WHAT ARE ALL THESE KNOBS? — WAVEFORMS AND PARAMETERS
COMPOSING WITH SYNTHESIZERS
NEW SOUNDS WITH CAT MAHATTA
Session One
WHAT ARE ALL THESE KNOBS?
Waveforms and Parameters
IRL — Thursday, February 15
6:30-8:30pm
Limited to 15 participants each
120 minutes
In WHAT ARE ALL THESE KNOBS?, participants will explore the various features of their synthesizers and begin to dial in a sonic palette for their composition. We will cover the fundamentals of synthesis - waveforms, frequencies, resonance, modulation, filters, patches and more. We will try out different sounds and improvise by ear in group polyphony exercises, responding to prompts and visual art for inspiration.
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COMPOSING WITH SYNTHESIZERS is a month-long introductory course in which participants will compose original music with synthesizers. No prior experience is necessary.
Participants will explore the infinite sonic world of synthesis. After being introduced to waveforms and parameters, they’ll learn how to layer, loop, and bend them at will.
To support this goal, participants will learn music composition fundamentals and structures, including keys, harmonics, and chord voicing, and then decide whether to use them or throw them out the window in favor of free experimentation. There will be group exploration and collaboration time as well as individual work time built into the sessions. They will develop methods to document their completed compositions in order to replicate them or share them with collaborators, drawing inspiration from experimental visual scoring techniques.
They will have the opportunity to expand their practice by adding vocals, which they can hone in the companion VOCAL MUSIC EXPLORATION course, or by attending the subsequent INTRO TO PRODUCTION course where they can learn how to record and add other instruments to their synth compositions.
Participants must bring their own headphones, and are encouraged to also bring their own synthesizer and stand. We will help them rent a synth if they need to. They will have access to one-on-one guidance from Cat during office hours to ensure successful completion of their composition.
Tickets start at $35 per session, financial aid is available.
This course is part of the NEW SOUNDS workshop series organized with support from WORKING GROUP Z.
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Session Two
COMPOSITION BASICS
Learning the Rules in Order to Break Them
IRL — Thursday, February 22
6:30-8:30pm
Session Three
SYNTH PERFORMANCE
Using loops and layers
IRL — Thursday, February 28
6:30-8:30pm
Session Four
GOING LIVE
Creating visual scores for documentation, collaboration, and performance
IRL — Thursday, March 7
6:30-8:30pm
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CAT MAHATTA is a queer non-binary Punjabi-Irish-American music magician, writer, filmmaker, educator, and dancer. They have dedicated their career to repurposing their rigorous formal music education in service of political and creative liberation. After years of playing various instruments in a wild variety of bands, Cat started an eponymous celestial solo synth pop performance art project. Their music has been featured in the series “Undocumented Tales,” Amplifier art campaign animations, Practical Records and shesaid.so compilations, and a number of independent films. Their own films have been shown at Failed Films Festival, Cinema Diverse Palm Springs LGBTQ+ Film Festival, My Smutty Valentine, and the East Village Queer Film Festival, where they won “Best Music Video.” They’ve created immersive art experiences for BAMPFA, Santa Cruz MAH, PAM, Portland MoMA, and numerous galleries across the country. Mahatta holds degrees in Spanish and Vocal Performance from Denison University and studied audio production, engineering, and mixing at Women’s Audio Mission in San Francisco.
NAVEL is a nonprofit arts and culture organization that provides infrastructure for projects and organizations which cultivate kinship economies. Centering the leadership of QT/BIPOC artists and cultural workers, we work together to build community wealth and cultivate more just and collaborative worlds. Operating from our shared home in Downtown Los Angeles, we leverage our resources to build capacity for and invest in cultural projects supporting economic liberation and self-determination.