Electronic Music Production and Sound Design Workshop

Boston
Ages 15+
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 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.
Dates
June 24-June 28
Check-in Time
8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Move-out
June 28, 7:00 PM
Tuition
$2,925
Housing
$895
Registration fee
$50 (nonrefundable)
 

How to Enroll

  1. Submit your registration by May 1.* Begin by submitting your registration online. If applicable, you may need to submit additional supporting materials.
  2. Make your tuition payment by May 1.* All programs have limited capacity, so be sure to complete your full tuition payment to reserve your space in the program.
  3. Request housing. Students who are 15 years of age or older by the start of their Boston-based program are eligible to stay in on-campus housing. If you meet the eligibility requirements and have indicated that you would like to request on-campus housing, please revisit your registration portal and submit a Residence Hall Agreement.

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

Curriculum

The Electronic Production and Design (EPD) Workshop begins with a keynote presentation from a visiting electronic music artist/producer and daily morning producer perspectives presentations from faculty based in the EPD department at Berklee. Each morning, there is also a unique opportunity where students get to collaborate with other participants along with 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 allowing. 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

Below is a sample of a typical day in the program. 

Time

Event

8 AM–9 AM

Breakfast

9:00 AM–12:30 PM

Producer Perspectives and Working in Producer Pods

12:30 PM–2 PM

Lunch

2 PM–3:45 PM

Breakout sessions

4 PM–5:45 PM

Breakout sessions

6 PM–7 PM

Dinner

7 PM–9 PM

Breakout sessions

Schedule subject to change.

Performance Opportunities

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

Requirements

General Requirements

All students 15 and older with some background in electronic production 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.

Required Materials

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.

Once You've Enrolled

The Berklee Summer Programs Team is excited that you've taken the first step! Now that you've enrolled, here's what to know, to be sure you're prepared before and after you check in for the experience of a lifetime.

What to do first?

Complete These Tasks by June

Prepare to Arrive and Check In

Access the Summer Programs Help Center

Explore some of these top articles from the Summer Programs Help Center.