Teaching: Curricular Innovations
…iv) Curricular Innovations
Curriculum Innovations and Contributions
Music Production & Recording Technology Curriculum Revision
The revised curriculum was launched in the fall semester of 2014. My colleague Golder O'Neill and I have worked for over a hundred hours making necessary changes to the MPRT curriculum during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 academic years.
In the revision process, MPRT courses were better sequenced to allow students to build skills in a more logical order over the course of the degree program. New courses were added such as “MUPR 111 - Critical Listening,” “MUPR 151 - Pro Tools I,” “MUPR 412 - Mastering Techniques” and “MUPR 461 - Audio for Motion Picture” to name only a few which better matches the needs of the industry.
A new course in the curriculum that I teach titled “MUPR 461 - Audio for Motion Picture” gives students a skillset in sound for motion picture which we did not offer before. During my 2013 sabbatical I spent time in Los Angeles, California learning current trends in post production/sound for picture. I did this to help teach students current trends in the industry. During much of my time in LA I visited with dozens of major Hollywood studios and worked with talent from Warner Brother and Disney.
In 2008 prior to this curricular revision we brought in Richard Sanders, who is well respected in the industry, to evaluate our program and to create a report on where our program is excelling and what needs improvement. From this report there was expressed a need for a mastering and sound for theatre class, both of which we have now incorporated into the new curriculum.
Near the conclusion of this report Rich reported the following:
“Overall, the students seemed very pleased with the program and feel fortunate to be involved with the program. They like and respect the instructors. Although they have some ideas how they think the program could better, they are happy.”
Also in alignment with this report we now have a recording space where students beginning their freshman year can record and mix to improve their audio skills. They can now do this with hands on use of audio equipment in a new studio space tailored in particular to Freshman and Sophomore students.
In “MUPR 342 - Studio Systems, Maintenance and Networking” I have been able to bring to our curriculum the needed assets of understanding “under the hood” workings of the computer, Macintosh Operating System (MacOS), Internet Protocol (IP) and audio Networking. In “MUPR 302 - Digital and Advanced Recording” I teach advanced digital audio workflows in controlling multiple computers and hardware from a single workstation and help students gain a more grounded understanding of digital audio and where its limitations are and where it excels over analog audio. All of which were not taught or taught to the degree in which it is now taught prior to my arrival.
Faculty Development Impact on Curriculum
Due to an already extremely full curriculum we have not been able to offer all the courses we feel the students should have. There was much need for dedicated class training in Pro Tools and Logic Studio software. In the new curriculum we have been able to add two industry standard levels of training in Pro Tools through “MUPR 151 - Pro Tools I” and “MUPR 252 - Pro Tools II.” However the advanced levels of the industry standard software Pro Tools would not fit into our program. To help remedy the gap prior to the curriculum revision and current gap I have spent over $20,000 over the past ten years out of pocket to become a certified instructor. Thanks to multiple faculty development grants I have also been able to gain new training and keep industry certifications current. We now offer both Apple certifications and Avid Pro Tools & Sibelius certifications at the highest level through the Shenandoah Conservatory Arts Academy.
These certifications took many plane trips and hundreds of hours of study to achieve. Apple and Avid have strict rules and regulations for becoming an authorized training center and instructor. Through dozens of emails and meetings, I am pleased to say that Shenandoah Conservatory is an authorized Apple and Avid training center. This benefits our students by having industry recognized certifications in addition to the vast skill-set in audio gained through our program.
My involvement in the curriculum revision, ongoing program assessment, and personal commitment to training that impacts the program demonstrates an advanced commitment to a high quality program revered in the industry.
http://training.apple.com/locations
http://www.avid.com/education/find-an-avid-learning-partner
The revised curriculum was launched in the fall semester of 2014. My colleague Golder O'Neill and I have worked for over a hundred hours making necessary changes to the MPRT curriculum during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 academic years.
In the revision process, MPRT courses were better sequenced to allow students to build skills in a more logical order over the course of the degree program. New courses were added such as “MUPR 111 - Critical Listening,” “MUPR 151 - Pro Tools I,” “MUPR 412 - Mastering Techniques” and “MUPR 461 - Audio for Motion Picture” to name only a few which better matches the needs of the industry.
A new course in the curriculum that I teach titled “MUPR 461 - Audio for Motion Picture” gives students a skillset in sound for motion picture which we did not offer before. During my 2013 sabbatical I spent time in Los Angeles, California learning current trends in post production/sound for picture. I did this to help teach students current trends in the industry. During much of my time in LA I visited with dozens of major Hollywood studios and worked with talent from Warner Brother and Disney.
In 2008 prior to this curricular revision we brought in Richard Sanders, who is well respected in the industry, to evaluate our program and to create a report on where our program is excelling and what needs improvement. From this report there was expressed a need for a mastering and sound for theatre class, both of which we have now incorporated into the new curriculum.
Near the conclusion of this report Rich reported the following:
“Overall, the students seemed very pleased with the program and feel fortunate to be involved with the program. They like and respect the instructors. Although they have some ideas how they think the program could better, they are happy.”
Also in alignment with this report we now have a recording space where students beginning their freshman year can record and mix to improve their audio skills. They can now do this with hands on use of audio equipment in a new studio space tailored in particular to Freshman and Sophomore students.
In “MUPR 342 - Studio Systems, Maintenance and Networking” I have been able to bring to our curriculum the needed assets of understanding “under the hood” workings of the computer, Macintosh Operating System (MacOS), Internet Protocol (IP) and audio Networking. In “MUPR 302 - Digital and Advanced Recording” I teach advanced digital audio workflows in controlling multiple computers and hardware from a single workstation and help students gain a more grounded understanding of digital audio and where its limitations are and where it excels over analog audio. All of which were not taught or taught to the degree in which it is now taught prior to my arrival.
Faculty Development Impact on Curriculum
Due to an already extremely full curriculum we have not been able to offer all the courses we feel the students should have. There was much need for dedicated class training in Pro Tools and Logic Studio software. In the new curriculum we have been able to add two industry standard levels of training in Pro Tools through “MUPR 151 - Pro Tools I” and “MUPR 252 - Pro Tools II.” However the advanced levels of the industry standard software Pro Tools would not fit into our program. To help remedy the gap prior to the curriculum revision and current gap I have spent over $20,000 over the past ten years out of pocket to become a certified instructor. Thanks to multiple faculty development grants I have also been able to gain new training and keep industry certifications current. We now offer both Apple certifications and Avid Pro Tools & Sibelius certifications at the highest level through the Shenandoah Conservatory Arts Academy.
These certifications took many plane trips and hundreds of hours of study to achieve. Apple and Avid have strict rules and regulations for becoming an authorized training center and instructor. Through dozens of emails and meetings, I am pleased to say that Shenandoah Conservatory is an authorized Apple and Avid training center. This benefits our students by having industry recognized certifications in addition to the vast skill-set in audio gained through our program.
My involvement in the curriculum revision, ongoing program assessment, and personal commitment to training that impacts the program demonstrates an advanced commitment to a high quality program revered in the industry.
http://training.apple.com/locations
http://www.avid.com/education/find-an-avid-learning-partner
The New MPRT Curriculum
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Swarm Music Group is the university’s first record label. The label is managed by students under the supervision of Distinguished Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Production & Recording Technology (MPRT) Paul DiFranco, Swarm Music Group was established to promote music throughout the conservatory with a particular focus on artists within the university (faculty, staff, students), as well as guest artists associated with the university. Additional Shenandoah Conservatory faculty advisors work with students to offer publishing and promotion for the artists’ original music.
Since I have been at Shenandoah Conservatory we have discussed having a record label to promote student and faculty recordings, and to push MPRT students on to better recordings with actual distributed releases through label and not just class assignments. Paul DiFranco is a perfect fit to lead the label and we are so excited he has joined the MPRT program as faculty.
With almost 50 years of experience in the entertainment industry, DiFranco has worked on more than 300 films, providing his services to supervise music, clear over 1,000 songs, and create music budgets and music underscores. He has owned and operated three studios in New York City, managed several publishing companies and run a film department under Miles Copeland’s IRS Media Films (an American independent record label). DiFranco recently completed his third feature film as music supervisor for Queen Latifah and her film company, Flavor Unit Entertainment.
“Simply put, there is enormous talent throughout the conservatory—as well as the university—in all aspects of music: performance, creation and recordation,” says DiFranco. “The conservatory deserves a record company, and that is something Golder has known for many years. I feel very lucky to have joined the conservatory faculty and to facilitate the creation of this incredibly exciting project.”
As a project that stems from Shenandoah Conservatory’s MPRT department, Swarm Music Group handles not only recording and production, but also distribution and copyright music supervision. Swarm Music Group artists are selected by a review board composed of Shenandoah Conservatory faculty and students. Branded as a self-sustaining label, Swarm Music Group is funded by the products it releases.
Read more… https://www.su.edu/blog/2016/02/25/shenandoah-conservatory-launches-swarm-music-group
Since I have been at Shenandoah Conservatory we have discussed having a record label to promote student and faculty recordings, and to push MPRT students on to better recordings with actual distributed releases through label and not just class assignments. Paul DiFranco is a perfect fit to lead the label and we are so excited he has joined the MPRT program as faculty.
With almost 50 years of experience in the entertainment industry, DiFranco has worked on more than 300 films, providing his services to supervise music, clear over 1,000 songs, and create music budgets and music underscores. He has owned and operated three studios in New York City, managed several publishing companies and run a film department under Miles Copeland’s IRS Media Films (an American independent record label). DiFranco recently completed his third feature film as music supervisor for Queen Latifah and her film company, Flavor Unit Entertainment.
“Simply put, there is enormous talent throughout the conservatory—as well as the university—in all aspects of music: performance, creation and recordation,” says DiFranco. “The conservatory deserves a record company, and that is something Golder has known for many years. I feel very lucky to have joined the conservatory faculty and to facilitate the creation of this incredibly exciting project.”
As a project that stems from Shenandoah Conservatory’s MPRT department, Swarm Music Group handles not only recording and production, but also distribution and copyright music supervision. Swarm Music Group artists are selected by a review board composed of Shenandoah Conservatory faculty and students. Branded as a self-sustaining label, Swarm Music Group is funded by the products it releases.
Read more… https://www.su.edu/blog/2016/02/25/shenandoah-conservatory-launches-swarm-music-group
2014 MPRT Instructors
This picture is missing Professor Paul DiFranco and Dan Ballas joined us Fall of 2015 in place of Ricky Furr who has the prestigious gig of live sound for the military.
See section 'Teaching 6) Other Documentation' for awards and other information related to Music Production & Recording Technology.