Electronic Music Production and Sound Design Workshop in Los Angeles

About the Program

Push your limits as an electronic musician, and develop your skills in sound design, production, and electronic digital instrument (EDI) performance. Over the course of this workshop, you will have the opportunity to explore everything from the foundations of sound synthesis and sampling to sound design for picture and video games, working with modular and vintage synthesizers or the latest in performance controllers. Based on knowledge level and experience, you will select coursework to tailor the curriculum to your interests. This program takes place in the heart of the Los Angeles arts corridor on the campus of the Colburn School.

How to Enroll

This program has limited capacity. Submission of registration materials alone does not guarantee participation. You will secure your spot by paying in full.

Step 1Submit your registration
Begin by submitting your registration online. If applicable, you may need to submit additional supporting materials.
Step 2Make your tuition payment
All programs have limited capacity, so be sure to complete your full tuition payment to reserve your space in the program.
Step 3Request housing
If you will be age 15 or older by the start of your Boston-based program and require on-campus accommodations, complete the Residence Hall Agreement in the Next Steps tab of your registration portal.
Step 4Complete your next steps
Visit the Next Steps section of your program to view and complete any additional requirements. Review the checklist to make sure you are on track.

Curriculum

The Electronic Production and Design (EPD) Workshop begins with a keynote presentation from a visiting electronic music artist/producer and features daily morning producer perspectives presentations from faculty based in the EPD department at Berklee. Each morning, there is also a unique opportunity for students to collaborate with other participants, under the guidance of recent Berklee alumni, in producer pods to develop a production that will be presented at the end of the week. Throughout the workshop, several concurrent breakout sessions are offered in the afternoon and evening. You can self-select which session to attend in any given time slot over the course of the workshop, space permitting. Offerings range from introductory to intermediate levels of skill and preparation in electronic music production, sound design, sound for visual media and games, new musical instrument design, and more.

The following is an example of possible breakout sessions to give you a sense of what to expect:

Introduction to Ableton Live
Designing Instrument Racks and Effects in Ableton Live
Designing Sample-Based Drum Racks in Ableton Live
Sound Design with Modular Synthesizers
Modular Synthesizer Performance Workshop
Creative Sound Design Techniques
Sampling
Electronic Music Mixing Techniques
Vocal Mixing Techniques
Mix Critique
Producing and Performing with Ableton Push
Finger Drumming
Live Sample Beatmaking Techniques
Remixing
Digital DJ Techniques
Vocal Processing Techniques
Introduction to DJing
Exploring the Turntable
Elektron Workflow
Introduction to Video Mapping
Sound for Picture
Patching with VCV Rack
Musification

*Breakout sessions subject to change.

Schedule

Check out a sample of a typical day in the program. Schedule is subject to change.

Each Day

8 AM–9 AMBreakfast
9 AM–12:30 PMProducer Perspectives and Working in Producer Pods
12:30 PM–2 PMLunch
2 PM–3:45 PMBreakout sessions
4 PM–5:45 PMBreakout sessions
6 PM–7 PMDinner
7 PM–9 PMBreakout sessions

Performance Opportunities

The Electronic Production and Design workshop does not focus on live performance.

Requirements

All students who meet the minimum age requirement and older, with six months of playing experience on electric or acoustic bass are welcome to attend.
Participants must possess a proficient level of English to enroll in this program. We do not require proof of English language proficiency (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo) as part of the enrollment or application process; however, you are expected to have a sufficient command of the English language to understand class material and assignments.
Bring a computer with access to a digital audio workstation (DAW) software (e.g., Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Logic, etc.) and a MIDI Keyboard. All other required musical equipment and technology will be provided throughout the program. Consider bringing portable media storage to save the work you create during the week. Participants are also welcome to bring completed songs.

Program-Specific Details

Stay on Campus at Colburn

Participants will study on the campus of the Colburn School. This program is conveniently located in LA’s downtown arts corridor.

Students enrolled in Film Scoring in Los Angeles or Songwriting Sessions in Los Angeles have the option to live on campus at the Colburn School. Enjoy the convenience of on-campus housing, access to practice rooms, furnished suites, and a supportive residential staff. To reserve your spot, complete the Residence Hall Agreement in your Berklee application portal after registering for your program. Visit our help center to learn more about housing at Colburn.

Residential students must remain on the Colburn School campus for the entirety of the program.

Commuter students must remain on the Colburn School campus from the start to end of classes each day.

Program Director

Michele Darling
Michele Darling is an accomplished sound designer, composer, recording engineer, and educator.
Read Full Bio

Once You've Enrolled

Please regularly check the email you used to enroll in your program for important updates. A detailed check-in email, containing information about your assigned arrival location, housing assignment (if applicable), and program schedule, will be sent one to two weeks before your program's start date.
On-campus housing is limited, and spaces will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis based on the completion of the following steps:
1. Read, sign, and submit the residence hall agreement on the registration portal.
2. The Summer Programs team will review your signed residence hall agreement within 3-5 business days. After review, we will send you an email inviting you to return to the registration portal to view your on-campus housing decision letter.
3. If your request has been approved, secure your spot by accepting your offer and paying the housing fee in full.
Important Considerations
- For students enrolled in multiple programs, please complete a separate residence hall agreement (along with the accompanying housing fee payment) for each program.
- To be eligible to request on-campus housing, a student must be 15 years of age before the start of their program.
- If a student is under the age of 18, the request for on-campus housing must be filled out by a parent/guardian, and both the student and parent/guardian must agree to all the terms and conditions.
- Applicants for Musical Theater Acting Intensive (MTAI) and Vocal/Choral Intensive (VCI) must first be offered admission and accept their offer before their residence hall agreement submission will be considered.
- Since space in our residence halls is limited, a spot in our residence halls will only be guaranteed once a student has fully registered for their chosen program and paid the program tuition in full. Any housing requests or payments made before the completion of both these steps do not ensure a guaranteed place in on-campus housing.
Learn more about housing and campus life by exploring the Help Center.
Accommodations are provided for students with documented medical needs, offering services such as academic accommodations, academic coaching, special housing arrangements, dietary adjustments, and referrals to on-campus support, including adaptive technology and tutoring.
Accommodations are determined through an interactive process involving the student, faculty, the Office of Housing and Residential Education, a dietitian, and Accessibility Resources for Students staff. Requests for academic, housing, and dietary accommodations can be made by following the steps outlined in this Help Center article.

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