Private Music Production Classes & Instructors in El Cerrito, CA

I’m an audio engineer, producer, and composer with 15+ years of professional experience and a passion for helping people make better music. My credits include RIAA Platinum and Gold awards and a #1 Billboard album for production on Kodak Black’s Dying to Live. I’ve produced and engineered across Hip-Hop, R&B, Pop, Soul, Funk, Reggae, Folk, and more, and I enjoy working with students at every level, from first session to final release. I graduated valedictorian from Ex’pression College with a BAS in Sound Arts, and I’ve taught private lessons and nonprofit workshops. I run my own studio in the Bay Area and also handle commercial sessions, podcast production, and corporate post work as a composer and sound designer. My lessons are hands-on, project-based, and personalized to your goals—recording, mixing, vocal tuning, beat production, music theory, sound design, podcast editing, and release prep. We’ll keep it fun, focused, and efficient, and you’ll leave each session with clear next steps, checklists, and templates where helpful. I respond quickly to questions and tailor the plan so you make real progress every week. Tools: Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Melodyne, Ableton Live, Native Instruments / Maschine (and more).

"So far Ian has expanded my knowledge on mixing and mastering and given me a lot to work with. He’s very personable and doesn’t mind repeating himself or simplifying explanations. Day 1 he was willing to do extra tutoring to make sure he clarified everything meticulously, much appreciated!