Schools?

[Jedihillis]

Hey guys. I'm fairly new to these forums and have only posted a few times in the last year, so I apologize ahead of time if this has been discussed elsewhere.

I'm curious if there are any schools out there that specialize in sound design and/or digital composing (like what we do here, on OCremix) that you guys would recommend? I'd really love to compose music for video games and/or film as a career and I kind of need some help getting pointed in the right direction. I'm currently living in Arizona, attending ASU and I've come to the realization that they don't have the level of instruction in their programs that I feel is necessary to give me the edge.

Any help or suggestions would be great. If it's not obvious already, I'm fairly new in this field so even basic tips would be of use. I do have a musical background, but haven't taken any music classes since high school.

Thanks ahead of time for any help offered! I love what goes on here and hopefully I can be a contributor in the near future.

[zircon]

Don't look at it as "digital composing" - what you are probably looking for is a degree in something like:

* Music technology

* Film scoring

* Music business/industry (usually comprehensive)

I have a degree in Music Industry from Drexel University, which I highly recommend. I don't believe in getting a really specialized education. If you go to Full Sail or a 'recording tech' school you might learn specific modern techniques, but you won't have a well-rounded education. With Drexel's MI degree, you'll learn traditional theory, ear training, arrangement, songwriting, business, statistics, recording tech, DAWs, etc. - all the tools you will need. You can then specialize and take electives to go deeper into various disciplines, taking advanced theory/composition, audio for video and scoring to picture, music law, and so forth.

Northeastern has a similar curriculum, but most people I know would say Drexel has the upper hand there.

[Flexstyle]

This probably isn't quite what you're looking for, but about 5 miles from the ASU main campus is the school I graduated from, the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences. It's a place that specializes in audio engineering and recording--the technical side, not the musical side. Now, as a graduate, I can say that it was one of the best things that happened to me as a producer/engineer/musician, but it's not for everyone. They do include sections on video game audio, music business law (contracts 'n such), and digital recording, but they're also VERY focused on studio recording for the most part.

As a sidenote, GO DEVILS!

[Cyril the Wolf]

Don't look at it as "digital composing" - what you are probably looking for is a degree in something like:

* Music technology

* Film scoring

* Music business/industry (usually comprehensive)

I have a degree in Music Industry from Drexel University, which I highly recommend. I don't believe in getting a really specialized education. If you go to Full Sail or a 'recording tech' school you might learn specific modern techniques, but you won't have a well-rounded education. With Drexel's MI degree, you'll learn traditional theory, ear training, arrangement, songwriting, business, statistics, recording tech, DAWs, etc. - all the tools you will need. You can then specialize and take electives to go deeper into various disciplines, taking advanced theory/composition, audio for video and scoring to picture, music law, and so forth.

Northeastern has a similar curriculum, but most people I know would say Drexel has the upper hand there.

I recommend. Even though its a State school the rates are still rather competitive for out of state if you don't have a lot of money. SUNY Potsdam's Music Business Program through the Crane School of Music. It's Bachelor of Music degree so you get a lot of music history, aural training and keyboarding training in addition. Crane has a good reputation and will teach you composition if you audition with compositions, but more likely you'd audition as an instrumentalist. You can also do the Business Admin Major with Music Business Minor as I am

Or, SUNY Oneonta has a good MI program as well.

[Moseph]

I did my undergraduate degree at Western Carolina University which has a music/recording tech hybrid program much like Drexel's and has absolutely the best recording studio I've seen at a university. I don't know how it stacks up against Drexel or Northeastern, but it's a smallish state school and is really cheap, at least for in-state tuition (North Carolina). I think out-of-state is also competitive.

[Jedihillis]

Thanks for the input guys! Flex, we'll it's nice to have another AZ resident here on the boards. Glendale eh? I'm actually living in Tempe on Mill Ave so you can see why ASU was the easy choice for me

I should clarify something really quick: With where it stands right now, I'm currently heading into the last year of a Communications Degree. I've dabbled around in ASU's Digital Art's program and found it wanting. My plan thusfar is to finish my COM degree (because I've been sorta dillying around in college for a while now) and then look for a great school for my masters or whatever. I'm not sure if the colleges you guys are mentioning are undergrad only or if they'll take someone like me into their master's program. I guess I can do that research myself, but I'm not against moving to find the right school.

Initially, I was thinking of USC because it's close by (relatively) and USC has a game design program. Not sure if that includes a music program or music gaming program, but I'm sure they have something similar. Again, I just want to do what's best for me. I feel like I have a lot of potential just waiting to be exploited. I don't want to dabble around with 2nd tier programs and professors.

[zircon]

Again I would emphasize that learning simply recording tech is not the best idea. Anybody can learn how to use a console and EQ. That's a technical skill and not much more. Some programs out there are very specific to recording tech and don't include a more comprehensive music/business education, which is very important. The other thing is that if you actually want to WORK in the industry then a program with a co-op (like Drexel or Northeastern) is very important too.

[dannthr]

Not to disagree with Zircon and I do want to emphasize that a well rounded education should be considered desirable--and I don't mean in music specifically, but in general, appreciating and understanding things like philosophy, astronomy, political science, physics, anthropology, chemistry, etc, etc can enrich your life and improve the way you approach solving problems in your life.

Likewise, a well rounded music education can give you essential foundations in approaching music problems you may face with a career in composition.

No university in the US currently offers a degree in video game sound design and interactive audio.

With respect to music, the closest that you get to a highly competitive and thorough music technology program would be USC's Film Scoring Certification. The best any other school has done is created a music technology sub-program that supplements an existing educational degree--Andrew's Drexel, Capital in Ohio is taught by another friend of mine, NYU's master's program has a music tech degree focused in games.

However, as you mentioned, you're wrapping up a communications degree, you have your degree, and a degree in anything is about as worth while in games as a degree in something specific unless it's programming. Seriously, unless you're an engineer or applied science major, the game industry just doesn't care if you have a degree.

Least not of all, music.

I would only pursue a second degree in music if you feel that is the only way you're going to learn how to compose.

I teach at a recording arts school in Los Angeles, CA called Pinnacle College. It was one of the first recording arts schools in LA (under the name Sound Masters) and it has one of the first game specific Sound Design and Interactive Audio certificates and degree programs in the country.

The accredited curriculum was designed by Lennie Moore (who has worked on numerous games including the highly anticipated Star Wars: The Old Republic) and instructs students in everything from Recording Theory/Science, to Post Production Theory/Application, to Game Audio Implementation in Wwise/FMOD, including actually implementing sounds into a live game build, etc, etc, etc.

If you're looking for a school, there is one for you. Don't discount the value of a training program, especially since you've already gone through a degree program.

I write music and create sounds for games, professionally, and I have a degree in Creative Writing--a Communications degree is not the end of the road for you and you don't have to start over again.

As long as you're the type of person who takes any education and makes the most of it.

I use my writing skills every single time I interact with current and potential clients and I find understanding Creative Writing and use of metaphor an essential skill when communicating something extremely abstract like music to a client.

[Jedihillis]

I'll check that out Dannther. Thanks.