Your 8-bar core might not be strong enough to become a full synthwave track yet.

Apply for The Synthwave Core Challenge and create two complete 8-bar Synthwave Cores in 3 private 1:1 sessions, so you can stop guessing why your loops fall apart when you try to turn them into full tracks.

They can create an 8-bar loop, a cool intro, or a promising idea, but when it is time to turn it into a full track, everything starts to fall apart.

They get stuck after the intro.

They do not know what should come next.

They start changing the hook over and over.

They add layers, remove layers, change sounds, rewrite parts, and still cannot tell if the idea is actually getting better.

Eventually, the track ends up in the Unfinished Folder Wasteland.

But here’s the thing:

Before you can turn an idea into a full synthwave track, you need to make sure the 8-bar core is strong enough to become one.

That’s what this challenge is about.

A Synthwave Core is a strong 8-bar loop that serves as the foundation of your track.

In my Dojo videos, I refer to it often as a “Main Stack”.

A real Synthwave Core includes the essential musical ingredients your track needs before you try to arrange it:

• Drums
• Bass
• Hook or main lead
• Chords/pads/arp

When the core is weak, arrangement becomes confusing.

When the core is strong, you have something solid to build from.

“I ended up changing it 100 times.”

“I get lost, and I start guessing.”

“How do I take my loop and turn it into a whole track?”

“Going from eight bars to more than eight bars is difficult.”

“I’m not good at knowing when it’s done.”

“I have tons of unfinished tracks.”

If any of that feels familiar, you’re not alone.

Most aspiring synthwave producers can start ideas. The hard part is knowing whether the core is actually strong enough to keep developing.

That is where many tracks start to fall apart.

Tutorials can teach you useful concepts.

AI can give you suggestions.

But when you are stuck inside your own project, the real question is usually much more specific:

• Is this bassline working?
• Is this hook strong enough?
• Is the core too empty?
• Do these sounds belong together?
• Is this worth developing, or should I start again?

That is hard to answer alone.

The Synthwave Core Challenge gives you direct 1:1 feedback on your actual music, so you can stop spinning your wheels and start making better decisions inside your DAW.

This is not a generic group challenge where you watch a few videos and figure things out alone.

You and I will work directly on your Synthwave Cores across three private sessions.

Once accepted, we’ll find three dates and times that work for both of us.

Ideally, we’ll keep the sessions close together so you can complete each assignment, get feedback while the work is fresh, and build momentum from one session to the next.

 In this 3-session challenge, you’ll create two complete 8-bar Synthwave Cores and learn what makes them ready to become full tracks.

You will learn how to build the foundation of a synthwave track using the essential elements:

• Drums
• Bass
• Chords/pads/arp
• Hook or lead
• Sound selection
• Basic balance

This is not about making a perfect track.

It is about learning how to create a strong 8-bar foundation that gives your future arrangement something solid to build from.

• You can start tracks, but you have a hard time finishing.
• You have folders full of loops, sketches, and unfinished ideas.
• You keep asking, “How do I turn this into a whole track?”
• You keep changing the hook, the sounds, the drums, or the chords, but still do not know if the track is improving.
• You have watched tons of tutorials, but still feel unsure when you open your DAW.
• You have tried getting help from AI, but still don’t know what your track actually needs.
• You want direct guidance on your music instead of guessing alone.

Session 1: Build Your First Synthwave Core

You’ll learn what a complete 8-bar Synthwave Core should include. Then I’ll give you a focused assignment to create your first core.

The assignment should take around 45-60 minutes to complete offline on your own before Session 2.

Session 2: Diagnose and Strengthen the Foundation

We’ll review your first assignment together and look at what makes a core weak, unclear, or hard to develop.

You’ll see what is working, what is missing, and what could be improved.

Then I’ll give you a second assignment so you can apply what you learned and create a stronger Synthwave Core than the first one. Same as after Session 1, the assignment should take around 45-60 minutes to complete on your own before the final session.

Session 3: Review Your Progress and See the Next Step

We’ll review your second Synthwave Core, look at the progress you made, and identify your biggest wins and areas of opportunity.

Then we’ll discuss the next step: turning a strong 8-bar core into a full-length synthwave track.

• Two original 8-bar Synthwave Cores
• Direct 1:1 feedback on your work
• A clearer understanding of what makes a core strong enough to develop
• A better sense of what is working and what is missing in your music
• A simple checklist you can use before arranging a track
• More confidence starting new tracks
• A stronger 8-bar foundation for finishing synthwave music you are proud of

My private 1:1 work is normally reserved for students inside My First Release Accelerator, where a single 1:1 session is valued at $1,333 USD.

The Synthwave Core Challenge is a rare chance to work with me directly in a shorter, more focused format.

Instead of committing to a full private program, you’ll work with me across three 1:1 sessions to strengthen the foundation of your synthwave ideas and get direct feedback on your actual music.

The total investment is $297 USD.

I am keeping it at this level because I want serious Synthwave Dojo students to have a realistic way to get personal guidance, identify what is really holding them back, and start producing music they are proud of.

That said, this is not an open-enrollment program.

Because every challenge is private and 1:1, I can only take 1-2 students per month. You will need to apply first, and if I believe the challenge is a good fit for where you are, I’ll add you to the waitlist and contact you when a spot becomes available.

After you are accepted, we’ll coordinate three private sessions at dates and times that work for both of us.

The sessions should ideally happen close together because the challenge works best when you can keep the momentum going from one assignment to the next.

Without experienced feedback, it is easy to spend months or years chasing the wrong thing, adding more plugins, watching more videos, rewriting the same loop, and still not finishing music you are proud of.

The Synthwave Core Challenge gives you a chance to get direct guidance on your actual work, so you can stop guessing and start building a complete 8-bar foundation your next track can grow from.

Your unfinished tracks may not be stuck because you lack talent.

They may be stuck because the 8-bar foundation was never strong enough.

Let’s fix that.

Create two complete 8-bar Synthwave Cores in three private 1:1 sessions and learn how to build the foundation your next track needs before arrangement, mixing, or release.