Music creation in the digital age has become more accessible than ever. But it’s an activity still associated with owning lots of gear – soundcards, speakers, preamps, mixing desks, microphones, sonically treated spaces, expensive software, etc. We also obsess over a limited inventory of sounds: guitars, drums, saxophones, orchestral instruments. All this gear and all these instruments will always have a place in music-making. Yet they can also become a reason not to make music, convincing us that until we reach some (ever-receding) level of professional equipment, we can’t start creating.
This project, which was catalyzed by the Covid-19 lockdown, aims to challenge that narrative, showing that with a selection of household goods, couch pillows, a cell phone, free software, and the will to make music, endless musical possibilities exist.
The workshop will demonstrate this by covering the following topics:
• Choosing effective objects as instruments
• Creating workable cell phone recordings
• Setting up DIY temporary sound treatment
• Selecting useful phone apps for recording
• Understanding the fundamentals of audio processing