The program begins with a set of core music courses that provide a foundation in theory, ear training, and keyboard, essential information that will enable you to collaborate with other musicians. From there, you will explore the role of the producer, how to get the best sounds from your DAW, and techniques for recording drums, bass, guitar, piano, vocals, and other instruments. 

The Songwriting and Producing Music major includes in-depth focus on recording and producing the vocal, with an emphasis on capturing the proper emotion of a performance, in addition to the art of mixing to enhance the quality of your recordings. At the same time, you will learn techniques for strengthening the harmonic underpinnings of your songs and making your melodies more expressive. You will work in collaborative songwriting contexts across a variety of musical styles. 

The program features specific coursework designed to prepare you for work in creating music for advertising, film, and television and culminates with a capstone project in which you’ll create a portfolio that showcases your best work. Through elective coursework and a specialization that is akin to a minor, you will have a great deal of flexibility in choosing additional areas of focus that will enhance your skills, including additional music production and songwriting courses and courses in business, composition, arranging, and more.

By the end of this program, you will be able to:

• Set up, record, and produce professional-sounding recordings in your home studio.

• Use harmonic techniques such as modulation, cadence, and power progressions to craft hit songs.

• Construct strong, expressive melodies that your audiences will remember.

• Create vocal tracks that maximize emotional impact, while staying true to the artist and the song.

• Incorporate both a technical and artistic approach to mixing in order to deliver professional-level final mixdowns. 

• Apply effective composition techniques for scoring to picture to create original jingles, library track packages, and television themes according to industry standards. 

• Write and produce songs that are “media friendly,” effectively communicating time, location, and dramatic tone in order for your music to be placed into visual media. 

• Walk into a professional-level setting and creatively/effectively collaborate with other songwriters in the industry to create an impactful song.