Online
Tech Dissect – Opening DAWs: Modulation Fundamentals w/ Maria Hernandez
30th October 2025
7.30 pm GMT
£8.30 or free for Saffron Members
‘Tech Dissect’ is an online workshop series presented as part of Saffron Members Club, but non-members who are women, trans, non-binary or gender non-conforming may also purchase a ticket.
Digital Audio Workstations offer so many ways to approach the creative process. From manipulating audio recordings to spontaneously improvising in real-time, there are so many possibilities to explore. In Saffron’s latest series of ‘Tech Dissect’ online workshops, we’ll delve into three entry points to modern technological music creation using the software Bitwig Studio, a versatile DAW that can be used for every stage of music production and performance.
WORKSHOP 2: Modulation Fundamentals – Making Electronic Music More Human
Modulation is the secret ingredient that transforms generic sounds into distinctly yours. In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore Bitwig’s easy-to-use modulation system, and discover how envelope generators, LFOs, and advanced modulation techniques can breathe life, personality, and human character into their productions.
This workshop addresses a core challenge many producers face: standing out in an oversaturated landscape. While AI can generate technically proficient music, it’s our human touch—expressed through thoughtful modulation choices—that creates truly compelling art.
What We’ll Cover:
- Modulation fundamentals: what it is and why it matters for your artistic voice
- Why “analog warmth” captivates listeners (and how to recreate those happy accidents digitally)
- Humanizing static loops and sample pack sounds to make them unmistakably yours
- Advanced modulation possibilities in Bitwig Studio and other modern DAWs
- The art of imprinting your human sensibility into digital creations
This workshop is perfect for beginners, as well as producers at any level who want to move beyond preset sounds and develop their signature style through the power of modulation.
Participants will have the opportunity to explore Bitwig Studio for free with a 30-day trial, which can be accessed here. There will also be a discount available on the full version of Bitwig Studio for those wishing to purchase the software. This will be shared with workshop attendees after each workshop.
About Maria Hernandez
Maria Hernandez is a certified Bitwig instructor and music technology specialist with over 25 years of experience in tech, including roles as a software engineer, instructor, and technical support specialist. As a transgender woman who has been living authentically for over six years, Maria brings a deep understanding of identity, resilience, and the power of creative expression to her work.
Maria’s music explores the full spectrum of human emotion – from raw anger to profound sadness – using technology as a vehicle for authentic storytelling. Her approach to music production centers on the belief that our humanity must shine through our digital tools, creating sounds that are unmistakably personal rather than algorithmically perfect.
Beyond music production, Maria works as a certified coach specializing in radical self-acceptance and authentic living, helping creatives and professionals navigate their own journeys of self-discovery. She understands firsthand how transformative it can be when we stop hiding parts of ourselves and start creating from a place of genuine truth.
Maria aims to empower underrepresented voices, remove barriers to creative expression, and help others tell their unique stories through sound.
When she’s not diving deep into modulation matrices or coaching clients toward greater self-acceptance, Maria continues pushing the boundaries of what’s possible when technical expertise meets emotional authenticity in music creation. She also serves as a mod for the Bitwig community discord, helping ensure it remains an inclusive space, as well as leading a discord for trans gamers who are 30+
ACCESS
Access to these sessions is free for all members of Saffron’s online community, Saffron Members Club. Membership packages start at just £6 per month and provide access to regular online workshops, an online community space, video masterclasses, free music tech tools, discounts and much more. If you can’t afford a ticket but believe you would benefit from attending, please email us: members@saffronmusic.co.uk.
Workshops are open to people worldwide, but will be running at 7.30 pm UK time, so please bear differences in time zone in mind. If you purchase a ticket but aren’t able to attend live, you will automatically be emailed a recording of the workshop(s) after the event.
We are committed to making our online events as accessible as possible. We have created a guidance document about this – Click here to view the accessibility document. Alternatively, please email us with any access requirements you may have.
GENDER POLICY
The gender imbalance in the music technology industry is well-recognised. While we are absolutely not ‘anti-men’, we see that a shorter-term solution is to provide fellowship and learning environments that are not dominated by the cisgender male perspective. Therefore, these workshops are intended for women, non-binary, trans and gender non-conforming people to attend. While we do not ban cisgender men from attending, we hope that they will respect that this event is not intended for them.
View the full schedule for this workshop series
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