Students lack of access to audio and video program hampers career prep
March 6, 2018
Almost every song produced today, no matter what device it is played on, is the work of a digital music producer.
Beyond the musicians who play the instruments, the music producer is the unseen hand that shapes the songs that we hear. Some teens have become rich as producers. However, it takes more than just a computer/laptop, software and a set of headphones.
Besides musical talent, it takes skill to make it as a music producer.
I am a music producer and also an artist and I have been doing this for over 3 years now. Metro Boomin is a well known music producer that started off just as everyone else, and now he’s a millionaire.
He produces phenomenal music. He was self taught, which makes it a lot more interesting. For context, I am also self taught .
Think about the talent kids have. Just imagine what more can be done by expanding our abilities to produce music. Not only to produce music, but to make this a career for us. Most teens and young adults do not have the access to technology, but have a strong desire to make music and to expand their musical abilities.
Akins High School has so many opportunities. That being said, why don’t we have any music production/music technology classes? You’re probably asking why, but there are quite a few students who have had this question unanswered, and I am one of them.
The school systems are normally quite scroogelike when it comes to considering more music programs. Why do we have to narrow musical abilities down to just the old school classes? Band and Orchestra have been in school systems since forever ago. I find it a bit cliche that we are forced to choose whether we want to be in Band, or Orchestra.
Not bringing these two classes up in any intrusive way, but what if students don’t want to join those classes?
What if they want to create music in the modern way that most musicians do now?
I was in band for 3 years and I decided that it wasn’t for me. I felt that we were just given the jist of music.
By saying that, I mean it’s the fact that you are handed out music that the teacher has chosen for you to practice and do on their terms. You are being taught to perfect yourself with your musical abilities, which is great, but we are so used to the old fashioned way of making music.
We forget that we have amazing technology and talented musicians, that wouldn’t want any involvement with band or orchestra classes. I personally have the strongest desire to be involved with the more modern music opportunity. Several students at our school would also have this same desire.
Music production isn’t as easy or untalented by any means. It takes students learning, and also it takes drive. Most importantly, the desire to create projects. These projects could even make us careers out of this speciality. I started to ask around. I wanted to figure out why we don’t have an audio/video production class. Recently, I got around to interview Tyson Williams, the Arts and Humanities Academy Coordinator.
This past fall Tyson Williams, AHA Academy Coordinator, applied with the Career and Technology Education Department, to create a audio/video program at Akins
“We already have a film program. That class is devoted to the screenwriting version,” Williams said. “This program has that focus on more aspects of film and the production aspects of the film. We already have some great programs. You can get some video from the cinematic film class. This is going to be the focus of this program.“
I like that they are considering a video and film program, however it would be more ideal if they were to consider the audio engineering and production part of technology. If we focus on the video part of this program, why not balance with the audio part being the focus as well? If our school systems were to make this program a possibility for Akins, it would greatly benefit the students who have a strong interest in this aspect as well. Without focusing on the audio engineering, what would be the purpose of making videos?
For example, let’s say that Akins was considering making a video but wanted to add music/audio to parts of the video. We couldn’t make this happen without the audio part of this program being considered, just as the video part. I strongly believe that our school systems should consider this program. There is so much talent in our students, and some students don’t even have the proper equipment or experience they would like to have.
This program has been considered, but hasn’t taken action just yet. Just imagine the things that students could create with access to a program like this. The experience that we can gain from it.
