Audio Engineering (Studio Setting, using on-site gear):
-A basic understanding of Audio Engineering, Mixing, & Mastering
-Commonly used effects and outboard equipment
-A thorough understanding of signal flow and Analog / Digital conversion
-Music Production techniques and equipment
-Mic types and placement techniques
Music Production: Composition & Songwriting:
-Defining/understanding Instrumentation: How specific instruments work together to better create prosody
-Understanding principles and techniques of music production
-Understanding song structures and the use for specific genres
-Artistic and market identity: building an audience with artistic integrity
Live Sound and Lighting:
-Signal chain and setup of equipment
-Mixing board overview and live effects for sound
-Technical understanding of each type of stage-light, common uses and troubleshooting potential issues
-Science of soundwaves and how they interact with a space, how to control and shape them
-Impact of lighting and sound production on perception and performance
-How to set up and tear down a full lights and sound system, familiarity with each component and how it could be used in different scenarios
Branding:
-Why branding is important, and how perception impacts engagement and sales
-How to develop a brand and brand culture
-How to find your own visual language and style that matches with the art you create
-How to use social media to create brand awareness and engage with potential customers
-How to collaborate with other artists and brands to cross-pollinate followers
Music Business:
-What are the roles and responsibilities of each of these entities, and how to monetize each
-Current industry trends
-Brief history of the Music industry
-Impact of AI on the industry and how to use it to our advantage
Leadership Skills and Personal Growth:
-Preparation for life after school, no matter what career path is chosen
-Problem solving: how to find solutions to complex issues and situations
-Develop project management skills: Communication, organization, time management, and adaptability
-Be on time, treat people with respect, do everything with integrity
-Learn how to be efficient in life and workflow to maximize creative time
-Understand the benefits of community and how to develop a strong support system
-Networking skills
-How to set expectations and be prepared for opportunities to fall through
-How to invest yourself into your work but hold it loosely enough that it doesn’t define you
-Work / Life balance
Live Video Production:
A potential collaboration with Emerging New Media at UNL, this could be an incredible opportunity for students to engage with world class video technology, interfacing with emerging media in a live setting
-Learn and Create using realtime video effects that can act as a backdrop for concerts (the video reacts to the sound in the room and provide a constantly shaping and changing motion on the screen)
-Artists that perform at the MusicBox can use this technology for their shows like a lights show, elevating the production value, especially if they don’t have someone on staff to run their sound and lights programs
Creativity:
-Exercises designed to increase overall creative output, no matter the medium
-Using texts and methods from creative professionals to enrich our understanding of our own capacity
-Specialized for songwriting and music creation, but applicable to other creative areas
-How to solve problems and overcome obstacles in a creative way
MBX Academy will focus on bringing quality education surrounding the trades and business of music. The technology and resources available to us in the modern age have put the power of music creation, marketing, distribution, and promotion into the hands of the artist, and we will teach our students how to effectively use those tools, and imagine a career for themselves in the music industry. We see a community of artists, bands, managers, sound and lighting engineers, concert promoters and branding experts blossoming in our city, and finding the support they need to stick around. Classes will be held twice a year (for 8-12 weeks each), a spring and a fall semester, with a potential shorter and more focused summer session. We will be offering scholarships (sponsored by grants and charitable donations) that will offset the cost of the Academy. The scope of the curriculum is listed below and we will adapt the detail of each category based on the participants that semester. Each class will be fully hands-on, with access to all the technology that facilitates recording, live sound and lights, and creative branding. Students will be expected to have a working knowledge of all equipment and mastery of some by the end of the program.
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