What would a simulated urban landscape be without the noise of traffic and the chatter of crowds, or a final showdown with a powerful enemy without a pulse-pounding musical score? Sound and music play a critical role in how we experience games, animated films, and other forms of entertainment, making skilled sound designers essential to a project’ssuccess.
Jump toSection
- Who Should Pursue ThisDegree
- AcademicRoadmap
- CareerOutlook
The Bachelor of Arts in Music and Sound Design focuses on the creative and technical aspects of music and sound design, production, and implementation. You’ll study composition, theory, performance, audio recording and mixing, and technical sound design for video games. Moreover, you’ll gain four years of valuable experience creating and implementing original music and sound for student game and filmprojects.
This program prepares students to pursue roles as musicians, composers, and sound designers in any creativeindustry.
Request Information
Apply Online
Who Should Pursue ThisDegree?
If you can’t imagine a career doing anything other than creating music and audio content, but you also want an education designed for modern career opportunities in the digital entertainment industries, the BA in Music and Sound Design could be a great fit. To succeed, you’ll need to become well-versed in music theory, as well as put in many hours of practice on your musical instrument of choice. At the same time, if you’re excited at the prospect of gaining firsthand composition and sound design experience, this program will give you ample opportunities to explore your musical capabilities in a collaborative and creativeenvironment.
As a student in this program, youwill:
Build Your MusicalFoundation
Study the fundamentals of music history, theory, composition, and recording techniques while also taking eight semesters of private instruction in either vocal or instrumentperformance.
Contribute to Original Game and FilmProjects
Compose, produce, and implement original music and sound for student video games and animated shortfilms.
Find Your Way Around the RecordingStudio
Learn about studio recording techniques, including mixing, synthesis, digital audio workstation hardware and software, and studio equipment andacoustics.
AcademicRoadmap
As a student in the BA in Music and Sound Design program, you’ll divide your time between classroom lectures, learning and practicing with a private music performance instructor, and working in the DigiPen sound labs. Beginning with foundational music theory classes, you’ll work your way toward more advanced music courses in subjects like composition, conducting, and adaptive music for video games. Throughout the program, you will also be involved on a range of sound design projects, producing and implementing music, sound effects, and voice recordings for student games andfilms.
View a sample coursesequence
AdmissionsRequirements
The ideal candidate for the BA in Music and Sound Design degree program will be passionate about music and able to demonstrate proficiency on a musical instrument (or voice) by recording and submitting a performance portfolio for review by DigiPen’s admissions committee. Candidates must be able to read music and should have an intuitive grasp of concepts such as pitch, intervals, melody, harmony, and rhythm, and how these elements coalesce to form unique musicalexpressions.
View allrequirements
TopicsCovered
Students in the BA in Music and Sound Design program will focus on the followingsubjects:
- Music, including music theory, music history, composition, and musicianship. In addition to classroom courses, the BAMSD program includes eight semesters of private instruction in either an instrument orvoice.
- Studio recording techniques, including mixing, microphone selection and placement, digital audio workstations, studio acoustics, and synthesis. Students will learn the ins and outs of soundtrack production through intensive semester-longprojects.
- Sound design for video games, including sound effect creation, interactive sound design, scripting, and the game developmentpipeline.
EventSchedule
Undergraduate Preview DaySaturday, July 6, 2024 - 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 6, 2024 - 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. EventReward Look inside the chest, then claim your treasure by attending theevent! Learn More about the Application Fee. EventReward Look inside the chest, then claim your treasure by attending theevent! Learn More about the Application Fee. DigiPen hosts Preview Days for prospective students to provide you and your family with an in-depth look at our undergraduate degree programs. At each Preview Day, you’ll be ableto: Learn first-hand about DigiPen’s diverse degree programs and project-based learningexperience. Meet faculty, staff, and currentstudents. Speak with admissions and financial aid staff and get answers to yourquestions. Explore campus facilities through self-guidedtours. Prepare for Student Life as a DigiPen Dragon at our ResourceFair. Check-in: begins at 9:30 a.m. Before you arrive, please review our COVID-19 Visitor Policy page. RSVPToday We look forward to meetingyou! #DITPreviewDay DigiPen Institute of Technology DigiPen is committed to providing equal access to its programs and events. Contact the event coordinator in advance with questions or to request accommodations at outreach@digipen.edu, call (425)629-5001, or text(425)414-3633.
Attending this event automatically waives your $60 application fee whenapplying. Attending this event automatically waives your $60 application fee whenapplying.
Event time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:30p.m.
9931 Willows Road NE
Redmond, WA98052Get Directions
DigiPen StudentStories
StudentProjects
Multidisciplinary team projects make up a core component of the BA in Music and Sound Design curriculum. Students can fulfill a variety of music- and audio-related roles on both game development and film production teams — from composing soundtracks and designing sound effects to recording voiceover and dialogue. These are just a few examples of student projects that BA in Music and Sound Design students have helped tocreate.
Penny Blue Finds a ClueCan famed tween detective Penny Blue (with the help from you, her babysitter) solve a murder mystery in this 2.5Dadventure?
Descend Into StoneSolve the mystery of a cursed spear as you descend through the ruins of a long-deadcivilization.
Galaxy GirlAn aspiring comic book artist, stuck in her job at a pizza shop, receives unexpected inspiration for her comic during an unusualdelivery.
Meet theFaculty
Program faculty bring a variety of professional backgrounds and experiences to the BA in Music and Sound Design program. You’ll be learning from professional musicians and composers, as well as former audio directors from game studios like Nintendo and Microsoft. These are just a few of the faculty who teach core courses intheprogram.
Program Director (BA in Music and Sound Design) Lawrence Schwedler earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in classical guitar performance with a specialization in electronic music from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1993. He was a founding member of the Modern Arts Guitar Quartet, a chamber ensemble specializing in 20th century music, performing concerts in Europe, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. Since then he has worked as a composer, sound designer, and audio director in the video game industry for developers such as The Dreamers Guild, JVC Digital Arts Studio, and Nintendo SoftwareTechnology.
Lawrence Schwedler
Department Chair Born in San Diego, California, Bruce Stark is a composer whose music reflects the varied elements of his musical upbringing: early studies in percussion, jazz piano, and classical composition. After completing a Master’s degree in composition at the Juilliard School, he lived for more than 20 years in Tokyo, where he was active as composer, arranger and jazzpianist.
Bruce Stark
Assistant Professor (Music and Sound Design) Greg Dixon teaches courses in Advanced Composition and Sound Design at DigiPen. He holds a Ph.D. in music composition with a specialization in computer music from the University of North Texas, where he worked as a composition teaching fellow, recording engineer, and technical assistant for The Center for Experimental Music and Intermedia (CEMI). Dixon received his M.M. in Music Composition and B.M. in Music Engineering Technology from Ball StateUniversity.
Greg Dixon, Ph.D.
CareerOutlook
Graduates of the BA in Music and Sound Design program will be prepared for a wide variety of music- and audio-related careers in existing and emerging industries, such as video games, film and animation, theater, radio, television, and web/newmedia.
PotentialCareers
Composer
Whether for games, TV, or film, music composers are highly sought after for their talent at writing music to convey specific feelings andemotions.
AudioEngineer
The audio engineer works with musicians and producers to help in the processes of recording, mixing, and reproducing audio — all in a manner that fits the creative direction of a givenproject.
SoundDesigner
The sound designer works with the project team to create and implement sophisticated music and sound effects to accompany a particular piece of work or interactiveexperience.
Other JobTitles
MusicArranger
RecordingEngineer
Audio ProductionEditor
DialogueEditor
MusicSupervisor
MusicEditor
Copyist/Engraver
MusicPerformer
MusicTeacher
FeaturedStories
Check out all the original games and projects that DigiPen student teams spent the year collaboratingon. Watch the 2024 Student Game Showcase
Student film director Christophe Jacques Bouchard talks about the childhood drawing that would go on to inspire an award-winning DigiPen studentanimation. Tall Order Wins Best Student Short at KINO Short Film Fest
Twelve faculty members help reimagine Program Director Lawrence Schwedler’s original Game Boy Advance score for Nintendo’s 2024 Switchupdate. DigiPen Music Department Produces Soundtrack for Nintendo’s Mario Vs. Donkey Kong Remake
