Palmer promotes Pro Tools
UCC offers new music technology classes

By Matt Weaver · The Mainstream
Published January 25, 2011

The Fine Arts department has a new addition to their array of current music classes: Introduction to Music Technology.

The class itself has actually been offered before at UCC, but not in the way instructor Jason Palmer is now teaching. “It’s been around for a while, but we decided to change directions,” said Palmer who wanted to make the class more hands-on and all-encompassing. “I wanted a way for non-classical musicians to get involved. Recording for movies and video games is just as important,” he explained. “I’m trying to develop a program that gets new students to come in.”

The first term of the class, offered only in the fall, focuses on learning to identify, set up, and use different recording tools such as microphones and mixing boards.  Palmer also informs the class on a variety of ways to mike up different instruments, stressing the importance of acoustics.

The second term, offered only in winter, is comprised of lessons in recording and editing music. It’s essentially a lab for the first term, providing students a complete and totally hands on experience. Palmer allows students to enroll in the winter class who haven’t taken the fall term, but he highly recommends that the course be taken in sequence.

The winter class is split into groups and spends the term creating a final project, a short-length compact disk showcasing what they’ve learned in the class.

The third term in Spring is a continuation of technology instruction from the first two terms.  It also covers technology for writing music scores.

Business Administrations student Mike Adams who is enrolled in the course is enjoying the curriculum. “It made me regret not playing harder as a kid; I wish it [the course] was longer. It’s way too much fun once you get started.”

Palmer chose to use Pro Tools software in his class because it’s the music industry norm, meaning what students learn in his class can be transferred straight into real life work. “I want to make people comfortable with software such as Pro Tools.  Most people in the music business use computers and most of them want Pro Tools.”

“All the students should be able to get their hands on their own copy of Pro Tools,” said Adams; “they need to sell it in the book store.”

Palmer wants to keep adding music classes that are unique and helpful. “I want to hopefully expand to a music business class and others that can prepare music students for the industry.”

The Music Technology is a two credit class, meeting on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 9:50 a.m.