One of the most inadvertent yet positive byproducts of the pandemic has been the rise of independent artists. With the era of online learning upon us, knowledge is much more accessible than ever before, and more and more individuals are driven to pursue their passions. If you are an aspiring musician looking to learn from industry experts from the comfort of your own home, you have come to the right place.

Introducing CLASS101, the largest online education platform in South Korea with one out of 70 South Koreans being a user. The platform operates worldwide, servicing 119 countries with 3,000+ classes instructed by 130,000 experts from various industries such as music, dance, food, fitness, photography, illustration, digital art, and more.

CLASS101 features well-known Korean creators including K-Pop producer and artist GRAY, GroovyRoom, Grammy Award winning Mix Engineer, David “Yungin” Kim, Lia Kim and 1MILLION Dance Studio, and Marvel illustrator and DC concept artist InHyuk Lee, to name a few. Kpopmap had the incredible opportunity to take a course by CLASS101, taught by none other than GRAY. Here's an introduction and review of the course titled "Learn Music Production with GRAY" from the point of view of a complete beginner at music production.

CLASS101

Priced at $410 originally and currently available at a discount for $284, GRAY's class on music production is a 52-week course spanning 10 hours & 17 minutes, with a recorded 97% satisfaction rate. Every CLASS101 class is premised with a curriculum, a class kit detailing the resources you need for the course (which in this case, is a software called Cubase Pro), extensive information about the creator as well as genuine reviews from fellow learners. After purchasing, you have limited access to the class but are free to download class notes as PDFs for future reference. GRAY instructs in Korean but there are English subtitles available for the entire course.

The class is divided into modules that further branch out into shorter sections for easy classification and comprehension. It is also helpful for revision when you're looking for any specific information. At the end of each module, you must complete a mission before moving on to the next to help you consolidate what you have learned and apply it. You can also leave comments about the class and share your progress with like-minded learners under each class video. This simulates a real classroom environment, which is certainly encouraging.

The first module and arguably the most important one, titled "DAW: Understanding And Usage" elucidates the basics of the digital audio workstation you'll be using throughout the class: Cubase Pro. GRAY introduces himself and allows us to step into GRAY GROUND, shedding the image of a superstar to take on the role of a teacher and a friend. He emphasizes the importance of finding one's own style and colour and that is exactly what he helps you discover through the class. Giving his students the permission to call him GRAY-hyung, GRAY-oppa or GRAY-ssaem, the biggest hit-maker of the Korean music industry starts off his first-ever online class.

Right off the bat, when GRAY says "basics", he means it. As a teacher, he takes you step-by-step through the most intricate details of Cubase, starting from installation to the menus, the purpose of each feature, personalized hotkeys, and more, slowly and steadily. GRAY is not the least bit intimidating even when he is explaining production lingo that you might be hearing for the first time. Instead, he is kind, humble, and patient, ensuring that even an absolute beginner feels empowered to learn by sharing his own experiences when he first started out, relatable analogies, case studies from his own works, and so on. Like all the teachers you've always loved, GRAY too has a subtle sense of humour that makes his classes not only educational but also engaging. His demonstration is easy to follow, both in Korean and English, especially since he pays special attention to that end.

GQ Korea

With the class being pre-recorded, a live Q&A session is not available but GRAY anticipates possible confusion, questions, and apprehensions, almost as if he were reading your mind. The solutions and troubleshooting advice he provides for almost all issues that might come up during the course of the class make up for the fact that there is no direct interaction between the master and the students. As a matter of fact, GRAY is so detailed in his exposition that it almost feels like a private lesson with him by your side, guiding you. What is truly priceless about this class is the treasure trove of special tips and information that GRAY shares, while making sure that he is not imposing his own ways on his students so as to allow them to explore their own styles. In that respect, GRAY has a unique M.O, whereby he posits the technically right way of doing things, proceeds to show his own methods of going about the same, and then encourages you to create your own way.

After the first couple of sections, as we get into harmonics, chord progressions, real beat making, voice samples, and utilizing sampler tracks, it is essential to pay very close attention to every word. Since GRAY's instruction is thorough and significantly meticulous, it is easy to miss key information if you don't follow along at his pace. Now, of course, you can rewind and watch a class over and over again for better understanding, which is definitely helpful in such cases. However, the ticking time limit on the course can be slightly unnerving. The silver lining is that it enforces a schedule and helps you stay accountable.

Throughout the modules, CLASS101 provides downloadable study materials like summary sheets, graphics, figures, and so on for quick reference. In addition, the second half of the course features "GRAY's Open Tracks" where he lays bare the structure of some of his biggest hits (such as 'It's been a while' by Loco ft. Zion.T, 'On It' by Jay Park ft. DJ Wegun, 'Simon Dominic' by Simon Dominic, 'Forever' by BewhY, 'We Are' by Woo WonJae ft. Loco & GRAY and more) taking us through the creative and technical process of production from scratch. This analysis and breakdown is perhaps the most lucrative part of the course because it gives you a peek into a genius' mind, revealing the secret to GRAY's successful artistry. Finally, GRAY concludes with an inspiring story, sharing his journey of becoming the icon he is today and how you can be one too.

You can learn more about GRAY's CLASS101 course here. Follow CLASS101 on Instagram to stay up to date with the newest classes and more. It's time to live the way you love!