestra. The ideas will trickle down into everything you compose.

How do I design effective sounds in a synth?

Sound design is where electronic music comes alive. Learn sound design frameworks that helped me compose with electronic sounds much easier.

How do I properly analyze a reference track?

The secret to teaching yourself music - or creating in any style - is understanding how to analyze any track and pull away writing "guidelines." I'll show you how I do it.

Can I see how professional projects were built?

Here's where I'll take you inside real projects to show you how I've applied the concepts you've learned in real tracks.

What are ways to grow while staying authentic?

I'll share mindsets that led to winning awards as an indie artist, earning 6 figures from writing media music, and serving clients as a professional craftsperson.

Resources to Help You Compose

 

Purposeful Progressions MIDI pack

100+ organized MIDI progressions to start with strong, intentional feelings.

100+ Serum presets 

Versatile sounds to support clear composition... with a few oddballs for fun. Compatible with Serum 1 & Serum 2.

Start-to-finish process checklist

A step-by-step process to go from blank project to bounced, final production.

Chord progression database

A database to help catalog my favorite progressions and understand 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 

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Write stronger, more intentional music.
Feel more emotionally connected to each decision.

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  • Module 1: How to Build Effective Sketches
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  • All Modules: 180+ lessons
  • All Breakdowns: 20+ tracks
  • All Bonus Tools: MIDI, presets,
    process checklist & chord database
  • Direct message support: Answers
    to your questions

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30 Day Guarantee: Love it or your money back.
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Frequently Asked Questions

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The Full Curriculum

  1. WELCOME - THE GOAL OF THIS COURSE

    1 lesson
    1. Welcome - The Intention Behind This Course

  2. HOW TO BUILD EFFECTIVE SKETCHES

    4 lessons
    1. What is a Sketch & Elements of an Effective Sketch
    2. The Piano Sketch - An Unlimited Canvas
    3. Sketches in Other Instruments - Strings & Guitar
    4. Sketch to Production - Several Examples

  3. HOW TO DEVELOP A SKETCH

    2 lessons
    1. How to Take One Sketch Into Multiple "Worlds"
    2. Case Study: From Sketching to Exported Professional Track

  4. HOW TO HAVE PRODUCTIVE "SKETCH SESSIONS"

    6 lessons
    1. Sketch Sessions: Where Idea Generation Meets Practice
    2. Sketch Session: Going From a Voice Memo to Developed Sketch
    3. Sketch Session: Sketching to a Drum Loop
    4. Sketch Session: Setting a Target (EDM Melody Writing Example)
    5. Sketch Session: VST Practice (East Asia Example)
    6. Sketch Session: "Sketching" An Album (Epic Orchestral Hybrid Example)

  5. HOW TO FEEL RHYTHM & GROOVE IN THE PIANO ROLL

    2 lessons
    1. Rhythm Fundamentals & "Feeling" Groove
    2. Demonstrations of Common Grooves

  6. HOW TO BUILD CHORDS & "HEAR" SCALES

    5 lessons
    1. Chords In The Major Scale & Intro to Roman Numerals System
    2. Chords In The Minor Scale & Roman Numerals
    3. Major vs Minor: It's Just Perspective!
    4. How to Get the Chords In ANY Scale (Featuring Double Harmonic Minor Scale)
    5. How to "Hear" Emotion in Scales

  7. HOW TO WRITE CHORD PROGRESSIONS

    18 lessons
    1. Chord Progression Database
    2. Chords & Progressions PDF Lesson (The first chord lesson I ever made)
    3. How to Use Tonic, Subdominant & Dominant Functions
    4. Tip: Start from I vi or IV
    5. How to use "Substitute Chords"
    6. Substitute Chords In Action
    7. Writing Longer Progressions With Substitutes
    8. Writing Progressions In Minor
    9. Substitutions In Minor
    10. How To Use "Bass Inversions"
    11. How to Use Chord "Voicing" for Storytelling
    12. A Few Practical Voicings
    13. The Magic of I V vi IV
    14. The Magic of the i III VI VII
    15. "Diads" - How to Make Less into More
    16. STUDENT RECORDING: What are "passing chords?"
    17. Hooktheory
    18. Google Search for Chords

  8. HOW TO ADD COLOR WITH CHORD EXTENSIONS

    7 lessons
    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

  9. HOW TO EXPLORE THE MOODS OF 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

  10. HOW TO WRITE MELODIES

    14 lessons
    1. 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. How to write "Rhythm Melodies"
    6. How to Write Melodies on Chords
    7. How to Build "Ostinatos"
    8. How to Build "Arpeggios"
    9. How to Build "Riffs"
    10. 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)

  11. HOW TO CREATE ADVANCED CHORDS & JAZZ-INFLUENCED MOVEMENT

    12 lessons
    1. IMPORTANT NOTE BEFORE WE START
    2. Intro to Secondary Dominant Chords
    3. Secondary Dominants In Action
    4. The Most Common Secondary Dominant Major V in Minor Progressions
    5. Instant Soul - Minor 7 9 Major 7 9 Trick
    6. Tritone Substitution
    7. Passing Diminished Chords
    8. Augmented b9 Dominant Chords
    9. Comparing SD TS PD
    10. Soul Progressions
    11. Chords In 5 Levels
    12. Tweaking a I vi IV V

  12. HOW TO WRITE WITH ORCHESTRAL VSTS

    18 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 Frameworks

      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. Hans Zimmer - Time (Analysis & Transcription)
      12. STUDENT RECORDING: His MIDI Idea into Epic Orchestral

  13. HOW TO MAKE ESSENTIAL SOUNDS & SKETCHES IN SYNTHS

    38 lessons
    1. Quick Start Guide: Sketching with Synths (Example: Serum 2)
    2. MIDI From Sound Design 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

  14. HOW TO BUILD A TRACK INSPIRED BY A REFERENCE

    29 lesson
    1. Introduction: What We Will Make

    1. Planning & Reference Analysis

      1. How to Analyze a Reference Track
      2. Song Transcription in the Piano Roll
      3. Sourcing Presets
      4. Preparing Your Project
      5. How to Setup Custom Drum Kits - Splice Sample Picking

    2. Writing The Song

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

    3. Mixing / Mastering

      1. The 6 Mixing Tools
      2. Mixing the Arpeggios
      3. Mixing the Verse Chords
      4. Mixing the Verse Bass & Adjusting Everything Together
      5. Mixing the Verse Drums FX
      6. Checking the Output Level Before Mixing Farther
      7. Mixing the Drop Part 1
      8. Mixing the Drop Melody
      9. Mixing the 2nd Verse
      10. Prechorus Build Drop Mix Check
      11. Checking the Final Mix
      12. Mastering Part 1
      13. Mastering Part 2

  15. PROJECT BREAKDOWNS

    28 lessons
    1. Take It (Electronic Pop)
    2. Adventure Awaits (Epic Orchestral)
    3. All Around Us (Electronic Pop)
    4. Hydra (Rock Orchestral)
    5. Village Shop Theme (Intimate Orchestral)
    6. How To Write Melodic EDM Drops (Songwriting Framework from Sketch Session)
    7. Hero Emerges (Epic Orchestral)
    8. Inspiring Future (Epic Orchestral Hybrid)
    9. Tornado (EDM)
    10. Electronic Rock
    11. Universe (Electronic Pop)
    12. Devastation (Dark Epic Trailer Hybrid)
    13. Wurld (Epic Orchestral)
    14. Technology Electronic (Made for Stock Library)
    15. Epic Action Trailer (Made for Stock Library)
    16. Custom Music to a Brand Video (Fiverr Gig)
    17. Beat Your Meat (Custom Theme for Indie Game)
    18. 4 Trap Tracks for Sports (Made for Major League Baseball Network)
    19. Real To The Ends (Trap Beat)
    20. We Crush It (Electronic Beat made for Sports TV)
    21. Liftoff (Trap Electronic Pop)
    22. Dreaming (Electronic Pop with Vocal)
    23. Making a Dynamic Soundtrack (Above Ground vs Underwater, Same Theme)
    24. Voice Memo to Production: Melodic Cinematic Electronic
    25. Forever (Piano Buildup)
    26. Synthwave - Chord sketch to production concept
    27. Trance - Chord sketch to production concept
    28. Nudisco - Chord sketch to production concept

  16. HOW TO GROW WHILE STAYING AUTHENTIC

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