Define

madelife’s Music team guides Accelerants along a path toward answering these questions for themselves. The Music program begins with the orientation meeting, where the Accelerant, Mentors, and Coordinator sit down and take inventory of the Accelerant’s current musical, technical, and logistical abilities, and set a plan for what they hope to achieve during the program. Once the goals and a plan have been established, it’s time to get to work creating the first project.

Create

“Doing” can be the hardest part of any creative endeavor. For our Accelerants, creating and finishing projects in line with well-defined goals is the core of our program. Each project lasts 1 – 2 weeks, during which time the Music Accelerant participates in an immersive experience into a specific topic or skill set. To support the Accelerant in achieving the project goals, the Music team provides all of the resources needed for success, as well as accountability checks to stay on track.

Measure

What are the takeaways from the project? Why does your bridge come after the first chorus and not the second? Are you aware that the kick and baseline are hitting at the same frequency? Can you hear how your lyrics and vocal delivery reinforce both the rhythm and emotion of that section?

Between Mentors, Coordinators, and Accelerants, the Music team offers critical feedback from a diverse set of musical opinions and styles. Accelerants are expected to be their best and, in turn, their creative team provides detailed and specific feedback on the project. Whether it was compose a new track, create a remix, mix their EP, or perform a live set, Accelerants receive input to help them face the reality of their completed work in light of what they imagined at the outset.

Success is objectively measured using the post-project evaluation form as a point of comparison to the initial goals set in the pre-project form, so that the Accelerants are able to judge their results for themselves. Of course then it is time to learn from these measures, pivot, and start it all again!