- Is there a Music Production major at Occidental?
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Music Production is not a standalone major—it is a concentration within the Music major. It incorporates classes in recording, mixing, mastering, and operating a digital audio workstation (DAW) alongside the other required classes within the Music major.
- Do I need to be a Music major in order to be part of the Music Production concentration?
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Yes.
- Does that mean I need to take music theory and other required Music classes?
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Yes.
- Can I take music production courses without majoring in Music?
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Yes, but Recording Techniques is off limits to non-majors, and other high-demand Music Production courses may fill with Music majors, effectively making them inaccessible to non-majors, depending on the course. Some 100 and 200-level Music Production courses are regularly taken by non-majors.
- How do I obtain access to the recording studio?
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Students who enroll in Recording Techniques are given access to the studio for the remainder of their time at Oxy.
- Who has priority in enrolling in MUSC 249?
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Rising juniors who have declared Music as their major and Music Production as their concentration are given the first opportunity to register. The remainder of the slots in the class go to junior or senior Composition students and rising sophomore Production students. Non-majors and first year students are ineligible to enroll.
- How many students are allowed to take MUSC 249?
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We currently offer 20 slots per year.
- Can I double major in Music and another area of study?
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Yes, but please consult with your advisor and cross-check the degree requirements in both programs to ensure that your classes are sequenced in a timeline that allows you to graduate on time. Prospective double-majors should, in their first year, map out their course schedule for all four years. Music majors with a Music Production concentration who intend to both double major and study abroad in their junior year must complete the music theory sequence, MUSC 148, MUSC 247, and MUSC 348 in their first two years (and if space allows, MUSC 249).
- I'm a first-year student and I want to study music production. What should I do?
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If you have previously studied music theory, then you should take the Music Theory Placement Exam to determine if you should take MUSC 101 Music Theory I in the fall or MUSC 151 Music Theory II in the spring. If you have not previously studied music theory, then you should enroll in MUSC 101. MUSC 151 is a prerequisite or corequisite to taking MUSC 148 Introduction to DAW, which is the prerequisite production course for all advanced production courses.
