Tell us about your production journey so far – how long have you been producing? What drew you to it in the first place?

I’ve been into Dance Music since late 80’s, loved going to the underground parties and got into DJing myslef just by going to parties, I guess you could say I got hooked on the vibe and buzz of it all. I’ve run my own labels for many years and in the mid 90’s I owned a vinyl record shop just outside London, specialising in House and Techno mainly as there wasn’t that many genre spin off’s back then! I started producing over 25 years ago (in a kind of fashion) but really started to take it seriously over the past 10 years and felt the need and was driven to learn the skills needed to be able to produce my own music. I’ve had the pleasure in working with some really great artists and producers but I really wanted to take my production to the next level, realising there’s so much I didn’t know I decided to do the Toolroom Academy Club Ready course with Ben Remember which has been an absolute eye opener and a pivotal moment for my productions.

What modules really stood out to you throughout the 12 weeks?

Even though there were things I already knew it really helped to give me confindence in the fact I was doing some things right but also taught me new skills and understand why you would do certian things. The way the Club Ready course is designed it really strips everything back, even if you feel you have a good knowlegde of Production and Mixing there really is something in every lesson, I honestly learned more from the 12 weeks than I had in the past few years. I can’t say there was one particular module which stood out becuase they are all essential to each other.

How important was the A&R feedback throughout your journey?

Absolutely essential, there will always be things you get stuck on and to have the feeback gives you a great understanding of why your making certain mistakes and what to listen out for, the feedback is just as important as doing the lessons.

What do you think was unique or different about the Club Ready course compared to other programmes/schools out there?

I’ve done a few courses in my time, some long, some short even one on one’s and although I have learned a fair bit from each course, I feel that Ben gives away some essential Mixing and Production secrets that none of the others did. Because of how the course progresses it makes everything much easier to understand, along with Ben’s helpful and kind manner his way of teaching seems to sink in, it’s to the point and in plain English, perfect for me!

How would you compare your production ability/knowledge now, compared to when you started the course?

Without going overboard I would say my knowledge of the whole picture now is 100% better, If I can compare to a painting I’m seeing more colours, shapes, depth and designs than ever before, I now know how they made certain colours to blend with the other colours each having its own clear place in the picture. I’m no Van Gough but I’m certainly on my way to becoming a decent painter and decorator.

Has your ability on Ableton improved since you’ve taken the course?

Definitely, I know this sounds silly but from simple things like “assigning track colour to clips” to learning about the grouping and sends implementing how you can be more creative with these, it’s certainly opened doors and expanded my knowledge 100%.

Did you manage to connect and built relationships with other students on the course?

All the way through the course it’s easy to interact on the live chat, some students are more advanced in certain areas than others so you can learn things there too and have a bit of a giggle at the same time, everyone is super freindly, respects where the other person is on their jouney and willing to help each other. There was also a group you could join outside the course but I didn’t get round to it, not because I didn’t want to but purely because of being a slacker 🙂

How would you rate your tutor?

Ben was fantastic and I would happily take another course with him at the helm. I touched on this previously about Ben’s kind and friendly manner but he’s one of those guys who comes across as very relaxed and just a real nice bloke. He’ll answer any question no matter how ridiculous and with an understanding that the students are all at different levels he takes the time to explain things in a simple, understandable way (wish I had a teacher like him at school, I would have got some decent grades – maybe!). He’s also got a bit of a geeky (self confessed so I’m sure he won’t mind me saying) quirky funny side which is really warming and likable, this also adds a bit of humour to the course.

What was the single best experience you had on the programme?

The time when my project actaully loaded up OK on Ben’s side haha… (This was something to do with my end and Ben was very patient). The single and best experience was being part of something I had not experienced before in the fact I feel so much more confident with my Mixing and Production. I know this isn’t pinpointing one particular thing but to me the whole experience was it. I would do it again in a flash and most likely will as I can go back over all the lessons from the zoom links, I’m also keeping my eyes peeled for the next one which will take me to Van Gough level!

Would you recommend Club Ready to other producers?

Without hesitation, I already have! I know many producers who would defintely benefit from this course and never look back as I did, there’s always something to be learnt and even the best producers in the world are always learning, this industry moves so fast and there’s so much information out there it’s really hard to know what is necessary and what isn’t, trying to find a Youtube video on how to make your mix louder is a total waste of time because there’s so much you need to know beforehand and this is what the Club Ready course does.

As a graduate, what are your thoughts on the Toolroom Academy overall?

I’ve now done a couple of Toolroom Academy courses and I will continue to do them, you can never have enough knowledge and you’re guaranteed. Not only will you get value for money but you’ll be taught by the best in the business which is why I had to get involved, it was a no brainer for me! If you are serious about music production, mixing, mastering etc then the Toolroom Academy is for you, if you’re not bothered about becoming the best you can then stick to youtube!