When you're shopping for music audio production training, the tension is real: You can spend $7.73 or $139.95, but price doesn't tell you which gap you're closing. The first question should always be about the skill you're trying to build. Are you learning piano fundamentals, starting a music-school style course, leveling up in Pro Tools, or sharpening your ears for professional recording work? These four materials sit at very different points on that map, and each one answers a different need.
Quick Take
- The New Schaum Piano Library Level 1 Music Theory Workbook is for anyone starting piano theory.
- The 30 Music School book is a low-cost adult beginner text.
- Pro Tools 10 Advanced Music Production Techniques is for producers already inside the DAW.
- Dave Moulton's Golden Ears CD course is for engineers and producers who want ear training.
Listed-Price Comparison
| Product | Listed Price | Format | Condition | Price Bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Schaum Piano Library Level 1 Music Theory Workbook | USD 9.99 | Course Book | Brand New | |
| 30 Music School, Michael W. Dean, Muska & Lipman, 2004, Thomson Course | USD 7.73 | Trade Paperback | Acceptable | |
| Pro Tools 10 Advanced Music Production Techniques (Avid Learning) | USD 74.49 | Paperback | Good | |
| Deaf Advocacy x Dave Moulton's Golden Ears Music Production Pro Audio Berklee | USD 139.95 | CD | Like New |
Decision Matrix
- If you are a piano beginner, the Schaum Level 1 workbook gives you a fresh, structured theory starting point.
- If you are an adult beginner who wants a broad music-school text, the 30 Music School book fills that role for a very low price.
- If you already know your way around Pro Tools, Pro Tools 10 Advanced Music Production Techniques takes you deeper into the software.
- If listening accuracy is your bottleneck, Dave Moulton's Golden Ears CD course trains the ear instead of the interface.
Product Notes
New Schaum Piano Library Level 1 Music Theory Workbook
This workbook gives you a brand-new copy of the Schaum Making Music Level 1 theory book, identified as course book HL00645186 and UPC 9781936098118. It is the pick when your work is just starting on piano or music theory fundamentals. The pages are unused, and the exercises are structured for early level 1 skills, so it pairs naturally with a beginning piano lesson plan. The main limitation is scope. It is a theory workbook, not a full production guide, and Level 1 material will feel too basic if you already read music with confidence. Think of it as a clean, inexpensive foundation piece rather than an all-in-one production course.
30 Music School
At $7.73, the 30 Music School trade paperback by Michael W. Dean is the lowest-priced option here. It is a 2004 Thomson Course book, an adult and further education title with 507 pages and a beginner level marker. For someone who wants a broad music-school style textbook without spending much, this fills that slot. The condition is the tradeoff. It is rated Acceptable, with wear, some staining, and writing inside, though there are no rips, holes, or water damage, and it comes from a non-smoking home. If you need a pristine copy or a brand-new text, this is not that. If you need a working reference for casual study, the low price is hard to argue with.
Pro Tools 10 Advanced Music Production Techniques
Written for the Avid Learning series, this Pro Tools 10 Advanced Music Production Techniques guide is listed with the ISBN 9781133728009 and a Good condition rating. The paperback gives you a single consolidated reference for advanced Pro Tools 10 workflows, which makes sense if you are already comfortable with basic recording and editing in the software. It is not a beginner walkthrough or a general music production textbook, so do not start here if you have never opened Pro Tools. The condition is also worth noting. It is rated Good, meaning it was used, and the spine may show some creasing through previous use. For the $74.49 price, you get a practical advanced reference for a specific DAW version, not a broad overview of production.
Dave Moulton's Golden Ears Music Production Pro Audio
This like-new CD course, offered as Deaf Advocacy x Dave Moulton's Golden Ears Music Production Pro Audio, is the most expensive option in the group at $139.95. The other three materials give you paper-based instruction; this one shifts the focus to hearing. Dave Moulton's course is meant to train your ability to discern, measure, analyze, and express the physical qualities of musical sounds, which helps you make better recordings. It is an ear-training resource for musicians, engineers, and producers, published under Dave Moulton's Golden Ears name. Because it is CD audio, you need a device that can play CDs and a willingness to practice listening with focus. The high price reflects a specialized skill, so choose it only when critical listening is exactly the gap you are trying to close.
Final Recommendation by Use Case
Match the format to the gap in front of you. Choose the Schaum Level 1 workbook when piano-theory notation is the next skill on your list. Choose 30 Music School when you want a broad adult beginner music-school text and can live with a used 507-page paperback. Choose Pro Tools 10 Advanced Music Production Techniques when you already know the basics of Pro Tools 10 and need to go deeper. Choose Dave Moulton's Golden Ears when listening accuracy is the bottleneck and you are ready to invest in a CD course. The rest is price and condition.
