Digital Music class releases first album on SoundCloud!
Though it has only been a few weeks since the start of the school year, SD's Digital Music class is already lifting off with their very own self-produced album! Now streaming on SoundCloud, ‘SD Digital Music Vol. 1’ was released earlier this week to the eager excitement of SD students, faculty, and staff.
“We wanted to start this year with ‘brave, joyous, and determined creation’ at the forefront of our process,” said Ari Giancaterino, instructor for SD's Digital Music Program. On the first day, he told the class, “By the end of these two weeks, we're going to have an album done, and each of you will contribute one song.”
Each student created their song using loops available within the Logic Pro X session software, and utilized the tools of the program to make cuts, edits, and extensions to the sound files, mark the form of their song using song markers, and built their entire song through a broad selection of samples. They were not limited in the instruments they could use, but used principles of basic orchestration to decide their instrumentation and form for each of their songs! Some even added effects and volume and pitch automation to their track to create unique results.
If this makes you think to yourself “Wow!,” you are not alone. “Some of the students with very little prior musical experience looked at me in semi-disbelief and doubt. But that’s why we did this project... kids need to know that yes, they can create music, and no, they don’t need to know everything about music to create it,” said Giancaterino. “Students already have tools, ideas, and knowledge that will help them along the way. As artists, we often pressure ourselves to make things and expect these things to be perfect. But we have to learn that it is through embracing error, failure, trial, and experimentation that we discover our true voices. Above all, I want my students to come in here, make something, and say to themselves, ‘Look at this! I made something! And I want to make more!'”
This is only the beginning for the SD Digital Music Class - they are already planning regular album releases through the year!
Check out the album on SoundCloud or listen below. Album cover art by Orion K.