The Associate in Arts in Music Technology and Production at Chabot College is designed for degree and certificate-seeking students who are looking for a hands-on education that will provide them with a strong foundation for employment in the largely freelance professional music & audio industry. Housed in the state-of-the-art Chabot College recording studio & technology lab, this program offers instruction in audio recording, music production, sound design, audio for visual media, live concert sound reinforcement and multiple business aspects of the music industry. This broad range of study in a variety of areas within the field will provide students a dynamic basis from which to discover their own unique pathway into the music industry.
The program and curriculum offerings are setup such that only a maximum of 24 students can complete annually. Real world projections are between 14-20 completers total per year for the A.A. degrees being submitted for approval.
Worth mentioning here that we have put a great deal of discussion and thought into "right-sizing" the number of program completers relative to the job opportunities available. One of the (many) sins of the for-profit schools that teach these skills has been empty promises of work that has not been there. These empty promises has led, along with a number of other factors, to the closure of many of these expensive, (arguably) predatory for-profit schools (Ex'pressions, SAE, and SF Academy of Arts being the primary examples).
An important factor for the Committee to consider also is the fact that freelance work largely is not counted in the LMI data, and most work in today's music industry (recording, production, artistry) is DIY, independent, freelance work.
We feel strongly that, all things considered, our program has an appropriate place in the larger community, and that we are appropriately sized relative to the number of students who will complete and the opportunities that await them after school. To a large degree, musicians and music professionals make their own opportunities in the professional world through hustle, professionalism, and effective networking, and these are indeed cornerstones of our realistic approach to pedagogy.
The Associate in Arts in Music Technology and Production at Chabot College is an occupational/vocational program designed to prepare students for a primarily freelance career in the music industry. In the past decade, digitization has radically changed the economy of the music industry from a corporate, record label-driven model to one that is now primarily driven by freelancers and sole-proprietors. Diversification and multiplicity of skill sets—both technical and artistic—are now the foundations for relevant vocational training in this industry. As such, the Music Recording & Technology program at Chabot College seeks to provide students with a broad, dynamic package of courses and completion options that will provide the best possible points of departure for a wide variety of career pathways in the new music industry.
Below are the program requirements for the Associate in Arts in Music Technology and Production.
We observe a subtle but important separation of necessary professional skills in the freelance music industry. Audio recording and mixing vs Music Production. Capturing vs creating music, if you will. Depending on a student's specific, individual career goals, we seek to offer thorough yet efficient courses of study that cover both of those bases.
The program outlined below are extremely similar to the Certificate of Completion that we already offer, we are merely converting those to Certificates of Achievement to be more aligned with state curriculum guidelines.
Additionally, we would like to add an A.A. program offering for students who wish to have a general education component to their matriculation. While an A.A. degree is not a required achievement for those in the freelance music industry, we believe that it is our responsibility to provide an option for students who both want to acquire foundational career skills while at the same time growing as a whole person through general education study. We feel that the AA offering resonates strongly with the principle of "better", as it puts well-rounded, college educated students into the workforce.
Course | Title | Units | Year/Semester (Y1 or S1) |
---|---|---|---|
The following apply to the Associate in Arts in Music Technology and Production | 30-31 Core Units + 30 - 31 General Education | 4 total semesters | |
MURT 20 | Introduction to Music Technology | 3 | Y1 |
MURT 21 | Audio Recording I | 3 | Y1 |
MURT 22A | Electronic Music Production I | 3 | Y1 |
MURT 22B -or- MURT 23 | Audio Recording II -or- Electronic Music Production II | 3 | Y2 |
MURT 24 -or- MURT 31 | Advanced Mixing Techniques -or- Sound Design | 3 | Y2 |
MURT 25 | Live Sound Reinforcement | 1 | Summer only |
MURT 26 | Music Business & the Law | 3 | any |
MUSL 28 | Musical Structure & Songwriting | 3 | any |
MUSL 8 | History of Rock and Roll and Popular Music | 3 | any |
MUSL 6 -or- MUSL 2A | Basic Music Skills -or- Harmony & Musicianship 1 | 3 -or- 4 | Y1 |
MUSA 20A -or- MUSA 21A -or- MUSA 22A | Guitar I -or- Piano 1 -or- Jazz Piano 1 | 1 | any |
MURT 50 | Music Industry Internship | 1 | Y2 |
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