All 25 lessons.

One song, built a little at a time. Five parts. Take as long as you like.

  1. Before you start10 minutes, once

Start making sound

You finish with: FirstTrack_sketch.wav, a short sketch you can play someone.

  1. Make a sound you can reopen4 stepsA saved project that plays when you reopen it.
  2. Play a phrase with your hands4 stepsYour own three-note phrase, captured.
  3. Give your phrase an ending4 stepsA two-bar melody with a deliberate pause.
  4. Give the melody a pulse3 stepsA rhythm with one intentional accent.
  5. Finish your first miniature4 stepsFirstTrack_sketch.wav plays from beginning to end.

Build the musical core

You finish with: FirstTrack_instrumental.wav, a one-minute instrumental, and a backup of the project.

  1. Put chords under a tune3 stepsYour original melody, with two chords underneath.
  2. Write a bass response3 stepsA bass part that changes with the chords.
  3. Hear a different harmony3 stepsTwo versions compared; one choice kept.
  4. Make space around a phrase3 stepsOne chosen reverb sound.
  5. Finish a one-minute instrumental4 stepsFirstTrack_instrumental.wav and a project backup.

Find your sound

You finish with: A clear phrase for your lead, and a sound and a texture of your own.

  1. Hear how a synth begins3 stepsOne oscillator sound chosen by ear.
  2. Change how a note arrives3 stepsAn envelope that fits one phrase.
  3. Record a sound that suggests a place3 stepsOne original texture used for a reason.
  4. Let a texture appear and disappear3 stepsOne purposeful change over time.
  5. Give the lead something to say3 stepsA clear phrase for a vocal or instrumental lead.

Develop the performance

You finish with: FirstTrack_draft.wav, a complete draft of 90 seconds or more with a deliberate ending.

  1. Capture a performance3 stepsA dry vocal recording or a deliberately played instrumental phrase.
  2. Choose the delivery3 stepsOne version of your lead chosen for its expression.
  3. Clean the phrase edges3 stepsA lead phrase with clean starts, endings and timing.
  4. Let one instrument answer another3 stepsAn original response in a gap between lead phrases.
  5. Make a complete track draft3 stepsA complete 90-second or longer draft with a deliberate ending.

Finish your first track

You finish with: FirstTrack_final.wav, your first finished track, exported and backed up.

  1. Revise by subtraction3 stepsOne section improved by comparison.
  2. Settle the main performance3 stepsA better take or MIDI phrase where the track needs it.
  3. Export the track and separate parts3 stepsA complete rough WAV and aligned files for a future engineer.
  4. Check that the handoff works3 stepsYour exports line up and your engineer can use them.
  5. Listen to your first finished track3 stepsYour first complete original track, exported and backed up.

An hour when you can. One step in fifteen minutes when you can’t. Miss a week and nothing happens. Your place waits.

What finished means here: a complete song with a start, a middle and an ending, exported as a WAV you can play for someone. It won’t sound mixed like a record yet. That’s a different job.

The Library: videos and references for when a lesson isn’t enough.

One step counts.