COURSE PACKAGES
COURSE PACKAGES
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DJ Performance
Available in 5 or 10 session blocks
Do you want to learn industry standard hardware and software like the back of your hand? Do you want full control over the crowd? Whether you’re an eager newcomer who needs to start at the very beginning, or a more experienced talent looking to up your game, we will help you reach your highest potential and be gig-ready for any possible opportunity.
Module 1: Introduction to djing
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A Short History - Learn how DJing has evolved from vinyl to digital and the role of beatmatching.
Beat Matching Fundamentals and Practical Exercises - Learn why beatmatching is the foundation of DJing and get hands-on practice
The Role of a DJ in Different Settings – Understand the responsibilities of a DJ in clubs, festivals, and private events.
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Mixer Layout and Basic Signal Flow - Learn the map of your mixer and how the audio signal moves from through a DJ setup
Play/pause and Cue Functions - Essential controls for starting and stopping tracks.
EQs and Frequency Control - How to shape the character of tracks using low, mid, and high frequency bands.
Tempo Faders and Channel Faders - Learning to control the speed and volume of your tracks.
Headphone Cueing - Get familiar with previewing tracks.
Browsing Functions - Understand how to find and select music on your hardware.
Module 2: Mixing Techniques
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Understanding Song Structures - Recognizing intro, breakdown, drop, and outro sections and why producers arrange songs the way they do.
Aligning Phrases for Smooth Transitions - Matching sections to ensure seamless mixes.
Recognizing Different Track Elements - Identifying common core sounds and instrumentation groups like vocals, drums, bass, and synths.
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Gradual Blending vs. Smash Cuts - Learning different transition techniques and when to use them.
Creative Use of Quiet Moments and Tension - Using the naturally occurring dynamic breaks in your tracks to build anticipation and balance the energy of the room.
Using EQ for Smooth Frequency Transitions - Avoiding clashing frequencies and muddy or overly harsh mixes.
Double Drops - Begin exploring more advanced techniques for impactful mixes. Drops on top of drops, hooks on top of hooks.
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Timing and Track Durations - Understanding when to bring in new tracks.
Blend Durations - Adjusting mixing tactics based on the composition and arrangement of the music.
Hands-on Practice With Different Styles - Experimenting with blend durations and mix techniques.
Module 3: Advanced IDEAS
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Trim and Gain Staging - Balancing levels for a clean output signal and consistent track gain to avoid distortion, clipping, and undesired volume jumps.
Looping - Creating loops for more customizable mixing approaches.
Hot Cues - Using pre-determined markers in your music for seamless transitions and easy navigation to key track points.
Quantize - Keep transitions, loops, and hot cues tight and accurate.
Slip - Manipulate the track with losing real-time play position.
Jog Wheel Parameters - Toggle the emulation type you want for the jog wheel.
FX - Using sound color effects, reverbs, delays, filters, etc to enhance your mix creatively.
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Harmonic Mixing & the Camelot Wheel - Using key compatibility for better melodic blends.
Circle of Fifths Explained - Understanding the relative relationships between major and minor keys.
How Key Clashes Impact a Mix - Avoiding dissonance and disharmony.
Module 4: Best Practices & Tradecraft
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Essential Rekordbox Features for Beginners - A breakdown of some key tools to get started in Rekordbox.
Prepping & Analyzing Tracks in Rekordbox - Preparing and organizing music for faster access and accurate selections.
Visualizing Arrangements Through Waveforms - Identifying track structure visually.
Setting and Adjusting Beat Grids - Ensuring transients align properly and verifying tempo analysis.
Accurate Metadata and Creating Organized USB Playlists - The fundamentals of organizing, assembling, and exporting your music to be performance ready.
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The Importance of Mastering the Basics Before Breaking the Rules - Finding balance in creativity and experimentation.
Reading the Crowd and Adapting to Energy Shifts - Understanding the needs of the audience.
Building Momentum and Creating Peaks and Valleys - Structuring energy properly based on setting, time, and vibe.
Music Production
Available in 5 or 10 session blocks
You have the taste and the drive - now learn how to pull those creative ideas out of your head and turn them into something the world can hear. From newcomers looking to start their journey to seasoned producers that want to take their craft to the next level, we are prepared to help you refine your sound and develop the Ableton Live chops you need.
Module 1: Understanding Ableton
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Arrangement View vs. Session View - Understand the different uses of Ableton’s two main view options.
Browser - Explore the central hub for all instruments, devices, samples, projects, and plugins.
Clip/Device Drop Area - The central canvas to place clips and devices to create tracks.
Main Lane vs Automation Lane - Learn about the two horizontal lane displays on tracks.
Clip View/Device View - The two tabs to view a clip’s contents and a track’s devices.
Transport Bar - The playback and recording controls of Ableton.
Track Activator, Solo & Arm Recording - Basic utilities to control track behaviors.
Computer MIDI keyboard - How to play your computer keyboard like a piano.
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Create, Open, and Save Projects - How to create projects, open past projects, and save projects.
Adjusting Tempo and Time Signature - Choosing the rhythmic foundation of your music.
Setting Up Inputs and Outputs - Set up input and output configurations.
Basic Settings - Familiarize yourself with all of the available master settings.
Exporting a Project - Learn the basic protocol for exporting your music.
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The Difference Between Audio and MIDI - Learn the different uses and benefits of audio and MIDI tracks.
Manipulate and Warp Audio - Explore different manipulation features and warp modes.
Create and Work with MIDI Clips and Piano Roll - Learn how to create MIDI clips, how to populate them, and how to navigate available features.
MIDI Controllers and MIDI Mapping - Use external hardware to control software instruments and device parameters.
Recording MIDI to Audio - Learn to bounce in place, resample, or otherwise turn your MIDI instruments into audio for the sake of workflow or lightening CPU load.
Module 2: SOUnd Design
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Basic Synthesis Principles (OSC, ADSR, LFO, Filters, FX) - Learn the signal, shaping, and modulation fundamentals that allow a synthesizer to produce sound.
Using Presets For Analysis and Inspiration - Take advantage of Ableton’s native synth or third party presets to study how they are made, or use them for your compositions if they are the perfect fit.
Sampling with Simpler and Sampler - Get familiar with Ableton’s native sampling instruments.
Layering Sounds for Depth - Learn how to layer synth patches to reinforce an idea with grouping, routing, or instrument racks.
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EQ and Filtering Techniques - Grasp the fundamentals of frequency shaping and how different techniques affect your sounds.
Compression - Learn how to control and manipulate the dynamic range of a sound.
Reverb and Delay - Use effects to change the spatial quality of the signal.
Distortion and Saturation - Alter the harmonic quality of the waveform by introducing overdrive and warmth.
Effects Chains and Racks - Build custom combinations of plugins to create new effects.
Signal Paths - Understand how audio moves from the source through different plugins and how the signal path dictates how these plugins behave.
Module 3: Composition & Arrangement
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Rhythm Patterns - Learn how subdivisions of time determine rhythm.
Notes and Intervals - Explore the musical alphabet and how notes relate to each other.
Scales and Key - Learn how a group of notes define the tonal identity and establish the guide posts of a piece of music.
Chord, Progressions and Voicings - Learn about basic chord structure and voicing.
Writing Melodies and Hooks - Develop catchy melodies using counterpoint, repetitive phrase variations, and call-and-response techniques.
Harmony - Learn how to create tension and resolution with your compositions.
Designing Effective Basslines - Create basslines that lock in with the drums by utilizing syncopation and sound design.
MIDI effects for creative sequencing - Use MIDI effects like chord generators, arpeggiators, and randomizers to generate unique patterns.
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Drum Rack vs. Audio Samples in Tracks - Get familiar with the two definitive approaches to drum programming.
Selecting and Layering Drum Samples - Choose high-quality drum samples and layer them to create your desired sound.
Creating Drum Patterns - Learn some of the genre standard drum patterns and how to calculate where different drum hits go on the grid.
Humanizing with Groove and Swing Techniques - Apply swing settings and groove templates to add a more human feel to programmed drums.
Creating Fills and Variations - Use parameter automation, velocity changes, and different sample articulations to introduce dynamic fills and variations.
Tuning Drums - Learn when and how to tune drum hits.
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Common Track Structures - Understand the fundamental elements of song structure and how different genres utilize them.
Creating Effective Transitions - Use automation and FX to smoothly transition between sections and maintain energy flow.
Using Automation for Dynamic Movement - Automate parameters to create tension and release in key moments.
Variation and Arrangement Techniques - Introduce subtle changes in drum patterns, instrumentation, and composition elements to keep the track engaging.
Structuring Tracks for DJs - Consider section and phrase lengths and mix-friendly orchestration to make DJ-friendly music.
Module 4: Mixing & Mastering
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Balance, Gain Staging and Headroom - Properly set levels to create balance, avoid distortion, and maintain clarity in the mix.
Stereo Imaging - Learn standard M/S principles and how to position elements in the stereo field using panning and imaging to create width and separation.
Parallel Processing, Sends, and Returns - Route effects through auxiliary channels or use parallel processing to have full control over effects.
EQ for Frequency Balance and Clarity - How to use EQs in the context of the mixing stage.
Clarity in the Low End - Defining your low end source and giving it space.
Sidechain Compression and Volume Ducking - Understand how to make room for different elements by using sidechain compression or volume ducking plugins.
Controlling Dynamics with Compression - Compression in the context of the mixing stage.
Reference Tracks - Compare your mix to professionally mixed songs to check balance, EQ, and overall tonal quality.
Checklist for Mixing Different Instrument Groups - Tips for drums, bass, leads, and vocals.
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Mastering vs. Mixing and Why Mastering Matters - Understand the difference and why both are needed.
EQ for Final Tonal Balance - Apply subtle EQ adjustments to correct any frequency imbalances and ensure a well-rounded sound across various playback systems.
Applying Subtle Compression and Saturation - Use gentle compression to glue the mix together and add saturation for warmth and cohesion.
Stereo Imaging and Width - Carefully enhance stereo width while ensuring mono compatibility for consistent playback on all systems.
Limiting and Maximizing Loudness - Keeping your signal under control and finding competitive loudness while maintaining dynamics.
Exporting a Mastered Track - Choose the right sample rate and bit depth, apply dithering if necessary, and check loudness before rendering the master.
Module 5: Workflow & Creative Strategies
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Groups and Track Organization - Use track grouping to consolidate elements, apply group processing, and maintain a clean session. Properly name and color-code tracks for quick navigation.
File Management - Establish a structured folder system for project files, samples, and presets to ensure seamless workflow and avoid losing assets.
Making Templates, Presets, and Racks - Save commonly used instruments, effects, and settings as templates and custom presets to streamline the production process and maintain consistency across projects.
Misc Workflow Tips - Key mapping, default presets and tracks, shortcuts, collections and tags.
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Sound Design as Inspiration - Experiment with new synth patches or sample manipulation to spark ideas.
Experimenting with Generative Tools and Randomization - Use MIDI generation, transformation and randomization to generate unexpected results.
Collaborating and Getting Feedback - Work with other producers or seek feedback to gain new perspectives.
Setting Creative Limitations - Restrict yourself to a limited set of instruments or sounds to encourage unique problem-solving.
Using Reference Tracks - Analyze and recreate elements from tracks you admire to better understand structure and sound design.
Practical Exercises for Breaking Creative Blocks - Hands-on exercises to break through writer’s block.
Custom packages and scheduling available
Let us know what works best for you, your lifestyle, and your goals. We’re here to help you flourish!
Whether you need a certain amount of sessions, or just want to drop in for a quick 1-on-1, give us a shout and we’ll make it happen.