New Course Announcement!
It’s easier than ever to make a beat these days — but how about one that surprises listeners, turns heads, and serves the music in just the right way?
That’s Ian Chang’s specialty: writing and playing highly distinct drum parts and beats that push and pull the song in interesting and emotive ways. He’s done it for his bands Son Lux and Landlady, for artists like Moses Sumney, CHVRCHES, and Matthew Dear, and in his own solo electronic music — and it’s one reason he’s one of the most sought-after drummers on the scene today.
In his course, Ian Chang: Warped Rhythms & Abstract Beats, drummer, producer, and electronic composer Ian Chang explores the unique style of genre-defying playing and composing he’s adopted over years of experimentation behind a drum kit. He’ll guide you to improve your internal clock and explore polyrhythms, to write off-kilter drum parts and learn how to play them, and to expand your sonic palette. He’ll load you up with exercises that will challenge and push you, and break down a few of his most intriguing rhythmic treatments.
Whether you’re a drummer looking to improve your skills or a producer wanting to make more interesting beats, this course is all about upping your rhythmic game to unlock and harness the emotional power of rhythms and beats.
“In this course, I’m going to show you how to strengthen your relationship with time,” Ian proclaims, “and also mess with it.”
We encourage you to skip around to the parts of the course that fit your interests most. Here’s what you can expect to learn in the course:
Enliven Your Improvising Practice
Learn how to improvise in a way that ups your skills and helps you write better beats.
Activate & Develop Your Rhythmic Feel
Learn to open up and complicate your relationship with rhythm, time, and pulse.
Write Spacious Off-Kilter Beats
Use microdisplacements, odd grids, flair, and more to obscure the beat.
Expand Your Sonic Palette
Learn how Ian uses touch, function, and sensory percussion to expand the sonic landscape of the drum kit.
Ready to give it a shot?
Preview Ian Chang: Warped Rhythms & Abstract Beats for free on Soundfly, and subscribe for unlimited access to this and all of our full suite of in-depth, artist-led course content, our Discord group, partner perks, and much more.
Meet Your New Instructor
IAN CHANG
Drummer, Composer, and Producer
Ian Chang is a Hong Kong-born, U.S.-raised drummer/producer who makes forward-looking experimental electronic music using technology that allows him to control samples directly from his drum kit. He’s a full-time member of Academy Award® and BAFTA-nominated band Son Lux, alongside fellow Soundfly instructor Ryan Lott and Rafiq Bhatia, and has performed in Brooklyn-based bands Landlady and Body Language.
Since moving to Dallas, Texas, in addition to his work with Son Lux, he’s been able to contribute live drums and recorded tracks to artists like Matthew Dear, Joan As Policewoman, People Get Ready, Frankie Rose, and Chvrches.
From age nine, Chang studied classical percussion and piano at Hong Kong’s Academy for Performing Arts. In 2011, he was awarded a degree in jazz drumming by NYU. By 2017, he was playing drums-only live sets inspired by Sunhouse’s Sensory Percussion technology, in turn leading to the release of his debut EP, Spiritual Leader. 2020 saw City Slang issue Belonging, a full-length realization of Chang’s vision, which incorporated vocals from Kiah Victoria, Kazu, and Hanna Benn.
Take a listen to Soundfly’s “Meet Ian Chang” playlist on Spotify.
What Do I Get When I Sign Up?
Great question! When you purchase a Soundfly subscription, you’ll get unlimited access to all courses on Soundfly.com, including this one, to go through at your own pace. This includes all the videos, tutorials, demos, quizzes, activities, downloads, and other materials within our full suite of courses.
You’re also entitled to a 25% discount on our custom mentorship program, you will be invited to join our exclusive community Discord group, you’ll be able join subscriber-only Study Groups, artist Q&As and livestreaming workshops, annual contests and giveaways, and you’ll have access to a growing list of exclusive discount perks courtesy of our partner brands.
And of course, cancel anytime.
You can find out more about subscribing here.
Are you ready?
Let’s go! Sign up today to get started crafting more compelling beats with off-kilter, warped rhythms and new approaches to composition, improvisation, and practice, with guidance from Son Lux’s hyper-creative drummer, Ian Chang.
