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Digital Music Production – Cohort 4 – 2022
Build your digital music production skills during this six-week Online Foundations of Digital Music Production Course in partnership with Delta Sound Labs. With 180 minutes of real-time instruction per week, Delta Sound Labs will teach you all you need to know about music production and using Ableton Live. Students will receive a license for Ableton Live Intro, a license for Fold – A Distortion Synthesis Audio FX Plugin, and a license for Stream – A Granular Sampler Audio FX Plugin. Students can continue to use this software after the course has concluded.
Course topics include:
- Audio Sampling and Editing
- Mixing and Audio Effects Processing
- MIDI Sequencing and Songwriting
- Sound Synthesis
Week 1: Composing with Clips and Loops with MIDI
1
Week 1 – Session 1: Sequencing with MIDI (B)
- We'll cover the following topics in this lesson
- Live UI basics: session view, arrangement, + basic navigation.
- Useful music theory and production vocabulary .
- MIDI basics, what is it? How can we use it?
- Swapping instruments, velocity, pitch, duration.
- Composing harmonies and melodies in clips using MIDI effects.
2
Week 1 – Session 2: Composing with Software Instruments (B)
- We'll cover the following topics in this lesson
- Composing harmonies and melodies.
- Using MIDI Effects.
- Creating a set in Session View.
- Recording to Arrangement View.
- Exporting a set to a sharable audio file.
Week 2: Audio Recording and Editing Basics
1
Week 2 – Session 2: Audio Recording Basics (B)
- We'll cover the following topics in this lesson
- Audio Hardware Setup.
- Audio Recording and Editing.
- Freezing and Flattening Audio.
- Overview of Sampling with Simpler.
- Overview of Audacity as Secondary Audio Editor.
2
Week 2 – Session 2: Audio Sampling with Simpler (B)
- We'll cover the following topics in this lesson
- Audio Recording and Editing in Arrangement View
- Basic Voice Leading with Simpler
- Using an External Audio Editor
- Layering Instrumental Textures
- Automation in Arrangement View
Week 3: Building Out Your Music Production
1
Week 3 – Session 1: Elements of Song Form and Composing with Loops (B)
- We'll cover the following topics in this lesson
- Basic Song Form
- Follow Actions
- Chord Construction
- Modes
- Automation
2
Week 3 – Session 2: Layering with Drum Rack and Instrument Rack (B)
- We'll cover the following topics in this lesson
- Programming Drums
- Common Grooves
- Processing Drums using FX
- Composing Melodies using Modes
Week 4: Audio FX Processing and Mixing
1
Week 4 – Session 1: Introduction to Audio FX Processing (B)
- We'll cover the following topics in this lesson
- Audio FX Basics
- Compressors
- Reverbs
- Granulation
2
Week 4 – Session 2: Introduction to Mixing (B)
Week 5: Mixing and Mastering
1
Week 5 – Session 1: Mixing Continued (B)
2
Week 5 – Session 2: More Mixing and Mastering Chain (B)
Week 6: Sound Synthesis
1
Week 6 – Session 1 : Introduction to Synthesis (B)
2
Week 6 – Session 2: Sound Synthesis and Max for Live (B)
Students must be ages 18 and up with a solid foundation in computer literacy. You should know how to navigate an operating system such as Windows or macOS.
You must have access to your own desktop or laptop computer. Recommended computer specification: i5 or better processor. 8GB of RAM. You will need at least 100GB of free storage space on your hard drive for necessary software and storage for audio files.
Registration costs include a license to Ableton Live 11 Intro, which covers all the basic tooling necessary for the course. Course instructors may also use the freely available demo version of the full Ableton Live 11 Suite to introduce more advanced concepts like Max for Live. In addition, students will receive a license for Fold - A Distortion Synthesis Audio FX Plugin and also one license for Stream - A Granular Sampler Audio FX Plugin. Retail Value for License and Plugins: $200
The licenses for Ableton Live 11 Intro, Fold and Stream are yours to keep. This is a $200 value. Software upgrades for Ableton Live with additional features are available at your own expense.
Each student is required to attend two 90-minute online lessons per week via Zoom. You should also plan on an additional hour for review and personal work.
Richard Graham and Ken Wendt. They are experienced musicians, music producers and instructors.
Yes, discounts are available relative to how early you register.
Full tuition price: $1499
*Receive a 30% discount if you enroll by April 15 for $1,049.30
*Receive a 20% discount if you enroll by June 15 for $1,199.20
*Receive a 10% discount if you enroll by June 30 for $1,349.10
Participants may request a refund no later than 10 days prior to the start date of the course. Refunds will be processed by CWRU.
Yes. Students will receive a CWRU and Delta Sound Labs co-branded certificate upon completion of the course.