In today’s digital age, YouTube has become an indispensable resource for music producers seeking to hone their skills. With a vast sea of channels offering tutorials and insights, finding the right blend of expert advice, genre-specific knowledge, and teaching styles that resonate with you is essential. To save you the endless scrolling and trial-and-error, we’ve meticulously researched and curated a list of the top 20 YouTube channels for music producers. Skilled producers don’t just run these channels; they are helmed by accomplished artists who have mastered the art of captivating audiences with their music.
What sets these YouTubers apart is their dual role as artist-instructors. They don’t just produce top-notch music; they invite you into their creative world, offering a front-row seat to their production process. These channels provide diverse educational content, from detailed gear breakdowns to tutorials on various Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) and live synthesizers. Whether you’re looking to emulate the sound of a specific artist or dive deep into a particular genre, these YouTubers offer valuable insights and practical tips to elevate your music production skills.
But before we get into all that, are you ready to elevate your sound even further? Dive into our comprehensive guide on the 25 must-have VST plugins for music producers, regardless of genre you’re making.
Underdog
For some, Underdog’s video titles, like “The ten rules of techno” and “How to Learn any synthesizer”, may seem clickbaity. However, Underdog is very skilled in breakdown production techniques and simplifying complex methods through explanation.
While hosting a separate site specifically for taking educational courses on music production, Underdog’s YouTube channel has a wide array of videos for anyone who wants to become proficient in making techno, such as ‘Techno Rumble Mastery.’
Click To Check Out The Underdog’s Channel!
Bishu
Bishu’s content and music production-based videos are always super fun and engaging. They are great for producers in any genre, even those in ambient. His most iconic series is ‘I Produced Fake Genres’, which is typically longer than the standard video for music producers, ranging from 30 to 50 minutes.
Snag Premium House Music Samples Without Breaking The Bank With Our Massive Curated List Of Warm, Punchy Sounds From Across The Internet. Click Here To Get 4k+ Free Sounds and Samples
In these videos taken from his largely followed Twitch channel, Bishu shows his raw experimentation, blending a broad spectrum of genres. Some that can be found on his channel are Minecraft phone, bluegrass trap, emo twerk, acapella dubstep, ambient drill, gospel wave, and plenty of others.
Click To Check Out The Bishu’s Channel!
EDM Tips
Whether you are into techno, house, trance, or progressive, Will is a go-to music production instructor on YouTube. On his channel, you will not only learn to make professional-grade dance music, but he also teaches how to earn support from top DJs, secure label releases, and other essential tips for rising music producers and DJs alike.
One cool element about Will’s channel is that he offers weekly giveaways and gifts to his subscribers. He has been producing for over 25 years and has hit the #1 spot multiple times on download charts, so he is a reputable source to learn sound design. This channel is catered towards DAW producers, covering the workstations of Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic X, and more.
Click To Check Out The EDM Tip’s Channel!
Ned Rush
Ned Rush has a very interesting take on using some of the more esoteric functions in Ableton, coming from a breakcore and IDM angle. For those unfamiliar, breakcore is electronic dance music that emerged from jungle, hardcore, and drum & bass in the mid-to-late 1990s. He is highly experimental and shows his audience how to use Ableton in ways they have never thought of. It is a bonus that Ned is hilarious and entertaining.
Click To Check Out The Ned Rush’s Channel!
You Suck At Producing (Underbelly)
With his DJ name being Underbelly, You Suck At Producing has a one-of-a-kind approach to creating music production content. Even if you don’t like his catalog of personal music, he is at the forefront of sonic experimentation and, like Ned, often teaches things that rising producers can’t even imagine.
Preparing your track for a mixdown, mixing kicks and bass, adding more color to basic drum loops, and chopping samples are just some topics Underbelly dives into. For an added incentive, he takes donations on his Twitch stream to try to forge specific sounds that people ask him to. He usually nails them or lands in the ballpark of their request.
Click To Check Out The You Suck At Producing’s Channel!
Alice Yalvin Efe (biskuwi)
Even though she has tutorials on anything related to electronic music, Alice’s channel most caters to those in the melodic techno space. Her project as the professional artist known as biskuwi has given way to several hypnotic anthems, such as “Veil”, “Hela,” and “Wild Heart.”
Additionally, Alice makes video essays on how to produce, which is an outside-the-box teaching method. She is the face of Mercurial Tones Electronic Music Academy, based in Scandinavia Stockholm, but with a huge online presence. Alice’s channel covers a lot of ground and immersive content, from production tutorials to community events like ‘4 producers 1 sample.’
Click To Check Out The Alice Yalvin Efe’s Channel!
SeamlessR
What’s excellent about SeamlessR’s channel is that it aims to build a resource for producers at every experience level. His videos are centered around bass production and performance arrangement, referred to as the ‘Home of “How To Bass.”’
SeamlessR’s content is straight to the point for the producers out there who are on a tight schedule. He frequently shows his creative process in making remixes and edits, breaking down different production strategies and components of DAWs, like FL Studio.
Click To Check Out The SeamlessR’s Channel!
Yan Cook
For those who want to grow their proficiency in making techno, Yan Cook from Hypnus Records is your guy. He has a techno course you can purchase that will teach you nearly everything you need to know, but his YouTube channel boasts a ton of free, helpful content.
His teachings include techno texture recipes, distorting techno with specific plugins, and making raw techno with various hardware. He also posts his tracks and live sets on this channel, so you can quickly gauge if he is the right instructor for you.
Click To Check Out The Yan Cook’s Channel!
Julien Earle
Another highly skilled techno instructor, Julien, seems to be a fan-favorite among up-and-coming producers. He plays the final result at the beginning of his tutorial videos, so there is no BS. He even uploads the samples for you to download and try the exact process yourself. His content coverage ranges from modern hard groove techno, driving trance, minimal house, IDM, and more.
Click To Check Out Julien Earle’s Channel!
Tape Notes Podcast
Tape Notes is a captivating podcast hosted by music veteran John Kennedy. In each episode, an artist and producer reunite to discuss the creative journey within the studio. These engaging conversations highlight the entire spectrum of music creation, from the inception of a song idea to stylistic choices, instrumentation, and refining the final product.
The videos even showcase early demos and stem from the original recording sessions. This podcast offers a glimpse into the working processes of some of the music industry’s most pioneering and thrilling talents.
Click To Check Out The Tape Notes Podcast Channel!
Au5
Known for his unparalleled sound design and unrestricted fusion of genres, Au5 consistently pushed the boundaries of music. His project centers on his quote, “If you’re looking for trendy music, turn away. If you want to embark on a journey, come with me.”
Trained in classical piano since age four and studying bass guitar and music production since age 13, Au5 is a well-rounded composer and music technologist. This shines through in his videos, where he breaks down plugins like Serum and Operator with helpful tutorials.
Click To Check Out Au5’s Channel!
AHEE
AHEE is the perfect instructor for anyone trying to expand their knowledge and skill set in experimental bass music. He uploads various Ableton tutorials, song and plugin reviews, and his music.
He is an expert on sine waves and occasionally takes his followers into the process of some of the most renowned DJs, like how Skrillex utilizes them in his Quest for Fire album. AHEE also chats with other guest artists who are high up in the bass community in a couple of his uploads, from Au5 to TVBOO to Big Gigantic.
Click To Check Out AHEE’s Channel!
Kermode
From the mind of Jeanot Mey, Kermode is one of the smaller, more underground artists on this list. His bass is insanely experimental and unprecedented. This channel is excellent for bass producers who use Ableton. He has a lot of beginner tutorials on this DAW, focused on future bass, dubstep, and vocal effects.
Click To Check Out Kermode’s Channel!
Bunting
Many rising producers are huge supporters of Bunting, because he is well-versed in the trifecta of Vital, Serum, and Ableton. He makes incredible synth sound design videos with Vital, recreating synths used by other artists or inspired by them.
Bunting is another bass producer who is not afraid to push the limits of sound and experiment. His tutorials of deep dubstep, ‘infinite wubs like Dirt Monkey’, and ‘gritty halftime basses like MYTHM’ are all solid examples of this.
Click To Check Out Bunting’s Channel!
Virtual Riot
Some producers create decent tutorials, but their sound design is sub-par, and their level of engagement is below average due to a lack of passion in their voices. While a massive name in electronic music, Virtual Riot is always visibly excited to share its production methods with fans.
The immersive nature of Virtual Riot’s videos is genuinely enlightening; his studio time series gives a behind-the-scenes look into his project. ‘My Ableton Racks’, ‘Serum Hacks’, and ‘Track From Scratch’ are the most recent episodes, with the third lasting over 2 and a half hours long.
Click To Check Out Virtual Riot’s Channel!
Benn Jordan
While his channel isn’t exclusively a “music production” channel, much of it consists of Benn making incredible tracks. He is about as experimental as you can get, releasing innovative electronic music under the name The Flashbulb. A significant component of his channel is reviewing music tech products and pointing out their flaws and benefits, such as Tape Echo, UVI Falcon, and Kontakt.
He always breaks the mold with ventures like sampling music in reverse at high speeds and film scoring on a $200 budget. Even if you do not learn precisely what you are looking for in making the genre or style of music you want, it is guaranteed you will leave Benn’s channel with a better understanding and education in music production.
Click To Check Out Benn Jordan’s Channel!
Jon Makes Beats
This YouTube channel is a must-visit for aspiring music producers in any genre. From the mind of Jonwayne, a respected musician, his platform is full of expert tips and examples that viewers can follow. Many fans of his music were pleasantly surprised when they found out that he started sharing his music production insights.
With one of the focuses on creating hip-hop beats using the Elektron Octatrack, Jon Makes Beats excels with this compact device. His content appeals to both long-time listeners and newcomers to his music. Jon’s workflow, sampling techniques, and arrangement skills are some valuable knowledge you can gain from his channel.
Click To Check Out Jon Makes Beats’ Channel!
Eliminate
Also featured at one of the top spots in our funniest DJ countdown, Eliminate is a fantastic YouTuber to learn how to experiment with sound. His videos are less tutorial-oriented and more so that he records his production process while narrating what he is doing.
The focus of what he is making is often ridiculous and highly comical. For example, in a viral video of his, Eliminate makes a song out of sampling every type of Michael Jackson grunt and another that turns his cat’s meow into dubstep.
Click To Check Out Eliminate’s Channel!
Hyperbits
Known across the music industry for his high-level production and widespread knowledge of making music, Hyperbits has remixed the likes of Tove Lo, Beyonce, Nick Jonas, Laidback Luke, and other global icons. Additionally, he has worked as a producer, remixer, and engineer for some of the biggest labels in the world, such as Universal, Sony, Island Records, Virgin-EMI, and Ultra.
On top of his impressive resume, Hyperbits’ primary focus of his channel is to help up-and-coming artists conquer advanced music production. His videos get straight to the point and trim all the fat when learning new techniques or a step-by-step process like audio warping. Hyperbits also provides insight into the new age of production. For example, a recent video of his highlights the four best AI music production tools.
Click To Check Out Hyperbit’s Channel!
Dowden
Dowden specializes in creating and teaching melodic houses, organic houses, deep houses, melodic techno, and other subgenres relative to these. It is important to note that he teaches exclusively on his channel in Ableton Live. He has landed on Beatport’s Top 10 Hype Progressive House and has consistently proven to be a top-notch producer.
The more popular videos on Dowden’s Production Academy channel are where he dives into makes a certain sound or style of house music. He references certain artists and centers these videos around, like how to make melodic techno similar to Mind Against, Colyn, and other Afterlife or Anjunadeep featured artists.
