FOSSS Music Production at the Library: Beatmaking

Learn the basics of beatmaking, right here at the Brooklyn Public Library. This workshop will cover the fundamentals of building a beat at a beginner level, using MIDI, samples and synthesizers. We will work together to build a beat from scratch using GarageBand, discussing rhythmic theory along the way (quarter and eighth notes, syncopation, claves, “Dilla time,” and more). Laptops provided. You will have 30 minutes of free time to build your own beat. This workshop is not genre-specific and will focus on the underlying process of building any kind of beat using music software. Carlos Hernandez is a musician, producer and audio engineer from Brooklyn, NY. With over 20 years experience running studio sessions, Carlos has become a go-to producer for NYC underground music, working with artists such as Princess Nokia, Palehound, Juan Wauters, Frankie Cosmos, Rachika Nayar, Nappy Nina, Eartheater, and many more. His band, Ava Luna, has been described by the New York Times as “...post-soul... pulsating from one energy to another, suggesting art project and ritual.” And his 2022 solo album was described by Pitchfork as “an excellent solo album of minimalist funk and R&B pared down to its barest essence.”