Academic Catalog

MTEC 82A: CAREERS IN MUSIC TECHNOLOGY

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2023
Units: 4
Hours: 3 lecture, 3 laboratory per week (72 total per quarter)
Advisory: Not open to students with credit in MUS 50C or 65.
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: CSU
Grade Type: Letter Grade (Request for Pass/No Pass)
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Description

An overview of the music technology industry and career opportunities. Study degree and certification programs that lead to job positions in the content creation industry. Develop advertising and social media marketing skills to promote and brand artists and producers. Learn entrepreneurial strategies to advance student's career and collaborate with professionals. Apply music technology concepts to a wide variety of fields, including software development, sound design, video production, game audio, the record industry, manufacturing, and live performance. Explore internship positions. Develop portfolios of content designed to enter the workforce or transfer to additional degree programs. Guest lectures from local industry professionals; field trips to studios, production facilities, and high tech companies.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Discuss the diverse parameters of the music industry and their approximate financial impact on the entertainment industry both nationally and internationally
  2. Synthesize marketing and employment strategies from a set of hypothetical industry scenarios in at least three different areas of the music business
  3. Detail the various areas of the music industry and discuss both employment opportunities and entry strategies related to them
  4. Discuss the various multi-cultural markets and sub groups within the music industry

Course Content

  1. Introduction to and discussion of the following areas of the music industry:
    1. Studio management and engineering
    2. Music merchandising
      1. Instrument merchandising, both electronic and traditional
      2. Peripheral merchandising
      3. Music sales and production
      4. Merchandising and distributing recordings and videos
    3. Artist and concert promotion
      1. Licenses and regulations in California
      2. Agents vs. personal managers
    4. Music technicians
      1. Electronic music repair/technical support
      2. Computer programming and maintenance in music
    5. Traditional instrument repair and manufacture
    6. Music video production and support
      1. Basic video production techniques
    7. Music retailing
      1. Local retailing
      2. National retailing

Lab Content

Lab assignments may include:

  1. Data and sample rate encoding for audio and video
  2. Web design for promotion
  3. Logo design
  4. Copyright registration
  5. Service mark searches
  6. Sample clearance searches
  7. MP3 tag editing
  8. Creating sample podcasts, etc.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. When taught on campus: projection system for video and multimedia content, basic sound reinforcement system for in-class performances.
2. When taught via Foothill Global Access: on-going access to computer with email software and capabilities, email address, JavaScript-enabled internet browsing software.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Written examinations on industry parameters and opportunities
Answer questions in essay form using hypothetical industry scenarios and figures
Propose career strategies in the music industry
1. Written business plans
2. Flow-charted marketing strategies
Lab work researching online music merchandising
1. Equipment retailing (musical instrument hardware and accessories)
2. Software retailing (recording and editing software)
3. Downloadable music options/setup and delivery structure (e.g., file formats)
Lecture/lab work with guest speakers
1. Q and A with local partners in education, both in-person and in pre-set online interviews (using chat feature when taught online)
2. Q and A with guest artists/performers (using chat feature when taught online)

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture
Discussion
Laboratory

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Baskerville, David. Music Business Handbook and Career Guide. 2018.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Write a review of a concert DVD, taking into consideration the era in which the event took place and the state of media interaction at the time
  2. Read an article from a music trade magazine, and write a review of the article focusing on the media "spin" it contains

Discipline(s)

Commercial Music