Our primary educational goal is to teach the creative operation of professional audio recording equipment for self advancement and fulfillment. The training programs feature lectures and progressive daily studio activities - with an emphasis on real engineering in the studio experience. Right from the first day of classes, Michigan Recording Arts students are in the control rooms learning their craft. Nothing beats pushing a fader, turning a knob and hearing what comes out speakers.
Beyond our primary goal
of equipment operation, we have other key areas of
learning. Being successful in the studio requires more than just knowing the right
button to push. We assure that Michigan Recording Arts students also understand smooth production workflow. And we help
our students develop effective methods of dealing
with the human factor in the studio.
There is even more we
pass on to our students in the advanced part two lesson. Some of the lecture time is spent
on an overview of the music business, topics as
studio management, record label and music publishing deals, and more. The Michigan
Recording Arts curriculum is designed to accommodate students from a wide variety of
backgrounds – musicians or non-musicians, those who already own a project studio or
those who have never been in a studio.
The Michigan Recording Arts
is ready to help anyone with desire and dedication to learn. A graduate of the
Michigan Recording Arts is empowered in many ways. The skills and knowledge gained are the
fundamental benefit, and many graduates choose to apply this benefit towards employment.
They are well prepared and qualified for a variety
of entry points into the pro audio industry. The Michigan Recording Arts prepares its
graduates for pursuing employment in several ways. Our students learn about the nature of studio hiring practices and effective methods of getting that first job.
One primary intern entry-level
position is the assistant or second engineer.
The assistant serves as an apprentice under the guidance of a recording engineer. While
aiding the recording engineer in the many tasks connected with running a session,
assistant engineers continue to refine their own
recording skills. Our
grads will be working in virtually any situation where music or audio is a key production.
Live sound is another job
path. The Michigan
Recording Arts curriculum is geared primarily towards studio work, yet the skills and
knowledge learned are well applied towards sound reinforcement. Our graduates are riding
the faders in clubs, concert halls, theaters,
churches, convention centers and theme parks across the country. And some grads see
even more as they perform their services on international tours.
Some Michigan Recording
Arts students have aspirations of developing their
own music. With our recording and mixing training, these students become at home in
the control room or in their home studio. Our teaching staff is dedicated to making
education at the Michigan Recording Arts unsurpassed. Our programs start from square one, no
previous experience is required. Yet even for those students with some background, our
training is challenging. The Michigan Recording Arts is a very efficient way to fill in
gaps for the professional who is self-taught.
In less than two months,
Recording Arts students get more practical studio
experience than students attending some other schools with programs that are much longer
and much more expensive. The
training is intensive, but classes are taught in a relaxed and friendly manner. In our
studios, students work in small teams of 8 or10, allowing
for exceptional personal attention.
After some preliminary class room
instruction, our students launch into action, coordinating instrument and microphone
setup, getting sounds for basic tracks, bringing up a mix in the control room monitors and
the musician’s headphones. The tracks are armed and it’s time to hit that record
button.
Throughout the session, our
instructors make sure that students are developing good organizational habits, a key
factor in smooth production workflow. Also, since our bands are performing original
material, the students experience the real recording world. Engineers and producers must
develop important people skills to handle all situations.
Having had their classes and their
first few recording sessions, our students are ready to start mixing. Building up a
backing track, tweaking the guitar’s EQ, balancing the vocals, mixing is the part of
the production process that can allow more time for individual experimentation. In this
area our instructors monitor the students’ mixing progress-offering advice when
asked. But their expert guidance is always at hand to help students make full and best use
of all the creative tools in the control room.
As students complete more and
more mixing sessions, they collect a growing number of accomplishments to use in a
professional portfolio.
This course will familiarize you with studio terminology and the most standard forms of sound recording. It is your first step towards training for a position in sound related fields. It will help you in directing musical personnel for better sounding recordings, provide good training for related fields such as radio, video, sound recording, Foley, forensic audio, and also improve your own sound reproducing for stage, video and home recording. Because in part one the emphasis is on the artistic aspects of recording techniques and equipment operations, you will discover the theories behind quality workmanship and the tools we use.
Prerequisites are minimal. Total
class hours = 40. Tuition $895
Requirements are passing Basic Recording Techniques #1 or passing our final exam if you can show proof of graduating from a similar basic recording techniques class taken elsewhere. A high school level algebra and basic science class. Basic electronics will be an added bonus. Total class hours = 40. Tuition $995