Music Production & Engineering Core Curriculum

This hands-on, project-based course introduces students to the fundamental concepts and tools of audio technology and music production. Students explore the science of sound, including waveform characteristics such as amplitude, frequency, harmonic content, and phase. The class explains room acoustics, resonance, and signal flow—from sound source to listener—while developing an understanding of microphones, speakers, and equalizers. Through visits to our own performance venues, practical PA setup exercises, and guided DAW instruction, students gain experience with recording, mixing, and stereo mic techniques. The course culminates in the creation of original music using the Digital Audio Workstation of their choice. This course is a prerequisite for all Music Production & Engineering courses.

Academy Choir is a requirement for all Voice majors and is open to all students. The choir participates in numerous concerts during the year, performing works from a diverse range of styles, time periods and composers.

This yearlong course is the central gathering point for all Music Production and Engineering majors—a space where technical skills, creative practice, and community intersect. Equal parts lecture, music programming workshop, historical survey, and critical listening lab, the course explores the evolution of popular music and the tools and techniques used to shape it. Students develop fluency in production concepts while engaging in collaborative projects, peer feedback, and in-depth listening sessions. As the only class that brings the entire MPE cohort together, it provides a unique opportunity to build a shared language, support each other’s growth, and create original music in a collaborative environment. Open to MPE majors only.

Mixing is both a technical craft and a creative art. In this course, students learn to shape raw recordings into polished, professional-sounding tracks by studying the essential elements of the mixing process—balance, depth, clarity, and impact. Topics include session organization, mix preparation, level setting, panning, EQ, compression, time-based effects (reverb and delay), automation, and master bus processing. Students also explore metering tools to analyze dynamics, frequency balance, and loudness with precision. The course introduces the basics of mastering and emphasizes critical listening and creative decision-making at every stage.

What is MIDI? Who developed it, and why? How is it useful for production? Music Programming and Track Creation gives the student an historical as well as a functional background in MIDI protocol. In this course, students learn how to program and record MIDI information into their DAWs to create arrangements with synthesizers and virtual instruments. They also learn loop-based production as well as sample choice and placement. In addition, students learn the rudiments of subtractive, wavetable and FM synthesis.

This course introduces students to the essential tools and concepts of both studio recording and live sound reinforcement, with a focus on how technical choices support creative goals. Students explore microphone types, characteristics, and placement techniques, along with signal flow through consoles and audio interfaces. The class covers the use of preamps, EQs, compressors, and other processors to shape sound in both recorded and live settings. Through hands-on projects and real-world scenarios, students learn how to capture performances that reflect their artistic intent and how to manage live sound environments that ensure clarity, balance, and impact.

This course explores the use of the keyboard in contemporary styles, and is designed for students with a background in music and some theory knowledge (Music Theory 1 is a prerequisite). Students will expand their keyboard abilities and develop approaches to accompaniment in a variety of contemporary styles. The course will focus on keyboard technique (scales, triads, seventh chords, inversions), and on learning repertoire from contemporary music sources. Students will learn to read and interpret chord charts and lead sheets, including rhythmic notation. Grades for this class are participation based – class attendance and individual practice outside class will be essential.

Production Lab is a weekly 1-hour private lesson designed to build hands-on, practical skills in music production and audio engineering. The curriculum is tailored to each individual student, allowing lessons to progress at a pace that matches the student’s growth and understanding. In the first year, students learn to navigate Pro Tools, import and edit audio, operate mobile recording rigs, and set up studio sessions. They gain experience with patch bays, busses, and headphone matrices, and learn to use plugins such as reverb, delay, and compression to shape a mix. Core editing and mix preparation techniques are also covered to help streamline workflow and improve musical clarity.

As foundational skills develop, the focus shifts to enhancing the overall quality of the student’s productions. Through personalized instruction, critical listening, and constructive feedback, students learn to make more confident creative and technical decisions, preparing their work for a professional context.

Vocal performance is the heart of most contemporary commercial music, and this course delves into the art and techniques of capturing a powerful, emotional vocal performance. Students explore how producers and engineers help artists achieve compelling and authentic vocal takes, and how to use production tools to enhance the emotional impact of a vocal performance. Through direct observation and hands-on experience, students take on the roles of engineer, producer, and second engineer during live vocal sessions. Collaborating with pop vocal performance majors and musical theater students, they gain invaluable insights into the dynamics of working with vocalists and applying the right techniques to create professional-level recordings.

In this course, students develop advanced skills in ensemble recording, focusing on capturing live performances across various genres. They learn to select and position microphones, create effective headphone mixes, and manage session setup and teardown. Students work with ensembles of different sizes—from full bands to choirs to string and horn sections—and also learn to create sweeps and impulse responses to sample room acoustics for custom convolution reverbs.

Music theory classes at Interlochen offer instruction in musicianship skills essential for the serious music student. The class objectives are to provide complete and thorough training in all basic musicianship skills; to offer advanced, college-level theory for the highly motivated student; and to stimulate and encourage exploration of the creative process through music creation (classical) and arranging (contemporary). 

Contemporary Theory begins with a review of fundamentals including intervals, triads, seventh chords, scales, keys, and chord inversion. Students study extended chords (jazz harmonies), diatonic harmonic function, cadence, and chromatic chords, particularly secondary dominants and related ii chords. Students learn the broad strokes of Nashville Numbers and have projects including transcription and arranging for individual instruments and small groups. Students will also build musicianship skills including ear training, sight-singing, and rhythm work. This class is required for all students in songwriting and popular music who attend Interlochen Arts Academy for multiple years. Passing Theory I is a requirement.

In this year-long course, students immerse themselves in the full process of music production, from concept to finished product. In the first semester, students collaborate with the instructor to produce a collection of songs from selected artists, learning essential production techniques and honing their creative skills. In the second semester, students take on the responsibility of producing, recording, overdubbing, and mixing a 3-4 song EP, either for an artist or for their own music. Through this hands-on project, students develop a cohesive, professional, and emotionally impactful body of work, guided by industry standards and creative exploration. This course is open only to multi-year MPE majors and provides a deep dive into the art of production and the skills needed to craft a compelling musical project.

The Pro Tools Fundamentals Certification course introduces fundamental Pro Tools concepts and principles, covering everything an individual needs to know to complete a basic Pro Tools project, from initial setup to final mixdown.

Students also learn to build sessions that include multi-track recordings of live audio, MIDI sequences and virtual instruments. Hands-on exercises and projects introduce essential techniques for creating sessions, recording and importing audio and MIDI, editing session media, navigating sessions and arranging media on tracks, and using basic processing and mixing techniques to finalize a production. Included with the course material is a download of media files and Pro Tools sessions to accompany the exercises and projects in the text.

In this year-long course, 3rd and 4th year seniors create a 7-8 song LP, managing every aspect of the production process. Students select an artist, help develop a unique artistic vision, organize the production schedule, contract musicians and vocalists, and oversee recording, overdubbing, mixing, and mastering. The course culminates in the LP release, which includes organizing a release party and uploading the final product to streaming platforms. Students also gain hands-on experience with mixing in Dolby ATMOS, learning the fundamentals of spatial audio. Additionally, students complete Dante Level 1 Certification and acquire basic soldering skills, providing them with technical expertise essential for the modern music industry.