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Record, mix, and master original tracks in this 3-week music production program for high school students at UCLA.
Rated 4.7 out of 5 for classroom experience by students who took this course in 2026.
Course Description
Move a sound forward in the mix, try a different effect, and listen again. Production choices can change the way an original track feels.
In this course you will develop original music with digital audio tools and explore how recording, arrangement, editing, effects, and levels shape its sound and emotional impact.
Get to know digital audio workstations and production software, including Ableton Live, Pro Tools, and Adobe Creative Cloud tools. Record material, organize a session, and edit performances before experimenting with sound design. Balancing levels and choosing processing effects give you ways to shape the mix, with each choice serving the sound you want.
Your original music moves through recording, editing, mixing, and mastering. Listening sessions and feedback help you compare approaches, hear technical problems, and refine your production style. Presenting a finished track means explaining how you built it as well as deciding which parts of the process you want to explore further.
This three-week high school program takes place at UCLA in Los Angeles, California. The program is developed by UCLA and offered in partnership with Summer Discovery. It is available to residential and commuter students.
What You Will Do
• Learn music production terminology and a digital audio workstation workflow
• Record musical material using available microphones, instruments, and digital tools
• Arrange and edit audio into a structured production session
• Experiment with sound design, effects, and processing choices
• Balance levels and refine a mix through focused listening and feedback
• Master and present an original finished track
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Apply a digital audio workstation workflow to record and organize a project
• Edit, process, and mix audio using purposeful technical choices
• Complete and explain an original track from initial idea through mastering
You’ll leave with your original finished track and a certificate of completion.
Why Music Production Skills Matter
Music production combines artistic judgment with technical control. A producer must listen closely, identify what a track needs, and choose tools that support the musical idea. Recording quality, arrangement, timing, editing, processing, and balance all affect whether the final result feels clear and intentional.
Working through revisions teaches students to diagnose problems instead of changing settings at random. They also learn to explain creative choices, organize a complex digital project, and use feedback without losing their own point of view. Those habits support creative collaboration and disciplined work across many forms of audio and media.
Who Should Attend?
For students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade.
Beat making, songwriting, performing, and close listening can all spark an interest in how a track is put together. This course lets you explore those production decisions. You’ll experiment with sound, revise creative and technical choices, and develop an original project over time. Familiarity with music can help, but advanced performance or production experience is not required.
Recommended by More Than 4 out of 5 Students
Based on students surveyed in Summer Discovery’s 2026 UCLA high school program.
Your Summer at UCLA
UCLA gives high-school students the opportunity to explore an academic interest while experiencing university life in Los Angeles, a city where entertainment, technology, business, science, and culture constantly intersect. The campus has its own community and rhythm while connecting students to a wider environment built around creativity and new ideas.
Students learn alongside peers, navigate a large campus, and gain independence through everyday choices and responsibilities. Time outside class expands the experience through friendships, campus life, and opportunities to notice which subjects and settings hold their attention. For families, UCLA offers a valuable combination of substantive academics, personal growth, and clearer direction about what a student may want to study, experience more deeply, or pursue next.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive