Level: Beginner

By turning off the quantize function on his MPC  J Dilla ushered a new era of groove in electronic music production. Composing beats using both rushing and dragging feels while also making sure that notes remained musically coherent. This workshop intends to equip you with the skills to program hip hop beats and music ideas with a drunk drummerfeel inspired by producers and musicians such as J Dilla, Questlove, Flying Lotus, or Kaytranada.

Session Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session a successful student will be able to:

• Develop an understanding of pulse, subdivision and polyrhythms

• Acquire an understanding of the Groove

• Using the Groove Pool and Warping to program beats with both MIDI and audio content

• Identify & apply the right quantization values to apply to your programming

Session Study Topics

• Drum rack for composition

• Audio & MIDI warping for rhythm programming

• The groove pool and timing features

• Audio effects for enhancing rhythms

Requirements

• A computer and internet connection

• A web cam and mic

• A Zoom account

• Access to a copy of Live Suite or Standard (i.e. trial or full license)

About the workshop leader: 

Simone Tanda is a musician, producer, multi-media artist, tech consultant, and educator.

Based across London & Berlin he is currently creating music for his own project, as well as multidisciplinary artists, film, and commercials.

Level: Beginner

The riff by nature is repetitive so you get it, again and again, you get it reinforced and the rest of the song is built around it like the riff was the skeleton of the song.

This workshop aims to provide you with the necessary abilities to begin composing riffs and arranging a composition around such an important musical element.

Session Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session a successful student will be able to:

• Apply critical listening skills to riff & recurring motifs.

• Extrapolate core musical qualities of a riff.

• Construct a riff within a selected musical genre.

• Apply arrangement techniques around a riff within a track.

Session Study Topics

• MIDI programming

• Rhythmic subdivision and polymeter

• Micro fills and macro fills

• Layering and subtractive arrangement techniques

Requirements

• A computer and internet connection

• A web cam and mic

• A Zoom account

• Access to a copy of Live Suite or Standard (i.e. trial or full license)

About the workshop leader: 

Simone Tanda is a musician, producer, multi-media artist, tech consultant, and educator.

Based across London & Berlin he is currently creating music for his own project, as well as multidisciplinary artists, film, and commercials.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced

The creative path is not a straight line. In this workshop, you will develop a workflow focused on experimental approaches utilizing randomization, stochastic methods, polymeters, polyrhythms and more using Live and M4L. Experimental audio processing and non-linear mixing activities will be included in the compositional process to create unique sound qualities as well as overcoming creative blocks.

Session Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session a successful student will be able to:

• Examine various forms of (non)linear compositional strategies

• Identify approaches that provide musical contingency

• Select Ableton’s techniques & M4L devices to use in the writing process

• Design generative methods for complex compositional systems based on the Ableton and M4L environments

Session Study Topics

• Randomization & Stochastic methods

• Polymeters & polyrhythms

• Racks, Audio & MIDI FXs chains

• Max4Live LFO, Shaper, Buffer shuffler, Multimap pro

Requirements

• A computer and internet connection

• A web cam and mic

• A Zoom account

• Access to a copy of Ableton Live 10 Suite, or Ableton Live 10 with a Max For Live license

About the workshop leader

Simone Tanda is a musician, producer, multi-media artist, tech consultant, and educator.

Based across London & Berlin he is currently creating music for his own project, as well as multidisciplinary artists, film, and commercials.