Digital Music Club: How to Navigate Music Software

When you hear the word music, what comes to mind? You might have thought of your favourite artist/song or even a musical instrument, but there is so much more to explore in the world of music, such as digital audio workstations (DAW). DAWs are music software that give you a workspace to record, mix and edit audios to create things like remixes, mash-ups, and original songs. Of course, navigating DAWs can feel like going through a very confusing corn maze, but Digital Music Club will help you find your way through it while allowing you to make your own music along the way.

In this club, you go beyond the surface of what is generally taught in a music class and explore various DAWs, such as Bandlab and Soundtrap, plus dive into the technical side of music production. It creates a fun and welcoming atmosphere where students can share their projects and collaborate with others too. So far, students have learned to create songs using instrumental loops on different DAWs. They also used midi tracks to popular songs like Thank You Next, Blinding Lights, and Sunflower to create remixes by editing them and adding instrumental loops. Students are able to post all their amazing compositions in the ‘share space’ provided on the club’s google classroom. Daniel Persaud, the student who co-runs Digital Music Club with Mr. Watson, recently taught students how to isolate vocal tracks and plans to do similar lessons in the future. He mentioned how he “hopes to start getting members to create song mash-ups or remixes, and have them isolate their own vocal tracks.” He also talked about how he aims to “cover things like post-production editing, and recording real instruments,” as well as “do a fundraiser for charity.”  Additionally, Mr. Watson mentioned how he plans to get students to “try and compose a full, original piece,” later in the school year.

Student’s remix of ‘Halo’ by Beyonce using Soundtrap

“Students should join if they want to get more guidance in digital music,” said Daniel. “Since digital music is something just being taught at our school, many students may be interested, but don’t know where to start, or can’t take the course. This club offers them a good place to learn these skills.” Mr. Watson added, “Daniel is a fantastic grade 12 student who has a vast amount of knowledge when it comes to digital music, mixing and editing. It is great for students to be taught by other students. So far it has been a really fun, collaborative experience.”

Digital Music Club allows students to delve into the world of digital music and showcase their musical talents in a COVID-safe environment. It also exposes students to a different area of music that usually isn’t covered in a traditional music classroom. Overall, it is perfect for students who want to learn more about DAWs and how to use them to produce their own musical compositions, no matter the skill level. If you are interested in joining the club, they meet every Wednesday after school from 4-5 pm.

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