Overview

So, you want to learn how to lay down phat beats, or make music the way only Cher seems to make music these days. Well, there is one option (dressing up and becoming a Cher impersonator doesn’t really count as an option), and that’s to become a Sound Engineering (a.k.a. Sound Recording, a.k.a. Sound Recording Technology) major, by which you will learn how to engineer sound. Still not clear yet? Then think of this major as the meeting point of the conductor and the DJ, a symphonic blend where you will learn how the theory and history of music, from the classical to the contemporary, can be joined together in the recording studio or on the stage to create a whole new sound.


This isn’t DJ-training, though. Sure, you’ll learn how to spin and mix and do anything else a decent DJ does, but you’ll do a lot more than merely change CDs. Sound engineers are essential for everything from making an album to helping stage a concert. They are the technicians behind the musicians, allowing musical innovations and sounds to explore new areas and grow in depth.

SAMPLE CURRICULUM

  • Advanced Communication Skills

  • Basic Audio Wiring Lab

  • MIDID Electronic Music

  • Multitrack Production Techniques

  • Music Business I

  • Music History I and II

  • Music Theory

  • Sound Recording I & II

  • Sound Reinforcement Fundamentals


HIGH SCHOOl PREPARATION

A strong background in music, including knowledge of an instrument, is, of course, going to be very helpful, but what you might be missing you can make up for once you get to college. Strong writing and reading skills are also going to be essential in helping you communicate in a business based on communication. So take some reading and writing-intensive courses like English and history.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS & CAREERS