Dreamlab - ORCA
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Wide-angle shot of an African American DJ with controllers, in front of a large LED wall displaying a pixelated waveform. Late 80s-2000s underground electronic music scene aesthetic.

Making Music with LiveCoding

Play with - and explore - your sonic creativity. Learn to craft evolving soundscapes and dynamic performances using Orca, Cardinal, and Ableton Live in this deeply exploratory course.

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Course Overview

This course explores the wild intersection between electronic music production and live coding. You'll master Orca, a minimalist esoteric programming language, Cardinal, a modular synthesizer environment, and Ableton Live, a powerful digital audio workstation. Through hands-on projects, you'll learn to craft unique, evolving soundscapes and performances.

What You'll Learn

Orca Programming

Master the syntax and logic of Orca to create generative music patterns.

Cardinal Synthesis

Explore the vast possibilities of modular synthesis with Cardinal.

Ableton Live Integration

Seamlessly integrate live coding with Ableton Live for performance and production.

Abstract sound waves visualization

Course Modules

  • Introduction to Live Coding

    Week 1

    Get acquainted with the fundamental concepts of live coding, its history, and its potential in electronic music. Set up your creative environment.

  • Orca Fundamentals

    Week 2-3

    Dive deep into Orca's esoteric programming language. Learn its operators, create complex sequencers, and control MIDI and OSC signals.

  • Cardinal Synthesis Techniques

    Week 4-5

    Explore the vast world of modular synthesis with Cardinal. Build custom synths, effects, and generative soundscapes from scratch.

  • Integrating with Ableton Live

    Week 6-7

    Learn to route Orca and Cardinal into Ableton Live for recording, performance, and further processing. Develop your final live coding performance piece.

What Our Students Say

Hear directly from those who've transformed their musical journey with us.

“

"This course completely transformed my approach to music. The blend of Orca and Ableton was eye-opening! Ethan is a fantastic teacher."

Sarah M.

Aspiring Producer

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"I've always been interested in coding and music, and this course was the perfect intersection. Cardinal is incredibly powerful. Highly recommended!"

David K.

Hobbyist Coder

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"Learning to integrate these tools has taken my live performances to a whole new level. The community aspect was also super supportive. Five stars!"

Maria L.

Live Performer

Ready to Start Your Live Coding Journey?

Join our vibrant community of electronic music enthusiasts and unlock your creative potential with the power of live coding. Spots are limited!