<p>this is kind of a small topic, but it's something i'm really interested in. things like: recording studios, microphones, sound, etc.</p>
<p>since this is such a small topic, most schools don't really talk a lot about it. does anyone know any good schools that know what's going on with this topic?</p>
<p>or is anyone in this field?</p>
<p>I'd be really interested also. This sounds almost like physics topics, so what kind of engineering would include acoustics?</p>
<p>Also, how is the job market for acoustic engineers?</p>
<p>Mechanical and electrical engineers work with acoustics. At my school I did some undergrad research in acoustics, check out the website <a href="http://www.val.me.vt.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://www.val.me.vt.edu/</a> . Its a fairly large lab with several faculty members.</p>
<p>Purdue has an anechoic chamber that several ME faculty and graduate students are doing research in. They have a couple of faculty that specialize in this. One of my friends did research into reproducing full surround sound in a headphone.</p>
<p>My significant other is doing something along those lines with the Center for Computing Technology at LSU, with the Laboratory for Creative Arts and Technology, or LCAT... It's a pretty new lab, he's basically in on the ground floor. They're currently doing a lot of work with three-dimensional sound. (Two speakers is one-dimensional, Dolby surround is two-dimensional... a plane... and a dozen massive twelve-inch-cone speakers placed in a three-dimensional array... well, you get the picture. It's really impressive.)</p>
<p>He's currently working on programming the controllers for the speakers. He minored in physics in undergrad and majored in music composition, then got his masters at Rice in music composition (built their electronic music studio, and Houston Comm. College's, too...) and then got picked up for his doctoral degree in music composition by LSU, Arizona State, and CCM Cincinnati, with LSU ultimately outbidding the others.</p>
<p>He works with a variety of people... most of them are electrical engineers or computer programmers. There's a lot of signal processing stuff that he does, aided by his background in physics. A background in music helps, too.</p>
<p>Check with music schools, see what their electronic music studios look like. Cross-reference that with the electrical engineering departments' faculty lists, see if there's anybody there doing audio signal processing and the like. Berkeley would be a good one to check with, as would Stanford. LSU's gaining speed, Illinois would be someone to check with, Rice, CCM-Cincinnati, and maybe MIT would be good ones to check with. I know that MIT has Bose connections.</p>
<p>Best of luck! Let me know if you've got any questions. My boyfriend's a bit busy at the moment (general exams in September, so the freaking-out has commenced) but I can probably eke some suggestions and info out from him if you've got any questions.</p>
<p>Every state licenses professional engineers in major fields like civil, electrical, mechanical, etc. But the State of Oregon also licenses Professional Acoustical Engineers. As far as I know, they are the only state to do so.</p>
<p>I have no idea why the State of Oregon gives special legal recognition to acoustical engineers. Maybe one of the Oregon universities has a particularly strong program.</p>
<p>connecticut college offers a music technology major, which sounds close to what you are describing</p>
<p>carnegie-mellon also has a program like above, and it's with very renowned recording master riccardo shultz</p>
<p>Seconding the music technology bid, from my boyfriend, who's sitting here next to me detailing the process of becoming an acoustic/audio engineer...</p>
<p>He says that you need to decide whether you want to become a studio mixer or a live mixer, because they're two different fields, or whether you want to build systems. The most promising clients in the areas of building systems are actually churches, interestingly enough... The BF recommends that you avoid places like Full Sail (<a href="http://www.fullsail.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.fullsail.com/</a>) because he says that you can get the same sort of education in audio engineering at a lot of community colleges for a heck of a lot less.</p>
<p>BF doesn't know why Oregon has a specific licensure program for acoustic engineers... I don't think it's anything particularly worth going for, unless you're bound and determined to end up in Oregon.</p>
<p>what colleges would he recommend for:</p>
<p>-live mixer
-studio mixer
-builder
??</p>
<p>i'd rather not go to a college that focuses on music, and rather on engineering. so i'm looking for like a decent, academic, respectable school.</p>
<p>thanks for all the help thus far.</p>
<p>Is there a professional society for acoustic engineers? Or, are they a subset of another professional society?</p>
<p>There are plenty of professional societies for acoustic engineers, actually... And they might be good people to ask about which path they followed.</p>
<p>Essentially, there's no <em>one</em> path towards acoustic engineering. Heck, you could study engineering mechanics and make a good living doing finite element simulation and design of concert halls. Elec's a good one... Especially any electrical engineering program where there's also a good music school.</p>
<p>Here are some links to help get you going with those professional societies...</p>
<p><a href="http://www.aes.org%5B/url%5D">http://www.aes.org</a>
<a href="http://asa.aip.org/%5B/url%5D">http://asa.aip.org/</a></p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Check out University of Miami's Audio Engineering program:
<a href="http://www6.miami.edu/UMH/CDA/UMH_Main/1,1770,6424-1;7703-3,00.html%5B/url%5D">http://www6.miami.edu/UMH/CDA/UMH_Main/1,1770,6424-1;7703-3,00.html</a></p>
<p>Not sure if it is what you're looking for, but when my son went on the tour of the engineering dept, chairman said that graduates are in very high demand. I think it is a joint effort between school of engineering and school of music.</p>
<p>USC, hands down...Music Industry B.S. one of the best music schools in the nation, one of the better engineering schools in the nation, an amazing alumni network of which much of the industry is probably in touch with, and it's in LA...it's hard to see how it could get much better (except for the price...). </p>
<p>i would absolutely love to do Music Industry BS, but for several reasons i dont think i should...now if someone would just help me and check out my thread about if i should do EE or Music Industry BS...("EE...or my first choice major?")</p>
<p>usc...while it does look like it has some...really has not much of what i want. i don't want a school that's gonna make me play an instrument (although i can, very well). i want a school that's gonna teach me.</p>
<p>if i wanted to be a band major, i'd go join marching band.</p>
<p>it looks like belmont really has the good stuff. for anyone else interested.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.belmont.edu/catalog/undergrad2005jun/emb_mbu.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.belmont.edu/catalog/undergrad2005jun/emb_mbu.htm</a>
(down under major in AET)</p>
<p>it really looks amazing, i'm just not sure about the school itself.</p>
<p>as far as i can tell, USC's Bachelor of Science degreee doesn't require anyone to play a musical instrument as a part of their degree. it seems like they just want to make sure you have reasonable experience and knowledge in music. if extensive musical experience is required, they clearly denote that an audition is required. they make no indication here:
The Bachelor of Science in the Music Industry is a professional degree that prepares students to enter a variety of careers in the music industry of today. Students must fulfill a series of core requirements for the degree, but they are allowed to choose one of two options for the remainder of their curriculum. The industry option emphasizes classes in the business and legal aspects of the music industry, while the technology option allows students to gain a solid background in the various uses of technology in the modern music industry.</p>
<p>Entrance Requirements Applicants must submit the Thornton School of Music Supplementary Application, a statement of objectives, resume and full academic transcripts. A full academic review will be the primary consideration for admission to this program. In some cases, a phone or in-person interview
</p>
<p>the "Bachelor of Science" part should immediately tip you off to this, as opposed to a "Bachelor of Arts/Music". if the fact that i mentioned the music school confused you, a university with a good music school would inherently improve the quality of the music engineering department, not to mention that it would provide you with numerous opportunities for experience. for example, USC's Thornton Orchestra (quite well renowned, i hear) releases recordings. i'm sure they collaborate with the Music Industry department to provide students with experience. also, USC has several movie scoring stages and recording studios on campus (on the tour, you pass by the Steven Spielburg Scoring Stage...that has an interesting story). and again, for the type of major involved, it's hard to beat the prime location of USC in LA.</p>
<p>and btw, i'm not sure about other schools, but USC has a reasonably sized chapter of the Audio Engineering Society on campus (AES-USC). i plan on joining it once i get there.</p>
<p>i think AES might also have its convention at the LA Convention Center every couple of years...LACC/Staples Center is quite literally down the street from campus.</p>