Jan 18, 2026

“What Is Good Sound? Critical Listening + Your Production Q&A”

Building Your Foundation for Critical Listening

Why do some home recordings sound more compelling than expensive studio productions? The answer isn't in the gear—it's in the listening.

This workshop explores how successful recordings serve their artistic vision through intentional sonic choices. Using listening examples from the Beatles to modern bedroom pop, you'll develop the fundamental listening skills and practical framework needed to make intentional production choices that support your creative vision, whether you're working in a studio or recording at home on a laptop.

This isn't about technical perfection or expensive gear. It's about understanding that recording is creative interpretation, and giving you the confidence to make deliberate sonic choices that tell your musical story effectively.

Plus, get your specific questions answered. After building these foundational listening skills together, we'll dive into your recording and production questions, whether you're struggling with vocals that don't sit right in the mix, wondering how to set up your monitoring at home, or trying to solve any other challenge in your current projects.

No engineering background required. Just bring your ears, curiosity, and your questions.

About the instructor: Matthew Agoglia is a mastering engineer based in Beacon, NY. He's worked at Avatar Studios (now Powerstation Berklee NYC) and Masterdisk, and with artists including Emmylou Harris, James Taylor, and The Divine Fits. He's passionate about sharing 20 years of music production insight with other musicians, focusing on how production choices serve artistic vision over technical perfection.

Let’s think about ‘recording’ as creative storytelling, not documentation.

Join us for this super insightful and hopefully inspiring recording workshop.

$75
Register Here
Jan 18 2026
11am-2pm
Instructor Matthew Agoglia

(Get me to the nearest Blues Jam)

All levels Welcome

You’ve learned your chords and even a few songs, but now you want to improvise and solo with a band!

First of all, what is a ‘blues jam’?

BLUES JAMs take place in bars and music venues all across America. These are the places where blues musicians network, beginners go to learn the basics and more experienced players go to hone their skills.  Look around and you’re likely to find one close to home. If not, by the end of this class maybe you’ll want to start one.

In this 6-week workshop we’ll learn all kinds of soloing strategies and techniques, plus some of the language of the blues, and the culture around these drop-in jams.

We’ll explore the basic chord structures and rhythms of the blues, some simple scales and patterns used to improvise a solo, and how to apply them in the moment.  What’s a 1-4-5?  12 bars?  8 bars? shuffle?  swing?  rumba?  rock & roll ? a ‘quick 4’?  What does ‘down from the five’ mean? 

Find out all that and more.

Instructor Evan Schwartz is a veteran blues guitar player, instructor, and a 30-year devotee of the many 'Blues Jams' across the Tri-State region.  He’s had the honor of performing with some of the world’s finest blues musicians as they come through the region.   Evan is currently performing with 'The Downside Up’ trio, an original blues, country, folk, and R&B outfit they call ‘Americlecticana.’

Register Here
6 Wednesdays
Nov 5-Dec 17 , 7:30-9:00PM
NO CLASS THANKSGIVING WEEK