Sketch to Production Course:

Unlock Your Voice In The Piano Roll

Learn music theory to compose from scratch & workflows to finish your ideas into full tracks.

Join hundreds of students - from beginners to working professionals.

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All my lessons in one optimized experience.


This mega-course is all 3 of my music composition & production courses in one optimized experience. It also has extra lessons on the mindset for growing a career in the social media age.

These lessons were built from 10+ years of daily work as a freelance music composer, writing music for libraries, brands, artists and my own releases. (KSHMR, Major League Baseball, Volkswagen

It is for composers / producers who take the craft seriously, and want to build a complete skillset for making music from scratch with nothing but your mouse, keyboard, and DAW.

I can't recommend Avery's course enough

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

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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Full Curriculum

  1. WELCOME!

    1 lesson
    1. Start Here - The music production order of importance
  2. THE SKETCH TO PRODUCTION WORKFLOW

    2 lessons
    1. The Sketch to Production Workflow
    2. Sketch to Production - Several Examples
  3. MUSIC THEORY FUNDAMENTALS

    6 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
    6. Rhythm Fundamentals & "Feeling" Groove
  4. HOW TO WRITE GOOD SKETCHES & PRACTICE

    6 lessons
    1. Elements of an Effective Sketch
    2. Sketching in the Piano - Mindset + Several Examples
    3. Sketching in Strings & Guitar - Mindset + Several Examples
    4. Sketching with a Synth - Mindset + Several Examples
    5. Sketch Sessions - Where Idea Generation Meets Practice
    6. Sketch Session to a Drum Loop - How to Practice Idea Generation
  5. CASE STUDY: SKETCH TO FINISHED PROFESSIONAL TRACK

    2 lessons
    1. THE STEP-BY-STEP CREATIVE PROCESS: From Sketching to Exported Professional Track
    2. THE TRACK-FINISHING CHECKLIST: Every step from sketch to finished track
  6. HOW TO WRITE CHORD PROGRESSIONS

    17 lessons
    1. [DOWNLOADS] 100+ MIDI chord progressions + chord progression database
    2. How to Use Tonic, Subdominant & Dominant Functions
    3. 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 Storytelling
    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?"
    16. Hooktheory
    17. Google Search for Chords
  7. HOW TO ADD EMOTIONAL COLOR WITH 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
  8. HOW TO COMPOSE 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
  9. 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)
  10. HOW TO USE "JAZZ THEORY" TO WRITE COMPLEX PROGRESSIONS

    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
  11. HOW TO COMPOSE WITH ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS

    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
  12. HOW TO COMPOSE WITH SYNTHS & DESIGN ESSENTIAL SOUNDS

    38 lessons
    1. [Download] Serum Presets
    2. [Download] 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
  13. HOW TO BUILD A TRACK INSPIRED BY A REFERENCE

    29 lessons
    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
  14. GO INSIDE PROJECTS

    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
  15. BEING A PROFESSIONAL

    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
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