Course Description
DAW-based production of commercial music styles, including Pop, Hip-Hop, R&B, and Dance music. Topics include electronic arrangements, beat-making, sound design, plugins and hardware, and mixing and mastering. Students create original songs and beats, examine the producer's varied roles in the music industry, and explore how producers collaborate with others. Prerequisite: MUP 220 or permission of instructor.
Syllabus
Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:
Students successfully completing this course will be able to:
- Create original beats, songs, and electronic arrangements in several musical styles, drawing on critical listening and analysis of existing works to inform production choices.
- Develop expertise in sound design, mixing, and mastering, using a variety of software and hardware tools to achieve professional results.
- Gain historical understanding of contemporary commercial music genres and how technology has shaped their development and production practices.
- Strengthen sensitivity to elements of music production across styles through deconstruction of song form and technology-assisted analysis.
- Employ plugins and hardware effectively to process sounds and manage digital workflows typical of modern music production.
- Demonstrate understanding of the producer’s role in commercial music creation, including the integration of technology in creative decision-making and collaboration.
Course Grading Information:
| Activity/Performance Measure | Percentage/Points |
|---|---|
| Participation and Collaboration | 15% |
| Midterm Exam | 15% |
| Project 1 | 20% |
| Project 2 | 20% |
| Final Project | 30% |
Grading Scale: A = 94–100; A- = 90–93; B+ = 87–89; B = 83–86; B- = 80–82; C+ = 77–79; C = 73–76; C- = 70–72; D+ = 67–69; D = 63–66; D- = 60–62; F = below 60.
Attendance/Participation:
Attendance and participation affect the final grade. Participation and collaboration count for 15% of the final grade.
Attendance in class and labs is required; students are allowed up to five unexcused absences during the semester without penalty. Each absence beyond the fifth will lower the final course grade by one letter.
Students who miss more than five classes may contact the professor once before midterm grades are due and once before final grades are due to discuss make-up opportunities, which may involve assignments, reflections, or equivalent work covering missed material.
Course Materials Purchased by the Students:
- Students must have their own headphones or earbuds for use in class.
- An external microphone and interface is highly recommended.
- Backup and storage of digital files, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or other cloud-based storage, is highly recommended, as is a robust USB drive.
Scholarly Perspectives
This course engages diverse scholarly perspectives to develop critical thinking, analysis, and debate and inclusion of a reading does not imply endorsement.