Songs in the Key of Chicago
Songs In The Key of Chicago is a program created by Railroad Tracks Music Academy which takes young aspiring artists and emphasizes on the three pillars of creating successful songs. Music Composition/Production, Songwriting and Audio Engineering. The project focuses on music creation, performance and entrepreneurship and stresses the importance and value of intellectual property.
This 6 week program will consist of 3 groups from various neighborhoods in the Chicagoland area. Each training session will reiterate the song creation process from idea and concept to the actual tangible fixed form, of which is commonly known today as a song. The 3 cohort groups are songwriting, music production and audio recording and engineering.
Students are allowed to participate in all 3, but not required. The songwriting group focuses on writing the song, performance and recording and business along with it. We will also go over some legal issues dealing with the intellectual property that will be created as far as dealing with and understanding licensing, contracts, ownership and rights. The music production group will concentrate on creating and programming original music and loops using various formats such as MIDI, sound design techniques and software synths using Logic Pro X. The recording group will explore various recording, mixing and mastering techniques based in Pro Tools.
Ideally, Railroad Tracks Music Academy would like to primarily concentrate on bringing programming to youth in all 77 communities based in Chicago. Working solely with BIPOC youth and young adult aspiring artists, producers, musicians and engineers looking to advance their career or learn how to create music professionally in a judgment free environment.
Each cohort group will consist of 5 weekly classes with half of the class being lecture based and the other portion in the studio. Participants will learn how to create original songs from writing exercises, addressing current issues and problems within their community as well as strengthen their skills in production and music theory and see how the two intertwine. The objective is for every week to create a song from scratch. Produce the music, write the song and record it. Lastly, mix and master the music and focus on the legal aspects, right management, marketability and promotion of the release of the song. At the end of the session we will have a concert to showcase the creations.
