<p>Hi! So D is expressing at lest some interest in music tech. Some schools we are familiar with:</p>
<p>FSU
Stetson
Belmont</p>
<p>JHU / Peabody - this seems to be qualitatively different than the others, in that there is more study of true "engineering". Are there other similar programs? Is so where? Or am I incorrect in the distinction between programs?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>What does she want to do with her degree? It might help to delineate her goals in order to find the right program.</p>
<p>Do a search on this forum–there have been some very good threads on music tech. I think one of the best programs is at Michigan–lots of info here.</p>
<p>Music tech programs are odd in that their curriculum can vary wildly from school to school.</p>
<p>For example, Peabody, UMiami Frost, Michigan, and Carnegie Mellon all have significant engineering components- I can’t speak to Peabody or CMU, but I know Miami and Michigan both incorporate an ECE minor into their music tech major (Michigan has several different music tech curricula, but the BS in sound engineering is what I’m referring to- there are others that focus more on digital media and grant a BFA). I know that Miami grads often pursue careers in boutique audio or plug-in programming, two very technical fields. For example, one particularly bright grad is now an audio software engineer for Microsoft.</p>
<p>On the other hand, you have your programs that focus strictly on recording- IU Jacobs, NYU Steinhardt, Ithaca, and some others. These prepare students for careers in studio recording or live sound. They offer much more actual recording experience than the other degrees (especially IU, who I believe claims that each student leaves with over 1000 hours in the studio), but don’t really teach a whole lot of hard science or engineering skills.</p>
<p>Then you have others like NYU Tisch and USC Thornton that have a music tech component, but focus largely on the business and practice of producing. These are kind of a crossover between music tech and music business majors (USC’s is pretty much a music business major, but a concentration is available in technology).</p>
<p>So what I’m getting at is…your D still may have some more deciding to do depending on what exactly she aspires toward. ;)</p>
<p>RoKr93 is correct - there seem to be several different models for programs and the title of the program doesn’t necessarily tell you much. My son found that visiting schools was important for him as well as looking at the course lists. There’s a good listing of audio engineering programs at [AES</a> Education Directory](<a href=“http://www.aes.org/education/directory/]AES”>AES Education Directory)</p>
<p>My son has been looking at having music technology as a dual major or a minor. As stradmom said, looking at the course lists has really helped him to narrow his list. Some programs focus on things that really didn’t interest him at all.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the info. ANNE1389 - my D is also thinking of either a double major or minor (first major in voice or musical theater). And I’m not sure she really knows yet, what type of music tech she’d be most interested in. Phew! Just when I think we’re starting to get our list whittled down - this only adds to and / or changes it! Definitely will be an interesting year ahead.</p>
<p>I never know what “music technology” means. It seems to mean many things. Just to add another angle, it can pertain to electroacoustic composition (or electroacoustic mixed with acoustic) using a lab to create and/or manipulate sounds. Performance is by an “orchestra” of many speakers around the concert hall.</p>
<p>My son is considering Middle Tennessee State, Eastern Kentucky or Indiana University Southeast for music technology/audio recording with a music performance minor. It’s true that the programs vary widely. I strongly suggest meeting with someone from the school to go over the program of study. We did that with a faculty member at MTSU and it was very helpful.</p>
<p>OP, re:
</p>
<p>Don’t take my comments as gospel here, but for your planning purposes, it seems helpful to point out that at some of the top tier music schools, this would not be allowed. Like an intensive instrument program, music technology at SOME schools can be highly concentrated specialized degree with a sequence that pretty much precludes a second degree unless you’re attending a fifth year, and even then, most drop down to a single degree before graduating. (Often not available as a minor either.)</p>
<p>For example, at Michigan (where my son attended in a version of music tech that was one part as compmom actually described, one part multimedia sound engineering and one part more traditional recording/engineering, just to confuse the issue) – you could not even APPLY to both the MUSIC THEATRE and PAT (music tech) programs – you’d have to choose one.</p>
<p>With VOICE, however, when you apply to the equivalent of a BMUS in PAT, the degree is integrated with your “instrument”/performance. But in that case, you’re not a “double major” – you’re receiving a BMUS in PAT.</p>
<p>BTW, Rokr described the differences very well and was accepted into at least 3 of those top programs (if not more) that I know about, so you can pretty much take his descriptions to the bank.</p>
<p>Also, just so you know, in the case of Michigan, you are expected to submit a portfolio of work for which you’ve garnered a certain degree of at least regional recognition or for which you clearly have demonstrated skill, and you are also given additional “assignments” including electronic instrumentation of a fugue for example, digital samples, code, multi-tracked recording if applying to the ENG route (in stereo and min of three instruments simultaneously tracked) and a composition, for example.</p>
<p>So looking at these kinds of requirements can help you get a sense of program fit to your d’s skills.</p>
<p>If she is “principally” a vocalist, and has a contemporary streak with a desire to self-produce, one program certainly worth a visit/closer look (to my mind) would be NYU’s Clive Davis Recording Arts program, which has a stream designed for singer/songwriter/producers – likewise USC Thornton’s Contemporary program.</p>
<p>Hope that helps and doesn’t confuse you further.</p>
<p>Maybe answering these questions will help us give better guidance.</p>
<p>What experience has your d had to date with technology? Has she multi-tracked? Run sound? Does she sequence using programs such as logic? Does she program or like programming? </p>
<p>What are her stats like? Is she strong in math/science (physics in particular)? (Stats and STEM capability are particularly germane in the UMich-type programs).</p>
<p>Does she want to compose electronic music?</p>
<p>Does she want to reinforce live venue sound?</p>
<p>Does she want to work in music production specifically?</p>
<p>Is she interested in scoring films?</p>
<p>Does she presently compose music? If so, is it contemporary pop, classical, jazz etc.?</p>
<p>What is her musical background – eg. theatrical popular singing? Chorale?</p>
<p>Any info you can provide might help us give you more food for thought.
Cheers!</p>
<p>thanks again to everyone for all the info.
kmcmom asked a lot of questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them! </p>
<p>My D is a rising hs senior, and has mostly been looking at auditioning for VP/ Music Theatre programs - her real dream is to perform. She attended one of the music camps at FSU this summer and one of the recruiters talked about music tech. She would have asked more ? but said she thought she was the only one who was interested.</p>
<p>She is a very strong student and has been taking AP/ honors courses her whole time at hs, while being in marching band, chorus (All state every year, got into All State Sight Reading Choir as a sophomore), and drama. She’s been in 15 local community theatre and hs productions over the past 3 years. Been taking voice with an excellent teacher for the past 2+ years, also studies piano.</p>
<p>She’s been talking about studying music / being a musician / performer for a long, long time - probably at least since late elementary school. She’s quite bright and very good in science / math as well. She has not programmed, but has used Finale notepad a bit. Her SAT/ ACT and grades are high enough that she should at least be able to apply anywhere and, we think, have a shot. The main issue will be finances. </p>
<p>She loves music theory (took AP this year, 5 on the exam); interested in composition, though would not go in as a composition major. She really doesn’t know much about music tech, as I’ve said, and we don’t either. I think she would be more interested in taking some courses / minoring as opposed to majoring. She has expressed interest in recording engineering and film scoring, but has no experience.</p>
<p>IF her real dream is to perform, then why not just follow that? Is there a reason you are asking about music technology, which she doesn’t know much about and hasn’t had any experience in? I mean, is she worried about making a living, or is there some other reason for this interest? Did she play around with technology at the FSU program she was in?</p>
<p>I would think she would either apply as a VP or musical theater major (and apparently even that decision is complex and difficult) or go in as a general music major or even an undecided. She can try some classes in the music technology area once on campus and branch out from there, if she likes it, or figure something else out. If she is a VP or general music major, and takes theory and composition, chances are there will be a chance to take a class involving technology.</p>
<p>Of course, I still don’t really know what you mean by music technology, but KMCmom does and my daughter probably does too. She is terrible at math and science but someone recently asked if she sleeps in the electroacoustic lab! Unrelated, she also works with a sound engineer doing CD recordings- never taken a class in this. I never, ever would have imagined her going in this direction. Sometimes, if you let life happen, it goes in interesting directions that you cannot predict.</p>
<p>Lcoulter, based on your response, she actually wouldn’t likely be qualified to apply for the types of music tech programs I’ve described at this point in time, but could certainly pursue technology ad hoc via course open to non-majors. (Eg. Michigan, IU, Frost, Belmont in engineering would usually be no-gos in particular with no multi-track/stereo production experience. The contemporary songwriter/producer programs out there though might be more lenient in terms of tech experience – not certain.)</p>
<p>Just as some students identify early as performers, so too do many “music tech” types. So by the time they’re competing for spots at top programs, they’ve already usually produced multi-tracked recordings, learned quite a bit about programming if they’re into sampling, and have other hallmarks of high technical aptitude and related experience, usually including some kind of instruction.</p>
<p>Eg. at UMich, the portfolio requirements to get an interview include a full score, a set of sampled sounds, an electronic instrumentation of a Bach fugue, a stereo min-3-instrument multi-track recording, and preferable code samples etc.</p>
<p>So it’s not something you can access (as a full major) the way one would an elective. It is a discipline, just like Voice, violin, piano, etc.</p>
<p>However, your daughters interest in music theater, production, and possible future interest in technology <em>could</em> mean that if she didn’t want to pursue her craft, she might enjoy theatrical sound design. Maybe a good music theatre program would serve her collective desires. I know at UMich, for example, lots of the music theater and theater students collaborate with my son’s discipline, but some also pursue the non-major courses in it and a few have even asked him for “lessons” in it.</p>
<p>lcoulter, send your D to UMass Lowell (strong program; my son goes there). They can use more females in the Sound Recording Technology program!!!</p>
<p>kmcmom13, it looks like Michigan has 2 programs - music & tech and sound engineering. Music & tech doesn’t appear to have quite as stringent entrance requirements as the engineering program. Can you speak to that?</p>
<p>Here’s a link to a program at Michigan, that I happened to be looking at on behalf of someone else. [UM</a> School of Music, Theatre & Dance - Department of Performing Arts Technology](<a href=“http://www.music.umich.edu/departments/pat/index.php]UM”>PAT 200/500: Introduction to Electronic Music Production Showcase (Section 4) - University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance)</p>
<p>Brown U. has a technology strand w/in the music major. Northeastern, Hartt, NYU, Oberlin and UMass Lowell had come to mind too.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, though, I think Miami makes the decision based on your academic performance (you absolutely need to be strong in math and science- unlike many music programs, this is almost equal in importance to the audition) and an instrumental audition. You can submit a recording portfolio, but it’s optional.</p>
<p>Also, I decided to apply to music tech programs much, much later than your average music student (I only even discovered they existed at the end of my junior year of high school, lol) and with much less formal training, I imagine, than most applicants. I worked over that summer to get money to scrounge together some recording gear, then haphazardly threw my portfolios together in my bedroom that fall while simultaneously balancing a varsity sport, the heaviest AP course load I’d ever taken, and the rest of my college apps.</p>
<p>In retrospect, I would recommend planning out your time a little better, haha. But I did end up getting into some nice schools, so don’t lose heart if you don’t have much music tech experience. At this time two years ago, I didn’t have any. :D</p>
<p>Yes Geo, there are actually four variants of the discipline:
(a) BMus Pat A - (performance plus tech)
b) BFA Pat B - (tech, composition and perf, sound recording & production)
c) BFA Pat C - (as above but with multimedia art forms, slightly less emphasis on music)
d) BSc Pat D (Eng) - (as above with added electrical engineering and equipment design)</p>
<p>and only variant “D” requires extensive stereo multitracking in the portfolio. But all four disciplines require the composition, recording/mix of the acoustic composition, electronic instrumentation of bach fugue, sampling/synth, recording of you playing an instrument/or singing, and if possible, code. (For multimedia, includes video, art, etc. as well).</p>
<p>My son’s portfolio could have served for curriculum D, but in his case, he was applying for curriculum B – but to create a really great recording of an original song obviously involves a lot of multitracking – however, the ENG students have to do it simultaneously with multiple performers, where as my son’s piece he was able to play every single track ;)</p>
<p>Hope that makes sense.</p>
<p>Thanks, mom. I wasn’t quite sure but wanted to make sure it made sense to OP.</p>