Small Business Certificate: Audio Engineering
The Grayson College's Small Business Certificate in Audio Engineering is designed to be your first step toward a career as an audio engineer, producer, recording artist, live sound technician, film/video game composer, songwriter, or sound designer. The courses in this certificate are intended to provide a foundational understanding of music theory, music technology, and the field of commercial music. In addition to the audio engineering courses this certificate includes business courses necessary to manage a small business.
This award can be taken by non-music majors who are interested in pursuing a career in commercial music or by music majors intending to transfer to four-year programs in composition, audio engineering, music technology, or theatre tech.
This certificate, in conjunction with an Associate of Arts degree in Music, prepares you to become a musician fluent with music technology. Whether you are planning to be a professional classical musician or work in commercial music, the Grayson College Small Business Certificate in Audio Engineering will give you the foundation you need to harness your creativity.
Small Business Certificate: Audio Engineering Courses
Fall Semester
ACNT 1303 Introduction to Accounting I (3-1-3)
Course Description: A study of analyzing, classifying, and recording business transactions in a manual and computerized environment. Emphasis on understanding the complete accounting cycle and preparing financial statements, bank reconciliations, and payroll.
End-of-Course Outcomes: Define accounting terminology; analyze and record business transactions in a manual and computerized environment; complete the accounting cycle; prepare financial statements; apply accounting concepts related to cash and payroll; prepare bank reconciliations; and correct accounting errors.
BUSG 1304 Financial Literacy ((3-1-3)
Course Description: A study of the financial principles when managing financial affairs. Includes topics such as budgeting, retirement, property ownership, savings, and investment planning.
End-of-Course Outcomes: Identify the concepts associated with the time value of money; identify the differences among various savings and investment programs and classes of securities; identify the options for insurance; describe retirement and estate planning techniques; explain owning versus renting real property; and describe consumer protection legislation.
BMGT 1327 Principles of Management (3-1-3)
Course Description: Concepts, terminology, principles, theories, and issues in the field of management.
End-of-Course Outcomes: Explain various theories, processes, and functions of management; apply theories to a business environment; identify leadership roles in organizations; and describe elements of the communication process.
MUSC 1327 Audio Engineering I, (2-4-3)
Course Description: The tools, personnel and standard workflow of a recording studio. Topics include fundamentals of sound and overview of tracking, editing, and mixing audio.
End-of-Course Outcomes: Identify properties of sound and electronic signals; explain microphone characteristics and placement; describe studio set-up and signal routing; explain console and recording operation techniques; and identify basic recording studio procedures.
MUSC 1213 Commercial Music Theory I, (1-2-2)
Course Description: Introduction to chord progressions, song forms, and harmonic techniques used in commercial music. Topics include modern chord notation and chord voicings.
End-of-Course Outcomes: Explain scale construction, interval classification, and chord spellings; analyze and identify commercial music chord progressions using standard lead sheet and chord symbols and numbers; and harmonize selected melodies with appropriate chord voicing.
MUSP 1110 Applied Commercial Music: Piano (0-1-1)
Course Description: Private instruction in piano with goals related to commercial music.
End-of-Course Outcomes: Demonstrate proficiency in commercial music repertoire and technique; develop a professional, disciplined approach to performance skills; and present a juried performance for faculty.
Spring Semester
ACNT 1313 Computerized Accounting Applications, ((2-3-3)
Course Description: Use of the computer to develop and maintain accounting records and to process common business applications for managerial decision-making.
End-of-Course Outcomes: Utilize spreadsheet and/or database software for accounting and management applications; and complete a comprehensive project.
BUSG 2309 Small Business Management/Entrepreneurship (3-1-3)
Course Description: Starting, operating, and growing a small business. Includes essential management skills, how to prepare a business plan, accounting, financial needs, staffing, marketing strategies, and legal issues.
End-of-Course Outcomes: Identify management skills for a small business; outline issues related to choosing a business and obtaining a return on investment; and create a business plan.
MUSC 2327 Audio Engineering II, (2-4-3)
Course Description: Implementation of the recording process, including microphones, audio console, multi-track recorder, and signal processing devices.
End-of-Course Outcomes: Demonstrate signal routing techniques, microphone selection, and placement/signal processing applications; execute a multi-track project including recording, editing, and mixing.
MUSC 1321 Songwriting I, (2-3-3)
Course Description: Introduction to the techniques of writing marketable songs including the writing of lyrics and melodies, setting lyrics to music, developing lyrical and musical "hooks", analyzing the marketplace, and developing a production plan for a song demo.
End-of-Course Outcomes: Develop skills to compose marketable melodies with commercial music, form, and harmony; write lyrics and set to song; create lyrical, melodic, and harmonic "hooks"; and develop a production plan for a song demo.
MUSB 1305 Survey of Music Business, (3-0-3)
Course Description: An overview of the music industry including songwriting, live performance, the record industry, music merchandising, contracts and licenses, and career opportunities.
End-of-Course Outcomes: Explain basic music industry principles including copyright, publishing, and performance rights; explain the business of live performance to include artist management, unions and guilds, entertainment agencies, venues, and concessions; identify the record industry systems from record producers, recording studios, manufacturing production, and distribution companies; identify those aspects of music relating to wholesale and retail merchandising and promotion of music products; summarize the use of contracts and licenses in the music industry; and identify career opportunities in the music industry.
Professional recording studio with:
- Digidesign C24 Mixing Console
- Focal Solo6 Be Studio Monitors
- Whirlwind 8 Channel Mic Switchers (x6)
- True Systems Precision 8 Mic Preamps (x3)
- Pro Tools 12 | Ultimate
- AVID I/O 16x16
- Pro Tools HD Native Thunderbolt
- iMac Pro - (late 2017)
- 3.2 GHz - 8 core processor
- 32 GB DDR4 RAM
- Neumann KM183 mt microphone (x2)
- Neumann KM185 mt microphone (x2)
- Sennheiser MD 421 microphone (x5)
- Sennheiser MD 441 microphone (x3)
- Shure SM 81 LC microphone (x4)
- Mac Keyboard/Computer Lab
- 8 iMac Computers
- 8 Digidesign Mbox Audio Interfaces
- 8 MIDI enabled keyboards
- Protools LE
The Arts and Communication building is wired with XLR snakes to record in:
- The Band Hall
- Choir Room
- Cruce Stark Auditorium (900 seats)