Free Production Resources

Compiled and Written By: Blake Shumaker

Plugins/Soundfonts
The Bedroom Producers Blog -- https://bedroomproducersblog.com/free-vst-plugins/
If you hadn’t guessed by the name, this is a blog directed towards linking free or demo
plug-ins and samples so that us broke beginning producers can use. Probably one of my favorite
resources out there at the moment. They post a yearly “Best Of” list for plug-ins and have a
sort-of master list of free plug-ins which are a must to look at. Some of the stuff on there can be
duds (naturally), so it may take some trial and error, but there’s a lot of good quality stuff to
use.
Some recommendations from plug-ins I’ve found here:
Ample Sound Acoustic Guitar and Bass Guitar: http://www.amplesound.net/en/download.asp
Dexed [FM Synthesizer]: https://asb2m10.github.io/dexed/
MiniMogue: https://www.kvraudio.com/product/minimogueva-by-voltkitchen
Model Pro: http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php?id=2240
Synth1 [Hardware Emulation]: http://www.geocities.jp/daichi1969/softsynth/
ComboV & Combo F [Hammond
Organs]: http://www.martinic.com/combov/ & http://www.martinic.com/combof/
AZR3 [Hammond Organ]: http://untermkittel.de/rumpelrausch/?PLUGINS
TS-808: http://tactilesounds.blogspot.com/p/tactile-synthesizers.html
…and a lot more that I don’t feel like scrounging up links for.

99Sounds -- http://99sounds.org/
I don’t know how this is free. The quality in these samples and plug-ins is top notch.
There’s a lot of spacey/synth samples, but they have loads of natural samples like rain/thunder,
warehouse percussion, and a really good clap machine (probably the best free one I’ve ever
come across). A must.

VST4Free -- http://www.vst4free.com/
Another hub site. Again, the quality is hit-or-miss, but the user ratings are usually a good
indicator of quality. Definitely worth browsing, as I’ve found a lot of my go-to plug-ins on there.

KVR Audio -- https://www.kvraudio.com/

A third hub site. Hit-or-miss quality, and some paid stuff here, but you can filter it so
that only free plug-ins show up.
Tone2 – https://www.tone2.com/
Okay, so, outside of FireBird, these aren’t technically free. The main plug-ins are paid
for, but they have some AMAZING demo versions, which are all among my favorite plug-ins.
They quit after like 30min of continuous use or something (which you can solve by just
reloading the plug-in and manually restoring the settings) and can’t save or load user pre-sets
afaik. The built-in presets are so good though that you can usually get by without too much
tweaking. HIGHLY recommend. I’d like to buy all of these if I ever have the money.

Bigcat Instruments Blog -- http://bigcatinstruments.blogspot.rs/

An orchestra themed VST/Soundfont/Sample hub. Takes a lot of free sample libraries
and puts them into VST/SFZ form.

Related:
VSCO2 Community Edition -- http://vis.versilstudios.net/vsco-community.html
One of the best free orchestra sample libraries imo. BigCat has a VST form of it on their
site. They also have two paid versions, but I can’t comment on their quality since I haven’t used
them lol.

Virtual Playing Orchestra -- http://virtualplaying.com/

Haven’t used this personally, but I’ve seen it recommended a bit. Another [probably]
good orchestra library.

Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra -- http://sso.mattiaswestlund.net/

This used to be the best free orchestral library until VSCO2 (and possibly VPO) came
out. Still recommend it.

3.5GB of free Orchestral Soundfonts courtesy of some guy on Newgrounds --

https://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/1200140
Some dude on Newgrounds was nice enough to drop 3.5GB of free orchestral
soundfonts in one easy-to-navigate hub. Lots of good stuff in here.

Airfont380 Soundfont -- http://www.mediafire.com/file/cr2anhzea34excs/a380_-

_compressed.sf2
Okay, so this is one I personally uploaded. This soundfont is discontinued and has
entered the realm of “rare things that are actually amazing”. Probably the best free General
MIDI soundfont ever. HIGHLY recommend it. #KeepCirculatingThoseTapes
Theory
Okay, before going in to this, I think I’ll clear up a common misconception: Music Theory
is NOT the rules of music. Music, technically speaking, does not have “rules”. It’s a way of
communicating ideas, having an easy reference for making your own ideas, recognizing other
ideas, and so on. It’s basically the process of looking at some music, saying “Hey that sounds
good, why does that sound good?” and then finding out. I’ve personally referred to music
theory as “The Musician’s Toolbox” or “The Musician’s Dictionary”, which is a good example of
what it is. Music Theory is essentially the tools you use to make and understand music, and the
vocabulary you use to talk about it.
Also, I’m going to say this a LOT: NEVER learn from just one source. If you do that, you’ll
end up with a lot of gaps in your knowledge and some misconceptions. Use a couple of
different resources so you have a really solid and fuller understanding of the topics at hand.
Also, while there’s some universal stuff, a lot of genres naturally have their own sets of
theories. I tried to be as inclusive as possible.

Basic Theory
12 Tone’s Building Blocks Series --
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMvVESrbjBWplAcg3pG0TesncGT7qvO06
A monthly series where this guy covers the basics of music from the absolute
beginning. It’s in simpler terms, but it can be a bit fast paced so you’ll want to augment it with
some other resources so as not to diminish your results.

Ben Levin’s Music Theory from the Ground Up --

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3yqUeiMn_g&list=PLJTWoPGfHxQH5zdZN6UlMPwZerVA
pkqmk&index=1
A guitar-focused series on basic theory. It’s another good resource, and I think he
explains things pretty well. I wouldn’t use it as your only resource though, so I would combine it
with a couple of other things to make sure you get a good learnin’. Also, side note, but be sure
to check out his band Bent Knee because they’re killer.

Toby Rush’s Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People --

http://tobyrush.com/theorypages/index.html
http://tobyrush.com/theorypages/pdf/complete.pdf
A series of over 50 infographics talking about music theory in simple terms. It covers
everything from the basic stuff to some of the more advanced topics. I’ve used it a couple of
times for a quick reference. It really simplifies things, so don’t make this your main resource.

Free Jazz Piano Lessons -- http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/

A website that focuses on teaching Jazz Theory, with a focus on jazz piano. A really
good website, but I’d recommend holding off on this until after you learn the basics above.
Music for Ear Training Downloadable Software --
http://www.musicforeartraining.com/downloads-and-help/
This is one of my favorite resources for ear training, and the one I used in music school.
The program’s completely free, but you’ll need to buy the textbook (get the red one if you do,
the purple one is a sight-singing book (which, tbf, is not a bad purchase either)), or staff paper
to write down answers on. You CAN use some sort of free notational software like MuseScore,
but be sure to mute the program because hearing it while you go through the exercises kind of
defeats the point lol.

Michael Hewitt – Music Theory for Computer Musicians

This is another good book, but it’s not free unless you’re a filthy pirate. It’s got a nice
chapter on alternative tunings for Eastern music which is really handy! You can find it on
Amazon for like $17-25 which isn’t terrible. It covers a little bit of synthesis too. Not really my
favorite resource, but it’s handy to have around.

EarWizard -- [No link, this is an app for iOS devices]

This is one of those “start out free but pay to get all the features” apps. It’s developed
by the keyboardist for Dream Theater and his company Wizdom Music. Basically, it gives you a
series of chords and you have to play them back in order. The full version is I think like $4.99-
9.99. Not a bad app, but I would suggest you use the MET software right above it as your
primary Ear Training thing. It’s good for quick drills on the bus or while you’re waiting in line for
something or whatever. They also have some cool synths for the iPhone/iPad which are about
$9.99 each and are actually really good. From those, I would recommend MorphWiz,
SampleWiz, and GeoShred. Those are the three I’ve seen actual bands use in professional
recordings at least.

The Berklee MOOCs -- https://www.berklee.edu/academics/moocs

A series of online classes that the Berklee College of Music offers covering topics from
basic theory to songwriting and production. Note that these are actual classes, with start and
end-dates and assignments. Some of them are truly free, but there’s quite a few that just give
you a free trial before asking you to pay. Still a good resource.
Tonal Harmony by Stefan Kostka and Dorothy Payne (+The Workbook)
This is a paid resource, but this is the textbook and workbook I used when I was doing
all that classical composition training. It’s a bit pricey because it’s a textbook and workbook, but
it’s a really good resource that I recommend. It covers a huge portion of basic and advanced
theory, and is probably my most referenced text. Definitely worth the money. For the textbook,
you can probably get an older edition for $25-60ish off Amazon and the newest edition for $90
off Chegg (which is a LOT cheaper than what I bought it for), but the workbook is a bit pricey.
The price range I saw for the workbook is around $90-120, but I would recommend you get that
too. The 7thedition is what I have, but I’ve also used the 4th edition and it’s pretty decent. Don’t
buy it from a school bookstore like I did, unless you want to pay like $300
Intermediate/Advanced Theory, Orchestration & Synthesis
After you have a good grasp of basic theory, this is where you’ll head to next. This
section covers some more advanced topics and is more “detailed” than the broader basic
theory. It also goes through orchestration and synthesis.

Rick Beato & Orchestration Online --

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJquYOG5EL82sKTfH9aMA9Q
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSt_ZRe_mla4tRgYC_GNElQ
Probably one of my favorite YouTubers out there at the moment. This guy gives a lot of
insanely practical tips on writing for all the instruments of the orchestra AND goes into some
more intermediate and advanced theory topics. He has videos giving in-depth analysis on
orchestral music, writing for certain ensemble types, and string instruments. Plus he has some
theory videos on specialized topics like drones, certain exotic scales and modes, and in-depth
analysis of songs and sections of pieces and stuff.

Adam Neely -- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnkp4xDOwqqJD7sSM3xdUiQ

Adam Neely is more theory-focused and covers a lot of jazz and pop stuff. It’s geared
towards bass players (which gives him a totally unique perspective), and he covers a lot of
interesting topics in his videos. Plus, dude’s hilarious.

JJay Berthume -- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaBpxvYSPRS6Gw3FJKA3jgQ

This guy is more orchestration focused, and mainly sticks to VGM, film music, and
classical. He has some really interesting analysis of everything from John Williams to The
Legend of Zelda, and it’s a good channel to check out.

Bill Hilton -- https://www.youtube.com/user/billhiltonbiz

Another YouTuber, this one more focused on piano playing. It’s a decent resource for
getting the quick and dirty explanation on a random style (i.e. cocktail piano, folk piano, etc.),
especially for accompaniments and accompaniment patterns. There’s a lot more channels like
this that are more specialized and for different instruments, but there’s almost too many to list.

Clercq and Temperley – Statistical Analysis of Harmony in Rock and Pop --

http://davidtemperley.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/temperley-declercq-jnmr.pdf
This is more advanced, naturally, given that it’s a dissertation. It’s a bit short for a
dissertation (only around 18 or 36 pages depending on how you want to look at it), but it’s jam-
packed with a lot of good details about the kinds of chord progressions or successions that pop
up in pop music.

The Cutting Edge of Swing -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3lzbNLxYhQ

I’ve posted this video in the Group Me before, but it’s an amazing resource for humanizing
midis.
Sound on Sound’s Synth Secrets --
http://www.mediafire.com/file/7w2dcsqmkbeduea/Synth+Secrets+Complete.pdf
Here’s a PDF version of the series of articles by Sound on Sound on synthesis. It’s one
of the best resources out there for synthesis, and highly renowned. Can get a bit technical and
dry in the early chapters, so I’ve heard it’s best to read through it twice to really understand it.
Rick Snoman – Dance Music Manual Second Edition
Another good electronic music manual that covers some basic genre characteristics
and synth creation. You can buy it off Amazon for like $12, or if you’re a filthy pirate you can
probably find a pdf version by googling. Also has some basic theory in there, but I would
recommend other resources for that.

Rimsky-Korsakov – Principle of Orchestration --

http://imslp.org/wiki/Principles_of_Orchestration_(Rimsky-Korsakov,_Nikolay)
A handy little reference manual for orchestration. Doesn’t go very in-depth, but it
provides some nice examples and gives some good advice on general tips and ways to blend
instruments together. If you want to learn how to write for an orchestra, I would start here. The
English pdf is broken up into chapters for some stupid reason, so you’ll have to download them
individually.

Berlioz & Richard Strauss – Treatise on the Orchestra --

http://ks.imslp.net/files/imglnks/usimg/3/30/IMSLP11615-
Treatise_on_InstrumentationBerlioz.pdf
A bit more advanced, but it goes a little more in-depth on how to write for the
orchestra and all of the instruments in it.

Cecil Forsyth – Orchestration --

http://ks.imslp.net/files/imglnks/usimg/9/90/IMSLP107662-PMLP219239-Forsyth-
Orchestration1914.pdf
One of the best orchestration books every written, period. Highly advanced and super
in-depth, so try learning from some more basic manuals first. But after you’re done with this
book (if you’re ever done lol), you’ll be at least a good orchestrator.

Miscellaneous
The Master Class Courses ($90 each, or $180/year) --
https://www.masterclass.com/classes/armin-van-buuren-teaches-dance-music (Coming Soon)
https://www.masterclass.com/classes/deadmau5-teaches-electronic-music-production
https://www.masterclass.com/classes/herbie-hancock-teaches-jazz
https://www.masterclass.com/classes/hans-zimmer-teaches-film-scoring
https://www.masterclass.com/classes/christina-aguilera-teaches-singing
https://www.masterclass.com/classes/reba-mcentire-teaches-country-music
https://www.masterclass.com/classes/usher-teaches-the-art-of-performance
Okay, so this is actually a paid-resource, and one I haven’t used, but I’ve heard a lot of
good things about it so I figured I’d include it.
Syntorial
https://www.syntorial.com/
Again, haven’t used this one yet, but I’ve seen it recommended a bit. It’s a paid
product with a free demo, but it gives you a video game-like crash course on how to use
synthesizers and make your own synths.

Reddit
https://reddit.com/r/musictheory
https://reddit.com/r/synthrecipes
https://reddit.com/r/wearethemusicmakers
https://reddit.com/r/edmproduction
https://reddit.com/r/advancedproduction
These have a lot of educational materials posted on them and some of the stuff here
was pulled from reddit. I’d recommend you sort by “Top – All Time”, because there can be
some junk on here.

Wikipedia
Yes, seriously, Wikipedia. The music theory articles on Wikipedia are actually great and
can be a good supplement to learning about a topic. Sometimes, you can get a decent
understanding of something just by reading its Wikipedia article.