UPDATED — June 25, 11:04 a.m.
Two producers who have worked with big-time artists like Nelly Furtado and Our Lady Peace are returning home to northern Ontario to share the secrets they have learned throughout their careers.Terry Sawchuk and Alfio Annibalini, both former residents of Espanola, are hosting a songwriting and recording boot camp in Greater Sudbury.
“Both of us have been getting phone calls for years, from people (in northern Ontario) saying how they wanted to get involved in the music business,” Annibalini said.
He said participants in the boot camp will learn how to take a song from inception to completion with strong writing and recording techniques.
They will also learn more about getting involved in the music business, from professionals from the north who have made it in the industry.
“People are going to get information that isn't readily available out there, and maybe get a little bit of insight into where they can go from northern Ontario,” Annibalini said.
Sawchuk said he has been involved in hosting workshops before, but the seminar he and Annibalini are teaching together in Sudbury is unlike the others.
“There are boot camps around for recording and for songwriting, but you have to go to a major market like Nashville or Los Angeles to find it,” he said. “But I've never even heard of one where recording and songwriting are put together.”
Sawchuk said the boot camp will consist of three intense days of training.
“We want to give people a taste of what its like, and let them determine if its a hobby, or if it's something they truly want to pursue,” he said. “It's sort of a day in the life. The music business is pretty crazy. It's normal to spend 12 or 14 or 19 hours a day in the studio.”
Participants will be split into groups that alternate working with Sawchuk and Annibalini for the first two days. On the third day, they will have the opportunity to critiques their work, before the instructors show it do music managers and record companies for review.
The workshop is open to anyone of any age. Annibalini said it will help people determine if music is something they want to pursue professionally, or as a hobby.
Sawchuk added, “it's for everybody, but the people who are aspiring to do it professionally will probably benefit most from it.”
After Michael Laframboise signed up his two sons for the course, he decided to register too.
“It has also just been a really serious hobby for me,” he said. Learning and continuing to play with his sons is important to him though.
“Being able to play as a family is a really cool thing,” he said.
Zachary Laframboise has been playing bass for about three years, and his younger brother Adam has been playing guitar for about six.
Zachary has been writing his own music for the past year, and hopes the boot camp will teach him to write stronger pieces.
“I'm hoping to take (songwriting) to the next level,” he said.
Adam said he has been writing since he learned chords on his guitar.
He said he is looking forward to learning new techniques that he can practice at home with his dad and his brother.
The weekend-long training seminar will take place at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School from July 16-18.
Registration before June 25 is $200, and after that date it is $250. The price includes a one year membership to Music and Film in Motion.
For more information or purchase tickets, visit Music and Film in Motion online at www.thinknorth.ca or phone at 674-9954.
