Electronic Music Production – Short Course

Monday 17 June – Friday 12 July 2024 | Level: Beginner

This short course is a perfect launch pad for aspiring electronic music producers and composers who want to learn the core principles of their craft, hone their practical skills and produce their own music! As a progressive education institute one of our core beliefs is that you need to spend lots of time with your own hands firmly on the gear. We call it learning by doing... and doing... and doing again.

As an aspiring producer or even a total beginner you may feel there are musical ideas or sounds bubbling up inside you but you're not yet sure how to express them to the outside world. Or perhaps you've started that process but you feel a need to improve your skills before playing one of your musical creations to someone else.  

Our team of tutors are passionate about electronic music production and will ensure that the start of your journey is a successful and fulfilling one, providing you with the confidence to progress either alone or in a longer or more advanced course.

From understanding the basic principles of sound to getting to grips with Ableton Live. From recording instruments to operating hardware synthesisers. You will come out of the four weeks with a broad foundational understanding of electronic music production – and, most importantly, the fuel to forward your artistic journey.

Asking our Summer students "What catalyses your creativity?"

Our courses are taught by a team of permanent tutors & visiting international music industry professionals with a genuine passion for passing on their specialist knowledge to others.

Catalyst is a thriving creative learning community of tutors and students from more than 75 countries. 

Studying here is a golden opportunity to meet up and collaborate with like-minded peers from around the world. A key part of our approach to learning involves working with others whether as peers, mentors, collaborators, audience or fellow travellers. Passion is always better shared!

In the end it doesn’t matter how great we think our courses are. What matters is what our students actually do during their time with us. Have a listen, leave some comments and decide for yourselves.

dBs Music Berlin is no ordinary school; we combine state-of-the-art facilities with unique learning environments and industry experienced tutors to support, inspire, challenge and enhance our students’ studies in music production & sound engineering and electronic music production & performance.

Running through the heart of our programmes is the fostering of creative practitioners. That means helping you develop your creative passions while positioning your professional trajectory. We go further to develop your whole person allowing you to closely reflect, set goals, meet challenges and build resilience. You will learn to develop individual as well as collaborative strategies and be exposed to a wide variety of industry expertise and ideas to define your professional aspirations.

We're passionate about providing a nurturing, caring, relaxed, and friendly creative environment, where our team offers uncompromising support for students.

dBs Music Berlin

This beginner's short course in electronic music production is the perfect launch pad for aspiring electronic music producers and composers to produce their own music.

Monday 17 June – Friday 12 July 2024 | Level: Intermediate / Advanced

This 4-week short course has been created for the artist or producer who has already started their journey. We start from the assumption that you're comfortable using a DAW and have a grasp of the fundamentals of electronic music production. Now you're ready to stretch your capabilities, hone your skills in a specialist field, create a unique sonic identity or explore new frontiers that take your work to the next stage in its evolution. 

As a progressive education institute, one of our core beliefs is that you need to spend lots of time with your own hands firmly on the gear. We call it learning by doing... and doing... and doing again.

Combine that in-depth practice with expert tuition from industry professionals to expand your sonic palette and sharpen your listening and production skills. Connect technology, tools, approaches and philosophies to enhance your work and help you create engaging, diverse and rich productions. 

From nerding out on the principles of sound to levelling up your synthesiser and percussion skills. From understanding sample-based sound design to tailoring an electronic setup. You will come out of the course with the momentum to develop a stronger sonic direction.

Advanced Sound Design Summer course explained

Our advanced sound design short course will expand your sonic palette, sharpen your listening and production skills, and help create rich productions.

Advanced Sound Design – Short Course

Having been a staple artist of the New Zealand electronic music scene for over twenty years, Philippa has lived in Berlin since 2013 and has been a long term member of the Catalyst tutor team.

Aside from teaching, she has multiple projects on the go: a long-term lover of deep house she launched her own record label AT PEACE in 2020, releasing music from herself and friends, and is also a participant in the Catalyst Music MA programme where her focus is on choral music.

Tutor DJ Philippa on Her New EP Releases and Music as Catharsis

5 Concepts to Explore in our Innovative Creative Production Masters Degree

5 Ways to Get Inspired When Producing Music

Part one of a two part ep.
Written after having spent a month back home in New Zealand at the start of the year, these tracks from Philippa are a homage to summer sunshine, festivals and reuniting with good friends.

Shine On Part One by At Peace

Producer and DJ Philippa McIntyre teaches electronic music production and performance at Catalyst Berlin and studies the creative music MA. Read her bio.

Philippa McIntyre

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