start with an idea
finish with an album
A laboratory of music exploration guiding participants through the making of an album.
This course is structured to adapt to the interests of the participants.
Based on learning goals we identify together, we will choose a path through a set of modules that we will arrange in an intentional sequence.
Each module consists of a set of actions to complete, such as recording tasks, listening prompts, and journal entries.
The course combines in-person and online learning modes, including:
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Learn the craft of recording through hands-on experience.
Create a completed album or audio recording that reflects your true "vision."
Discover your personal creative process.
Deepen your relationship with sound through the practice of recording.
Develop your own unique musical identity, whether through playing an instrument, singing, improvising, composing, or simply experimenting with sound.
Non judgement: There is no correct way to make an album. Feedback reflects of the goals we identify, not external standards of "good or bad" or "right and wrong."
Autonomy and horizontality: Instructors create a structure and meeting point to exchange ideas and inspire questions, not to prescribe or enforce rules.
Practice-based learning: Make something first, analyze it later.
All levels welcome
Visual Artists that want to develop a relationship with sound
Musicians, artists and creative people in any field interested in writing and self-producing an album from start to finish.
Recommended for those who have not previously produced their own full length music recording.
Laptop
Audio interface
Microphone
Dina Maccabee is a composer and performer from California, currently based in Berlin. She studied experimental composition at Wesleyan University. She has produced three solo albums, and recent work for voice includes a setting of Gertrude Stein's The World is Round for 6 voices a cappella, a participatory songbook of canonic compositions for mixed voices, and the score for Pulitzer-nominated 2024 podcast Hysterical. In Berlin, Dina has developed scores and sound design for dance and theater performances at HAU and Lake Studios. For nearly two decades, Dina has performed as a soloist and with numerous artists and ensembles, including Julia Holter, the Red Room Orchestra, Vienna Teng, Real Vocal String Quartet, Feist, TuneYards, and countless others. Maccabee currently works as a Technical Support Specialist and Knowledge Base editor at music software developer Ableton AG, Berlin.
www.dinamaccabee.comManuel Pessoa de Lima is a performer-composer creating genre-defying humorous performances, subverting his classical and academic background with humour and vulnerability. Usually performing with piano, electronics and speech monologues, Manuel unravels a mesh of fictional and biographical narratives, highlighting the conflicts and doubts around the creative process. Holds a bachelor and master in music composition by USP (Universidade de São Paulo - Brazil) and a doctoral of musical arts at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). Has produced, recorded and composed three albums, the latest one, for organ, electronics and whistles, released in vinyl by Black Truffle Records, and collaborated with an original track for the swizz piano quartet Kukuruz, recorded in Stanford. Performed in international festivals like Novas Frequencias (BR), Musica Estranha (BR), Send-Receive(CA), Sanatorium-Sonorum(CZ), Oscillation Festival (BE), Schloss-Solitude-Summerfest (DE), BAM (DE), Cafe-Oto (UK) and was a fellow in multiple artist residency programs.