An independent acoustic singer-songwriter from Manassas, Va., Craig Harmon has been heavily involved in the local music scene since his teenage years after picking up the guitar at age 12. After performing with a number of bands around the area such as The Wrong Reasons, Three Years My Junior, and Underlined, he recently broke away from group work to solely perform acoustic sets. His music can be described in one word as "honest," as different sounds and genres bridge the gap of musical exploration from song to song.
Click here for a behind the scenes look at the Virginia Tech recording studio. (Photo Gallery)
"I had thought about majoring in music technology for a while," Harmon, a senior English major, said. "The music department didn't offer guitar as a primary instrument, so I decided to take the full music technology course sequence as electives."
The music department has an inclusive curriculum, providing classes for Introduction to Music Technology, Audio Technology for Music, Computer Music and Multimedia Design, Music and Media Production, Soundtrack and Effects Composition, Linux and Multimedia, Composition Lessons and independent, specialized studies.
In an effort to help students understand the available technologies for music composition, recording, performance and production, Tech's Music Department offers both 50- and 78-hour degree options focusing on recording and production, all with available technological resources. The program also boasts an outstanding faculty to student ratio.
"There is certainly a personalized touch when it comes to learning about music technology," Harmon said. "Of course, there is a substantial amount of hands-on work, but having all the faculty resources really complements creative aspects."
Founded by Ivaca Ico Bukvic, the Digital Interactive Sound and Intermedia Studio, created in response to the university-wide Collaborative for Creative Technologies in the Arts and Design, is a revolutionary studio that has 12 silent, high performance machines, state of the art 8.2 Genelec surround systems and an Audio Vision HC display. This all comes complete with soundproof rooms and experimental sensors. The studio is also co-located with the Cyber-arts studio, which offers more than 2,000 square feet of additional exploratory space.
The recording studio and DISIS computer lab are currently being leased. However, the equipment design installation and wiring of the facilities was done by previous department head John Husser and Michael Dunston.
Placing a dollar amount on the total cost of the studio would be difficult at best, Dunston said.
"Over the last 10-plus years our music technology program has largely been developed with whatever resources John Husser and myself could provide ourselves, including substantial personal time,
to minimize the actual costs to the department and university as much as possible," Dunston said.
The cost of the equipment invested in the facilities and programs easily breaks $275,000.
"Keep in mind this was never a single purchase, but rather achieved through slowly building the program over a 10-to-12 year span," Dunston said. "In addition, as is unfortunately common with digital technology, things end up being replaced as they fail beyond viable repair or become seriously outdated. In that regard, there have been additional investments between $50,000 and $70,000 over the last decade in equipment that we no longer currently have. It is worth noting that many things, such as expensive microphones, hold their value and are usable for many, many years."
The DISIS computer lab, funded by the Music Department, Collaborative for Creative Technologies in the Arts and Design, and the Art department, contains roughly $100,000 in equipment.
"In terms of technology and what DISIS has to offer, its mission is to cross pollinate creative work and creative research," Bukvic said. "I personally find it important and find that you can be inspired by a particular creative process or an art project to do creative research. Likewise, you may have situations where you have technology for practical use, but with tremendous potential for the foundation of art."
DISIS also offers paid positions for undergraduate students, since it doesn't offer a graduate program.
These technologies help students participate in programs that are reflective of real world creative and research opportunities that are parallel with future careers. Not only does this training prepare them to address musical facets, it also extends to computer science and installation art. But most importantly, ideas come together through these different mediums of technology.
"What we do in order to empower students is interconnect different ideas in terms of visual arts, technology and multimedia art," Bukvic said. "Students need to be capable of understanding these technologies and how they relate to each other in the digital realm -- from this perspective we ask and expect students to meet milestones and explore their potential."
Designed by musicians for musicians, MAX MSP software is available in the DISIS center for any type of matrix and multimedia work. New technologies are sprouting in external sensors and infrared technology, which has been a focal point for the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique musical research institute in Paris.
"What better way to learn than communicate with people who love to engage this technology," Bukvic said. "I always encourage students from all different areas to participate. On the surface it teaches basic logical concepts that a common musician or visual artist knows, but when it comes to the creative aspect, technicality could be a disadvantage."
DISIS also focuses on viable business models of critical production, and even touches on production management skills -- whether it be a commission, third party or self production.
"Obviously the DISIS is young, I think that fact, that is, that we have intentionally low caps in the courses to around 15 students, which is pretty low," Bukvic said. "I think it's more important that this is the optimal size in part of infrastructure and topics we tend to address."