Every remarkable production is built on a strong foundation.

Get settled in Ableton* with Ian's personal customizations.

*If you're not working in Ableton, that's completely ok- we'll explain how to adjust for your DAW of choice!

• Create & use a template
• Get custom tracks & effects set
• Set up your routing
• Set up your folders
• How-to use Ableton’s “Favorites” folders

Check in on different types of Production.

• Beat making
• Producing from a demo
• Producing with a writer
• Remixing

Align with a producer’s mindset.

• What are the goals of the production?
• What's it like working with artists, writers, and musicians?

Discuss what you'll be creating.

• Remix “Heathrow” (in any genre)
• Refine a project you already started
• Start a new production from scratch
• A combination of the three 🤸‍♀️ 

...and more!

After this week you will...

• Create your own template using techniques we provide, that you can copy and customize to your own style.
• Decide what you’d like to produce in this intensive.

Melodic instruments: the what & why.

• Different types (guitars, keys, etc)
• What they do in the track
• Using multiple instruments and how to voice them

Get the lowdown on Sampling.

• How to use sourced samples
• Where to find them (and where not to)
• How to use tools like Splice
• When to use them (and when not to!)

Sample manipulation.

• How to create from scratch using melodic instruments.
• Warping
• Pitching

...and more!

 After this week you will...

• Practice manipulating samples to fit your production
• Perform a melodic instrument on your production (no matter how simple)

Genres & Patterns.

• Electro-pop techniques
• Modern Hip Hop techniques
• Using multiple instruments and how-to voice them

Individual Drum Sampling.

• Creating a drum part with drag and drop drums
• Time alignment and grid usage

Sample manipulation.

• Percussion Loops
• Live Drums
• Midi Drums

...and MUCH more!

 After this week you will...

• Add genre appropriate drums to your production.
• Mix sample loops and individual/midi drum sampling.

Bass

• Live bass vs synth bass vs 808 application
• Sampled live bass and 808 manipulation
• Midi bass
• Mixing multiple elements
• Arranging low end of all bass elements, including drum elements 

FX

• 808 hit application
• Risers and downers application and manipulation
• Usage of foley to create atmosphere
• Reverb and delay effects

The big picture.

• Look at the sections of a song based on genre
• Review song form
• Set your tempo

Evaluating your elements

• Make clear decisions when you add (or remove) new elements
• The power of silence in a production
• Discuss “the mute game”

Automation in arrangement

• Basic filter usage
• Mute automating elements of the production 

How to turn an instrumental loop into a production 🔥

How to rearrange an existing vocal or demo

• Creating momentum
• Creating remix based sections
• Evaluating vocals’ lyrics and flow

...and more!

Mindset of manipulating vocals to create something more 🔥

Lyric writing as a producer

• Decide what a vocal should be doing in each section
• The technical side of vocal pace, starting rhythms, melodies, and lyrics

Usage and creation of different types of vocals:

• Lead and background vocals
• Synthetic background vocals
• Vocal throws
• Altered vocals
• Reverse vocal effects
• Vocal chopping and sampling

...and more!

 After this week you will...

• Manipulate the vocals in your production or in “Trouble”
• Create each of the techniques above
• Decide which of the techniques work for your production

Overthinking your decisions

• Sample and sound selection
• The “Throwing paint at the wall” technique

Working with writers and artists

• Proper pace while working with others
• Organizing and mixing on the fly
• Sending the artist home with something amazing

Using “starters” when working with others 🔥

...and more!

 After this week you will...

• Use a timer and create every element within a time limit (two minutes is suggested)
• Practice focusing on pacing over quality
• Decide the sound and part for each instrument (including mixing) within these time limits

When to call a production finished

Define a producer’s mix

• “We’ll fix that in mix” is not in the vocabulary

Preparing your production for mix

• Navigating your groups
• Defining a “dry” stem
• Naming
• Organization

The business

• Publishing splits as a producer
• Master splits as a producer
• Negotiating splits

The importance of a community as a producer

• You are as strong as your STRONGEST member

...and more!

 After this week you will...

• Finish the producer’s mix of the production
• Bounce stems in preparation of mix
• (If applicable) turn in a bounce of “Heathrow” remix for possible release

In the weeks leading up to kick off, we'll walk you through...

• Step-by-step studio acoustics evaluation
• How to evaluate your listening devices
• How to leverage professional references to help you judge your own work

Running back and forth to the car not knowing why it sounds great in your studio but unlistenable in your Jeep can stop you from getting your productions where you want them to go.

We want you to be grounded in how you're listening before we begin, so you can spend the summer focusing on creativity and making music.

Creativity is a tricky thing to teach. Where's the line between guidelines that will save you time and help you be creative, and rules that stifle creativity or lead to derivative work?

Part of our experience mentoring producers and mixers, is learning for ourselves what are the same pitfalls tripping up the majority of students vs what areas are individual to every music creator.

The individual struggles are the most difficult to address, and also what make you uniquely, perfectly you. Those we support in the Deep Dive intensive option.

For the shared pitfalls, well... it doesn't get more simple than including a producer pack you can keep with you for your studio journey, even after the intensive.

Throughout this program, you'll get...

• Ian Kimmel's sample pack, to help you skip hours of work and stop doubting your sounds.
• Production checklists, to help guide your listening while you work and to help you know when you're done.
• Workflow guides and worksheets, to help you train your skills and adapt universal concepts (like referencing) to your own studio set.
• And more 🥳

Over the course of 8 weeks, we'll walk you through a step-by-step process that you can follow along to create something new from start to finish, review a production that's done or near done to take it to the next level, or remix one of Ian Kimmel's own songs in any style you like.

(Or any combination of the three!)

Those who do decide to remix Ian's song are encouraged to submit for possible release. Ian has promised to give you remix credit, a percentage of the master, and publishing split if your track is selected!