Program Overview
The Commercial Music AAS degree program is a hands-on technical and artistic program that prepares students for careers in the commercial music industry by providing them with the creative skills to perform high level tasks in that industry, the basic financial and promotional skills to function as entrepreneurs, and the opportunity to build a portfolio of projects that demonstrate their proficiency. Emphases are offered in recording technology, composition/songwriting, and performance.
Recording technology emphasis:
Students develop the requisite skills and technical knowledge to install and maintain audiovisual equipment and to make professional quality audio recordings for a variety of media (film, television, radio, commercial recordings, computer games, etc.) with a primary focus on recorded music production. Sound engineers perform a wide variety of tasks. Their duties include setting up, operating, and maintaining the electronic audio equipment used in nearly all radio and television broadcasts, concerts, plays, sound recordings, and movies. They also install and maintain audiovisual equipment in businesses, schools, homes, performance venues, and other settings. There are many specialized occupations in this field.
Composition/songwriting emphasis:
Students prepare to work professionally as music producers, composers, songwriters and/or arrangers in the music and multimedia industries. They receive training and gain experience creating music using electronic and acoustic instruments for a variety of professional applications including but not limited to commercial music productions across multiple popular and artistic genres, film and television scores, jingles and music for commercials, and music for video games and other multimedia projects. They compose music with and without lyrics for a variety of commercial uses.
Performance emphasis:
Students work to master performance skills as professional instrumentalists and/or singers. They receive private instruction on their instrument (or voice) and practice and perform both individually and as members of ensembles of various sizes in both live and studio settings. They also develop skills in artist management and promotion and learn processes and technologies associated with live and recorded performance production.
Regardless of the emphasis chosen, the program combines a solid foundation in traditional musical and technical instruction with opportunities to gain hands-on experience working on projects modeled after those regularly encountered by professionals in the music and multimedia production industries. These students are also encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to collaborate with students from other programs, such as film or animation, as a part of their education and training.
Career Opportunities
Students completing the degree program will have received training that will help to prepare them for a variety of work opportunities in the music industry, including working as a freelance composer, songwriter and/or arranger, working in a music recording studio, working as a studio musician, touring as a professional performer, pursuing freelance work as a sound designer, and/or running sound for live concert productions.
According to the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational, traditionally about 29 percent of broadcast and sound engineering technicians and radio operators worked in broadcasting (except Internet broadcasting), and 15 percent worked in the motion picture, video, and sound recording industries. About 13 percent were self-employed. Among other career paths, an even larger percentage of those who make their living in this field are self-employed and work on a contract basis. For this reason, an important part of the course requirements is designed to teach students the kinds of skills they will need to be successful as freelance artists.
What You Will Learn
- Demonstrate an ability to contribute at a professional level to the production of both live and studio-recorded music for acoustic and electronic instruments with or without vocal parts.
- Demonstrate the ability to work in a collaborative team environment on professional-quality music projects for both musical and non-musical clients.
- Demonstrate professional-level specialization in the music industry, including an understanding of how that specialization interacts with other specializations in the music production process.
- Demonstrate the appropriate entrepreneurial skills necessary for a freelance artist including but not limited to portfolio development, networking, promotion/marketing and basic business bookkeeping.
- Demonstrate proficiency in academic understanding of the basic structures of music including the ability to compose and analyze music according to common theoretical practices generally accepted in the music industry.
- Demonstrate proficiency in the ability to fluently read and write music notation in accordance with practices generally accepted in the music industry.
- Demonstrate proficiency in musical performance with appropriate expression, accuracy, and artistic value for works representing a variety of historical time periods and cultural backgrounds.
- Demonstrate understanding of the mathematic and scientific principles that are fundamental to the operation of the technology and tools used in the production of music commensurate with the student's music industry specialization.
Estimated Cost
- Books: $500
- Supplies: $3,000 (While not required for completion of the program, any professional in commercial music will need to buy equipment for their own project studio eventually. The estimated minimal costs for such equipment and related software is at least $3,000 (and will grow from there as they acquire more equipment over time). Ownership of this equipment as a student would be helpful to the student's success but is not required as all of the required equipment is available for use in on-campus computer labs.)
- Course Fees: $730 (This can vary substantially if students take additional private music lessons or depending on which performing groups they choose to participate in)
Career Outlook
Some careers shown require further education beyond this program.
Additional Information
Program Entry Requirements
A musical background with performance experience including basic piano/keyboard skills and the ability to read music notation are desirable and will benefit students entering the program. Students with insufficient prior preparation may be required to take MUSC 1100 before being allowed to begin taking the required courses in Music Theory. Students entering the program should take the Music Theory Placement Exam to be placed in the correct class. Please contact the South City Testing Center by calling 801-957-3267 to schedule an appointment to take the exam prior to beginning your first semester.