Course explores a wide range of options for musicians who want to pursue music business careers in their regional music markets. Students examine opportunities in performance, recording, composition, education, and more. Emphasis is placed on the packaging of musical skills in the marketplace and on the financial management of a small proprietary music business. As a result, the student musician will be prepared to make career decisions with foresight and planning.
This project will require supervised completion of a proposal, business plan, project completion and presentation, reflective journal, and media writing and production electronic press kit.
Choose 8 electives. At least 5 should be media and/or production emphasis. Remaining are open electives.
Techniques for scoring for the modern symphony orchestra.
This project-based seminar/lab is designed to expose students to the basics of MIDI orchestration with particular emphasis on the creation of fully-realized mock-ups.
Seminar in the aesthetics and psychology of mood music, sound-film synchronization, timing techniques, and scoring procedures. Analysis and performance of student projects is included.
Adaptation of previous semester's techniques to television scripts and performed music. Pre-recording, direct recording, and dubbing procedures are included as well as preparation and performance of complete film cues. Each student is required to conduct their project.
Project based seminar/workshop designed to provide students the opportunity to gain the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to produce a variety of musical works for use in visual media.
Weekly lab focused on Pro Tools proficiency and the intricacies of audio technology relating to a modern producer/film composer. Topics include digital audio definitions and uses, Pro Tools understanding, shortcuts and proficiency, and MIDI.
Weekly lab focused on sound design/synthesis as it applies to the modern producer. Topics include different synthesis techniques, different waves, modulation controls, signal flow as it applies to modular synths, hardware synths vs “softsynths,” and FX processing common to synth instruments.
Recording studio production procedures. Topics include artist and material selection, session planning, and analysis of the producer's role. Requires baseline exam to enroll.
Project-based course designed to provide students with a clear understanding of most audio effects used in mixing and music production. Students are expected to complete one multitrack mix a week, and present to the class their work for critique and review. Additional emphasis is placed on psychoacoustics, room acoustics, and loudness.
Project-based course designed to provide the opportunity to record, produce, mix, and commercially release an EP. Students are expected to use their music production skills to produce a studio-quality commercial recording of a fellow student, including recording, sound design, and mixing. Additional emphasis will be placed on budget management, studio and musician booking, mastering in preparation for release, and extras including meta-data and artwork.
Artists are not only creating their own music, but are often responsible for marketing, publishing, distribution, management, promotion, and contract agreements to get it out to the world. In this course you will gain a broad understanding of the ever-expanding business of music. You will learn how these various segments operate and how developments in technology are opening new opportunities for artists to create revenue. This course provides knowledge, strategy, and guidance to navigate the industry and achieve your goals.
This course provides a study of the activities involved in commercially exploiting recorded music. The course includes an analysis of activities involved in the production, manufacturing, distribution, and marketing of a recorded music product; as well as related royalty accounting, mechanical licensing, and master-use licensing activities.
Students learn how to fulfill demand and influence consumer behavior through effective marketing techniques. The course provides the students with information on the latest technologies being employed to reach and communicate with target consumers.
This course provides an in-depth study of the creative and business aspects, concepts, and practices of the music publishing industry. The course covers the acquisition, exploitation, administration, and protection of songs in the contemporary music publishing business. Students will also study the income sources, royalty rates, and payment procedures currently used in the music industry as they apply to musical compositions. Music publishing agreements currently used for the acquisition and administration of songs are reviewed in-depth. Foreign music publishing issues are explored as related to domestic music publishing. Students will also learn how to create and operate their own music publishing company.
This course provides students with in-depth study of advanced topics in the music business, including recent developments in the areas of music licensing, copyright, international markets, live music, artist development, data management, and others. Particular focus is placed on ways to meet the current challenges facing the industry.
Students become familiar with various artist, client, production, vendor, and facility contracts and agreements commonly used in the industry.
This course provides an in-depth study of the essential provisions of the U.S. copyright law as they are related to music.
This course is intended to provide the student with the ability to record, edit, mix, and master content in both video and audio mediums, by using the most current, practical, and affordable technology available today.
In this course, the concepts, techniques, and conduits of communication will be defined and detailed – as they pertain to the musical artist and with an emphasis on the most up-to-date technologies and platforms for getting your message across. More traditional ways of interfacing will not be neglected: The honing of clear writing, speaking, and person-to-person skills will be stressed. We will also reveal the ins and outs of working with publicists and other marketing professionals in our field. By the end of this course, you should have the tools to execute a communication and marketing strategy appropriate for your own career goals.