FAQ

• Expert live instruction, both in classes and during online lab sessions
• Personalized feedback on your tracks and production process
• Instant access to our full video course library (over 40 specialty courses including Ableton Live, Sound Design, Mixing & Mastering, and more)
• Access to multiple weekly online lab sessions for instructor-led guidance 
• Producer Club meet-ups online for roundtable discussion and feedback of works-in-progress
• Creative community, online via our private Discord server and in-person at our local events for Members living or visiting the Twin Cities area
• Studio time for In-Person Members, complete with professional sound, microphones, instruments, and expert guidance
• Members discounts on select software; rental and select hardware discounts at our local audio equipment supplier in Minneapolis
• Enrollment in the music production program of your choice

Membership at Slam Academy is a single monthly payment with no contract, simply pay-as-you-go. Online membership costs $150/month, and in-person membership is $250 per month (currently available in Minneapolis, MN only).

To enroll in any of our classes you must be a Member. The membership prices above include enrollment in one class at a time, along with a wide range of other benefits, including: several hours weekly of online lab sessions for additional time with our instructors outside of class; access to our entire video course library for you to work through content at your own pace; discounts on select software, hardware, and private lessons; studio access for in-person members; opportunities for roundtable critiques of works-in-progress; and a warm welcome to our community of inspired musicians and producers, both online and in-person.

No. There is no enrollment fee for new membership subscribers. Once you sign up and pay your first month, you are up and running.

No contract. No long-term commitment. No student loans. No re-enrollment fee.

We want to make your music production journey as easy and fun as possible!

Yes! Membership includes enrollment in your class of choice, and you are encouraged to work through all of our programs over time. 

Given the intensity and depth of our courses, we generally advise only taking one program at a time. 

However, if you have enough time and capacity to dedicate to your practice, you are welcome to enroll in additional programs. The cost of concurrent programs is 50% of your membership price per program: $125 for in-person programs, and $75 for online programs.

Yes! There are many other benefits of Membership that far exceed its cost. For instance, all members have access to our online lab sessions that meet several times per week. The online lab sessions are essentially small group private lessons or “study halls” where you can share works-in-progress and ask whatever questions you’re currently facing.

The complete list of benefits outside of program enrollment includes: 

• Expert live instruction so that you can get your questions answered in real-time
• Personalized feedback on your tracks and production process
• Instant access to our full video course library (over 40 specialty courses including Ableton, Sound Design, Mixing and Mastering, and more)
• Access to multiple weekly online lab sessions for instructor-led guidance 
• Producer Club meet-ups online for roundtable discussion and feedback of works-in-progress
• Creative community, online via our private Discord server and in-person at our local events for Members living or visiting the Twin Cities area
• Studio time for In-Person Members, complete with professional sound, microphones, instruments, and expert guidance
• Members discounts on select software; rental and select hardware discounts at our local audio equipment supplier in Minneapolis

Classes typically take place weekday evenings from 7-10pm CST. Afternoon weekday classes and weekend classes are offered on occasion and will be added more often to the schedule as needed.

Programs meet weekly over several weeks. Depending on the class, program length ranges from 8 weeks to 6 months. 

The online lab sessions are one hour long virtual “study halls” that are held 3-5 times per week on weekday afternoons and evenings. Exact times fluctuate based on student needs and current times can be found in the student dashboard.

Every class meets weekly for 2-3 hours and is a mixture of interactive lectures and hands-on break-out time so that you can immediately practice the concepts discussed in the lecture and then regroup with your instructor and peers to address any questions on the spot. 

Outside of class time, we encourage you to spend 1-3 hours several times per week working on the material. Naturally, practice time varies widely from student to student depending on personal schedule, responsibilities, and commitment level, but in general we advise people to aim for spending 10 hours per week total to successfully complete any of our programs.

Yes. Whether you’re an In-Person Member or Online Member, nearly all course content is available online in the student dashboard. There you will find the course videos, exercises and project assignments for your program.

This online accessibility allows you to work ahead if you’d like, and to review past topics as needed.

Since almost all of our programs are accompanied with a wealth of online materials (course videos, exercises, and projects to complete) we encourage people to get started as soon as you are able even if your particular course doesn’t start right away. That way you’re able to work ahead and you can come to any of the online lab sessions to get your questions answered and get personalized feedback to support your learning before your class begins.

Most people start with our Essentials of Music Production course, which is offered both online and in-person. This is a 3 week class that covers the basics of the tools used, the elements of any piece of professional music, and the language of music production. In that course, basics such as harmony, melody, recording, sequencing, tempo, genres, and more are covered. This is a great primer course for anyone looking to jump start their music production. Upon completion of that course, members who are new to making music take our Ableton Live Program. 

If you own a laptop and a set of headphones, you are all set. Simply head to www.ableton.com and download the free trial software. This will get you all of the features for 90 days, and also come with a nice intro set of lessons and videos to get you started. For headphones, be sure to not use wireless or bluetooth headphones. We generally recommend starting with a pair of Sony MDR-7506 headphones or similar, but just make sure that they are not wireless!

Absolutely! People come to Slam Academy searching for help learning music production, but what they find is much more: community. Having fellows musicians and producers to share resources, feedback and collaborate with is one of the greatest values that our membership program provides.

As with any true art form, practice never ends. There’s always room for growth and continuous development. That is one of the reasons we offer several weekly labs online that are unstructured for members to show up with whatever questions or projects they’re working on.

Online lab sessions provide a way for you to continue to receive critical feedback and support with your music even when you’re not enrolled in a program.

Likewise, for In-Person Members in the Twin Cities area, the access to studio time is a perk that can single-handedly make maintaining your membership worthwhile. Compared to the cost of renting your own studio and stocking it with a sound system, synthesizers, drum machines, turntables, and other gear that is available for you to use at Slam Academy, the value becomes a no-brainer.

Frequently people must miss a class for whatever reason, so we have reinforced every critical moment of our classes in a robust video library and exercise series. Just login to your student dashboard and you will have access to that week's lessons. If possible, attend at least one of the online lab sessions instead that week (or when you are able to catch-up) so that you can still go over the material with an instructor. Additionally, you’re always welcome to direct message your instructor via our private Discord server so you can address any specific questions about that week’s content.

No. We do not administer any formal tests or grades. You will demonstrate your progress through class participation and projects submitted at the end of each level.

Like most things in life, you will find that what you get out of this program is directly proportional to what you put in. The most successful students are fully engaged during classes and labs, and steadily practice what they learn between classes so that they can properly absorb the material and incorporate the lessons and techniques into their own creative process.

Studio time can be booked online in the student dashboard at our Minneapolis location for In-Person Members.

You bet. In fact, in a month when you are not taking a class, up to 80% of your membership might go to supporting our scholarship programs.

We are very proud of the work we do to make this artistic practice available to everyone that wants to learn it. Over the years we've created scholarships that seek to encourage BILPOC folks, woman and transgender folks, people with low economic means, and more to become part of our community.

With a membership, you can help us further the goal of making electronic arts available to everyone.