Bandlab - A Comprehensive Beginners Course 2025

Over 45 guided sessions and 9+ hours of content, this course includes downloadable PDFs! Make the most of this FREE DAW!

What you'll learn

Essential Music recording and production skills

The Bandlab Interface and Social Platform

Rhythm Theory & MIDI Drum production

Explore & Use Drum Machine and rhythmic theory

Record and edit audio using Bandlab’s Sampler

Understand and use virtual instruments

Harmonic Theory and chords in composition

Melodic Theory and use in Composition

MIDI editing techniques

Importing and exporting MIDI

Audio editing techniques

The Bandlab Sounds library and copyright

Importing and exporting audio samples

Microphone Types, properties and uses

Audio interfaces for use with Bandlab

Recording analogue audio (external sound)

Mixer functions and mixing techniques

Effects Racks and chains

Distortion and Saturation Effects

Timebased and Modulation Effects

Dynamic and Tonal Effects

Arranging and structuring music

Exporting, publishing and Forking a finished song.

Collaboration Opportunities & Techniques in Bandlab

Requirements

Mac or PC Computer

Headphones

Microphone (optional)

Audio Interface (optional)

Description

Unleash your creativity – no experience or fancy gear required! Bandlab is one of the most accessible and inspiring music creation tools ever made, and it’s completely free and operates in the ‘cloud’! Whether you're 9 or 90 years of age, whether you’ve never touched an instrument or you're already full of musical ideas, this course is your friendly guide into the world of songwriting, beat-making, and music production. With a WIFI connection you can create music anywhere, anytime, just login, load up a song and go!You don’t need a studio. You don’t need expensive equipment. And you certainly don’t need to read music or know music theory to get started. Bandlab puts a whole recording studio right in front of you, with intuitive controls and pro-level features that make it both powerful and fun.In this hands-on course, you’ll be guided through over 45+ practical and inspiring sessions (with more than 9 hours of content), carefully designed to help you go from absolute beginner to confident music creator. Whether you want to create beats, write songs, compose for film, or simply express yourself through sound individually or as part of a live collaboration or group, Bandlab can help you make it happen.This course includes step-by-step video tutorials (9+ hours total). Over 45 guided sessions to build your skills and confidence. Downloadable PDFs for offline reference. Real-time demos so you can see and hear exactly what’s happening and a welcoming learning environment, no pressure or jargon. The most inspiring thing about Bandlab is the collaboration aspect via it’s social media platform where you can find collaborators, session musicians and even form a group! Plus, if you are a school or teacher using Bandlab Education creates a ‘walled garden’ classroom where you are in total control of students, assignment projects and assessment.This course is perfect for absolute beginners, creative kids, curious adults & teachers, or even experienced musicians who want to sketch ideas on the go or work with others around the world. By the end, you’ll not only know how to use Bandlab, but you’ll also have the skills and confidence to start creating the kind of music you want to make.Important tip: For the best experience, please use headphones or good-quality speakers. 

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 About Your Tutor

Lecture 2 Welcome to the course

Section 2: Creating Accounts and a first look at the Bandlab Interface

Lecture 3 Session 1 - Creating a Bandlab Account

Lecture 4 Session 1.1 - Create a Class on Bandlab Education

Lecture 5 Session 1.2 - Create a Student Account on Bandlab Education

Lecture 6 Session 2 - Bandlab First Look Tour

Section 3: Rhythm Composition and Theory

Lecture 7 Session 3 - Bandlab Drum Machine

Lecture 8 Session 3.1 - Saving & Recalling a Project

Lecture 9 Session 3.2 - Task 1 - Create Your First Drum Beat

Section 4: MIDI & Virtual Instruments

Lecture 10 Session 4 - Virtual (MIDI) Instruments

Lecture 11 Session 4.1 - Virtual (MIDI) Instrument Recording

Lecture 12 Session 4.2 - MIDI Controllers

Section 5: Harmony Composition & Theory

Lecture 13 Session 5 - Harmony with Virtual Instruments

Lecture 14 Session 5.1 - Task 2 Create a Chord Progression

Section 6: Melody Composition & Theory

Lecture 15 Session 6 - Melody with Virtual Instruments

Lecture 16 Session 6.1 - Overdubbing MIDI Notation

Lecture 17 Session 6.2 - Melody Task

Section 7: Editing & Import / Exporting MIDI files

Lecture 18 Session 7 - Region Editing & Menu Functions

Lecture 19 Session 7.1 - Exporting & Importing MIDI Files

Section 8: Bandlab Sounds & Audio

Lecture 20 Session 8 - Bandlab Sounds Audio Library

Lecture 21 Session 8.1 - Bandlab Sounds Assistant

Lecture 22 Session 8.2 - Audio Import & Audio Stretch

Lecture 23 Session 8.3 - Audio Pitch Shifting

Section 9: Setting up For External Audio Recording

Lecture 24 Session 9 - External Recording Setup

Lecture 25 Session 9.1 - Audio Interfaces

Lecture 26 Session 9.2 - Microphones

Lecture 27 Session 9.3 - Audio AutoPitch

Section 10: Recording & Editing Audio in Bandlab

Lecture 28 Session 10 - Recording with Condenser Microphones

Lecture 29 Session 10.1 - Recording with Dynamic Microphones

Lecture 30 Session 10.2 - Audio Editing Techniques

Section 11: Bandlab Sampler

Lecture 31 Session 11 - Bandlab Sampler Instrument PT1

Lecture 32 Session 11.1 - Bandlab Sampler PT2 (Recording)

Section 12: Effects Processing in Bandlab

Lecture 33 Session 12 - Effects Processing Overview

Lecture 34 Session 12.1 - Distortion & Saturation Effects

Lecture 35 Session 12.2 - Reverb & Delay Effects

Lecture 36 Session 12.3 - Modulation Effects

Lecture 37 Session 12.4 - Dynamic Effects

Lecture 38 Session 12.5 - Tonal Effects

Lecture 39 Session 12.6 - Effect Processing Task

Section 13: MIDI Mapping & Automation

Lecture 40 Session 13 - MIDI Mapping

Lecture 41 Session 13.1 - Automation in Bandlab

Section 14: Structure & Arrangment Techniques

Lecture 42 Session 14 - Structure & Arrangement

Section 15: Mixing & Exporting Your Song

Lecture 43 Session 15 - Mixing Techniques

Lecture 44 Session 16 - Exporting a Project

Lecture 45 Session 16.1 - Exporting Tracks (Stems)

Section 16: Collaborating, Publishing & Forking you song

Lecture 46 Session 17 - Publishing & Forking a Project

Lecture 47 Session 17.1 - Collaboration in Bandlab

Total beginners in Music composition and production,Intermediates who may have missed essential skills along the way.,Teachers and schools interested in delivering low cost quality Music Technology.