Music Technology

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The Bachelor of Arts in Music Technology is new, so many students (and parents) want to know what it's all about. We hope you will find the following information useful. Thank you for your interest in the Department of Music, and we hope you will enjoy learning more about the unique opportunities available to Music Technology majors at MSU.

The course sequence for the NEW Music Technology major is now available in the MSU online catalog.

 

1. What exactly is Music Technology?

Briefly stated, Music Technology at MSU is the integration of music composition, sound design, audio engineering, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

That being said, in reality the only constant about the field of Music Technology is that it constantly changes. New developments in hardware and software continually redefine the field, which is what makes it so much fun.

2. What courses are required for the Bachelor of Arts in Music Technology?

The course sequence is listed in the MSU online catalog. More information is available by email (kristin.mcgarity@montana.edu)

3. How do I know if a Music Technology major is right for me?

This is a music degree and not just a "recording" program. If you have never read music or played an instrument, you will have remedial work to complete before the regular course sequence. Even then, the music classes may still be more challenging for students with less experience. If you start as a Music Technology pre-major with less experience reading music, it may take longer than a year to complete the initial course sequence and apply for the Music Technology major. However, we do recognize that many exceptionally talented students have written music with a computer or by ear, but have less experience reading and writing music on paper. We fully intend to support those students with extra assistance along the way, provided they are willing to put in the time and effort to learn.

Above all, our Music Technology program seeks students who have the "creative bug," students with ability in songwriting, composing, and/or experimenting with sound, and students who show aptitude for exploring different kinds of music and creative collaboration with other disciplines.

4. Is this a gated program?

Like certain other majors at MSU, the Music Technology major requires each entering student to declare a pre-major and complete an initial course sequence before applying for the major. The gate is necessary to ensure that students have sufficient studio time and individual instruction, and to manage enrollment in Department of Music courses.

For the Bachelor of Arts in Music Technology, the pre-gate courses are: MUS 103 and 104 (Aural Skills I and II), MUS 105 and 106 (Theory I and II), MUS 150 and 151 (Keyboard Skills I and II), MUS 115 (Introduction to Digital Music) and MUS 230 (MIDI Sequencing and Notation).

Each spring, any Music Technology Pre-Major may submit an application for the gate after 1) completing these courses and 2) qualifying to enter one of the performance studios on their principal instrument. A specified number of pre-majors (typically 12-16) each year will be admitted into the upper level and may then declare the Music Technology Major. Evaluation for the gate is based on three components: 1) GPA in the pre-gate course sequence, 2) Composition portfolio submitted with the application, and 3) Service credits for participation and volunteerism throughout the year. As we're just getting this program off the ground, students have plenty of opportunities to help!

5. What are some future opportunities for Music Technology graduates?

There are many, especially if you are a self-starter who thrives on working independently. Music Technology is not the kind of field where you're likely to work one job for one company your whole life and then retire. It's more the kind of field where you can build your own self-directed niche from among many kinds of work (sometimes all at once!). The professionals who achieve success in this field are the ones who can quickly adapt to new technology and new developments in the music industry, and the ones who can fill multiple roles in the process of creating sound and music. Some of the areas that Music Technology students might pursue after graduation are listed below. Most Music Technology graduates will pursue further study or work in several of these areas, along with other opportunities that have yet to be invented!

6. What kind of music will I write at MSU?

Any and all. In the field of new media, the cardinal rule is you never say "I don't write that." Music for new media is all about finding the right sounds for the job and the story you want to tell. Whether the job calls for aleatoric atonality, groovy trip-hop, acousmatic machine sounds, guitar-based blues, 1930s swing, nature soundscapes, or blippy digital synthesis, the composer is expected to provide. Versatility is the name of the game.

Don't worry - you won't be required to write twelve-tone serial pieces the way academic composers once were. But you won't major in "recording your band," either. You will be stretched beyond your comfort zone. You will design your own sounds, using both real-world recordings and electronic synthesis. You will be asked to think about sound and music in ways you might not have considered before.

Electronic music, electroacoustic music specifically, is a field without boundaries, a genre that lets you do literally anything and incorporate any sound or any style of music. Using electroacoustic composition to explore diverse historical and current sounds and styles, you can discover the qualities in your work that make it uniquely yours. If that sounds like a challenge you would like to undertake, we'd love to meet you!

7. Can you help me record myself or my band?

We are not a commercial studio or a recording service. Due to rapid growth in the Department of Music, and the resulting demands on our staff and resources, our Department Head has established policies governing the use of Music Technology facilities. By necessity our facilities must be reserved primarily for teaching and for Music Technology class projects. If you are an MSU music student, you are eligible to check out recording equipment with faculty permission; for assistance please see our Technical Coordinator, Matt LaRocca (994-5028 or matthew.larocca@montana.edu). If you are not an MSU music student, we'd be happy to give you a referral to one of the excellent commercial studios or location recording services in the Bozeman area.

8. Do you have Music Technology courses for non-majors?

We may have a limited number of spaces for non-majors in MUS 115, Introduction to Digital Music. There is currently a waiting list for these spots. Please contact Prof. McGarity if you would like to be added to the list. One of our goals is to develop a summer course (and possibly additional fall/spring courses) in Music Technology for non-majors.

9. Can I double-major in Music Technology and something else?

It depends. MSU allows students to officially declare two majors once they have reached senior year, but not before. You may not apply for the Music Technology gate unless Music Technology is your primary declared major. The Music Technology major is a full-time course sequence, and it is not expected that many students will double-major, though there are exceptions. In some cases it is possible, for instance, to complete a minor in the College of Business and/or complete pre-gate Business coursework while in the Music Technology major. Please see Prof. McGarity for specific advising.

One of our long-term goals is to establish a Music Technology Minor for students in Media and Theatre Arts. This is a long-term goal that, like any new degree program, will require development work before it can become a reality.

10. Do you have a Vision Statement?

Why yes - we thought you'd never ask!

Statement of Vision for the Bachelor of Arts in Music Technology

In the past ten years, the widespread proliferation of devices for recording and manipulation of digital audio has redefined the music industry.  Music production-- composing, performing, recording, and mixing-- no longer requires a commercial recording studio.  While high-end studios still attract elite clientele, the once-ubiquitous 24-track tape studio has been nearly squeezed out of business by musicians learning to self-produce using only software and affordable, portable hardware.  The traditional roles of composer, producer, performer, and sound engineer mesh and overlap.  Today's music industry offers fewer opportunities for specialist engineers and strictly pen-and-paper composers, and more opportunities for composer/recordists who can work in all aspects of sound and music production.

Professionals in sound and music are called upon to handle a wide range of work, from composing music and sound effects to programming software to designing and operating recording studios and equipment.  One common scenario is a "package deal" in which a composer is hired to compose, notate, conduct, and record a film soundtrack.  Composition and sound design are also increasingly linked, as composers and sound designers work together closely, often using similar source materials.  The composer, sound designer, and sound board operator may be the same person, particularly in multimedia and theatre performance.

Students are best prepared to direct their own careers when they have educational background in all of these areas.  The Music Technology program at MSU meets this need, integrating theory and performance, composition, acoustics, audio engineering, music and sound design for visual media, and interdisciplinary studies. Students will work in creative teams, solve technical and musical problems, explore the history and significance of multimedia art through reading and critical analysis, and find their own paths in the world of artistic communication through sound.

 

For more information, please contact: