NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In an effort to expand music production access, Remington College is offering a free production workshop once a month at its campus studio in Nashville.
"A lot of music education, in my experience, I never received too much hands-on instruction. And a lot of the stuff that I'm teaching about has been learning through trial and error and through my peers and not through a formal school setting," said Matt Zotti, Remington College Beats Production and Recording Arts Technology program chair. "So if I can give that to newcomers, and inspire them to start creating... then it's all worth it."
Zotti teaches the basics of music theory and helps each participant learn a producing software to create their own beats.
"Usually [it] happens within a couple hours," said Zotti of how long it takes new participants to learn the program. "Because that's when they're finally expressing themselves, right? And they're not just doing what I'm telling them and I'm not teaching them about quarter notes and eighth notes like, 'OK, I've given you the instructions. Now, you use your tastes and make your beat.' And I think that's when the creativity starts."
Some participants have no exposure to music while others have prior experience.
"I love music. I grew up on music. I grew up in church. I used to play the drums for my church. I go to NSA high school for music, and I play piano there. So always found the love of music, but I wanted to convert, in my opinion, like my art into producing," explained Kayden Waddy, a Remington Production Workshop participant.
Waddy said it did not take long to pick up the producing program.
"I felt like a newbie. I felt like I didn't know anything at all. Like I had this big old computer in front of our faces. I didn't know how to adjust anything," said Waddy. "I learned a lot in one day. Yes, I did. It was so helpful too. I learned a lot and I went back home. I even downloaded the software. Ever since I've downloaded the software, I've just been in my room or somewhere like when I'm not busy. Put all my time into it. I'll just make something."
The workshop is not for just one type of music, participants can produce all genres in the four-hour class.
"There's a lot of diversity in Nashville, aside from just country music, there's a lot of people that are interested and want to know more about how to make hip hop music, how to make electronic music," explained Zotti. "These workshops are a way to kind of give them an insight and let them know, 'Hey, this stuff is possible and here's how you can do it.' And just a very quick, simple way."
Participants can enter the class at any skill level and still go home with a song they produced.
"It's always a good feeling that you can play something of your own," said Waddy.
"I just want to leave people with a desire to create more and to get more out of it," expressed Zotti. "These workshops are just a taste of what you can accomplish."
To register for the course, email nashvillebeats@remingtoncollege.edu to inquire.
