We listen to a lot of music. Track by track, album by album, we listen and just cannot stop. And we often catch ourselves wondering: “Why did this song reach number 1? Why is this album so terrible? How did they make this song sound this way?” As common as these questions are, they show how much we care about the way music is produced, from the songwriting, the composition, the samples and synthesizers used, to the mixing and all the way to mastering. The technicalities, the creativity, and the character of a track can make the difference between a file for bankruptcy and a top hit in the charts.
Once in awhile, you might hear the whimsical, melodic sound of synthesizers streaming down E-hallway. You might hear the charmingly disorienting vibe of breakbeats. You might also hear trunk-busting 808s. Whatever it is, it’s probably coming from us.
At Music Production Club, we explore the same questions and try to find our place in each of them. We are a thriving community of producers with dreams big and small, and during our meetings, we critique each other’s work, show new techniques we’ve learned, update each other on the latest news in the industry, play with gear, and more. The club is insanely chill and fun, but at the same time, it’s a productive learning experience for everyone involved.
In the club, we have many plans for growth. With software freebies we received from Ableton and a grant from IPEI, we plan to expand our activities by acquiring several workstations with industry standard software and hardware which students will be able to borrow for their own use. Gaining these tools will also allow us to collaborate in-club on tracks in real-time, something we’ve never been able to do until this point.
In regard to the community, we have been flirting with the idea of running a show with the local music organization Ithaca Underground. This would open up opportunities for students interested in live performance to reach audiences they’ve never played to, and give first-timers a convenient doorway into the art of live performance, something that many other clubs simply can’t offer.
The IHS Music Production Club meets in E45 every Thursday after school, with Ms. Benenati and Mr. Eckley (call him Ben). If you need musical inspiration, want to start producing your own music, or just want to be in a chill environment and talk about music, feel free to join us. Anyone is welcome, regardless of experience or musical tastes.