Timbaland MasterClass Review 2024 — How Good Is It?

You don’t know him by his name, but you know his music. 

Yes, I am talking about Timbaland. The one and only. His famous songs are The Way I are, Say My Name, and Wait a Minute.

The man who has been blessing the world with his sensational music production for decades teaches a course on producing and beat-making in — Timbaland MasterClass.

From creating masterpieces by vocal samples to composing full-fledged music, he covers it all, and I had the opportunity to take Timbaland’s MasterClass and learn his unpredictable secrets.

In this article, you’ll get to see an in-depth review of Timbaland’s MasterClass, including the categorization of lessons, what I liked, the pros & cons, the pricing, and more.

I also answer the most anticipated question – “Is Timbaland’s MasterClass worth it?” in the end.

Timbaland: Who is he?

Timbaland is a popular US-based music producer.

He has been honored with four Grammy Awards, one Bet Hip Hop Award, one MTV Australia Award, and many prestigious nominations for his innovative beats and music production.

He has collaborated with several top-paid singers like Rihanna, Madonna, Beyonce, Nelly Furtado, and Justin Timberlake. 

Apart from producing music, he is also a singer, songwriter, and rapper.

An overview of Timbaland’s MasterClass:

Timbaland breaks down the various processes involved in making a viral hit of a song and spills some of his work experience with various artists in different genres from pop to rap to hip hop.

His MasterClass has 15 complete lessons, from creating beats with your voice to compiling an entire album with 3 hours of watch time. It’s not that long.

Note: MasterClass is full of resources just like this course. To give a full overview of this platform we have done a thorough review of MasterClass.

You also get a downloadable PDF workbook that is pretty much an extension to the course. It offers various additional benefits like a section of a glossary, in-depth explanation about each lesson, fun tasks, and assignments to get going with the course.

The glossary section is helpful because specific music-related terms like top line, reverb, and tail used in the course might feel unfamiliar if you are a beginner.

There is also a diagrammatic explanation of a few lessons in the workbooks for visualization.

Additionally, an online community forum is available in Timbaland’s MasterClass, where you can share feedback, ask questions about the course, or even clarify doubts with the instructor.

Timbaland MasterClass Lessons Explained

Timbaland‘s MasterClass was an insightful course on the production of music with beats. Though it may sound simple, it is a tedious yet fun process. I’ll share the best takeaways and highlight everything you need to know about his MasterClass in a brief note.

Without further ado, let’s dive in.

1. Introduction to Team Timbo

In the introduction part, there is a voiceover by Timbaland through which he welcomes his students. He also introduces his A-team, with whom he has been working for years. 

“My style is to take something unexpected and make it into a hit. That’s what I do.”

To be honest, I didn’t know that there was an extension to Timbaland’s Music. 

I thought it was a solo show by one man, but there is a team called Team Timbo.

He starts the lesson by explaining how a person can create music with only a mouth and a microphone. I mean, he demonstrates the use of voice in the creation of music, which I loved.

He also skims through the basics of using extensive equipment for producing music. 

You also get a fun assignment to record beats by snapping, clapping, or even using voice.

2. Transforming beats

You know, a beat once made is not directly included in a song, right? 

Timbaland and his team show the beat’s journey from being created to fixing it in a song and break down the creation process. 

“Greatness can never be over because you can lay it down for a minute.”

It was insane to witness how a single beat recorded with a microphone can go that far.

In Lesson 2, you learn about layering drums and tweaking beats to enhance music, followed by the addition of the top line*. 

(You can refer to the workbook’s glossary section for the meaning)*

You also get to know the manipulation of vocal samples in the composition part.

3. Insight of Timbaland’s hits

The best part about taking Timbaland’s MasterClass is that you get a complete insight into his music production, collaborations, and composition.

“The same people who smile in my face would be the same ones to talk behind my back.”

Like, you get to see the behind-the-scenes of famous songs like Are You That Somebody, Dirt Off Your Shoulder, and many more. 

I was thrilled to witness the pre-recorded audios of my favorites in a learning course.

Along with the assignment of listening to songs like Formation (Beyonce) and All Night Long (Lionel Richie), you also get to see a simplified diagram of a standard drum kit, which was helpful.

There are a few more diagrams in the workbook in Lesson 3 like Tablas, Bongos, and Congas.

4. From Being Inspired to Becoming an Inspiration

Later, after explaining various components of music production and composition, Timbaland finally steps down and talks about his inspirations and how they helped him succeed.

 “I’ve always tried different stuff in the studio. I use rakes, spoons, cans… I’m a surround-sound type of guy.”

He emphasizes the fact of being influenced and not replicating the same image or piece of work. Along with it, he gives out some musical advice which felt like a motivating session.

Once again stresses his students to “be a creator, not an imitator,” which is a powerful quote.

The last lesson truly felt like one of those inspirational videos on YouTube.

How Long Does It Take to Complete Timbaland’s MasterClass?

To straight up answer this, Timbaland’s MasterClass is only around 3 hours. Personally, I took a week to complete the course because I did not rush to finish the MasterClass for its sake.

I gave myself enough time to understand each lesson in detail and experimented with some of the learnings I gained from the course. This way, I was able to learn and practice simultaneously.

I’d suggest you do the same too. The best part about MasterClass is that you can take the courses whenever you want, wherever you want, and however you want.

At times, I would take few lessons before going to bed, and other times I’d take the remaining while having my evening snack. 

On average, a week is more than enough to complete Timbaland’s MasterClass.

Although if you are a complete beginner, you can even take a month, there is no wrong.

Pros & Cons of Timbaland’s MasterClass:

Here are some valid points for you to hop in Timbaland’s MasterClass, followed by some downsides to keep in mind before taking the course.

Pros

• Practical teaching
• In-depth insights of his work
• Resourceful workbooks with values
• Inclusion of glossary section in the workbook

Cons

•  The tools suggested are quite expensive.
• Unnecessary beatboxing throughout the course.

Who is Timbaland’s MasterClass best suited to?

Timbaland’s MasterClass is aimed at educating producers for a better understanding.

That being said, I would recommend his MasterClass to any producer out there wanting to learn music production from professional expertise. On an overall scale, I’d suggest to:

• Anyone willing to learn beat-making.
• Experienced producers in music composition.
• Fans of Timbaland can take it to see insights into his work.

If you are a beginner, you get clear-cut explanations in the workbook offered by MasterClass, and Timbaland also goes in-depth about his teaching, so you don’t have to worry.

Timbaland MasterClass: How much does it cost?

If you are new to the pricing section of MasterClass, then let me take the honor of explaining all the benefits you’d get with an exciting plan in the platform.

Previously, there was a single-course plan where you can buy a single course, but now you get an added advantage of taking multiple courses by paying only for one course.

All-Access Pass at $180/- per year (billed as $15/- per month) allows users to take 100+ courses handled by incredible celebrities worldwide in 10+ unique niches.

Are you feeling confused? Don’t worry, I’ll explain. 

By purchasing an All-Access Pass in MasterClass, you will get access to all MasterClass courses simultaneously without paying any extra money, which means you can take Thomas Keller’s course in the cooking niche while also taking singing lessons by Alicia Keys.

I’d suggest making the best use of All-Access Pass in MasterClasss by taking as many courses as you want because the more courses you take, the more valuable your pass will be.

Learn Beatmaking With Timbaland

What Will You Need For This MasterClass?

If you are keen to learn from this MasterClass, then you must also learn from the workbook. So here are a few things you should get to most out of this course:

• Notebook: You will get everything from the workbook, so there aren’t many things you need a notebook for. But to note down which plugin was used and when to create a particular beat then you will need a notebook.
• Digital Audio Workstation (DAW): If you want to do any practical work, then you will need a digital audio workstation. If you don’t have one, then you can use Logic, GarageBand, or Reaper to work on it. They all offer free trials and which gives you enough time to explore them.

What Students Are Saying About Timbaland MasterClass

Here is what students are saying about Timbaland MasterClass:

Alternatives to Timbaland MasterClass

If you are not satisfied with the lessons taught by Timbaland in his MasterClass, it is acceptable to look for other alternatives because the course you take should be worth it.

In MasterClass, using the All-Access Pass, you get the opportunity to be taught by some of the world’s greatest minds in various niches altogether at the comfort of your home.

All the alternatives listed above offer courses on learning music from scoring to composing to singing to beatboxing. 

I’d suggest buying the All-Access Pass and taking all the courses. I took Hans Zimmer’s MasterClass on film scoring, for which I even wrote a review alongside Christina’s course.

Final Verdict Of Timbaland MasterClass Review (2024)

Timbaland’s MasterClass enlightened me with some of the incredible tips and tricks in creating beats for a song. I mean, I did not know that we can curate beats out of literally nothing.

Ever since I was exposed to the exclusive content in Timbaland’s MasterClass, where he uses only a microphone and his voice to compose music, I went speechless because that was surreal.

Explore Timbaland MasterClass

Providing an excellent workbook with the course was helpful in various ways, like a glossary section for easy understanding, a detailed explanation of lessons, and creative assignments.

However, few downsides felt a bit annoying at times, but the course’s perks overlapped it. Overall, Timbaland’s MasterClass was great learning of music production practically.

Frequently Asked Questions