Academy
Summer
Center for Creativity and Social Entrepreneurship
Native American Arts Center
Giving
Gifts in Kind
Planned Giving
Annual Giving
Community Day
Who We Are
Our History
Our People
Alumni
Press
Campus Rentals
Radio
Blog
Podcast
Policies
Shop
Our Art
Event Calendar
Schedule an Admission Tour
Parks Exhibition Center
Community Day
Our Campus
Our Facilities
Campus Safety
Guide to Idyllwild
360° Campus Tour
Inquire About Academy
Contact Us
Login
Summer
Kids & Teens (Ages 5-17)
Adult (Ages 18+)
Kids Programs (Ages 5-13)
Teens Programs (Ages 14-17)
Adult Programs (Ages 18+)
H.O.T. Clay& Ceramics (Ages 18+)
Metals Week (Ages 18+)
Writer’s Week (Ages 18+)
Online Programs
Creative Writing
Dance
Dramatic Arts
Fashion Design
Film & Digital Media
Music
Native American Arts
Visual Arts
A group of students performing in orchestra.
Overview
Summer Kids & Teens Login
Summer Program FAQs
Campus Safety
Blog
Register
Inquire
Back
Summer

From Song to Studio: Music Production for Songwriters

14 – 17*

Perfect for students with a songwriting background who want to focus on recording and producing their own music and the works of others. Learn how today’s music is made with hands-on experience utilizing advanced recording equipment, audio software, and songwriting techniques used by top artists. Students will learn how to engineer sound and take full creative control of their music.

*This is a Teen program and will follow those guidelines outlined in our FAQ section.

Dates

July 12 – July 25, 2025
Two-week session

Student Exhibition

Open Studio
Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Recording Studio

Ages

14 – 17

Residential Student Cost

(includes tuition, room & board, and all fees)
$5,200

Day Student Cost

(includes tuition and all fees)
$2,600

Learn more about our cost breakdown

Skill Level

At least two years of songwriting and/or music production experience required.

Enrollment Capacity

20 Students

(Total Capacity includes Residential and Day Students)

Overview

This program is ideal for students who already have a foundation in songwriting and are eager to take their music to the next level by diving into the world of recording and production. Whether you’re looking to produce your own tracks or help bring other artists’ visions to life, this immersive experience is designed to give you the technical skills and creative freedom to do both.

Students will explore how today’s music is created—from the initial songwriting stages to the final polished product—through hands-on training. You’ll gain experience using industry-standard audio software including Pro-Tools, Logic Pro, and others. You will record, edit, mix, and master music using professional microphones, mixing consoles, and digital audio workstations (DAWs).

In addition to developing technical skills, the program emphasizes artistic expression and originality. You’ll study and apply songwriting techniques used by today’s top artists across a variety of genres, while learning how to shape your sound as both a creator and producer. From layering harmonies and arranging instrumentation to engineering clean, compelling mixes, you’ll learn how to take full creative control of your music.

By the end of the program, students will not only understand the technology behind professional music production, but also walk away with original recordings that showcase their unique style and voice as both songwriters and producers. Since the focus of this program is recording and production, there will not be a culminating performance, but rather an open studio where students can demonstrate their new skills.

Additional Information

This is an open-admission program for all interested students who have at least 2 years of experience with songwriting and/or music production. Students will be asked to provide a video or audio sample of their work before the program begins. Instructions for submitting this recording will be provided after the application is received.

  • Laptop or phone with recording software downloaded (Garage Band, Logic, or similar)
  • Notebook or journal
  • Several pens/pencils
  • Portable instruments (guitar or smaller)
  • Instrument Tuner (labeled with your name)
  • Capos, extra strings, guitar picks, or other accessories necessary for your instrument
  • Optional – Midi Keyboard

The morning session breakouts include presentations on songwriting techniques, live performance, vocals, music production, recording, music business and other special topics. After lunch, students work on assignment prompts alone and in groups to create tracks with faculty mentors. The day ends with students presenting their new material for group feedback. Each week culminates with an informal showcase of new material from that week.

Don Reed, an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, has been performing, composing, teaching and recording music for over 40 years. Don’s playing and compositions have been featured on hundreds of recording projects, television and film soundtracks and more. Don has performed with, produced and managed numerous bands and solo artists throughout his career. He excels in diverse genres, including punk, bluegrass, hard rock, classic rock, jazz, folk, blues and more. Don currently heads up Pop Music & Songwriting at Idyllwild Arts Academy and chairs Songwriting for Idyllwild Arts Summer & Auxiliary Programs.

Website: Donreedmusician.com

Josh Hogan has been songwriting and playing guitar for over 20 years. He has played lead guitar, sang, and wrote songs for The Mowgli’s since their inception in 2012. His newest project, ‘Modern Original’, has been releasing new songs since 2021 to rave reviews. He lives in Los Angeles, CA where he co-writes for other artists and is currently producing up and coming bands.

Check out our Kids & Teens FAQ’s to learn more about our summer programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Adult Programs FAQs
Kids & Teens Programs FAQs