Description
This 6-week workshop provides participants with the foundational skills needed to create, mix, and master their own tracks using industry-standard digital audio workstations (DAWs). Designed for young people aged 13-25, this workshop combines technical learning with creative exploration, culminating in an Arts Award Discover or Explore qualification. By the end of the course, participants will have developed their own track and gained formal recognition for their achievements in music production.
Week 1: Introduction to Music Production and DAWs
- Overview of music production, including a breakdown of the essential tools and equipment.
- Introduction to a digital audio workstation (DAW), covering basic functions such as track creation, recording, and editing.
- Outcome: Create a basic music project within the DAW. Participants will document their learning process and creative decisions in their Arts Award portfolio.
Week 2: Beat Making and Sound Design
- Learn the basics of beat-making, including drum programming, using loops, and creating melodies.
- Introduction to sound design: using synthesizers and sampling to create original sounds.
- Outcome: Produce a basic beat with original sounds and loops. Participants will reflect on the techniques learned and the creative process in their Arts Award portfolio.
Week 3: Arrangement and Composition
- Learn how to arrange tracks by structuring the intro, verses, chorus, and outro.
- Introduction to chord progressions, basslines, and melodies.
- Outcome: Create a structured music arrangement, using learned composition techniques. Participants will document their work and reflect on their arrangement choices in the Arts Award portfolio.
Week 4: Mixing Basics
- Introduction to mixing: balancing levels, EQ, compression, panning, and effects.
- Learn how to refine individual elements in a track to create a polished sound.
- Outcome: Mix a basic track, adjusting levels and applying effects. Participants will log their progress and decisions in the Arts Award portfolio.
Week 5: Mastering and Finalising Your Track
- Learn the basics of mastering, including how to prepare a track for release, final adjustments to levels, EQ, and compression.
- Introduction to mastering tools and the importance of finalizing a track for various formats (e.g., streaming, CDs).
- Outcome: Finalise a track, applying mastering techniques. Participants will document their experience and thoughts on the mastering process in their Arts Award portfolio.
Week 6: Final Project & Showcase
- Participants will complete their final track, applying everything they’ve learned throughout the workshop.
- One-on-one feedback and support from mentors to perfect the track.
- Outcome: Submit a final track and showcase it at a group session. Participants will present their track and discuss their creative journey, which will be reflected in their Arts Award portfolio.
Outcome:
By the end of this 6-week workshop, participants will have created a finished track and gained valuable skills in music production, mixing, and mastering. They will also receive the Arts Award Discover or Explore qualification, officially recognising their creative journey and growth. The portfolio developed during the workshop will showcase their progress, creativity, and technical skills, with a final reflection submitted for Arts Award moderation.
