From idea to finished track.
From finished track to signed.
From finished track to signed.
Track Attack
One-on-one music production mentorship with the founder of Protagonist Recordings. Bring your session at any stage — a loop, a demo, an almost-there track — leave with it in a shape you can release.
Electronic Music Label
London
est. 2021
Get a free lesson
Please leave your details, and we will contact you to clarify all the details.
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Solo Session
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By submitting this form, you acknowledge that Protagonist Recordings Ltd will use the information you provide to respond to your enquiry about our music production and songwriting courses. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about how we process your personal data.
Group Session
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Demo to Release
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Protagonist Push
Got a track? Let the music decide.
By submitting this form, you acknowledge that Protagonist Recordings Ltd will use the information you provide to respond to your enquiry about our music production and songwriting courses. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about how we process your personal data.
This is for you if…
Stuck in Demo Hell
You've got sessions that never turn into finished tracks
The 80% Completion Trap
You've finished tracks that never get out of the "80% there" state
Seeking Professional Grade Sound
You've released before but you know your tracks aren't at label-quality yet
Tired of Rejection Emails
You've been rejected by labels and don't know what specifically to fix
Need Real Industry Feedback
You want feedback from someone who signs music, not just someone who teaches production
What you'll walk away with
Release-Ready Results
A track brought decisively closer to release-ready — sometimes finished, always significantly better
Sustainable Production Workflow
A production workflow you can repeat on the next track without needing more lessons
Pro-Level Sonic Impact
The specific difference between "sounds fine at home" and "sits in the mix at a festival"
Expert Industry Feedback
Clear feedback from someone who signs music monthly on what's holding your sound back
Strategic Release Roadmap
A demo-submission-ready track and a honest opinion on where to send it
Taught by Key Lean
DJ · Producer · Label Founder
Key Lean has been producing progressive house for over a decade. Releases on Armada, Perfecto, and — obviously — Protagonist Recordings. As the founder of the label, he listens to demos every week and knows exactly what makes something get signed and what makes it get skipped.
Teaching production isn't about handing over presets. It's about the decisions — arrangement, energy, feel — that make a track sound like it belongs on a release,
not on a hard drive.
If you've been finishing tracks nobody signs, this room is where that changes.
Teaching production isn't about handing over presets. It's about the decisions — arrangement, energy, feel — that make a track sound like it belongs on a release,
not on a hard drive.
If you've been finishing tracks nobody signs, this room is where that changes.
Key Lean
Regalia
Resident artist - Armada Music, Perfecto Records, Black Hole, etc.
Founder - Protagonist Recordings
Established gigs with legendary DJs (Paul Oakenfold, Markus Schulz and others)
Secured position #45 in ASOT's Top 50 Tracks of 2019
How it works
Book your free first lesson
30 minutes, no card, no commitment
We map your goals
Where you are, where you want to be, what's realistic
We work session by session
Book solo lessons or a package, cancel anytime
You leave with something you didn't have
A set, a mix, or a booking strategy
What we cover
Fundamentals (for beginners)
- Beatmatching by ear and by sync — when to use each
- EQ mixing that doesn't collapse the low end
- Phrase counting so your transitions land musically
- Track selection: how to build a library that isn't a graveyard
Set craft (intermediate)
- Building tension and release across a full set
- Reading the room without staring at the room
- Track order psychology — opener, journey, peak, closer
- Using loops, hot cues and effects with purpose
Performance & bookings (advanced)
- Recording mixes that sound like you, not like everyone else on SoundCloud
- Presenting yourself to promoters — the email, the mix, the ask
- Building a residency locally before chasing festivals
- Handling technical failures on stage without losing the crowd
Promotion & positioning
- Instagram, SoundCloud, Beatport — what actually moves the needle
- Building a mailing list nobody's told you to build
- Getting your mixes on labels' channels (including ours, when it fits)
Simple pricing. First lesson free.
free
First Lesson
30 minutes
Skill check, goals mapping, plan for what's next
No card required
Skill check, goals mapping, plan for what's next
No card required
from £20
Solo Session
60 minutes, one-on-one
Online or in London
Pay as you go, no lock-in
Online or in London
Pay as you go, no lock-in
£20 per person
Group Session
60 minutes, up to 3 people
Ideal if you're learning with friends or crew
Ideal if you're learning with friends or crew
Not sure whether to book a single lesson or the Demo to Release package? Book the free lesson first — we'll figure it out together.
from £600
Demo to Release
6 focused sessions over 8 weeks
Bring one track from wherever it is now to release-ready
Includes label review — if it fits Protagonist, it gets considered
Payment plan available
Straight answers
FL Stidio or Ableton preferable. But show me your session in yours first.
No. First lesson can be from a blank project. But if you have something in progress, bring it.
That's fine. We work at your level. Preset users can make great tracks — the question is what you do with them.
Only if it fits. I won't sign anything I don't believe in — including from students. The upside: when I say yes, it's because it's actually good. And we’ll work to get it sorted
Vocal production isn't our core discipline, but I can help with arrangement, treatment, and integration. For tracking vocals, I'll point you to someone better placed.
Yes — book a single session, come with the final mix.
No. This is mentorship. You leave with your track, but also with the knowledge to make the next one.
Same as Mix Fix. Cancel anytime before the next session; missed sessions rescheduled with 24hr notice.
The next track you write should be one you're proud to submit. Let's make it that one.
30 minutes. Bring a session file if you have one.
