Creating Digital Instruments
With Noah Sherrin
Session 1: 20/09/2025
Session 2: 27/09/2025
1pm – 4pm
Language of instruction: English
$85 – Limited to 10 spots
In this two-part workshop, we’ll learn the full process of creating digital instruments — from concept and recording, to editing, processing, and implementation. Along the way, we’ll look at how sampling can open new creative possibilities, transforming everyday objects and acoustic sources into playable tools that can shape music in unexpected ways. Participants will gain a grounded understanding of both the technical steps and the artistic potential of digital instrument design, leaving with practical methods they can adapt to their own creative workflows.
Workshop objectives
- Understand why and how to create sampled instruments
- Learn effective techniques for recording acoustic instruments and found objects
- Explore editing workflows and best practices for preparing samples
- Implement sounds in DecentSampler and Ableton Live
- Gain approaches to sound design and instrument building that can be shared or developed further
Session 1
20/09/2025
The first session will introduce the creative possibilities of making your own sampled instruments, showing examples and approaches. Participants will record source material using microphones and handheld recorders, sampling acoustic instruments and found objects, with tips on effective recording techniques.
Session 2
27/09/2025
The second session will focus on editing and implementation. Using Reaper (recommended free DAW) and other tools, participants will learn sample editing workflows and best practices before moving into instrument building. We will cover how to create playable instruments in DecentSampler and Ableton Live, finishing with a group sharing of the results.
Participant Requirements
Laptop with a DAW (Reaper is available for free), basic audio editing and DAW navigation knowledge is recommended
Noah Sherrin is a composer and sound artist from the west coast of Canada, now based in Tiohti:áke/Mooniyang/Montréal. His work spans sound design, immersive media, experimental releases, installations, and digital instrument design.
As Noah Rosa, his music explores environmental devastation, myth, and spirituality, with recent releases on evo-natura and Reset Networks. His debut audiovisual work HAVEN premiered at Melted Film Festival (2024) and screened at Millennium Film Workshop in New York.
He has worked extensively with La Hacienda Creative, MNTRA Instruments, and Orchestral Tools, designing instruments and composing for interactive media and installations. Additionally, he recently launched his own digital instrument imprint, BORO, in collaboration with Song Athletics. Selected music credits include The Days (Netflix Japan), Transformers: Beyond Reality (Meta4 Interactive), and Kanaval (Yzanakio). In 2024 he was an artist in residence with World Creation Studio’s CO/CREATE program, and received the SOCAN Emerging Screen Composers Award for Best Original Theme. Recent live projects include the performance ANTHELION HYMNS and the improvised series Liquid Stone.
