Hi there, my son is a rising senior who is planning on applying to Sound Recording and Music Tech programs. He wants to stay in the NE and is looking for programs that will allow him to continue playing (trumpet) and composing as well as learning the sound recording and live sound stuff. His list is Syracuse, Ithaca, Temple, College of Saint Rose, U Mass Lowell, Hartt, William Paterson, and West Conn. He has average grades (but in Honors courses) and good SAT scores, but we have no idea how many apply to these programs and how many they take, or how much of the decision is based on audition (almost all on his list are BM degrees with auditions) - My D is a rising junior in the MT program at Hartt, and I felt like I knew how slim the chances were with MT programs, but I have no idea about the Sound Recording programs. I don’t even know if we have a good list! (Northeastern and NYU are not on there because I don’t think his grades will be strong enough). Any advice about other schools to consider, or info about the acceptance rates of any of these places for this major?
Sounds like a great list from what little I know about this 
Does he have a portfolio of work in the area of sound recording or composition?
He has a small portfolio of 4-5 good compositions he did through his Harmony and Composition and AP Music Theory classes in school, and we will be getting a little private tutoring in composition this summer. He has a few ProTools recording projects he has done (mainly recording for his friends) and he helped record and mix his HS Jazz Band’s professional recording. He has also done some live sound mixing for my husband’s band that gigs locally. Performance wise, he has 7 years of experience playing in Jazz Band, 3 in a very high level HS Jazz Band that has placed top 3 in national festivals, 8 playing in various school ensembles (Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, etc), 3 years of Marching Band (this year as Drum Major). He really only came to the conclusion that he wants to study Sound Recording after the experience of being in the studio recording his HS Jazz Band. He knew he wanted something music related, but not performance. He was thinking Music Ed or Music Therapy, and then BOOM, he got hit by the recording bug. I just wonder if the field is so competitive that he doesn’t have a chance because he didn’t find his passion until now, and may be competing against students who have been working to develop their portfolios for years.
He’s not far behind and raw talent is often recognized. Is he aware that the composition field now involves electronics/ studio work/computer work? I think it’s great that he is getting a composition teacher for the summer. He is so multi-faceted that he may find a strictly studio program less stimulating. I hope he can look into some of the technical aspects of contemporary (classical aka “New music”) composing. A brief search of course listings and descriptions within composition departments would be helpful. He may still end up with some of the same schools (Ithaca is strong in this). I’ll PM you. It’s important that he get some of his pieces played by good players before applying. Doesn’t have to be all of them.
My son has a bunch of friends at Berklee whose are focusing on music production – being on the other side of the glass as it were. They all play an instrument, often more than one, do some writing but, mostly, want to produce. Sounds like this may be what your son is interested in? If so, I think this is a distinctly different focus/major from “composition”.
For instance, at Berklee, there are separate composition and “music production and engineering” majors. At University of Michigan, it’s “performing arts technology”, again separate from composition. You said your son wants to stay in the NE but I know the Michigan program is really competitive to get into and offers an option to earn a B.S. degree in sound engineering that requires higher GPA and test scores. (My son has two friends from HS who are in the Michigan program.)
The Michigan PAT program is very competitive and requires a portfolio.
Screenname, programs are separate but there are many aspects of studio work that are included in composition these days. Every composition program has electronics courses that involve time in the studio, using programs like Max, ProTools, others, and there are also separate programs in computer music. Terminology is confusing.
I was just making the point that if a student wants to compose, and is interested in the tech end of production, the two intersect and blur a bit. Every program will be a little different so it is necessary to check details.
Well, I think this is a lot like when “software engineering” was emerging as a discipline on its own. Until then, computer science, math and various other engineering and applied science fields were considered comparable programs to graduate from to get into the field. That changed as the discipline matured and the technologies involved became much more complex. There’s no doubt that many (if not most) of the music disciplines today get some exposure to the technical components of music production. I think it’s become pretty standard for all music students to use Pro Tools, Sibelius, etc.
In the recent past, I’m sure a lot of people got into music production via another discipline. I think that’s changing, largely because of the transition from analog to digital sound (signal) processing. Maybe classical performance musicians see less impact. Nevertheless, if sound production is what you want to pursue as a young person, I really think you want to get into a program where that’s actually the focus.
I’m saying all this because I’m an engineer in the audio engineering industry, on the consumer side.
He wants to continue composing and playing the trumpet, so that makes it a bit more complicated: there are more options to look into. I do know people in sound production or whatever you want to call it who got into it a bit later, or informally through other routes. But that may be changing, yes.
Look into SUNY Fredonia, which is known for its music programs. If you are in NY, you can’t beat the prices.
A bit out of your geographical area (although there are quite a few kids from NE and NY/ NJ/ MD/ PA), but if he is willing to look a little further away James Madison has a Music Industry major where students continue study on primary instrument, play in ensembles, and can study compisition.
Great advice! Thanks all. He definitely is on the side of wanting the producing/recording part of the program to be the focus, but still be able to play. Most schools have that. I think we will be able to find programs where he can continue to compose on his own, and get some guidance on that, possibly more informally. We are in Western CT (West Conn is our low-cost, in-state option), and Fredonia is quite far (about 7 hours by car), but I have heard it is a great program. We have added SUNY Purchase to the list of places to look. We looked at JMU, but it is really too far, and Michigan would be out of the mix because his GPA is not good enough, even it were closer. Anyone know how many people are out there applying to this type of major? How many students they take each year? I am just wondering about the relative competitiveness, compared to performance majors (which I know are very competitive). I feel like we will have his material in good shape to apply and it seems like the list is pretty on target - now we just have to get him in somewhere!
It makes it easier if he knows he wants to focus on that one area out of his three! I think his list looks great and adding a SUNY is a good idea too. Good luck!
The Studio Production program at SUNY Purchase should be right up his alley. S works with production majors frequently on their personal projects, (their own compositions-so there’s room for exploration there it seems), and the recording facilities are great. The studio programs are highly competitive, on par with performance programs, but your S sounds like he has some great practical experience and good recordings already, so he should be in good shape. Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions, and best of luck!