Recording & Production
  • 60-90 minute classes
  • All-ages with a teen focus
  • Learn to record your own songs!
Beatmaking

Ever heard people say that DJ’s and laptop musicians aren’t “real” musicians? Well we don’t believe that at all and we want you to join us in learning to make beats just to see how musical and fun the process is. Beatmaking has come to dominate many forms of popular music over the last twenty years and is a very accessible artform with little equipment needed to get started. After a foundation it can become very complex and the sky’s the limit in terms of creativity. In this camp, we will learn to use computers, ipad/tablets, and smartphones to create beats as well as analog drum machines. Software such as Ableton Live, Apple Logic, Garageband, Pro Tools and even smartphone apps will be covered, as well as how to implement and create samples and use MIDI. We will also explore the history of beatmaking and how it has risen to prominence in hip hop, dance, pop, and even rock music. Learning to make beats requires a strong understanding of rhythm and subdivisions, syncopation, and feel. As a result, it can give fresh perspective not only to drummers, but all musicians on all instruments. We will dive into rhythmic theory and learn how to play on both the downbeat and in between the beats. It can inspire a mood or even spark an idea to get you writing a song. Come join us for a fun week of beeps, bloops, bangs, and 808s!

CLASS OPTIONS
Youth (8-12)
Thursday
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Production 101: How to professionally make a record

Ever wondered how some of your favorite tunes were made? What exactly goes into making a studio record? Come find out in our newly built studio, “Up is Louder.” This class will explore the use of the studio in crafting a song from start to finish by recreating a well known rock or pop song. Students will learn the basics to song arrangement, microphone placement and technique, gain staging, mixing, mastering, and much more. This is a great opportunity for both musicians and non-musicians alike who might be more technically inclined and want to get their hands on professional equipment and experience the process of making a song into a recording. Differences in home recording and the studio will also be covered and how students can use these techniques in their home to make records.

CLASS OPTIONS
Teen (13-18)
Monday
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Production 102: How to professionally make your own song

For students who have already learned the basics of Production 101. We will use our technical skills learned from the first course and our creative skills to create and record our own song. Songwriters and engineers alike are encouraged here. We will explore the process of taking a simple idea and turning it into a finished product you can share with the world. We ask that students who enroll in this course are very open minded to different styles and genres, no arguing over musical ideas here. There is something to be learned from all genre/styles.

CLASS OPTIONS
Teen (13-18)
Tuesday
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Teen Mixing 101: Painting with Sound

There’s a ton more that goes into a song after the instruments have been recorded. Mixing is a balancing act (pun intended!) of technical prowess and artistic approach to getting all of the recorded sounds to blend well together. Mixing at its core is balancing, but it’s much more than just balancing faders, it’s learning to use the mix engineer’s tools (eq, compression, effects, etc.) as well as the stereo field to put the right sounds in the right place to create a song that not only sounds good, but caters to the listener’s emotions. Come learn how it’s done and take the opportunity to try it out for yourself. This is a great course for musician’s who like puzzles!

CLASS OPTIONS
Teen (13-18)
Wednesday
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Recording/Production Lab: Make your own tunes!

For students who have completed a course or have experience in working with a DAW that want to focus on creating their own music with guidance from a teacher. Students in this class will work independently or in partners on their own projects using BRS computers or their own. Students will also have access to the Up is Louder equipment for recording their own parts into their projects.

CLASS OPTIONS
Teen (13-18)
Thursday
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
  • Please include any relevant information such as how long they have been playing, if they took private lessons or group lessons, etc.