Music Recording Track Faculty
Dr. Bryan Helsel
Bliss Hall 3035
Phone: 330.941.3639
E-mail: bhelsel@ysu.edu
Music Recording Track
The Bachelor of Music with an emphasis in Music Recording program provides students with the knowledge and experience to thrive in a dynamic and ever-evolving industry. Music Recording in the Dana School of Music gives our students opportunities to build skills through personal experiences that offer a competitive edge in the rapidly expanding fields of music business/industry. The investment bank and research firm Goldman Sachs estimates that revenue for the global music industry will be valued at over $130 billion by 2030, offering countless opportunities to create a lifelong career in the field of music recording and sound production. Our students learn by doing and are prepared to build enjoyable, productive careers as audio engineers in record production through engineering, producing, mixing, and mastering; in live sound as engineers or technicians; in media (e.g., TV, Film, Gaming) roles in composition, sound design, or Foley sound; as well as forensic audio, restoration, and more. The outstanding academic programs at Youngstown State University and the world-class resources at the Dana School of Music allow our students to pursue their unique educational goals and prepare for a successful and fulfilling future.
The Dana Recording Studio features a 12-core Intel Mac tower running Avid Pro-Tools, MOTU Digital Performer 7.24, and Apple Logic DAWs software. The studio utilizes Universal Audio Apollo interfaces and a Solid-State Logic Origin 32-channel recording and mixing console that is compatible for hybrid analog-digital production environments. Students have access to Kurzweil and Roland keyboards, controllers, and synths, as well as Reason 7 and the Native Instruments Komplete 10 software package. The microphone inventory includes an AEA R84 Ribbon Microphone, Shure Large Diaphragm Condenser mics, Audio Technica SDC mics, Shure Beta 58s and 57s, and a matched pair of Cascade Fathead II and Royer R-10 ribbon microphones.
Dana School of Music Contact Information
To learn more about our degree programs, scholarships, performances, faculty, and students, contact the Dana School of Music at 330-941-3635. To schedule a personalized campus visit, contact the Cliffe College of Creative Arts Program Coordinator of Admissions and Recruitment at 330-941-2346 or sawaltman@ysu.edu. We would love to hear about your interests, show you our school, and become an important part of your future.
COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
---|---|---|
FIRST YEAR REQUIREMENT - STUDENT SUCCESS | ||
YSU 1500 | Success Seminar | 1-2 |
or SS 1500 | Strong Start Success Seminar | |
or HONR 1500 | Intro to Honors | |
GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS | ||
ENGL 1550 | Writing 1 | 3-4 |
or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 with Support | |
ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations | 3 |
Any Gen Ed Math (Recommended MATH 2623) | 3 | |
Arts and Humanities (2 courses) | ||
Natural Sciences (2 courses, 1 with lab) | 7 | |
Social Science (2 courses) | 6 | |
Social and Personal Awareness (need 1 additional course) | 3 | |
One course satisfied by 3 SH of MUHL 3771, which is required in the major. | ||
CORE MUSIC REQUIREMENTS | ||
Music Theory (19-21 hours). Music Theory and Aural Theory of the same level must be taken concurrently. | ||
MUTC 1531 | Music Theory 1 | 2-3 |
or MUTC 1531N | Music Theory 1 Intensive | |
Students who score below 80% on the Theory Placement Exam will substitute MUTC 1531N for MUTC 1531 | ||
MUTC 1541 | Aural Theory 1 | 2 |
MUTC 1532 | Music Theory 2 | 2-3 |
or MUTC 1532N | Music Theory 2 Intensive | |
Students who score below 80% on the Theory Placement Exam will substitute MUTC 1532N for MUTC 1532 | ||
MUTC 1542 | Aural Theory 2 | 2 |
MUTC 2631 | Music Theory 3 | 2 |
MUTC 2641 | Aural Theory 3 | 2 |
MUTC 2632 | Music Theory 4 | 2 |
MUTC 2642 | Aural Theory 4 | 2 |
MUTC 3710 | Orchestration and Arranging | 3 |
or MUTC 3712 | Jazz Arranging 1 | |
Keyboard Musicianship (4 hour) | ||
MUAC 1581 | Class Piano 1 | 1 |
Keyboard majors will substitute MUAC 2691 | ||
MUAC 1582 | Class Piano 2 | 1 |
Keyboard majors will substitute MUAC 2692 | ||
MUAC 3781 | Jazz Class Piano 1 | 1 |
MUAC 3782 | Jazz Class Piano 2 | 1 |
Music History and Literature (12 hours) | ||
MUHL 3771 | Music History and Literature 1 | 3 |
MUHL 3773 | Music History and Literature 3 | 3 |
MUHL 3774 | Music History and Literature 4 | 3 |
MUHL 3775 | Jazz History | 3 |
Conducting (3 hours) | ||
MUCO 3715 | Choral and Instrumental Conducting | 3 |
Applied Lessons (Should be taken concurrently with an ensemble) | ||
Applied Lessons 1501 | 2 | |
Applied Lessons 1502 | 2 | |
Applied Lessons 2601 | 2 | |
Applied Lessons 2602 | 2 | |
Applied Lessons 3701 | 2 | |
Applied Lessons 3702 | 2 | |
Applied Lesson 4801 (with Senior Recital) | 2 | |
ENSEMBLES (7 hours) | ||
Large Ensembles (5 hours): Select from the following (guitar majors substitute Guitar Ensemble) | 5 | |
Small Ensembles (2 hours): Select from the following | 2 | |
AUDIO ENGINEERING and TECHNOLOGY FOCUS (21 hours) | ||
MUIN 1561 | Music Recording Workshop | 4 |
MUIN 2662 | Live Sound Production | 2 |
MUIN 3762 | Digital Sound Production | 2 |
MUIN 3763 | Digital Recording and Editing | 2 |
MUIN 3764 | Advanced Microphone Techniques | 2 |
MUIN 3765 | Advanced Recording Techniques | 2 |
MUIN 4866 | Recording Internship | 3 |
MUIN 4867 | Senior Project | 4 |
MUSIC ELECTIVES (11 hours) | 11 | |
Total Semester Hours | 120-124 |
- Music students must attend 36 convocations as a graduation requirement.
- Music students must attend 30 Dana School of Music concerts or recitals.
- Applied lesson must be taken concurrently with an ensemble each semester.
Year 1 | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | S.H. | |
YSU 1500 | Success Seminar or Strong Start Success Seminar or Intro to Honors | 1-2 |
ENGL 1550 or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 or Writing 1 with Support | 3-4 |
MUTC 1531 or MUTC 1531N | Music Theory 1 or Music Theory 1 Intensive | 2-3 |
Students who score below 80% on the Theory Placement Exam will substitute MUTC 1531N for MUTC 1531 | ||
MUTC 1541 | Aural Theory 1 | 2 |
MUAC 1581 | Class Piano 1 | 1 |
Keyboard majors will substitute MUAC 2691 | ||
Applied Lessons 1501 | 2 | |
MUEN 00XX | 1 | |
Semester Hours | 12-15 | |
Spring | ||
ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
MUTC 1532 or MUTC 1532N | Music Theory 2 or Music Theory 2 Intensive | 2-3 |
Students who score below 80% on the Theory Placement Exam will substitute MUTC 1532N for MUTC 1532 | ||
MUTC 1542 | Aural Theory 2 | 2 |
MUAC 1582 | Class Piano 2 | 1 |
Keyboard majors will substitute MUAC 2692 | ||
Applied Lessons 1502 | 2 | |
MUEN 00XX | 1 | |
MUIN 1561 | Music Recording Workshop | 4 |
Semester Hours | 15-16 | |
Year 2 | ||
Fall | ||
MUTC 2631 & MUTC 2641 | Music Theory 3 and Aural Theory 3 | 4 |
MUAC 3781 | Jazz Class Piano 1 | 1 |
Applied Lessons 2601 | 2 | |
MUEN 00XX | 1 | |
MUEN 00XX (suggested music elective) | 1 | |
MUIN 3762 | Digital Sound Production | 2 |
MUIN 2662 | Live Sound Production | 2 |
CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations | 3 |
Semester Hours | 16 | |
Spring | ||
MUTC 2632 & MUTC 2642 | Music Theory 4 and Aural Theory 4 | 4 |
Any Gen Ed Math | 3 | |
MUAC 3782 | Jazz Class Piano 2 | 1 |
Applied Lessons 2602 | 2 | |
MUEN 00XX | 1 | |
MUHL 2618 | Rock n' Roll to Rock (suggested music elective) | 3 |
MUIN 3763 | Digital Recording and Editing | 2 |
Semester Hours | 16 | |
Year 3 | ||
Fall | ||
General Education Elective - Social Science | 3 | |
General Education Elective - Natural Science | 3 | |
MUTC 3712 | Jazz Arranging 1 (Or General Education Elective - Social/Personal Awareness if taking MUTC 3710 in spring semester) | 3 |
MUHL 3771 | Music History and Literature 1 | 3 |
Applied Lessons 3701 | 2 | |
MUEN 00XX | 1 | |
MUIN 3764 | Advanced Microphone Techniques | 2 |
Semester Hours | 17 | |
Spring | ||
Applied Lessons 3702 | 2 | |
MUEN 00XX | 1 | |
MUEN 00XX (suggested music elective) | 1 | |
MUTC 3710 | Orchestration and Arranging (Or General Education Elective - Social/Personal Awareness if MUTC 3712 is taken in fall semester) | 3 |
MUCO 3715 | Choral and Instrumental Conducting | 3 |
MUIN 3765 | Advanced Recording Techniques | 2 |
MUHL 3775 | Jazz History | 3 |
*MUHL 3775 is offered Spring semester of odd years (e.g., 2021, 2023, 2025) | ||
*If MUHL 3775 is not offered in this semester, take 3-credit Music Elective | ||
Semester Hours | 15 | |
Year 4 | ||
Fall | ||
General Education Elective - Natural Science + Lab | 4 | |
MUHL 3773 | Music History and Literature 3 | 3 |
Applied Lessons 4801 (with Senior Recital) | 2 | |
MUEN 00XX | 1 | |
MUIN 4866 | Recording Internship | 3 |
Music Electives | 3 | |
Semester Hours | 16 | |
Spring | ||
MUHL 3774 | Music History and Literature 4 | 3 |
MUHL 2624 | Survey of Hip Hop (suggested music elective) | 3 |
MUIN 4867 | Senior Project | 4 |
MUHL 3775 Jazz History (3 credits) if not taken in Spring of year 3 | ||
General Education Elective - Social Science | 3 | |
Semester Hours | 13 | |
Total Semester Hours | 120-124 |
- Music students must attend 36 convocations as a graduation requirement.
- Music students must attend 30 Dana School of Music concerts or recitals.
- Applied lesson must be taken concurrently with an ensemble each semester.
Learning Outcomes
The student learning outcomes for the major in music are as follows:
- Students will perform a public recital in their applied area.
- Students will analyze music, discriminate pitch, harmony, and rhythm and perform harmonic progressions at the piano.
- Students will demonstrate critical thinking about the various historical periods, cultural contexts, and social forces that influence musical activity.
- Students will demonstrate basic keyboard proficiency including scales, arpeggios, harmonization, repertoire, transpositions, and score reading.
- Students will record, edit, and produce music.