The stated aim of this workshop is to WRITE AND RECORD AN ORIGINAL SONG IN 3 HOURS The workshop is quite flexible, but here's how it generally works. 1. Introductions
: Co-ordinators get an idea of what instruments are available and
the participants' level of musical ability (if you can count to four you can probably help write a song). 2. The Split : Participants are split into small groups in which to work on a
single musical “idea”. This generally requires a few different rooms or spaces to work in. 3. Performances : After about 20 minutes students return and each group plays their idea back in front of everyone else. 4. Discussion : Which elements of each performance worked? why? and which idea should we use for the
song we'll record today? Sometimes it's possible to use all the
ideas in one song. 5. Recording : Beginning with drums/percussion, we start to layer other instruments on top (eg - guitar/bass, xylophone, keyboards, kazoo). 6. Take a Break (sort of) : 20 mins to have a think about a theme/lyrics while Roly does some mixing and prepares for the final stage of recording. 7. Lyrics : It's now time to get to the heart of the matter, what's this song all about? C'mon, lets sing! 8. Burn it! : The song is quickly mixed and a Master CD is burnt.  The focus of the workshop is on the creative process rather than the quality of the final recording. Still, the finished CD is a great by-product of this creativity and many groups have taken their song further once the workshop is over. Here's some follow-up ideas.
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