Audible Genius has announced the release of Building Blocks 1, a training course for music composition and beat making that uses the same award-winning ear-training approach as its successful predecessor Syntorial.

The previously announced videogame-like training course teaches you how to create drum patterns, chord progressions and basslines by ear.

Designed to feel like MIDI notation in a familiar DAW environment, the new course allows both new and existing producers to improve their ability to recreate drum patterns, chords and basslines they hear in their head.

The first volume of Building Blocks contains 94 interactive lessons that explain the most important concepts in music composition, after which producers can sharpen their skills in interactive challenges. They use their hearing to recreate drum patterns, chord progressions and basslines, which leads to an improved ability to turn musical ideas into reality. At the end of the course, users are able to reproduce a wide variety of musical elements by ear.

Building Blocks 1 enables the student to put their newly acquired skills to immediate use in the DAW of their choice. The new course does away with the traditional music staff and instead makes use of the Note Grid, which is similar to the piano roll or MIDI grid in DAW applications such as FL Studio or Logic Pro. The Note Grid will be familiar to existing producers and give a head start to those new to music software.

A subscription to audiblegenius.com (with access to all 94 lessons of Building Blocks 1) costs $14.99 USD/ month. The course runs right within your web browser. Chrome and Opera are currently supported, on Mac and PC. More devices and browsers coming soon.

The first four lessons of Building Blocks 1 are free to try.

More information: Audible Genius