Course structure

Our 6-day summer course will take you through each step of writing and producing a song, all the way to perfecting your performance skills.

The course is structured over 5 days filled with sessions and workshops (Monday, 12th August-Friday, 16th August) and an additional 6th day (Saturday, 17th August), which will serve as the showcase day. On Saturday, everyone will have the opportunity to show their final song and receive some feedback from our teaching staff. In the afternoon, each band will get a chance to perform their repertoire. The afternoon performances will be open to the public, and students are encouraged to bring their family and friends in to watch. Performances will be followed by an open mic jam. There will also be an introduction to the course on Sunday the 11th of August, before the course starts. During this time you will be given a detailed schedule of the week ahead, as well as a tour of the facilities. There will also be time to check that all your musical equipment is working properly, to ensure you are ready to start on Monday.

Songwriting:

Sessions will be taught in a classroom-like environment. Each session will focus on a different aspect of songwriting, walking you through the theory of different techniques and providing real-life examples. Sessions will also have dedicated time to spend implementing the new technique and working on your own song.

Production:

Sessions will be taught in ProTools, using your own laptop. If you do not have a laptop that you can bring, we can provide you with a Mac on site. If this is the case for you, please be sure to select the Golden tuition package. Similarly to songwriting, each session will focus on a different aspect of production, and each topic and technique will be first explained and demonstrated using real-life examples, followed by time for you to work on your own song, implementing your new skills.

Performance workshops:

Workshops will consist of working on a selected repertoire with our performance coach Dan in a band setting, as well as going through some performance techniques and general performing and practice tips. Bands will be organized on day 1, and all students will be expected to play an instrument to a good standard, allowing you to learn simple songs quickly. Guitar and bass amps, DI boxes, microphones, a drum kit and a keyboard and speakers will be provided, but we do ask you bring your own instrument if required (strings/woodwind/brass).

Applications for our 2024 course are now closed. Use the button bellow to register your interest for next year!