DD DAY 2021 ONLINE MUSIC MAKING COURSES, SEPT/OCT 2021

Thanks to support from Arts Council England, we are running 2 pilot online short courses for music makers age 16+.

Inspired and informed by the work and working methods of the late great electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire, the sessions will be delivered via zoom for music makers and sound explorers who are at a beginner level (no experience necessary) and experienced artists/producers who are already using a preferred DAW (digital audio workstation).

We will unpack some of Delia’s working methods and help you get inspired and empowered by her imaginative approaches to making music and sound design.

The courses are open to all and internationally (sessions will be in English). Please see separate beginner and experienced course information for timings and tech requirements.

Participant numbers are very limited per course as this is a pilot initiative – so book your place soon!

Cost: £30 per course plus Paypal fee depending which country you are in – with 3 places free for those who cannot afford the cost (available up to 10 September). Please email us at deliaderbyshiredayATgmail.com to book your place and request a free place, or go to our contact page.

Please tell us if you have any access requirements and we will do our best to meet your needs. 

This is a pilot project with a limited budget so we will be learning as we go here too! Any questions, do contact us via the contact page.

We look forward to inspiring and empowering you you via this special series of online workshops unlocking the work, working processes and heritage of Delia Derbyshire.

DD DAY 2021 online courses – info & booking

Beginners music making course – 3 sessions – MONDAYs SEPT 13, 20, 27 – 19.00-20.30 UK time

THIS COURSE IS NOW FULL – EMAIL US TO JOIN A RESERVE LIST IN CASE ANYONE CANCELS

No experience necessary – on Zoom

We will help you make at least one short piece of music or sound art using only your phone, voice and sounds found around the home.

Tech requirements: 

• iphone or Android phone – we will send a link to free apps to download before the workshop
• a separate screen for zoom
• voice or portable sound recorder (this could be on your phone)
• headphones/earphones

On this 3 part beginners course we will cover:

– How Delia and her peers made music using tape

– Capturing and manipulating found sounds

– Making loops and adding effects

– Mixing a piece 

Price £30 plus possible Paypal fee (if outside UK) – EMAIL US via our contact page TO BOOK YOUR PLACE

THIS COURSE IS NOW FULL – EMAIL US TO JOIN A RESERVE LIST IN CASE ANYONE CANCELS

Experienced music making course – 3 sessions – TUESDAYs OCT 12, 19, 26 – 19.00-20.30 UK time

Experience using a DAW necessary (digital audio workstation eg. Logic, Ableton, Reaper) – on Zoom

This is NOT a standard music production or software course.  On this 3 part course will you will learn:

– Some of Delia’s composition and production methods using examples of her work & archive materials

– Experiment with tools and techniques to enrich your work and understanding of music and sound composition

– Share ideas, tips and approaches with the group to support everyone’s creative and technical development

Tech requirements:

• you must already be familiar with a DAW
• headphones
• a separate screen for zoom
• voice or portable sound recorder (this could be on your phone).

Price £30 plus possible Paypal fee (if outside UK) – EMAIL US via our contact page TO BOOK YOUR PLACE

UPDATED INFO: 15 participants.

WE ARE OFFERING 3 FREE PLACES FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT. Contact us before 10 SEPT to book a free place.

DD DAY 2021 online course leaders

Alice Merida Richards – Manchester based musician, composer, teacher, member of  band Virginia Wing and also makes things with ceramics. Alice started as a volunteer assistant workshop facilitator for DD Day in 2017 and now has is more than ready and able to take the lead!

“I can’t wait to lead the beginners workshops and introduce people to some of the techniques pioneered by Delia. I am always amazed by the work people create after learning just a few simple principles. 

Delia is a personal inspiration to me because she made it possible to make strange and wonderful music without having formal electronic music training. Most of my work is created using the exact same techniques as Delia – sampling, cutting and splicing and manipulating the properties of sound.”

Caro C – Manchester based musician, composer, teacher and instigator of DD Day.

“We find in our education work that Delia consistently inspires, so I am excited we are able to pilot these online workshops. I look forward to supporting our new workshop leaders to help you learn how to make music informed by Delia’s work and working methods.

Delia and her peers were adventurers in sound and created so much wonderful music with limitations galore. I also love using found sounds and analysing frequencies to create my music.”

Alice and Caro will lead the beginners course.

Ashley Thorpe – Manchester based musician who graduated from Spirit Studios in 2020 and has been producing sensitive music for over 10 years. He never tires of sharing tips and tricks with others passionate about sound and has taught music and music tech for One Education Music, Brighter Sound. Ashley first worked with DD Day on our Found Sound 2020 project, producing instructional videos and a brilliant track created from crowdsourced found sounds.

“Delia was a genius when it came to using found sounds in her music. It was much harder in her era to cut up sounds, manipulate and sequence them – but it brings just as much joy and reward today!”

Mandy – Manchester based musician, composer, and a highly experienced facilitator.

“I’m excited to pass the baton to a new generation of DD Day facilitators. Like Delia I make music and soundscapes using acoustic and electronic instruments, found and collected sound, creating original tone sets and scales from nature, biology and form into music through maths. Abstract yet organised, an inventor and individualist, Delia dares you to play with your imagination.”

Ashley and Mandy will lead the experienced music/sound makers course.