DUBSPOT - Any help here?

[KONTRA]

hey guys, I've been looking for a good school to go to that focuses primarily on music production within the EDM scene (mainly dubstep and electrohouse), because from what I've seen and heard, it's kind of a waste to get a degree in a music if you're looking to focus on a particular type or genre of music; in my case as i said, dubstep & electrohouse.

Then I found Dubspot in NYC, it seems like a place that i could take some really useful knowledge from that i could apply to whatever i do musically but more so with EDM genres. I was curious if anyone had gone to Dubspot or taken any of their online courses and could give me some feedback about the "Curriculum" there. I don't wanna waste time and money on something that could easily be self taught, but I'm looking to get into music production as a legitimate career and I wanna know as much as I can.

The course's I was lookin at taking was the Mixing & Mastering course & the Ableton Live Producer Certificate Program

In the Mixing & Mastering course there's three levels:

1. you learn EQing, Compression, Panning, Level Balancing, and reverb.

2. you learn routing, gain structure, delay, chorus, phase & flange, and automation.

3. you learn harmonic distortion, metering, referencing, mid & side, mastering.

and in the Ableton program, you learn everything about ableton and how to actually work with and produce using it.

Also, I've been learning music theory for about a week now and i have a good, but basic understanding; I've also started learning the basics of sound design and how a synthesizer actually works and I've already picked up alot of useful stuff from DSF too. So would I be wasting my time going there or saving myself time (in the long run)?

Sorry if this seems like a "noob" question, but I AM a noob!

I just wanna take the right steps to get where I wanna be; on stage, blastin the filthiest shit to thousands of people having the time of their fuckin lives!

[frizzwah]

blastin the filthiest shit

[knell]

Hi!

1. Go here
2. Then here
3. and then go here and here
4. Don't pay any school to learn how to "blast filthy shit", especially not one named Dubspot.
5. All your time not spent producing, should be practicing DJing/networking with promoters/becoming friends with other DJs & club owners
6. Good luck.

[wormcode]

Yeah it's all easily self taught. Schooling isn't needed for electrohouse stuff haha. If you really want, try the much cheaper Point Blank videos, but all the info is free online. Do not pay money if that's all you want to do. If you want to learn more theory, take some piano lessons.

[finji]

[KONTRA]

Hi!

1. Go here
2. Then here
3. and then go here and here
4. Don't pay any school to learn how to "blast filthy shit", especially not one named Dubspot.
5. All your time not spent producing, should be practicing DJing/networking with promoters/becoming friends with other DJs & club owners
6. Good luck.

Yeah it's all easily self taught. Schooling isn't needed for electrohouse stuff haha. If you really want, try the much cheaper Point Blank videos, but all the info is free online. Do not pay money if that's all you want to do. If you want to learn more theory, take some piano lessons.

Thanks for the pointers! Much appreciated.

[nowaysj]

And a rockstar was born.

[Earjax]

Haha this thread is jokes Seriously the only thing any producer will tell you is that you need to do some serious learning and master your craft before committing to trying to make it. Its not just something someone can "teach" it takes years and years of practice, its like playing an instrument, you wouldn't go to uni to study piano if you don't know whether your good at piano or not would you? However admittedly I am in sorta the same position as you, I am wondering whether to go to a uni/course related to production but I'm not sure whether there's a right course for me or whether I'm gonna keep improving If you really are serious, (I'm assuming you're UK based) these guys do the best courses I could find http://www.acm.ac.uk/ I have a friend there who is currently studying with zomboy and he says its good but only really because of the hours you are regimented into doing production and the huge amounts of hardware and software available to you

[Sharmaji]

dubspot's great. I know lots of folks who've taught there/teach there, and i've worked with lots of musicians from a performance background who've taken production classes there-- for lots of people, espeically working musicians, it doesn't make a lot of sense to sit down and painstakingly learn software when you can just have someone teach it to you so you can get the ball rolling that much faster.

I taught a 2-day intensive workshop there back in '09 and was really impressed by the place.

[bustadoug]

Dubspot is LEGIT! Watch their YouTube tutes. Not sure about pricing but if you can afford it you should.

[KONTRA]

Haha this thread is jokes Seriously the only thing any producer will tell you is that you need to do some serious learning and master your craft before committing to trying to make it. Its not just something someone can "teach" it takes years and years of practice, its like playing an instrument, you wouldn't go to uni to study piano if you don't know whether your good at piano or not would you? However admittedly I am in sorta the same position as you, I am wondering whether to go to a uni/course related to production but I'm not sure whether there's a right course for me or whether I'm gonna keep improving If you really are serious, (I'm assuming you're UK based) these guys do the best courses I could find http://www.acm.ac.uk/ I have a friend there who is currently studying with zomboy and he says its good but only really because of the hours you are regimented into doing production and the huge amounts of hardware and software available to you

dubspot's great. I know lots of folks who've taught there/teach there, and i've worked with lots of musicians from a performance background who've taken production classes there-- for lots of people, espeically working musicians, it doesn't make a lot of sense to sit down and painstakingly learn software when you can just have someone teach it to you so you can get the ball rolling that much faster.

I taught a 2-day intensive workshop there back in '09 and was really impressed by the place.

@Earjax: Um, i'm not quite sure how to take you're post as helpful or rude, but if you can't tell by the name of the thread "serious learning" is exactly what I'm trying do I just don't know where to start. I openly admitted that right now, i am a "noob" and do have very limited knowledge of pretty much everything on the technical side of music production, this is COMPLETELY new to me. I played guitar for a few years before I even knew what EDM was and I'm a pretty good guitarist, but if ya asked me to tell ya what i was actually playing musically i wouldn't have been able to tell you. I'm only 17 and my only regret is not learning music theory earlier, but some how I ALWAYS knew I wanted to do something music. and actually, I'm not UK based (I wish though) I'm from the US. but that's pretty cool that you're friend goes to the same place zomboy does, I showed everyone around my area zomboy like 10 mins after the Game Time EP dropped on beatport! lol

@Sharmaji: Thanks for clearing that up man! I've been checkin them out for a few monthes, but i can't make up my mind up cause i feel like i'll miss out on a better opportunity or something. I know some good tutors teach there like DJ Endo and DJ Shifty and from what ive seen of the classes its pretty good setup.

[Earjax]

Okay sorry if I sounded rude, I just feel like you really don't know what your getting yourself into If you want to learn production get some software now and start learning. Don't spend tons of money on a course until your sure this is what your gonna do and be successful in, in life. As I said I'm in the same position as you, but I've been practicing solidly for probably 2-4 hours a day at least for a year and I'm only just starting to make decent tunes. I don't know of any producer who's been 'taught' production either. I do understand that you want to make music for a living as well, hell anyone can understand that, but the thing is the music business is an elitist business by nature, if you don't have talent, you won't make it. I'm the same age as you and by all means I haven't even started to make it yet, but I have plans for if it doesn't work out and at least I have something to go on which is the tuens I've been making recently and getting some good feedback on

[Sexual_Chocolate]

dubspot are fairly good at what they do.... dunno why people seem to think they arent legit

[VirtualMark]

Of course production can be taught! Just like any other subject in the universe. They'll be able to teach you a wide range of things, from the software you'll be using, musical composition and arrangement, sound design, loads of stuff. I don't know why anyone would say that production can't be taught. Of course you won't become a great artist just from a few lessons, you'll need to put in a lot of time on your own stuff. But i'd imagine that spending time at a place like that would give you a great head start, if you're willing to fork out the cash.

I've thought about doing a few months at Dubspot or Point Blank before. I'm not sure if it would help me that much now, as i've been studying for over a year solid. Literally been on it everyday and know the basics so i imagine i'd get bored when someone start explaining filters and harmonics. For someone starting out tho, or wanting to learn a new piece of software fast, its probably ideal.

They've put out a lot of tutorials for free on youtube, maybe watch a few and see what you think. I have to say i was less than impressed with the latest one - the guy 'reverse engineers' a hoover bass, even points out that there's a wikipedia entry on it. I was compelled to comment, as its hardly reverse engineering when you already know how to make a widely popular sound. Some of their other vids are good tho, helped me a lot in the past.

[DrSpliff]

I'd say it depends on your level of wealth. If money isn't an issue, then go for it - it can only bring positive results if you're still a noob. Otherwise, the internet will sort you out fine.

[Earjax]

Agreed^, also I'd just like to add that I'd love for you to prove me wrong on this and make it, problem is, everyone wants to make it

[VirtualMark]

Yeah i gotta admit, the price is the main thing that put me off. I was thinking of doing the full course, its about ten grand. Add to that a trip to New York, accommodation for a year, flights etc, we're talking 20 grand easy. Would probably be a great experience, but i'm not sure the benefit would have been worth the cost.

[sunny_b_uk]

well im not gona steer away and say go for it just because 1 person here said its legit, il honestly tell you that you will learn most things by making practical use of every feature you can of your DAW & by reading the manual too. back when there was no youtube etc this is how i learnt and i felt it was good just digging in deep and learning what u can by clicking around. at the same time there are SOME useful things on youtube, so spend some time on there but mainly focus on exploring your DAW as much as you can!

[KONTRA]

Thanks for all the helpful responses guys! And I get what you're sayin Earjax, I appreciate the honesty though man! And I have been puttin in ALOT of time since even before i started actually learning music theory, music is all I do and all I wanna do anymore since most of my old friends do nothin but heroin anymore I don't hang out with anyone really besides my girlfriend which means all I do, is smoke bud, fuck, and make music! haha Trust me though, a lack of passion, dedication, and commitment is NOT the issue here; I KNOW this is what I want, dubstep and EDM in general just give me "that feeling" that i guess everyone gets when they hear their favorite song or band, THAT feeling is the same with me except it's about the culture as a whole instead of just a band/artist or song. And I know everyone wants to make it now unfortunately and its gettin easier and easier nowadays for no talentless asses to ruin the genre and movement thats why I wanna learn all I can now so I don't come across like that and get my flow and style on point before i release anything and then from there its pure creativity pouring out of me. I know this is gonna take a minimum of a couple years, and i'm okay with that this is what my life is gonna be anyways so might as well get used to it now! lol And the reason dubspot is expensive also is because of who some of the tutors who teach there are (DJ Endo & DJ Shiftee to name a couple). It seems the more i look into everything myself and the further I explore the endless amount of useful information on DSF though, it seems like between the production bible, the huge guide to producing dubstep, and the money shot thread along with a few other various videos and tutorials around the net i could learn most of what i would have learned at dubspot on my own.

Like I said though, thanks for all help, tips and direction you guys are pointing me in, it means alot to know other people feel the same way about this music as I do considering I showed my whole area Dubstep, DnB, Drumstep etc. and most people around here love it, but not like i do and everyone thinks im crazy cause all I do is play music and talk about it and breakdown songs and ughh...why can't people where i live have better taste and realize that Skrillex isn't a band nor, the only dubstep artist?

[Alistairr]

what the fuck is drumstep...