Recording and Producing Music for Beginners

This hands-on music production for beginners course will teach you how to record and produce music at home. You will learn how to record with a microphone, at the appropriate levels, into a digital audio workstation (DAW) and use that software to build and shape what you record into great-sounding music.

You will develop a solid understanding of the basic features of a DAW so that you can create tracks using functions such as solo, mute, record enable, monitor, and fader. You will also learn to edit tracks using quantize settings and take advantage of audio and MIDI loops.

This course explores how to use effects plug-ins and mix your tracks using panning, EQ, and reverb to heighten the quality of the sound of your music. Within four weeks, you will be able to showcase your skills with a multi-track recording and mix that applies all that you learned in this online music production course.

What you will learn:

✔ Use the basic features of a DAW, such as inputs/outputs, inspector, edit window, zones, mixer, region, toolbar, tempo, and ruler bar
✔ Set up to record with a microphone with proper mic levels
✔ Demonstrate signal flow and the proper connections
✔ Record tracks using functions such as solo, mute, record enable, monitor, and fader
✔ Quantize and perform other editing on tracks
✔ Use audio and MIDI loops
✔ Mix tracks using panning, EQ, and reverb
✔ Create a multi-track recording and mix

Next Session

July 14 - Aug. 10, 2025

Teen and adult sections

VIEW ALL DATES

Tuition

$299

Ages

Teens: Grades 6-12

Adult Learners: 18+

Receive expert guidance
Learn from world-class faculty who provide personalized feedback

Learn at your own pace
Explore engaging video content and meaningful instruction

Meet your instructor and classmates
Join an optional weekly class to connect with other artists in real-time

Practice and create
Strengthen your craft over four weeks as you develop creative projects

Find collaborators
Collaborate on your projects—or just for fun—in direct messages and group chats

Computer or mobile device with Internet and camera. Internet speed must be at least 1.5Mbps download and 800Kbps upload. For students using a mobile device, download the Canvas mobile app and select “Interlochen Online” as your school. Make sure your computer is compatible with your DAW (see Cubase Pro requirements).
Digital Audio Workstation software. The trial version of Cubase Pro is recommended. (Note: The trial version is good for 60 days, so make sure you install it at the start of the course.)
Audio interface (Recommendation: Focusrite Scarlett Series)
Wired headphones for the audio interface
Recording microphone
(Optional) Two studio monitor speakers (Recommendations: Yamaha HS5, Behringer Truth B2031A)
(Optional) The Singer-Songwriter’s Guide to Recording in the Home Studio

No, course sections are designed for their respective age groups, either for adults (students 18 and older) or young people (students under 18).

Yes, there are eight sessions of courses per year. View the academic calendar for more session dates.

Interlochen Online certificate This is one of three courses needed to complete the:
• Songwriting and Production Fundamentals certificate program
• Music Production certificate program

Our online arts certificate programs are perfect for...

✔ Adults looking to boost their creative résumé and LinkedIn profile

✔ Teens who want to earn high school credit for their passion

Upon completion of the program, you will receive a physical certificate and a shareable digital certificate. Certificates for students under 18 are accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS); high school-age students will also receive an official transcript to share with their current school for consideration for high school credit.

Meet the Faculty

Shane Adams

Instructor of Singer-Songwriter

Students who enrolled in music production courses rated their experience 4.7 out of 5.

“I have LOVED this course so much. I will definitely enroll myself again. I have learnt so much and my teacher was incredible. I also got a chance to hear other musicians' life stories which was my favorite part.”