Music Production Workshop

Throughout the workshop, several concurrent breakout sessions are offered in each time slot. You can self-select which session to attend in any given time slot over the course of the weekend, as space allows. Offerings range from introductory to intermediate levels of skill and preparation. Participants have limited hands-on opportunities, and most seminars are demonstration-based.

Though breakout sessions for 2021 are not yet available, the following list of classes offered in 2019 will give you a sense of what to expect: 

• Critical Listening: Explore techniques used to analyze popular recordings from a variety of perspectives, both technical and musical.
• Business of Music Production: Discuss licensing, publishing, royalties, contracts, and distribution.
• Demystifying Mastering: Even for those who have heard of it, mastering is a discipline shrouded in mystery. Every song on the Billboard Top 100 has been mastered, and every record made by a major artist gets mastered. So, what is it?
• Making and Selling Your Own Recordings: Discover how mastering can enhance your final product as well as how to prepare for manufacturing, design your package, and determine the most successful marketing methods for independently released albums.
• Multitrack Mixing Techniques: Explore the aesthetic choices related to balance, dynamics, arrangement, preparation, and realization of a successful mix.
• Multitrack Recording Techniques: Participate in an accelerated workshop covering many aspects of recording, including microphone selection and placement, equalization, and dynamic signal processing.
• Project/Home Studio Design and Setup: Learn about basic equipment requirements, budget considerations, affordable acoustic modifications, and the formation of appropriate expectations.
• Turntable Techniques: This session touches on the historical development of the turntable, from its origins in Jamaican music through its importance as a major expression of hip-hop culture and the turntable's prominence in contemporary music. Students will develop basic skills using the turntable both as a means of live expression and performance, and as a production tool.
• Vocal Production: It’s all about the vocals; ask any established producer. This session will focus on how to help your vocalist give you the best, truest vocal performance, and how to enhance that performance by “comping” (combining parts of different vocal takes), context-based level-riding, and phrasing adjustment to augment emotion.
• Keynote presentation: The weekend culminates in a presentation by a noted industry professional.
• Evening sessions: Enjoy open recording and mix sessions, demonstrations, and lab time.

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

Schedule subject to change

All students 15 and older with some background in production are welcome to attend.

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. When the program capacity has been reached, registrants who have not paid in full will be placed on a waitlist. 

If you intend to stay in the Berklee residence halls while participating in the program, please also review what to bring for your room on the housing page.