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Online Studio Class

Toplining for Dance: Writing Hits, Vocal Production, & How to Get Cuts with DJs

Learn everything you need to know as a dance topliner. In this class, writer/producer YCONN takes you into his studio and teaches you his complete creative process, the process he's used writing toplines for international DJs like LUM!X and PS1, and on vocal productions for David Guetta and Galantis. Follow along as he creates 2 brand new toplines (songs) from start to finish, explaining everything he’s doing along the way. He'll even show his entire process for how to pitch to DJs and get cuts.
$219.99

What’s included:

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    In-depth video lessons (12h 1m)

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    Step-by-step curriculum

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    Online and at your own pace

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    Watch on all devices

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    Unlimited lifetime access

Taught by

Profile picture for YCONN
Profile picture for YCONN
YCONN
Dance-pop producer known for his toplines & EDM vocal production. Credits with David Guetta, Galantis, LUM!X, etc. Also works in A&R/publishing.
What you’ll learn
YCONN's approach to creating toplines that will get placed with major DJs
Hooks: reliably find inspiration to generate hook ideas and full concepts
Melodies: write catchy, memorable and cohesive melodies, inc. melodic math
Lyrics: write effective and credible lyrics for the dance-pop market
Vocal Production: all the key stages of vocal production including the following...
Vocal Recording: tracking lead vocals and arranging effective backing vocal layers
Vocal Editing: comp, quantise, clean and tune your vocals to a world class standard
Vocal Mixing: make your vocals sound polished, modern, and pitch ready
Plugins and Presets: get all of YCONN's go-to settings for a pro vocal sound
Mastering for Demos: get your demo loud and clear so it can stand out
Pitching: find contact details for DJs and send your demo to them in the right way
Negotiating The Deal: how to reply when a DJ is interested to use your song
Contracts: understand all the common sections of a typical single song contract
Career Strategy: make sure you set off on the right foot to build your brand over time

Class Overview

Learn YCONN’s complete songwriting method, vocal production workflow, and music industry secrets for success
YCONN (James Grover) is a songwriter and vocal producer known mostly for dance toplines, ie songs that he writes with other singers and then pitches to famous DJs. Collectively, songs he's written have over 30 million streams, and songs he's worked on have over 600 million streams, with releases on most of the biggest dance labels in the world. Step into James' studio as he unveils his entire creative process from start to finish. You'll witness the magic firsthand as he writes, records, and vocal-produces two brand new songs, completely from scratch. From finding that initial spark of inspiration to exporting the final masterpiece, you'll be immersed in every step of the journey. James will guide you through the process of creating memorable hooks, developing strong song concepts, and deliberately crafting captivating melodies. Learn how to write authentic and compelling lyrics that resonate with your audience, and how to structure your songs for maximum impact. Next, James will show you how to elevate your vocal recordings to a world-class standard. Discover the art of layering harmonies and backing vocals to create a mesmerizing vocal arrangement. Uncover the secrets of achieving a polished vocal mix, then learn how to master and finalize your vocal demos. In addition to the creative process, James will share invaluable insights into the business side of the music industry. You'll learn how to navigate the A&R process, find relevant artists to pitch your songs to, and approach them professionally and effectively. Gain the knowledge and skills to handle negotiations and contracts like a pro, and learn career strategies to help you build your name as a respected dance topliner and feature singer within the industry. With James as your mentor, you'll have the tools and expertise to write your own hit-level toplines and secure releases with well-known DJs. Join him on this transformative journey and unlock your true potential as a topliner.

Lessons (11)

Apply what you learn

Follow YCONN’s proven process, step by step

In the class, YCONN (James Grover) breaks down his topline writing+production process into clear, actionable steps. Follow along lesson by lesson to write+produce your own topline demos, or watch James’s end-to-end process first, and then bring the ideas, tools, and techniques into your own projects in the future. By following James’s proven process, you’ll learn everything you need to write toplines like these:

Song #1 created in this class: radio-style dance pop structure

Song #2 created in this class - simplified dance structure

Who’s this class for?
1

You're a singer/songwriter looking to get your first dance cuts, or to increase your success rate, building an additional income stream in the process.

2

You're an experienced topliner wanting to learn vocal production and pitching so you can be self-sufficient, not having to rely on external producers/publishers/managers.

3

You're an aspiring topliner wanting to learn the skills and workflow needed to efficiently and consistently write pro-level songs and pitch them to the music industry.

Profile picture for YCONN
Profile picture for YCONN
meet your instructor
YCONN

YCONN (James Grover) is a London-based producer, topliner and mix engineer, with 30 million+ streams on his cowrites to date and around 600 million streams from tracks he's worked on. Vocal production credits include David Guetta + Little Mix, and writing credits include popular dance acts such as LUM!X, PS1, Lanné, Far Out, PBH & Jack, Thomas Gold and many more, with other songs on hold for massive artist like R3HAB, Sub Focus, and others. He has also worked as A&R consultant for a major label and 3 independent publishers.

A better kind of online class
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The Start-To-Finish Process
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Vulnerable & Open
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Learn Insider Secrets
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Watch On All Devices
Whether you’re at home or on the go, you’ll always have access to all your class lessons across all of your devices including mobile and tablets.
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Unlimited Lifetime Access
On Studio, you get unlimited lifetime access to every class you purchase. Pay once and use your class lessons as valuable references forever.

Frequently asked questions

$219.99

What’s included:

  • include icon

    In-depth video lessons (12h 1m)

  • include icon

    Step-by-step curriculum

  • include icon

    Online and at your own pace

  • include icon

    Watch on all devices

  • include icon

    Unlimited lifetime access

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