CMA Workshops
View our workshop offerings below and sign-up with the form at the bottom of the page!
Music Recording Workshop
This one day Recording Workshop will walk you through the recording process from start to finish. Led by Patrick Hume, a professional audio engineer, this workshop will give you you hands-on experience in a small group setting, while working with live musicians. This is the perfect course for beginners and singer songwriters who have an interest in recording their own music at home!
NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED – COURSE RECOMMENDED FOR TEENS & ADULTS
DATE/TIME: Saturday, March 15th | 11am-5pm | A free lunch will be provided
LOCATION: Hidden Room Studios (1535 Lytle St, Louisville, KY 40203)
Fill out the sign-up form below to sign up. REGISTRATION DEADLINE: March 10th, 2025
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:
11:00 AM – 1:45 PM: Introduction to the Recording Process
- Overview of the recording workflow: Pre-production to final output
- Explanation of digital and analog
- Setting up for recording: Signal chain, gain staging, and monitoring
- Mic techniques and mic placement: Dynamic vs. condenser, close miking, room miking
- Hands-on demonstration: Recording instruments (vocals, guitar, drums, etc.)
1:45 PM – 2:15 PM: Lunch Break
2:15 PM – 3:00 PM: Introduction to Editing, Mixing, and Mastering
- Overview of the post-recording process: Editing, mixing, and mastering stages
- Editing basics: Cutting, trimming, and arranging tracks for a polished performance
- Setting up for mixing: Organizing tracks, creating buses, and setting initial levels
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM: Common Audio Effects
- EQ: Shaping frequency response to create clarity and separation
- Compression: Controlling dynamics and adding punch
- Reverb: Adding space and depth to your mix
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM: Mixing Techniques
- Balancing levels and panning for a cohesive mix
- Automation: Creating dynamic changes in the mix
- Mixing in context: Adjusting effects based on the full track
- Q&A and group feedback on mixing techniques
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM: Introduction to Mastering
- The purpose of mastering: Preparing a mix for release
- Basic mastering techniques: Limiting, EQ adjustments, and final touches
- Exporting your final master for different formats
Workshop FAQ’s
Please read before filling out the sign-up form below:
What do these workshops cost? We at CMA believe that music should be available to everyone. As such, we do not charge for these workshops, but offer them on a voluntary, anonymous donation basis. Suggested donation for those that can manage is $7-10 per student per 1 hour workshop. If you cannot afford that amount, it’s ok, we are still very happy to have you as a student. We encourage you to just donate what you can, even if it’s just a couple of coins. Or you can volunteer a couple of hours of your time – just let us know if you’d like to help out. There is a donation box available at the workshop location for cash or check donations, or you can donate online. Note that all donations are tax-deductible.
Do I have to attend all the sessions? Yes! We designed these workshop series in multiple weeks so you can learn as much as possible. We want you to walk away from these workshops confident that you learned something. All participants should be prepared to attend all the sessions for the series they sign up for, unless it is unavoidable (e.g. You are ill). We also strongly encourage you to be on time for each session so the whole class can get the most out of each session!
Where and when are the workshops? Each series will be held on different days and times, and in different locations. Please reference the listings above for the information specific to your workshop.
Have another question? Send us a message through our website or email our workshop coordinator.
Workshop Coordinator: Madison Rose | madison@communitymusicalliance.com
Sign up here!
Follow the link to complete the workshop application form. Some workshops have a limited number of spots, please be sure you can attend all workshop sessions before you sign up!
You will receive an email once you have successfully filled out an application.