Making Music At Home (Using free online software) - Online Courses - Adult Learning

This online course is for adults who are interested in creating their own music using free online software. It is designed for beginners and for anyone who would like to explore music production in a simple and supportive environment.
You will learn the basics of making music on a computer, including how to create beats, add melodies, use virtual instruments, and arrange tracks. The course introduces key music production concepts in a step-by-step way, helping you build confidence as you learn.
Through guided activities, you will explore free online music-making tools and discover how to record, edit, and improve your music. You will also learn how to use loops, sound effects, and simple mixing techniques to create your own tracks.
The sessions are easy to follow, with plenty of opportunities to practise, experiment, and ask questions.
By the end of the course, you will have created your own piece of music and gained the skills and confidence to continue making music at home using free online software. 

Learning outcomes

• Use free online music software to create and edit music

• Create simple beats, melodies, and arrangements using digital tools

• Apply basic music production techniques to produce a finished track

Entry requirements 

No previous music production experience is required. Basic confidence using a computer and accessing websites is essential. 

What to bring 

This is an online course, so you will need a laptop or PC with access to the internet and be able to use Teams.

Funding and Fees

If you receive certain benefits, you may be able to take the course for free.
If money is stopping you from enrolling, please visit our funding page to see what help is available.

Living in England

To book and join one of our courses, you must live in England permanently and either:

• Live inside the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) area (Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire)

or

• Live outside the devolved areas listed below

You cannot enrol if you live in these devolved areas:

• Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)

• Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

• North East Combined Authority

• South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority

• Tees Valley Combined Authority

• West Midlands Combined Authority

• West of England Combined Authority

• West Yorkshire Combined Authority

• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority

• York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

• Hull and East Yorkshire

• Greater Lincolnshire

• Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority

• Cornwall Council

• Lancashire Combined County Authority

• Buckinghamshire Council

Residency Requirements (Additional Information)

If you live in the UK on a visa, we’ll need evidence of your visa to confirm funding. You can upload this when applying, and you’ll need to complete a short questionnaire.

Some exceptions include:

• Your visa must last until after your course ends.

• Asylum seekers must have lived in the UK for at least 6 months while their claim is being processed.

• You are supported by your local authority under Section 23C or 23CA of the Children Act 1989, or under the Care Act 2014.

Anyone who does not meet the funding criteria would need to pay full course fees.