Closet Disco Pod

Closet Disco Queen: One who dances at home where no one can see.Thanks to 2020 (and 21, and 22), I became a closet disco queen. After teaching myself how to DJ in my second bedroom, I fell in love with disco and house music. It's music that makes you want to move - and music that can move your soul. And I was dying to learn how to make my own.So I set out to discover: Is making music a process, or a feeling? Can it be learned? And most importantly, can I figure out how to do it in just five episodes of this podcast?In Closet Disco, I dive into the theory of music - how to make it - and how to get motivated when you have no idea where or how to get started. I talk to some amazing teachers, musicians, and songwriters to help me through the journey, and apply what they've taught me to create a soundtrack for each episode by the end.

Track 1: The Building Blocks of Music

Music is math. If you can learn the formula (whether it's reading music or creating beats), you can learn to become a music maker. At least, that's what I'm betting on.The inaugural episode of Closet Disco features musician Caroline Colantonio, solo artist and lead singer of The Thunder Moons. We talk about music theory, her writing process, and using voice memos to keep track of ideas.I also produce and release my first music ever - the soundtrack in this episode.Listen to Caroline's music on Apple Music and Spotify.

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Track 2: The Art of Synthesis

Experimentation is at the heart of learning. When it comes to music, most songs are a grand experiment. In this episode, we talk to musical mad-scientist Tam about his process - and he shows us a few things about synthesis we didn't even know were possible.Interested in learning more about synthesis? Ableton's interactive guide is a great place to start.

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Track 3: The Remix

Remixing is the art of taking something great and building on it to make something new. It's one of the easiest ways to get started in music production - it's easier to build something when you already have a melody, beat, or vocal track to play with. On this episode, we talk to Brendan, who goes by the pseudonym It B Like Dat, about making music with someone else's music. You can check out his music and remixes here on Soundcloud. Or, find him streaming on Twitch.Current contests running from Skio are on their website - s/o to them for giving me the stems to remix Elodie Rêverie's tune Pan Am. And if you're looking for more resources for ear training, this blog from Landr has the best apps for ear training.Oh, and one more thing - if you'd like to follow the same tutorial I did for remixing on Ableton, LNADoesAudioStuff is an incredible teacher.

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Track 4: The Fundamentals of Disco

Disco is music for dancing. Love it or hate it, disco made a profound mark on electronic music as it exists today. On today's episode, we're diving into the history of disco and how it evolved into the nu-disco tracks that I love so much today. You'll also (finally) hear the story of why the podcast is called Closet Disco.I'll be following this ten-minute nu-disco tutorial from Slice and diving into the world of using samples to create. This was one of my favorite episodes to work on, because working through a learning video and documenting how the song changed throughout the process gave me some interesting insights into how I like to work. Fair warning: this episode contains a lot of boogie, so get ready to get down.

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Track 5: Keeping the Momentum

We've reached the end of this season of the podcast - but the hard part is just beginning. How do you keep your momentum going when you don't have a specific project to produce for?In this episode, we'll explore what to do when you get stuck - how to get out of a creative funk - and we'll reflect on some of the best advice I've gotten this season.Follow me on my continued journey on Twitter or SoundCloud - and watch this space for future episodes.

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About Amy

This podcast was created in conjunction with Amy's PR certification program, as a grand experiment in storytelling and a large part of her final grade.When she's not pretending to pod, she is an independent marketing and communications contractor. She also is the sole proprietor of her own voice-over business, and a part-time DJ when anyone will let her spin (disco and house, of course).

Special Thanks

This podcast was created using Logic Pro and Ableton Live Suite. Huge thanks to each of my guests for being willing guinea pigs! And special thanks to Femme House and She is Producer for the guidance and resources they have provided to me and other women and gender-expansive individuals in the industry. Add Femme House to your support list! Make a donation or learn more here.

amy@apb.productions