Learn more about the Modern Piano Masterclass
Learn more about the Modern Piano Masterclass
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The Modern Piano Masterclass

Become A Songwriting Machine by Mastering Piano Fundamentals in 90 Days

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What do all the most successful songwriters and producers have in common?


Avicii

Dr. Dre

Drake

Billy Joel

Kygo

Selena Gomez

The Weeknd

Ariana Grande

Queen (Freddie Mercury)

Ryan Tedder

And pretty much any successful songwriter, DJ, producer, artist, instrumentalist...

You guessed it - they all play piano

"I always start with the melody, so I'll sit by the piano and play the chords with the melody. When I have a melody, I'll build everything around that."
Tim Bergling
Avicii

KSHMR, Armin Van Buuren & Alan Walker are catching up

"I had my piano lessons this morning and brought my kids to daycare, so everything is good"
Armin van Buuren
"I've actually been learning piano. I started learning the melodies on piano"
Alan Walker

Why is everyone learning piano all of a sudden?

Here’s the thing…

If you’re like most producers, you’ll fall into one of these three categories:

  • “This is AMAZING. I’m learning so much and having a blast.”
  • “Okay, there’s a lot to learn. That’s fine though. I’m enjoying myself!”
  • “Agh, why is this so hard. I can’t come up with any good ideas. My music sounds nothing like I want it to sound. I’m so frustrated.”

If you’re not in category 3 yet, chances are you will be. It happens to almost every producer.

And the worst thing you can do when you’re in category 3 is to keep pushing and doing the same thing you’ve always done.

That’s what most producers do. And it doesn’t work.

You need a different approach: piano.

Why modern producers need to learn piano

Hi, I’m Niko. 

I’m a professional concert pianist and electronic music producer with over 50 million global streams and support from artists like The Chainsmokers, Lauv, Kygo and Swedish House Mafia.

And I’ve got a question for you…

When you started producing music, did you think this is where you'd end up?

Session after session you sit down and start something new.

You pull in some samples from Splice.

Write a basic chord progression on the piano roll.

Try to come up with a catchy melody but get only halfway there.

Once the inevitable frustration hits, you lean back in your chair, put your feet up, and start scrolling through Facebook and Instagram. You notice that…

  • Your friend has just put out a new song and it sounds phenomenal. He’s getting tons of positive feedback.
  • Another artist you know has put out a semi-viral video of him turning a basic melody he came up with on the piano into a full song. It’s impressive.
  • Someone else is announcing their new tour dates.

You return to your project feeling even more demotivated. But you tell yourself to push through and work harder.

Except nothing really changes. You find yourself stuck in this cycle.

You feel like there’s something missing.

This is the eternal challenge that plagues producers. It’s the gap between what’s in their head, and what ends up in their DAW. 

“I have all these great ideas in my head, but they never sound as good as I think they will.”

“I just can’t figure out how to translate what I’m hearing in my head into my DAW. I don’t know where to start.”

“I truly think I have a creative and musical mind, but I fall short when it comes to taking that creativity and putting it into something tangible and listenable.”

Some producers manage to grind their way out of this rut. Most end up quitting.

Fortunately, there’s another option…

Piano. 

And here’s why: 

Creativity is best expressed dynamically through action.

Your best ideas come from the moments where you’re in the zone, enjoying yourself, and feeling completely free to do whatever you please. 

Take a moment to think about it. 

Would you feel more creative staring at a blank screen trying to figure out which notes to plot in your DAW to write a nice (but kinda boring) quantized melody?

Or would you feel more creative getting lost while playing piano and enjoying the sound of what’s coming out, noticing the weight of the keys, feeling the music tangibly, and exploring musical ideas that you’d never be able to conjure up in your head—all while recording them into your DAW?

The answer is obvious. Playing an instrument, especially piano, is a more natural way to express yourself musically. If you’re a producer who can play piano, you have the ability to be more creative, compose better music, and have more fun doing it. 

Learning piano is the key to getting the musical ideas out of your head and into your DAW…. 

…and I’m here to help you do just that.

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Why the "Production First" approach fails

There are two main approaches to music production: Production First, and Composition First.

Most producers fall into the former camp. They focus on production first. They get caught up in all the shiny techniques and watch the newest tutorials.

When they start a project, they focus on finding the right samples, manipulating sounds (sound design), and getting the mix to sound right.

They spend hours and hours doing this, and then realize that their actual song isn’t even that good. The chord progression is too basic and boring. The melody isn’t catchy at all. There’s no hook. And it just doesn’t flow nicely.

The “Production First” approach is like trying to build a house without a foundation. It’s trying to run before you can walk.

The Composition First approach is much better. You’re focusing on generating and refining your core musical ideas first before worrying about which samples to use and sounds to create. If you want to write modern, pop-influenced electronic music, then it’s essential that you get this piece right.

The Composition First approach forces you to not skip the hard stuff. Writing a good song is hard. And every producer is tempted to procrastinate and come back to it later, or just rush the process.

Unfortunately, while the Composition First approach is ideal, it’s extremely difficult for most producers. There’s three reasons why:

  1. They don’t know enough music theory to make it work. Even if they do, they still can’t practically apply it.
  2. They can’t get themselves in a creative mood or zone
  3. They’re still working “in the box” and revert back to doing what they’ve always done instead of pushing musical boundaries. 

And that’s where the Hybrid Producer comes in…

The Hybrid Producer (Piano-First) approach

The Hybrid Producer is someone who can proficiently play piano and produce music.

This person takes the Composition First approach a step further.

He comes up with his ideas on the fly, instead of pointing and clicking in the DAW (only to end up with something average)…

He can sit down at the piano for 30 mins or less (sometimes in just a few minutes) and come up with a full, draft arrangement… ready to be arranged and produced in the DAW.

Instead of wasting hours designing sounds that never get used, he’s focused on playing and recording solid chord progressions and catchy melodies that make a song, a song.

The Hybrid Producer sees piano and production as one holistic process, rather than something completely separate. He uses piano to support his productions, and his production knowledge influences the way he plays piano.

5 differences between Piano-First producers and ordinary producers

Hybrid, Piano-First producers are, on average, far more creative and focused than ordinary producers who can’t play piano.

Which approach do you want to take? 

ON SONGWRITING

Ordinary Producers: “My music just sounds boring. I know how to EQ, compress, use Serum, and put together a basic arrangement… but whatever I do, and whatever approach I take, every song I make just lacks the magic sound that I hear in other people’s music.”

— VS —

Piano-First Producers: “I used to think that writing good music was all about how good you were in your DAW. Now I realize that’s wrong. I know what goes into a well-written song. I know how to play and record a catchy melody. I know the music theory tricks that go into making something unique and memorable.”

ON CREATIVE BLOCK

Ordinary Producers: “Every time I sit down to work on a new project I just get stuck. Nothing comes to me. I’ve sat there for hours trying to come up with ideas and just feeling hopeless. I know that writer’s block is normal but I can’t seem to shake it.”

— VS —

Piano-First Producers: “I know that if I sit down and start playing piano, eventually something will come. If I’m really struggling, I can just do some practice, playing a song that I already know. Then I’ll improvise. Then I’ll keep improvising and I’ll have an original idea that I can easily transfer to my DAW and start working on.”

ON WORKFLOW

Ordinary Producers: “In almost all of my projects I get to a point where I’m stuck. My song sounds okay sonically, but the core idea just doesn’t do it for me anymore. I lose motivation, I work slowly, and I start mucking around with things that I know aren’t important.”

— VS —

Piano-First Producers: “As soon as I come up with a solid musical idea and arrangement on piano, the rest of the process is easy. I just need to find and use the right sounds, make the mix sound decent, and then I’m good. Composing and producing this way is a blast.”

ON COLLABORATION

Ordinary Producers: “Honestly, I’m scared to collaborate with other producers because I’m worried that I’ll just blank out and be unable to come up with any ideas. Even if I was to come up with ideas, it would be hard for me to explain them if I was collaborating with someone in person.”

— VS —

Piano-First Producers: “Piano makes it easy for me to collaborate with others. Instead of worrying about blanking out and getting writer’s block, I can just jam out on the piano for a bit and we’ll come up with something. Instead of trying to explain what I’m thinking, I can just demonstrate it live on the piano.”

ON BUILDING A CAREER

Ordinary Producers: “I’m worried that I’ll never be able to really develop myself as an artist if I can’t fix these problems. Ultimately I’d love to make music my life, but right now I feel hopeless because I’m stuck.”

— VS —

Piano-First Producers: “I’m confident that given enough time, I’ll be able to turn music production into a full-time endeavour. Being able to play piano and produce gives me more options. I can incorporate it into my shows, post videos on social media, and make music that has a strong piano element.”

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7 ways playing piano helps you produce better music

#1 - Create memorable melodies

In the Spotify age, the way to have your song stand out in playlists is for it to have a great hook. Creating memorable melodies is easier and more intuitive on the piano.

#2 - Write emotional chord progressions

Melody by itself is bland. Knowing how to use and manipulate chords to create interesting, engaging progressions will ensure that your music doesn’t get skipped and looked over. 

#3 - Closes the "Mind to DAW" link

When you know how to play piano, it’s much easier to translate the ideas in your head into real music in your DAW.

#4 - Faster workflow

It’s quicker to record in a melody or progression than point & click inside your DAW. You don’t even need to play it perfectly as you can edit later

#5 - Easier and more creative collaboration

Ever been in the studio with someone where you’re trying to explain a musical idea but words don’t suffice? As a pianist, you can just demonstrate it live.

#6 - Learning and apply music theory

Learning music theory by book can be incredibly mind-numbing. Learning it as you learn piano is more enjoyable. Not only that, but knowing how to play piano allows you to actually apply music theory in a more natural way than if you were just working inside your DAW. 

#7 - Confidence & Higher Status

Knowing how to play piano gives you creative confidence. You know that you’re not going to struggle with generating ideas. You can just sit down and play for 15 minutes and you’ll come up with something. It also makes you a higher status human being. Playing piano is impressive. 

Introducing...

The Modern Piano Masterclass

Unlock Your Full Creative Potential by Mastering Piano Fundamentals in 90 Days

If you’re ready to make the transition from “ordinary” producer to piano-proficient creative genius, then you're in the right place.

The Modern Piano Masterclass is a comprehensive, 8-module program that teaches you how to master the fundamentals of the piano from the ground-up (so you can write and produce better music). 

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Here's what you'll learn in The Modern Piano Masterclass:

  • The Mental Framework that separates creative and driven piano players from the rest...
  • How to build your internal “chord library” so you can quickly and fluently play and record progressions on the fly without having to “think” about what you’re doing…
  • Best practices for developing hand skills so you can expand your melody and chord playing abilities (and as a result: your composition skills).
  • How to play and make catchy melodies like Avicii, Kygo, and Martin Garrix that get stuck in people’s heads
  • Advanced melody and chord writing techniques (so you can take your playing and production to the next level)
  • How to break down popular songs and learn them step-by-step, regardless of how complicated they are.
  • How to write & build your own original song completely on the piano, and then record it into your DAW and start producing.
  • How to incorporate piano into your production process: everything from processing, layering, advanced MIDI editing, and more.
  • Improvisation mastery: how to become a music making machine who can generate epic ideas in minutes (without having to look at a screen or anything else).

And here's what you'll learn in the bonus modules:

  • How to make an official remix from start-to-finish (my breakdown of the official remix I did for Borgeous)
  • Making music your life: how to develop a “front office” mindset and build your career in music
  • How to build brand authority in the music industry
  • Spotify Accelerator: How I went from 0 to 30MM streams by following this simple process and making over 100k in royalties.
  • Getting paid: opportunities, sponsorships, streams, and more.

The Masterclass is focused on Four Core Areas

1. Chord Dominance

You will be able to create impactful chord progressions that await a beautiful melody to join its company.

2. Melody Mastery

You will write melodies that will be stuck in your listener’s head for days on end. Your melody will fit beautifully with your progression.

3. Practice

You will take your chord dominance and melody mastery and combine them while playing live on the piano.

4. Improvisation

You will incorporte new creative elements when playing the piano to continue to push yourself creatively. 

We repeat and practice these three areas throughout our Composition Mastery Modules, Start-to-Finish Modules, and Production Modules

Composition Mastery Modules

If you are new to music, production or piano or even have years of experience, these two modules will be lifechanging and will save your years of time. We breakdown music theory with practice and application, not textbooks and dry lectures. Even Grammy-winning producers have been shocked how good these modules are.

MODULE 1

Chord Dominance

If you are new to music, production or piano or even have years of experience, these first two modules will be life-changing and will save you years of time. We’ll break down music theory with enjoyable practice and application, not textbooks and dry lectures. Even Grammy-winning producers have been shocked by how good these modules are.

  • Unique chord discovery, construction and implementation in your music
  • How the music families work to make your life easier and simplify music theory
  • Practice techniques to make your music sound more organic & real vs. digital
  • Chord arps to add dynamics and movement to your progressions
  • The piano's secret reverb and how to use it

MODULE 2

Melody Mastery

This is the ultimate breakdown of melody. You will master melody creation, how to write melodies like the pros and how to play them on the piano combining your knowledge from Module 1. You will learn the following: 

  • How to write melodies like Avicii, Kygo, Martin Garrix, and other top artists
  • How to add rhythmic variation to your melodies so they sound real
  • Melodic arps and how to use them in your music
  • A secret method that a 3-year-old toddler could use to derive melodies from any song
  • Melody starters and how to manipulate them to write melodies in minutes

Start-to-Finish Modules

After developing your composition skills, you will start playing through four pieces on the piano that are designed to push you to new creative heights. Each one introduces new concepts and repeats ones from prior modules. 

MODULE 3

Composition #1 - "Relentless"

The first composition introduces key and rhythmic pattern changes. Once you play through this song, you will understand how to borrow chords from different keys and actually understand the circle of 5ths. You will learn: 

  • Transposition and how to actually use the circle of 5ths
  • How to make epic sounding music
  • The frequency spectrum and how we use it to increase listener engagement

MODULE 4

Composition #2 "Higher Desire"

The second composition that we will break down and play through together. The arrangement of this track includes multiple chord progressions and changes in the melody throughout. You will learn: 

  • Improvisational tactics to make the music more interesting
  • Arrangement and chord progression changes
  • How to take the existing composition and use it in your music (without stealing it completely)

MODULE 5

Composition #3 - Skywalking

The third composition breaks down how suspense and melody work together. The arrangement of this track includes multiple chord progressions and changes in the melody throughout. You will learn: 

  • Improvisational tactics to make the music more interesting
  • Arrangement and chord progression changes
  • How to take the existing composition and use it in your music (without stealing it completely)

MODULE 6

Composition #4 - Beautiful Together

The fourth composition is the most challenging to play melodically. We will continue to add more tactics to add texture to your melodies and chord to “beautify” them. Here’s what you will learn: 

  • New improvisational tactics and playing techniques
  • How to write complex, yet simple-sounding melodies
  • Rhythmic chord progressions, arpeggiations for basslines and improvisation techniques to skyrocket your playing

Piano & Production Modules

You now have the ability to write melodies, chord progressions and play the piano. Let’s confidently return to the DAW and dominate creating music. We will walk through all my production secrets and my official remix from start-to-finish.

MODULE 7

Piano Production

We return to our DAW and go into how to make your pianos sound beautiful. We will go into advanced MIDI editing using the skills we acquired in the first six modules. You will learn the following:

  • Secret processing techniques used by the best producers in the world
  • Piano layering and group bus processing
  • How to edit recorded MIDI in your daw like a pro

MODULE 8

Composition In The DAW (Coming Jan '22)

After going through some of the produciton aspects, we wrap up the final part of the program with learning how to compose in our DAW. We breakdown different arrangement techniques, composition, remixing and more. We also cover aspects of production including mixing and mastering.

  • How to arrange, mix and master a professional track from start-to-finish
  • How to use the piano as the bass for your composition
  • Rhythmic patterns for drums, bass, horns, strings and other instruments

...and over $1500 in extra bonuses

BONUS #1

The Ultimate MIDI Pack ($997 value)

This MIDI Pack includes 50 unique chord progressions with 100 variations. I recorded it personally on a grand piano, so every file is velocity-enhanced and sounds human. There’s also over 1,000 melodies in this pack to give you inspiration. Watch the demo below!

  • 50 chord progressions with 100 variations
  • 1,000+ unique, catchy melodies to tweak and study
  • Velocity-enhanced, recorded on a real piano

BONUS #2

Make Music Your Life Course ($497 value)

This program will show you exactly how to develop a “front office” mindset so you can build the foundation for making music your life and career. You’ll learn how I went from 0 to $3,000 per month (just from Spotify streams), how to build brand authority, understanding systems, and getting paid opportunities. 

  • Develop your purpose as an artist and build a strong, business-focused mindset
  • Finding your niche, marketing, and outsourcing the stuff you don't want to do
  • How to raise money for your artist project (and whether you even should)

BONUS #3

Start-to-Finish Course: MING ($297 value)

Watch Grammy-nominated producer MING make a song from start-to-finish and gain insights into his workflow, arrangement style, vocal processing techniques, and sound engineering tactics. Also includes an exclusive interview with MING. 

  • Gain key insights into the workflow of a professional, Grammy-nominated producer
  • Learn how to arrange with a vocal in mind (to create a catchy, memorable song)
  • Develop better engineering and production skills by watching MING mix down his song

BONUS #4

Improvisation Mastery ($297 value)

This bonus course will take you from intermediate to semi-pro on the piano. You’ll learn how to improvise with chords and melodies so that you can come up with hit-worthy song ideas on the fly. 

  • Learning chord improvisation (5+ hour masterclass)
  • How to write melodies by improvisation (suspensions, texture & movement, and more)
  • How to improvise and write epic song endings (so your music can leave a final mark on the listener)

I get results. So do my students.

I’m not another internet dude trying to take your money. Here’s why you can trust me:

  • 15,000+ hours of piano experience
  • 50MM streams on global streaming platforms as an independent artist.
  • Supported by The Chainsmokers, Lauv, 3LAU, Lucas & Steve, Borgeous, Steve Angello, and countless other world class artists.
  • Produced official remix for "Leave" by Borgeous and Jordy Jones
  • Studied music theory and composition at Johns Hopkins University
  • Have successfully taught hundreds my methodology through the Modern Piano Masterclass (see student reviews below)

Don't just take my word for it. Here's what our members have to say...

Matt W. — Sauniks

Music Producer with over one million streams and thousands of monthly listeners

“If you are a producer considering taking this course, I 110% recommend you take this course. The skills you gain and knowledge is absolutely priceless. Your songs will move up in a level like you never would have expected before.”

Location: Pennslyvania, USA

Blake La Grange

Grammy-Winning Producer and Engineer for Kanye West, Skrillex, Lil Wayne & A$AP Rocky

“I have nothing but the highest regard for Niko and his course. This course is actually the real deal and it will show you exactly what you need to do to fast track your work as a producer to get results you need with the piano.”

Location: New York, USA

Ryan H. - Hartstopper

Pop Producer

“This program has been huge for my growth. Knowing how to play the piano is crucial because we have to speak the same language as my songwriters and bounce around ideas. Niko’s program has made me feel so much more confident in myself and my abilities. The lesson are super inspiring and Niko is a great teacher.

Location: Norway

Check out all student reviews 👉

Want to preview the course? Watch the demo below!

Complete Masterclass Edition

70% OFF

$997 $297

one payment

  • Full, lifetime access to the Modern Piano Masterclass
  • Access to private mastermind group
  • BONUS: The Ultimate MIDI Pack ($997 value)
  • BONUS: Make Music Your Life course ($497 value)
  • BONUS: Ming Start-to-Finish course ($297 value)
  • BONUS: Improvisation Mastery course ($297 value)
Enroll Now

or 5 payments of $59

Piano + Songwriting Bundle

75% OFF

$1,997 $497

one payment

  • Full, lifetime access to the Modern Piano Masterclass
  • Access to private mastermind group
  • Access to all bonuses

+ Full, lifetime access to our brand new Modern Songwriting Masterclass (sold separately for $997). 

Enroll Now

or 6 payments of $97

Try Piano For Producers for a full 60-days, 100% risk-free

If you’re a producer, I firmly believe this is the best option out there to turn you from a piano noob into fully-fledged piano player and Hybrid Producer. 

But I want to make sure that you think the same. So I’ll give you 14 days to go through the course, apply what you’ve learned, and make sure this is really working for you. 

You can try the entire course, and if you don’t LOVE it, then I’ll give you 100% of your money back. 

No downside for you. Plenty of upside.

What's the REAL cost of Piano For Producers?

You might be wondering, “Why is this program so expensive?”

Well, it’s not. Especially when you look at the other options available.

The Expensive Option: Hire a piano tutor

Piano lessons are notoriously expensive. They also aren’t designed with producers in mind. You can expect to pay hundreds of dollars over the course of a month, just to learn the basics. You also can’t rewind those lessons and have a group calls where you can learn from others in the program.

Piano For Producers is a one-off payment that gives you lifetime access to the course, allowing you to learn at your own pace and skip the parts you already know. 

The Cheap/Free Option: Use an app

Mobile apps like FlowKey and Yousician have rapidly gained popularity, and for good reason—they help. But they’re no replacement for building a strong foundation. They’re great for people wanting to learn the odd song on piano, but not for producers like yourself who want to develop enough competency to use piano as an integrated tool in your production workflow.

The bottom line: Piano For Producers helps you become proficient for just $2.73 per day

That’s what this program costs over the course of the year (of course, you get lifetime access so it’s technically even cheaper). 

And let’s be honest: most producers spend more money on plugins and gear that doesn’t help them make better music. 

A better question to ask is…

What’s the cost of spending the next 5 years of your music career feeling frustrated and unproductive?

 

Piano for Producers is for you if...

  • You’re sick and tired of making music that lacks feeling, progression and emotion… and want to instead record and write songs that connect with your listeners on a level that makes them think, “I want more of this.”
  • You want more enjoyment from the creative process. Pointing & clicking to write melodies and chord progressions just isn’t doing it for you anymore.
  • You’ve always wanted to play piano but haven’t found a solid approach for learning it in a way that feels intuitive to you as a producer.
  • You’ve tried dozens of other things to “fix” your production workflow, but keep getting stuck after realizing your ideas just aren’t that good.
  • You’re focused on the long term impact that piano playing can have on your music, and potentially music career.

Got questions?

This program is for all types of music producers. Whether you produce electronic pop, trance, future bass, or dubstep—the skills and techniques that I’ll teach you can still be applied.

Nope. This is a piano course! While the Piano & Production module in the course is taught in Ableton, the concepts are generalized and can be applied in any DAW.

Any 88-key piano, keyboard or MIDI keyboard will do the job. If you have a MIDI keyboard, you can still get a ton from this course (but we recommend 49 keys minimum).

While we recommend taking this course in less than 90 days, Piano For Producers is a completely self-paced course, meaning you can go through it at your own pace. 

You also have lifetime access. You can enroll today and start 6 months from now if that suits you better.

Great! Feel free to use the chatbox to the bottom right of the page, or email us (niko@pianoforproducers.com)

A last word (the two options you have)

You’ve made it this far, and if you’re not ready to buy today—I understand. So let me leave you with something to think about…

You have two options. Basically.

You can stay where you are. Stuck in a creative rut, finding it hard to start and finish music, and getting more and more frustrated with the production process.

Or you can choose to enter the world of Hybrid Music Production by mastering the fundamentals of piano in 90 days. 

If you choose the Hybrid Producer (piano-first producer) path, here’s what you can expect:

  • Increased confidence — you’ll sit down to start a new song (at your piano rather than your DAW) knowing that eventually you will come up with a good idea.
  • Increased creativity — You’re not bound by the traditional DAW workflow anymore. Most of your core musical ideas are coming directly from playing piano… from improvising… from generating and developing ideas on the fly.
  • Increased theory knowledge — It’s practically impossible to learn piano effectively without learning theory at the same time. You’ll learn the language of music and be able to employ it while playing piano as well as in your DAW when you’re editing and refining your ideas.
  • Increased enjoyment — let’s keep it real: it’s simply more fun sitting down and jamming out on the piano first than pointing and clicking in the DAW. 

I am absolutely convinced that if you learn to play piano, your creative life will be transformed.

You’ll look forward to sitting down and making music with confidence, as opposed to doubting yourself every time you open your DAW. 

You’ll laugh at creative block, knowing that all you need to do is improvise on the keys for 30 minutes and you’ll come across something magic. 

And you’ll finally be able to start and finish the music you want to finish.

Ready to Enroll

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