Recording Arts Diploma

The Recording Arts Program lasts approximately 14-18 months. You will need a minimum of 20 hours per week (4 hours of one-on-one course instruction, 2 hours for a class event, and 14 hours of studio project lab time).

The Recording Arts Program is designed to take you directly on a music production career path. Working in the music industry is very reputation oriented. It is often difficult for beginning audio engineers and music producers, even if they are accomplished, to gain a foothold. If they aren't working then they aren't gaining a reputation and if they don't have a reputation as an audio engineer or music producer then they aren't getting work. The design of this program is a direct answer to that problem.

During the program you will be seeking out what will be potential clients, bringing them into the studio, and doing single full production songs with them. In the Advanced Term you will do as many as 10 music production projects like this (10 single songs with the intent to create a client). Through this process you will be learning how to find and interact with potential clients, how to build client relationships, and a refinement of the music production skills you started in the Beginning Term.

In tandem to your music production projects you will be attending a weekly music business, beat composition, marketing and design, and Pro Tools lesson. The business and marketing lessons will cover everything from designing your own business card and website to understanding QuickBooks, music law, and publishing. The beat composition lessons combine traditional songwriting techniques with the use of the most current beat production software.

There are very few students that make it all the way through the Recording Arts Program that don't create at least a client or two. So, if you continue the path we start you on during the program, you should be on a path to building a client base in the coming years.

Gainful Employment Info

Recording Arts - Term 1

Click the tabs below to see some of the classes that make up the four course subjects.

Beginning Recording Techniques

Beginning Recording Techniques (BRT-101) is a 2 hour a week, one-on-one class. It introduces fundamentals of recording techniques and equipment used within a recording studio. Concepts such as defining what audio is, signal flow, patch bays, signal processors, microphones, consoles and other studio basics are taught. Here is a breakdown some of the lessons:

Sound

Understanding the anatomy of sound

Time Based Effects

Understanding the anatomy and the controls of reverb, delay, flanging, chorusing and others

Microphone Design

Understanding how acoustic sound waves are converted into analog electrical signal

Analog Tape

Understanding the science behind the tonal characteristics of an analog signal path

Session Flow, Signal Flow

Understanding how signal flows around the "console"

Automation

Learning how to synchronize automate every single parameter in Pro Tools

Patch Bay, More Signal Flow

Connecting and re-routing signal all across the studio

Digital Technology

The specifics of the science around how digital recording and editing work

Amplifiers

Understanding how analog signal is manipulated

Midi and Studio Design

Understanding MIDI, and the science behind proper studio acoustics

Equalization

Everything there is to know about the technical aspects of tonal shaping

Microphone Techniques

Understanding special mic techniques, placement and terminology

Dynamics

Understanding the tools we use to manipulate the range between loud and quiet

Beginning Pro Tools and Productions

Beginning Pro Tools (BPT-101) is a 1 hour a week, one-on-one class. It introduces the student to Avid's (Digidesign's) Pro Tools software, its interface and menu structure. Topics covered are selection and navigation, editing techniques, mixing, mastering and exporting finished product. All classroom discussion is reinforced with required lab work. Here is a breakdown of some of the lessons:

Editing Concepts

Understanding the anatomy of digital audio and non-destructive editing

Routing for Mixing

Understanding stereo bussing, insert points, and send and returns

Tools and Key Commands

The first round of tools and key commands to know and use in an editing assignment

Compressors

Understanding the multiple tonal characteristics and the dynamic control created with the compressor

Sample Accurate Editing

The second round of tools and key commands to use in a sample accurate assignment

EQs

Understanding the proper use of tonal shaping

Groups and Playlists

Understanding how groups and playlists work and interact with each other during editing

Mixing Concepts

Understanding how dynamics, tonal shape, and stereo imaging work to create a 3D Mix

Sound Replacer

A breakdown of all the controls, functionality, and concepts of Sound Replacer

Routing for Mastering

Understanding the structure and signal flow of a mastering session

Auto-Tune

A breakdown of all the controls, functionality, and concepts of Auto-Tune

Mastering Concepts

Understanding multi-band compression, M-S, Inflating, Limiting, and Dithering

Melodyne

A breakdown of all the controls, functionality, and concepts of Melodyne

Beginning Beat Production and Music Theory

Beginning Beat Production and Music Theory (BMT-101) is a 1 hour a week, one-on-one class. It introduces the fundamentals of music theory in a production context. Topics discussed are major and minor key scales, intervals, basic elements of rhythm, triads and seventh chords, diatonic chords in major and minor keys, ear training, and key recognition. Here is a breakdown of some of the lessons:

Major Scales

Inversions of Chords

Minor Scales

Diatonic Chords

Intervals

Ear Training

Rhythm

Key Recognition

Triads and 7 Chords

Music Analysis

Beginning Projects and Events

Beginning Projects (BPE-101) is 2 hours of a weekly event combined with 14 hours of lab. It starts with a simple singer-songwriter session and then quickly graduates to full production recording. The student owns every step of the process. For each project the student will: contact artist, schedule studio time, record, overdub, edit, mix and master the material. We will walk you through every step of the way with weekly seminars and one-on-one tracking, editing, mixing, and mastering meetings. Here is a breakdown of first the seminars and then the projects:

Song Creation

The production techniques around song writing

Project Tracking

The freely booked studio time and instructor support to record as many as 6 projects

Tracking

Everything you would need to know when you show up to the studio to record an artist

Project Editing

The freely booked studio time and instructor support to edit all projects

Editing

Everything you would need to know when you show up to the studio to edit a song you have recorded

Project Overdubbing

The freely booked studio time and instructor support to overdub tracks for all projects

Mixing

Everything you would need to know when you show up to the studio to mix a song you have recorded

Project Mixing

The freely booked studio time and instructor support to mix all projects

Mastering

Everything you would need to know when you show up to the studio to master a CD

Project Mastering

The freely booked studio time and instructor support to master all projects

Client Relationships

Everything you would need to know to initiate and maintain healthy client relationships

Recording Arts - Term 2

Click the tabs below to see some of the classes that make up the five course subjects.

Music Business Development

Music Business Development (MBD-201) is a 1 hour a week, one-on-one class. It is fundamentally a small business development course that is specifically designed with the entertainment and music entrepreneur in mind. We are going to step through the process of starting an entire small music business for each student. Here is a breakdown some of the lessons:

Business Name

Designing the best name on which to build your music business startup

Digital Distribution

All of the different ways music is distributed today, and where it is headed tomorrow

Business Modeling

Doing the math around how your business will be structured

Royalty/Digital Release

Understanding the many ways songwriters make money from the use of there songs

Business Practices

The do's and don'ts of good business with clients

Music Law

Understanding how law interacts with the music industry, and some of the basic terminology embedded in standard contracts

Accounting

Basic accounting concepts, how to get around in Quick Books, and how to make a professional invoice

Internet Marketing and Design

Internet Marketing and Design (IMD-201) is fundamentally a small business brand development course that is specifically designed with the audio engineer/music producer in mind. We are going to step through the process of creating and developing an entire brand from logo to website. Here is a breakdown of some of the lessons:

Logo Design

Designing your logo

Players and Plugins

Integrating javascript and players to add polish and functionality to your site

Business Card

Designing and printing your business card

SEO

Learning the techniques to get great search results from search engines

Website Structure

Designing the look and feel for your website

Social Media

The art of connecting your website to a dynamic social media

Website Content

Learning the HTML skills necessary to implement and update your content

HTML Email

The ins and outs of designing an HTML e-mail to best show off your media

Advanced Pro Tools and Productions

Advanced Pro Tools (APT-201) takes the student's knowledge of Avid's (Digidesign's) Pro Tools to an expert level. Topics covered are elastic audio, film audio post production, and advanced stereo and surround mixing. All classroom discussions are reinforced with required lab work. Here is a breakdown of some of the lessons:

Using Playlist View

How to listen and comp tracks using playlist view

Advanced Auto-Tune

All the ins and outs of Auto-Tune

Elastic Audio

Understanding the many ways to use to manipulate time within an audio clip

Film Audio Post Production

Understanding how to record and place dialogue and sound effects for film and video

Time Straightening

How to take a performance with bad timing and make it one perfect tempo

Advance Mixing

A deeper understanding of stereo and surround mixing concepts

Advanced Melodyne

A deeper understanding of the process for tuning both monophonic and polyphonic instruments

Advanced Mastering

A deeper understanding of stereo and surround mastering concepts

Advanced Beat Production and Music Composition

Advanced Beat Production and Music Composition is designed to teach the student how to service a client from a songwriting and arranging point of view using MIDI in Pro Tools and Reason. Here is a breakdown some of the lessons:

Midi Chart Writing

Creating written music for hired musicians whom you will be recording for your clients projects

Guitars & Effects

Understanding the roles guitars can play and how effects can add interesting dimensions to your production

Song Structure

Understanding how songs are traditionally put together and the energy flow from beginning to end

Voice Leading & Strings

Adding drama with Strings and understanding how each instrument moves within a chord progression

Harmonizing & Arranging

Putting chords to a client's melody and lyrics, and an introduction to the art of arranging and beat production

Counterpoint & Winds

Learning brass and woodwinds, and how different melodic elements call-and-respond to each other within a piece

Synths, Samplers & Bass

Learning the basic tools for MIDI triggered sounds and the function of the Bass in an arrangement

Vocals & Melody

How to bring out the best, most inspired vocal performances and how vocal layering can enhance your production

Keys & Chord Choice

Everything you would need to know when you show up to the studio to master a CD

Final Project

Putting it all together with a potential client - creating an arrangement for a songwriter using MIDI in Pro Tools

Advanced Projects and Events

Advanced Projects (APE-201) is focused on the skill of developing client relationships. You will learn how to start your relationships with artists in a way as to set the foundation for a potential client. You will record, edit, mix and master as many as 10 single song projects, each with the intent of creating a client. Here is a breakdown some of the lessons:

Artist Relationship

The freely booked studio time and instructor support to record as many as 10 projects