Music Technology

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Music Technology Overview

The music industry is changing, and Chatham’s music technology program sets you up for success through allowing mastery of industry-leading technologies for editing and sequencing, putting on the final touches—taking a piece of music all the way from recording through to producing a finished product. Courses in music theory and web design round out your education. And at Chatham, you’ll receive the oral and written communication skills, as well as the critical analytical thinking skills, that set you up for a wide range of career possibilities.
Degrees Offered
  • BA
Program School
School of Arts, Science & Business

Chatham's music technology major prepares students for a range of career paths because music study teaches students readily transferable skills such as focus, perseverance, and entrepreneurial thinking, and specific technology courses add an extra layer to this preparation by providing students that are passionate about music with in-depth work in related areas that can even more directly lead to careers in and around music.

—Michael Boyd, associate professor of music and music program coordinator

Explore the Music Technology Degree:

Students study music theory, ear-training, music history, and performance or composition, as well as basic sound recording audio production, and various computer music applications, including Pro Tools. The major also includes coursework in video production and web design from the film and digital technologies program.

  • Chatham’s music technology program combines the benefits of a smaller institution, such as the ability to work one-on-one with faculty in lessons and courses, with the advantages of living in a city that offers resources and opportunities at larger neighboring institutions.
  • All students complete a capstone seminar that channels the knowledge they’ve accumulated into a discipline-specific project under close faculty guidance. Chatham is one of the few universities across the country that offer such an independent and student-driven program.
  • The music faculty, all of whom are professional musicians with strong artistic achievements, work closely with all students and are strongly committed to the highest standards in teaching.

Sound Recording

In this course students learn basic principles of sound recording and apply those concepts to an area of personal significance such as music performance. 

Advanced Computer Music

The course focuses on advanced topics in computer music such as digital synthesis and signal processing, as well as more nuanced approaches to editing and sequencing. Focus is placed on critical listening and aesthetic considerations. Students will complete creative projects that are broad in scope both technically and aesthetically.

Audio Production

The course focuses on all of stages of the audio production process and addresses both technical and logistical issues. Students gain experience in all roles in this process including producer and engineer.

Full Curriculum Coming Soon

Our Faculty

If one word could best sum up Chatham's faculty, it would be engaged. Professors bring experiences to relate the course lessons to real-world situations.

Full Faculty
James Pierson
James Pierson
Program Chair/Director Business & Entrepreneurship Department

New Music Technology Lab

The new music technology lab boasts 14 robust workstations fully grounded in digital technologies including Pro Tools, notation software, Ableton Live, and Finale. Students will become well-versed in these major computer-based technologies, so that they can transfer those skills onto any platform they’re working on.

Join the Club

Through outlets like the Music Club, students are encouraged to be entrepreneurial, innovative, and self-directive.

Rounding Out Your Education

Stand out from the crowd further with a minor in media arts.

Music in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh boasts a wide range of performing venues, and a smaller, but still robust, range of recording studios.

Career Opportunities

Graduates might work anywhere there’s sound production and sound editing, as sound engineers or managers, audio technicians, music producers, recording specialists, and also in radio or classroom technology. Graduate study in music technology is also a possibility.

Three Questions for Music Students

Nestled in the lesser known Laughlin building at Chatham University—James Laughlin Music Hall—is a music program that hits all of the right notes. Thanks to ample performance opportunities, private instruction from Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra members, and music-specific scholarships, our musical students flourish.

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