Program to start this fall
The Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) School of Music is known for churning up professional music performers and music educators. Now, with the addition of a Bachelor’s Degree in Sound Recording Technology (SRT), the School of Music is creating an opportunity for students to explore careers in the field of audio production. The SRT program will be offered Fall 2023 and is under the instruction of Music Facilities and Sound Recording Manager Vicente Barrera and Dr. Brian Thacker, assistant professor of music.
“What we are trying to do is provide as many options for [music] students as possible because the economy of the future is diverse,” Dr. Scott Jones, associate professor, director of bands, said.
Even though the SRT program is technically a music degree, this does not mean the program will not be covered in depth with instructors who have been doing this with many years of experience in the field and can offer real world experiences. The instructors offer their students a chance to set up microphones and handle the sound booth for the school’s bands as well as practice recording each other while they play on their respective instruments.
“Most of the way I teach my classes is hands-on. We’ll do one little lecture or a couple little ones and the rest of it is ‘ok, do it,’” Thacker said.
TAMUK gives students the opportunity to experiment as they learn to better grasp what they are being taught. Although the SRT program will begin this upcoming semester, some students began taking recording classes in Fall 2022 and saw some of these classes get up from the ground. The SRT program is working to give their students the best they can while still working with them to enhance their skills.
“This music program is great if you want to teach but there’s a whole lot of other things you can do with music… I thought I would be sitting down just writing answers on a piece of paper the entire time but we are testing out different mics, we’re getting up into the rafters of the building and learning how all that works. It’s very hands-on,” Ryan Guerra, music in sound recording technology major, said.
Traditionally, this program does not require students to be a music major to partake in this opportunity. Students who still want to pursue a career in this field now have the option to get certified. The new addition of the SRT also gives current music students a chance to enhance their skill set. For students interested in being part of the SRT program contact (361) 593-2803.
