Work with One of the World’s Most Acclaimed Producers
Stephen Lipson is not just a producer — he is one of the architects of modern pop and cinematic sound. From the moment he joined Trevor Horn’s legendary ZTT Records team in the early 1980s, Lipson set new standards in production. He helped shape era-defining records by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Grace Jones, Propaganda, and the Art of Noise, blending daring sonic experimentation with radio-ready punch.
His career since has been nothing short of extraordinary. Lipson has:
- Produced and co-written Annie Lennox’s Grammy and Brit-winning albums Diva and Medusa.
- Won Grammys with Jeff Beck, Jars of Clay, and Annie Lennox, plus a Brit Award with Will Young.
- Produced the Oscar and Golden Globe-winning Billie Eilish Bond theme “No Time to Die”.
- Been a trusted creative partner to Hans Zimmer, mixing and producing scores for Top Gun: Maverick, No Time to Die, Dune: Part Two, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, The Dark Knight Rises, and more.
And throughout it all, he’s remained a hands-on musician — often adding guitar, keyboards, programming, and arrangement ideas that take good songs and make them unforgettable.
Lipson and xPropaganda: A Legendary Reunion
In 1985, Stephen Lipson produced Propaganda’s landmark debut A Secret Wish, an album that became a cult classic for its cinematic synth-pop sound. Forty years later, he reunited with original members Claudia Brücken and Susanne Freytagto form xPropaganda and create their 2022 album The Heart Is Strange.
Lipson didn’t just produce — he engineered, mixed, and performed on the record, playing many of the keyboards and guitars himself. The result was hailed as the perfect bridge between the icy drama of A Secret Wish and a bold new chapter of modern electronic pop.
Now, for the first time, you get to sit alongside Stephen Lipson as he opens up the multitracks from the sessions and shows you exactly how the music was built, produced, and mixed.
About the Band
xPropaganda are Claudia Brücken and Susanne Freytag, the distinctive voices of the original 1980s group Propaganda. Known for their dark, cinematic sound, Propaganda were one of ZTT’s most innovative artists, mixing cutting-edge sampling and synthesiser work with bold, theatrical performances. After decades apart, the duo reunited in 2018, launching xPropaganda and reigniting their creative chemistry. The Heart Is Strange, released in 2022 and produced by Stephen Lipson, was praised for sounding both timeless and contemporary.
Today, xPropaganda continue to perform to sold-out audiences, blending new material with classic tracks from A Secret Wish.
What You’ll Learn in This Course
This course is more than just a mix breakdown — it’s an intimate masterclass in how one of the greatest living producers builds records from the ground up. You’ll learn:
- Arranging for impact — how Lipson creates drama by adding or removing just the right elements.
- Building from the bass up — why the bass was the very first idea and how it shaped the song.
- Minimal automation, maximum arrangement — why the structure does most of the work.
- Mixing with balance before plugins — how simple panning, clip gain, and level control can outperform endless processing.
- Vocal production secrets — how Claudia’s leads were shaped with compression, distortion, and EQ, how Suzanne’s spoken parts became their own texture, and how Lipson built harmonies in Melodyne.
- Creative sound design — the subtle use of reverbs, delays, wideners, and phasers to add atmosphere without clutter.
- Master bus philosophy — the understated touches that give every Lipson mix its signature clarity, edge, and glue.
And beyond the techniques, you’ll get a front-row seat to Stephen Lipson’s creative process — his thought patterns, his instinctive choices, and the philosophy that has guided four decades of Grammy-winning work.
Why This Course Matters
Stephen Lipson doesn’t teach often. His work has been heard by millions in cinema, on stage, and on record, yet his methods remain something of a mystery. This course is your chance to step into his world, to see how he hears music, and to learn directly from the producer who helped define Propaganda’s original sound and brought it to life again as xPropaganda.
If you want to understand how records are built at the very highest level — not just mixed, but crafted from idea to finished master — this is the course for you.
Mentors
Stephen Lipson
Stephen J. Lipson is an English record producer, engineer, guitarist, and songwriter, celebrated for his inventive approach to sound. He began building studios and playing in bands before breaking through with Sniff ‘n’ the Tears, later joining Trevor Horn at ZTT Records to help craft some of the 1980s’ most…
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Issac Slade
Jack Douglas
Joe Perry
John Krivit
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Don’t wait to get your hands on this amazing course. You can pick it up start learning right now. If for any reason you don’t feel that your productions and mixes have improved, simply shoot us an email within 30 days and we’ll give you a full refund, no questions asked.