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IU's "The Winning" and H.E.R. 2024 World Tour

February 24, 2024

IU, South Korea's beloved singer-songwriter and actress, has once again captivated the hearts of fans worldwide with the release of her sixth mini-album, "The Winning."

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The 2024 Oscar Best Original Score Nominees: A Symphony of Talent and Legacy

February 21, 2024

The race for the Best Original Score at the 96th Academy Awards is diverse and compelling to say the least. This year's nominees have painted aural landscapes that are integral to the success of....

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Mariah Carey Masterclass Review: Vocal Production

February 19, 2024

The Mariah Carey Masterclass, aptly titled "The Voice as an Instrument," promises an intimate look into the artistry behind the iconic singer and songwriter's success. Mariah Carey begins the class...

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Shakira Unveils 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran': A Beacon of Empowerment and Personal Rebirth

February 16, 2024

In an era where the global music landscape continually evolves, few artists have managed to redefine their musical and personal journey as profoundly as Shakira. With the announcement of her...

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The Impact of Spotify's New Royalties Model on Music Creators

February 12, 2024

Spotify's upcoming overhaul of its royalties model marks a significant shift in the way the streaming giant compensates artists, aiming to funnel more earnings towards more popular artists, labels...

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How Tracy Chapman Wrote Fast Car

February 9, 2024

Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" is not just a song; it's a cultural phenomenon that transcends its initial release. Its ascent to global acclaim was catalyzed by a pivotal moment: Nelson Mandela's 70th...

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How Tyla's "Water" is Making a Splash in the U.S. African Music Craze

January 29, 2024

‍The U.S. music scene has been captivated by the African music craze, and at the forefront is Tyla, a young South African singer whose song "Water" has taken the world by storm...

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Understanding Music Publishing for Music Creators

January 28, 2024

Understanding music publishing is crucial for artists looking to make their music a viable long-term career. This comprehensive guide explores the intricacies of music publishing and how it can...

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Maximize Your Music Royalty Earnings With Songtrust

January 28, 2024

Navigating the world of music royalties can be daunting, especially for independent artists and newcomers. Songtrust has emerged as a popular solution, favored by a range of artists from beginners...

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Rick Rubin's Tips for Creative Growth

January 27, 2024

Rick Rubin, a legendary music producer, is known not just for his exceptional work in the music industry but also for his profound insights into creativity and personal growth...

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Sonical.ly Masterclass Review: Nas Teaches Hip Hop Storytelling

January 23, 2024

ntroductionIn the ever-evolving landscape of music education, Nas' Masterclass emerges as a beacon for those intrigued by the art of hip-hop. Nas, a figure synonymous with lyrical finesse...

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Post Malone's Successful Songwriting Techniques

January 22, 2024

Songwriting and Inspiration: Post Malone often draws inspiration from his personal experiences, emotions, and the world around him. His songwriting process can start with a concept, a feeling...

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Timbaland’s Beatmaking Masterclass Review: A Class on Feeling the Flow

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Photo: Class Trailer, Masterclass

Many artists are using their personal brand and influence to educate artists, from beginners to fellow professionals. Timbaland has partnered with Masterclass to teach musicians how to make unique beats while showing his personal style of making music. Timbaland’s course is a pre-recorded set of 15 videos that run just over 3 hours and promises to teach about beat making, working with vocal recording, collaboration in the studio, and the layering musical sections. He demonstrates his creative process and teaches the students with some of his hits, like “Dirt Off My Shoulder”.

Many people have taken this course because of Timbaland’s extensive library of hits.

Photo: Crypto Times

Positive aspects:

This course offers an in-depth review of how Timbaland creates music and taps into the feeling of creating a song from beatboxed vocals to a track. His presence in the videos is quite infectious and demonstrates how going with what feels good can make a great track. The course is fantastic for beginners because it lets the student watch a musician create and learn alongside their creative process. In the course, Timbaland goes over many of his hits, which allows for the student to connect and follow along intently with him much easier than making a new track. Timbaland’s course also shows the process of beat making in a way that even non-beatmakers find inviting and enticing.

Like many of the Masterclass courses there is also the community section, which many of the reviewers said was very helpful in creating connections with fellow artists they can create with and get feedback from.

Negative aspects:

This course is not for someone who is looking for technical instruction in DAWs and other musical equipment. As Timbaland improvised beats at the mic, his co-producers were busy inputting drum sounds and structuring them to keep the flow going. If someone would like an in-depth review into the process of working in a DAW and the technical process of arranging music, this course may not be a good fit.

Throughout the improvisational and creative portions there isn’t much verbal instruction from Timbaland since his co-producers and himself are in the creative zone. Timbaland is focused primarily on showing over telling, so during the creation of a track they show his dynamic creation process, but the verbal description of why the beats and sounds work together is a bit lacking.

Timbaland’s creative process is quite particular to how he makes a track— from beatboxing, to the addition of drums, to vocals, to completion. This course is focused on Timbaland’s specific way of creating, so for someone who may want to try multiple different ways, this may not be the best fit.

Masterclass does not let you pay for an individual class, so at $240 annually, the course may not be worth the student’s time if they don’t intend on taking any other courses.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, this course is best for a student who knows what they will be learning from it. They won’t be learning the specifics of DAWs or technical precision, but they will learn to lean into the feeling and process of making a beat from scratch, and collaborating to make a full track from a leading industry professional. The course is primarily for beginners but more knowledgeable musicians can also learn and be inspired by the alluring process that Timbaland uses in this course.