Deep Curriculum

1. WELCOME

   1 lesson

   1. Welcome - About this course

2. SKETCH TO PRODUCTION: The Foundation Everything Builds On

   3 lessons

   1. The Sketch to Production Workflow
   2. Sketch to Production: Several Examples
   3. Sketching in the Piano: Mindset + Examples

3. SKETCHING FUNDAMENTALS: How to Compose Good Sketches

   3 lessons

   1. Elements of an Effective Sketch
   2. Sketching in Strings & Guitar - Mindset + Examples
   3. Sketching with Synths - Mindset + Examples

4. SKETCH SESSIONS: The Art of Writing Endless Track Ideas

   6 lessons

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

5. THE FULL PROCESS: From Sketching to a Finished Track

   2 lessons

   1. Case Study: From Sketching to Final Track
   2. [DOWNLOAD] The Full Start-to-Finish Checklist

6. SCALES & RHYTHM: The "Source Code" of Everything

   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

7. CHORD PROGRESSIONS: Frameworks That Make Them Easy

   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

8. CHORD EXTENSIONS: Instant Emotional Color

   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. MODES: Explore New Words You've Been Looking For

   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. MELODIES: Different Types & Frameworks For Writing Them

    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. JAZZ FUNCTIONS: For the Courageous

    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. ORCHESTRAL WRITING: Put Your Orchestral VSTs to Work

    26 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)

    3. Orchestral Project Breakdowns

       1. Hero Emerges (Epic Orchestral)
       2. Hydra (Rock Orchestral)
       3. Inspiring Future (Epic Orchestral Hybrid)
       4. Epic Action Trailer (Made for Stock Library)
       5. Wurld (Epic Orchestral)
       6. Devastation (Dark Epic Trailer Hybrid)
       7. Village Shop Theme (Intimate Orchestral)
       8. Forever (Piano Buildup)
       9. Adventure Awaits (Epic Orchestral)

13. ELECTRONIC WRITING: Synths, Sound Design & Writing Frameworks

    51 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

    6. Electronic Track Breakdowns

       1. Take It (Electronic Pop)
       2. All Around Us (Electronic Pop)
       3. Tornado (EDM)
       4. How To Write Melodic EDM Drops (Songwriting Framework from Sketch Session)
       5. Universe (Electronic Pop)
       6. Technology Electronic (Made for Stock Library)
       7. Liftoff (Trap Electronic Pop)
       8. Trance - Chord sketch to production concept
       9. Synthwave - Chord sketch to production concept
       10. Electronic Rock
       11. Nudisco - Chord sketch to production concept
       12. Voice Memo to Production: Melodic Cinematic Electronic
       13. Dreaming (Electronic Pop with Vocal)

14. REFERENCE BUILDOUT: A Complete Process for How to Use a Reference Track

    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

15. BUSINESS: Mindsets and Strategies for Growing Yourself

    19 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

    1. Track Breakdowns

       1. Custom Music to a Brand Video (Fiverr Gig)
       2. Making a Dynamic Soundtrack (Above Ground vs Underwater, Same Theme)
       3. 4 Trap Tracks for Sports (Made for Major League Baseball Network)
       4. We Crush It (Electronic Beat made for Sports TV)
       5. Real To The Ends (Trap Beat)
       6. Beat Your Meat (Custom Theme for Indie Game)