Disquiet: Womxn & Sound

** This workshop is only available to womxn, two spirit and non-binary folks **

So you want to do SOMETHING with sound? Record it? Break it? Mix it? Warp it? You want to make beats? You want to make a radio piece? Interested in recording your voice or your dog? Where do you even start? 

This two part series workshop put on in collaboration with Asinabka Film & Media Arts Festival and CHUO 89.1 FM will be a free form exploration of audio basics. Part I: will examine the how of recording audio and making audio art and Part II: will be an experimentation and development stage where we experiment with audio technology and make some something with the knowledge we’ve gained. The purpose of this series is to provide a low-pressure environment where womxn can playfully explore self expression through experimental sound, music & community. This series will culminate in a collaborative mix of recordings that will be made into a mix-tape and aired on CHUO 89.1 FM.  

From this workshop you will walk away with:

• An understanding of what sound even is

• How to record it, by learning about mics and what they do

• How to use and manipulate a mixer to its full capacity

• How to mix and manipulate sounds in both free and not free mixing programs

• How to alter your recordings by stretching and cutting them up, using equalization, reverb, compression and other processing you might be interested in

• How to use stereo stage and draw automation curves

• Learn useful compositional methods that other artists have used in their work

• The opportunity to have your audio played on a radio station

• Hopefully some new friends, connections and ambitions for the future

Since this is a free form workshop we invite participants to bring the tech they are struggling with, the tech they want to know more about, bring sound clips you don’t know what to do with, bring it all on. By the end of this series, we want you to go home and feel a new found understanding between you and your tech. Remove those barriers and do the damn thing!  

Facilitator: 

Deirdre Morrison is a sound artist, recordist, and mixing engineer. Born in Nova Scotia, Deirdre currently lives and works in Toronto. She has a background in audio engineering (Algonquin College), audio post-production, and linguistics (University of Ottawa). Deirdre has worked as a live sound technician, studio technician, and produces electronic music under the name Cape Moss.

Materials

If you can bring a laptop or a computer, that would be ideal (so we can learn these editing programs). If your laptop has a built in microphone, event better. If you do not have a laptop SAW Video has iPads and a Macbook available. If you have recorders, microphones, synths, midi controllers, instruments, pedals, CDs that you would like to use please feel free to bring them with you however, they are not required.

Registration

REGISTRATION CLOSES FRIDAY AUGUST 9TH @ 4PM! 

$25 / Free for BIPOC 

Maximum Participants: 12

* This workshop is only available to womxn, two spirit and non-binary folks. Participation in both sessions is absolutely necessary. Those who cannot attend both sessions should not apply. Registration will be on a first come first served basis.* 

In order to register please email operations@sawvideo.com with the following information: 

• Personal contact details (full name, email, phone number); 
• We ask that folks please self identify;
• Gender pronouns; 
• Do you have any accessibility requests and or accommodations we should know about?
• Do you have any previous experience with sound and or music? 
• What would you hope to work on during this workshop (please be specific with regard to technology you would like to use if you are able)? 

What will happen next: 

SAW Video staff will reach out with confirmation of receipt, proceed with payment (if applicable, only credit card payments are accepted) and confirm registration within 24 hours (not including weekends). If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us at operations@sawvideo.com or by phone at 613-238-7648 x.4. Registration closes Friday August 9th @ 4pm!