The data controller responsible for this website is:
Kilian Kleemann
Operating under the brand name SynthSkool (synthskool.com)
Habichtswaldstraße 14
34270 Schauenburg, Germany
Email: kleemannbeats@gmail.com
Phone: +49 173 2997371
This policy applies to the website synthskool.com and all associated subpages.
Server logs (Hostinger hosting)
When you visit this website, your browser automatically transmits technical data to our hosting provider Hostinger International Ltd.: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, date and time of access. This data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interest in operating a stable and secure website (Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR). Log files are retained for up to 30 days and are not linked to individual persons.
Email address (newsletter / free download)
When you request a free resource (preset packs, tools, or similar), we ask for your email address. You will receive a confirmation email and must click the link in it before your address is added to our mailing list (double opt-in). This procedure complies with § 7 (2) No. 3 UWG and Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR. We store which resource you signed up for in order to send you relevant follow-up content about that specific product category (e.g., Vital-related emails if you downloaded the Vital preset pack). You may unsubscribe at any time via the unsubscribe link in every email. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal.
Purchase data (via Gumroad)
Purchases are processed by Gumroad Inc. (USA). When you buy a product at shop.synthskool.com, Gumroad transmits your purchase email address to us. We use this data solely to grant you access to your purchased course or product on our platform, and to send transactional emails related to your purchase. The legal basis is performance of a contract (Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR). We have informed Gumroad buyers about this data transfer in the product description. Gumroad's own privacy policy applies to payment processing.
User accounts / course access (WordPress / TutorLMS)
When a user account is created for course access, we store your name, email address, a hashed password, and your course progress. This data is required to create and manage your account and to provide access to purchased digital products (Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR — performance of a contract). You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time by emailing kleemannbeats@gmail.com.
We use Kit (formerly ConvertKit) to manage email subscribers and send campaigns. Kit stores your email address and the tags associated with your signup (i.e., which resource you downloaded). We use this information to personalise the content of emails you receive — for example, to send you emails about Vital synthesizer topics if you signed up via the Vital preset pack. This is a form of profiling for direct marketing purposes within the meaning of Art. 4 No. 4 GDPR. You can object to this use and unsubscribe at any time via the link in every email.
Kit is a US-based provider. Kit participates in the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF), on the basis of which the European Commission has recognised an adequate level of data protection for transfers to certified US companies (Art. 45 GDPR); in addition, transfers are safeguarded by the Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) pursuant to Art. 46 (2) lit. c GDPR. We have concluded a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with Kit. For details, see Kit's privacy policy at kit.com.
From time to time we run giveaways (see the Giveaway Terms). When you enter a giveaway, we collect your email address and, optionally, your first name through a Kit form. You must confirm your email address via double opt-in; unconfirmed entries are not stored as participants and are deleted automatically.
As explained on the entry form and in the Giveaway Terms, entering a giveaway also subscribes you to the SynthSkool email newsletter. The giveaway is offered in exchange for this subscription, which is disclosed transparently before you enter; the legal basis is the giveaway agreement between you and us (Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR) together with your consent to receive emails (Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR, § 7 (2) No. 3 UWG). You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in every email — your entry in the prize draw remains valid.
We use your data to run the draw, to notify the winner, to deliver the prize (via Gumroad, see section 2) and to process a refund where the Giveaway Terms provide for one. We record the draw (date, method, and the winning entry) for as long as necessary to demonstrate that the draw was conducted correctly. The winner's name or social media handle is published only with the winner's express consent.
Entrant data is stored in Kit (see section 3) under a tag that identifies the giveaway. Participation records that are no longer needed are deleted no later than three months after the giveaway ends; your newsletter subscription itself remains until you unsubscribe. Data relating to the winner and to any refund is retained under the same rules as purchase data (section 10).
Some pages embed YouTube videos. We use YouTube's privacy-enhanced mode (youtube-nocookie.com), which means YouTube does not set cookies or track you unless you click play. If you click play, YouTube (Google LLC, USA) may process your data according to Google's privacy policy. The legal basis is your consent (Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR / § 25 (1) TDDDG). The data transfer to the USA is based on Google's EU Standard Contractual Clauses.
This website uses the WP Statistics plugin in privacy mode to analyse visitor traffic. IP addresses are anonymised before storage, no cookies are set, no personally identifiable data is stored, and all data remains exclusively on our own server — no data is shared with any third party. The legal basis is our legitimate interest in understanding and improving the performance of this website (Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR). Because processing is fully anonymised and cookie-free, no consent is required.
This section applies if you use our DEGAUSS software instrument (VST/AU plugin).
License activation
When you activate DEGAUSS, the plugin sends your license key and a machine identifier to our server (synthskool.com). The machine identifier is derived by the plugin from your computer's hardware; it does not contain your name, user account or file paths. Our server verifies the license key with Gumroad Inc. (USA), the platform through which DEGAUSS is sold. Gumroad returns the purchaser's email address, name and whether the purchase has been refunded. We use this information to issue a signed license file for your computer and to enforce the activation limit of 3 computers per license.
Data stored on our server for this purpose: license key, machine identifier and purchaser email address (for as long as your license exists), and an activation log containing license key, machine identifier, your IP address and the result of the attempt. The activation log is deleted automatically after 90 days and is used to detect abuse and to help you with support requests. The legal basis is performance of the contract with you (Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR) for the activation itself, and our legitimate interest in protecting the software against unauthorised use and in resolving support cases (Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR) for the activation log.
Update check
Once per day, when the plugin interface is opened, DEGAUSS requests a small text file from synthskool.com that contains the current version number. This request transmits no identifiers, license data or usage data; as with any internet request, our hosting provider's server sees your IP address in its access logs (see section 2). The plugin never downloads or installs anything by itself; it only shows a notice and opens your browser if you ask it to. The legal basis is our legitimate interest and yours in keeping the software up to date (Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR).
What DEGAUSS does not do
The plugin contains no analytics, tracking, telemetry or crash reporting. Its user interface loads only files installed on your computer and no content from the internet.
Data stored on your computer
The signed license file (containing your name and email address as provided by Gumroad) and small settings files (favorites, display settings, update cache) are stored in the plugin's application data folder on your computer. You can delete them at any time; deleting the license file requires re-activation.
Recipients
Our server is hosted by Hostinger International Ltd. (EU data centre) under a data processing agreement. License verification queries go to Gumroad Inc., USA, which already holds your purchase data as the seller of record; Gumroad's own privacy policy applies to that data. To deactivate a computer or to exercise your rights regarding activation data, contact us at kleemannbeats@gmail.com. Note that erasing your activation records will require you to re-activate the plugin.
With your consent, we use the Meta Pixel of Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland (“Meta”). The pixel is not loaded when you visit this website. It is loaded only after you have actively accepted the service “Meta Pixel” in our cookie banner. If you reject, nothing is sent to Meta.
What is processed. If you consent, the pixel sets the cookies _fbp (and, if you arrive via a Meta advertisement, _fbc) and transmits data about your use of this website to Meta, such as the pages you visit, time of the visit, information about your browser and device, your IP address and cookie identifiers. When you buy a product, a purchase event may additionally be sent to Meta through the checkout provider Gumroad, depending on your cookie choices on Gumroad’s pages.
Purpose. We use this data to show our advertisements on Facebook and Instagram to people who have previously visited this website (retargeting), to exclude existing customers from these advertisements, and to measure the effectiveness of our advertising. This does not involve profiling that produces legal effects concerning you or similarly significantly affects you.
Joint controllership. For collecting this data on our website and transmitting it to Meta, we and Meta are joint controllers within the meaning of Art. 26 GDPR. We have accepted Meta’s controller addendum, which is available at facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum. Under that addendum, Meta is responsible for fulfilling your data subject rights regarding the data processed on Meta’s side, and you can exercise those rights directly with Meta. For all further processing by Meta, in particular the use of the data for Meta’s own purposes, Meta is the sole controller; see Meta’s privacy policy at facebook.com/privacy/policy.
Legal basis and withdrawal. The legal basis is your consent (Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR and § 25 (1) TDDDG). You can withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future via the cookie icon at the bottom left of every page (“Cookie settings”). Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
Transfers to third countries. Data may be transferred to the USA. Meta Platforms, Inc. participates in the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (Art. 45 GDPR); in addition, transfers are safeguarded by Standard Contractual Clauses (Art. 46 (2) lit. c GDPR).
Apart from the Meta Pixel (only with your consent), this website uses no other third-party tracking pixels, advertising tags, or external analytics services (such as Google Analytics).
This website uses the open-source consent manager Klaro, which runs entirely on our own server; no data is sent to a third party in order to display the cookie banner or to record your choice. Klaro sets one strictly necessary first-party cookie named klaro (duration 12 months) that stores which services you have accepted or rejected, so that you are not asked again on every visit. This cookie does not track you across other websites and is not used for advertising or profiling. As it is essential to the operation of the consent mechanism itself, it is exempt from consent requirements under § 25 (2) No. 2 TDDDG.
No analytics or third-party tracking cookies are set on this website without your consent. Advertising cookies are set only if you accept the service “Meta Pixel” in the cookie banner. They are used for the Meta Pixel described in section 8 and are the following:
_fbp — set by Meta Pixel (domain synthskool.com), duration 3 months; identifies the browser for advertising and measurement purposes._fbc — set by Meta Pixel (domain synthskool.com), duration 3 months; stores the ID of a Meta advertisement click, if you arrive via such an advertisement.As described above, embedded YouTube videos only load content — and only then can a cookie be set by YouTube — after you actively click to play a video; nothing loads on page visit alone. Should this website begin using additional cookies in the future, this policy will be updated accordingly and, where required, your consent will be requested via the cookie banner before such cookies are set.
You can review or withdraw your cookie consent at any time via the cookie icon at the bottom left of every page (“Cookie settings”). If you withdraw consent for the Meta Pixel, Klaro deletes the _fbp and _fbc cookies and the pixel is no longer loaded on subsequent page views.
Email addresses are retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion. Giveaway participation records are deleted no later than three months after the giveaway ends (see section 4). Purchase and course access data is retained for as long as your account is active and for up to 10 years thereafter to comply with German commercial and tax record-keeping obligations (§ 147 AO, § 257 HGB). Server log files are deleted after 30 days. DEGAUSS activation records are retained for as long as the license exists; the DEGAUSS activation log is deleted after 90 days. Your cookie consent choice is stored only in your own browser (cookie klaro, 12 months), after which you are asked again; we do not keep a server-side record of it. The Meta Pixel cookies (_fbp, _fbc) expire after 3 months at the latest (see section 9); how long Meta retains data it has received is governed by Meta’s privacy policy.
Under the GDPR, you have the following rights:
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at kleemannbeats@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. The competent authority for Hesse, Germany is: Hessischer Beauftragter für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit (HBDI), Gustav-Stresemann-Ring 1, 65189 Wiesbaden, datenschutz.hessen.de.
We may update this policy as the site evolves. The effective date at the top of this page will be updated accordingly. For material changes, we will notify active subscribers by email.
These Terms of Service govern your use of synthskool.com and the products sold at shop.synthskool.com, operated by Kleemann trading as SynthSkool. By accessing this website or purchasing a product, you agree to these terms.
You must be at least 18 years old, or have the consent of a parent or legal guardian, to purchase products or create an account. By using this platform, you represent that you meet this requirement.
Course access requires a user account with accurate and complete information. You are responsible for keeping your login credentials confidential and must not share your account or purchased content with others. Notify us immediately at kleemannbeats@gmail.com if you suspect unauthorised use of your account.
SynthSkool offers the following digital products:
All products are provided for personal, non-commercial use. Course content is available for streaming via your registered account on synthskool.com. Downloadable files (presets, tools) are licensed for personal use on your own devices.
All purchases are processed by Gumroad Inc. through shop.synthskool.com. By completing a purchase, you agree to Gumroad's Terms of Service in addition to these terms. Prices are displayed in USD and include applicable taxes where required. Payment is processed at the time of purchase.
After a successful purchase, you will receive an email from Gumroad with your download link or access instructions. For course access, you will also receive a separate email with your login credentials for synthskool.com.
All content on this website — including course videos, preset files, tool source code, written materials, and design — is the intellectual property of Kleemann / SynthSkool and is protected by copyright law.
Purchasing a product grants you a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use that product for your own music production. You may not:
Presets may be used freely in your own music productions, including commercial releases.
Free downloads (starter preset packs, tools) are provided in exchange for your email address and are subject to the same personal-use licence as paid products. By signing up, you consent to receiving email communications from SynthSkool as described in the Privacy Policy.
Course access is tied to your registered account on synthskool.com. You are responsible for keeping your login credentials secure. Access to courses is provided for as long as SynthSkool operates. We aim to maintain course availability indefinitely, but cannot guarantee permanent access in the event of a service discontinuation. In such a case, we will provide reasonable advance notice.
Scheduled sessions must be cancelled at least 24 hours in advance for a rescheduling or refund. No-shows without advance notice forfeit the session. Sessions are conducted online via video call; the specific platform will be confirmed by email after booking.
Products are provided "as is". SynthSkool makes no warranties that presets will be compatible with all versions of third-party software, or that browser tools will function on all devices and browsers. We do not guarantee specific creative or commercial results from using our products.
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, SynthSkool shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from use of our products or website. Our total liability in connection with any purchase is limited to the purchase price of that product. Nothing in these terms limits liability for gross negligence, wilful misconduct, or personal injury.
We may suspend or terminate your account if you materially violate these terms — in particular by sharing purchased content or account credentials, or by attempting to interfere with the platform. In case of termination for cause, access to purchased courses may be revoked. Your statutory rights, including any refund rights, remain unaffected.
These terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. For consumers in the EU, mandatory consumer protection provisions of your country of residence apply in addition. Disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts in Germany.
The European Commission provides an online dispute resolution (ODR) platform: ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr. We are not obligated to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board and do not voluntarily do so.
We may update these terms as the service evolves. Continued use of the website after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised terms. The effective date at the top of this page will reflect the latest version.
For any questions regarding these terms:
Kilian Kleemann
Habichtswaldstraße 14
34270 Schauenburg, Germany
Email: kleemannbeats@gmail.com
Phone: +49 173 2997371
We offer a 30-day full refund on courses, preset packs, course bundles and interactive tools. If you are not satisfied for any reason, contact us within 30 days of your purchase date and we will issue a full refund.
No justification is required. We simply want you to feel confident purchasing from SynthSkool.
The Full Academy is covered by the same 30-day money-back guarantee — with one exception: the Academy includes a personal 1-on-1 call. Once your 1-on-1 call has taken place, the money-back guarantee ends, even if fewer than 30 days have passed since purchase. Until the call has taken place, the full 30-day guarantee applies as described above.
This also applies to the DEGAUSS + Full Academy bundle: the bundle is treated as a Full Academy purchase and is covered by the same 30-day guarantee, including the DEGAUSS license it contains, until your 1-on-1 call has taken place.
DEGAUSS is a downloadable software instrument. Purchased on its own, it is not covered by the 30-day money-back guarantee — all standalone DEGAUSS sales are final, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. (DEGAUSS purchased as part of the Full Academy bundle follows Section 2 instead.) This is also stated in the DEGAUSS End User License Agreement you accept during installation.
If DEGAUSS has a significant technical defect that we are unable to resolve, contact support — your statutory warranty rights for defective products remain unaffected (see Section 7). We recommend reviewing the system requirements and the audio demos on the product page before purchasing.
Exception during giveaways: while a DEGAUSS giveaway is running, a standalone DEGAUSS purchase made during the giveaway period is refunded in full if the purchaser is drawn as the winner. The details are set out in the Giveaway Terms.
Send an email to kleemannbeats@gmail.com with:
We will process your refund within 5 business days. Refunds are issued via the original payment method through Gumroad.
Sessions cancelled at least 24 hours in advance are eligible for a full refund or rescheduling at your choice. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice or no-shows are not eligible for a refund.
For products covered by the money-back guarantee, refund requests submitted more than 30 days after purchase are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If a product has a significant technical defect that we are unable to resolve, we will issue a refund regardless of the time elapsed.
This policy is in addition to, and does not affect, any statutory rights you may have under applicable consumer protection law. EU consumers retain all rights provided by Directive 2011/83/EU and national consumer protection legislation.
Note on the statutory right of withdrawal for digital content: In accordance with Section 356 (5) of the German Civil Code (BGB), the statutory right of withdrawal for digital content expires if you expressly agree that delivery begins immediately after purchase and acknowledge that you thereby lose your right of withdrawal. This consent is obtained during the checkout process on Gumroad. Where our voluntary 30-day money-back guarantee applies (Sections 1 and 2), it applies regardless of this statutory provision — it grants you more than the law requires. For DEGAUSS, this consent at checkout means that no right of withdrawal exists after the download begins (Section 3).
Questions about refunds? Reach us at kleemannbeats@gmail.com. We typically respond within one business day.
The giveaway is organized by Kilian Kleemann, trading as SynthSkool, Habichtswaldstraße 14, 34270 Schauenburg, Germany (the "Organizer"). Questions about the giveaway go to kleemannbeats@gmail.com.
This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram, Facebook, Meta Platforms, YouTube, Google, TikTok or any other social media platform. Any questions, comments or complaints regarding the giveaway must be directed to the Organizer, not to any platform. By entering, you release these platforms from any liability in connection with this giveaway.
Entries are accepted from October 5, 2026, 00:00 until October 18, 2026, 23:59 (Central European Summer Time, UTC+2). Entries that are not confirmed (see Section 4) by the end of this period are not eligible.
The giveaway is open to natural persons who are at least 18 years old at the time of entry, regardless of country of residence, with the following exceptions:
The giveaway is void where prohibited or restricted by law. By entering, you confirm that you are eligible and that your participation is lawful in your place of residence. The Organizer relies on this confirmation and does not verify residence or age in advance, but may request proof before delivering the prize and may disqualify any entrant who does not meet these requirements.
To enter, submit your email address (and optionally your first name) through the entry form on the giveaway page at synthskool.com. You will then receive a confirmation email. Your entry only counts once you have clicked the confirmation link in that email (double opt-in). Unconfirmed entries are not included in the draw.
Only one entry per person. Multiple entries by the same person, entries using disposable or invalid email addresses, entries made through automated means (bots, scripts, giveaway services) and entries on behalf of third parties are not permitted and will be removed.
No purchase is necessary to enter or win. Purchasing DEGAUSS or any other SynthSkool product does not increase your chances of winning. Every confirmed entry has the same chance.
The giveaway is offered in exchange for a subscription to the SynthSkool email newsletter. By entering, you subscribe to the newsletter, which contains updates and offers about SynthSkool products such as the DEGAUSS plugin, synthesizer courses and preset packs, as well as educational content. This is stated on the entry form before you enter.
You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in every email. Unsubscribing during the giveaway period does not remove your entry from the draw. Details on how your data is processed are set out in Section 4 of our Privacy Policy.
There is one (1) prize: a license for the DEGAUSS software instrument (VST3/AU plugin for macOS and Windows), retail value USD 99. The prize is delivered as a license key by email and is subject to the DEGAUSS End User License Agreement.
The prize is personal, non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or any other product. The Organizer reserves the right to substitute the prize with one of equal or greater value if the prize becomes unavailable for reasons beyond the Organizer's control.
You don't have to wait for the draw to get DEGAUSS. If you purchase a standalone DEGAUSS license through the official Gumroad store between October 5 and October 18, 2026 (23:59 CEST), and the email address used for that purchase is drawn as the winner, the Organizer will refund your full purchase price through Gumroad to your original payment method instead of issuing a second license key. You keep the license you already own.
This applies only to standalone DEGAUSS purchases within that period; it does not apply to bundles (for example the DEGAUSS + Full Academy bundle), to purchases made before or after the giveaway period, or to purchases made through other sellers. Buying DEGAUSS does not affect your odds of winning (see Section 4).
The winner is selected by random draw from all confirmed, eligible entries on October 19, 2026. The draw is conducted by the Organizer using a random selection tool and is documented.
The winner will be notified by email to the address used for entry within 48 hours of the draw. The winner must reply to that email within 7 days to claim the prize. If the winner does not reply within this period, cannot be reached, or turns out to be ineligible, the prize is forfeited and a replacement winner is drawn under the same rules.
Non-winning entrants may be notified of the outcome by email and may receive a limited-time promotional offer for DEGAUSS after the draw. This offer is voluntary and has no bearing on the draw itself.
The Organizer would like to announce the winner by first name and country or social media handle on synthskool.com, in the newsletter and on social media. This happens only with the winner's express consent, which the Organizer will request in the winner notification. Without consent, the Organizer will only announce that a winner has been drawn and notified.
The Organizer may exclude an entrant from the giveaway and, if applicable, withhold or reclaim the prize if the entrant violates these terms, provides false information, or attempts to manipulate the giveaway through technical means, multiple entries, fake accounts or any other unfair method.
The Organizer reserves the right to modify, suspend or terminate the giveaway early if, for good cause, it cannot be carried out as planned — in particular in the event of technical faults, manipulation, fraud, or legal or regulatory issues that affect the proper conduct of the giveaway. Where possible, the Organizer will announce this on the giveaway page. Entrants have no claim to compensation in such cases.
The Organizer is not liable for entries that are lost, delayed, incomplete or not received due to technical problems, network failures or errors on the part of third-party service providers, nor for emails that are filtered as spam or not delivered. Otherwise, the Organizer is liable only for damages caused intentionally or through gross negligence, or through the breach of an essential obligation of these terms; in the latter case, liability is limited to typical, foreseeable damage. Liability for injury to life, body or health remains unaffected.
The Organizer processes entrants' personal data solely for the purposes of conducting the giveaway, sending the newsletter and, where applicable, processing a refund as described in Section 7. Full information is provided in Section 4 of the Privacy Policy.
These terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. Mandatory consumer protection provisions of the entrant's country of residence remain unaffected. The Organizer's decision on the draw and the determination of the winner is final; the draw itself cannot be contested in court (Der Rechtsweg ist hinsichtlich der Verlosung ausgeschlossen).
Should any provision of these terms be or become invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions is not affected. In place of the invalid provision, a valid provision that comes closest to its economic purpose shall apply.
By entering the giveaway, you accept these terms.
Kilian Kleemann
Habichtswaldstraße 14
34270 Schauenburg
Germany
Phone: +49 173 2997371
Email: kleemannbeats@gmail.com
The European Commission provides a platform for online dispute resolution (ODR): ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr.
Our email address can be found above in this site notice.
We are not willing or obliged to participate in dispute resolution proceedings in front of a consumer arbitration board.