Music Production
Whether you want to record yourself singing or playing an instrument; record your band's demos or write your own songs; or produce a song ready to release online, lessons in Music Production can give you the tools and confidence to achieve the sound you're aiming for.
Lessons are aimed at the 'bedroom producer' or those with a small home studio setup. We can cover most aspects including arrangement; recording; mixing; mastering and remixing. Producing music on a budget does not necessarily limit quality... you can make your music stand out after learning some good habits, concepts and techniques.
Recording
Learn different microphone types and techniques depending on the source. How to track vocals, acoustic & electric guitar, bass, piano, drums and more. We will look into MIDI, what it is, and how powerful it can be, using virtual instruments within our software to create parts for almost any instrument type. We will also explore methods of getting the best out of the performer when they're recording. Getting it right at source is without a doubt the most important part of any great mix.
Mixing
Here we aim to achieve the right balance between different parts of the song, prioritising and creating space for certain instruments, to help bring them to the front whilst still keeping the whole track glued together. We will study the different roles played by volume, panning, automation, dynamics, EQ, and effects to help the whole track come to life. We will also take a look into how important your 'listening environment' is when mixing, as what you hear in your home setup probably won't be what others hear when they are listening in their car or on headphones!
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Mastering
A look into what this process is and why it might often be best to get a fresh set of ears (someone else) onto the case. It is vital to know what this is and how important this stage in the process is. It is the last link between the final mix of your song, and what everyone else hears once it is released. For any song to sit well when played back to back against other songs, either on the radio or Spotify, Mastering is what helps give your track that 'competitive' sound. So we will work on some useful methods to deliver that final punch, depth or sparkle your track needs whilst still preserving the dynamics of the music.
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Remixing & Intro to DJing
Learn how to remix other people's tunes. Take two tracks and create a mashup between them. Take an instrumental from one track and the acapella vocal line from another, and blend them into an entirely new song.
Learn about mixing in key, and how important tempo is when manipulating songs in this way. Learn how to blend tracks, bringing in a new song, whilst the previous one is still playing, without noticing the point one song became the other.