Music Technology Programs in Riverside County, CA

Commercial Music Lab, Riverside County:
The Commercial Music Lab has an excellent reputation for delivering world-class music production programs. The Lab offers students the latest in music production lessons from a fully-operational 6-seat music technology instructional computer lab and classroom in the home of the instructor in Perris, Riverside County CA. The Lab is fully equipped with the latest music production software and offers students a hands-on, practical approach to learning about audio technology and production. We provide programs on the key software giants of the music industry like Pro Tools and Sibelius, as well as specialized Bootcamps on a wide variety of subjects. Join us at The Commercial Music Lab and lets make music together!

Pro Tools Programs:

- Pro Tools Training Level I
Time: 6-8 Hours/Day for 3 consecutive days.
In this 3-day course, you will be given a comprehensive overview of the Pro Tools software, including an overview of the interface and a detailed description of the edit tools and modes.  You will learn how to create and save new sessions, how to import audio into your sessions,and how to record to a track using a standard microphone.  You will be given a brief introduction to working with virtual instruments (using a MIDI keyboard) and working with the Pro Tools mix window. This introductory course covers all of the same material as an official Pro Tools 101 course, and it is taught by a Pro Tools certified instructor. 

- Pro Tools Training Level lI-A MIDI & Virtual Instruments
Time: 6-8 Hours/Day for 3 consecutive days.
This course provides you with a comprehensive look at the MIDI and Virtual Instrument features found within Pro Tools, from MIDI Setup and signal routing, to setting up your session for a MIDI recording, to the various ways to record and edit MIDI data.  This course provides you with an overview of the virtual instruments that are installed with Pro Tools, a preview of the Pro Tools Instrument Expansion Pack, and instruction on working with ReWire applications. 

- Pro Tools Training Level lI-B Audio Beat-Based Technologies
Time: 6-8 Hours/Day for 3 consecutive days.
In this course, students will expand their knowledge of Pro Tools' audio capabilities with instruction on advanced beat-based audio technologies, additional audio recording features, and using automation.  Also included is instruction on working with larger Session I/Os and a small Control Surface.

Sibelius Programs:

- Sibelius Training Level I
This one-day clinic will set you up for success in Sibelius 7. When you complete this course, you will have a strong foundation for working in Sibelius. This clinic will give you a proper, correct, and proven start for working within the software.  In this clinic you will learn about shortcut keys and the shortcut themes that are built into the program.  
Time: 6-8 Hours.

- Sibelius Training Level lI
In this one-day clinic you will learn how to take Sibelius off of auto pilot, to discover the answer to the popular question, “Why does Sibelius do that?” The primary focus on this training clinic will be the overall layout of your score and score objects.  You will learn how and why your notes, text, bars, systems, and staves appear the way they do.  Most importantly, you will learn how to make objects appear where you want them to appear, instead of where Sibelius is deciding they should appear. 
Time: 6-8 Hours.

- Sibelius Training Level lII
By now you should be able to create a nice-looking, simple score in Sibelius.  You also should have a good idea about how Sibelius thinks (and you, yourself, should be thinking like a Sibelian).  In this clinic, we will take Sibelius to the next level.  Adding to your knowledge of note entry, you will learn how to work effectively with multiple voices, including filtering voices and other objects.  Adding to your knowledge of Instruments and staves, you will be exposed to advanced instrument editing, including how to set up a percussion staff for drum mapping. 
Time: 6-8 Hours.

- Sibelius Training Level IV
In this final level of Sibelius training, you will learn how to tackle real-life industry notation/copyist scenarios.  You will learn the importance of using Manuscript Papers, House Styles, and shortcuts to get a job done quickly.  You will learn how to properly prepare your parts, quickly and effectively.  This course will cover using different versions of your score, and using comments and highlights to collaborate with others.  Score Info and Wildcards will be demystified.  You will learn how to work with graphics inside Sibelius, as well as how to export selections of your score as graphics to use them in word processing documents, in various scenarios.
Time: 6-8 Hours.

Bootcamps:

- Digital Audio Bootcamp for Musicians
This one-day bootcamp is designed to demystify digital audio for musicians.  The course includes instruction on the basic components of a computer-based
DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and the computer specifications you should be most concerned with (and why).  Students will also receive instruction on digital audio fundamentals, leading to a discussion about sample rates, bit depths and dither. The course is highly recommended for students who are new to the world of digital audio, or who have never had any formal instruction on the topic.  
Time: 6-8 Hours.

- MIDI Bootcamp for Musicians
In this one-day bootcamp course, students will explore the topic of MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), from its conception to its modern day application.  Understanding how MIDI "works" is important for today's composers and computer musicians.  Topics of the day include a brief MIDI history, a discussion about General MIDI, MIDI routing, MIDI interfaces, MIDI messages, sound modules, and Virtual Instruments.
Time: 6-8 Hours.

- Mixing Bootcamp for Musicians
In this one-day course, students will be exposed to mixer terminology and routing.  Topics include inserts, sends, busses, auxiliary tracks, inputs and outputs (I/O), master fader tracks, VCA Master tracks, reverb, compression, and EQ.  The main goal of this course is to give musicians confidence working with a software mixer to complete a professional mix down of their work.
Time: 6-8 Hours.