How to Designing A Music and Technology Degree

Designing a Music and Technology Degree for Today’s Digital Entertainment Industry

Dr. David MitchellFebruary, 18th, 2016

www.DavidMitchellDMA.com

DR. DAVID MITCHELL• Published, Award Winning

Composer of Commercial and Experimental Music

• Director of Education at The Atlanta Institute of Music and Media

• Blogger and Public Speaker


MY RESEARCHLooks at new opportunities for musicians in today’s digital entertainment industry.

Explores how music schools can design a music and technology degree to prepare graduates for success.


ABSTRACT• Unlimited opportunities for generating income online.

• Video will account for 80% of global online traffic by 2019.

• Musicians should be skilled in digital music composition, sound design, audio engineering.

• Crowd sourcing, music licensing, streaming, live video concerts, fan art, YouTube channels deliver funding and a following.

• Success or failure of a music school is determined by the ability to find & exploit emerging opportunities.


THE BIG IDEADigital media is the medium through which our music is most often created, found and heard.

We must learn to master it like we master our instrument.


WHY MUSIC & TECHNOLOGYStudents Want It


OUR STUDENTS WANT IT, TOO• Prepares Them for Success in Today’s Market• Helps Them Reach a Global Audience• One of AIMM’s Most Popular Degrees• 54 New M&T Students in One Year


MUSIC LICENSING OPPS• 80% Video Content Online by 2019

• 2013 Department of Labor Report• Composer – 2nd Fastest Grow Job Market

• Music Licensing Sites (Just a Few)

• Where PR Agencies Go for Music

• The Downside to Licensing• Exclusive vs. Non-Exclusive• They Take a Big Cut Either Way


LIVE STREAMING & YOUTUBE• Live Streaming

• Megan McGann• 70,000 Fans• “You Mess Me Up” was #14 in UK• £2,000/Month

• Online Videos• Lindsey Stirling • 70,000,000 Views = $350,000• Mando Pony, Auto Tune the News• YouTube Original Movies


MORE OPPORTUNITIES


MY PICK IS APPLE MUSIC• 71.5% Revenue to Artists

(More than Spotify)• Not Free• Get Fans Used to Paying for

Music Again

INDEPDENDENT OPTIONS• Publish and Stream From Your

Website

• Upload to SoundCloud • Could Go Offline

• My Website• Composing Lead for

Global Hotel Brand Through Site


FILM & GAMING OPTIONS• Digital Entertainment Tax Credit: $242 million (07) to $5.1 billion(14)

• Georgia House Bill 956

• Hollywood South • Legislation for Music Studios


LIVE SOUND OPPORTUNITIES• Live Sound (One of AIMM’s Biggest

Employers)• Churches Stream Services• Need Recording, Live Sound Engineers, Mixing

and Mastering, Music Directors, Musicians & More


MULTIPLE INCOME STREAMS• Traditional

• Concertizing (Challenging)• Private Lessons (Harder These Days)• Teaching for an Institution• Performing with an Ensemble• Orchestras are Struggling


MULTIPLE INCOME STREAMS• Music and Technology• All of the Above, Plus…

• Digital Streaming• Music Licensing for Film, Video Games, Ads & Online

Videos• Recording Engineer• Live Sound Engineer• EDM and Electronic Music• Post Production Including Sound Design and Foley


MUSIC CAREERS MORE VIABLE• I’m More Optimistic Today• Studios No Longer Own The Market• Be Creative to be Successful• Take Advantage of Online Opportunities


CMS OPEN DISCUSSION • Open Discussion Forum

Responses (March 15th)

• Roughly 1/3 of Respondents Offer Music and Technology

• Schools Haven’t Caught Up to The Demand


WHAT IS A M&T DEGREE?• NASM’s Guidelines

• Bachelor of Music in Music and Technology• 25-35% Technology• 25-35% Music (basic

musicianship, performance, music business & supporting classes)

• 25-35% Gen Ed.

• With a Focus In…


• Some Traditional Classes Will Have to Go…

CHALLENGES• Keeping it Musical

• Infrastructure Expense

• Will You Provide a Tech Kit?• AIMM vs. SAE• We Do Both• $3,500 with software


SOFTWARE AND EQUIPMENT• Logic vs. Pro Tools• Ableton (Primarily Sequencing)• Finale or Sibelius• Plugins• Microphones• Cables (Studio Interconnection)• Outboard Equipment Including Mixing Board, Power

Amps• Project Storage – Dropbox Backups, External Hard Drives

for Students• What Do They Need To Succeed vs. Cost


DESIGNING A DEGREE• Look at Job Opportunities for Placement

• What Skills Do Graduates Need to Fit the Market?

• Decide What Classes to Offer Based on Their Required Skill Sets and Learning Outcomes

• We Designed Our Degree to Fit Georgia’s Film &Video Game Market


AIMM’S AAS TECH OFFERINGS


AIMM’S TAILORED GEN ED


BIBLIOGRAPHY


1. Atlanta Institute of Music and Media. “Music and Technology Degree…” www.aimm.edu (accessed February 17, 2016).

2. NASM. “Handbook 2015-16.” http://nasm.arts-accredit.org/ (accessed February 12, 2016).

3. Ritchey, Julia. “Georgia Legislative Committee Explores Increasing Post-Production Incentives.” Savannah Now: Savannah Morning News (Fall, 2014),http://savannahnow.com/exchange/2014-12-04/georgia-legislative-committee-explores-increasing-post-production-incentives# (accessed February 17, 2016).

http://www.aimm.edu/

http://nasm.arts-accredit.org/

http://nasm.arts-accredit.org/

http://savannahnow.com/exchange/2014-12-04/georgia-legislative-committee-explores-increasing-post-production-incentives




THANK YOU


Websites:www.davidmitchelldma.comwww.davidmitchellmusic.com

Blog:www.themusiccompositionblog.com

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/user/davidguitar671Or Just Look Up Dr. David Mitchell

Twitter: @Music_comp

http://www.davidmitchelldma.com/

http://www.davidmitchellmusic.com/

http://www.themusiccompositionblog.com/

https://www.youtube.com/user/davidguitar671