Music and Technology, Contemporary - Advanced Diploma

MUSC 250B Directed Studies - Mentorship is a weekly bi-weekly (every other week) 1/2 hour private tutorship is provided for all Directed Studies majors. Students will consult with their mentor on a consistent basis (for a total of six meetings per semester). Instruction is designed to increase student?s technical, artistic, and musical quality relating to final project goals, as pertaining to student?s project proposal and portfolio. The mentor may be changed, pending approval, on a semester basis.

MUSC 252 Private Lesson III A. A weekly half-hour private instrumental or vocal lesson is provided for all Music Production, Composition, and General Music majors. Instruction is available on keyboard, woodwinds, saxophone, percussion, guitar, electric and acoustic bass, and voice. Lessons are designed to increase students' technical and musical abilities.

MUSC 256 Stage Performance Techniques I. Students will learn how to construct and organize a concert from A to Z. Students will have to produce arrangements for all instruments involved, and assume a leadership role in rehearsals. They will be required to perform a wide variety of music at their instrument.

MUSC 258 Ensemble III. Ensembles, required of all students, are the focal point of the Music program. All students are placed by audition in one or more ensembles. Students must participate in a minimum of four ensembles to graduate. Types of ensembles offered will focus on contemporary music including rock, funk, fusion, jazz and vocal, with the goal of developing both the student's repertoire and improvisational abilities. Students are encouraged to participate in as many different types of ensembles as possible. A graduation showcase will be required from all students majoring in Music Performance.

MUSC 260 Mixdown and Editing I. In this course the functional, financial, and legal aspects of production entrepreneurship is examined. Topics covered include technical and artistic preparation through pre- and post- production, recognition of standard recording techniques, the effects of signal processing, and the analysis of various production styles in rock, pop, jazz and classical recordings. Student producers work with student engineers and artists to meet course requirements for two-track and multi-track recording projects.

MUSC 268 Songwriting I. This course is designed to help you prepare for survival in the competitive world of the songwriter's market. Learn about all types of styles while striving to define your own. Special attention is paid to the rudiments of songwriting: creativity, basic theory (usage of basic rhythms, scales, harmony, melodic patterns, lyrics, etc.), basic styles (pop, rock, folk, country, etc.), production patterns, and the legalities of the music business. The class also spends time analyzing the work of other writes (successful and unsuccessful; those who have maintained artistic integrity; those who have not).

MUSC 270 Recording Techniques I provides students with an introduction to recording principles and practices. Through theoretical and practical instruction students will acquire a basic understanding of studio technologies and recording skills. Topics include fundamentals of analogue and digital recording, design and function of microphones, loudspeakers, and acoustical considerations in sound recording. Student engineers work with student artists to complete live-to-two track and multi-track recordings.

MUSC 272 Improvisation I. In this course, students will begin applying the basic tools of melodic and harmonic improvisation. Melodic interpretation, phrasing, rhythmic density, motivic development, pacing, voice leading, and harmonic accuracy will all be explored through performance and analysis. The class will examine classic solos in a variety of idioms. Students will write and transcribe melodic improvisation. The class is taught with ''instrument in hand'', performing with teacher and students.

MUSC 274 Contemporary Harmony III. This course continues with the principles of contemporary harmony in Harmony 2. Topics are expanded to include Deceptive Resolution, Substitute Dominants, Diminished Chords, Modulation, Blues and Chord Scale Relationships. This course provides students with a practical working knowledge of harmony in various styles of contemporary music as it applies to composition and improvisation.

MUSC 282 Film Scoring I. This hands-on course focuses on TV and radio broadcasting. Students are required to score themes and cues for various TV and radio shows using mostly electronic equipment along with one or two live musicians.

MUSC 284 Composition I. This course is designed to improve the skills of composers by presenting a wide variety of compositional tools in styles ranging from Classical to Jazz, Folk, Rock and Pop. By studying the recordings and scores of composers throughout history each student gains a musical awareness that strengthen their own compositional process. Particular attention is paid to the ''building blocks of a composition;'' the musical elements such as melody, harmony and rhythm that are at the core of the creative process. In class performance and analysis of student compositions occurs on a weekly basis and midterm and final assignments are recorded.

MUSC 288 Advanced MIDI Applications I. This course is an applied study of the software and concepts used in the recording home studio environment. The primary focus of the course is in the use of Pro Tools LE for the self-recording musician. Topics include: mixing console application, editing techniques, microphone technique, an introduction to effects processing for final mixing, auxiliary buss in the virtual mixing board, use of patch bay, outboard effects, and file maintenance.

MUSC 290 The Business of Music. The purpose of this course is three-fold: to provide the student with an awareness of the career possibilities in the field of music; to introduce students to some of the major aspects of the music profession; and to introduce students to basic general business practices. This course is of particular benefit to students planning a career in the music industry.

MUSC 253 Private Lesson IV A. A weekly one-hour private instrumental or vocal lesson is provided for all first year students. Instruction is available on keyboard, woodwinds, saxophone, percussion, guitar, electric and acoustic, bass, and voice. Lessons are designed to increase students' technical and musical abilities.

MUSC 257 Stage Performance Techniques II. Students will be asked to select five to eight musical pieces of any style (could also include original material) to form a 30 minute showcase to be performed in public as a graduating recital. Students will have to produce partitions for all instruments involved, and assume a leadership role in all rehearsals

MUSC 259 Ensemble IV, required of all students, are the focal point of the Music program. All students are placed by audition in one or more ensembles. Students must participate in a minimum of four ensembles to graduate. Types of ensembles offered will focus on contemporary music including rock, funk, fusion, jazz and vocal, with the goal of developing both the student's repertoire and improvisational abilities. Students are encouraged to participate in as many different types of ensembles as possible. A graduation showcase will be required from all students majoring in Music Performance.

MUSC 161 Mixdown and Editing II.  In this course the production aspects of recording music for various industry applications will be analyzed, discussed, and applied to student projects. Particular attention will be paid to the areas of music production for records, film and television, and radio and television commercials. Students will work with state-of-the-art video/audio synchronization devices. Student producers will work as a team with student engineers and artists, songwriters, and film composers to produce three projects; one in each idiom.

MUSC 269 Songwriting II. This course is designed to strengthen your songwriting skills in every respect. Closer attention is paid to marketing skills, legal procedures, finding one's personal niche in the music business (whether to focus on one's own style, concentrate on writing tunes for other acts, or both; whether to go through a publisher or be your own publisher; etc.). Co-writing music is to be explored (you put lyrics to someone else's music; they put music to yours). Class time centers around the analysis of successful songwriters in every genre.

MUSC 271 Recording Techniques II. The emphasis in this course is on advanced multi-track recording techniques including microphone placement, console signal flow, and live recording. Topics include: discussion and utilization of signal processing equipment including limiters, compressors, noise gates, digital reverb, and delay. Student engineers work with student producers and artists or composers. Prerequisites: MUSC 270 for MUSC 271. Must be taken concurrently with MUSC 261/289.

MUSC 273 Advanced Improvisation II. This course continues the concepts of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic variety learned in Improvisation I. These concepts are then applied to the stylistic considerations of rock, funk, Latin, jazz, blues, and calypso music. Greater emphasis is given to harmonic accuracy through arpeggio and scale studies. Students will examine classic solos in class, as well as transcribe and perform their own transcriptions of improvisations. Improvisation is also examined in the context of rhythmic section accompaniment.

MUSC 275 Contemporary Harmony IV. This course continues with the principles of contemporary harmony in Harmony 3. Topics are expanded to include further concepts of Deceptive Resolution, Non-functional Dominant chords, Contiguous Dominants, Pedal Point and Ostinato, Modal harmony, Compound Chords, and Constant Structures. This course provides students with a practical working knowledge of harmony in various styles of contemporary music as it applies to areas of composition and improvisation.

MUSC 283 Film Scoring II provides students with an understanding of the different compositional techniques used in feature film genres such as drama, suspense, comedy and action/adventure. The course content includes analysis of film soundtracks of the past and present, the business of being a film composer, film scoring technology, orchestration, conducting, and how to get started as a film composer.

MUSC 285 Composition II. This course continues the study of compositional building blocks started in Composition 1 with an additional focus on arranging and orchestration. Topics include minimalism, world rhythm studies, chord progressions and voicings in classical and contemporary styles, and string and vocal arranging. Composers of interest include Sting, John Lennon, Bach, Stravinsky, Steve Reich, and Miles Davis.

MUSC 289 Advanced MIDI Applications II. This course is a continuation of MUSC 288. The primary focus is the advanced use of Pro Tools LE. Topics will include: the musical application of effects plug-ins, computer components and related technology, and other recording formats.