Feel free to learn more and view the classes from past years below.
2021 2022 2023 2024
2024
Heavy Metal 101: Music and Culture
Monday January 15, 2024
An introduction to Heavy Metal. Topics include the musicology of Heavy Metal as well as an examination of Heavy Metal culture. This multimedia extravaganza covers everything you ever wanted to know about Heavy Metal!
Music as Emotional Catharsis with Jason McMaster
Tuesday January 16, 2024
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Jason McMaster. Jason McMaster, metal vocalist from bands including Watchtower and Dangerous Toys, will delve into the unique ways heavy metal serves as a form of emotional release and a coping mechanism for millions worldwide. Also a seasoned School of Rock educator for the past 18 years, Jason will discuss the process of song creation, from the intellectual spark to the physical act of crafting melodies with wood and wires, and how this genre has evolved into a therapeutic art form.
Guitar Tablature Generation with Deep Learning with Pedro Sarmento
Wednesday January 17, 2024
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Pedro Sarmento. Within the field of symbolic music generation with deep learning, most works focus on MIDI representations, but less attention has been paid to guitar-focused symbolic music using digital tablatures. Guitar Pro format tablatures are a type of digital music notation that encapsulates information about guitar playing techniques and fingerings. Tablatures are often the preferred way of notating music digitally amongst the rock and metal communities. This presentation will showcase the findings concerning the generation of multi-instrument compositions in Guitar Pro with Transformer architectures. The talk will focus on (1) the DadaGP dataset, a corpus of Guitar Pro tablature data suitable for sequence models, (2) GTR-CTRL, conditioning methods for Transformer models for the task of guitar tablature generation that allow for control over instrumentation and musical genre, (3) ShredGP, methods for guitarist-style conditioned guitar tablature generation with Transformers and (4) ProgGP, a practice-based research approach for creating AI-generated but human-produced prog metal music.
Innovating Metal Music with Technology with Jordan Rudess - LIVE In-Person and Online!
Thursday January 18, 2024
This class will take place both in-person on MIT's Campus in room 35-225 and will be livestreamed (if possible) and recorded for later viewing.
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Jordan Rudess. Jordan Rudess, keyboardist for the progressive metal band Dream Theater and founder of Wizdom Music will share his expertise on the fusion of technology and metal music. Focusing on the innovative use of Riffler, an app for creating copyright-free guitar riffs, Jordan will also invite conversation regarding the roles of artificial intelligence and creativity in musical performance. This class will be an opportunity to gain insights from a pioneer in the integration of digital technology in metal music.
Zoom Recording (TBA)
Heavy Music Mothers: Extreme Identities, Narrative Disruptions with Joan Jocson-Singh and Julie Turley
Monday January 22, 2024
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturers, Joan Jocson-Singh and Julie Turley. The book Heavy Music Mothers: Extreme Identities, Narrative Disruptions is an exploration of women and heavy music and the ways in which women have historically engaged with musicking as mothers. Julie Turley and Joan Jocson-Singh, musicking mothers themselves, largely employ an ethnographic lens, foregrounded in powerful one-on-one original interviews as vignettes that narrate thematic patterns. Other chapters examine motherhood identity embedded in respective published rock music memoirs, discussions of rock performance as a site of maternal bonding, and themes that arise when heavy music mothers write about motherhood.
The Physics of Shred with Dr. Gore
Tuesday January 23, 2024
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Dr. Gore. Dr. Gore’s session will focus on the relationship between the physics of the electric guitar and the characteristic sounds of heavy metal guitars. Topics covered will include pickup design and placement, natural and artificial harmonics, multiscale/”fanned fret” guitars, the boons and banes of nonlinearity, and why distortion is so integral to the “heavy metal sound.” Dr. Gore will also perform some shredtastic demonstrations of each of these principles along the way.
History of Heavy Metal: Part I
Wednesday January 24, 2024
A seminar examining the history of Heavy Metal from the late 1960s through the early 1990s. Topics will include Hard Rock, Archetypal Heavy Metal, and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM).
Similarity of Musical Subcultures Across Different Nations – Heavy Metal Fans as a Global Tribe with Akemi Nishimura
Thursday January 25, 2024
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Akemi Nishimura. We will explore the uniqueness of contemporary Japanese culture and how national cultures have an impact on metal fandom and personalities based on the 6 dimensions model of national culture by Geert Hofstede.
All About Harsh Vocals – History, Application, and Technique with Paul Buckley - LIVE In-Person and Online!
Tuesday January 30, 2024
This class will take place both in-person on MIT's Campus in room 35-225 and will be livestreamed (if possible) and recorded for later viewing.
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Paul Buckley. This talk will discuss the history of harsh vocals, how they are applied in everyday life, and how rock and metal singers use them to do what they do.
Zoom Recording (TBA)
History of Metal in Africa with Edward Banchs
Wednesday January 31, 2024
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Edward Banchs. This presentation will introduce the history of metal in the African continent, how it came to be, and what countries in Africa metal has blossomed within. Edward will also discuss what the major issues are for metal musicians and scenes in the African continent and how musicians and fans are confronting these various challenges.
History of Heavy Metal: Part II - DATE CHANGE from 1/29/24
Tuesday February 6, 2024
A seminar examining the history of Heavy Metal from the early 1980s to the present. Topics include Power Metal, Thrash Metal and the Big 4, New American Metal, Black Metal, and Death Metal.
History of Heavy Metal: Part III - DATE CHANGE from 1/31/24
Wednesday February 7, 2024
This will be a seminar examining even more genres of Heavy Metal. Topics will include more obscure genres of Progressive Metal, Metal Fusion, Experimental and Avant-Garde Metal, and whatever else we missed so far. As always, it's going to get weird.
Beyond the Amped Score: Classical-Metal Crossover Unveiled with David Miguel
Monday February 12, 2024
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, David Miguel. In this session, David will go through examples to unravel the intertwined tapestry of Classical and Heavy Metal music, delving into both historical collaborations and the contemporary dialogue between these two seemingly disparate genres.
Resilience in Metal - A Personal Journey with Marc Lopes
Tuesday February 13, 2024
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Marc Lopes. Lead singer of the well-known heavy metal band, Metal Church, Marc will share his personal journey of tenacity and managing mental health through the art of Metal music. Offering a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs in the life of a metal musician, Marc will provide insight about resilience and how overcoming alcohol and prescription medication dependencies influenced his approaches to recording, creating, and touring.
History of Heavy Metal: Part IV
Thursday February 29, 2024
This will be a seminar examining even more genres of Heavy Metal and the final class of the 2024 series. Topics will include more genres of metal including Progressive Metal, Metalcore, Metal Fusion, Experimental and Avant-Garde Metal, and whatever else we missed so far. As always, it's going to get weird.
2023
Heavy Metal 101: Music and Culture
Wednesday January 25, 2023
An introduction to Heavy Metal. Topics include the musicology of Heavy Metal as well as an examination of Heavy Metal culture. This multimedia extravaganza covers everything you ever wanted to know about Heavy Metal!
The GUTS of Metal - Music Theory and Songwriting with Colin Brumley
Tuesday February 7, 2023
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Colin Brumley. Titled "The GUTS of Heavy Metal: Metal Music Theory," join us for an evening of metal music theory and songwriting with Colin Brumley of Dormivore and Noctobre. This presentation will be a deep dive into how metal is made and how it works, from the granular to the bird’s-eye view. Topics will include foundations in classical music theory (no prior knowledge needed), scales and modalities utilized in different types of metal, how to expand your listening, and — new this year! — apply these ingredients, augmented with other musicological factors, towards songwriting via analysis of full original songs. We wouldn’t show you how to make the world’s greatest grilled cheese without actually dissecting one!
All About Harsh Vocals – History, Application, and Technique with Paul Buckley
Wednesday February 8, 2023
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Paul Buckley. This talk will discuss some background information regarding harsh vocals, how to develop and maintain a harsh vocal style, and examples of how harsh vocals are applied in metal.
History of Heavy Metal, Part I (RESCHEDULED)
Thursday February 9, 2023
A seminar examining the history of Heavy Metal from the late 1960s through the early 1990s. Topics will include Hard Rock, Archetypal Heavy Metal, and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM).
Connections Between Metal and Literature with Dean Swinford
Wednesday February 15, 2023
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Dean Swinford. We will discuss connections between metal and literature by talking about Dean's Death Metal Epic novels and his academic research on allegory and medieval themes in various metal genres. Decibel Magazine has called his novels “wild and imaginative” for the ways that they explore metal genres through a coming-of-age story of a wayward Floridian guitarist.
History of Heavy Metal: Part II
Tuesday February 21, 2023
A seminar examining the history of Heavy Metal from the early 1980s to the present. Topics include Power Metal, Thrash Metal and the Big 4, New American Metal, Metalcore and Grindcore, Black Metal, Death Metal, and Extreme Metal.
GeoShred and Technology-Based Expressive Musical Instruments with Jordan Rudess
Tuesday February 28, 2023
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Jordan Rudess. Jordan Rudess, keyboardist with the prog metal band, Dream Theater, technologist, and app creator will present his physical modeling-based app GeoShred as a way to open dialogue about the advancements in technology-based expressive musical instruments.
History of Heavy Metal: Part III
Thursday March 2, 2023
This will be a seminar examining even more genres of Heavy Metal. Topics will include more obscure genres of Progressive Metal, Metal Fusion, Experimental and Avant-Garde Metal, and whatever else we missed so far. As always, it's going to get weird.
2022
Heavy Metal 101: Music and Culture
Monday January 10, 2022
An introduction to Heavy Metal. Topics include the musicology of Heavy Metal as well as an examination of Heavy Metal culture. This multimedia extravaganza covers everything you ever wanted to know about Heavy Metal!
History of Heavy Metal, Part I
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
A seminar examining the history of Heavy Metal from the late 1960s through the early 1990s. Topics will include Hard Rock, Archetypal Heavy Metal, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), Power Metal, Thrash Metal, and the Big 4.
MIT Heavy Metal 101: The GUTS of Metal - Music Theory and Songwriting with Colin Brumley
Wednesday January 12, 2022
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Colin Brumley. Titled "The GUTS of Heavy Metal: Metal Music Theory," join us for an evening of metal music theory and songwriting with Colin Brumley of Dormivore and Noctobre. This presentation will be a deep dive into how metal is made and how it works, from the granular to the bird’s-eye view. Topics will include foundations in classical music theory (no prior knowledge needed), scales and modalities utilized in different types of metal, how to expand your listening, and — new this year! — apply these ingredients, augmented with other musicological factors, towards songwriting via analysis of full original songs. We wouldn’t show you how to make the world’s greatest grilled cheese without actually dissecting one!
MIT Heavy Metal 101: Panel About Stage Lighting at Metal Concerts with Shannon Knotts and John Santos
Thursday January 13, 2022
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest panelists, John Santos and Shannon Knotts. What does it take to build the atmosphere of a live show with light and staging? This panel will feature two light and staging artists/engineers, John Santos and Shannon Knotts, who will discuss the process and challenges of creating successful shows and what sorts of thinking go into their production. Come with questions!
MIT Heavy Metal 101: Feminism and Motherhood with Joan Jocson-Singh
Tuesday January 18, 2022
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Joan Jocson-Singh. Joining us to discuss her research surrounding Feminism in Metal/Extreme Metal, Vigilante Feminism, and Motherhood's role within metal, Joan will also open a discussion around the larger questions about metal music in academia and the importance of "academicizing" the genre.
MIT Heavy Metal 101: Heavy Metal Electronics 101 with Dr. Gore
Wednesday January 19, 2022
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Dr. Görebläster Körpse-härvest Lunden. In this session, MIT alum and physicist Dr. Gore will present an overview of the complete chain of electronic circuits that makes the heavy metal guitar sound the way it does. The class will cover pickups, effects pedals, amplifiers, and speakers, focusing especially on what happens to the electronic waveform each step of the way. There will also be live demonstrations to accompany the theoretical explanations.
History of Heavy Metal: Part II
Thursday January 20, 2022
A seminar examining the history of Heavy Metal from the early 1990s to the present. Topics include New American Metal, Metalcore and Grindcore, Black Metal, Death Metal, and Extreme Metal.
No Zoom Recording due to an error, Recording from 2021 Available Here
MIT Heavy Metal 101: Metal Makeup and Fashion with Wacky Jacky
Tuesday January 25, 2022
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Wacky Jacky. We've looked a lot at how metal formed and took shape over the years. Though, how can you better look the part, and what do the aesthetics say about the genre as a whole? Come by as Jacky explores various metal fashions and how they've evolved over time and across genres. P.S. Bring your battle vests, cuffs, and best corpse paint for this lecture.
MIT Heavy Metal 101: Vocals with Paul Buckley
Wednesday January 26, 2022
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Paul Buckley. This talk will discuss some background information regarding harsh vocals, how to develop and maintain a harsh vocal style, and examples of how harsh vocals are applied in metal.
History of Heavy Metal: Part III, Rescheduled to 1/31
Monday January 31, 2022
This will be a seminar examining the many of the remaining genres of Heavy Metal. Topics will include more obscure genres of Metal Fusion, Experimental and Avant-Garde Metal, and really whatever else we missed so far. It's going to get weird.
MIT Heavy Metal 101: Extreme Decolonial Dialogues and Decolonial Heavy Metal with Nelson Varas-Díaz and Daniel Nevárez Araújo
Tuesday February 1, 2022
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturers, Nelson Varas-Díaz and Daniel Nevárez Araújo. Nelson and Daniel will discuss the topic of Extreme Decolonial Dialogues and Decolonial Heavy Metal. Throughout their research, they have revealed that metal as practiced, performed, and promoted in Latin America has a decolonial inflection whereby many bands in the region highlight their respective country’s colonial history and offer ways to challenge the conditions and ideologies inherited from said history. They will also discuss how their work in Latin American metal has inspired and informed a growing interest in the topic of metal in the Global South.
History of Heavy Metal: Part IV
Thursday February 3, 2022
An extra class? We'll have a couple extra surprises before we close this year out!
Heavy Metal 101: Music and Culture
Tuesday January 5, 2021
An introduction to Heavy Metal. Topics include the musicology of Heavy Metal as well as an examination of Heavy Metal culture. This multimedia extravaganza covers everything you ever wanted to know about Heavy Metal!
History of Heavy Metal, Part I
Thursday, January 7, 2021
A seminar examining the history of Heavy Metal from the late 1960s through the early 1990s. Topics will include Hard Rock, Archetypal Heavy Metal, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), Power Metal, Thrash Metal, and the Big 4.
MIT Heavy Metal 101: Metal Yoga with Tina Moroney-Ebarb of Black Widow Yoga
Tuesday January 12, 2021
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Tina Moroney-Ebarb. Always wondered how to stay healthy & mobile while staying TRVE to your metal self? Tina, owner and creator of Black Widow Yoga will introduce you to her style of metal yoga so you can begin to explore the darker side of wellness!
History of Heavy Metal: Part II
Wednesday January 13, 2021
A seminar examining the history of Heavy Metal from the early 1990s to the present. Topics include New American Metal, Metalcore and Grindcore, Black Metal, Death Metal, and Extreme Metal.
MIT Heavy Metal 101: The GUTS of Heavy Metal: Metal Music Theory with Colin Brumley
Thursday January 14, 2021
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Colin Brumley. Titled "The GUTS of Heavy Metal: Metal Music Theory," join us for an evening of metal music theory and songwriting with Colin Brumley of Dormivore and Noctobre. This presentation will be a deep dive into how metal is made and how it works, from the granular to the bird’s-eye view. Topics will include foundations in classical music theory (no prior knowledge needed), scales and modalities utilized in different types of metal, how to expand your listening, and how to use all of this to make your own home-brewed tunes.
MIT Heavy Metal 101: Vocal Technique with Paul Buckley
Tuesday January 19, 2021
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Paul Buckley. Paul's talk will discuss how to develop and maintain a harsh vocal style as well as some examples of different harsh vocals used in metal.
MIT Heavy Metal 101: Concepts, Story Building, and Promoting Your Work with The Beast of Nod
Wednesday January 20, 2021
MIT's Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturers from the band, The Beast of Nod. This talk will discuss the process of creating story-based music as well as how to produce, release, and promote music as an independent artist.
MIT Heavy Metal 101: Modern Metal Guitar: Form, Function, and Fissicks with Görebläster Körpse-härvest Lunden
Thursday January 21, 2021
MIT's Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Görebläster Körpse-härvest Lunden. Görebläster’s session will focus on the role the guitar has played in shaping the sound of heavy metal. He will demonstrate how the mechanics of the instrument have led people to utilize it in specific ways in various genres of metal, how the characteristically “flashy” lead guitar sounds are made and how they’ve evolved over the years, and how modern equipment and production are used to mitigate some inherent limitations of the instrument when it’s used to play some specific styles of metal. Explanations will be accompanied by some (loud) performances.
MIT Heavy Metal 101: Progressive Metal with Kelly Phillips of Tapestry Music Podcast
Tuesday January 26, 2021
MIT's Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Kelly Phillips. Kelly will focus primarily on Progressive Metal, namely what it is, what elements make music "progressive," where its roots lie, and a smattering of examples of how progressiveness has infiltrated the different kinds of metal music.
MIT Heavy Metal 101: AI and Metal with CJ Carr
Wednesday January 27, 2021
MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, CJ Carr, who will share his journey into Neural Metal that began in 2012 at MIT.
History of Heavy Metal: Part III
Thursday January 28, 2021
Friday January 29, 2021 DATE CHANGE
This will be a seminar examining the many of the remaining genres of Heavy Metal. Topics will include more obscure genres of Metal Fusion, Experimental and Avant-Garde Metal, and really whatever else we missed so far. It's going to get weird.