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Music Technology (BMT)

Program Overview
The Bachelor of Music Technology equips students to utilize musicianship skills, composition, live audio production, studio production, computer science, electrical engineering, software development, and digital/electronic instrument construction skills in a variety of music production-focused professions. Students are prepared for strategic positions in live and studio environments, post-production, composition, and digital/electronic instrument construction.
Every undergraduate student pursuing a four-year degree at Johnson earns a double major – a major in Bible and Theology and a major of their choice, like Music Technology. Click here to learn more about the Bible and Theology major.
Core Classes
This course briefly considers the fundamental elements of music theory, including notation, scales, intervals, key signatures, meter and rhythm, and triads and their respective inversions. The majority of the course focuses on harmonic analysis, figured bass, cadences, non-harmonic tones, melodic organization, and texture/textural reduction.
This course is devoted to the development of musicianship skills through ear training, sight singing, and functional keyboard instruction. Course content includes the recognition and execution of intervals, diatonic melodic and rhythmic patterns in symmetrical meters, scalar materials, and triads and seventh chords found in folk, pop, and classical music by chanting, singing, playing, and transcription.
This course is designed as a continuation of the work encountered in MUSC 1111. Course contents include voice leading and melodic motion, cadences and harmonic progression, secondary chords structures, modal mixture, an introduction to modulation, and modern song forms. Applicable content from classical, popular, and world music is examined.
This course is a continuation of the work encountered in MUSC 1131. Course content includes continued development of rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic reading and recognition skills, scalar materials, non-diatonic chords, recognizing modern song forms, basic Nashville numbers, chord chart, and lead sheet realization, basic harmonization techniques, harmonic progression, and basic ornamentation and improvisation by chanting, singing, playing and transcription.
To meet the demands of the everyday musician, students engage with a variety of functional keyboard skills including technique, sight-reading, harmonization, transposition, improvisation, and other performance activities.
To expand on a variety of functional keyboard skills including basic choral warmups, improvisation, technique, sight-reading, harmonization, transposition, and other performance activities.
To further expand on functional keyboard skills including score reading, major/minor scales, and accompanying.
Music Theory III
This course is designed as a continuation of the work begun in MUSC 1221 Music Theory II. The course covers secondary chord structures; binary and ternary forms; 18th-century counterpoint; extended and chromatic harmonic materials; an introduction to Classical period forms; and the continued development of part-writing, compositional, and analytical skills as they pertain to all musical materials and forms covered in this course.
Media Composition
Students apply concepts of acoustic orchestration to digital applications for commercial multimedia including film scores, video games, television, advertisements, and virtual reality.
Prerequisite: MUTC 2000 Digital Musicianship, MUED 2100 Introduction to Music Technology, or MUTC 3302 Sound Design & Audio Postproduction.
Survey of Western Music History
This course investigates the development of music in Western civilization. Emphasis is given to the significant role of church music in this history. The hallmarks of musical literature representing major periods of music history are studied along with composers, performers, processes, and historical/political/religious events. Music of the ancient Greeks, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Baroque
Period, the Classical Period, the Romantic Period, and music of the 20th and 21st centuries will be addressed.
History of Commercial Music
This course is a study of commercial music from vaudeville to the Internet and beyond with an emphasis on music technology and how it has enabled the music industry and commercial music to explore ever-expanding paths.
Students must select a minimum of two credits in applied secondary instrument lessons from the following list. Students may continue to take secondary lessons as Supplementary Music Elective credits.
Violin
Violin II
Voice I
Voice II
Drum Set I
Drum Set II
Piano I
Piano II
Guitar I
Guitar II
Bass Guitar I
Bass Guitar II
Students explore trends in media and their impact on society. The course emphasizes historical, ethical, legal, and societal issues in relation to Christianity.
Students gain insight into structures, management, processes, the
economics of and issues surrounding Media and the Arts. An emphasis is placed on financial stability and
profitability in a changing media market.
This course gives students an individualized introduction to digital synthesis and computer music programming within Cycling 74’s Max MSP. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to code basic synthesis models, connect theoretical principles of sound design and music theory with practical programming skills, troubleshoot programming issues, and interpret signal flow in other patch work. The first half of the course is dedicated to the basics of computer music programming and the second half is devoted to student interests.
Electronic Music workshop is an ensemble performance group that studies music employing electronic media, including real-time digital signal processing, multimedia, and live performance. Technical aspects of the course focus on programming using visual programming languages to create interactive projects and algorithmic compositions.
This course is a survey of the technology used to create, prepare, perform, and distribute music, with an emphasis on technologies for application in elementary and secondary school settings.
Students focus on career advancement practices and professional portfolio development within one of their chosen music technology disciplines. Selections may include audio engineering and sound design, digital art, electrical engineering and instrument modeling, intermedia composition, live production, media composition, music software development, notation and engraving, spatial audio, and studio production, among others. Portfolio elements may be supported with elements from adjacent fields. This is the first in a 3-course sequence dedicated to portfolio production and student autonomy. The end goal of the praxis sequence is a completed professional portfolio.
Students continue to focus on career advancement practices and professional portfolio development by creating a substantial body of work within their chosen music technology
discipline(s). Disciplines may include audio engineering and sound design, digital art, electrical engineering and instrument modeling, intermedia composition, live production, media composition, music software development,notation and engraving, spatial audio, and studio production, among others. MUTC 3600 is the second in a 3-course sequence dedicated to portfolio production and student autonomy. The end goal of the praxis sequence is a completed professional portfolio.
Students aim to further develop and finalize the major components of their professional portfolio. MUTC 4500 is the third in a 3-course sequence dedicated to portfolio production and student autonomy. The end goal of the praxis sequence is a completed professional portfolio.
Students engage in a community forum dedicated to the exploration of the digital arts and technology. Students will receive critiques on their technical and creative works, participate in group discussions, engage with guest presentations, and explore related fields such as grant writing, entrepreneurship, and career development.
Students must select an additional 17 MUTC credits from the following course list. Students may repeat MUTC 4500 Music Technology Praxis III for elective credits. Students are strongly encouraged to continue taking MUTC courses as part of their supplementary electives. However, Music Technology Electives do not double-dip as Supplementary Music Electives, and vice versa.
Digital Musicianship
Live Production I
Live Production II
Media Composition
Studio Recording & Acoustics
Electrical Engineering Lab
Electrical Engineering for Audio Devices
Audio Engineering & Perception
Building Electronic Instruments I Lab
Building Electronic Instruments I
Intermedia Composition
Sound Design & Audio Postproduction
Computer Science for Audio Development I
Computer Science for Audio Development I Lab
Computer Science for Audio Development II
Ambisonics & Electroacoustic Music
Music Technology Praxis III
To supplement their musical and technological development, students must select an additional ten credits from either the Music Technology Electives above or from the course list below.
Introduction to Video Production
Introduction to Computer Science
Violin I
Violin II
Violin III
Violin IV
Voice I
Voice II
Voice III
Voice IV
Drum Set I
Drum Set II
Drum Set III
Drum Set IV
Piano I
Piano II
Piano III
Piano IV
Guitar I
Guitar II
Guitar III
Guitar IV
Synthesis II
Synthesis III
Synthesis IV
Bass Guitar I
Bass Guitar II
Bass Guitar III
Bass Guitar IV
Band: Concert & Big Band Ensemble
Electronic Music Workshop
Pop/Rock/Jazz Ensemble
Vox Royale
Music Theory III
Music Theory IV
Music Theory Lab III
Music Theory Lab IV
Commercial Music Lab
Group Piano IV
Conducting I
Arranging & Orchestration
Introduction to Theatre
Directing
Playwriting & Devised Theatre
Songwriting & Composition
Careers
There are many careers available for students who graduate with a music technology degree! Here are just a few for you to explore.
- Live Music Producer
- Studio Music Producer/Postproduction
- Digital/Electronic Instrument Design, Repair, Customization
- Sound Technician
- Music Director
- Media/Event Producer
- Studio Manager
Department Overview

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