1st lesson free
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Kristian
- Rate $80
- Response 1h
$80/hr
Contact
1st lesson free
- Music Production
- Computer-aided music
- Audio Engineering
Grammy-Nominated Audio Engineer & Music Producer Teaches Music Production, Electronic Music, Mixing & Ableton Live
- Music Production
- Computer-aided music
- Audio Engineering
Lesson location
About Kristian
Kristian Riley is a Los Angeles–based musician, producer, recording engineer, mixer, and educator with more than 25 years of professional experience.
He first gained recognition as a member of Citizen King, whose hit “Better Days (And the Bottom Drops Out)” reached the Top 10. Early collaboration with producer Eric Valentine helped shape his approach to recording and production. Since then, Kristian has worked with artists including Frank Ocean, George Clinton, Tyler, The Creator, The Promise Ring, Jimmy Eat World, Paris Texas, and Silversun Pickups. He is a Grammy-nominated engineer for Silversun Pickups’ “Panic Switch.”
Kristian has also taught at the college level and has more than 25 years of experience as a private guitar instructor. He teaches guitar, music theory, ear training, music production, recording, mixing, vocal production, and DAW-based production using Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and GarageBand.
His teaching is practical, personalized, and rooted in real-world experience. Whether you're a complete beginner, an experienced musician looking to improve, or an aspiring producer wanting to make professional-quality recordings, Kristian helps students build skills while developing their own musical voice.
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About the lesson
- All Levels
- English
- Norwegian
All languages in which the lesson is available :
English
Norwegian
My Teaching Approach
My approach to teaching music production starts with one simple idea: there is no one-size-fits-all way to make music. Every student comes in with a different background, skill level, musical taste, and set of goals. My job is to meet you where you are and help you figure out what you need to learn to get where you want to go.
I start with an assessment of your current experience, interests, and goals. From there, we’ll identify the areas that will have the biggest impact on your music and create a practical path forward. Depending on your level, that might mean learning the basics of a DAW, understanding recording and signal flow, developing better drum and bass sounds, learning synthesis, arranging a song, improving your mixes, or figuring out how to finish and release your own music.
We’ll break those larger goals into manageable weekly assignments and projects that are appropriate for your experience level. The idea is to learn by actually making music—not just watching someone demonstrate software.
What a Typical Lesson Looks Like
Lessons are hands-on and built around your music and the things you actually want to learn.
A typical session might include:
* Reviewing what you worked on since the previous lesson
* Listening to and assessing your music together
* Identifying areas that need attention
* Learning a specific production, recording, mixing, or songwriting technique
* Applying that technique directly to your project
* Troubleshooting problems you’re running into
* Setting goals and an assignment for the following week
As you progress, we’ll continually reassess what you’re working on and adjust the lessons accordingly.
Teaching Methods & Techniques
I draw from decades of experience as a musician, producer, mixer, recording engineer, and songwriter, so I teach both the technical and creative sides of making records.
Depending on your goals, we can work on:
* Music production
* Electronic music production
* Ableton Live
* Pro Tools and Logic Pro
* Recording and microphone techniques
* Audio engineering and signal flow
* Mixing
* Arrangement
* Sound design and synthesis
* Drum programming and production
* Vocal production
* Guitar and other instrument recording
* Songwriting and composition
* Critical listening
* Home studio setup
* Workflow and organization
* Finishing and releasing music
I don’t want students to simply learn where a button is in a DAW. I want you to understand why you’re making a particular decision and develop the ears and instincts to make those decisions yourself.
Who These Lessons Are For
Beginners can learn the fundamentals and develop a solid foundation without getting overwhelmed by the enormous amount of information involved in modern music production.
Intermediate producers and musicians can identify the areas holding them back and develop more advanced technical and creative skills.
Advanced producers and working musicians can use lessons as a second set of ears and a way to work through specific problems, develop their sound, improve their mixes, or get feedback on current projects.
Lessons can be tailored to any level from complete beginner to experienced musician, producer, or engineer.
What Sets Me Apart
I’ve spent my career actually making records and making music. I’m not teaching production from a textbook or simply showing you how to use a piece of software.
I’m a musician first. I’ve played guitar professionally, written songs, produced records, engineered recordings, mixed music, and worked with artists at very different stages of their careers. That experience shapes the way I teach.
To me, all of the technical stuff ultimately comes back to being a music person. DAWs, plugins, microphones, compressors, EQs, synthesizers, and recording techniques are tools. The goal is always to serve the music.
That’s the perspective I try to give my students: develop the technical skills, but also develop your ears, your musical instincts, and your own creative voice.
The Goal
My goal isn’t to make you dependent on a teacher. It’s to help you become more independent and confident in your own creative process.
We’ll figure out where you are, where you want to go, and what stands between those two points. Then we’ll work through it together—one project, one skill, and one assignment at a time.
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Rates
Rate
- $80
Pack prices
- 5h: $400
- 10h: $800
free lessons
The first lesson with Kristian will allow you to get to know each other and discuss your needs for future lessons.
- 1hr
online
- $80/h
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