Steps

College Majors Music Majors
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<p>Hey everyone. ive decided that there are a lot of people on this website who actually know what they are talking about which is a big help to me. Mainly im here because i want to know what i need to do to get into a good music program for music tech. I have experience in instrumentation and usage of computer music software and synths and MIDI and such. But im also interested in the engineering of musical equipment such as DAWs and synths. </p>

<p>i guess im just wondering if its necessary that i know much about engineering or the real making of instruments before applying to any programs. Because i thought maybe id just get into a program based on my academics and knowledge of MIDI sequencing and such and maybe be taught engineering after being accepted to a much engineering program such as frost (U of Miami) or U of Mich? im sorry if my grammar, spelling, and punctuation is not very good right now its late. please if you see this tell me anything you know about these types of programs?</p>

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<p>Jkidster, if you search these threads using my handle, you will find many many responses that discuss UMich’s program and some others we looked at.</p>

<p>The short version is that for the Performing Art Tech program, you can choose to focus on Performance, (which is then a BMUS Tech degree) or the production tech with multimedia (a BFA in Music Tech) or engineering (a BSc in music engineering.)</p>

<p>If you have a rich musical background, familiarity with instrumentation and computer music software/snynths/midi and have strong portfolio examples of original work plus instrumentations (they’ll ask for you to select a bach fugue and create an electronic instrumentation of it, as well as original sampling) then you’d be a candidate for the BFA Music Tech section of the program. – At least in theory – my son is in this discipline but he had also included multitracked live/captured and edited/sequenced recordings of original music. So don’t know, but maybe that’s why he got in and others didn’t.</p>

<p>However, at UMich, if you want to pursue the music engineering degree, you ABSOLUTELY need a slightly DIFFERENT submission portfolio which would include at least TWO MULTI-TRACKED, MIN. THREE INSTRUMENTS mix, which means you <em>WOULD</em> need to acquire some live capture/recording engineering skills in order to be competitive. They will take the best 4 for the program, and its quite competitive (same is true of the BFA music tech and the BMUS music tech.)</p>

<p>So, the answer to your question is that this particular program favors students who’ve had <em>some</em> exposure to <em>some</em> rudimentary aspects of recording arts. The program also requires very strong math marks, requests samples of any computer programming you’ve done, and once there, will include courses in electrical engineering, psychoacoustics, calculus, c++ programming etc.</p>

<p>In terms of real making of instruments, if what you mean is c++ programming to create instruments for programs such as Logic, no, you don’t necessarily need that in advance, but you do need to demonstrate computer competency/aptitude. Very high GPA/ACT/SATs also help.</p>

<p>You can find out what’s required in the portfolios and the different avenues here:
[UM</a> School of Music, Theatre & Dance - Department of Performing Arts Technology - Auditions & Interviews](<a href=“http://www.music.umich.edu/departments/pat/auditions_ug.htm]UM”>http://www.music.umich.edu/departments/pat/auditions_ug.htm)</p>

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<p>thank you kmcmom13. i guess i need to decide which path i want to take. But maybe a summer program will help me out with that decision.</p>