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.
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.
Key Lean
Regalia
Resident artist - Armada Music, Perfecto Records, Black Hole, etc.
Founder - Protagonist Recordings
Who's teaching
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
1
Book your free first lesson
30 minutes, no card, no commitment
2
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
3
You leave with something you didn't have
A set, a mix, or a booking strategy
4
What we cover
1
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)
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
FAQ
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.