Program and Curriculum

This one-year certificate or two-year artist diploma program emphasizes a holistic approach to recording arts and production, marrying technical mastery with deep musical understanding. Technically inclined students with proper training learn to produce musicians in the studio to bring out their best performances. And, musically inclined students learn the technology to make their recordings the highest possible quality. This complementary training positions graduates to be valuable assets in the audio field.

Program Paths

The Recording Arts and Production program offers two paths. Students who successfully complete their first year of study earn a Professional Certificate in Recording Arts. This certificate confirms a demonstrated understanding of the technology, systems, and processes associated with modern audio production.

Students who successfully complete their second year of study earn an Artist Diploma in Recording Arts and Production. The Artist Diploma confirms a demonstrated understanding of the recording and producing process, start to finish audio production, and the role we play in the presentation of program material.

Curriculum Overview

The Artist Diploma in Recording Arts and Production program consists of four semesters of study with Paul Eachus and Andrew Tripp, lecturers in recording arts and production. Each semester will also feature a guest engineer or producer during a short residency.

Year One

The first year of study focuses largely on the technical aspects of modern audio production. Our goal as engineers and producers is to always work in service of the music. In order to reach that goal, it is essential that we have a complete understanding of the technology we use every day.  To that end, first year students acquire a deep familiarity with the recording, live sound, and streaming systems in nine separate venues across campus. Over the course of the year students work in support of more than 400 performances and recording sessions.

Year Two

Admission into the second year of the program requires a proven level of musical literacy. Students who demonstrate a firm technical understanding gained in their first year will focus on the complete process, from start to finish, of producing professional recordings during their second year. Second-year students also work with first-year students to record all of Oberlin’s large ensembles, marking scores, and keeping detailed notes in order to create a final edited version for our archives. By assisting with and eventually executing their own recording sessions, students gain a heightened understanding of the relationship between musician, conductor, engineer, and producer.