Blend nostalgic synths with driving beats and retro production techniques to create sci-fi-inspired electronic music.
In 2011, the world’s first android astronaut launched into orbit. Or, at least, that was the concept behind Com Truise’s debut album Galactic Melt — a synth-fueled sonic exploration of a hero’s journey through space.
Combining a nostalgic reverence for ‘80s drum machines and production techniques with a futuristic sensibility, Com Truise has been building intricate musical worlds that are hypermodern and yet emotionally familiar for over a decade.
In this course, you’ll discover how Com Truise produces music that is both textural and driving, awash in retro drum sounds and thick clouds of synthesizers. You’ll follow along as he creates a brand new track from scratch, and opens up the sessions to some of his most popular songs, giving you a unique look at how he approaches synthesis, drum machine programming, production, gear, and more.
Whether you’re an aspiring synthwave artist, a gearhead, or simply someone in need of inspiration and constraints for your next musical project, this in-depth course will help you add an otherworldly quality to your music.
An admitted synth obsessive, Com Truise (aka producer and designer Seth Haley) is the maker of an experimental, bottom-heavy-style he calls “mid-fi synthwave slow-motion funk.” After years of making music under an array of pseudonyms (Sarin Sunday, SYSTM, Airliner) and as a DJ, Com Truise arrived on the scene with 2010's Cyanide Sisters EP, released for free on AMDISCS, and then re-released after he was picked up by famed electronic label Ghostly International.
2011 saw the release of his first full-length Galactic Melt, the album that also introduced the world to the narrative of Com Truise — the astral adventures of an android astronaut traveling the cosmos to make contact with distant civilizations. This imagined story would continue through his EPs Wave 1 and Silicon Tare, culminating in his 2017 full-length Iteration. He's done countless remixes along the way, for artists as varied as Maroon 5 and Daft Punk. And he's toured constantly, both as a DJ and a performer with a grandiose visual component to his set.
Now, more than a decade since his first release, Com Truise is still known for his synthwave-influenced immersive soundtracks — film scores for movies that only exist in his mind. Influenced by some combination of retro production techniques, his parents' record collections, and his love of technology and gear, his sound builds on a sense of nostalgia but always catapults it forward into the future.
Washy synths, funky drum machines, epic astral space sagas — Com Truise's music transports you to another universe. How does he do it? Watch this sample video from the course to get a sense of what to expect in this one-of-a-kind online learning experience.
Learn how Com Truise makes synth-driven electronic music and draws on classic production techniques to craft futuristic beats.
This course is for anyone who is a fan of Com Truise, synthwave, drum machines, retro production techniques, or crafting dreamy, otherworldly soundscapes. In particular, it's a course for producers looking to better employ these tools in their music.
You'll learn how Com Truise uses synths, drum machines, retro production techniques, and a love of science fiction to create his music. He'll discuss his process, open up the sessions to some of his most popular songs, and create a brand new song from scratch.
This course requires some knowledge of music production and synthesis. Com Truise predominantly uses Ableton Live in the course, although you can use any DAW. If you're new to working in a DAW, it might help to start with our course Intro to Making Music in Ableton Live.
You certainly don't need to be a synth master to take this course, but it helps to have a grasp of the fundamentals. If you want to deepen your knowledge of synths and synthesizers either before taking this course, or alongside it, feel free to explore these complementary courses:
This course was shot at the beautiful Hyperballad Studios in Brooklyn, NY.
This course was designed for you to take entirely at your own pace. If you want to watch and read all the content from start to finish, you could probably finish it in a couple hours; taking a more active approach and utilizing the various exercises and challenge prompts, you could probably spend a month or two working through it.
You're also welcome to just skip around to the lessons and sections most relevant to you and your music.
You can start the course anytime. If you'd like more accountability and guided feedback from a professional, you can request to work through the course and reach your own musical goals with a Soundfly Mentor for four or six weeks.
Learn more about custom mentorship here.
This course includes 57 lessons, including videos, graphics, text, activities, demos, creative prompts, downloadable tracks, stems, and much more.
Our mission is to support musicians, not to rip anyone off. If you realize after subscribing that it's not what you wanted, email us as soon as you can with your reason for cancelling. Our policy is to issue refunds within two weeks of a purchase, for either a monthly or annual subscription, if the courses didn't meet your expectations.
Note that we cannot offer refunds on monthly subscription payments beyond a single month of payment because of the residuals we pay out to our instructors and artists.
As a subscriber, you'll get unlimited access to all courses on Soundfly.com, including this and all our other premium courses, to go through at your own pace. This includes all the videos, tutorials, demos, quizzes, activities, downloads, and other materials within our full suite of courses.
You're also entitled to a 25% discount on our custom mentorship program, you will be invited to join our exclusive community Discord group, you'll be able join subscriber-only Study Groups, artist Q&As and workshops, annual contests and giveaways, and you'll have access to a growing list of exclusive discount perks courtesy of our partner brands. Cancel anytime.
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Yes, absolutely. If you would like to go through the course with support, accountability, feedback, and guidance from an expert, you can request a mentor by filling out this form. A Soundfly team member will reach out within 48 hours to learn more about your goals, your music, and your skill level, and pair you with a mentor who can help you achieve your next musical milestone. Our mentorship program is based on a science-backed learning model designed to help you learn more efficiently and effectively. Your mentor will tailor the course to your experience and interests, offer detailed weekly feedback on your work, answer any questions you have, help you blow past obstacles, and keep you on track to accomplish your goals.
You can find out more about mentorship and our expert mentors here.
