Specialization in Commercial Record Production
Available to music production and engineering majors, the commercial record production specialization immerses the student in the most current innovations in record production, recording, and mixing, using in-depth analyses of emerging creative, technical, and entrepreneurial processes as they become present in contemporary popular music. This expansion of the music production and engineering curriculum is designed to address new media approaches in record production and to provide historical insight into the background surrounding these new media approaches. This specialization will focus on adaptive critical music thinking as it prepares the student for a career in the record industry of the near present and moving into the future.
This specialization is only available to music production and engineering majors.
There are no entrance requirements for this specialization. Students must follow the regular declaration of minor/specialization procedure as outlined in the Registration Guide. This specialization is managed by the Music Production and Engineering Department.
Upon completion of a specialization in commercial record production, students will:
- gain a historical perspective and understanding of the popular music recording industry and the technological innovations used by popular music record producers, engineers, and programmers, from 1979 to the present;
- facilitate both analog and digital forms of emerging creative musical expression via recording techniques, mixing processes, and distribution methods;
- apply adaptive critical music thinking to emerging music styles, languages, techniques, and processes;
- understand innovation as a process inherent in modern popular music and music distribution; and
- articulate and apply the intellectual potential and creative possibilities of popular music record production.
Required Courses (three courses; 6 credits):
- MP-343 Vocal Technologies for Records (2 credits)
- MTEC-471 Remixing for the Commercial Marketplace (2 credits) or MTEC-455 Hip-Hop Production for Records (2 credits)
- MP-460 Advanced Commercial Record Production Projects (2 credits)
Elective Courses (choose two of the following; 4 credits):
- MP-431 Vocal Production (2 credits)
- MP-441 Advanced Mix Lab (2 credits)
- MTEC-471 Remixing for the Commercial Marketplace (2 credits) if not taken as a required course
- MTEC-455 Hip-Hop Production for Records (2 credits) if not taken as a required course
Five courses (10 credits total) are required for completion of the specialization.