Professional Music Courses

This course provides an overview of essential strategies and techniques related to developing a strong foundation for success in the new music industry. Students explore topics such as professional communication (written, verbal, digital), goal setting, time/project management, and the role of personal reflection on career planning. Additionally, they will study key topics in the music industry related to culture and society. Assignments blend projects with inquiry-based research, providing an opportunity to apply concepts. Students will also develop an ability to evaluate the ideas of others and express (and justify) personal and professional opinions.

This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to focus on ever-changing and timely topics and trends in the music industry. Coursework is related to the entrepreneurial aspects of a professional music career; media promotion and creative taste; artistic/business research and development; interdisciplinary partnerships and collaborations; ways that historical perspectives inform current practice; and/or professional areas that demand specialized knowledge and technical skills. Topics vary per semester.

This project-based course introduces and explores the vast skill set necessary for the emerging independent musician to be successful in today’s music industry. Through individual and collaborative work, the arc of the course involves the creation of a class album which is used as the basis for the development of promotional materials, such as artwork, video, various types of text documents, a website, and a mailing list. Each student contributes a recording to the album, then works both alone and collaboratively to develop and customize a promotional package. By working together towards achieving a common goal through sharing ideas and skills, students develop their interpersonal, technology, and creative skills, giving them real-world experience inside the classroom. The course examines five key software areas: productivity; DAWs; image creation and editing; video recording and editing; and website creation. While skill building using various software is threaded throughout the course, the content is largely student-generated. Composition or songwriting skills are not necessary for the course, but intermediate level skills using a DAW (Logic Pro, Ableton, or Pro Tools) are highly recommended. 

This hands-on, experiential course provides a detailed view of strategies, techniques, and practices of running an independent record label and skills needed for DIY artist management. Topics discussed and explored include marketing, brand management, budget development, artists and repertoire (A&R), collaborative working environments, project management, time management, effective communication skills, and recording and engineering. Each year Berklee Revelation Records creates and showcases original works by Berklee student artists and/or faculty. Students will develop, design, organize, and promote effective strategies for completing all stages of a release.

This course focuses on all aspects of artistic and business development, organization, and required skills for creating and operating a successful professional-level event and general business band (including performance skills). Class meets once weekly for two hours, with out-of-class rehearsals encouraged. The course covers a variety of topics, including how to form a general business band, marketing and production, demos, auditioning, showcases, repertoire development, staging, movement, and audience communication. It also covers effective organizational behavior and business development in the context of a professional performance setting. Classes include lecture and student performance in an ensemble setting. Students will practice performing on their instrument, simulating practices and techniques required in the professional general business band environment. Assignments are tailored to build on knowledge and skills integral to founding, directing, marketing, and operating effective performing groups.

Overview of the financial planning process, including budgeting, risk management, taxes, retirement planning, estate planning, and investments.

This course focuses on the personal investment portfolio. Review of securities such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other investments, along with principles of portfolio management, will be included. Goals, objectives, risk tolerance, and time constraints will determine the strategy that is used to build a portfolio of mutual funds, stocks, or bonds. Review of events in today's dynamic and complex markets will be discussed. Special attention will be paid to interest rates and their impact on securities.

In this course, aspects of private studio teaching including pedagogy, literature, technology, and business considerations are explored, along with philosophies and attitudes essential to the successful private instructor. Students will research teaching methods and identify appropriate materials for teaching in the private studio context. The course also reviews new technological resources for the private teacher.

This course provides a detailed overview of how to define one's identity as an artist-entrepreneur. Students learn how to grow a music-related business from initial idea to planning, implementation, and effective managing and marketing as an independent creator developing multiple income streams. The course culminates in a written business plan.

This course will provide a strategic, step-by-step process to producing a fully customized plan for marketing one’s music and career as a serious DIY musician while taking advantage of new technologies to independently build awareness. This course teaches students the complete marketing process from vision through execution utilizing fundamental concepts employed by top innovative companies, while encouraging students to find their creative niche, and uphold their artistic vision. Topics include an integrated mix of online and offline strategies that extend beyond the traditional marketing methods and the latest internet and social media promotion tips.

This course is aimed at students who write original songs, and want to develop analytical skills, alongside a deeper understanding of song copyright. In the early weeks, students practice song analysis, repertoire research, and melodic transcription, including technical tools such as tempo-matching and mix spectrography. These techniques are then used to investigate real-world copyright infringement cases, and to compare works to address the difficult question: how similar do two songs have to be before there is a risk of copyright infringement? The course culminates in individual project casework, where students choose a comparison and investigate the likelihood of whether any similarity was due to coincidence or copying, using techniques learned earlier in the course.

This course develops the awareness and skills required for a career in the music and entertainment business. Students will conduct self-directed research into their future career path in addition to developing and applying strategies for independent musicians. They will also explore techniques for making the transition from college to career. Course outcomes focus on digital marketing and social media techniques, networking in a new music economy, understanding copyright and performing rights organization, and business development planning.