I’m always on the lookout for good tutorials. A lot of folks get set up with software like Logic Pro or Cakewalk Sonar and twiddle around a bit, and even a moderately talented person can come up with some great sounds. But, to really get to know your instrument well (that’s really what a DAW like Logic Pro is, an instrument), you need to either read the manuals (Logic Pro comes with over a thousand pages worth of manual!) or use video tutorials.

Nothing beats a well done video tutorial in my book. When you can actually watch a person using the software, see where they click, watch the song unfold in front of you, and follow along, that’s where you really learn something.

Sonic Academy has a great series on making music with Logic Pro 8:

Music Production Using Logic Pro 8

The modules, listed below, are very reasonably priced at US$6.55 (£3.99), or you can get the whole set for US$57.42 (£34.99).

Module 1: Creating a Drum Beat—make a dance drum beat using Logic’s Ultra Beat
Module 2: Creating a Bassline—construct a bassline using the ES2 Synthesizer
Module 3: Creating a Synth Lead Line—produce a synth lead line using the ES2 Synthesizer
Module 4: Creating Synth Sweeps—create filtered synth sweeps with the ES2 Synthesizer
Module 5: Time-Stretching & Stabs—how to time-stretch drum loops and & cutting up vocal samples
Module 6: Mixing—mixing track levels and using effects
Module 7: Arranging—arranging techniques used to assemble your loops into a full tune
Module 8: Automation—using Automation to make a more dynamic arrangement
Module 9: The Final Mix—final mixing, fills, effects and rendering

Visit Sonic Academy Now

Now that I’ve gone and shown you how to spend almost $15,000 on a single synthesizer, how about I go in the other direction and give you a link to KVR, where they show you how to build a free software-based studio. Remember, free means the software, not the PC you already have, or will buy.:)

Click to View the Tutorial

Don’t know what MIDI and synthesis is all about? Don’t know the difference between an oscillator and a filter, a ring modulator and a flanger? Then check out this very handy tutorial from Harmony Central.

Harmony Central’s Tutorial on MIDI and Music Synthesis

Easy to read and understand, with illustrations, this is a great place to get the background technical info you need to build your illustrious electronic music career on.

Cliff Truesdell presents a great tutorial on analog synthesis using Subtractor, a synth that’s included in Reason.

If you enjoyed the videos, head on over and grab Cliff Truesdell’s book, Mastering Digital Audio Production: The Professional Music Workflow with Mac OS X: