The Art and Science of Producing Vocals and Instruments

Carolyn Malachi

Dive deeper into the art and science of music production with 'The Art and Science of Producing Vocals and Instruments.' This comprehensive four-week course empowers you to bring your musical visions to life with confidence and finesse. Hone your pre-production skills, gain proficiency in using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), and delve into the intricacies of producing an artist’s vocals and instrumentation. By the end of this course, you'll be adept at music pre-production, DAW usage, and vocal and instrumental production.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Planning Your Production

In this module, you'll learn how to initiate song production, participate in song selection, composition, and arrangement, and master the art of transforming samples. Discover best practices for collaborative music production. Engage in quizzes, discussions, and activities to solidify your knowledge. In "The Impact of Sampling," explore how sampling transforms tracks, and in "Exploring Song Structure and Collaborative Music Production," deconstruct songs and collaborate effectively. Assess your understanding with a Knowledge Check Quiz.

Producing Vocals

In this module, you'll master vocal production, understanding the goals of vocal producers and best practices to elevate vocal performances. You'll select the perfect microphone and set up a vocal chain to meet your production needs. Through activities like "Coaching Vocalists," you'll develop coaching skills, while "Create Your Comp Vocal" will hone your comping abilities. Analyzing award-winning songs will refine your production skills. With quizzes, discussions, and activities, You'll gain crucial knowledge and practice these essential skills.

Producing Instrumentals

In this module, you'll explore instrumental production, understanding its goals and four different types. You'll also learn best practices to guide musicians in delivering quality performances. Through activities like "Musical Excellence in Instrumental Production," you'll analyze award-winning songs and refine your own production skills. In "Coaching Musicians," you'll develop coaching strategies, while the peer review assignment "Create Your Instrumental" will expand your production capabilities. Engage in quizzes, discussions, and activities to build knowledge and practice these skills.

Blending Vocals and Instrumentation

In this module, you'll work on a musical instrument production, understanding its key priorities like balancing vocals and instruments. You'll learn to blend vocals with instrumentals using strategies such as dynamic control, spatial placement, and frequency allocation. Explore EQ techniques to enhance vocal prominence by addressing frequency overlaps with instruments, and discover how automation, faders, and knobs can elevate a music production. In the peer-review assignment, "Create Your Original Production," apply these principles to create or enhance a production using various elements. Engage in quizzes, discussions, and activities to build knowledge and skills.

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in The Art and Science of Producing Vocals and Instruments with these activities:

Create Beats and Compose Melodic Loops

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Develop your musical creativity and technical skills by practicing beatmaking and composing melodic loops.

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Open Logic Pro and create a new project with a suitable tempo.
Start experimenting with different drum samples and patterns in the Drum Machine Designer.
Compose melodic loops using the built-in synths or by importing your own samples.
Arrange and combine your beats and melodies to create short musical sketches.
Share your creations with others for feedback and improvement.

Collaborate on a Music Project

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Enhance your skills by working with others to create a collaborative music project.

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Find a group of peers with complementary skills and interests.
Decide on a musical genre and concept for your project.
Divide responsibilities based on individual strengths and preferences.
Meet regularly to share ideas, provide feedback, and work on the project.
Release your finished project on a platform like SoundCloud or Bandcamp.

Attend a Music Production Workshop

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Gain practical knowledge and industry insights by attending a music production workshop.

Browse courses on Music Production

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Research and find upcoming music production workshops in your area or online.
Choose a workshop that aligns with your interests and skill level.
Register for the workshop and prepare any necessary materials.
Attend the workshop and actively participate in discussions and exercises.
Network with other attendees and industry professionals.

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Read 'Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio' by Mike Senior

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Gain valuable insights into mixing and audio engineering by reading an industry-standard book.

View Recording Secrets for the Small Studio (Sound... on Amazon

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Purchase or borrow a copy of 'Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio'.
Read the book thoroughly, taking notes and highlighting important concepts.
Apply the techniques and principles you learn to your own musical projects.
Discuss the book's content with peers or mentors to deepen your understanding.
Refer back to the book as a reference guide for future projects.

Develop an Artist's Vocal Track

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Gain valuable hands-on experience by producing an artist's vocal track from start to finish.

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Find an artist or vocalist to collaborate with.
Record the artist's vocals in a suitable recording environment.
Edit and process the vocal track to enhance clarity and performance.
Add effects and mix the vocal track to complement the instrumental.
Master the final track to meet industry standards.

Contribute to an Open-Source Music Production Tool

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Expand your knowledge and make a meaningful contribution by participating in an open-source music production project.

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Identify an open-source music production tool that aligns with your interests.
Read the project's documentation and contribute to discussions on its online forum.
Identify an area or feature where you can make improvements or add functionality.
Submit your code contributions for review and merge into the project's codebase.
Collaborate with other contributors to enhance the tool and its features.