Kadenze
Online courses in art and creative technology from leading universities
About Kadenze
Kadenze is an online learning platform for art, music technology, creative computing, design, and film, with courses built by universities and arts schools such as CalArts, the School of Visual Arts, and Stanford. Free users can audit many courses, while a $20/month Premium membership unlocks assignments, grades, feedback, verified certificates, and multi-course Programs. Select courses also offer transferable college credit for an extra per-credit fee.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Narrow focus on art and creative technology, including music tech, creative coding, and generative art that general course marketplaces cover thinly
- Courses come from accredited universities and arts schools rather than individual creators
- Many courses can be audited for free
- Select courses offer transferable college credit at a fraction of typical tuition
- Single $20/month membership covers unlimited course enrollment, with a 7-day free trial
Cons
- Assignments, grades, certificates, and many lessons are locked behind Premium
- Programs and college credit carry additional fees on top of the membership
- Catalog is much smaller than broad platforms like Skillshare, Udemy, or Coursera, and some courses are dated
- Only credit cards are accepted, and memberships and credit fees are non-refundable
- Premium is not available for purchase in India
Key Features
University-Built Course Catalog
Courses created by universities, art schools, and institutions such as CalArts, the School of Visual Arts, Ringling College, and Stanford.
Creative Technology Focus
Catalog centered on visual arts, creative computing, music technology, design and fashion, and film and videography, including machine learning for artists and audio signal processing.
Free Auditing
Free users can enroll in many courses to watch lecture videos and read forum discussions without paying.
Graded Assignments and Feedback
Premium members submit assignments and receive grades and feedback inside each course.
Verified Certificates
Premium members earn a Certificate of Accomplishment for completed courses, shareable through a verified link on resumes and professional networks.
Programs
Curated multi-course Programs (for example Foundations of Music Technology from CalArts or Introduction to Motion Design from Ringling) that build specialist skills; Premium is required and additional fees apply.
College Credit
Select credit-eligible courses award official academic credit from the offering institution for $300 USD per credit on top of Premium.
Student Portfolio and Gallery
Learners build a portfolio of course work and share it with the community through the public Gallery.
Micro-courses
Shorter Kadenze Academy micro-courses on topics like Ableton Live, music theory, ear training, and 2D animation.
Pricing
- Enroll in many courses
- Watch lecture videos
- View forum discussions
- 7-day free trial
- Unlimited course enrollment
- Exclusive lessons in courses
- Submit assignments and receive grades and feedback
- Verified Certificate of Accomplishment
- Forum participation and peer collaboration
- Portfolio building
- Access to Programs (additional fees apply)
- Discounts on course materials such as software
- Requires Premium membership
- Available on select credit-eligible courses
- Official academic credit from the offering institution
- Non-refundable enrollment fee
Best For
Learning Music Technology
Musicians and producers take courses on Ableton Live, audio signal processing, music information retrieval, and machine learning for musicians.
Creative Coding and Generative Art
Artists and developers learn creative computing, generative art, and computational creativity from university faculty.
Earning College Credit Online
Students take credit-eligible courses to earn academic credit recognized by the offering institution.
Building a Design Specialization
Designers complete multi-course Programs in typography, motion design, or digital design for architecture to deepen a specialty.
Exploring Art and Design for Free
Curious learners audit lectures in art history, comics, and visual arts without paying for a membership.
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