The Detroit Sound Machine

Local singer/songwriter Ryan Cox has organized a new Music Worskhop for young musicians (age 8-13), hosted in Clawson, MI (Hunter Community Center, 509 Fisher Ct.) More info. 

The Detroit Sound Machine will be held as two sessions, 5pm - 8pm on Thursday Nov 13 & Friday Nov 14. The workshop is titled "Song From Scratch" - aiming to introduce tweens and teens to the instruments and to the craft of songwriting. 

The Detroit Sound Machine appreciates music as a unique form of art and communication, activating,  the brain in a systemic/holistic way. 

Absolutely no experience necessary, just passion and patience.

Cox said that since he'd has his song when he was still a teenager, he's since spent most of his life working with children, coaching youth soccer, running soccer camps, tutoring and mentoring children and spending nearly two years writing a parenting column for AOL. 

As a musician, Cox developed his own unique method for writing and recording music, one that  anyone can participate in, regardless of musical/recording experience. This is how the idea came together. 

"I love working with kids, love making music, kids love music, etc, etc and here we are..." Cox said.

Cox recently obtained his 3rd major academic degree and afterwards felt inspired to create a unique, small business before he started preparing for graduate school. "Over the past year," Cox said, "I have created numerous programs in numerous fields—a new soccer camp, a new-type of tutoring program/curriculum, a writing tournament, along with working on an album as my musical incarnation/pseudonym, The Good Things." 

So what can Detroit Sound Machine attendees anticipate?

Participants will learn a little bit about a lot of things, as Cox puts it, along with some music-related science, some music history, some music appreciation, and some basics of performing, writing and recording music.

Young musicians will explore various writing and musical styles, along with a collection of very different instruments, while learning some basics of how to play whichever instrument that they choose.

All students will contribute to the writing and recording process, including performing with an instrument that they may or may not be familiar with—they get to choose.

All participants will also be given a small instrument to keep, which they will also get to record in our song.

After we've completed the song, all participants will then be sent a copy of the completed song one week later after I have mixed the tune and completed all necessary post-production (so the song will sound like a professionally produced, commercial, radio-sounding song.)

Cox said he has based all of his teaching techniques on child psychology and meta-cognitive concepts. "So, hopefully, all of the participants will leave feeling confident, accomplished and satisfied with officially being a creator of music! "

And of course, the song they created will stay with them forever—a great memory to listen to at any stage of life. 

"But above else," Cox said, "hopefully they leave the Detroit Sound Machine recording workshop with a smile, having had an enriching and fun time.

Youth "Song-From-Scratch" Recording Workshop

Ages 8-13

Hunter Community Center

509 Fisher Court

Clawson, Mich. 48017

Thursday/Friday, November 13/14, 2014

The two sessions will run from 5pm-8pm 

Registration is $50 per child