The CAD factory announce Music Production Workshops as part of their 'Becoming the Future' series
Have you ever thought about having a career in Music Production?
Over four workshops in 2019 and 2020, the Cad Factory and Music NSW are running free music production workshops for women, non-binary and trans folx at the Cad Factory Recording Studio in Narrandera NSW.
Issues of gender imbalance within the music industry have been a focus for many organisations in recent times. Despite the work that has been occurring, major gender imbalances still exist within the music industry; not just in terms of song writing and musicianship, but also for music engineers and producers.
A recent study in the United States called ‘Inclusion in the Recording Studio’ analysed 700 popular songs from 2012-2018 that featured on the Billboard Charts. It alarmingly revealed that 2.1% of the songs were produced by women.
This series of music production workshops is a continuation of the Cad Factory’s ethos of effecting real and tangible change through creating opportunities for professional development, in this case aimed at encouraging and up-skilling gender diverse people in the hands-on technical aspect of making music.
“We are encouraging people to come along to these workshops to sharpen their skills and build their confidence working within a professional studio environment. Studios can be intimidating places, and we are purposefully making these workshops friendly, open and conducive to learning,” says the Cad Factory’s Creative Producer Sarah McEwan.
Emily Collins, Managing Director from Music NSW commented that, “Like the Cad Factory, we absolutely believe in the importance of supporting the professional development of diverse genders in music. As an organisation we have been a champion of this through 'Levels', our electronic music production program that has been running since 2016. We are very excited about working with the Cad Factory to deliver this program.”
The workshops will be led by Michelle Barry, an established and respected Engineer, Producer and Audio Educator who has worked in studios across Australia, the States and the UK.
To find out more about the workshops, head to www.cadfactory.com.au and follow the links. There are limited places and you will be asked to fill out a very short form to express your interest. There are subsidies available for workshop participants to travel and stay in Narrandera NSW for the workshops.
“Over 2019 and 2020, the Cad Factory has committed to intense and meaningful professional development opportunities in order for creative people to build their careers. We are so happy to offer workshops in our Becoming the Future program for free, thanks to the generous support of Music NSW, Create NSW, Sidney Myer Fund and Bendigo Bank,” says Vic McEwan, Artistic Director of the Cad Factory.
WORKSHOP DETAILS
Introduction to Professional Recording Techniques Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December 2019, 10am – 4pm
Participants will be introduced to equipment and setup of a professional recording studio: from microphone to digital audio and back to listener. By capturing an acoustic performance, the process of recording and mixing, and decisions on microphone choice and audio processing will be explored.
Recording Vocals Saturday 1 February – Sunday 2 February 2020, 10am – 4pm
Whether recording your own voice or others, this workshop aims to improve the quality of your vocal recording. Single voice and small vocal group stereo techniques will be demonstrated. Ideas on matching your equipment to your vocalist, getting the best performance and compiling the best take will be explored. Any participants that are working on vocal/music productions and would like feedback are invited to bring audio files to the workshop.
Recording a Band Date TBC
Working with multiple musicians and an original song, participants will explore studio production used to record a band. From pre-production considerations such as of song genre and style, to microphone techniques, working with acoustic spaces and studio etiquette.
Mixing Date TBC
In this workshop, participants will look at what makes a ‘good’ mix through examining musical balance and the tools of mixing such as, EQ, compression and effects. By using example projects, we will see how the tools work and interact with one another to create the desired results. Hardware and software will be discussed, along with some tips and tricks.
Image Captions Michelle Barry in the Cad Factory Studio, photo: Vic McEwan
For interviews and more details please contact Vic McEwan, vic@cadfactory.com.au or 0409543952
