The 2nd Annual
California Dreaming Retreat
November 10th & 11th - Anaheim, CA
From Home Studio To Major Studio & Back Home Again
Home-Made Pre-ProductionYou'll learn step-by-step best industry practices for how to prepare an album for licensing in a home studio environment. All aspects of pre-production will be covered: Composition, Songwriting, Arranging, Rehearsing, Mic'ing, DAW Set-Up, Rough Take Tracking. And your education starts at the beginning of November, via Skype, well before you arrive for the Retreat. You'll be prepared before you arrive, so that the entire experience is productive and worthwhile.
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Major Studio CollaborationWhen necessary or helpful, home studio owners can and should collaborate with Major Studios in the area. You will learn detailed, step-by-step hands-on tracking and stem file preparation in a Major LA Area Studio, Love & Laughter Studios.
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Back Home For Mixing/MasteringAnd finally, you will learn how to organize your DAW and workflow for optimum mixing and mastering back at home. You will also learn how to get a Major Studio sound in your home studio only, if for any reason you cannot utilize the services of a Major Studio. The result of this year's Retreat will be a fully recorded album, a collaboration between HowToLicenseYourMusic.com founder Aaron Davison and Gary Gray. All participants are eligible for back-end royalties. Not to mention the Life-Changing Education & Networking opportunities!
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Learn More About The California Dreaming Retreat
PURPOSE OF THE RETREAT
There are Three Main Objectives of the Retreat:
1. The purpose of the Retreat is to educate the participants in the detailed step-by-step procedures necessary to create a radio-ready made for licensing album, and what steps to take to market and shop that album once it's completed. Gary Gray will have his full Home Studio set-up in the main studio control room, and will be mentoring participants in how to collaborate with Major Studios and more importantly, how to get Major Studio quality production out of your Home Studio.
2. To allow the participants to perform on an actual Album of original music created for licensing, a collaboration between Aaron Davison and Gary Gray. This album, "A New Reality," will be shopped for music licensing opportunities utilizing Aaron and Gary's network of licensing contacts. Participants will also receive a percentage of royalties should the album be picked up for licensing.
3. To create a community of friends and fellow musicians bonded by a single purpose of helping each other succeed in the music industry. Mentoring on networking tips with California music industry professionals will take place, and specific networking opportunities will be presented, including the opportunity of having each participant play two of their own original recordings for a Music Supervisor, face-to-face.
PRIOR TO THE RETREAT
Prior to the Retreat, via Skype and email, each of 10 participants, who will be hand-picked based on an audition process (see below), will have received demos, stem files and one-on-one mentoring from Gary Gray regarding specific pre-production steps to take prior to arriving in California on November 10.
CATEGORIES OF PARTICIPANTS
Three categories exist for participants:
1. Team Captain & In-House Producer (Team Captain 2nd year-in-a-row is Liz Cirelli, flying in from Italy. In-House Producer is guitarist extraordinaire and multi-instrumentalist Dallas Dwight, flying in from Charlottesville, NC)
2. Instrumentalists, DJ's, Producers, Arrangers, Conductors, Sound Designers.
3. Vocalists
Executive Producer: Gary Gray
Artist: Aaron J. Davison, founder of HowToLicenseYourMusic.com
Album Title: A New Reality
There are Three Main Objectives of the Retreat:
1. The purpose of the Retreat is to educate the participants in the detailed step-by-step procedures necessary to create a radio-ready made for licensing album, and what steps to take to market and shop that album once it's completed. Gary Gray will have his full Home Studio set-up in the main studio control room, and will be mentoring participants in how to collaborate with Major Studios and more importantly, how to get Major Studio quality production out of your Home Studio.
2. To allow the participants to perform on an actual Album of original music created for licensing, a collaboration between Aaron Davison and Gary Gray. This album, "A New Reality," will be shopped for music licensing opportunities utilizing Aaron and Gary's network of licensing contacts. Participants will also receive a percentage of royalties should the album be picked up for licensing.
3. To create a community of friends and fellow musicians bonded by a single purpose of helping each other succeed in the music industry. Mentoring on networking tips with California music industry professionals will take place, and specific networking opportunities will be presented, including the opportunity of having each participant play two of their own original recordings for a Music Supervisor, face-to-face.
PRIOR TO THE RETREAT
Prior to the Retreat, via Skype and email, each of 10 participants, who will be hand-picked based on an audition process (see below), will have received demos, stem files and one-on-one mentoring from Gary Gray regarding specific pre-production steps to take prior to arriving in California on November 10.
CATEGORIES OF PARTICIPANTS
Three categories exist for participants:
1. Team Captain & In-House Producer (Team Captain 2nd year-in-a-row is Liz Cirelli, flying in from Italy. In-House Producer is guitarist extraordinaire and multi-instrumentalist Dallas Dwight, flying in from Charlottesville, NC)
2. Instrumentalists, DJ's, Producers, Arrangers, Conductors, Sound Designers.
3. Vocalists
Executive Producer: Gary Gray
Artist: Aaron J. Davison, founder of HowToLicenseYourMusic.com
Album Title: A New Reality
HOW TO AUDITION
On or Before October 14th, submit your audition material by filling out the form below:
Note: The sooner you audition, the better, as we will cap off our attendees at 10.
Upon receiving your submission, if we feel you're a good fit, we'll send you all the details on how to proceed.
1. One SoundCloud Link to your favorite original track. Choose the one track you feel best represents your talents and paste that link in the form below.
2. A short one paragraph email describing yourself, your musical background, your goals and your accomplishments. Include in your email whether or not you can afford to travel to the retreat, stay at least one night in a hotel in Anaheim, CA (one hour south of Hollywood, near Disneyland), and pay for the retreat itself ($650US). The deadline for payment is October 28th, 2018. Be realistic and let us know if you can honestly make that deadline. If you pay by October 21st, your cost will be discounted to $550 USD. Everyone who is accepted will be notified by October 15th. There will also be a HUGE bonus package for everyone attending the event including dozens of courses and material to review in advance of this year's retreat.
On or Before October 14th, submit your audition material by filling out the form below:
Note: The sooner you audition, the better, as we will cap off our attendees at 10.
Upon receiving your submission, if we feel you're a good fit, we'll send you all the details on how to proceed.
1. One SoundCloud Link to your favorite original track. Choose the one track you feel best represents your talents and paste that link in the form below.
2. A short one paragraph email describing yourself, your musical background, your goals and your accomplishments. Include in your email whether or not you can afford to travel to the retreat, stay at least one night in a hotel in Anaheim, CA (one hour south of Hollywood, near Disneyland), and pay for the retreat itself ($650US). The deadline for payment is October 28th, 2018. Be realistic and let us know if you can honestly make that deadline. If you pay by October 21st, your cost will be discounted to $550 USD. Everyone who is accepted will be notified by October 15th. There will also be a HUGE bonus package for everyone attending the event including dozens of courses and material to review in advance of this year's retreat.
CALIFORNIA DREAMING RETREAT SCHEDULE AND ITINERARY
November 1st, 2018 - All participants will have received their personal demos, stem files and Skype one-on-one mentoring by Gary Gray as to what their responsibilities are for preparing for the Retreat. All pre-production work must be completed and turned in to Gary prior to November 8th, 2018.
November 10, 2018 - Love & Laughter Studios, Anaheim, CA (One hour south of Hollywood near Disneyland)
10AM - 10:30AM Introduction by Gary Gray in Control Room A.
10:30AM - 12NOON - Rehearsal overseen by Liz Cirelli and Dallas Dwight
12NOON - 1PM - Lunch
1PM - 3PM - Rehearsal overseen by Liz Cirelli and Dallas Dwight
3PM - 5PM - Mentoring by Gary Gray on how to set up tracking for an album. Note: Studio will already be set up with drums mic'd up, guitar amps mic'd up, bass DI and Amps mic'd, Keyboards DI, etc. Gary will cover the exact set-ups and how each affects the end-product and production quality.
5PM - 6PM - Sound Check rough takes of Drums, Guitars, Bass & Keyboard. Rouch vocal takes laid down.
6PM - 7PM - Dinner
7PM - 11PM - Final Tracking of Drums, Guitars, Bass & Keyboards
NOTE: Throughout each step of pre-production and production, Gary Gray will be mentoring all participants on the step-by-step philosophies, strategies and techniques of recording an entire album in two days. Gary will also have his home-studio rig in the main studio, to demonstrate how to create stems for pre-production, and how to mix and master at home during the post-production phase of creating an album.
November 11, 2018 - Love & Laughter Studios, Anaheim, CA
10AM - 10:30AM Update on Where the Project Stands by Gary Gray in Control Room A.
10:30AM - 12NOON - Any needed overdubbing of Drums, Bass, Guitars & Keyboards.
12NOON - 1PM - Lunch
1PM - 3PM - Overdubbing of live strings and horns.
3PM - 6PM - Tracking of Final Lead Vocal Parts on Those Songs Not Sung By Aaron. (Note: All Lead Vocal Parts by Aaron J. Davison will be tracked prior to the Retreat, as well as Background Vocals by participants)
5PM - 6PM - Background Vocals
6PM - 7PM - Dinner
7PM - 9PM - Each participant will have the opportunity to play two of their own original recordings Face-To-Face and receive instant feedback from a Professional California-based Music Supervisor.
9PM - 10PM - Presentation by Spencer Davidson, Intern of Gary Gray, on How To Market Your Music In The Streaming Age. Spencer has over 16 Million Verified Streams on Spotify.
November 1st, 2018 - All participants will have received their personal demos, stem files and Skype one-on-one mentoring by Gary Gray as to what their responsibilities are for preparing for the Retreat. All pre-production work must be completed and turned in to Gary prior to November 8th, 2018.
November 10, 2018 - Love & Laughter Studios, Anaheim, CA (One hour south of Hollywood near Disneyland)
10AM - 10:30AM Introduction by Gary Gray in Control Room A.
10:30AM - 12NOON - Rehearsal overseen by Liz Cirelli and Dallas Dwight
12NOON - 1PM - Lunch
1PM - 3PM - Rehearsal overseen by Liz Cirelli and Dallas Dwight
3PM - 5PM - Mentoring by Gary Gray on how to set up tracking for an album. Note: Studio will already be set up with drums mic'd up, guitar amps mic'd up, bass DI and Amps mic'd, Keyboards DI, etc. Gary will cover the exact set-ups and how each affects the end-product and production quality.
5PM - 6PM - Sound Check rough takes of Drums, Guitars, Bass & Keyboard. Rouch vocal takes laid down.
6PM - 7PM - Dinner
7PM - 11PM - Final Tracking of Drums, Guitars, Bass & Keyboards
NOTE: Throughout each step of pre-production and production, Gary Gray will be mentoring all participants on the step-by-step philosophies, strategies and techniques of recording an entire album in two days. Gary will also have his home-studio rig in the main studio, to demonstrate how to create stems for pre-production, and how to mix and master at home during the post-production phase of creating an album.
November 11, 2018 - Love & Laughter Studios, Anaheim, CA
10AM - 10:30AM Update on Where the Project Stands by Gary Gray in Control Room A.
10:30AM - 12NOON - Any needed overdubbing of Drums, Bass, Guitars & Keyboards.
12NOON - 1PM - Lunch
1PM - 3PM - Overdubbing of live strings and horns.
3PM - 6PM - Tracking of Final Lead Vocal Parts on Those Songs Not Sung By Aaron. (Note: All Lead Vocal Parts by Aaron J. Davison will be tracked prior to the Retreat, as well as Background Vocals by participants)
5PM - 6PM - Background Vocals
6PM - 7PM - Dinner
7PM - 9PM - Each participant will have the opportunity to play two of their own original recordings Face-To-Face and receive instant feedback from a Professional California-based Music Supervisor.
9PM - 10PM - Presentation by Spencer Davidson, Intern of Gary Gray, on How To Market Your Music In The Streaming Age. Spencer has over 16 Million Verified Streams on Spotify.