Music Producing & Recording
Diploma - 60 Credits
Competency: Musicianship
Course Number: MUS-1000
Credits: 3
Course Description
Applied Theory Lab 1 consists of five primary elements: Music theory, ear training, basic piano, sight singing and music notation. The class will cover the fundamentals of all the aforementioned elements. Some of the topics covered will be major keys/scales, intervals, transposition, sight-reading, and hand notation skills. Ear training components will consist of melodic, rhythmic and interval dictation. The students will sit at a workstation with a computer and piano keyboard. The dissemination of the material will be interactive and hands on. The ear training, sight singing, piano and notation are all used in such a way as to reinforce the music theory goals for the course. This course consist of four weekly, one-hour labs.
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-1000
Credits: 3
Course Description
In Pro Tools 101 students explore introductory level Pro Tools hardware and software functionality while studying the supplementary coursework provided. Through studying the basic Pro Tools principles, students gain the skills needed to complete a Pro Tools project from initial set-up to final mix-down. Whether the project involves recording live instruments, MIDI sequencing of software synthesizers, or audio looping, this course provides the basic skills needed to succeed. At the conclusion of this course students will be given the official Pro Tools 101 certification exams. This course consists of a weekly, two hour lecture and two-hours of lab. This course may be taken as an elective.
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-113
Credits: 3
Course Description
A successful producer must truly know the tools used in production, and this course introduces students to the primary building blocks used in signal processing. Topics include compression/limiting, reverb, pitch-based effects, and delay/echo. This course consists of a weekly, three-hour lecture. This course may be taken as an elective
Competency: Instrument
Course Number: PROD-114
Credits: 2
Course Description
This course serves as an accompaniment to the “Drums for Producers 1” course, and aims to create a physical understanding of the act of playing drums and percussion. Students work on core drumming concepts during weekly private lessons with a LACM drum instructor. This course consists of a weekly, one-hour private lesson.
Competency: Instrument
Course Number: PROD-115
Credits: 1
Course Description
This course focuses on the skills needed for producers to communicate/ convey their ideas to a drummer. Students learn drumming vocabulary, tuning, and recording techniques, as well as drum set technique basics, functions, and grooves. The course aims for students to emerge better able to communicate, demonstrate and compose drum parts. This course consists of a weekly, one-hour lecture.
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-120
Credits: 2
Course Description
Just as an instrumentalist must be familiar with various styles and techniques, so must a producer know different production styles and genres. With that goal in mind, this course analyzes commercial recorded musical examples in a variety of different musical and production styles, providing both the background necessary to emulate these styles and the information necessary to blaze new territory. This course consists of a weekly, two-hour lecture. This course may be taken as an elective.
QUARTER SUMMARY
Competencies Covered: Musicianship, Instrument & Music Technology.
Total Credits: 14
Competency: Musicianship
Course Number: MUS-1001
Credits: 3
Course Description
Applied Theory Lab 2 continues with the five primary elements of Applied Theory 1. Diatonic harmony, chord construction and progressions as well as chromaticism are introduced. Added requirements for ear training will be chord progression and chord recognition dictation. Students are asked to perform on the piano all ear training material to better comprehend the information. Computer notation is introduced. This course consist of four weekly, one-hour labs.
Prerequisite: Applied Theory Lab 1.
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-1001
Credits: 3
Course Description
Pro Tools 110 continues building on the concepts learned in Pro Tools 101. Students focus on the key concepts and skills needed to operate a Pro Tools system, and provides the foundation for later post-production courses within the program. At the conclusion of both levels, students will be given the official Pro Tools 101 and 110 certification exams. This course consists of a weekly, two-hour lecture and two-hours of lab. This course may be taken as an elective
Prerequisite: Pro Tools 101
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-107
Credits: 2
Course Description
Level 1 of this course serves as an introduction to MIDI and virtual instrument-based composition using a digital audio workstation (Pro Tools). Students are taught both the best practices and the workings of MIDI systems, which subsequently lays the groundwork for their own MIDI-based productions. This course consists of a weekly, one-hour lecture and two-hour lab. This course may be taken as an elective.
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-117
Credits: 1
Course Description
This course introduces students to the world of microphone technology and technique. Topics include the various classes of microphones, their construction and application, and how to achieve the desired results from various acoustic sources. This course consists of a weekly, two-hour lab. This course may be taken as an elective.
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-121
Credits: 2
Course Description
This course teaches essential skills for the modern producer. Topics covered include techniques for troubleshooting, cabling/wiring, and an introduction to basic soldering and simple electronics. Also included are the internal workings of computers and hard drives, small studio ergonomics and design, speaker choice and placement, room treatment, and the concepts of maintaining a recording/production environment. This course consists of a weekly, two-hour lecture.
Competency: Instrument
Course Number: PROD-122
Credits: 1
Course Description
This course provides the skills needed for producers to communicate/ convey their ideas to a guitarist, as well as teaches the basics of guitar and bass playing. Topics include technique, strumming, chords,slapping and finger picking. Special emphasis is placed on obtaining the skills necessary for songwriting, arranging and recording. This course consists of a weekly, one-hour lecture.
Competency: Instrument
Course Number: PROD-126
Credits: 2
Course Description
This course serves as an accompaniment to the “Strings for Producers 1” class, and aims at creating a physical understanding of the act of playing guitar and bass. Students study guitar for half of the course with a LACM guitar instructor, and the other half of the course studying bass with a LACM bass instructor. This course consists of a weekly, one-hour private lesson.
QUARTER SUMMARY
Competencies Covered: Instrument, Musicianship, & Music Technology.
Total Credits: 14
Competency: Musicianship
Course Number: MUS-1002
Credits: 3
Course Description
Applied Theory 3 continues to build on the five primary elements of Applied Theory 1 and 2. Minor keys/scales, modes, progressions in major and minor tonality, modulation, constitutes some of the new information in Applied Theory 3. Melodies, rhythms, intervals, progressions, chord qualities continue to grow in complexity as we move through these upper levels of Applied Theory 3. This course consist of four weekly, one-hour labs.
Prerequisite: Applied Theory Lab 2.
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-116
Credits: 3
Course Description
Building on the skills learned in “Introduction to Signal Processing,” this course delves even deeper into the world of signal processing. Students explore matrixed effects, specialty-use devices and plugins, and creating soundscapes. This course consists of a weekly, three-hour lecture. This course may be taken as an elective.
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-118
Credits: 2
Course Description
MIDI Production 2 digs even deeper into the world of computer MIDI- based production. This level focuses on advanced MIDI editing, routing and creating multi/stacks, and synth programming. This course consists of a weekly, one-hour lecture and two-hour lab. This course may be taken as an elective.
Prerequisite: MIDI Production 1.
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-119
Credits: 2
Course Description
The goal of this course is to teach techniques for editing of musical performances, specifically singing, drumming, and guitar playing. The focus will be on vocal and drum editing, using Melodyne, Auto Tune, and Beat Detective. Students will develop editing skills that allow them to deliver interventions ranging from the subtle to the very processed. This course consists of a weekly, two-hour lecture.
Competency: Instrument
Course Number: PROD-123
Credits: 1
Course Description
This class is designed to help students develop their vocal skills, as well as gain the knowledge needed to successfully work with singers in a recording setting. In addition, students study vocal technique and qualities of sound. This course consists of a weekly, one-hour lecture.
Competency: Instrument
Course Number: PROD-124
Credits: 2
Course Description
This course serves as an accompaniment to the “Vocals for Producers 1” class, and aims at creating a physical understanding of the act of singing. Students work on core vocal concepts during weekly private lessons with a LACM voice instructor. This course consists of a weekly, one-hour private lesson.
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-125
Credits: 4
Course Description
As we move further into the new millennium, it has become increasingly more important that producers know how to engineer properly. Oftentimes they may be the only engineer available on a project, or they may be in a situation where modern technology allows recording remotely from a different continent. Level 1 of this course begins the recording technology discussion, while Level 2 delves deeper into the subject by studying complex signal processing, multing tricks and techniques, and sound replacement/augmentation. This course consists of a weekly, two-hour lecture, and two-hour lab.
Prerequisite: Students must complete each level in order to continue into the subsequent level of the course.
QUARTER SUMMARY
Competencies Covered: Music Technology, Instrument & Musicianship.
Total Credits: 17
Course Description
Students have the opportunity to choose any course that is offered as an elective. This course may be within the students major field of study or outside of the major. Please note: if the elective course chosen is outside the major area of study the department heads signature will be required to add the course. The course of choice must be worth at least 1.0 credit.
Competency: Musicianship
Course Number: MUS-2000
Credits: 3
Course Description
Applied Theory 4 continues to build on the five primary elements of Applied Theory 1, 2 and 3. Tri-tone substitutions, composition, atonal music, modal interchange and secondary dominants are some of the new concepts in Applied Theory 4. Upon completion of Applied Theory 4, the student should arrive at level of musicianship expected of a working professional. This course consist of four weekly, one-hour labs.
Prerequisite: Applied Theory 3.
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-216
Credits: 4
Course Description
As we move further into the new millennium, it has become increasingly more important that producers know how to engineer properly. Oftentimes they may be the only engineer available on a project, or they may be in a situation where modern technology allows recording remotely from a different continent. Engineering for Producers 2 delves deeper into the subject by studying complex signal processing, multing tricks and techniques, and sound replacement/augmentation. This course consists of a weekly, two-hour lecture, and two-hour lab.
Prerequisite: Engineering for Producers 1.
Competency: Instrument
Course Number: PROD-220
Credits: 2
Course Description
During quarters four, five, and six, students are given the opportunity to work one-on-one with an instructor of their choice. Students may choose to continue studying drums, string instruments, or vocals, or may decide to further develop their skills in engineering or songwriting. This flexibility gives music producing and engineering students the power to choose the direction of their studies in senior quarters. This course consists of a weekly, one-hour private lesson.
Prerequisite: Students must complete each level in order to continue into the subsequent level of the course
Competency: Music Tech
Course Number: PROD-224
Credits: 2
Course Description
Pop music has become more perfect than ever, and a modern producer needs to know how to use technology to correct or modify the pitch of a voice or instrument. This course explores various methods ranging from the gentle/non-invasive to more drastic methods, giving each producer the tools to be effective in both reparative and creative uses. This course consists of a weekly, one-hour lecture, and one two-hour lab. This course may be taken as an elective.
Competency: Musicianship
Course Number: PROD-226
Credits: 3
Course Description
Producing other artists requires an altogether different set of skills than working alone. In this three-level course, students learn how to manage the process of producing someone else, as both the producer and the engineer/producer. Topics include creating conducive environments, managing multiple people at once, headphone mixes and their resulting effects, the application of songwriting class work, and motivational techniques. This course consists of a weekly, two- hour lecture and two-hour lab.
Prerequisite: Students must complete each level in order to continue into the subsequent level of the course
QUARTER SUMMARY
Competencies Covered: Instrument, Music Technology & Musicianship
Total Credits: 15